Patent ID: 8008864

Claim:
A solid state lighting unit comprising: a control circuitry; a single string of light emitting diodes, said single string constituted of a plurality of sections each comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes; a plurality of bypass paths each responsive to said control circuitry, each of said plurality of bypass paths arranged to provide bypass to a particular one of said plurality of sections; and a boost converter, said single string of light emitting diodes arranged to receive the output of said boost converter, wherein said boost converter comprises: an inductor; a first electronically controlled switch responsive to said control circuitry and arranged to draw current through said inductor when said first electronically controlled switch is closed; and a first diode, a first end of said first diode coupled to said inductor and said first electronically controlled switch, said first diode arranged to pass current from said inductor when said first electronically controlled switch is open, wherein said control circuitry is operative to identify an open circuit condition of a particular one of said plurality of sections, and activate said bypass path arranged to bypass said open circuit section, thereby providing light through sections not exhibiting an open circuit condition.