Patent ID: 7368885

Claim:
A lighting controller for a lighting device for a vehicle comprising: a current supply control unit for receiving a supply of an electric power from a power source and controlling a supply of a current to a semiconductor light source; a time measuring unit for measuring a turned on time and a turned off time of the semiconductor light source, wherein the current supply control unit sequentially further increases a value of the current supplied to the semiconductor light source as the turned on time measured by the time measuring unit is longer and further increases a value of the current supplied to the semiconductor light source at the time of initial turning on of the semiconductor light source when the turned off time is shorter; a voltage detecting unit for detecting a forward voltage of the semiconductor light source, wherein the current supply control unit sequentially further increases the value of the current supplied to the semiconductor light source as the forward voltage detected by the voltage detecting unit is lower, wherein the current supply control unit limits the current supplied to the semiconductor light source to the limit value or lower when the value of the current supplied to the semiconductor light source reaches a limit value; and a limiter circuit for limiting the current supplied to the semiconductor light source to a value that is not higher than the limit value.