Patent ID: 7397448

Claim:
A method of operating an electronic device comprising a first electronic component, wherein the first electronic component is a radiation-emitting electronic component or a radiation-responsive electronic component, and wherein a first terminal of the first electronic component is connected to first terminals of at least two parallel conduction paths within a driving unit, including a first conduction path and a second conduction path, the first conduction path including a first field effect transistor comprising a gate electrode, a first source/drain region, and a second source drain region, wherein the method comprises: during a first time period, activating the first conduction path within the driving unit so that current flows through the first conduction path and the first electronic component while the second conduction path of the driving unit is off; determining a first voltage-time product, wherein for the first field-effect transistor: the first voltage-time product is the length of the first time period times a first voltage difference for the first field-effect transistor; the first voltage difference for the first field-effect transistor is a voltage on the gate electrode of the first field-effect transistor minus a voltage on the first source/drain region of the first field-effect transistor, the second source/drain region of the first field-effect transistor, or both; accessing a length of a second time period; and during the second time period, activating the second conduction path within the driving unit so that current flows through the second conduction path and the first electronic component while the first conduction path of the driving unit is off.