Abstract: The present invention discloses apparatus and techniques for modular backlighting control of a display. The display includes a number of strings of LEDs. The display is divided into several sections, and each section includes one or more strings of LEDs. A local controller is assigned to each section. The local controller receives feedback signals from the strings of LEDs in its sections and controls the drive voltages and drive currents of those strings. The local controllers communicate with each other and also with the main system controller.

Abstract: The present invention discloses apparatus and techniques for modular backlighting control of a display. The display includes a number of strings of LEDs. The display is divided into several sections, and each section includes one or more strings of LEDs. A local controller is assigned to each section. The local controller receives feedback signals from the strings of LEDs in its sections and controls the drive voltages and drive currents of those strings. The local controllers communicate with each other and also with the main system controller.

Abstract: Integrated backlight unit (BLU) and liquid crystal systems and circuits in liquid crystal display (LCD) systems are described. An LCD system can include a BLU to emit light at different intensities, and a BLU controller coupled to the BLU and configured to control the intensities. An LCD unit can receive the emitted light, and emanate light at a selected luminosity. The LCD unit can include pixels corresponding to: a liquid crystalline medium to provide a transmittance of the light emitted or to transmit a color light; and transistors adapted to modulate reference voltages. An LCD unit controller can be coupled to the LCD unit and configured to control luminosity of the light emanated from the LCD unit. The BLU and the LCD unit, which can be integrated in a single integrated circuit, can be controlled during concurrent time periods for contrast enhancement of images displayed from the LCD unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to circuits and methods for controlling one or more LEDs or LED drivers. The circuit comprises a programmable decentralized controller coupled to one or more detectors, wherein the one or more detectors are configured to detect one or more measurable parameters of one or more LEDs or LED drivers. The controller is configured to receive information from the one or more detectors related to the one or more measurable parameters. The controller is also configured to adjust one or more controllable parameters until one or more detectors indicate that one or more measurable parameters in one of the LEDs or LED drivers meet a reference condition. The controller is configured to then set one or more of the controllable parameters to operate at a value relative to the value of the controllable parameters at which the reference condition was met.

Abstract: The present invention relates to circuits and methods for limiting the operating area of a transistor in a constant current source. The circuits and methods use a detector and a driver to limit the operating area of a transistor. The detector and driver have parameters selected so that, when the voltage at the drain of the transistor satisfies a reference condition, the driver causes drain current of the transistor to decrease. The reference condition is determined relative to the maximum safe drain-to-source voltage at the design drain current of the constant current source.

Abstract: The present invention involves an electrical system in which an analog signal channel passes through various integrated circuit chips (ICs). The channel can carry one or more analog signals. Each IC can modify the signal(s) passing through it and pass it on to another IC or system component. The channel can be programmable. Each IC can include a comparator or a multiplexor to receive the channel signal from another IC or system component and to modify the received signal before transmitting it to another IC or system component. The comparator or the multiplexor can be programmable and can be selectively configured to compare the incoming signal from the channel with a variety of other signals and thresholds, or to simply act as a flow through gate and allow the signal to pass without any modification. The comparison can determine the output of the comparator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to circuits and methods for limiting the operating area of a transistor in a constant current source. The circuits and methods use a detector and a driver to limit the operating area of a transistor. The detector and driver have parameters selected so that, when the voltage at the drain of the transistor satisfies a reference condition, the driver causes drain current of the transistor to decrease. The reference condition is determined relative to the maximum safe drain-to-source voltage at the design drain current of the constant current source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to circuits and methods for controlling one or more LED strings. The circuit comprises a programmable controller coupled to one or more detectors, wherein the one or more detectors are configured to detect one or more measurable parameters of one or more LEDs or LED drivers. The controller is configured to receive information from the one or more detectors related to the one or more measurable parameters and use that information to determine the desired drive voltage for the LED strings. The controller is associated with a power supply having power factor correction (PFC) capability. The controller provides the power supply with a control signal indicative of the desired drive voltage for one or more LED strings. The power supply also receives ac voltage and current waveforms as inputs and performs power factor correction and rectified waveforms related to the ac waveforms. The power supply generates the desired drive voltage based on the control signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to circuits and methods for detecting transistor operation in the triode region including a circuit for a transistor in a constant current source. The circuit comprises a detector having a first input, a second input, and an output. The first input of the detector is coupled to the source of the transistor and the second input of the detector is coupled to the set point terminal of the constant current source. The circuit also comprises a flag coupled to the detector output. The detector has parameters selected so that, when the voltage at the source of the transistor satisfies a reference condition, the output of the detector sets the flag. The reference condition is established relative to the voltage at the set point terminal of the constant current source and relative to the triode transition voltage of the transistor at a selected drain-source current.

Abstract: System(s) and method(s) are provide to efficiently assess performance of a set of light emitting diode (LED) strings in an illumination system. A multiplexer component collects input signal from the one or more LED strings via a first set of one or more monitoring pins, processes the collected input signal, and extracts at least one output signal. The at least one output signal is conveyed to a demultiplexer component through a second set of one or more monitoring pins, wherein the number of elements in the second set of monitoring pins is equal to or smaller than the number of monitoring pins in the first set. The collected input signal is processed in accordance with at least one mode of operation of the multiplexer component, the mode of operation autonomously configured by the demultiplexer component. The multiplexer component can autonomously generate intelligence on operating status of the set of LED strings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to circuits and methods for controlling one or more LED strings. The circuit comprises a programmable controller coupled to one or more detectors, wherein the one or more detectors are configured to detect one or more measurable parameters of one or more LEDs or LED drivers. The controller is configured to receive information from the one or more detectors related to the one or more measurable parameters and use that information to determine the desired drive voltage for the LED strings. The controller is associated with a power supply having power factor correction (PFC) capability. The controller provides the power supply with a control signal indicative of the desired drive voltage for one or more LED strings. The power supply also receives ac voltage and current waveforms as inputs and performs power factor correction and rectified waveforms related to the ac waveforms. The power supply generates the desired drive voltage based on the control signal.

Abstract: The innovation relates to systems and/or methodologies for error detection during sub-assembly in high voltage analog circuits. A signal driver communicates test signals to one or more high voltage analog circuits, and a state machine compares the electrical and/or thermal responses of the high voltage analog circuits to a set of predetermined expected results (e.g., signatures). The signal driver and state machine can be incorporated into the high voltage analog circuits. The expected results can be stored in the target circuits in the form of look-up tables, matrices, and so forth. Errors, such as, dry solders and bridge solders can be determined based on the comparison of the obtained responses to the expected signatures.

Abstract: The present invention discloses apparatus and techniques for modular backlighting control of a display. The display includes a number of strings of LEDs. The display is divided into several sections, and each section includes one or more strings of LEDs. A local controller is assigned to each section. The local controller receives feedback signals from the strings of LEDs in its sections and controls the drive voltages and drive currents of those strings. The local controllers communicate with each other and also with the main system controller.

Abstract: The present invention relates to circuits and methods for limiting the operating area of a transistor in a constant current source. The circuits and methods use a detector and a driver to limit the operating area of a transistor. The detector and driver have parameters selected so that, when the voltage at the drain of the transistor satisfies a reference condition, the driver causes drain current of the transistor to decrease. The reference condition is determined relative to the maximum safe drain-to-source voltage at the design drain current of the constant current source.

Abstract: The present invention discloses apparatus and techniques relating to the intelligent control of a display's backlight LED strings. The present invention provides for controlling the display intensity on a region-by-region basis and for adjusting the intensity multiple times within the duration of a frame. The present invention also provides backlight adjustment in a manner that emphasizes certain colors and deemphasizes certain colors. The present invention also provides for adjustment of the backlight based on the ambient temperature.

Abstract: The techniques of the present invention relate to automatically controlling display intensity. The present invention includes a calibration step in which the display intensity settings are correlated to the ambient light intensity conditions. The present invention also includes an automatic adjustment step in which the ambient light intensity is measured and the display intensity is automatically adjusted according to a correlation defined in the calibration step.

Abstract: The present invention provides a controller for controlling strings of LEDs in a liquid crystal display. The hybrid controller uses both analog and digital circuit components. Error amplifiers are used to compare analog feedback signals received from the LED strings with reference signals. The results of those comparisons are converted to digital data and processed by a digital signal processor (DSP). The DSP calculates the drive voltages for the LED strings based on the deviation between the actual current flows (represented by feedback signals) and the desired current flows (represented by reference signals) through the LED strings. Analog drivers provide the drive voltages to the LED strings.

Abstract: System(s) and method(s) are provide to efficiently assess performance of a set of light emitting diode (LED) strings in an illumination system. A multiplexer component collects input signal from the one or more LED strings via a first set of one or more monitoring pins, processes the collected input signal, and extracts at least one output signal. The at least one output signal is conveyed to a demultiplexer component through a second set of one or more monitoring pins, wherein the number of elements in the second set of monitoring pins is equal to or smaller than the number of monitoring pins in the first set. The collected input signal is processed in accordance with at least one mode of operation of the multiplexer component, the mode of operation autonomously configured by the demultiplexer component. The multiplexer component can autonomously generate intelligence on operating status of the set of LED strings.

Abstract: Integrated backlight unit (BLU) and liquid crystal systems and circuits in liquid crystal display (LCD) systems are described. An LCD system can include a BLU to emit light at different intensities, and a BLU controller coupled to the BLU and configured to control the intensities. An LCD unit can receive the emitted light, and emanate light at a selected luminosity. The LCD unit can include pixels corresponding to: a liquid crystalline medium to provide a transmittance of the light emitted or to transmit a color light; and transistors adapted to modulate reference voltages. An LCD unit controller can be coupled to the LCD unit and configured to control luminosity of the light emanated from the LCD unit. The BLU and the LCD unit, which can be integrated in a single integrated circuit, can be controlled during concurrent time periods for contrast enhancement of images displayed from the LCD unit.

Abstract: The innovation relates to systems and/or methodologies for error detection during sub-assembly in high voltage analog circuits. A signal driver communicates test signals to one or more high voltage analog circuits, and a state machine compares the electrical and/or thermal responses of the high voltage analog circuits to a set of predetermined expected results (e.g., signatures). The signal driver and state machine can be incorporated into the high voltage analog circuits. The expected results can be stored in the target circuits in the form of look-up tables, matrices, and so forth. Errors, such as, dry solders and bridge solders can be determined based on the comparison of the obtained responses to the expected signatures.