Abstract: A safety mechanism for a solar cell group, the safety mechanism constituted of: a signal receiver arranged to assert a permissive signal indicative of reception by the signal receiver of a predetermined signal; an electronically controlled switch arranged to provide in a closed state an effective short circuit across the output of the solar cell group responsive to the absence of the asserted permissive signal of the signal receiver; and a power harvester in communication with the solar cell group and arranged to provide electric power to the signal receiver when the electronically controlled switch is the closed state.

Abstract: A backlight system for light emitting diodes (LEDs), the backlight system constituted of: a controllable power source; a plurality of LED based luminaires arranged to receive power in parallel from the controllable power source; a plurality of driving circuitries, each of the plurality of driving circuitries arranged to control the light output of at least two of the plurality of LED based luminaires and further arranged to output information regarding the voltage drop of at least one of the at least two LED based luminaires controlled thereby, wherein the controllable power source is arranged to output a voltage whose value is responsive to the output information.

Abstract: A safety mechanism for a solar cell group, the safety mechanism constituted of: a signal receiver arranged to assert a permissive signal indicative of reception by the signal receiver of a predetermined signal; an electronically controlled switch arranged to provide in a closed state an effective short circuit across the output of the solar cell group responsive to the absence of the asserted permissive signal of the signal receiver; and a power harvester in communication with the solar cell group and arranged to provide electric power to the signal receiver when the electronically controlled switch is the closed state.

Abstract: A low voltage drop unidirectional electronic valve constituted of: a first terminal; a second terminal; a first electronically controlled switch coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a first charge pump arranged to close the first electronically controlled switch when the voltage potential at the first terminal is greater than the voltage potential at the second terminal by a first value. The first charge pump is arranged in a closed loop with the first electronically controlled switch so as to continuously maintain the voltage potential at the first terminal greater than the voltage potential at the second terminal by the first value.

Abstract: A method to generate a substantially DC output having a voltage level different than a DC input, constituted of receiving a feedback signal representing at least one of the voltage level and the current level of the generated substantially DC output; relatively emphasizing the high frequency portion of the feedback signal; controlling the buck function of a cascaded buck-boost converter with a first switching signal having a first duty cycle, the first duty cycle being a first function of the received feedback signal responsive to said relatively emphasized high frequency portion; and controlling the boost function with a second switching signal having a second duty cycle, the second duty cycle being a second function of the received feedback signal, wherein the first switching signal and the second switching signal are continuously enabled to facilitate a continuous conduction mode.

Abstract: A backlight system for light emitting diodes (LEDs), the backlight system constituted of: a controllable power source; a plurality of LED based luminaires arranged to receive power in parallel from the controllable power source; a plurality of driving circuitries, each of the plurality of driving circuitries arranged to control the light output of at least two of the plurality of LED based luminaires and further arranged to output information regarding the voltage drop of at least one of the at least two LED based luminaires controlled thereby, wherein the controllable power source is arranged to output a voltage whose value is responsive to the output information.

Abstract: A current-mode switching regulator uses adaptive current sensing to reliably monitor an inductor current in a cost-efficient and power-efficient manner. A semiconductor switch periodically turns on to conduct the inductor current. A voltage drop across the semiconductor switch is monitored when the semiconductor switch is on. A variable gain amplifier with an automatic gain control loop generates a feedback signal from the voltage drop of the semiconductor switch when conducting to provide an indication of the inductor current to a controller. The automatic gain control loop compensates for any variations in the on-resistance of the semiconductor switch.

Abstract: A low voltage drop unidirectional electronic valve constituted of: a first terminal; a second terminal; a first electronically controlled switch coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a first charge pump arranged to close the first electronically controlled switch when the voltage potential at the first terminal is greater than the voltage potential at the second terminal by a first value. The first charge pump is arranged in a closed loop with the first electronically controlled switch so as to continuously maintain the voltage potential at the first terminal greater than the voltage potential at the second terminal by the first value.

Abstract: A method to generate a substantially DC output having a voltage level different than a DC input, constituted of receiving a feedback signal representing at least one of the voltage level and the current level of the generated substantially DC output; relatively emphasizing the high frequency portion of the feedback signal; controlling the buck function of a cascaded buck-boost converter with a first switching signal having a first duty cycle, the first duty cycle being a first function of the received feedback signal responsive to said relatively emphasized high frequency portion; and controlling the boost function with a second switching signal having a second duty cycle, the second duty cycle being a second function of the received feedback signal, wherein the first switching signal and the second switching signal are continuously enabled to facilitate a continuous conduction mode.

Abstract: A low voltage drop unidirectional electronic valve constituted of: a first terminal; a second terminal; an electronically controlled switch arranged to allow the flow of current from the first terminal to the second terminal when closed, the electronically controlled switch comprising a pair of reverse serially connected field effect transistors; a control circuit, arranged to close the electronically controlled switch responsive to the potential of the first terminal exceeding the potential of the second terminal by a predetermined amount; and a refresh circuit arranged to periodically open the electronically controlled switch. In one embodiment the low voltage drop unidirectional valve is arranged as one of a solar bypass element and an ORing diode.