Light sources, e.g., LEDs (light emitting diode), can be used in many applications such as mobile phones, tablet computers, cameras, and portable chargers. In some of these applications, a light source is used as a strobe light that continuously strobes. For example, a camera usually has a strobe light installed thereon. If a user uses the camera to shoot continuous photos in a dark place, the strobe light may need to strobe continuously. Similarly, a mobile device such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer may have a camera module and a light source installed thereon. The light source may need to strobe continuously if a user uses the mobile device to shoot continuous photos. In these applications, the light source is controlled by a light source controller.
In one embodiment, a controller includes current setting circuitry and voltage regulation circuitry. The current setting circuitry selectively operates in different states that include a strobe state and an idle state. The current setting circuitry sets a current of a light source to a first current level in the strobe state such that the light source emits light, and sets the current to a second current level that is less than the first current level in the idle state such that the light source disables emission of light. The voltage regulation circuitry regulates an output voltage that powers the light source to be in a voltage range with the current at the first current level, in the strobe state, such that the light source emits light, and maintains the output voltage at a voltage level in the voltage range in the idle state.
Features and advantages of embodiments of the claimed subject matter will become apparent as the following detailed description proceeds, and upon reference to the drawings, wherein like numerals depict like parts, and in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention. While the invention will be described in conjunction with these embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.
In one embodiment according to the present invention, a light source controller is provided to control a light source to illuminate, strobe for one time, or strobe continuously. The controller can control the light source to emit light within a relatively short time. Thus, when the light source is used to strobe continuously, the light source can strobe at a relatively high frequency.
As shown in
More specifically, in the example of
Under control of the control circuit 232, the voltage regulation circuitry 224 and the current setting circuitry 230 can selectively operate in an illuminating mode, a single flashing mode, and a continuous flashing mode. In the illuminating mode, the current setting circuitry 230 sets the current ILED to a predefined current level such that the light source 204 illuminates with a relatively stable brightness, and the voltage regulation circuitry 224 regulates the output voltage VLED to be in a light-emitting voltage range such that the light source 204 receives sufficient power to illuminate properly. For example, if the light source 204 is used as a torch or a lamp, the control circuit 232 can control the voltage regulation circuitry 224 and the current setting circuitry 230 to operate in the illuminating mode.
In the single flashing mode, the current setting circuitry 230 sets the current ILED to a preset current level IPRE and maintains the current ILED for a predetermined time interval. During the predetermined time interval, the voltage regulation circuitry 224 regulates the output voltage VLED to be in a light-emitting voltage range such that the light source 204 receives sufficient power to emit light, and when the predetermined time interval expires, the voltage regulation circuitry 224 disables the power supply to the light source 204, e.g., by turning off the switches QH and QL. Thus, the light source 204 can flash/strobe for one time. For example, if the light source 204 is used as a strobe light in a camera or a mobile device having a camera module, and the camera or the mobile device is used to shoot a photo in a dark place, the control circuit 232 can control the voltage regulation circuitry 224 and the current setting circuitry 230 to operate in the single flashing mode.
In the continuous flashing mode, the control circuit 232 controls the voltage regulation circuitry 224, the current setting circuitry 230, and the light source 204 to selectively operate in different states that include a strobe state and an idle state, e.g., alternate between the strobe state and the idle state. In the strobe state, similarly to the single flashing mode, the current setting circuitry 230 sets the current ILED to a first current level IRH such that the light source 204 emits light, and the current setting circuitry 230 maintains the current ILED for a first time interval TSTB. During the time interval TSTB, the voltage regulation circuitry 224 regulates the output voltage VLED to be in a light-emitting voltage range with the current ILED at the first current level IRH such that the light source 204 receives sufficient power to emit light. When the time interval TSTB expires, the voltage regulation circuitry 224 and the current setting circuitry 230 operate in the idle state. In the idle state, the current setting circuitry 230 sets the current ILED to a second current level IRL that is less than the first current level IRH such that the light source 204 disables emission of light, and the current setting circuitry 230 maintains the current ILED for a second time interval TBLK. During the time interval TBLK, the voltage regulation circuitry 224 maintains the output voltage VLED at a voltage level in the light-emitting voltage range. Hence, the light source 204 can emit light in the strobe state and disables emission of light in the idle state. The current setting circuitry 230 can control the light source 204 to selectively operate in the strobe state or the idle state by setting the current ILED to the first current level IRH in the strobe state and setting the current ILED to the second current level IRL in the idle state. As a result, the light source 204 can flash/strobe for multiple times continuously, by operating in the strobe state and the idle state alternately. For example, if the light source 204 is used as a strobe light in a camera or a mobile device having a camera module, and the camera or the mobile device is used to shoot continuous photos in a dark place, the control circuit 232 can control the voltage regulation circuitry 224 and the current setting circuitry 230 to operate in the continuous flashing mode.
As mentioned above, in one embodiment, the output voltage VLED at the light source 204 is regulated to be in a light-emitting voltage range that enables the light source 204 to emit light during the strobe state, and the output voltage VLED is maintained at a voltage level in the light-emitting voltage range during the idle state. Thus, when the controller 202 controls the light source 204 to transition from an idle state to a strobe state, it takes no time to provide an output voltage VLED that is high enough to enable the light source 204 to emit light because the output voltage VLED is already at that level. Additionally, it can take a relatively short time for the current setting circuitry 230 to set the current ILED from the second current level IRL to the first current level IRH. As a result, the light source 204 can flash/strobe at a relatively high frequency.
In one embodiment, the controller 202 includes a first pin, e.g., labeled “LX,” operable for providing power to the light source 204 through the inductor L, and a second pin, e.g., labeled “ISEN,” operable for receiving the current ILED of the light source 204. The controller 202 also includes control circuitry, e.g., including the voltage regulation circuitry 224, the current regulation circuitry 230, and the control circuit 232, that can selectively operate in a strobe state or an idle state. In the strobe state, the control circuitry controls the power at the pin LX to regulate the output voltage VLED at the light source 204 to be in an abovementioned light-emitting voltage range such that the light source 204 emits light. In the strobe state, the control circuitry also regulates the current ILED of the light source 204 to an abovementioned first current level IRH such that the light source 204 emits light. In the idle state, the control circuitry controls the power at the pin LX to maintain the output voltage VLED at a voltage level in the light-emitting voltage range. In the idle state, the control circuitry also regulates the current ILED to an abovementioned second current level IRL such that the light source 204 disables emission of light.
Additionally, in one embodiment, the controller 202 includes a power input pin labeled “IN” operable for receiving input power from a power source, e.g., a battery. The controller 202 includes a data pin labeled “SDA” operable for receiving or providing data, e.g., command information, status information, etc., and a clock pin labeled “SDC” operable for receiving or providing a clock signal to support data communication at the pin SDA. The controller 202 also includes an enable/disable pin labeled “STROBE” operable for enabling or disabling light emission at the light source 204, and a current setting pin labeled “BLANK” operable for setting the level of the current ILED when the light source 204 emits light.
More specifically, in one embodiment, the controller 202 can selectively operate in an external control mode or an internal control mode according to a command signal received through the pins SDA and SDC. In the external control mode, the controller 202 can control the light source 204 to turn on or off, e.g., emit light or extinguish, by setting a logic signal at the pin STROBE to logic high or logic low. In the internal control mode, the control circuit 232 in the controller 202 can control the light source 204 to perform an above mentioned continuous flashing mode according to instructions stored in the control circuit 232, and the pin STROBE may be used to receive a trigger signal that triggers the continuous flashing mode. Moreover, in one embodiment, a battery that provides power to the controller 202 and the light source 204 may also provide power to a load (not shown). If the battery is powering a heavy load, e.g., a load consuming relatively high power, then the control circuit 232 may receive a control signal at the current setting pin BLANK that controls the current setting circuitry 230 to reduce a target current level of the current ILED when the light source 204 emits light. For example, the current setting circuitry 230 can reduce the preset current level IPRE in the single flashing mode or the first current level IRH in the continuous flashing mode.
The PWM generating circuitry 210 can be implemented in many different circuit structures and
In one embodiment, the abovementioned current setting circuitry 230 includes a current regulation circuit 240 and a reference setting circuit 238. The current regulation circuit 240 can regulate a current ILED of the light source 204 to a reference current level IREF and the reference setting circuit 238 can set the reference current level IREF. For instance, the reference setting circuit 238 can set the reference current level IREF to an abovementioned first current level IRH in a strobe state, and set the reference current level IREF to an abovementioned second current level IRL in an idle state.
More specifically, in one embodiment, the current regulation circuit 240 includes a switch QREF, a resistive component RREF, and an operational amplifier 242. The switch QREF and the resistive component RREF are coupled to the light source 204 and allow the current ILED of the light source 204 to pass through them. The operational amplifier 242 includes a first input terminal, e.g., a non-inverting terminal, operable for receiving a reference voltage VIREF, a second input terminal, e.g., an inverting terminal, operable for applying a level of the reference voltage VIREF to the resistive component RREF to set the current ILED, and an output terminal operable for controlling the switch QREF. Thus, the current ILED can be regulated to a current level of VIREF/RREF, where VIREF represents a level of the reference voltage and RREF represents a resistance value of the resistive component. The reference setting circuit 238 can set the reference voltage VIREF to a level indicative of the first current level IRH in the strobe state, and set the reference voltage VIREF to a level indicative of the second current level IRL in the idle state.
Additionally, in the strobe state, the current regulation circuit 240 may act as a sensing circuit that senses the current ILED of the light source 204 to generate a sense signal VSEN, e.g., a voltage signal. The reference setting circuit 238 can include a comparing circuit (not shown) that compares the sense signal VSEN with a preset threshold VPRE. In one embodiment, the preset threshold VPRE depends on the reference voltage VIREF or the first current level IRH. The comparing circuit can generate a control signal, e.g., a control signal 234 to the signal adjustor 208, to control the output voltage VLED according to a result of the comparison of the sense signal VSEN and the preset threshold VPRE, which can result in maintaining the current ILED at the first current level IRH.
More specifically, in one embodiment, the switch QREF can be, but is not limited to, an n-channel MOSFET and can operate in a saturation region. When the switch QREF operates in the saturation region, the sense signal VSEN at the drain terminal of the switch QREF can be greater than a voltage level of VGS−VTH+ILED*RREF, where VGS represents a gate-source voltage of the switch QREF, VTH represents a turn-on threshold voltage VTH of the switch QREF, and ILED*RREF represents a voltage across the resistive component RREF. If the current ILED is at the first current level IRH, then the gate-source voltage VGS can be at a known voltage level VGS
In one embodiment, the comparing circuit in the reference setting circuit 238 compares the sense signal VSEN with the preset threshold VPRE (e.g., given by VGS
In other words, in one embodiment, in the strobe state, the voltage regulation circuitry 224 can regulate the output voltage VLED to be in a light-emitting voltage range such that the light source 204 emits light, e.g., with a predetermined brightness determined by the first current level IRH. The light-emitting voltage range may depend on the first current level IRH, parameters such as the transconductance gm, and the turn-on threshold voltage VTH of the switch QREF, a resistance RREF, and/or a nominal operating voltage VNOR of the light source 204, etc. In one embodiment, a minimum voltage of the light-emitting voltage range is equal to or greater than a threshold voltage that enables the light source 204 to emit light. For example, a minimum voltage of the light-emitting voltage range can be equal to or greater than a voltage level of VGS
In one embodiment, in the idle state, the voltage regulation circuitry 224 maintains the output voltage VLED at a voltage level, e.g., an abovementioned target voltage VTARGET, in the light-emitting voltage range. By way of example, the signal adjustor 208 can maintain the target voltage VTARGET at a preset level within the light-emitting voltage range by setting the adjusting signal VADJ. In one embodiment, the preset level is equal to an abovementioned preset threshold VPRE (e.g., given by VGS
In addition, in the idle state, the reference setting circuit 238 and the current regulation circuit 240 can set the current ILED to a second current level IRL such that the light source 204 disables emission of light. As used herein, “disable emission of light” means that a current flowing through a light source is zero amperes and therefore the light source does not emit light, or means that a current flowing through a light source is relatively small such that the light source emits light with a relatively small brightness which can be neglected. In one embodiment, the second current level IRL is set to zero amperes, e.g., the reference voltage VIREF is set to zero volts, and therefore the switch QREF is turned off by the operational amplifier 242. In one such embodiment, the light source 204 can extinguish the light completely. In an alternative embodiment, the value of the second current level IRL is greater than zero amperes but is negligibly small, and the switch QREF is controlled to operate in a saturation region. Although an output voltage VLED in the light-emitting voltage range is provided at the light source 204, at least a part of the output voltage VLED is applied to, e.g., a drain-source channel of, the switch QREF such that a voltage across the light source 204 is less than a threshold voltage that enables the light source 204 to emit light with the abovementioned predetermined brightness. In one such embodiment, the light source 204 may emit light with a negligible brightness, which can be considered to be invisible or undetectable compared with the predetermined brightness of light in the strobe state.
Consequently, the controller 202 can control the light source 204 to alternate between a strobe state and an idle state such that the light source 204 flashes/strobes continuously. Since it can take a relatively short time to set the current ILED from the second current level IRL to the first current level IRH, the controller 202 can enable the light source 204 to emit light within a relatively short time when transitioning from an idle state to a strobe state. The light source 204 can flash/strobe at a relatively high frequency.
The controller 302 in
Additionally, the controller 302 may include sensing circuits, e.g., regulation circuits 340_1-340_N or other circuits not shown in
In the examples of
In the example of
At step 502, a light source controller, e.g., 202, 302, or 402, controls a light source, e.g., 204 or 304_1-304_N, to selectively operate in a strobe state or an idle state.
At step 504, voltage regulation circuitry, e.g., 224 or 424, regulates an output voltage VLED that powers the light source to be in a light-emitting voltage range in the strobe state such that the light source emits light.
At step 506, current setting circuitry, e.g., 230, sets a current ILED of the light source to a first current level IRH in the strobe state such that the light source emits light.
At step 508, the voltage regulation circuitry, e.g., 224 or 424, maintains the output voltage VLED in the light-emitting voltage range in the idle state.
At step 510, the current setting circuitry, e.g., 230, sets the current ILED of the light source to a second current level IRL that is less than the first current level IRH in the idle state such that the light source disables emission of light.
In summary, embodiments according to the present invention pertain to light source controllers operable for controlling light sources to alternate between a strobe state and an idle state. The light source emits light in the strobe state, and disables emission of light in the idle state. The controller can maintain a voltage that powers the light source to be in a light-emitting voltage range whether the light source is in the strobe state or the idle state. The controller can also set a current of the light source to a first current level to enable light emitting in the strobe state, and set the current of the light source to a second current level to disable the light emitting in the idle state. As a result, the light source can be enabled to emit light within a relatively short time when transitioning from an idle state to a strobe state, and the light source can flash/strobe at a relatively high frequency. The light source controller according to the present invention can be used in many applications, e.g., mobile phones, tablet computers, cameras, portable chargers, etc.
While the foregoing description and drawings represent embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that various additions, modifications and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the principles of the present invention as defined in the accompanying claims. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be used with many modifications of form, structure, arrangement, proportions, materials, elements, and components and otherwise, used in the practice of the invention, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from the principles of the present invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not limited to the foregoing description.