1. Field of the Invention
The invention relatives to a current adjustment apparatus, more particularly, to a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) current adjustment apparatus.
2. Description of The Related Art
A current adjustment apparatus is a common component in a driver circuit for a light emitting diode (LED).
Referring to
However, the conventional sawtooth wave generator 1 suffers from some disadvantages. Referring to
V=(2/π)Vm[sin wt−(½)sin 2 wt+(⅓)sin 3 wt . . . +(−1)n−1/n sin (n) wt+ . . . ],
the Fourier series expansion reveals that a sawtooth wave signal V comprises both even harmonics and odd harmonics, and includes a considerable percentage of high frequency harmonics, which induces high frequency noise in the system and makes it difficult to built a high frequency sawtooth wave generator, and directly effects the stability of output current. In additional, to adjust the output driving current Io1 in PWM mode, a frequency of the sawtooth wave signal Vr1 must be 10 times higher than that of the modulation voltage signal Vi1 in order to reduce unexpected harmonics in the output. A new current adjustment apparatus which solves these problems is desired.
One object of the present invention is to provide a PWM current adjustment apparatus with a less complex circuitry.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a PWM current adjustment apparatus which reduces high frequency noise and increases system stability.
The present invention provides a PWM current adjustment apparatus comprising a triangle wave generator for generating a triangle voltage signal, a comparator, a FET, a power supply, a first resistor used as a current limiting resistor, and a second resistor. In operation, the triangle wave voltage signal generated by the triangle wave generator and a modulation signal provided by a modulation voltage source are fed to the comparator, an output of the comparator is connected to a gate terminal of the FET, the power supply is connected to a source terminal of the FET through the current limiting resistor, and a drain terminal of the FET outputs a driving current through the second resistor.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The modulation signal Vi2 changes slowly in a period T of the triangle wave signal Vr2, and if the modulation signal Vi2 is higher than the triangle wave signal Vr2, the comparator 9 outputs a positive level signal and turns on the FET 10, generating a certain output driving current Io2, which flows in the series loop of the power supply 14, the FET 10, the current limiting resistors 11, 12 and the load. If the modulation signal Vi2 is lower than the triangle wave signal Vr2, the comparator 9 outputs a zero level signal to turn off the FET 10, and there is no output current. Furthermore, the FET 10 can be an N-channel enhancement-type FET, a P-channel enhancement-type FET, an N-channel depletion-type FET, a P-channel depletion-type FET or any other type of switching component.
In use, the output u1 of the zero-crossing comparator is clamped to be a symmetric bipolar square wave by the zener diodes 19, 20. The integrator integrates the output u1 of the zero crossing comparator, and outputs the desired triangle wave voltage signal u0, i.e., the signal Vr2 shown in
The circuit of the PWM current adjustment apparatus of the present invention is simple since it uses a single path. The Fourier series expansion for the symmetric triangle wave signal Vr2 is:
V=(8/π2)Vm[sin wt−( 1/9)sin 3 wt+( 1/25)sin 5 wt+ . . . +(−1)n−1/(2n−1)2sin (2n−1)wt + . . . ].
Comparing this equation for the symmetric triangle wave signal Vr2 with the Fourier series expansion of the prior art sawtooth wave signal Vr1, note that the equation for the signal used in the present invention only comprises odd harmonics, no even harmonics. A coefficient of an Nth order harmonic of the symmetric triangle wave is 8/[π2×(2N−1)2], which is much less in magnitude than that of a sawtooth wave signal, 2/(π×N). In other words, the symmetric triangle wave signal includes smaller magnitude harmonic components, and induces lower noise as a result. All of these significantly increase system stability. And, it is thus easier and less costly to build a triangle wave generator than a sawtooth wave generator for high frequency operation.
In additional, the PWM current adjustment apparatus of the present invention is not limited to using the triangle wave generator described above. Other, more precise generators can be used in the PWM current adjustment apparatus of the present invention. A more precise triangle wave generator may be more complex than the triangle wave generator described above, but compared to more precise sawtooth wave generators, the triangle wave generator is still simpler, because of simple, integral circuit employed. And, in cases where the modulation voltage source signal amplitude is out of a range between a maximum and a minimum of a triangle wave signal, the current adjustment apparatus can either just keep comparing the modulation signal and the triangle wave signal in the comparator, or an auxiliary circuit may be added to obtain a desired function, according to the application requirement.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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91136958 A | Dec 2002 | TW | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3621282 | Haas | Nov 1971 | A |
4452210 | Sasayama et al. | Jun 1984 | A |
5631817 | Minami | May 1997 | A |
6586890 | Min et al. | Jul 2003 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20040120699 A1 | Jun 2004 | US |