Switched constant current driving and control circuit

Abstract

The driving and control device according to the present invention provides a desired switched current to a load including a string of one or more electronic devices, and comprises one or more voltage conversion means, one or more dimming control means, one or more feedback means and one or more sensing means. The voltage conversion means may be a DC-to-DC converter for example and based on an input control signal converts the magnitude of the voltage from the power supply to another magnitude that is desired at the high side of the load. The dimming control means may comprise a switch such as a FET, BJT, relay, or any other type of switching device, for example, and provides control for activation and deactivation of the load. The feedback means is coupled to the voltage conversion means and a current sensing means and provides a feedback signal to the voltage conversion means that is indicative of the voltage drop across the current sensing means which thus represents the current flowing through the load. The current sensing means may comprise a fixed resistor, variable resistor, inductor, or some other element which has a predictable voltage-current relationship and thus will provide a measurement of the current flowing through the load based on a collected voltage signal. Based on the feedback signal received, the voltage conversion means can subsequently adjust its output voltage such that a constant switched current is provided to the load.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.