LED lights with matched AC voltage using rectified circuitry
AssigneeFiber Optic Designs, Inc.
InventorsDavid Allen, Mark R. Allen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An LED light string employs a plurality of LEDs wired in block series-parallel, where the one or more series blocks, each driven at the same input voltage or rectified AC input voltage as the source voltage (110 VAC or 220 VAC), are coupled in parallel. This voltage matching requirement for direct AC drive places fundamental restrictions on the number of diodes on each diode series block, depending on the types of diodes used. The same method that apply to matching the sum of the LED lamps (VAC values) to the AC input, or applied voltage in an AC circuit apply to matching the sum of the LED lamps (VP values) to the full-wave or half-wave rectified AC (VP) voltage applied. Filtering capacitors may also be employed.
Claims30
A light string comprising:
- an input member electrically connectable directly to a source of an alternating current voltage;
- a first plurality of electrical components coupled in a first series connection, each of said first plurality of electrical components comprising at least one type of light emitting diode and a socket;
- each of said first plurality of electrical components having a first rectified alternating current drive voltage at a specified rectified alternating current;
- and
- a rectification circuitry electrically connected to said first series connection for generating a first rectified alternating current voltage;
- said rectification circuitry being directly electrically connected to said input member via drive wires without intervention of any current or voltage controlling circuitry;
- a number of said electrical components in said first plurality of said electrical components in the first series connection being defined so that a summation of said first rectified alternating current drive voltages of each of said first plurality of electrical components to be substantially equal to said first rectified alternating current voltage applied to said first series connection.
A method for constructing an alternating current driven light emitting diode light string comprising:
- obtaining a rectified alternating current drive voltage of at least one type of electrical component, the electrical component comprising at least one type of light emitting diode and a socket;
- obtaining a first rectified alternating current voltage to be applied to at least one first series connection of a first plurality of the electrical components;
- obtaining a number of the first plurality of the electrical components such that a summation of the rectified alternating current drive voltage of each of the first plurality of electrical components is substantially equal to the first rectified alternating current voltage;
- and
- providing a light string comprising the least one first series connection having substantially the number of the first plurality of electrical components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.