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US 8,803,448 B2Granted
Constant current output sink or source
AssigneeMicrochip Technology Incorporated
InventorsWard R. Brown, Randy Yach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A constant current output sink or source eliminates a current limiting series resistor for a light emitting diode (LED) and maintains a constant light intensity from the LED for all operating and manufacturing variables of a digital device since the current through the LED is maintained at a constant value. The constant current output sink or source may be programmable for selection of a constant current value from a plurality of constant current values available.
Claims25
An integrated circuit device comprising a digital processor;
- an output node controlled by said digital processor for an external connection of the integrated circuit;
- and
- a programmable constant current circuit coupled to the output node, wherein the programmable constant current circuit limits the amount of current through the output node to a current value that is programmed into the programmable constant current circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.