Single LED short detection in multichannel LED

A method, comprising:

• determining, by a maximum selector circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, a maximum voltage from among a plurality of series load voltages, wherein each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages is a voltage defined by a corresponding series of N loads of a plurality of series of N loads, wherein N is an integer greater than one, the maximum selector circuit is arranged to receive each series load voltage of a plurality of series load voltages at a corresponding input of the plurality of inputs, and the maximum selector circuit includes a bias current source having an output that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit, and further includes, for each input of the plurality of inputs of the maximum selector circuit, a corresponding diode having an anode that is coupled to the corresponding input of the maximum selector circuit and a cathode that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit;
• determining, by a minimum selector circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, a minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages, wherein the minimum selector circuit is arranged to receive each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages at a corresponding input of the plurality of inputs of the minimum selector circuit;
• comparing, by a comparison circuit having an output, a first input that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit, and a second input that is coupled to the output of the minimum selector circuit, the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series voltages with the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages to make a determination as to whether the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages exceeds the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series voltages by a threshold voltage, wherein each load of each series of N loads of the plurality of series of N loads is a light-emitting diode (LED);
• outputting an indication based on a result of the determination;
• and
• de-activating a module that includes the plurality of series of N loads when a status signal is asserted.

A circuit, comprising:

• a maximum selector circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, wherein the maximum selector circuit is arranged to receive each series load voltage of a plurality of series load voltages at a corresponding input of the plurality of inputs, and to provide a maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages at the output of the maximum selector circuit, wherein each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages is a voltage defined by a corresponding series of N loads of a plurality of series of N loads, wherein N is an integer greater than one, wherein the maximum selector circuit includes, for each input of the plurality of inputs of the maximum selector circuit, a corresponding diode having an anode that is coupled to the corresponding input of the maximum selector circuit and a cathode that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit;
• a minimum selector circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, wherein the minimum selector circuit is arranged to receive each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages at a corresponding input of the plurality of inputs of the minimum selector circuit, and to provide a minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages at the output of the minimum selector circuit, wherein the minimum selector circuit includes, for each input of the plurality of inputs of the minimum selector circuit, a corresponding diode having a cathode that is coupled to the corresponding input of the minimum selector circuit and an anode that is coupled to the output of the minimum selector circuit;
• and
• a comparison circuit having an output, a first input that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit, and a second input that is coupled to the output of the minimum selector circuit, wherein the comparison circuit is arranged to compare the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages with the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages to make a determination as to whether the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages exceeds the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages by a threshold voltage;
• and to output, at the output of the comparison circuit, an indication based on a result of the determination.

A circuit, comprising:

• a maximum selector circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, wherein the maximum selector circuit is arranged to receive each series load voltage of a plurality of series load voltages at a corresponding input of the plurality of inputs, and to provide a maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages at the output of the maximum selector circuit, wherein each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages is a voltage defined by a corresponding series of N loads of a plurality of series of N loads, wherein N is an integer greater than one, and wherein the maximum selector circuit includes a bias current source having an output that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit, and further includes, for each input of the plurality of inputs of the maximum selector circuit, a corresponding diode having an anode that is coupled to the corresponding input of the maximum selector circuit and a cathode that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit;
• a minimum selector circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, wherein the minimum selector circuit is arranged to receive each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages at a corresponding input of the plurality of inputs of the minimum selector circuit, and to provide a minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages at the output of the minimum selector circuit;
• and
• a comparison circuit having an output, a first input that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit, and a second input that is coupled to the output of the minimum selector circuit, wherein the comparison circuit is arranged to compare the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages with the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages to make a determination as to whether the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages exceeds the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages by a threshold voltage;
• and to output, at the output of the comparison circuit, an indication based on a result of the determination.

A circuit, comprising:

• a maximum selector circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, wherein the maximum selector circuit is arranged to receive each series load voltage of a plurality of series load voltages at a corresponding input of the plurality of inputs, and to provide a maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages at the output of the maximum selector circuit, wherein each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages is a voltage defined by a corresponding series of N loads of a plurality of series of N loads, wherein N is an integer greater than one;
• a minimum selector circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, wherein the minimum selector circuit is arranged to receive each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages at a corresponding input of the plurality of inputs of the minimum selector circuit, and to provide a minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages at the output of the minimum selector circuit, and wherein the minimum selector circuit includes a bias current source having an output that is coupled to the output of the minimum selector circuit, and further includes, for each input of the plurality of inputs of the minimum selector circuit, a corresponding diode having a cathode that is coupled to the corresponding input of the minimum selector circuit and an anode that is coupled to the output of the minimum selector circuit;
• and
• a comparison circuit having an output, a first input that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit, and a second input that is coupled to the output of the minimum selector circuit, wherein the comparison circuit is arranged to compare the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages with the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages to make a determination as to whether the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages exceeds the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages by a threshold voltage;
• and to output, at the output of the comparison circuit, an indication based on a result of the determination.