Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Protection circuit and method
- Patent Title (中): 保护电路及方法
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Application No.: US11822831Application Date: 2007-07-10
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Publication No.: US07884557B2Publication Date: 2011-02-08
- Inventor: Colin Steele , Catherine A. Hearne , David P. Singleton
- Applicant: Colin Steele , Catherine A. Hearne , David P. Singleton
- Applicant Address: GB Edinburgh
- Assignee: Wolfson Microelectronics plc
- Current Assignee: Wolfson Microelectronics plc
- Current Assignee Address: GB Edinburgh
- Agency: Dickstein Shapiro LLP
- Priority: GB0614096.6 20060714; GB0625573.1 20061221
- Main IPC: G05F1/00
- IPC: G05F1/00

Abstract:
A light source is protected by selectively coupling a shunt path in parallel with the light source, such that current is diverted away from the light source and through the shunt path. A detection circuit detects the current flowing in the shunt path when the shunt path is connected in parallel with the light source. A comparator determines whether the current flowing in the shunt path exceeds a predetermined threshold and, if so, prevents or limits the flow of current when the shunt path is disconnected from being in parallel with the light source. In this way, a current detector is provided for monitoring the flow of current in a shunt path, the current detector being configured to disable or limit the flow of current through a light source when a predetermined threshold is reached. This aspect of the invention has the advantage of enabling the current flowing through a light source to be controlled by monitoring the current in the shunt path rather than the path having the light source, thus enabling the maximum current to be controlled without potentially damaging the light source.
Public/Granted literature
- US20080012508A1 Protection circuit and method Public/Granted day:2008-01-17
Information query
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