Infineon Technologies Ag

Adolfo De Cicco

Andrea Scenini

Rosario Chiodo

Gernot Unterweger

Giovanni Capodivacca

Dietrich Bonart

Maurizio Galvano

Fabrizio Cortigiani

Michael Weis

Pietro Vallese

Andrea Logiudice

Franco Mignoli

Thomas Gross

Roberto Penzo

Damiano Sartori

Enrico Tonazzo

Davide Ghedin

Salvatore Piccolella

Luca Mengani

Bernard Blaise Tchodjie Tchamabe

Luigi Masala

Alberto Dall'Arche

Christopher Gabriel

A system includes a light-emitting diode (LED) circuit comprising a set of LEDs arranged in a formation, wherein the set of LEDs comprise a set of LED clusters; and a controller. The controller is configured to: control, according to a first LED control mode, whether each LED of the set of LEDs is turned on or turned off; and control, according to a second LED control mode, whether each LED cluster of the set of LED clusters is turned on or turned off, wherein the first LED control mode requires the controller to use a first amount of computing resources, wherein the second LED control mode requires the controller to use a second amount of computing resources, and wherein the second amount of computing resources is lower than the first amount of computing resources.

System for individually controlling light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and controlling clusters of LEDs as units

In some examples, this disclosure describes a light-emitting diode (LED) driver circuit configured to: control a set of LED channels; receive, from each LED channel of the set of LED channels, channel status information that indicates whether the respective LED channel is activated or deactivated; and determine, based on the channel status information corresponding to each LED channel of the set of LED channels, a channel status of the respective LED channel. Additionally, the LED driver circuit is configured to output, to a master computing device, the channel status corresponding to each LED channel of the set of LED channels; and output, to the master computing device, channel mapping information, wherein the master computing device is configured to determine, based on the channel status information and the channel mapping information, whether one or more error conditions are present in the set of LED channels.

Detecting error conditions in a plurality of LED channels

A method of controlling a vehicle headlamp that includes a plurality of LEDs may comprise receiving video images at a first frame rate; storing the video images in a memory at the first frame rate; receiving offset data associated with the video images; defining sub-images based on the offset data and the video images; and driving the plurality of LEDs to present the sub-images at a second frame rate, wherein the second frame rate is faster than the first frame rate.

Image stabilization and image presentation techniques for pixelated vehicle headlamps

A vehicle headlamp control circuit is configured to control a vehicle headlamp comprising a plurality of lighting elements. The vehicle headlamp control circuit may comprise a memory that stores information for controlling the plurality of lighting elements, and a driver circuit that drives the plurality of lighting elements based on the information, wherein the information compensates for one or more failed elements of the plurality of lighting elements.

Compensating for failed pixels in pixelated vehicle headlamps

An apparatus may comprise an electronic circuit configured to perform one or more functions or operations, and a memory associated with the electronic circuit. The memory stores a customer-side circuit identification (ID) comprising watermark value combined with a pseudo-random number that is generated as a function of a seed value, wherein the seed value is based on a timestamp generated by computer. An external interface may be coupled to the memory, wherein the external interface provides read-access to the customer-side circuit ID.

Electronic circuit identification (ID) techniques using both a client-side ID and a supplier-side ID

A vehicle headlamp control circuit may be configured to control a vehicle headlamp comprising a plurality of lighting elements. The vehicle headlamp control circuit may comprise a first communication interface configured to receive a first signal comprising a first set of values for driving the plurality of lighting elements, and a second communication interface configured to receive a second signal comprising an intensity threshold. The circuit may be configured to determine a composite intensity associated with the first set of values and drive the plurality of lighting elements using the first set of values if the composite intensity associated with the first set of values satisfies the intensity threshold.

Light function control redundancy when changing the light intensity of pixelated vehicle headlamps

In some examples, a device includes a built-in self-test for detecting a fault on a light emitting diode (LED) or on a driver for an LED. The device includes a pair of pads that are configured to connect to the LED. The built-in self-test is configured to control the driver to turn on a respective pass switch connected to a pad of the pair of pads. The built-in self-test is configured to then determine a voltage level at each pad of the pair of pads. The built-in self-test can determine whether the fault exists on the LED, across the first anode pad and the first cathode pad, or on the driver based on the voltage level at each pad.

Built-in self-test for light emitting diodes

In some examples, a device includes a built-in self-test for detecting a fault between a first light emitting diode (LED) and a second LED. The device includes a first pair of pads configured to connect to the first LED and a second pair of pads configured to connect to the second LED. The built-in self-test is configured to control a first driver and a second driver to turn on, one-by-one, respective pass switches connected to the first and second pairs of pads. The built-in self-test is configured to then determine the first and second forward voltages across the first and second LEDs. The built-in self-test can determine whether the fault exists between the first and second LEDs based on the forward voltages.

The disclosure describes techniques for driving a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a parallel connection by using PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) dimming. The techniques of this disclosure describe the generation and application of a fixed phase shift map to a driver matrix based on pixel position. Each pixel corresponds to an LED light source. In the fixed phase shift map, each pixel will have a pre-defined phase shift calculated to induce a determined variation in turn-on time for geometrically neighbouring pixels to spread out current demand over time during PWM dimming.

Smart flicker-free PWM generation for multi-channel LED drivers

This disclosure includes systems, methods, and techniques for controlling a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). For example, a circuit includes a switching device, where the switching device is electrically connected to an LED of the plurality of LEDs, and where the switching device is configured to control whether the LED receives an electrical signal from a power source. Additionally, the circuit includes processing circuitry configured to receive a photocurrent signal indicative of a photocurrent value corresponding to the LED, compare the photocurrent value with a threshold photocurrent value, and control, based on the comparison of the photocurrent value with the threshold photocurrent value, an output current of the LED.

Controlling LED intensity based on a detected photocurrent value

This disclosure includes systems, methods, and techniques for controlling a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). For example, a circuit includes a switching device, where the switching device is electrically connected to an LED of the plurality of LEDs, and where the switching device is configured to control whether the LED receives an electrical signal from a power source. Additionally, the circuit includes processing circuitry configured to determine that the LED is associated with a bright failure condition by attempting to prevent the LED from receiving the electrical signal from the power source using the switching device and disable the LED in response to detecting the bright failure condition.

Detecting LED failure conditions

A method may include, based on a plurality of duty cycles each associated with a respective one of a plurality of LEDs, determining a first set of drive schemes such that each drive scheme is associated with a respective one of the plurality of LEDs and is dependent on the duty cycle associated with the respective one of the plurality of LEDs. The method further includes driving each of the plurality of LEDs in accordance with the associated drive scheme of the first set in at least one drive cycle. Each of the plurality of drive schemes includes one or more on-times each having a phase and a duration. The method may include driving each of the plurality of LEDs in an on-state or an off-state dependent on the respective drive scheme and determining the drive scheme dependent on the drive scheme of another one of the plurality of LEDs.

Method for driving a plurality of light emitting diodes and drive circuit

A device for driving several light sources is provided, wherein the several light sources are arranged in a matrix structure; wherein the several light sources of the matrix structure are connected to a semiconductor device; wherein a portion of the semiconductor device corresponds to a light source of the matrix structure, wherein the portion of the semiconductor device comprises a diagnosis function which when activated is arranged for supplying an output diagnosis signal.

Driving several light sources

A device may include a plurality of cells. Each cell may include a field-effect transistor and a switch configured to selectively connect a second contact of the respective field-effect transistor with a common test line of the device. A controller of the device is configured to control the switch to be in a closed position. At least one pin is provided which is configured to apply a stress voltage to a common power line connected to a first contact with the field-effect transistor and to the common test line.

Device testing

According to an example, a device is provided for driving several light sources, wherein the device is arranged to sense a supply signal and apply a phase shift to a switching signal of at least one of the several light sources based on the sensed supply signal. Also, accordingly a method, a lighting device, a computer program product and a computer-readable medium are suggested.

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Castel d'Azzano, Italy

Adolfo De Cicco