The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 24, 2020
Filed:
Oct. 17, 2017
Continental Automotive Gmbh, Hannover, DE;
Christian Stoeger, Vienna, AT;
Emil Kovatchev, Vienna, AT;
Continental Automotive GmbH, Hannover, DE;
Abstract
A control device drives an operating current of a lighting unit formed with light emitting diodes. The lighting unit is connected to a contact pair of the control device. The control device sets at least one parameter of the operating current that depends on a diode type of the lighting unit. With the lighting unit switched off, the control device generates a measurement current and ascertains a measurement value to identify the diode type. A hysteretic regulator sets the parameter of the operating current, and a current source circuit sets a reference signal at a comparator during the operation of the lighting unit. With the lighting unit inactive, the current source circuit generates the measurement current. Alternatively, a precharge device of the control device charges an output capacitance at the contact pair by a predetermined precharge routine, and a deviation from a predetermined expected value is ascertained as the measurement value.