U.S. patent application number 11/443485 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-14 for led junction temperature tester.
Invention is credited to Kelvin Shih.
Application Number | 20060280224 11/443485 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26990608 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060280224 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shih; Kelvin |
December 14, 2006 |
LED junction temperature tester
Abstract
An instrument measures the LED junction temperature directly by
taking advantage of the linear relationship between the forward
current driven through the LED, the forward drop of the LED, and
the junction temperature to determine the LED junction temperature.
Calibration is conducted by placing two LEDs from the same family
in ambient temperature and passing a small test current through
each of the LEDs to obtain the forward drop of the LED at ambient
temperature. The LED under test is then placed in an
environmentally-controlled chamber where the temperature is raised
a known amount above ambient temperature. Known low and high
voltage values are associated with the ambient temperature and the
environmental chamber temperature, causing the LED under test
becomes a calibrated thermometer that can measure its own junction
temperature due to the linear relationship between the forward drop
and the junction temperature.
Inventors: |
Shih; Kelvin; (Brighton,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C.
400 WEST MAPLE ROAD
SUITE 350
BIRMINGHAM
MI
48009
US
|
Family ID: |
26990608 |
Appl. No.: |
11/443485 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10337246 |
Jan 6, 2003 |
7052180 |
|
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11443485 |
May 30, 2006 |
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60345241 |
Jan 4, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
374/178 ;
374/E7.035 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 2924/0002 20130101;
G01R 31/2635 20130101; H01L 2924/0002 20130101; G01K 7/01 20130101;
H01L 2924/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
374/178 |
International
Class: |
G01K 7/00 20060101
G01K007/00 |
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. A method for measuring a junction temperature of a test LED,
comprising: driving a test LED and a reference LED with a first
drive current at a first temperature; linking the first temperature
to a first known voltage; raising the junction temperature of the
test LED to a second temperature; linking the second temperature to
a second known voltage; driving the test LED with a drive current;
and measuring a forward drop of the test LED, wherein the forward
drop of the test LED is responsive to the first drive current and
indicates the junction temperature of the LED based on a linear
characteristic obtained from the first and second known voltages
corresponding to the first and second temperatures.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of raising the
junction temperature of the test LED comprises placing the test LED
in a temperature-controlled environment and raising the temperature
of the environment to the second temperature.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the driving step comprises
driving the test LED with a first drive current from a constant
current source and a second drive current from an adjustable
current source.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising: driving the
reference LED with the first drive current when the test LED is
driven by the first drive current and the second drive current; and
comparing the forward drop of the test LED with a reference forward
drop of the reference LED to determine the junction temperature of
the test LED.
23. The method of claim 19, wherein the measuring step comprises:
sampling and holding the forward drop of the test LED; and
comparing the forward drop of the test LED with a reference forward
drop of the reference LED to determine the junction temperature of
the test LED.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser.
No. 10/337,246, which was filed on Jan. 6, 2003, which claims
priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/345,241,
filed Jan. 4, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] High intensity LEDs are becoming more popular as light
sources for traffic lights, automobile interior and exterior
lighting, signboards, and other applications. The light output of a
silicon LED chip is not only a function of the chip size and the
process, but also a function of the junction temperature of the
LED. By keeping the junction temperature low, LEDs can be driven
with twice or three times as much current and, thus, generate twice
or three times the light output while still extending the life of
the LEDs. Currently, however, there is no instrument that can drive
a LED at a given current and measure the corresponding junction
temperature rise at the same time.
[0003] There is a desire for an instrument that can measure a
relationship between LED junction temperature and drive
current.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention is directed to an instrument that can
measure the LED junction temperature directly. With a simple
calibration procedure for each family of LEDs, this instrument can
read the temperature rise above the ambient in .degree. C.
directly. The invention takes advantage of the linear relationship
between the forward current driven through the LED, the forward
drop of the LED, and the junction temperature to determine the LED
junction temperature. When the junction temperature increases, the
forward drop will decrease at a constant rate.
[0005] Calibration is conducted by placing two LEDs, a test LED and
a reference LED from the same family in ambient temperature and
passing a small test current through each of the LEDs. The test LED
is then placed in an environmentally-controlled chamber where the
temperature is raised a known amount above ambient temperature.
Once the junction temperature of the LED is the same as the
temperature in the environmental chamber, a gain potentiometer is
adjusted so the digital voltmeter reads a known value and a
potentiometer is locked, causing the LED under test becomes a
calibrated thermometer that can measure its own junction
temperature.
[0006] The measured forward drop of the LED at any given
temperature minus the forward drop of this LED at ambient
temperature (which is stored in the reference LED and the zero
potentiometer) with an inverting amplifier stage will therefore
provide a direct reading of the junction temperature rise. Since
the test LED has already been calibrated in the environmental
chamber, the digital voltmeter will read the junction temperature
rise in .degree. C. directly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a junction
temperature measurement instrument according to one embodiment of
the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2A is a schematic of a timing circuit according to one
embodiment of the invention;
[0009] FIG. 2B is a timing diagram illustrating a relationship
between signals in the timing circuit of FIG. 2A;
[0010] FIG. 2C is a timing diagram illustrating a relationship
between additional signals in the timing circuit of FIG. 2A;
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates a constant current source used in one
embodiment of the inventive instrument;
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates an adjustable current source used in one
embodiment of the inventive instrument; and
[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates a signal processing stage used in one
embodiment of the inventive instrument.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0014] Generally, an LED junction temperature testing instrument
according to the invention can read the temperature rise above the
ambient in degrees C. directly with a simple calibration procedure
for a given LED family. In one embodiment, the forward drop of the
LEDs can also be measured so that the calculation of the thermal
resistance in .degree. C./watt can be done easily.
[0015] The forward drop of LED (light emitting diode) is function
of the forward current as well as the junction temperature. When
the drive current increases, the forward drop will also go up. When
the junction temperature increases, the forward drop decreases at a
constant rate. As is known in the art, the relationship between the
temperature and forward drop in LEDs is linear over the operating
temperature range. To measure the junction temperature of the LED,
the drive current used should be small enough to minimize any
self-heating effects in the LED.
[0016] To start the calibration process, the instrument drives a
test LED and a reference LED from the same family and at the same
ambient temperature with the same current. Both LEDs should have
approximately the same forward drop when they are in the same
ambient temperature and have the same current flow through them.
Any differences in the forward drops of the LEDs can be adjusted by
using a zero potentiometer. This step basically stores the forward
drop of the test LED in the reference LED forward drop and the zero
potentiometer.
[0017] The test LED is then placed into an
environmentally-controlled chamber having an adjustable
temperature. The temperature in the chamber is then raised a known
value (e.g., 50.degree. C.) above the ambient temperature. Once the
junction temperature of the test LED is the same as the temperature
in the environmental chamber, a gain potentiometer is adjusted and
locked so that the higher temperature corresponds with a known
voltage. Because the low (ambient) junction temperature and the
high (environmental chamber) junction temperature are known and
because the low and high temperatures are tied to known low and
high voltages, the linear characteristics of the LED's forward drop
with respect to junction temperature allows the LED under test to
act as a calibrated thermometer that can measure its own junction
temperature.
[0018] A built-in timing circuit in the instrument directs the
current flow through the LED under test. In one embodiment, during
one cycle (0.1 second) a large preset drive current is flowing
through the LED to heat it up 99% of the time, while there is a
constant current of, for example, 100 uA flowing through the LED
only 1% of the time during which the LED forward drop is
measured.
[0019] The measured forward drop is stored in an analog memory so
that information is available for the remainder of the cycle. This
signal minus the forward drop of this LED at ambient temperature,
which is stored in the reference LED and the zero potentiometer,
with an inverting amplifier stage will give a direct reading of the
junction temperature rise. Because the LED has already been
calibrated in the environmental chamber, the digital voltmeter will
indicate the junction temperature rise in .degree. C. directly.
[0020] The inventive instrument will be described in more detail
below with reference to the Figures. Note that the specific values
shown in the example below are for purposes of illustration only
and are not meant to be limiting in any way. FIG. 1 is a block
diagram of the instrument according to one embodiment of the
invention. Block 300 is a constant current source (100 uA in this
example). Block 400 is a dual range adjustable current source. This
adjustable current source is used to supply the drive current of
the LED. This current source is connected in series with a 1-ohm
power resistor so digital voltmeter DVM1 can read the drive
current.
[0021] Currents from the constant current source 300 and the
adjustable current source 400 are added together using diodes D1
and D2. A N-channel MOSFET is connected between the anode of D2 and
ground. This MOSFET is used to bypass or shunt the adjustable
current to ground when its gate is high (12 V). When the
calibrate/run switch in the timing circuit block 200 is in
calibrate position, both the sample-and-hold signal and the drive
signal to the gate of the MOSFET are high. The adjustable current
will flow through the 1-ohm resistor and the MOSFET to ground.
[0022] Diode D2 is reverse biased, causing the test LED to have
only 100 uA flowing through it. At the same time, the
sample-and-hold signal is also high; thus, the circuit in block 500
will constantly monitor the forward drop of the LED under test by
measuring its forward drop at 100 uA.
[0023] When the calibrate/run switch is switched to the "run"
position, the drive signal will be "off" for 99% of the time and
"on" for 1% of the time, as noted above. When the MOSFET gate is
"off", the drain source junction is open and the adjustable current
source add to the 100 uA current source will flow through the LED
under test. This will drive the LED to a selected brightness and
heat the LED junction at the same time. When the gate of the MOSFET
is high, the drain source junction will be a short circuit and only
the 100 uA current will flow through the LED under test.
[0024] At approximately the same time, the sample-and-hold signal
goes high and starts the sampling process in block 500. When the
sample-and-hold signal and the drive signal to the MOSFET both
become low, the hold circuit remembers the forward drop of the LED
at 100 uA and ignores the forward drop of the LED under large
current. By using a reference LED from the same family as the LED
under test with a 100 uA drive current, most of the forward drop at
ambient temperature will be cancelled out. The potentiometer zeroes
out any voltage differences between the reference LED and the test
LED, making the net voltage change read at DVM2 from the post
amplifier in block 500 directly proportional to the temperature
rise of the test LED junction above ambient temperature. A digital
voltmeter DVM3 is placed directly across the test LED to measure
the forward drop at that particular drive current.
[0025] FIG. 2A is the timing circuit. This part gets its input from
a calibrate/run switch, which dictates whether the instrument is in
a calibration mode or a run mode. The oscillator 210 in this
embodiment comprises a Schmidt trigger NAND gate and a 10 K
resistor and a 0.1 uF capacitor. With these values, the frequency
of oscillation is approximately 1000 Hz. The switch block 220 in
this embodiment comprises a single pole double throw switch, a 2.2
K resistor in series with a LED, and a 10 K pull down resistor.
This switch block will control the mode the tester is in. When the
switch is at calibrate position, the output to the CD4093 input
would be 0. And, when the switch is in run position, the LED will
turn on and the output to the CD4093 in block 240 will be 1. The
divider stage 230 takes in the 1000 Hz oscillating frequency of
1000 Hz, divides it by 10 in the first decade counter CD4017 and
divides it again by 10 in the second decade counter CD4017. By
ANDing the two outputs from each of the divider stages the output
will be a 1% duty cycle pulse; in other words, out of every 100 ms
period there is a 1 ms pulse.
[0026] When the switch block 220 is open (Calibrate position) the
output to block 240 will be "0" (0 volt) and the output from block
240 to block 250 will be "1" (12 volt) all the time. When the
switch in block 220 is closed, the output from block 220 will be
"1" and the LED will be turned on. The output of block 240 will be
a pulse train that has a duty cycle of 1%. This means the output
will be "0" (0 volt) 99% of the time and "1" (12 volt) for 1% of
the time. This pulse train goes to block 250 into a 2 K-resistor
and 0.1 uF capacitor (an RC circuit) in one branch and straight
through, without encountering any circuit components, in a second
branch. The RC circuit slightly delays the original signal while
the second branch allows the original signal to travel through
unimpeded and without any delay.
[0027] FIG. 2B shows how the original signal and the delayed signal
fed to an AND gate generate a pulse that is slightly narrower than
the original signal. This is because the output of the AND gate
will only go high when both inputs become high. This happens when
the delayed signal goes from low to high. The AND gate output will
go low when any one of the two inputs go low (i.e., when the
original signal goes low). This pulse is called an S/H pulse in
this example and is used to drive the switch (CD4066) used in the
sample-and-hold circuit. When this pulse is high, the switches are
closed and the instrument samples the forward drop of the LED when
there is only 100 uA going through the LED. When this pulse is low,
the switch (CD4066) is off, placing the instrument in the hold mode
to hold the voltage from the previously-sampled signal. This signal
should be narrower than the pulse shown in FIG. 2C to prevent the
sample-and-hold circuit from picking up any noise generated when
the MOSFET is turning on or off.
[0028] FIG. 2C shows how the original signal and the delayed signal
fed to an OR gate generate a pulse that is slightly wider than the
original signal. This is because the output of the OR gate will go
high when any one of the two inputs become high. This happens when
the original signal go from low to high. The OR gate output will go
low when both inputs go low that is when the delayed signal go low.
This signal is used to drive a power MOSFET switch to bypass the
adjustable current source. When this signal is high, the current
from the adjustable current source is bypass to ground and the only
current go through the LED under test is 100 uA. When this pulse is
low, the adjustable current source plus the 100 uA will go through
the LED under test and thus heat up the LED. This pulse should be
wider than the S/H pulse so the switching transients of the MOSFET
do not interfere with the sample and hold circuit.
[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates one example of a constant current source
in the inventive instrument (100 uA in this example). Block 310 is
a voltage divider and IC1 is an operational amplifier connected as
a voltage follower. IC1 will have an output that is the same as the
input voltage. Block 320 is an inverting summing amplifier with a
gain of 1. Block 340 is an inverting amplifier with a gain of 1.
The Q1 and Q2 transistors are used here to provide the current gain
and isolate the IC3 operational from the switching noise of the
MOSFET transistor. The output of this amplifier stage (block 330)
is another voltage follower. The current flow through the Rs (10 K)
can be calculated as follows: V .times. .times. 2 = ( V .times.
.times. 1 + V .times. .times. 5 ) ##EQU1## V .times. .times. 3 = V
.times. .times. 2 = ( V .times. .times. 1 + V .times. .times. 5 )
##EQU1.2## V .times. .times. 4 = V .times. .times. 5 ##EQU1.3## I =
V .times. .times. 3 - V .times. .times. 4 10 .times. K = ( V
.times. .times. 1 + V .times. .times. 5 ) - V4 10 .times. K = ( V
.times. .times. 1 + V .times. .times. 4 ) - V .times. .times. 4 10
.times. K = V .times. .times. 1 10 .times. K ##EQU1.4## Since V1=1
I = 1 10 .times. K = 100 .times. u .times. .times. A ##EQU2##
[0030] FIG. 4 illustrates the adjustable current source 400 in more
detail. In this embodiment, the adjustable current source 400 is
adjustable in a first range (when the switch in block 440 is at
position 1) from 0 to 500 mA and in a second range (when the switch
is in position 2) from 0 to 50 mA. Block 410 is a voltage divider
using a 10 K potentiometer. IC1 is an operational amplifier
connected as a voltage follower. and therefore the output of IC1
will be the same as the input voltage. Block 420 is an inverting
summing amplifier with a gain of 1 and contains an operational
amplifier IC2 and three 10 K resistors. Block 440 is an inverting
amplifier with a gain of 1. The Q1 and Q2 transistors are used here
to provide the current gain and isolate the IC3 operational
amplifier from the switching noise of the MOSFET transistor. The
output of this amplifier stage (block 430) is another voltage
follower. The current flow through the Rs can be calculated as
follows: V .times. .times. 2 = - ( V .times. .times. 1 + V .times.
.times. 5 ) ##EQU3## V .times. .times. 3 = - V .times. .times. 2 =
( V .times. .times. 1 + V .times. .times. 5 ) ##EQU3.2## V .times.
.times. 4 = V .times. .times. 5 ##EQU3.3## I = V .times. .times. 3
- V .times. .times. 4 RS = ( V .times. .times. 1 + V .times.
.times. 5 - V .times. .times. 4 Rs = ( V .times. .times. 1 + V
.times. .times. 4 ) - V .times. .times. 4 Rs = V .times. .times. 1
Rs ##EQU3.4## Since V1=0 to 5V At switch position 1, Rs=10. I = V
.times. .times. 1 Rs = V .times. .times. 1 10 ##EQU4## The current
I=0 to 500 mA. At switch position 2, Rs=100. I = V .times. .times.
1 Rs = V .times. .times. 1 100 ##EQU5## The current I=0 to 50
mA.
[0031] FIG. 5 illustrates the final stage of the signal processing.
Block 510 comprises IC1 connected as a voltage follower to buffer
the voltage drop information of the test LED. Block 520 is a
constant current source of 100 uA and buffer for the reference LED.
At operational amplifier IC3, the output is a negative voltage
equal to the reference LED forward drop at 100 uA. Block 530 is
used to zero the difference in the forward drop between the
reference LED and the LED under test and comprises a 10 K
potentiometer and a voltage follower IC3. Block 540 is the sample
and hold stage. IC2 is connected as a voltage follower so when
CD4066 switch is open, the charge that is trapped in the capacitor
cannot discharge. This circuit is used to sample the forward drop
of the LED under test when the MOSFET bypasses the large drive
current and only 100 uA drive current is sent through the LED. The
CD4066 switch is controlled by the S/H signal from FIG. 2A. Since
the drive signal bypassing the large current is wider than the S/H
signal, the entire transient has been passed or yet to happen when
the sampling is done. The output of this stage is the forward drop
change of the LED under test. Block 550 is the post amplifier that
allows zeroing out of the difference the forward drop between the
reference LED and the LED under test. Also, one stage of adjustable
gain amplifier gives a direct reading in .degree. C. of the
temperature rise.
[0032] Operational amplifier IC4 is connected as a non-inverting
summing amplifier. This stage adds the forward drop of the LED
under test, the negative forward drop from the reference LED and a
zeroing signal from block 530. When the calibrate/run switch is in
a calibration mode, both LEDs will have 100 uA flowing through
them. With the fine adjustment of the zero potentiometer, the
output to DVM2 will be zero. When the calibrate/run switch is
switched to run position, the test LED will have a preset amount of
current flow through it and started to heat up and the output from
the sample and hold stage will start to drop. The output of IC4
will become negative and the output to DVM2 will start to increase.
If the reference LED and the test LED belong to the same family and
the test LED has been tested during the calibration cycle, the
output of IC5 to DVM2 can read .degree. C. directly with better
than 0.5.degree. C. accuracy.
[0033] It should be understood that various alternatives to the
embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in
practicing the invention. It is intended that the following claims
define the scope of the invention and that the method and apparatus
within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered
thereby.
* * * * *