阅读说明：本技术 具有集成功率供应器的led设备及采用其的方法 (LED apparatus with integrated power supply and method employing the same ) 是由 马希德·帕勒万尼奈扎得 山姆·施沃维兹 于 2018-03-22 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种发光二极管(LED)设备具有：功率源,其输出处于源DC电压下的源DC功率；多个LED,其能够在低于源DC电压的驱动DC电压下驱动；以及电路径,其将功率源连接到每个LED以由功率源为LED供电。每个电路径包括：第一部分,其连接到处于源DC电压的功率源；和第二部分,其连接到处于驱动DC电压的LED；第一部分的长度长于第二部分的长度。(A Light Emitting Diode (LED) device having: a power source outputting source DC power at a source DC voltage; a plurality of LEDs capable of being driven at a driving DC voltage lower than the source DC voltage; and an electrical path connecting the power source to each LED to power the LED by the power source. Each electrical path includes: a first portion connected to a power source at a source DC voltage; and a second portion connected to the LED at a driving DC voltage; the length of the first portion is longer than the length of the second portion.)

1. A Light Emitting Diode (LED) device comprising:

a power source outputting source Direct Current (DC) power at a source Direct Current (DC) voltage;

an LED module physically separated from the power source and including one or more LED sub-modules, each LED sub-module including a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter therein, the DC/DC converter electrically coupled to a plurality of LEDs, the plurality of LEDs drivable by a driving DC power at a driving DC voltage lower than the source DC voltage;

wherein the DC/DC converter of each LED sub-module is further electrically coupled to the power source via one or more cables and configured to convert the source DC power to the driving DC power at the driving DC voltage to drive the plurality of LEDs of the LED sub-module.

2. The LED apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source DC voltage is higher than 12V.

3. The LED apparatus of claim 1 wherein the source DC voltage is about 48V.

4. The LED apparatus of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein in each LED sub-module, the DC/DC converter outputs the driving DC power individually to each of the plurality of LEDs in the LED sub-module.

5. The LED apparatus of any of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a gateway for wirelessly communicating with a computing device; wherein each LED sub-module further comprises a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with the gateway; and wherein the gateway is configured to wirelessly receive commands for controlling the LED devices from the computing apparatus and to responsively wirelessly communicate with the wireless communication unit of each LED sub-module to control the lighting of the plurality of LEDs in the LED sub-module.

6. The LED apparatus of claim 5 wherein each LED sub-module further comprises a control unit in signal communication with the wireless communication unit and configured to control the lighting of the plurality of LEDs in the LED sub-module.

7. The LED apparatus of claim 6 wherein in each LED sub-module, the control unit is configured to individually control the light emission of each of the plurality of LEDs in the LED sub-module.

8. The LED apparatus of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the power source comprises at least an Alternating Current (AC) -alternating current (AC/DC) converter electrically connectable to an AC power source.

9. The LED apparatus of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the power source comprises at least a combination of a solar panel and an energy storage unit.

10. The LED apparatus of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the power source is switchable at least between an AC/DC converter electrically connectable to an AC power source and a combination of a solar panel and an energy storage unit.

11. An LED apparatus, comprising:

a power source outputting source DC power at a source DC voltage;

a plurality of LEDs capable of being driven at a driving DC voltage lower than the source DC voltage;

an electrical path connecting the power source to each LED to power the LED by the power source;

wherein each electrical path comprises: a first portion connected to the power source at the source DC voltage; and a second portion connected to the LED at the driving DC voltage;

wherein the length of the first portion is longer than the length of the second portion.

12. The LED apparatus of claim 11, wherein the source voltage is above 12V.

13. The LED apparatus of claim 11, wherein the source voltage is about 48V.

14. The LED apparatus of any of claims 11 to 13, further comprising:

one or more DC/DC converters coupled to the electrical path between the primary and secondary portions of the electrical path for converting the source DC voltage to the drive DC voltage.

15. The LED apparatus of claim 14 wherein each LED is individually powered by the output of the one or more DC/DC converters.

16. The LED apparatus of any of claims 11 to 15, further comprising:

a gateway for wireless communication with a computing device; and

one or more wireless communication units coupled to the plurality of LEDs and configured to wirelessly communicate with the gateway;

wherein the gateway is configured to wirelessly receive commands for controlling the LED apparatus from the computing device and to responsively wirelessly communicate with the one or more wireless communication units to control the lighting of the plurality of LEDs.

17. The LED apparatus of claim 16, wherein the one or more wireless communication units are coupled to the plurality of LEDs through one or more control units; and wherein the one or more control units are configured to control the lighting of the plurality of LEDs in response to signals received from the one or more wireless communication units.

18. The LED apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

one or more control units in signal communication with the one or more wireless communication units and configured to individually control the lighting of each of the plurality of LEDs.

19. The LED apparatus of any of claims 11 to 18, wherein the power source comprises at least an AC/DC converter electrically connectable to an AC power source.

20. The LED apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 18, wherein the power source comprises at least a combination of a solar panel and an energy storage unit.

21. The LED apparatus of any of claims 11 to 18, wherein the power source is switchable at least between an AC/DC converter electrically connectable to an AC power source and a combination of a solar panel and an energy storage unit.

22. A method of powering an LED module comprising a plurality of LEDs capable of being driven at a driving DC voltage, the method comprising:

providing a power source outputting source DC power at a source DC voltage higher than the driving DC voltage;

establishing a plurality of electrical paths, each electrical path connecting the power source to one of the plurality of LEDs to power the LED by the power source;

wherein each electrical path comprises: a main portion connected to the power source at the source DC voltage; and a secondary part connected to the LED at the driving DC voltage.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the source voltage is above 12V.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the source voltage is about 48V.

25. The method of claims 22-24, wherein said establishing a plurality of electrical paths comprises:

converting the source DC voltage to the drive DC voltage using one or more DC/DC converters at a location between the primary and secondary portions of the plurality of electrical paths.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the establishing a plurality of electrical paths further comprises:

each LED is individually powered by the output of the one or more DC/DC converters.

27. The method of any of claims 22 to 26, further comprising:

wirelessly commanding the plurality of LEDs to control the lighting of the plurality of LEDs.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the wirelessly commanding the plurality of LEDs comprises:

wirelessly commanding one or more wireless communication units to send control signals to the plurality of LEDs through one or more control units to control the lighting of the plurality of LEDs.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the wirelessly commanding the plurality of LEDs further comprises:

individually controlling the lighting of each of the plurality of LEDs in response to the command.

30. The method of any of claims 22 to 29, wherein the power source comprises at least an AC/DC converter electrically connectable to an AC power source.

31. The method of any one of claims 22 to 29, wherein the power source comprises at least a combination of a solar panel and an energy storage unit.

32. The method of any of claims 22 to 29, wherein the power source is switchable at least between an AC/DC converter electrically connectable to an AC power source and a combination of a solar panel and an energy storage unit.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to Light Emitting Diode (LED) devices and systems, and more particularly, to LED devices and systems having power supplies, and methods of controlling and powering LEDs thereof.

Background

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are known and have been widely used in industry, primarily as low power light indicators. In recent years, LEDs having a larger power output or a larger luminous intensity have been developed for illumination. LEDs, etc. provide better energy efficiency, safety, and reliability, and replace other types of lamps in the marketplace (e.g., incandescent lamps, Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), etc.). Since everyday lighting constitutes a significant part of the grid load and significantly increases the total demand for power generation, the energy efficiency of LEDs will play a key role in future energy saving. LEDs will likely dominate the lighting market due to their superior energy efficiency.

LEDs with greater power output or greater luminous intensity have also been used for image/video displays, such as digital signage or the like. Digital LED markers are a rapidly growing industry due to the growing demand for marketing, advertising, or similar activities.

Disclosure of Invention

Herein, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) device is disclosed. The LED apparatus includes: a Direct Current (DC) power supply outputting DC power at a first voltage; and an LED module physically separated from the DC power supply and electrically connected to the DC power supply via one or more cables to receive the DC power output therefrom. The LED module includes a plurality of LED sub-modules. Each LED sub-module includes and integrates (i) one or more LEDs therein; (ii) a DC/DC converter electrically connected to the DC power supply and to one or more LEDs in the LED sub-module via one or more cables. The DC/DC converter converts the DC power output from the DC power supply to DC power at a second voltage (lower than the first voltage) and outputs the DC power at the second voltage separately (e.g., via separate power lines) to each of the one or more LEDs in the sub-module.

In some embodiments, each LED sub-module further comprises: a wireless communication unit for receiving a control signal; a control unit for controlling the LED through the DC/DC converter based on the control signal received by the wireless communication unit.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an LED apparatus is provided. The LED apparatus includes: a power source that outputs source Direct Current (DC) power at a source DC voltage; an LED module physically separated from the power source and including one or more LED sub-modules, each LED sub-module including a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter therein, the DC/DC converter electrically coupled to a plurality of LEDs, the plurality of LEDs capable of being driven by a driving DC power at a driving DC voltage lower than the source DC voltage. The DC/DC converter of each LED sub-module is also electrically coupled to the power source via one or more cables and is configured to convert the source DC power to the driving DC power at the driving DC voltage to drive the plurality of LEDs of the LED sub-module.

In some embodiments, the source DC voltage is higher than 12V.

In some embodiments, the source DC voltage is about 48V.

In some embodiments, the DC/DC converter in each LED sub-module individually outputs the driving DC power to each of the plurality of LEDs in the LED sub-module.

In some embodiments, the LED device further comprises: a gateway for wireless communication with a computing device. Each LED sub-module further comprises: a wireless communication unit configured for wireless communication with the gateway. The gateway is configured to wirelessly receive commands for controlling the LED devices from the computing device and to responsively wirelessly communicate with the wireless communication unit of each LED sub-module to control the lighting of the plurality of LEDs in the LED sub-module.

In some embodiments, each LED sub-module further comprises: a control unit in signal communication with the wireless communication unit and configured to control the illumination of the plurality of LEDs in the LED sub-module.

In some embodiments, the control unit in each LED sub-module is configured to individually control the lighting of each of the plurality of LEDs in the LED sub-module.

In some embodiments, the power source may include at least an Alternating Current (AC) -alternating current (AC/DC) converter that is electrically connectable to an AC power source.

In some embodiments, the power source may include at least: a combination of a solar panel and an energy storage unit.

In some embodiments, the power source is switchable between at least an AC/DC converter electrically connectable to the AC power source and a combination of the solar panel and the energy storage unit.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an LED apparatus is provided. The LED apparatus includes: a power source outputting source DC power at a source DC voltage; a plurality of LEDs capable of being driven at a driving DC voltage lower than the source DC voltage; an electrical path connecting the power source to each LED to power the LED by the power source. Each electrical path includes: a first portion connected to the power source at the source DC voltage; a second portion connected to the LED at the driving DC voltage; wherein the length of the first portion is longer than the length of the second portion.

In some embodiments, the source voltage is above 12V.

In some embodiments, the source voltage is about 48V.

In some embodiments, the LED device further comprises: one or more DC/DC converters coupled to the electrical path between the primary and secondary portions of the electrical path for converting the source DC voltage to the drive DC voltage.

In some embodiments, each LED is individually powered by the output of the one or more DC/DC converters.

In some embodiments, the LED device further comprises: a gateway for wireless communication with a computing device; one or more wireless communication units coupled to the plurality of LEDs and configured to wirelessly communicate with the gateway. The gateway is configured to wirelessly receive commands from the computing device for controlling the LED apparatus and to responsively wirelessly communicate with the one or more wireless communication units to control the lighting of the plurality of LEDs.

In some embodiments, the one or more wireless communication units are coupled to the plurality of LEDs by one or more control units; the one or more control units are configured to: the lighting of the plurality of LEDs is controlled in response to signals received from the one or more wireless communication units.

In some embodiments, the LED device further comprises: one or more control units in signal communication with the one or more wireless communication units and configured to individually control the lighting of each of the plurality of LEDs.

In some embodiments, the power source includes at least: an Alternating Current (AC) -alternating current (AC/DC) converter electrically connectable to an AC power source.

In some embodiments, the power source includes at least: a combination of a solar panel and an energy storage unit.

In some embodiments, the power source is switchable between at least an AC/DC converter electrically connectable to the AC power source and a combination of the solar panel and the energy storage unit.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of powering an LED module comprising a plurality of LEDs capable of being driven at a driving DC voltage is provided. The method comprises the following steps: providing a power source outputting source DC power at a source DC voltage higher than the driving DC voltage; a plurality of electrical paths are established, each electrical path connecting the power source to one of the plurality of LEDs to power the LED by the power source. Each electrical path includes: a main portion connected to the power source at the source DC voltage; a secondary portion connected to the LED at the driving DC voltage.

In some embodiments, the source voltage is above 12V.

In some embodiments, the source voltage is about 48V.

In some embodiments, the establishing the plurality of electrical paths comprises: converting the source DC voltage to the drive DC voltage using one or more DC/DC converters at locations between the primary and secondary portions of the plurality of electrical paths.

In some embodiments, the establishing the plurality of electrical paths further comprises: each LED is individually powered by the output of the one or more DC/DC converters.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: wirelessly commanding the plurality of LEDs to control the illumination of the plurality of LEDs.

In some embodiments, the wirelessly commanding the plurality of LEDs comprises: wirelessly commanding one or more wireless communication units to send control signals to the plurality of LEDs through one or more control units to control the illumination of the plurality of LEDs.

In some embodiments, the wirelessly commanding the plurality of LEDs further comprises: the lighting of each of the plurality of LEDs is individually controlled in response to the command.

In some embodiments, the power source includes at least: an Alternating Current (AC) -alternating current (AC/DC) converter electrically connectable to an AC power source.

In some embodiments, the power source includes at least: a combination of a solar panel and an energy storage unit.

In some embodiments, the power source is switchable between at least an AC/DC converter electrically connectable to the AC power source and a combination of the solar panel and the energy storage unit.

Drawings

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like elements in different figures, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art LED sign display;

FIG. 2A is a block schematic diagram of the prior art digital LED sign display shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a circuit schematic showing a prior art LED driver (which drives multiple LEDs) of the digital LED sign display shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2C is a schematic diagram of another prior art LED driver for the digital LED sign display shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a simplified block schematic diagram of a digital LED marker according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic diagram of an advanced LED display module of the digital LED sign shown in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are simplified block schematic diagrams of the LED sub-modules of the advanced LED display module shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a simplified circuit schematic of the power architecture of the LED sub-module shown in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 7 is a simplified block schematic diagram of a digital LED sign powered by solar energy and stored energy in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 8 is a simplified block schematic diagram of a digital LED sign integrating solar energy and energy storage according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure generally relates to an LED apparatus. In some embodiments disclosed herein, the LED device can be a digital LED marker. The LED apparatus disclosed herein comprises: a power and control framework distributed along the device based on an integrated solution. The integrated solution provides an efficient and compact solution for LED devices and has advantages such as: higher efficiency, compactness, less wiring, simpler heat dissipation, no rotating parts (i.e., the disclosed LED device is fanless). The power and control architecture disclosed herein enables the LED device to achieve better performance for each individual LED, resulting in a more energy efficient product.

Turning now to fig. 3, an LED device (in the form of a digital LED signage display) is shown, generally designated by the reference numeral 100. As shown, the digital LED sign display 100 includes: an advanced LED display module 104 formed by a plurality of LED display sub-modules 108. Each LED display sub-module 108 includes a plurality of LEDs 112 that can be driven at a driving DC voltage (e.g., 5V, 7.5V, 12V, etc.), depending on the implementation.

The digital LED sign display 100 further comprises: a power source or power supply 102 (in the form of an AC/DC power converter) electrically connected to the LED display sub-module 108 of the advanced LED display module 104; a gateway 118 in wireless communication with the LED display sub-module 108 of the LED display module 104.

The AC/DC power supply 102 may be mounted to a suitable location of the digital LED sign display 100 (e.g., its housing) and physically separated from the advanced LED display module 104. The AC/DC power supply 102 converts the electrical power of an external AC power source 110 (e.g., an AC power grid) to source DC power at a source DC voltage and outputs the source DC power to the LED display sub-module 108 (particularly to its LED power Integrated Circuit (IC) chip 142; described in more detail below) via the cable 106 to power the LEDs 112. The source DC voltage is typically higher than the driving DC voltage of the LEDs 112. In some embodiments, the source DC voltage of the AC/DC power supply 102 is higher than 7.5V. In some embodiments, the source DC voltage of the AC/DC power supply 102 is higher than 12V. In some embodiments, the source DC voltage of the AC/DC power supply 102 is about 48V.

The AC/DC power supply 102 outputs a higher source DC voltage than prior art low voltage power distribution LED signage displays. Thus, the current through the cable 106 and the energy loss and heating thereof on the cable 106 is significantly less than prior designs with similar constant power consumption. In addition, high voltage distribution (e.g., 48V) is significantly beneficial for integrating solar and energy storage (batteries) into the digital LED signage display 100. In contrast, prior art designs require multiple power conversion components to implement solar and energy storage integration.

Referring again to fig. 3, the gateway 118 is configured to wirelessly communicate with the LED display sub-module 108 (and in particular the wireless communication unit 144 thereof, shown in fig. 5A, 5B and described in more detail below) and the external computing device 114 (e.g., desktop computer, laptop computer, smart phone, tablet computer, or the like). Accordingly, a user (not shown) of the computing device 114 may initiate a command for controlling the LED sign display 100, which is wirelessly transmitted to the gateway 118. In response to the command, the gateway 118 then wirelessly communicates with the LED sub-module 108 to adjust the lighting of its LEDs 112.

In various embodiments, the wireless connection between the gateway 118 and the LED sub-module 108 and/or the wireless connection between the gateway 118 and the external computing device 114 may be any suitable wireless communication technology, such as: wireless fidelity

(WI-FI is a registered trademark of City of Atlanta DBA Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Munical, ArtA., U.S.A.), Bluetooth

(Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth Sig of Cockland, Washington, USA), and Apis cerana

(registered trademark of ZigBee Alliance, Inc. of san Lamont, Calif., ZIGBEE), wireless mobile communication technology (e.g., GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), CDMA (code division multiple Access), LTE (Long term evolution), etc.), and/or the like.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of an advanced LED display module 104. As previously described, the advanced LED display module 104 includes a plurality of LED sub-modules 108, wherein the LED sub-module 108A in the upper right corner thereof is shown separate from the other LED sub-modules 108 to more clearly illustrate the sub-modules. Each LED sub-module 108 (including sub-module 108A) includes one or more LEDs 112.

In the example shown in fig. 4, the advanced LED display module 104 includes twenty-four (24) LED sub-modules 108 arranged in a 4 x 6 matrix. Of course, in other embodiments, the LED module 104 may include a different number of LED sub-modules 108, and the LED sub-modules 108 may be arranged in different configurations, such as in a different number of rows and columns, and/or in a different layout (e.g., triangular, circular, etc.).

In the example shown in fig. 4, each LED sub-module 108 preferably includes nine (9) LEDs 112 arranged in a 3 x 3 matrix, which is optimal for this example of an integrated solution based on applicants' power loss calculations. However, in other examples, the LED sub-module 108 may include a different number of LEDs 112, and the LEDs 112 may be arranged in different configurations, such as in a different number of rows and columns, and/or in a different layout (e.g., triangular, circular, etc.).

Fig. 5A, 5B are simplified block schematic diagrams of the LED sub-modules 108. As shown, the LED sub-module 108 includes and integrates one or more LEDs 112 and an LED power Integrated Circuit (IC) chip 142 therein, which provides a multi-functional integrated solution for individually powering and controlling (e.g., via separate power and signal lines) each LED112 of the LED sub-module 108. The LED power IC chip 142 may include a wireless communication unit 144, such as a Radio Frequency (RF) wireless transceiver, a digital control unit 146, a multi-output DC/DC converter 148.

The wireless communication unit 144 is in signal communication with the digital control unit 146 and is in wireless communication with the gateway 118 to wirelessly receive control information, such as color, light intensity, etc., from the gateway 118 (or central controller) of the digital marker 100. In this embodiment, the gateway 118 is physically separate from the advanced LED display module 104. In response to instructions received from the one or more computing devices 114, the gateway 118 communicates with the wireless communication unit 144 of the LED power IC142 of each LED sub-module 108 via the wireless communication connection 154 to control the corresponding LED112 in the LED sub-module 108. The wireless communication unit 144 also reports the status of each LED112 in the LED sub-module 108 for the purpose of diagnosing and resolving problems. The wireless communication unit 144 thus does not require the control lines required in conventional designs.

The digital control unit 146 provides control signals for the multi-output DC/DC converter 148. It also receives the high-level signals from the wireless communication unit 144, where the information is then decoded, ultimately producing digital switches/MOSFETs (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors) suitable for gate signals for the multi-output DC/DC converter 148 (similar to the digital switches 34 of fig. 2A). The digital control unit 146 plays a key role in system optimization, diagnostics, and reliability of the advanced LED display module 104. Each digital control unit 146 provides considerable flexibility to control the LEDs 112 of the corresponding LED sub-module 108 in an optimized manner, to update required information through the wireless communication unit 144, and to receive system updates.

Fig. 6 is a simplified circuit schematic of the power architecture of the LED power IC142 showing a multi-output DC/DC converter 148 of the LED power IC142 driving the LEDs 112. As shown, DC/DC converter 148 of LED power IC142 receives high voltage DC power from AC/DC power supply 102 via cable 106, converts the high voltage power to suitable low voltage DC power (e.g., 5V or 12V DC power, depending on the embodiment), and independently outputs the low voltage DC power to each LED112 of LED sub-module 108 via wires or conductors 150. Since the DC/DC converter 148 is physically within the LED sub-modules 108, the length of each wire or conductor 150 is much shorter than the length of the cable 106.

With the above design, the main part of the electrical path from the AC/DC power supply 102 to each LED112 of the advanced LED display module 104 is a high voltage, low current path. Thus, the energy loss through the electrical path in the form of heat is significantly reduced.

In addition, each multi-output DC/DC converter 148 may independently precisely control the LEDs 112 in the corresponding sub-module 108 by independently precisely controlling the current of each output 150. As a result, the light intensity of each LED112 can be smoothly modulated to achieve smooth dimming. The DC/DC converter 148 does not require a series resistor and driver at all to perform the dimming.

Control of the voltage across and current through each LED112 provides considerable flexibility to optimize the operation of the LEDs 112 and provides greater overall efficiency of the digital LED marker 100. In addition, the DC/DC converter 148 can smoothly modulate its output current by raising and lowering the corresponding output voltage. On the other hand, PWM (pulse width modulation) signals and LED drivers of prior art LED signage displays momentarily apply low voltage power to the LEDs, which creates a significant amount of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and switching losses. By using a tight closed loop control of the output current of each multi-output DC/DC converter 148, its output current can be smoothly modulated. EMI problems and switching losses are thus eliminated or at least significantly reduced.

In prior art designs, as shown in fig. 1-2C, one or more cables 16A are required to electrically connect between the power converter 18 and each LED driver 22 of the LED display module 12 to power the LEDs 24. One or more control cables 16B (e.g., in the form of ribbon cables) are also required to be electrically connected between the central controller 20 and each LED driver 22 of the LED display module 12 to carry control signals.

On the other hand, the digital LED marker 100 disclosed herein only requires a cable 106, wherein each wire connects the AC/DC power supply 102 to a respective LED sub-module 108 (in particular to the DC/DC converter 148 of the LED power IC142 of the LED sub-module 108). The digital LED marker 100 does not require any control lines because the control signals are wirelessly transmitted to the LED sub-modules 108. Accordingly, digital LED marker 100 and its LED power/light management includes a significantly reduced amount of wires, thereby reducing the risk of light failure due to broken wires in cable 106, reducing the manufacturing cost of digital LED marker 100, and simplifying diagnosis and repair in the event of any wire breakage in cable 106.

In the above embodiments, the digital LED marker 100 includes the AC/DC power supply 102. In an alternative embodiment as shown in fig. 7, the digital LED marker 200 may comprise: a solar panel 202 having a high voltage DC output (e.g., a 48V DC output) and electrically connected to the advanced LED display module 104 and an energy storage unit 204 (e.g., a rechargeable battery pack) for powering the advanced LED display module 104 and for charging the energy storage unit 204. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the energy storage unit 204 may also output high voltage DC power to the advanced LED display module 104. Thus, the combination of the solar panel 202 and the energy storage unit 204 is equivalent to the power supply 102 shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 8 shows a simplified block schematic diagram of a digital LED marker 240 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The digital LED marker 240 in this embodiment includes: advanced LED display Module 104 selectively passing through switch S₁Coupled to an AC/DC power supply 102 (in the form of an AC/DC power converter, capable of being electrically connected to an AC power source) and through a switch S₂Coupled to a solar panel 202 (which has an energy storage unit 204, such as a rechargeable battery pack). In other words, the power source of the advanced LED display module 104 can pass through the switch S₁And S₂At least between the AC/DC converter 102 and the combination of solar panels and energy storage units.

AC/DC power supply 102 receives AC power from AC grid 110 and converts the AC power from AC grid 110 to high voltage DC power (e.g., 48V DC power) for use when switch S is on₁Closed and switch S₂Selectively outputting DC power to the advanced LED display module 104 when turned off.

The solar panels 202 have a high voltage DC power output (e.g., a 48V DC power output) and are electrically connected to the energy storage unit 204 to charge the energy storage unit 204. When the switch S₁Open and switch S₂When closed, both the solar panel 202 and the energy storage unit 204 are electrically connected to the advanced LED display module 104 for selectionTo which high voltage DC power is selectively output. Thus, the power supplied to the advanced LED display module 104 may be switched between the AC power grid 110 and the solar panels 202/energy storage units 204 as needed. For example, the advanced LED display module 104 may be powered by the solar panels 202/energy storage units 204 when the power output from the solar panels 202/energy storage units 204 is sufficient and may be powered by the AC power grid 110 when the power output from the solar panels 202/energy storage units 204 is insufficient.

Although in the above embodiments the power and control architecture is described as being used in a digital LED sign, those skilled in the art will recognize that in some alternative embodiments the power and control architecture may be used in other types of LED devices, such as LED lighting devices having multiple LEDs.

Although in the above embodiments, an LED display system with an LED signage display is disclosed, in some alternative embodiments, the LED signage display may be an LED lighting/illuminating device (which is not used to display an image, but is used for lighting/illuminating purposes). Correspondingly, the LED system in these embodiments is then an LED lighting/illumination system.

In the above embodiment, the advanced LED display module 104 includes a plurality of LED sub-modules 108, and each LED sub-module 108 includes a plurality of LEDs 112. In some embodiments, each LED sub-module 108 may include only one LED 112. In some embodiments, the advanced LED display module 104 may include only one LED sub-module 108.

In the above-described embodiment, each DC/DC converter 148 is physically integrated into a respective LED sub-module 108. In some embodiments, at least some of the DC/DC converters 148 are in physical proximity to the respective LED sub-modules 108. For example, in one embodiment, at least some of the DC/DC converters 148 may be removably attached to the back of the respective LED sub-modules 108.

Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.