Carrier Drawing-out Power LED Driver with Cost-

effective Discrete Parts

Gbor Szab, Gbor Fehr, Gbor Feete, Gerge!" #szros
De$art%ent of &roa'ban' (nfoco%%unication an' E!ectro%agnetic )heor"
&u'a$est *niversit" of )echno!og" an' Econo%ics
&u'a$est, +ungar"
gabor.szabo@omt-lab.hu, gabor.feher@mht.bme.hu, gfekete@hvt.bme.hu, meszaros@hvt.bme.hu
Abstract This paper introduces a novel driving circuit for
power LEDs that is capable of effectively utilizing the OOK
modulation for visible light communication applications. The
circuit uses the carried drawingout techni!ue and consists of
cheap discrete elements" so total cost can be #ept low which is a
must for future integration in lighting systems.
Visible Light Communications; power LED; driver circuit
(, (-)./D*C)(/-
0ith the a$$earance of the $ower LED the in'oor !ighting
was given another chance to re$!ace the sti!! $o$u!ar
conventiona! incan'escent !a%$, )he $revious atte%$ts have
never %et with success a!though %an" of the% beca%e wi'e!"
acce$te', LED !ight sources co%$ete successfu!!" with other
a!ternative !ighting so!utions with the fo!!owing benefits1
high efficienc" 2 !ie the co%$act f!uorescent !a%$s or
two or three ti%es better
!ong !ife e3$ectanc" 2 %ore than ten thousan' hours
!ights u$ i%%e'iate!", fu!! brightness after switch on
insensitive to the %echanica! effect
switching is not har%fu!
!ow heat generation
Since LEDs are se%icon'uctor 'evices thus the turn on4off
'e!a" are in the sa%e nanosecon' range, )his $ro$ert" can be
use' for trans%itting 'ata, (t is a 5uite new techno!og"
therefore it is an i%$ortant 5uestion whether the" can 'o %ore
than 6ust !ighting,
(f we want to use LEDs for infor%ation trans%ission besi'e
i!!u%ination the $ro$er %o'u!ation of the LED has to be
'eve!o$e', (n this $a$er a high s$ee' LED 'river a$$roach is
$resente',
((, P./&LE#S
)he %ost i%$ortant tas to be so!ve' in the case of $-n
6unction 7inc!u'ing the LEDs8 is the 'iffusion ca$acitance
which is evo!ve' when forwar' bias is use', )his ca$acitance
is %uch greater than the s$ace-charge ca$acitance, (n the case
of forwar' bias the 'iffusion ca$acitance charging u$ to the
vo!tage in the LED, )he 'iffusion ca$acitance 'ischarges
s!ow!" through the LED when the forwar' current is cease'
which increases the turn off 'e!a", )he %a3i%a! switching
fre5uenc" wi!! be !ower 'ue to the !arge turn off 'e!a",
a!though the turn on 'e!a" is s%a!!,
0hen on-off e"ing 7//98 %o'u!ation is use' the
switching fre5uenc" can be increase' b" a$$!"ing a 'raw-out
circuit which 'ischarges the 'iffusion ca$acitance in the turn
off state :;<,
(n case of $ower LEDs the $h"sica! sizes are greater thus
the 'iffusion ca$acitance is !arger than nor%a! LED, )he
%ini%ization of the 'iffusion ca$acitance is not an ai% in the
%anufacture of the $ower LEDs whi!e these LEDs were
constructe' for DC or !ow fre5uenc" 7= +z8 %o'e, )he !arger
the ca$acitance the %ore 'ifficu!t it is to 'ischarge 'uring the
sa%e ti%e, )he finite resistances of the transistors a!so increase
the 'ischarge ti%e, >nother $rob!e% is that the $ower LEDs
have !arge o$erating current 7hun're's of %>8 which %aes
%ore 'ifficu!t to choose $ro$er the $ower transistors,
(((, /&?EC)(@E
/ur $ri%ar" $ur$ose is to 'esign a high $ower LED 'river
with 'raw-out circuit which is ab!e to turn on-off a ; 0 $ower
LED as fast as $ossib!e, (n a''ition a si%$!e seria! $ower LED
'river was %a'e to co%$are the two circuits an' to i!!ustrate
the benefit of the 'raw-out circuit,
(@, D.(@E. C(.C*()S
.e!ative!" !itt!e infor%ation is avai!ab!e 7what is usefu! for
our $ur$ose8 about the $ower LEDs to be use', e3ce$t the
o$erating an' $ea current an' the forwar' an' reverse
vo!tage, /$erating current of ; 0 $ower LEDs is usua!!"
aroun' ABB to ACB %> an' their $ea current is about CBB %>,
Figure 1: forward voltage-current (-!" characteristics of a 1 #
$ower %&'
)he forwar' vo!tage high!" 'e$en's on the current
intensit", (t can reach u$ to D @ in case of higher currents 7Fig,
;8, )his is not favorab!e for us because the %o'u!ation
'ecreases the brightness 'ue to the average 'ut" c"c!e of about
CBE 7if the va!ue of forwar' current is not !arge enough in the
turn on state8, > further 'isa'vantage is the inertia of the
$hos$hor !a"er which creates the white !ight in the case of
white LED, )his !a"er can increase the turn on4off 'e!a"
un$!easant!",
)he use of LED %o'e! is nee'e' for correct si%u!ation, 0e
ha' to create a si%$!e a$$ro3i%ate %o'e! because the
obtainab!e LEDs 'i' not have avai!ab!e SP(CE %o'e!, >
si%$!e %o'e! base' on the D(/DE; SP(CE %o'e! can be
'erive' fro% the %easure' @-( characteristic :F<,
(t was 'eter%ine' before 'esigning the circuit that a current
!i%iting resistor with vo!tage source wi!! be use' to 'rive the
$ower LED instea' of a current source, >!though this wi!!
severe!" !i%it the %a3i%u% efficienc" of the 'riving circuit, it
si%$!ifies the situation because it is ver" 'ifficu!t to %ae a
stab!e current source which can be switche' fast, Further as$ect
was that on!" chea$ an' easi!" obtainab!e co%$onents ha' to
be a$$!ie',
)he co%$!ete' sche%atic can be seen on Figure F,
C
4
4
7
0
,0
n
T8 J107 T7 J107
R
6
1
,8
A
+
IB4
C3 22,0p
T3 BFG135
R3 4,7k
R
4
2
2
0
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C1 33,0p
UC1
R1 470,0
T1 BFG135
C2 22,0p
R2 13,0k
T2 MPSH81
L
E
D
1
C
Q

8
6
A
+
I!LED
V
+ U!LED
UC5
T6 J107
R
7
1
5
0
,0
T5 BFG135
C5 33,0p
R5 3"0,0
#
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1
#
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T4 2$2222%
& ' 1MH(
Figure (: schematic of %&' driver circuit with current draw-out
)he )D $ower transistor 7in the %i''!e of the sche%aticG
t"$e F-FFFF>8 switches the LED, (ts %a3i%a! co!!ector
current is HBB %> an' the %a3i%a! $ea current is IBB %>,
)his transistor a!so has an a'e5uate transition fre5uenc" 7ABB
#+z8, )he base of )D is 'riven b" a current source which
contains the );, )F an' )A transistors, )he $ush-$u!! circuits
7)F an' )A transistor8 'raw-out the resi'ua! charge fro% the
base of )D which %aes faster switch off, )he 'ischarge of the
LEDJs 'iffusion ca$acitance is contro!!e' b" )C transistor
through )H,,)I fie!'-effect transistors, )hese three fie!'-effect
transistors are connecte' $ara!!e! in or'er to re'uce the
resu!tant 'rain-source resistance, Ever" transistor o$erates in
c!ass D without setting on the o$eration $oint so the stages are
not se$arate' fro% each other b" cou$!ing ca$acitors, Each
resistance on the bases of bi$o!ar transistors is b"-$asse' with a
ca$acitor in or'er to acce!erate the transient,
)he current consu%$tion of the 'river circuit 7without the
LED current8 is B,;F > if the LED is turne' on, 0hen the LED
is turne' off $ractica!!" there is no current consu%$tion, )hese
current va!ues were %easure' at H @ su$$!" vo!tage, )he
average $ower on )D transistor is B,C 0 an' the efficienc" of
the 'riving circuit is CBE when the LEDJs $ea current is B,K >
an' in$ut signa!Js 'ut" c"c!e is CBE,
)he sche%atic of the seria! LED 'river circuit can be seen
on Figure A, )his is a co%%on e%itter stage which contains a
current !i%iting resistor an' a ca$acitor connecte' $ara!!e! at
the base of the transistor, )he sa%e t"$e of LED an' resistor is
use' !ie the circuit with current 'raw-out,
L
E
D
1

C
Q

8
6
A +
I!LED
V
+
U!LED
#
G
1
#
S
1

6
,
0
R
2

1
,
8
T1 2$2222%
C1 47,0p
R1 47,0
Figure ): schematic of the sim$le serial $ower %&' driver circuit
@, S(#*L>)(/- .ES*L)S
First the si%u!ation of the LED 'river circuit with current
'raw-out wi!! be $resente', Si%u!ations were %a'e b" )(->,
S5uare wave signa! with CBE 'ut" c"c!e was use' which ha'
;@ a%$!itu'e an' its offset was L;@, )he 'riving vo!tage with
these settings was B or F@, Si%u!ation resu!ts show that the
fre5uenc" with the inc!u'e' LED %o'e! is !i%ite' near at
;#+z, Figure D shows the LEDMs current an' vo!tage as a
function of ti%e, when the in$ut signa!Ms fre5uenc" is ; #+z,
Figure *: the current and voltage of the %&' with draw-out circuit in
the case of 1 +,z in$ut signal
Driving signa!Ms fre5uenc" is !i%ite' b" the LEDMs
'iffusion ca$acitance, which has high 'ischarge ti%e, )o
'ischarge this ca$acitance it nee's ;BB ns, Discharge ti%e
wou!' be s%a!!er if high $ower an' high fre5uenc" an' a!so
e3$ensive ?FE)s are use' :;<, but it wi!! be shown that with
cost effective bi$o!ar transistors the turn of ti%e can be
'ecrease' significant!",
LEDMs turn on 'e!a" can be shortene' if the su$$!" vo!tage
is increase' :A<, +owever high su$$!" vo!tage high!" 'ecreases
the efficienc", (n our so!ution the wasting $ower on .F is A-D
ti%es !arger if the su$$!" $ower is increase' with F-A@, 7.FMs
va!ue change' because of LEDMs current has to be sta"e' the
sa%e constant8,
Figure -: the current and voltage of the %&' without draw-out
circuit in the case of (.. k,z in$ut signal
)he $revious LED 'river was co%$are' with the si%$!e
LED 'river 7Fig, A8, )he 'riving signa! was the sa%e in
si%u!ation, )his 'river circuit has %uch !ower cut-off
fre5uenc", than the other one, LEDMs vo!tage 'oesnMt reach the
zero $oint 7Fig, C8 'uring the turn off $hase if the 'riving
signa!Ms fre5uenc" is FBB +z, (t is on!" ABE s%a!!er, than the
LED is switch on, S%a!! vo!tage 'istance between the LEDMs
turn on-off $hase causes that the %o'u!ate' !ightMs a%$!itu'e
wi!! be s%a!! too, (t wi!! not be eas" to se$arate the on-off state
at the receiver si'e,
@(, #E>S*.E#E-) SE)*P
Figure H shows our $re$are' PC&, which contains through-
ho!e an' surface-%ount 'evices, .e!ationshi$ between the
vo!tage an' !ight intensit" was e3a%ine' with %easure%ents,
Figure /: the realized 012 of the draw-out %&' drive circuit
LEDMs vo!tage was %easure' with an >C cou$!e'
osci!!osco$e, 0e have to use >C cou$!ing because the DC
sourceMs negative $o!e was co%%on with groun' an' the
osci!!osco$eMs co%%on $oint was groun'e' too, (f we ha' use'
DC cou$!ing, it wou!' have %a'e short circuit between the
su$$!" sourceMs $ositive $o!e an' the sco$eMs co%%on $oints,
+owever the >C cou$!e' signa! contains !ess infor%ation, but
a'e5uate infor%ation can be 'erive' fro% it if the 'io'eMs
characteristic is nown,
E%itte' !ight of LED was 'etecte' with a $hoto'etector
7E)-FBAB>8, (t contains a bui!t in a%$!ifier an' its cut off
fre5uenc" is ;,F G+z, (t 'irect!" connecte' to the sco$e in >C
cou$!e' %o'e, (t 'i' not cause infor%ation !oss, because the
'etectorMs transfer characteristic starts at AB +z, )he
'etectorMs sensitivit" was 'esigne' for re' an' infrare' 'o%ain,
but it has enough sensitivit" to 'etect the LEDMs !ight, )he
si%$!e LED 'river an' the LED 'river with 'raw-out circuit
were %easure' the sa%e wa",
@((, #E>S*.E#E-) .ES*L)S
)he rea!ize' LED 'river with 'raw-out circuit behaviour
was as sa%e as the si%u!ation resu!ts gave, (t can see on Figure
K that the turn on 'e!a" is s%a!!, whi!e the turn of 'e!a" is FBE
of one %o'u!ation state, )he >C cou$!e' signa!Ms a%$!itu'e
fro% $ea to $ea is A-D @, (t is c!ose to the LEDMs forwar'
vo!tage, (t showe' that LEDMs vo!tage changes between zeros
an' a %a3i%a! 7D @8 va!ue,
Figure 3: the 1 +,z in$ut signal (u$$er" and the A1 cou$led %&'4s
voltage with draw-out circuit (lower"
Figure I shows si%$!e LED 'riverMs LED vo!tage as a
function of ti%e, )he %easure' resu!t was 5uite sur$rising, )he
turn on-off 'e!a" was %uch !arger than in the $revious case
7Fig, K8 an' the s5uare wavefor% is high!" 'istorte', #easure'
$ea to $ea a%$!itu'e was D @ 7it is %a3i%a!8 at ; #+z whi!e
the si%u!ations show s%a!!er a%$!itu'e at FBB +z, )he
'ecrease of a%$!itu'e 'oes not a$$ear in rea!it", LEDMs vo!tage
can reach zeros in the turn off state, 0e su$$ose, the reason of
this %issing effect is that the a$$!ie' LEDMs %o'e! is a static
!e' %o'e! 'erive' fro% the @-( curve, an' thus not accurate for
switching a$$!ications,
Figure 5: the 1 +,z in$ut signal (u$$er" and the A1 cou$led %&'4s
voltage without draw-out circuit (lower"
Figure N shows the receive' signa!Ms vo!tage when the
si%$!e LED 'river was use' as a trans%itter, )he 'etecte' ;
#+z signa!Ms sha$e is c!oser to the s5uare for%, than the
%easure' LEDMs vo!tage 7Fig, I8, Figure ;B shows the receive'
signa!Ms vo!tage when the LED 'river with 'raw-out circuit
was use', )he rising ti%e was !onger than we e3$ecte' 7Fig,
K8, but the fa!! ti%e was 'ecrease' successfu!!", (t goes to zeros
before the en' of turn off state, whi!e the other circuit nee's the
fu!! ti%e $erio' to reach it, )he huge rising ti%e can co%e
fro% the LEDMs $hos$hor !a"er, (t nee's %ore investigation to
fin' the rea! cause,
Figure 6: the 1 +,z in$ut signal (u$$er" and the voltage of the
detector without draw-out circuit (lower"
Figure 1.: the 1 +,z in$ut signal (u$$er" and the voltage of the
detector with draw-out circuit (lower"
@(((, C/-CL*S(/-
0e have 'esigne' a carrier 'raw out circuit without the use
of e3$ensive %icrowave transistors that can be use' efficient!"
for @LC a$$!ications, )he %easure%ent resu!ts show that the
'raw out of the 'iffusion charge 'ecreases the turn off ti%e
significant!", )he rate of 'ecrease 'e$en's on the ve!ocit" of
the 'ischarge which is 'eter%ine' b" the $ara%eters of the
switching transistors 7)H,,)I8, )he efficienc" of the circuit is
CBE which co%$arab!e to other re$orte' high-s$ee' LED
'riving circuits :D<, (t was shown that an ; #+z //9 signa!
can be trans%itte' with the circuit without a !oss in the
%o'u!ation 'e$th,
)he circuit is o$ti%ize' for 'ecreasing the fa!!ing e'ge of
the //9 %o'u!ation, however further i%$rove%ents can be
%a'e on the %o'u!ation ban'wi'th if high $ea vo!tage $er-
'istortion is use' for the rising e'ge :A<,
>C9-/0LEDG#E-)
)he authors acnow!e'ge GE >$$!iances O Lighting for
fun'ing their research,
)he authors a!so acnow!e'ge the va!uab!e su$$ort an'
a'vises receive' fro% Dr, Eszter *'var" an' Prof, )ibor
&erce!i,
.EFE.E-CES
:;< +, )anaa, P, *%e'a, /, )a"u1 Q+igh-S$ee' LED Driver for @isib!e
Light Co%%unications with Drawing-/ut of .e%aining CarrierR Proc
of .a'io an' 0ire!ess S"%$osiu%, Phoeni3, *S>, FB;;
:F< &an'ar >, >!%ashar" QGenetic >!gorith% &ase' Dio'e #o'e!
Para%eters E3traction R ?ourna! of 9ing Sau' *niversit", @o!, ;I, Eng,
Sci, 7F8, $$,FDN-FHB, .i"a'h, Sau'i >rabia, FBBC
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co%%unication s"ste%R Proc of /$tica! Fiber Co%%unication
Conference an' E3$osition 7/FC4-F/EC8, Los >nge!es, *S>, FB;;
:D< P,-+, &inh, @,D, )rong G C,), >nh, P, .enucci, G S, #arie, C,), )ruong,
>,), Pha%, Q-ove! LEDJs Driver Circuit for &roa'ban' Short-.ange
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