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Constant Current Driver For LED Backlights Improves Brightness Control

This document presents a simple, low-cost constant current driver circuit for LED backlights in LCD displays. The circuit uses a transistor to maintain a constant current that is independent of supply voltage variations or differences in the LED forward voltages. This provides more accurate brightness control compared to using a voltage source and current limiting resistor. The circuit operates from the LCD supply voltage and various implementations are presented for different current levels and applications.

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deanc338
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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70 views

Constant Current Driver For LED Backlights Improves Brightness Control

This document presents a simple, low-cost constant current driver circuit for LED backlights in LCD displays. The circuit uses a transistor to maintain a constant current that is independent of supply voltage variations or differences in the LED forward voltages. This provides more accurate brightness control compared to using a voltage source and current limiting resistor. The circuit operates from the LCD supply voltage and various implementations are presented for different current levels and applications.

Uploaded by

deanc338
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Constant Current Driver for LED Backlights 

Improves Brightness Control

Background: LEDs are the most common type of backlight


used on character and small graphic LCD modules. These
backlight systems are current dependent, but they are often
supplied by voltage sources, usually with a current limiting
resistor. A constant current source is a much better match
for a current dependent load. The forward current through
the LED backlight array determines the brightness.
Maintaining a constant, uniform brightness for the LCD
display is often an important requirement for many
applications. This paper presents a simple, low cost,
efficient circuit to drive the LED backlight system, offering
much greater accuracy, control, and repeatability. This
circuit operates off the LCD logic supply voltage and delivers
a constant current independent of both supply voltage
variations and variations in the forward voltage drop of the
LED backlight array.
Figure 1 shows the basic constant current circuit. Here’s how it works:
1. “A” and “K” are the external connections to the LCD module’s LED backlight
terminals. Depending on the manufacturer, these backlight connections may be
part of the module’s main data line connector, CN1, or they may be separate
contacts on the PC board, usually solder pads.
2. Rb is selected so that the current through this resistor >> base current into the
transistor. For example: Vdd = 5V, voltage across the two diodes = 1.4V, and
the desired LED backlight current = 100 mA. For transistors with DC hfe = 100
min, base current = 1 mA max. So let current through Rb = 4 mA, and then Rb =
(5-1.4)/4 = 910 ohms. Decreasing this resistor value will make the circuit more
stable, but overall efficiency will be reduced.
3. Re controls the constant current supplied to the LED backlight. The voltage
across Re is simply the forward voltage of the second diode in the base circuit,
0.7V. To supply 100 mA, Re = 0.7/0.1 = 7 ohms. The forward voltage drop of
this diode is a stable low voltage reference source that allows this circuit to
operate from a low voltage power supply.
4. Note that once this emitter resistor is set, the current delivered to the load will be
constant, independent of supply voltage variations, and independent of the
forward voltage drop of the LED backlight array! This stable, repeatable constant
current is the key feature of this circuit.
Figure 2 shows the practical constant current circuit, recommended for LCD
applications:
1. Note the “trick” for thermal stability: Use the same transistor Q in place of the
two diodes. Be sure to connect the collector to the base as shown to prevent
oscillations.
2. This circuit will deliver a constant 100 mA with the resistor values shown,
calculated from Figure 1 discussion above.
3. To achieve 700 mA, Re must be lowered to 1 ohm. In practice, this resistor
value will have to be tailored if a precise current value is required.
4. Because of the high DC hfe of the TIP100, the base resistor can remain at 910
ohms in the high current model.
5. Total component BOM is low, < $0.50 for the low current version, < $1.50 for the
high current version.
Figure 3 offers an adjustable constant current generator:
1. A multi-position switch with fixed resistors is recommended over a potentiometer.
Under load conditions, the resistors can be adjusted to the desired current.
Once adjusted, the current will remain stable, and the switch can be labeled with
the correct current settings.
2. A potentiometer is not recommended for the following reasons:
a. Using a potentiometer requires permanent insertion of a meter to monitor
the current.
b. Using a potentiometer will require adding a fixed current limiting resistor in
the emitter circuit.
c. The potentiometer will have some residual resistance when the wiper is
fully adjusted to the “zero” ohms position, which must be measured and
considered when selecting the fixed current limiting resistor.
Figure 4 shows the recommended circuit for lab applications, where efficiency is not
the primary concern. More precision can be achieved by switching to a separate
power supply for this circuit, and raising the supply voltage to 12V – 15V. This will
allow substituting a zener diode for one of the diodes used in the base circuit. The
zener voltage now becomes the reference for the Re values to develop the current.
Increasing this reference source value from 0.7V to a 5.1 V zener will allow for higher
Re values and more circuit stability. For maximum thermal stability, use the same
transistor in both locations shown in the circuit. A meter can be added in series with
the load (not shown in Fig 4) to display the current at each switch position.

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