LED driver targets RGB and single-color SSL

Diodes Inc. has extended its Linear current LED driver with the introduction of the  AL5887. The new multi-channel LED driver delivers a simple way of driving numerous LEDs to enable complex color mixing and different lighting patterns, said the company.

The LED driver offers a wide color range and an extensive dynamic range of brightness levels, enabling its use in a variety of applications. These include smart home appliances, electric vehicle charging stations, infotainment displays, IoT information indicators and computing hardware.

The AL5887 offers a total of 36 independent programmable channels and can drive up to 12 RGB LED modules or 36 single-color emitters. It offers an internal 12-bit pulse-width modulation (PWM) for color and 6-bit analog brightness control, accessed through either SPI or I2C interfacing, for design flexibility.

“By combining PWM and analog dimming functions, a dimming ratio greater than 100K to 1 can be achieved,” said the company.

The device’s three programmable banks for software control of each color makes it easier to program and to set RGB lighting module patterns, said Diodes, and an independent color-mixing and brightness register per channel enables better color-mixing schemes.

The AL5887 features advanced diagnostics with fault-reporting functions, including both short-circuit and open-LED protection, as well as overtemperature shutdown. The pre-event overtemperature shutdown warning provides earlier system protection. The LED driver also incorporates a 16-MHz oscillator, eliminating the need for an external high-precision clock.

The AL5887, available in a 52-pin wettable QFN package with an exposed pad for better heat dissipation, is priced at $1.70 in quantities of 1,000.