Automotive LED driver chip solution based on automotive-grade technology

NXP Semiconductors NV announced that it has launched a fully integrated, highly flexible driver chip solution based on automotive-grade technology for automotive LED headlight and taillight applications. The ASL1010NTK and ASL1010PHN are available in 8 / 16-pin packages and are the industry's first automotive LED driver chips that integrate many core functions, such as direct LED temperature feedback, LED fault detection, internal pulse width (PWM) dimming control, short circuit protection, and other functions All of these functions are based on automotive-grade analog mixed-signal platforms.

So far, automotive LEDs have been using driver chips for general-purpose solid-state lighting (SSL) applications. These driver chips are not only complicated and expensive, but also lack the multiple core functions required for automotive applications. With the increasing popularity of automotive solid-state lighting in the automotive industry, lighting control device manufacturers and LED suppliers need more powerful and efficient solutions, so that OEMs can give full play to the energy-saving advantages of LED. Compared with incandescent lamps, LEDs can save about 50% of fuel consumption and power consumption in certain applications (UMTRI, 2008).

The ASL1010NTK / ASL1010PHN driver chip integrates the core functions necessary for automotive LED lights and is a compact all-in-one solution without the need for additional components. For LED module design, it is beneficial to reduce costs, enhance aesthetics, and improve reliability. In addition, the system solution introduced by NXP has extremely high flexibility and is not limited by the platform, configuration, output voltage and number of LEDs.

Prem Sharma, Marketing and Business Development Manager, Automotive Solid-State Lighting Driver Chip Division, NXP Semiconductors, said: "The automotive industry ’s demand for LED lighting is showing a rapid growth trend because automakers want to reduce automotive energy consumption and use automotive LED lights for a long life , Stylish, short start-up time, diverse color options, etc. At the same time, regulatory authorities are also promoting this demand-in Europe, for example, since 2011, all new cars must be equipped with daytime running lights, and car manufacturing Businessmen took advantage of this opportunity to introduce LED daytime running lights. With its deep accumulation in automotive-grade technology, expertise in energy-efficient lighting solutions, and a customer-centric operating model, NXP successfully developed a A cost-effective and compact automotive LED optimization solution. "

Powerful all-in-one solution is highly flexible and platform-independent

This system solution from NXP is highly reliable and flexible and can be used on different automotive platforms. This NXP LED driver chip uses an automatic buck / boost topology, which can safely drive up to 20 LED lights using standard car battery voltage; the output voltage is extremely flexible, ranging from 6V to 60V, supporting all the current market LED-like.

The chip has integrated the core functions of the automotive LED driver, which is helpful to reduce the size of the reference design and increase the design flexibility. It can easily cope with different configurations and the number of LEDs without redesigning the PCB board. The integrated design eliminates the need for redundant functions on different platforms and external microcontrollers. In addition, the ASL1010NTK / ASL1010PHN driver chip is based on the ABCD9 technology node-this is NXP's automotive technology platform that promotes analog mixed-signal integration. It can be seen that the architecture of ASL1010NTK aims to reduce system cost and development time of lighting control devices and LED designers, and shorten time to market.

Other key features of this NXP LED driver chip include:

· Temperature feedback function, can control the temperature and performance of LED

· Fault detection function, which can provide feedback when LED fails

· LED short circuit protection

· Eliminates LED ripple current, no external parts required

· External current selection and PWM programming function

· Adjustable LED internal PWM generation function, allowing the same LED lamp to be used as both daytime running light and parking light

· LED undervoltage and overvoltage protection

· Small package