Visit the Linear Technology Corp web site
Click on the advert above to visit the company web site

Product category: Power Supply ICs and Controllers
News Release from: Advanced Analogic Technologies | Subject: AAT3170
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 27 October 2006

Power chip optimises and protects flash
LEDs

Request your FREE weekly copy of the Electronicstalk email newsletter. News about Power Supply ICs and Controllers and more every issue. Click here for details.

Device combines flash timer and high flash current drive with 32-step digital current control to optimise LED flash performance for a wide variety of next generation designs.

As mobile and personal electronic product designers embed higher performance cameras in their next-generation products and flash current levels increase, they need flash ICs that can protect the LEDs while delivering high power output with excellent control in a small package By combining a flash timer and high flash current drive with 32-step digital current control, AnalogicTech's AAT3170 delivers unprecedented ability to optimise LED flash performance for a wide variety of next generation designs while providing complete flash LED protection

The AAT3170 is a high output, high efficiency current-output charge pump IC for white LED flash applications.

The device combines a 600mA dual regulated current output flash driver and a safety timer.

In addition, each LED output can be programmed in 32 steps by a single GPIO output through AnalogicTech's AS2Cwire (Advanced Simple Serial Control) interface.

The AAT3170's flash timer is programmable using an external capacitor.

It can be used to either protect the LED from over dissipation in the event of a control logic failure, or to preset the flash duration.

In addition, the tri-mode device maximises efficiency by combining a load switch (1x), fractional (1.5x) and doubling (2x) capability with an internal sensing circuit to match output to LED requirements.

The 1x and 1.5x modes allow minimum current draw from the battery during lower LED current operations, such as torch or movie light modes, which run for a much longer period of time than the flash mode.

Dual current sinks allow system designers to use single or dual (separate cathode) flash LED configurations.

The device's 32-step single wire interface smoothes transitions and gives designers flexible control of brightness in flash or other lighting modes.

The interface can also be programmed to provide a regulated voltage instead of current, for additional system loads.

The AAT3170 requires just five external components; two 1.0uF ceramic capacitors for the charge pump flying capacitors, one 1.0uF capacitor for the input and one for the output, and one additional capacitor to set the flash timer duration.

The device also features a thermal management system and built-in soft-start circuitry.

The AAT3170 is immediately available in a Pb-free, thermally enhanced, 12-pin 3 x 3mm TDFN package.

Advanced Analogic Technologies: contact details and other news
Email this article to a colleague
Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
Electronicstalk Home Page

Search the Pro-Talk network of sites

Visit the Linear Technology Corp web site