Product category:
Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Freescale Semiconductor | Subject: HC908LB8
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 23 February 2005
MCU aids energy-efficient lamp ballasts
Lamp ballast designers can now meet demands for energy efficiency by using an advanced 8bit microcontroller from Freescale Semiconductor.
Lamp ballast designers can now meet demands for energy efficiency by using an advanced 8bit microcontroller from Freescale Semiconductor The HC908LB8 helps create more energy-efficient and cost-effective lamp ballast systems compared with traditional technologies on the market today
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 20 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The high level of integration on the HC908LB8 helps simplify overall system design.
This makes the device an attractive solution for smart fluorescent lighting, motor control, high-intensity discharge lighting and applications that require power factor correction and/or high-resolution pulsewidth modulation (PWM).
Industrialised countries throughout the world are committing to improve energy efficiency and cut greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade.
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In some cases, this commitment includes legal mandates that the efficiency of traditional systems be improved, forcing a migration to new, innovative solutions.
One area impacted by the drive for energy efficiency is the lamp ballast market.
"One of the most prevalent forms of indoor lighting used today is the ubiquitous fluorescent tube", said Mike McCourt, Vice President and General Manager of Freescale's Microcontroller Division.
"The ever-growing international concern about energy efficiency has prompted new legislation and programmes like the Kyoto Protocol and Energy Star, which have exerted renewed pressure on ballast designers to improve the efficiency of their systems".
Power factor correction (PFC), a key requirement in efficient mains-powered applications, converts input current to a sinewave in phase with input voltage.
The result is increased efficiency, lower signal distortion, reduced running costs and lower noise emissions.
The HC908LB8 performs cost-effective PFC, providing an ideal integrated solution for mains-powered applications.
Controlling the brightness of individual tubes has consistently provided a challenge for designers of fluorescent lighting systems - the tube is either fully on or off.
Freescale helps address this challenge with a new module - the high-resolution PWM (HRP) - which is integrated on the HC908LB8 to continuously control the brightness and allow dimming in a fluorescent lighting system.
The HC908LB8 is also capable of supporting the digitally addressed lighting interface (DALI) protocol to provide intelligence in large lighting systems.
A DALI-based system, for example, can be programmed to turn off (or dim) lights near windows, where adequate natural light is available.
In typical lamp ballast applications, the HC908LB8 could help reduce the total number of discreet digital system parts by up to 50%.
This helps deliver the additional benefits of space conservation - reduced board and manufacturing costs and decreased administration overhead.
The HC908LB8 is based on Freescale's HC08 central processing unit (CPU), with an 8MHz internal bus frequency and software within +/-2% accuracy.
Specific features include: 8Kbyte Flash memory, 128byte RAM; high-resolution PWM; two PWM outputs with dead-time insertion; shutdown input; output resolution of 3.9ns using frequency dithering; variable frequency and variable duty cycle modes; power factor correction; two-channel PWM module, featuring fault input detection and shutdown; integrated operational amplifier/analogue comparator module; seven-channel, 8bit analogue-to-digital convertor; 1 x 16bit timer with interrupt; low voltage inhibit and computer operating properly for noise immunity and software safety; clock generation module with RC, internal and external crystal options; up to 18 input/output (I/O) (multiplexed with peripherals); keyboard interrupts on seven I/O pins; and high current sink/source on I/O (typically 10mA).
Freescale is committed to helping reduce developers' time to market by offering affordable development hardware (evaluation board and demonstration board), reference designs, application notes and online tutorials.
The Metrowerks CodeWarrior integrated development environment (IDE), Special Edition is also available.
To demonstrate the device's capabilities, Freescale has developed a fully functional reference design (dimmable light ballast control with PFC).
Associated software, schematics and BOM are available for download on the Freescale website.
The HC908LB8 is currently available in production quantities.
Suggested resale pricing in 100,000-piece quantities is US $1.60 in either 20-pin small outline integrated circuit (SOIC) package or plastic dual-inline package (PDIP).
The DEMO908LB8 demonstration board will be available for a suggested resale price of $49.95, which includes a complimentary Metrowerks CodeWarrior IDE, Special Edition.
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