Product category:
Reference Designs
News Release from: International Rectifier | Subject: IRPLDIM2
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 21 June 2001
Reference design delivers digital
ballasts
New from International Rectifier the IRPLDIM2 digital addressable dimming ballast reference design allows manufacturers to deliver digital addressable ballasts to market quickly.
New from International Rectifier the IRPLDIM2 digital addressable dimming ballast reference design allows manufacturers to deliver digital addressable ballasts to market quickly The design provides an integrated solution that combines International Rectifier advanced dimming ballast control technology with a high-performance Flash microcontroller from Microchip Technology
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 15 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The IRPLDIM2 reference design incorporates all dimming ballast control and digital interface functions on one board, and reduces component count by 60%.
The solution also provides superior dimming control for enhanced human comfort with up to 256 light-level settings.
The reference design enables the implementation of a digital addressable ballast that meets all the specifications outlined in the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI), an addendum to the electronic ballast standard IEC929.
Further reading
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New from International Rectifier are two TO-220-packaged HEXFET power MOSFETs that maximise power density and performance in primary- and secondary-side DC/DC convertor circuits.
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With high radiation hardness and unparalleled single event effect (SEE) immunity, International Rectifier's new R5 MOSFETs are well suited for systems that must survive penetrating gamma rays.
Reference design simplifies high-efficiency PSUs
International Rectifier has released a reference design for its recently introduced IR1176 application-specific synchronous rectification IC (SRIC).
The International Rectifier IR2159 dimming ballast control and gate driver IC is matched with Microchip's PIC16F628 Flash microcontroller to implement a fully documented and tested, digital addressable dimming fluorescent ballast into a single circuit board with only 92 components.
Other digital addressable dimming ballasts typically require several hundred components and multiple circuit boards or use custom-developed ICs.
The IR2159 uses a patented phase control technique that eliminates the current-sensing transformer, and provides stable logarithmic dimming from one hundred percent to one percent, making dimming very pleasing to the human eye.
The IRPLDIM2 reference design includes all documentation, software and hardware to develop a digital addressable dimming ballast that supports all DALI commands.
The IRPLDIM2E reference design drives a standard 220V, 36W T8 fluorescent lamp for the European and Asian markets, while the IRPLDIM2U reference design drives a standard 110V, 32W T8 lamp for the North American market.
The reference design can be easily customized for other fluorescent lamps using International Rectifier's free ballast design software.
The IR2159 is a 600V, fully protected and programmable 1% dimming ballast control and gate driver in one IC.
The breakthrough architecture at the heart of the IR2159 is a phase control loop that senses and regulates the half-bridge phase current.
Only a single pin with an external current-sensing resistor is used to measure all feedback information necessary for pre-heat, ignition, dimming and lamp fault.
The IR2159 allows programming of preheat time for maximum lamp life, and has enough design flexibility for comprehensive protection such as failure to strike, open filament, automatic restart, brownout and thermal overload.
The result is a closed-loop system that offers the simplest architecture for linear dimming ever developed, without requiring a separate current-sensing transformer or precision trimming of external timing components.
The IRPLDIM2 digital addressable linear dimming ballast reference design will be available in the Summer of 2001 for US $150 each.
Datasheets for the IR2159 control IC, IR's ballast design software and an application note entitled, "DALI digital dimming ballast", are available via the International Rectifier website.
PIC16F628 Flash microcontroller information is posted on the Microchip website.
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