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Dot-matrix LED driver features control via 1MHz I²C compatible interface

Austriamicrosystems has announced the AS1130, a small dot-matrix LED driver. The LED driver requires 5mm² PCB space, reduces external component count, allows use of cheap connectors and requires few PCB layers, according to the company. Using a 12x11 cross-plexed technique, the company's LED driver is targeted for dot-matrix displays in mobile phones, toys, small LED displays in personal electronics, but also non-battery powered household goods, indoor public information displays, and industrial applications such as power metres. The LED driver drives 132 LEDs, each with an 8bit dimming control and no external resistor required, claims the company. Additionally, an 8bit analogue current control allows fine tuning of each current source to compensate for different brightness of different colours, or to adjust the white balance on RGB LEDs. The driver is claimed to incorporate 36 frames of memory for small animations or for use as a buffer to reduce host processor load, saving energy and processing time. According to the company, the LED driver can also extend battery life by controlling an external power supply like charge pump which is required when LEDs need a high voltage than the battery can supply, allowing continuous operation even under low battery voltage conditions.

The LED driver is available in a 20-pin CS-WLP (chip size-wafer level package) and in a gull winged SSOP-28 package. This makes the driver a good replacement for indoor high pixel density video walls, replacing up to eight 16-channel PWM LED drivers, or reducing the complexity of externally multiplexed systems, claims the company. The features include control via a 1MHz I²C compatible interface, open and shorted LED error detection, and low-power shutdown current. The LED driver operates over -40 to +85°C and a 2.7 to 5.5V power supply range.