Oct 8 2010
Renesas Electronics has released its new PD168891 control IC designed for automotive LED headlights. The IC meets the needs of automotive headlight applications, by combining features necessary for functions, such as LED constant-current drive.
The PD168891 IC features a pre-driver function to drive external metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). The device also provides integrated protection functionalities, such as external MOSFET overcurrent and LED current protection.
The control IC can be coupled with other devices, including choke coils, Schottky diodes, and MOSFETs, for constructing electronic-control units required for automobile LED headlights. The PD168891 IC offers constant-current drive control for as much as 12 series-connected power LEDs. The LED drive supports power-supply voltages in the range of 6 - 28 V.
The integrated pre-driver circuit has the ability to drive two power MOSFETs for current-line cutoff and voltage-boost drive in protection applications. Other protection functions offered by the PD168891 device include overheating protection and LED pin short-circuit protection. The control IC utilizes a new 48-pin VQFN compact package with low thermal resistance, to minimize board dimensions and heat generation.