LED Backlighting Platform Embarks As A First

Heralded as the industry’s first smart current sink LED backlighting platform with on-chip digital lighting effects for high-end handheld displays, the SC667 and SC668 current sinks rely on Semtech’s patent-pending, smart Automatic Dropout Prevention (ADP) technology. This technology promises to enable a new-generation of high-quality current sink drivers that can replace boost converters and charge pumps while providing high-quality display backlighting. The SC667 and SC668 with ADP technology reduce total parts count and extend battery life compared to boost converters or charge pumps. The devices also integrate a number of functions such as an ambient light sensing-and-control circuit that sets backlight brightness based on surrounding lighting conditions and a PWM dimming interface that incorporates a digital low-pass filter with the capability to perform content-adaptive brightness control. The SC668 provides eight current sinks while the SC667 features seven current sinks plus an interrupt request indicator signal to tell the host processor when an ambient light threshold has been crossed. Both devices include an on-chip digital lighting-effects engine to control LED fade-in/fade-out, breathe, blink, auto-dim full, and auto-dim partial. Other features include an I²C interface and four programmable, 200-mA low-noise LDO regulators. Prices for the SC667 and SC668 are $1.15 and $1.29 each/3,000, respectively. SEMTECH CORP., Camarillo, CA (805) 498-2111.