Dialog's smart illuminated Dual-Dim LED driver controller offers single-chip TRIAC and digital interface dimming

     Dialog Semiconductor, a provider of highly integrated power management, AC/DC power conversion, solid State lighting (SSL) and Bluetooth low power wireless technologies, announced the introduction of a revolutionary LED smart lighting driver IC, the iW3690. It combines digital control (I2C) with Dialog's advanced phase-cut TRIAC dimming technology. This is the industry's first single-chip solution that enables smart LED light sources to be dimmed in response to digital commands, including those sent wirelessly, while simultaneously working with traditional TRIAC dimmers.

     The IC is suitable for power applications up to 25W, and its Dual-Dim technology supports a 100% to 1% dimming range with no flicker or microflicker. The driver IC supports any wireless protocol, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and ZigBee. With Dialog's SmartBond™ DA14580 Bluetooth Low Power System-on-chip (SoC), optimal wireless connectivity is cost-effective and simple, creating a high-performance wireless smart dimming platform with the lowest number of peripheral components and lowest system material costs.

     The iW3690 supports digital link dimming and remote on/off at any AC input tangent Angle. It uses a resonant control method to achieve a power factor (PF) of 0.95, a total harmonic distortion (THD) of less than 20% and a typical conversion efficiency of 85%, which can easily meet the requirements of the Design Lighting Consortium (DLC). In addition, the device provides automatic protection against overtemperature, LED break and short circuit, AC line overvoltage and output overcurrent.

     Davin Lee, senior vice president and general manager of Dialog's Power Conversion Division, said: "Until now, LED design engineers have been forced to compromise on traditional dimming controls in order to provide users with digital intelligent lighting control. Combining support for traditional analog dimmers and a digital interface on a single IC provides LED design engineers with the most cost-effective and easy-to-implement control solution for smart lighting. "Combined with our leadership in innovative LED driver control ics and Bluetooth low power SoCs, Dialog offers optimized interfaces and best-in-class standby power levels to meet the critical requirement for smart lighting to receive wireless commands on standby."