Specifically tailored to meet the needs of the latest automotive front-light applications, the MAX16831 high-voltage, high-power, constant-current LED driver features analog and PWM dimming capability. Made by Maxim Integrated Products, the unit integrates a floating LED current-sense amplifier and a dimming MOSFET driver to minimize component count and boost reliability. The device operates from a 5.4- to 76-V input range, ensuring cold-start and load-dump (up to 80 V) compliance. It’s well-suited for high- and low-beam assemblies, adaptive front-light systems, daytime running lights, and fog lamps.
The analog or PWM control permits a 1000:1 dimming range. The analog control signal is compared to an on-board 200-Hz ramp and can be used to simplify designs that require multilevel brightness adjustment. Providing LED-current control accurate to within ±5% over the entire automotive operating-temperature range, the driver ensures excellent brightness matching. A very low 100-mV LED current-sense reference and an internal gate driver with 1.4-A/2-A source/sink capability allow for high efficiency and, therefore, minimal heat dissipation. A dedicated enable/shutdown input ensures that the shutdown-mode current remains below 45 µA.
The MAX16831 comes in a lead-free, 5- by 5-mm, 32-pin TQFN package with exposed pad. Prices start at $2.33 for 1000-piece quantities. To learn more, go to www.maxim-ic.com.