Maxim Integrated Products’ MAX8830 is an LED light-management IC that integrates a dc-dc stepup converter, four current regulators for display backlighting, a camera-flash current regulator, and all power switches. Its efficiency (greater than 90%), flexible operation, and small packaging make the IC ideal for handheld wireless devices.
LED brightness is individually adjustable in 32 steps through the IC’s I2C interface, which can also program the 75-mV, 200-mA flash current regulator LDO to 16 different levels. The same interface programs the output voltage from 3.8 V to 5.2 V in 100-mV increments; switching frequency for the converter is 1 MHz. Prices start at $2.50 for 2500 pieces.