Color LED kit enables efficient lighting design

Providing all of the open source hardware and software needed to jumpstart LED lighting design, Texas Instruments Inc. announces its new TMS320C2000 real-time microcontroller (MCU) Multi-DC/DC Color LED Kit. The new kit includes separate dc-dc power stages to control two RGB and two white LED strings or up to eight white LED strings. The multiple dc-dc power stage topology was designed for applications that require a variety of LED types and string lengths for color and intensity purposes, such as automotive and stage lighting.

The kit also reduces system cost and complexity because its single C2000 Piccolo MCU executes all of the power stages while leaving headroom for other functions such as color mixing, PWM dimming, thermal sensing and correction, ambient lighting compensation, and LED fault protection. Developers can easily adapt the kit for varying design needs, as it includes a modular controlCARD, as well as a detachable LED panel with white and RGB LEDs.

C2000 MCU Multi-DC/DC Color LED Kit key features and benefits:

• Eight separate digitally controlled dc-dc power stages allow developers to adjust current levels to control color and brightness of individual strings
• Two SEPIC stages support white LEDs and six boost power stages support color mixing for RGB LED strings by providing individual current control of the red, green, and blue color components
• Piccolo F28027 controlCARD provides 60 MHz of 32-bit performance, 8 PWM channels, and a 13-channel 12-bit ADC to support robust and highly flexible LED designs
• Graphical user interface (GUI) simplifies the evaluation process by providing simplified control to adjust power stage current levels for experimentation with brightness and color mixing
• Software configurable maximum current allows for simple field upgrades and offers flexibility to adjust power stages in software as opposed to time-intensive redesign of system hardware
• Onboard isolated XDS100 USB JTAG emulation simplifies debugging and programming while reducing system cost
• Free, easy-to-use controlSUITE software includes examples for closed loop average current control of dc-dc power and LED driver stages, as well as detailed lab documentation of software structure and functionality
• Leading TI signal chain integration, including power MOSFET drivers, operational amplifiers, plug-in power module, and low-dropout regulator (LDO)