Date: 01/04/2012

LED lamp driver IC compatible with TRIAC Dimmer

Cirrus Logic has unveiled new digital LED controller that directly solves dimmer compatibility issues that have been a major barrier to consumer adoption of LED retrofit bulbs. Featuring Cirrus Logic's new digital TruDim technology, the CS161X controller family has been tested to provide near 100 percent compatibility with a wide array of dimmers representing the vast majority of the installed base worldwide. The CS161X is already in high volume production with a tier-1 lighting company. Cirrus Logic expects to ship between 5-10 million LED controllers during calendar year 2012.

"Several years ago Cirrus Logic identified the growing LED market as an area where we could leverage our signal processing expertise and solve meaningful engineering challenges," said Jason Rhode, Cirrus Logic president and CEO. "To the consumer, buying an LED lamp today can be a frustrating experience because so many of them just don't work once you take them home. As it turns out, solving the challenges of dimmer compatibility was enormously complex, and we're pleased that one of the largest LED lamp manufacturers has showcased our first LED controller precisely because it provides near-perfect compatibility with every installed dimmer from around the world that we could find and test."

Market analyst firm Datapoint Research estimates that the LED lamp market in ambient lighting applications will grow from around 200 million units in 2011 to around one billion units by 2015. "Making LED light bulbs nearly universally compatible with all of the dimmer systems that currently exist around the world is one of the biggest challenges facing LED bulb manufacturers," said Jon Gamble, senior analyst, Datapoint Research. "Solving dimmer compatibility whilst maintaining a competitive bill of materials is key to accelerating the LED market toward widespread consumer adoption during the next few years."

The CS161X integrates a variable conduction mode boost converter (CRM/CCM), providing power factor correction and dimmer compatibility with primary-side control, constant output current and quasi-resonant flyback or buck output stage and includes solutions for both 100-120 VAC and 220-240 VAC line voltages.

Pricing and Availability: The CS161X is currently in volume production. It is available in a 16-pin SOIC package and is priced at $0.81 (USD) in quantities of 100,000.