LED driver IC with enough interfaces for a complete front panel indication

austriamicrosystems has released new user interface LED driver coded AS1115 targeting consumer and home appliance market. The AS1115 is a complete solution for a typical front panel indication with both display driving and key scanning features saving any additional logic interface connecting to microcontroller.

The AS1115 can drive either eight 7-segment digits or 64 individual LEDs with 47mA per digit or 5mA per LED. With an accuracy of ±3%, the AS1115 improves picture quality for LED displays, this is due to minimised intensity variations between the LEDs and LED modules. For either global digital brightness control, or separate dimming, of each single digit a 4-bit PWM is implemented. Additionally the AS1115 offers the read back of up to 16-keys from a keyboard completing the single chip UI solution. Typical applications examples include washing machine, ovens and air conditioners and any such home appliances with LED indication and 4x4 key inputs.

A unique feature of austriamicrosystems' AS1115 is the built-in LED error detection. Simple and intuitive to use, the user-friendly software interface allows the error diagnostics to be easily accessed during normal operation. This solution can detect any open- or short-circuit within the multiplexed 8x8 LED array, and a detailed error report can be read out with the exact position of the broken LED, this is especially helpful to reduce test time during production.

"Due to the extremely competitive market, today's consumer electronics or home appliance producers are under constant pressure to reduce costs. Most user interfaces demand a display to show information and buttons to interact with. Additionally, LED error detection is a very important factor to reduce test, production and maintenance cost," said Bruce Ulrich, Director Marketing Standard Linear at austriamicrosystems. "The AS1115 addresses all these needs and helps designers achieve a more efficient, more simplified design, for front panels, such as those found on set-top boxes, DVD players, washing machines, dryers and microwave ovens."

The AS1115 operates from a single 2.7Volts to 5.5Volts supply by consuming a supply current of 0.6milli Amps during operation and 200nA in shutdown mode. The AS1115 interfaces via I²C and up to four devices can be addressed on a single I²C bus.

The AS1115 is suitable for operating environments ranging from -40 Deg C to +85 Deg C and requires a minimum of external components reducing system costs to a minimum. Optimised for easy handling the AS1115 comes in a QSOP 24-pin package. For space sensitive applications a TQFN(4x4)-24 package is also available.