New Industry Products

ROHM LED Driver Targets Automotive Headlamp Cluster Functions

October 21, 2010 by Jeff Shepard

ROHM Semiconductor announced the availability of the Model BD8381EFV-M high-brightness LED driver for automotive forward illumination applications. With this new flexible IC, designers can now specify the same driver for use in high-beam, low-beam and daytime running light (DRL) circuits.

The BD8381EFV-M current-mode buck/boost controller provides stable operation over a wide input voltage (5-30V) and removes constraints on the number of LEDs in series connection. Integrated protection monitors voltage, current and temperature. LED open and short circuit detection is also provided. The BD8381EFV-M has an internal PWM controller so dimming functions can be implemented with a simple external CR circuit. This same circuit can be implemented to limit output current in case of LED overtemperature detection.

Senior Design Engineering Manager for ROHM Semiconductor, Nick Ikuta, said, "Instead of having to select a different drive for each headlamp function, designers can now use one device. Because of its buck/boost configuration, it can handle series LED connections numbering from just one to several."

The units are priced at US$8.00 (small OEM quantities) with a delivery of 12 weeks ARO.