CAT4101AEVB Development Boards, Kits, Programmers

Evaluation Boards - LED Drivers

The CAT4101AEVB is an evaluation board designed to evaluate the CAT4101A, a constant current LED driver that combines the LLC half-bridge topology with a current control PWM dimming configuration.

The CAT4101A features a low voltage overshoot on the switching node due to its LLC resonant design. This ability to prevent higher than necessary voltage overshoot allows for higher power dissipation and longer product life. The CAT4101A is specifically designed for solid-state lighting applications and can be used for low voltage AC line dimming and low voltage DC dimming of LED arrays.

Application fields

The CAT4101AEVB is a versatile evaluation board which can be used as a compact 8 W LED driver ideal for office and residential applications, a 4 W LED driver for industrial applications, or a 2 W LED driver for automotive applications. The CAT4101AEVB can also be used to evaluate the CAT4101A for dimming control, color tuning and drive current control applications. Furthermore, the board supports LED dimming for LED lighting control in both buck and boost modes.

The CAT4101AEVB supports operation in a constant current or in a constant voltage mode to drive high-power LEDs.

Working Principle

The CAT4101AEVB operates as a buck or boost controller. The differential voltage (Vin - Vout) sets the duty cycle of the onboard MOSFET switch to achieve constant input current. The control logic switches the MOSFET such that the CFL lamp is driven in buck or boost mode depending on the VIN-VOUT voltage.

In constant current mode, the CAT4101AEVB is configured to provide a fixed current to the LED. The CAT4101AEVB detects the voltage across the LED and adjusts the converter output voltage to maintain the fixed current. The user can adjust the output current with the onboard potentiometer, or by changing the feedback voltage.

In constant voltage mode, the CAT4101AEVB is configured to provide constant output voltage to the LED. The user can adjust the output voltage with the onboard potentiometer, or by changing the feedback voltage.

The CAT4101AEVB uses various protection features such as short-circuit protection, excessive temperature protection, and over-current protection to protect the LED from accidental damage.

The CAT4101AEVB provides an easy way for users to evaluate and tune the performance of their LED lighting systems. The board can be used to test the performance of LED drivers, control the brightness and color of LED lamps, and adjust the output voltage and current of LED systems.

Conclusion

The CAT4101A LED driver is a versatile and highly efficient LED driver, and the CAT4101AEVB evaluation board makes it easy to evaluate and tune the performance of LED lighting systems. The board supports constant current and constant voltage operation and provides several protection functions, making it an ideal solution for low power LED applications.