Evaluation Boards - LED Drivers – SP6686EB application field and working principle

LED drivers are an integral part of the operation of LED lighting systems. They provide power to drive LEDs and other components. The SP6686EB is an evaluation board which was developed by Sumitomo Electric Industries. It is a solid state electronic device designed to provide full control and protection of LED circuits. It utilizes a Constant-Current/Voltage/Power LED driver technology.

The device comes in a 32-pin DIP package and offers up to 8.6W of output power for a single power output port. It operates from a wide input voltage range of 4.5V to 42V DC, and can supply up to 5 amps continuous current. The device comes with short circuit protection, open-loop protection, over-voltage protection, and thermal shutdown protection, providing reliable and safe operation of LEDs and other components.

The main application fields of the SP6686EB include automotive lighting, LCD monitors, LCD projectors, outdoor and highway lighting, decorative lighting, office building and factory lighting, traffic signage, and channel lighting. The device is also suitable for controlling architectural and landscape lighting, fiber optics, and edge lit panels.

Working Principles of the SP6686EB

The device has an internal voltage regulator to transform the wide input voltage range into a low output voltage. It then integrates an output stage to provide the power for driving LEDs. The output voltage can be adjusted from 1.2V to 24V, which enables the device to drive one or several strings of LEDs with different colors. It also adopts a synchronous rectification technique to ensure the highest power efficiency.

The SP6686EB is equipped with an onboard microcontroller, which can provide dimming control and set the output voltage by a resistor. It also contains an oscillator for setting the switching frequency of the power stage, so that it can be adjusted depending on the output current and load requirements.

The device has a built-in open-loop protection to protect the LEDs from over-voltage or over-current conditions. The protection circuit will be activated when the current or voltage exceeds the specified limits. It also has a PWM dimming controller to allow for greater flexibility in controlling the output power of the device. The device can be set to be either normal dimming or low drop dimming.

In order to provide better flexibility for driving LEDs with different colors, the device also has a built in phase dilution switching circuit. This circuit adjusts the phase of the current flowing through the LEDs, allowing them to be driven with different colors without risking damaging the LEDs.

In conclusion, the SP6686EB is a highly advanced evaluation board developed by Sumitomo Electric Industries. It offers a wide range of features, including variable input voltage range, wide output range and voltage, protection circuits, PWM dimming controller, and phase dilution switching circuit. It is suitable for controlling a wide variety of LED lighting applications, allowing for greater flexibility and control over the output power.