ST rolls fault-management chip for safer LED lighting

PARIS – STMicroelectronics' LBP01 series of bypass switches can be connected in parallel with one or two LEDs. It is meant to allow the current to flow through the other LEDs in case of failure.

The LBP01 bypasses failed LEDs so that the lamp can continue producing near-maximum illumination, ST said. This is claimed to improve performance and safety, and to yield valuable savings for operators such as city authorities, as the total cost of replacing a streetlamp can be as much as $700.

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The flexibility to use one bypass for every two LEDs enables designers to reduce bill-of-materials costs and provides built-in surge protection to help prevent LED failures occurring, the Geneva-based company added.

LBP01 are packaged either in SMB or SOT23-5L.


LBP01 features
•    100 nA leakage current
•    Can be used with LED channel current up to 1 A
•    Built-in surge protection meeting IEC 61000-4-2 (8 kV & 15 kV) & IEC 61000-4-5 (1 kV, 24 A)
•    Compatible with DC and PWM driving waveforms
•    Unidirectional (LBP01-0803SC5) and bidirectional (LBP01-0810B) variants available
 
Applications:
■ Automotive headlights
■ Traffic lights
■ Aircraft runaway lights
■ Emergency lighting systems
■ Display panel backlighting
■ Street lighting

Availability and pricing:
In production now, ST's LBP01 will be priced from $0.19 in the SOT23-5 package or $0.21 in the SMB package, for orders over 1,000 pieces.


To access the datasheet, click here.

See related links:
Power and controlling high brightness LEDs

LED drivers provide control, circuit-protection design options

Developing smart LED-based lighting systems

Smart street lighting

LED - Design archive

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