LEDs – Light Emitting Diodes are semiconductor devices that use electrical current passing through semiconductor materials to produce light. Before the LEDs can perform at their max, they require LED drivers to provide better longevity, reliability and efficiency. An LED driver manufacturer creates drivers that prevent damage to your LED setup by regulating voltage based on temperature changes, reducing thermal inefficiency.
Today, LED applications have increased and are continuing to evolve into homes, gadgets, automotive, signage and entertainment industries. Here are five LED driver products that are taking advantage of the development in the LED world.
Dimming Lamps
Very few LED applications make use of the ON or OFF setting because dimming already helps in reducing energy consumption. The two most popular methods of dimming LEDs are the Pulse-Width and analog modulation.
Analog dimming works by changing the voltage and current, but this is not acceptable in applications where color shift will occur. On the other hand, Pulse-Width modulation dimming adjusts the nominal LED current by switching it ON and OFF at high frequencies, reducing the flickering effect.
Displays
For outdoor advertisements like public transit signs, billboards and storage signs, the 16 x 16 displays are the go-to solution. However, many 8 x 8 LED displays are still in use, but cannot communicate the alphanumeric characters in international languages. A 16 x 16 display makes it possible to create signs that can relay messages in different languages, but use more LEDs.
Backlighting the TV
LEDs are fast replacing the old, cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) and Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) for lighting solutions in laptops, TVs and Monitors. Formerly, the Backlight Unit (BLU) in screens was a major power consumption component, but with edge backlight architecture, LEDs along the edges of the screen are revolutionizing how much energy a single display unit uses up.
The biggest advantage of this approach is cost reduction by using few LEDs. Backlight architecture places LEDs behind the display, providing better contrast, but for a higher cost.
Automotive Lighting
Every lighting solution using LED has a distinct LED driver that helps realize better energy savings and visibility. Depending on where the lighting has been applied, it is sometimes much better to use linear drivers in place of switching drivers.
If the lighting is to be used externally or internally, they will dissipate heat at different levels depending on their placement and environment. LED lighting has been used to improve the safety of pedestrians and drivers by increasing the visibility range when the lights are either in ON, OFF or dimmed mode.
Lighting up Smartphones
LED technology enables for thinner backlight architecture and supports advanced technologies that reduce the area used by the PCB. The number of LEDs in use depends on the size of the device display area, with bigger units requiring more LEDs for backlighting purposes. Inductive LED drivers are not only efficient in powering multiple LED strings, but they also help lower output voltages, increasing device battery run-time.
There are numerous approaches to controlling LED lighting and each application is different. LED drivers help provide the reliability and efficiency required. With the technological advancements, there will be more sensors and LED drivers working in a network of the Internet of Things (IoT), smart homes and smart city markets.
For more information on any aspect of high-power LED circuits, contact Energy Recovery Products, an LED driver manufacturer that designs and manufactures smart and efficient drivers for powering electronics. You can visit us online at ERP-Power.com or call on 805-517-1300.