Allegro Microsystems Europe announces unique LED driver with integrated Hall-effect switch

Elegant single chip solution for LED lighting

Allegro MicroSystems Europe announced the release of the world’s first LED driver IC that features an integrated Hall-effect switch. The A1569 enables compact, elegant, reliable, and fault-tolerant LED lighting with minimal electrical engineering and low component-count and cost.

A single silicon chip integrates: a Hall plate, a small-signal amplifier, chopper stabilisation, a Schmitt trigger, and a LED driver with soft on/off and short circuit and thermal protection with automatic recovery. The integrated solid-state Hall-effect switch supports silent, sealed, contactless activation and offers a significant upgrade from failure-prone mechanical switches.

The LED driver features low-noise, adjustable, linear drive of up to 150mA into one or more LEDs. An optional external capacitor programs the turn-on/turn-off rate, adding an elegant ‘theatre’ effect. It is controlled by the Hall-effect switch and turns on and off in response to a magnet. The Hall-effect switch is omnipolar (responsive to both North and South magnetic poles) and highly sensitive (BOP = 40G) to support a wide range of mechanical configurations and enclosures with various air-gaps and degrees of mechanical misalignment.

This new device complements Allegro Microsystem’s existing portfolios of LED drivers and Hall-effect switches. It is targeted at consumer electronics, white goods, boats, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, and interior and auxiliary automotive lighting applications such as glove boxes, centre consoles, vanity mirrors, trunks/boots, truck beds, etc.

The on-board regulator permits operation with supply voltages of 7 V to 24 V. Reliability and EMC performance are enhanced with Zener clamps, output short-circuit protection, thermal shutdown, and reverse-battery protection. Superior Hall switch performance is made possible through dynamic offset cancellation, which reduces the residual offset voltage normally caused by device overmolding, temperature drift, and thermal stress.

The device is available in two versions: the ‘K’ option is an automotive-grade (AEC-Q100) device that operates from -40 °C to +125 °C; the ‘E’ option is for industrial and consumer applications that operate from -40 °C to 85 °C. Both versions feature a RoHS-compliant, thermally enhanced SOIC-8 surface-mount package (designator ‘LE’).

Please click here to download a copy of the A1569 LED driver IC data sheet.

About Allegro

Allegro MicroSystems, LLC is a leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing high-performance semiconductors. Allegro's innovative solutions serve high-growth applications within the automotive market, with additional focus on office automation, industrial, and consumer/communications solutions. Allegro is headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts (USA) with design, applications, and sales support centers located worldwide. Further information about Allegro can be found at www.allegromicro.com

Allegro MicroSystems Europe, headquartered in Chertsey, United Kingdom, is the European sales and marketing operation, and operates a network of representatives and distributors throughout Europe.  Allegro also has an engineering design centre in Edinburgh in Scotland and an application and marketing centre in Annecy in France.