
IC specification
MLX10803
Automotive high power LED driver
3901010803 Page 18/25
Rev 018 28/SEP/05
Author:
ALX, VAR
revised: TFR/VAR
Dimming is achieved by applying a PWM directly to the module supply or by changing the reference voltage on pin
VREF or the resistor’s value on IREF2 pin.
IC settling times must always to be considered in PWM mode. Please refer also to chapter 1.1.4 for
additional PWM frequency considerations.
Limitation of the ON time prevents from exceeding the allowed average current when the power supply voltage is
not sufficient for the current to reach its peak value and restricts in this case duty cycle of switching to 68%.
I
t
Imax
Iavg
tmon_off
tmon_on
Imax/2
A pseudo random generator is applied to the monoflop time. The pseudo random generator runs with the clock
derived out of the monoflop time and adds a random distribution on these 3 LSBs. Therefore, the monoflop time
gets a
random
variation from its value. The EMI behaviour of the complete module is improved due to the variation
of the otherwise fixed switching frequency.
The inductance L of a coil describes the amount of magnetic energy that can be stored in it.
Consequently, high inductive coils will be discharged less than low inductive coils in a given time.
Generally the coil can be driven in two different ways:
1)
The coil is discharged partially only. That means the coil still carries a significant amount of energy
when going from discharging to charging. In that moment the charging current rises immediately to
the coil current that was flowing just before switching. This is connected with large dI/dt transients on the
RSENSE pin that have a negative impact on EMI.
2)
The coil discharged completely. Thus, at the end of a discharging cycle, the coil doesn’t carry energy
anymore. With the next charging cycle, current increases steadily from around zero. This way, large dI/dt
transients are completely avoided.
Because of randomisation, the discharging time is not constant but varies within a certain range. It must be
ensured that only the longest possible monoflop time completely discharges the coil. Otherwise the coil is
discharged before the monoflop time ends which results in a loss of efficiency.