Evaluation Boards - LED Drivers

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
EVALLED-ICL8002G-B1 IR (Infineon Technologies)	BOARD EVAL ICL8002 DIM 13W LED	0
MAX17061EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT FOR MAX17061	18
IS31LT3948-GRLS4-EB ISSI (Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc.)	DEMO BOARD	2
TPS92638STAEVM Texas Instruments	EVALUATION MODULE	5
MXC 284C1-EB3P-1 Helix Semiconductors	9V-36V, LED CURRENT SOURCE	4
MAX20097EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL MAX20097 DUAL CH HB LED	111
DC1187A Analog Devices, Inc.	BOARD EVAL FOR LTC3212EDDB	2
TPS61194Q1EVM Texas Instruments	EVALUATION MODULE	5
BCR320U HW LED BOARD IR (Infineon Technologies)	BOARD LED BCR320U HW	1
STEVAL-ILL054V2 STMicroelectronics	BOARD EVAL LED DVR LED2001 8HSOP	7
MAX16818EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	KIT EVALUATION FOR MAX16818	143
REFXDPL8221U50WTOBO1 IR (Infineon Technologies)	XDPL8221 50W CC/CV/LP DUAL STAGE	4
DC1608A Analog Devices, Inc.	BOARD EVAL FOR LT3745	2
TPS61185EVM-335 Texas Instruments	EVAL MODULE FOR TPS61185-335	2
NCP1421LEDGEVB Sanyo Semiconductor/ON Semiconductor	EVAL BOARD FOR NCP1421	2
LM3492AR111DEMO/NOPB Texas Instruments	BOARD DEMO FOR LM3492AR111	6
MAX20056BEVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL MAX20056 LED DRIVER	510
LM3431EVAL/NOPB Texas Instruments	BOARD EVAL FOR LM3431 LED DRIVER	1
TPS40211EVM-352 Texas Instruments	EVAL MODULE FOR TPS40211-352	2
IS31FL3742A-QFLS4-EB Lumissil Microsystems	EVAL BOARD FOR IS31FL3742A-QFLS4	5

Evaluation Boards - LED Drivers

1. Overview

Evaluation Boards for LED Drivers are specialized hardware platforms designed to test, validate, and develop lighting control systems. These boards provide engineers with a controlled environment to assess driver performance, thermal management, and compatibility with various LED configurations. As solid-state lighting dominates modern applications, these evaluation tools accelerate innovation in energy efficiency, smart lighting, and dynamic color control across industries.

2. Major Types & Functional Classification

Type	Functional Features	Application Examples
Constant Current Drivers	Maintain stable output current regardless of voltage fluctuations	High-brightness LED streetlights, industrial lighting
Constant Voltage Drivers	Provide fixed voltage with variable current control	LED strips, automotive interior lighting
PWM Dimming Controllers	Use pulse-width modulation for precise brightness control	Architectural lighting, display backlighting
Digital Addressable Controllers	Support protocols like DALI, DMX512 for individual LED control	Smart building systems, stage lighting

3. Structure & Composition

Typical evaluation boards integrate:

PCB substrate with thermal vias for heat dissipation
LED array interfaces (commonly 1 N or matrix configurations)
Driver ICs with protection circuits (overvoltage, overtemperature)
Power management modules (AC/DC, DC/DC converters)
Communication interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART)
Onboard sensors for light output measurement
Debugging headers (JTAG, SWD) for firmware development

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Importance
Output Current Range (mA)	Determines LED brightness capability
Voltage Compliance Range (V)	Affects compatibility with different LED strings
Dimming Resolution (bits)	Defines granularity of light control
Switching Frequency (kHz)	Influences EMI and efficiency
Thermal Shutdown Threshold ( C)	Ensures reliability under stress conditions
Communication Protocol Support	Enables system integration capabilities

5. Application Fields

Primary industries include:

General Lighting: Smart home systems, commercial lighting
Automotive: Adaptive front-lighting systems, interior ambiance
Industrial: Machine vision systems, hazardous area lighting
Consumer Electronics: TV backlighting, gaming peripherals
Medical: Surgical lighting, phototherapy devices

6. Leading Manufacturers & Products

Manufacturer	Representative Product	Key Features
TI (Texas Instruments)	LM3466EVM	Constant current driver with thermal fold-back
STMicroelectronics	STEVAL-ILL011V1	Digital dimming with 16-bit resolution
ON Semiconductor	NCL30160LEDGEVB	PWM dimming down to 0.1%
Microchip	CL88EVB	High-voltage AC/DC conversion
NXP Semiconductors	PCA9901BDB	DALI protocol support

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations:

Match output specifications to target LED requirements
Verify dimming method compatibility (PWM vs analog)
Assess communication protocol needs (e.g., Bluetooth mesh)
Evaluate thermal management capabilities
Check software ecosystem maturity
Consider cost vs feature balance

8. Industry Trends

Future development focuses on:

Higher integration with MCU and wireless SoC solutions
Adaptive control using AI/ML algorithms
Advancements in GaN/SiC semiconductor integration
Expansion of IoT-enabled lighting systems
Standardization of energy efficiency regulations (e.g., DOE)