Evaluation Boards - LED Drivers

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
LP8863EVM Texas Instruments	EVAL MODULE	1
RDK-378 Power Integrations	EVAL KIT 7W LED DRIVER	2
COM-13705 SparkFun	LED DRIVER PICOBUCK	64
LV52206XAEVB Sanyo Semiconductor/ON Semiconductor	EVAL BOARD LV52206XA	0
AL9901EV2 Zetex Semiconductors (Diodes Inc.)	EVAL BOARD FOR AL9901	1
OMPCA9959LEDEV NXP Semiconductors	PCA9959 LED DRIVER EVAL BOARD	4
TPS61194EVM Texas Instruments	EVALUATION MODULE	2
AS1110-QF_EK_ST ams	BOARD EVAL AS1110	0
MIC2287-3-LED-EV Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	BOARD EVAL MIC2287 15V OVP	0
LM3445-120VFLBK/NOPB Texas Instruments	BOARD EVAL LED DRIVER LM3445	3
IS31FL3732A-QFLS2-EB ISSI (Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc.)	DEMO BOARD	5
SSL5021BDB1206UL NXP Semiconductors	DEMO BD SSL5021 LED DVR 230V 6W	2
STR-NCL30160-1A-LED-GEVB Sanyo Semiconductor/ON Semiconductor	STRATA ENABLED NCL30160 1A LED D	3
DC1784B Analog Devices, Inc.	BOARD EVAL FOR LT3797EUKG	12
LM3406HVEVAL/NOPB Texas Instruments	EVAL BOARD FOR LM3406HV	1
IS31LT3177-GRLS4-EB ISSI (Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc.)	DEMO BOARD	5
DC2013A Analog Devices, Inc.	LT3952EFE DEMO BOARD - 5V TO 36V	4
DC2424A Analog Devices, Inc.	LT3964 DEMO BOARD VIN = 5V TO 36	3
IS31FL3732-QFLS2-EB ISSI (Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc.)	EVAL BOARD FOR IS31FL3732	0
BPLUSOFFLOADBOARDTOBO1 IR (Infineon Technologies)	EVALUATION BOARD FOR LITIX BASIC	3

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)