8-bit Microcontrollers for Lighting Applications from NEC

Designed specifically for fluorescent and LED lighting devices requiring low cost, high efficiency and intelligent control, NEC Electronics’ extremely low-power-consuming 78K0/Ix2 devices stand apart from the competition by having two unique 16-bit timers with high-speed pulse-width modulation (PWM) output, three channels of internal comparators, a one-channel operational amplifier with programmable gains and an extended operating temperature range of –40 to +105 degrees Celsius. The 14-device lineup includes 78K0/IY2 MCUs in 16-pin packages, 78K0/IA2 MCUs in 20-pin packages and 78K0/IB2 MCUs in 30-pin packages.

As energy costs for lighting equipment rise, and consumers become more eco-conscious about global warming, lighting has become an area of focus for energy conservation. By switching from incandescent to fluorescent bulbs, and by using an MCU rather than a dedicated integrated circuit (IC) to provide inverter control and dimming functions, lighting manufacturers can control illumination at a fine-grained level and provide communication functions that enable illumination and ambient conditions to be adjusted via remote control, delivering further energy savings and added value.

LED-based lighting systems, which consume less power than other lighting systems, are becoming more popular as major advances in brightness levels are made. However, providing high-brightness illumination in LEDs requires functions to control dimming and manage color, thermal conditions and communication, and this need has increased the popularity of MCUs for system control.
NEC Electronics’ 78K0/Ix2 MCUs are well positioned to take on the challenges of controlling fluorescent and LED-based lighting systems by offering outstanding features in a single chip.