ON Semiconductor LED Driver Solutions Add Intelligence to Connected Lighting

NCL31000 and NCL31001 enable OEMs to easily develop smart LED luminaires with visible light communication (VLC) and indoor positioning systems

June 22, 2021 - ON Semiconductor, driving energy-efficient innovation, has launched two new devices that improve the performance of connected lighting systems, the NCL31000 and NCL31001 LED drivers, allowing manufacturers to develop LED luminaires with light-based positioning technology and visible light communication. These solutions add data intelligence and accurate positioning (up to 30 cm), which will revolutionize the lighting of many spaces including supermarkets, warehouses, hospitals and airports.

The NCL31000 is a member of ON Semiconductor's extensive LED driver family designed specifically for lighting applications. The core of the device is a high-efficiency buck LED driver that supports high-bandwidth analog dimming and PWM dimming down to zero current. The driver contains an integrated 3V3 fixed DC-DC converter and a further adjustable DC-DC (2.5 to 24V) that can be used to power system components such as sensors and microcontrollers. Integrating these power solutions into the driver greatly simplifies system design while improving energy efficiency.

Precise linear dimming enables visible light communication (VLC), supporting the development of light-based indoor positioning systems that can be safely implemented in many places where RF-based solutions cannot be used, such as hazardous spaces such as mines, or RF-sensitive areas such as hospitals or aircraft. The NCL31000 can truly dim with an accuracy of 0.1%, ensuring that there is no ghost light at the lowest dimming setting. It also integrates a 10-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for highly accurate diagnostics, further reducing system complexity. The ADC measures system voltage, current, and temperature to monitor LED and overall system efficiency and detect any anomalies. A serial (I2C / SPI) interface makes all diagnostic data available to an external MCU to monitor and control smart lighting systems. The architecture of the NCL31000 ensures excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) performance, and in testing, it has shown to be more than 14 dB lower than the requirements of CISPR15/EN55015.

ON Semiconductor also announced the NCL31001 as a companion driver to the NCL31000. The addition of the NCL31001 creates a solution to support multi-string lighting applications, including those with color control. The NCL31001 offers the same features as the NCL31000, but does not include a DC-DC converter to avoid unnecessary duplication.

“The demand for smart lighting continues to grow as LED luminaire manufacturers realize how these features can improve user convenience while reducing operating expenses and energy consumption,” said Michel De Mey, vice president of ON Semiconductor’s Industrial Division, in announcing the new solution. “The NCL31000 and NCL31001 support these features with market-leading energy efficiency and functionality, which will open up a variety of new business opportunities for smart lighting systems.”

The new LED driver is part of ON Semiconductor’s comprehensive connected lighting solutions portfolio, which also includes a connected lighting platform that offers multiple connectivity options (Bluetooth Low Energy and Power over Ethernet (PoE)) for intelligent LED control.