New Industry Products

Maxim Introduces New MAX1916 Current Regulator

September 04, 2001 by Jeff Shepard

Maxim Integrated Products Inc. introduced its new MAX1916 triple-output current regulator intended for biasing white LEDs in cellular phones and PDAs with even brightness. It provides improved matching compared to traditional ballast resistor schemes and enables extended battery life.

The device regulates three LED currents with >±0.3 percent matching. It also enables powering of white LEDs from a single-cell lithium-ion battery. The regulator requires only 200mV dropout voltage at a 9mA load to match the LEDs brightness. This low dropout allows the LEDs to be powered directly from a single-cell lithium-ion battery at a longer time. The device prolongs battery life by 350mV.

The MAX1916 can handle up to 60mA per LED. It operates via 2.5V to 5.5V input, draws 40µA quiescent supply and offers thermal shutdown protection. The chip is offered in a six-pin SOT23, and is specified for the extended industrial temperature range.

Pricing starts at $0.99 in quantities of 2,500.