Microchip offers LED dimming engine control microcontroller

     Microchip Technology's PIC16F177x / 176x product line is designed to support the needs of high integration, low power conversion applications. These devices provide multiple independent closed-loop power channels and system management capabilities, while providing an 8-bit platform that simplifies design and helps eliminate many discrete components in the power conversion system.

     This family includes programmable ramp generator (PRG) peripherals that eliminate the CPU burden associated with ramps and ramp compensation in power conversion applications, improving frequency stability and system efficiency.

     The family is able to interconnect peripherals on the chip to create custom functionality specific to each application. The combination of these peripherals creates an LED dimming engine, synchronous switch control and faster shutdown, thus eliminating LED current overrush and attenuation. The synchronization of this output switch helps smooth visible dimming, minimize color shift, and reduce heat, thereby extending LED life. The series includes four devices with pin counts ranging from 14 to 40 and program memory sizes up to 28 KB.