Digital Controller Technology for Solid-State Lighting

Ikon Semiconductor’s integrated circuit (IC), for the dimmable LED retrofit market, is designed to meet cost and performance standards for today’s LED lighting products, while enabling greater design simplicity for bulb manufacturers and OEMs. Its IC solutions match the efficiency of comparative two-stage architectures, but with up to 25 percent fewer components. With broad dimmer compatibility and a compact size, the IC has a better fit for LED bulb retrofits than larger, more complex solutions. An advantage of the Ikon’s solution is that it eliminates the need for opto-couplers and electrolytic capacitors – standard components that add complexity to the module and can hinder reliability. Moreover, OEMs can decide the optimum trade-off between the amounts of PFC (power factor correction) needed and the amount of ripple the design can tolerate. Conor McAuliffe, Ikon Semiconductor’s CEO, discusses Ikon’s technology in this podcast moderated by EE editor, Natasha Townsend. McAuliffe has 25 years in semiconductor industry, is a Mixed Signal Technical Director at Parthus (now CEVA), and Founder of Silansys (Frontier-Silicon).