This technology is already being used by the world's leading automakers to enhance the safety features of their latest models. The MLX81117 expands the MeLiBu product family with even greater color mixing accuracy, boasting a UV delta of <0.01.
Automakers continue to embrace animated in-cabin lighting to provide important information, such as driver assistance prompts, vehicle status updates, or advanced comfort features like adaptive roof lighting. The use of RGB LED light bars to communicate with the driver through color sequences that change and flash is becoming increasingly common. However, this presents engineering challenges, such as maintaining a consistent color across all LEDs in the light bar and implementing simultaneous light changes.
The MLX81117 addresses this issue by integrating the Melexis MeLiBu high-speed IP communication interface. MeLiBu controls individual LEDs to implement lighting effects defined by the vehicle's systems. The intelligent RGB LED controller also provides real-time compensation for any color deviation caused by environmental changes and color mixing accuracy with a UV delta of <0.01% to eliminate any noticeable differences between LEDs.
MeLiBu's communication interface uses a CAN-FD physical layer to deliver robust and reliable performance at speeds up to 2 Mbit. MeLiBu also offers intelligent, high-resolution operation to mitigate temperature-related color drift, ensuring a consistent and distraction-free user experience under all operating conditions.
Additional features of the MLX81117 LED driver IC include brightness control across a wide dimming range, allowing for adjustment of natural light levels. The MLX81117 meets the functional safety requirements of ISO 26262 up to Safety Integrity Level B (ASIL B), and its design also offers low EMI and high levels of immunity, helping designers comply with EMC regulations.
"The MLX81117 is the second Melexis product offering to integrate its MeLiBu technology, which enables a scalable approach to the lighting system, as well as new application functions," says Michael Bender, Product Line Manager for Embedded Lighting at Melexis. "It expands our support for advanced lighting features, and we are excited to see leading automakers already incorporating it into their new models to deliver a safer driving experience."
