Maxim's automotive LED backlight driver
Operates with a minimum input voltage of 3V after startup
Grounding short circuit and hybrid dimming functions are also integrated.


The number, size, and resolution of displays in automobiles continue to increase. While start/stop systems improve fuel efficiency, maintaining display brightness during restarts places a strain on the power delivery system. Display backlighting during cold cranking drains the engine's battery enough to reboot the display.

Maxim Integrated Korea released the 'MAX25512', a low-voltage input 4-channel automotive LED backlight driver with an integrated boost converter, on the 7th.

It operates from input voltages as low as 3V after startup without the need for a front-end boost converter, maintaining display brightness even under extreme cold crank conditions. It includes four 120mA channels, achieving 91% efficiency at 2.2MHz operation. It also integrates a current-sensing resistor, eliminating the need for external MOSFETs and current-sensing resistors required to drive automotive displays.

Integrated I2C interface with diagnostic features such as short-to-ground for each current sink, alerts to the MCU and individual channel pulse-width modulation (PWM) settings to ensure safe, high-quality display. It also integrates a hybrid dimming function that reduces electromagnetic interference (EMI) and improves dimming ratio. The 24-pin, 4 × 4 × 0.75mm QFN (Quad Flat No-Lead) package reduces board space by 30%.

“Maxim’s MAX25512 LED backlight driver offers the industry’s highest level of integration and efficiency at a 2.2MHz switching frequency,” said Szu-Kang Hsien, general manager of the Automotive Business Unit at Maxim Integrated.