TI Korea (CEO Kent Chon, www.ti.com/ww/kr) November 8, 2013 – TI (CEO Kent Chon) announced that it is providing the industry's first floating switch architecture that simplifies LED offline linear drive for lamps, downlights, and fixtures. The AC conversion matrix technique, a key feature of TI's TPS92411 floating MOSFET switch, is an innovative technique that generates low-ripple LED drive current without magnetic components. This architecture demonstrates excellent compatibility with conventional wall dimmers and achieves high power factor and low total harmonic distortion (THD). (For more detailed product information and information on ordering samples and evaluation modules, refer to http://www.ti.com/tps92411-pr-kr)

Flyback, buck, and boost converters are SMPS (switch-mode power supply) topologies commonly used in today's LED lamps. These circuits operate at high frequency and require inductive components to convert the main AC current to the DC constant current necessary for LED driving. The task of selecting inductors and transformers for power transfer is very complex and in most cases involves expensive custom components. Furthermore, to prevent the SMPS circuit from interfering with other electronic equipment, an EMI (electromagnetic interference) filter consisting of 4 to 10 passive components is required. Additionally, when phase dimming is required, the design may need to be iterated multiple times to optimize dimmer compatibility and prevent LED flicker.

The floating switch architecture provided by TI's TPS92411 solves these problems. Since inductive components for power transfer are not required, cost and size can be reduced while simplifying the design. (View related video)

The TPS92411 is a new product being added to TI's diverse LED driver product portfolio, which includes the TPS92075, LM3447, and LM3445.