The MAX25169 evaluation kit (EV kit) demonstrates the
MAX25069/MAX25169 IC, which is a highly integrated
power supply plus LED backlight driver for automotive
TFT-LCD applications. The EV kit is a fully assembled
and tested surface-mount PCB that provides a complete
power-management solution for automotive displays. The
EV kit demonstrates one current-mode boost converter
with sequencing switch (HVINP–AVDD), one current
mode inverting regulator (NAVDD), positive and negative
gate-voltage controllers (VGON), and (VGOFF), and a
boost converter that powers a six-string LED driver.
The EV kit can be configured to operate in a stand-alone
mode or an I2C mode.
The TFT-LCD Power Section of the EV kit operates from
a 2.65V to 5.5V DC supply voltage. The BOOST regulator
(HVINP) is configured in bipolar Mode from 4.9V to
10.5V or in unipolar Mode from 11.7V to 18V output that
provides up to 300mA. The inverting regulator (NAVDD)
generates a negative output that tracks the voltage of
the boost converter and provides up to 200mA. The
gate-driver power supplies consist of regulated charge
pumps that generate in Bipolar Mode from 8.4V to 21V
or in Unipolar Mode from 12.6V to 31.5V (VGON), and
(VGOFF) from -4V to -18V. They can deliver up to 15mA
each, depending on the AVDD setting.
The HB LED Driver Section demonstrates a step-up
DC-DC pre-regulator followed by six channels of linear
current sinks. The step-up pre-regulator switches at
2.2MHz or 400kHz and operates as a current-mode controlled
regulator capable of providing up to 900mA for the
current sinks. Each LED channel can operate up to 36V
and provides up to 150mA.
The LED driver portion of the EV kit operates from a DC
supply voltage of 3V up to the High-Brightness (HB) LED
string-forward voltage. The EV kit also demonstrates the
IC’s other features, such as adjustable output voltage,
extensive diagnostics to aid in fulfilling ASIL-B safety
level, thermal shutdown, phase-shifted pulse-widthmodulation
(PWM) dimming, etc.
Dimming can be performed either externally using a PWM
signal applied to the DIM pad or internally by programming
the desired dimming frequency and individual duty
cycle through I2C. The hybrid dimming feature can be
enabled through a register bit to reduce EMI.
The EV kit provides an I2C interface that can operate in
conjunction with the PICO BOARD MAX32625 or a thirdparty
I2C master such as a general-purpose microcontroller.
The EV kit also includes Windows®-compatible software
that provides a simple graphical user interface (GUI) for
exercising the features of the IC.