NXP Semiconductors
8. Application design-in information
PCA9530
2-bit I2C-bus LED dimmer
5V
3.3 V
I2C-BUS/SMBus
MASTER
SDA
SCL
10 kΩ 10 kΩ 10 kΩ
VDD
SDA
SCL
LED0
LED1
RESET
PCA9530
Fig 13. Typical application
A0
VSS
002aae501
8.1 Minimizing IDD when the I/Os are used to control LEDs
When the I/Os are used to control LEDs, they are normally connected to VDD through a
resistor as shown in Figure 13. Since the LED acts as a diode, when the LED is off the
I/O VI is about 1.2 V less than VDD. The supply current, IDD, increases as VI becomes
lower than VDD and is specified as ∆IDD in Table 12 “Static characteristics”.
Designs needing to minimize current consumption, such as battery power applications,
should consider maintaining the I/O pins greater than or equal to VDD when the LED is off.
Figure 14 shows a high value resistor in parallel with the LED. Figure 15 shows VDD less
than the LED supply voltage by at least 1.2 V. Both of these methods maintain the I/O VI
at or above VDD and prevent additional supply current consumption when the LED is off.
VDD
3.3 V
5V
VDD
LEDn
LED
100 kΩ
VDD
LED
LEDn
002aac189
Fig 14. High value resistor in parallel with
the LED
002aac190
Fig 15. Device supplied by a lower voltage
PCA9530_3
Product data sheet
Rev. 03 — 26 February 2009
© NXP B.V. 2009. All rights reserved.
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