NXP helps consumers go green with introduction of next generation energy saving CFL lighting solutions

SINGAPORE: NXP Semiconductors, a leading supplier of chipsets for energy-efficient IC-based lighting solutions, has unveiled two new generations of compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) light bulb drivers and controllers, based on its GreenChip technology: the UBA2027 family which enables customers to develop CFL bulbs for energy saving lamps that provide smoother dimming capabilities to levels below 10 percent and the UBA2211x family for non-dimming CFL bulbs.

Both solutions offer manufacturers quicker start times and improved reliability compared to current IC based CFL solutions.

“We designed our CFL drivers to enable consumers to go green without the frustrations of conventional CFL bulbs. With governments all over the world prohibiting the production of incandescent light bulbs, a new energy-efficient lighting solution was required, one that meets consumer expectations of cost, reliability, lifetime and overall user experience,” said John Croteau, senior vice president & general manager, Business Lines High Performance RF, Power & Lighting, NXP Semiconductors.

“With 20 to 25 percent of the electricity produced in the world consumed in lighting applications, and over 5 billion energy saving bulbs to be sold in 2012 according to Datapoint Research, NXP’s next generation of CFL lighting drivers break open the next ‘killer application’ for power management ICs. Backed by GreenChip technology, and NXP’s ability to manufacture to scale, the economics are staggering.”

NXP offers manufacturers solutions for dimmable and non-dimmable CFL drivers and controllers. Consumer perception of quality dimming starts at a dimming level of 10 percent light and traditional CFL lighting solutions can only be dimmed between 20 to 30 percent which is not ideal.

While today’s NXP ICs already achieve the 10 percent dimming threshold, the new NXP enabled lighting solutions achieve a level of deep dimming below 10 percent, making CFL lamps behave similar to incandescent bulbs. These CFL lamps will provide users with deep dimming performance; finally making energy-efficient lighting an option for mood lighting and advanced lighting designs.

GreenChip technology also accelerates the ramp up time, compared to standard CFL lamps, allowing the bulb to ignite faster. Consumers often complain about the reaction time between switching the light on to lamp ignition – currently an approximate delay of 0.5 to 1 second. NXP’s CFL drivers have been demonstrated to improve the reaction time to within 100 milliseconds, therefore providing light immediately and meeting consumer expectations for instant light with no waiting and no frustrations.