MAX6953
2-Wire Interfaced, 2.7V to 5.5V, 4-Digit 5 7
Matrix LED Display Driver
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4MHz, which makes the blink frequencies 0.5Hz selec-
table between 1Hz. The recommended value of RSET
also sets the peak current to 40mA, which makes the
segment current adjustable from 2.5mA to 37.5mA in
2.5mA steps:
ISEG = KI / RSET mA
fOSC = KF / (RSET (CSET + CSTRAY)) MHz
where:
KI = 2144
KF = 6003
RSET = external resistor in k
CSET = external capacitor in pF
CSTRAY = stray capacitance from OSC pin to GND in
pF, typically 2pF
The recommended value of RSET is 53.6k and the
recommended value of CSET is 26pF.
The recommended value of RSET is the minimum
allowed value since it sets the display driver to the
maximum allowed segment current. RSET can be set to
a higher value to set the segment current to a lower
peak value where desired. The user must also ensure
that the peak current specifications of the LEDs con-
nected to the driver are not exceeded.
The effective value of CSET includes not only the actual
external capacitor used, but also the stray capacitance
from OSC to GND. This capacitance is usually in the
1pF to 5pF range, depending on the layout used.
Display-Test Register
The display-test register switches the drivers between
one of two modes: normal and display test. Display-test
mode turns all LEDs on by overriding, but not altering,
all control and digit registers (including the shutdown
register). In display-test mode, eight digits are scanned
and the duty cycle is 7/16 (half power). Table 22 lists
the display-test register format.
Applications Information
Choosing Supply Voltage to Minimize
Power Dissipation
The MAX6953 drives a peak current of 40mA into LEDs
with a 2.4V forward-voltage drop when operated from a
supply voltage of at least 3.0V. The minimum voltage
drop across the internal LED drivers is therefore (3.0V -
2.4V) = 0.6V. If a higher supply voltage is used, the dri-
ver absorbs a higher voltage, and the driver’s power
dissipation increases accordingly. However, if the LEDs
used have a higher forward voltage drop than 2.4V, the
supply voltage must be raised accordingly to ensure
that the driver always has at least 0.6V headroom.
The voltage drop across the drivers with a nominal 5V
supply (5.0V - 2.4V) = 2.6V is nearly 3 times the drop
across the drivers with a nominal 3.3V supply (3.3V -
2.4V) = 0.9V. In most systems, consumption is an
important design criterion, and the MAX6953 should be
operated from the system’s 3.3V nominal supply. In
other designs, the lowest supply voltage may be 5V.
The issue now is to ensure that the dissipation limit for
the MAX6953 is not exceeded. This can be achieved
by inserting a series resistor in the supply to the
MAX6953, ensuring that the supply decoupling capaci-
tors are still on the MAX6953 side of the resistor. For
example, consider the requirement that the minimum
supply voltage to a MAX6953 must be 3.0V, and the
input supply range is 5V ±5%. Maximum supply current
is:
15mA + (40mA 10) = 415mA
Minimum input supply voltage is 4.75V. Maximum
series resistor value is:
(4.75V - 3.0V) / 0.415A = 4.22
We choose 3.3 ±5%. Worst-case resistor dissipation
is at maximum toleranced resistance, i.e., (0.415A)2
(3.3 x 1.05) = 0.577W. We choose a 1W resistor rat-
ing. The maximum MAX6953 supply voltage is at maxi-
mum input supply voltage and minimum toleranced
resistance, i.e., 5.25V - (0.415A 3.3 0.95) = 3.95V.
REGISTER DATA
MODE
ADDRESS
CODE (HEX)
D7
D6
D5
D4
D3
D2
D1
D0
Normal operation
0x07
X
0
Display test
0x07
X
1
Table 22. Display-Test Register Format