#automotivenews DVN-I Newsletter № 47
Electronic Challenges in Smart Interior Lighting
Source: Melexis – Block diagram
Melexis is a global supplier of micro-electronic semiconductor and was also present at CES 2021 with a virtual booth.
To address the challenges of smart lighting, Melexis has developed the Melexis Light Bus (MeLiBu™). It combines LIN and CAN: the easily usable, extendable protocol and hardware architecture of LIN with the speed and robust communication system of CAN. The result is a high-speed, robust communication system specifically designed for applications with both high numbers of LEDs and high levels of animation, complexity, and dynamic range. It’s a license-free system based on the existing CAN-FD physical layer and UART communication with self-synchronization. Moreover, MeLiBu™ ensures the seamless integration of LED systems from different tier suppliers, and is suitable for safety-critical applications up to ASIL-B classification.
MeLiBu™ supports a simple wiring harness thanks to its real differential bus structure. Simplicity also extends to the synchronization of light animations over the whole car – with delay-free communication between multiple of hundreds of LEDs. It also enables numerous bus segments to be distributed over the full car. MeLiBu™ offers ESD and EMC robustness to low cost per light node and is ISO 11898 and ISO 26262 compatible.
MeLiBu™ is thus qualified for smart lighting applications such as the overhead module, instrument pack, interior and exterior decorative lighting, and warning lights. Another key application is the integrated dashboard light, where MeLiBu™ improves communication between car and driver in a similar way to virtual assistant AI technology. Each lighting element can be added into the overall vehicle lighting concept selectively, by brand, model, platform, feature or function. Implementation of any color coding, color changing and blinking sequence is simple and scalable.
The very flexible high-speed automotive bus facilitates the car manufacturers towards more complex smart lighting without having to rethink the complete body control unit system. Multiple OEMs have already validated and implemented MeLiBu™, with the first models already on the road.
Depending on the application and space requirements, Melexis offers single- and multi-channel control modules for the different system solutions. The Product Overview below shows the current LED Driver modules with LIN and MeLiBu Interface, communication speed and the number of LED driver channels.
The MLX81116 is a fully integrated intelligent automotive LED driver with robust high-speed communication (MeLiBu™/ 1-2MBt/sec) between multiple LED drivers to enable high RGB LED count applications for dynamic in-vehicle lighting. All components for LED driving and communication are integrated, enabling the development of cost-optimized animated lighting systems. The embedded intelligence enables a high accuracy of RGB color mixing as well as support for ASIL B applications thanks to the MeLiBu™ communication system.
Source: Melexis – System Design 1
Some features and benefits of MLX81116 module
- MCU for advanced LED control algorithm, color mixing and full diagnostics
- Red/green and blue LED temperature compensation without additional external components
- Color mixing accuracy of 1% delta UV
- 16-bit color/intensity control
- Storage of LED calibration data directly in the LED driver
- Low side programmable calibrated current sources for LED control
- Direct and multiplexed LED drive without additional external components
- LEDs fully diagnosable (short circuit, broken wire, threshold monitor
- Real-time updating of >250 RGB LEDs without delay
There is a variety of new MeLiBu LED driver products just before public release.
If you want or need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
