Jun 2 2016
Dialog Semiconductor plc, a provider of highly integrated power management, AC/DC power conversion, solid state lighting (SSL) and Bluetooth(R) low energy technology, today announced the addition of ambient light and color sensor controls to its smart lighting platform of advanced LED drivers and Bluetooth controllers. This represents another significant milestone in the recently announced joint venture with Dyna Image as both companies continue to combine their core technologies to provide complete platform solutions.
In recent months, Dialog and Dyna Image successfully collaborated on a wearable reference design integrating Dyna Image's all-in-one optical heart rate monitor and MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) accelerometer sensors with Dialog's SmartBond(TM) DA14580 Bluetooth(R) System-on-Chip (SoC)and sensor fusion software to provide a complete turn-key reference design for wearable fitness bands. Now, just a few months later, the two companies have brought their proven technologies in SSL and optical sensing together to deliver cost and performance optimized sensor-based control to LED lighting systems.
Integrating color sensing with Dialog's tuneable-white driver allows lamps to automatically change their color temperature from cold (blue-white) to warm (amber) in tune with the ambient environment. One application is auto- tuning lamps, which work together with other lamps to provide a more consistent, pleasant light experience. This sensing feature also facilitates automatic compensation for normal variations in color temperature between LED light fixtures. Other applications include the ability to sense color temperature outdoors and replicate it indoors. This creates a natural light experience to help stimulate the human body's circadian rhythm, which is claimed to produce significant health and wellbeing benefits.
Dialog is already a leading supplier of driver integrated circuits in SSL. In smart lighting, its partnership with Dyna Image significantly increases the company's share of the bill-of-materials (BOM) in lighting fixtures: wireless Bluetooth control, optical sensor control, and advanced digital and TRIAC dimming drivers.
"As the SSL market goes mainstream with 60 watt equivalent lamps using Dialog drivers retailing at mass market prices, the lighting industry is looking for creative ways to add value and differentiate its products," said Mark Tyndall, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy at Dialog. "Smart lighting is an emerging market where we see significant product innovation and huge growth opportunity. Adding Dyna Image's optical sensors to Dialog's smart lighting platform enables our customers to quickly deploy world-leading lighting products into this fast growing market."
"Twelve months into our joint venture, we are excited to be leveraging our combined technology portfolio moving us beyond sensor component level to supplying customers with complete value-added system solutions," commented Sean Li, CEO of Dyna Image. Smart lighting adds significant complexity to a typical lamp design, making sense for the core technology vendors to optimize designs, providing customers with cost-effective faster time-to-market solutions."
Optical sensing on Dialog's smart lighting platform will be demonstrated at Computex Taipei, being held from May 31 - June 04, 2016 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei, Taiwan.