PCA9530: 2-bit I2C-bus LED dimmer

The PCA9530 is a 2-bit I²C-bus and SMBus I/O expander optimized for dimming LEDs in 256 discrete steps for Red/Green/Blue (RGB) color mixing and backlight applications.

The PCA9530 contains an internal oscillator with two user programmable blink rates and duty cycles coupled to the output PWM. The LED brightness is controlled by setting the blink rate high enough (> 100 Hz) that the blinking cannot be seen and then using the duty cycle to vary the amount of time the LED is on and thus the average current through the LED.

The initial setup sequence programs the two blink rates/duty cycles for each individual PWM. From then on, only one command from the bus master is required to turn individual LEDs ON, OFF, BLINK RATE 1 or BLINK RATE 2. Based on the programmed frequency and duty cycle, BLINK RATE 1 and BLINK RATE 2 will cause the LEDs to appear at a different brightness or blink at periods up to 1.69 second. The open-drain outputs directly drive the LEDs with maximum output sink current of 25 mA per bit and 50 mA per package.

To blink LEDs at periods greater than 1.69 second, the bus master (MCU, MPU, DSP, chip set, etc.) must send repeated commands to turn the LED on and off as is currently done when using normal I/O Expanders like the NXP Semiconductors PCF8574 or PCA9554. Any bits not used for controlling the LEDs can be used for General Purpose parallel Input/Output (GPIO) expansion which provides a simple solution when additional I/O is needed for ACPI power switches, sensors, push buttons, alarm monitoring, fans, etc.

The active LOW hardware reset pin (RESET) and Power-On Reset (POR) initialize the registers to their default state causing the bits to be set HIGH (LED off).

One hardware address pin on the PCA9530 allows two devices to operate on the same bus.

PCA9530: Product Block Diagram
sot096-1_3d
Data Sheets (1)
Name/DescriptionModified Date
2-bit I2C-bus LED dimmer (REV 3.0) PDF (144.0 kB) PCA953026 Feb 2009
Application Notes (1)
Name/DescriptionModified Date
Level shifting techniques in I2C-bus design (REV 1.0) PDF (52.0 kB) AN1044120 Jun 2007
Users Guides (5)
Name/DescriptionModified Date
I2C-bus specification and user manual (REV 6.0) PDF (1.4 MB) UM1020428 Apr 2014
I2C-bus specification and user manual (REV 5.0) PDF (1.6 MB) UM10204_JA03 Apr 2013
PCA9633 demonstration board OM6282 (REV 1.0) PDF (337.0 kB) UM1031715 Dec 2008
PCA9698 demonstration board OM6281 (REV 1.0) PDF (558.0 kB) UM1026726 Sep 2008
I2C Demonstration Board 2005-1 Quick Start Guide (REV 1.0) PDF (261.0 kB) UM1020613 Jun 2006
Brochures (5)
Name/DescriptionModified Date
NXP® I2C-bus solutions 2014: Smart, simple solutions for the 12 most common design concerns (REV 1.0) PDF (3.5 MB) 7501754001 Aug 2014
LED controllers: Voltage-switch drivers, constant-current drivers, and Flash LED drivers (REV 1.0) PDF (2.7 MB) 7501758803 Jul 2014
Create smarter, more efficient white goods; An industry-leading portfolio of cost-effective, power-saving solutions for... (REV 1.0) PDF (1.1 MB) 7501654301 Jun 2008
Easily test and demonstrate the PCA9698 40-bit GPIO; NXP® PCA9698 daughter card OM6281 (REV 1.0) PDF (292.0 kB) 7501619401 May 2008
LED dimming with GPIO expansion; NXP® 2/4/8/16-bit I2C/SMBus LED dimmers PCA9530/31/32/33 (REV 1.0) PDF (212.0 kB) 7501607301 Jun 2007
Package Information (2)
Name/DescriptionModified Date
plastic thin shrink small outline package; 8 leads; body width 3 mm (REV 1.0) PDF (240.0 kB) SOT505-108 Feb 2016
plastic small outline package; 8 leads; body width 3.9 mm (REV 1.0) PDF (244.0 kB) SOT96-108 Feb 2016
Packing (2)
Name/DescriptionModified Date
SO8; Reel pack; SMD, 13" Q1/T1 Standard product orientation Orderable part number ending ,118 or J Ordering... (REV 2.0) PDF (232.0 kB) SOT96-1_11819 Apr 2013
TSSOP8; Reel pack; SMD, 13" Q1/T1 Standard product orientation Orderable part number ending ,118 or... (REV 1.0) PDF (214.0 kB) SOT505-1_11815 Apr 2013
Supporting Information (4)
Name/DescriptionModified Date
Reflow Soldering Profile (REV 1.0) PDF (34.0 kB) REFLOW_SOLDERING_PROFILE30 Sep 2013
Wave Soldering Profile (REV 1.0) PDF (20.0 kB) WAVE_SOLDERING_PROFILE30 Sep 2013
Footprint for reflow soldering (REV 1.0) PDF (9.0 kB) SO-SOJ-REFLOW08 Oct 2009
Footprint for wave soldering (REV 1.0) PDF (8.0 kB) SO-SOJ-WAVE08 Oct 2009
IBIS Model
Ordering Information
ProductStatusPackage versionOperating Temperature (Cel)PWMsReset input pinI2C-bus (kHz)Operating voltage (VDC)Max Sink Current per bit (mA)No of AddressesMax Sink Current, per package (mA)Number of bits
PCA9530DPActiveSOT505-1-40~852 (160 Hz to 1.6 sec)yes4002.3~5.5252502
PCA9530DActiveSOT96-1-40~852 (160 Hz to 1.6 sec)yes4002.3~5.5252502
Package Information
Product IDPackage DescriptionOutline VersionReflow/Wave SolderingPackingProduct StatusPart NumberOrdering code(12NC)MarkingChemical ContentRoHS / Pb Free / RHFLeadFree Conversion DateEFRIFR(FIT)MTBF(hour)MSLMSL LF
PCA9530DSOT96-1SO-SOJ-REFLOW SO-SOJ-WAVE
SO-SOJ-REFLOW SO-SOJ-WAVE
Reel 13" Q1/T1ActivePCA9530D,118 (9352 762 96118)PCA9530PCA9530Dweek 5, 20050.02.05E811
Bulk PackActivePCA9530D,112 (9352 762 96112)PCA9530PCA9530Dweek 5, 20050.02.05E811
PCA9530DPSOT505-1Reflow_Soldering_ProfileReel 13" Q1/T1ActivePCA9530DP,118 (9352 762 97118)9530PCA9530DPweek 12, 20050.02.05E811
2-bit I2C-bus LED dimmer PCA9530
Level shifting techniques in I2C-bus design pca9685pw
I2C-bus specification and user manual pca9685pw
I2C-bus specification and user manual pca9685pw
PCA9633 demonstration board OM6282 pca9685pw
PCA9698 demonstration board OM6281 PCA9553
I2C Demonstration Board 2005-1 Quick Start Guide pca9685pw
NXP® I2C-bus solutions 2014: Smart, simple solutions for the 12 most common design concerns pca9685pw
LED controllers: Voltage-switch drivers, constant-current drivers, and Flash LED drivers pca9685pw
Create smarter, more efficient white goods; An industry-leading portfolio of cost-effective, power-saving solutions for... PMEG6010CE_AUTOMOTIVE
Easily test and demonstrate the PCA9698 40-bit GPIO; NXP® PCA9698 daughter card OM6281 PCA9530
LED dimming with GPIO expansion; NXP® 2/4/8/16-bit I2C/SMBus LED dimmers PCA9530/31/32/33 PCA9551
Reflow_Soldering_Profile Wave_Soldering_Profile LPC1112FD20
PCA9530 IBIS model PCA9530DP
plastic small outline package; 8 leads; body width 3.9 mm CBT3306_Q100
Footprint for reflow soldering NPIC6C596A_Q100
Footprint for wave soldering NPIC6C596A_Q100
SO8; Reel pack; SMD, 13" Q1/T1 Standard product orientation Orderable part number ending ,118 or J Ordering... CBT3306_Q100
plastic thin shrink small outline package; 8 leads; body width 3 mm pesd5v0l7bas
Reflow_Soldering_Profile Wave_Soldering_Profile LPC1112FD20
TSSOP8; Reel pack; SMD, 13" Q1/T1 Standard product orientation Orderable part number ending ,118 or... pesd5v0l7bas
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