DMX controller for LED fixtures

We designed this LED power supply for AVR Ltd, to drive their range of Lumiled-based LED lighting fixtures. It can power an RGB+White fixture containing between one and twelve LEDs of each colour and is fully dimmable and colour controllable by the digital lighting control system DMX512. In addition, the unit has an onboard programming system which allows selection of any colour from the LED fixtures, and eight onboard sequences. If the onboard programming system is in use, further controllers can be slaved from the first one, so only one unit needs to be programmed.

The driver uses switch mode constant current techniques to power the Lumiled LEDs within their safe operating current, controlled by a microprocessor to give the required intensity. The onboard control panel allows setting of all programs and selection of options.

The design was required to be very compact, to allow the unit to be housed in an electronic transformer-style enclosure, so extensive use was made of surface mounted components.

The internal microprocessor was selected to allow in-circuit reprogramming which allows AVR to update the operating software of the unit to give custom functionality or when later software is produced.