Display Driver ICs

N/A, '85, and '86 driver ICs contain the circuitry needed to interface between a system microprocessor and automotive Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) instrumentation. These VFD ICs reduce cost by eliminating excess circuitry in instrumentation systems where the system microprocessor has sufficient pins to control driver ICs. Each IC contains a shift register, transparent data latches, a masked ROM, and anode- and grid-drivers for controlling a multiplexed VFD cluster.

The '84 and ‘86 drivers each consist of a 32-bit shift register, 32-bit transparent data latches, ROM, six 20 mA anode output drivers, twenty-three 2 mA anode output drivers, and three 50 mA grid drivers. The ROM lets the 29 anode outputs and three grid outputs to be assigned to any of the 32 serial data bits that drive the display. The difference between the two is that the input bits address different output pins.

The ‘85 has a 34-bit shift register, 34-bit data latch, six 20 mA anode drivers, twenty-five 2 mA drivers, and three 50 mA grid drivers. It also contains a factory programmed ROM. Unlike the others, the IC doesn't include a pin for cascading to other display drivers.

All three display drivers can operate between 8 V and 16.5 V and accept logic input voltages up to 6 V. Other features include power-on reset and dimming. The latter is accomplished by pulse width modulation of the grids. The ICs are supplied in 40-lead plastic DIPs, 44-lead PLCCs, or 48-lead LQFPs. Price is about $2.75 ea/10,000 (pricing at time of publication). Reference designs and demo kits are available.

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