STMicroelectronics push the limits of LED camera flash

     STMicroelectronics will enable compact digital cameras and smartphones to meet user requirements for increased built-in flash output power while supporting more advanced user control features. The new chip STCF04 is a built-in flash/flashlight dual-mode camera flash controller that can increase the maximum power of the LED flash module from today's general power design of a few watts to more than 40W, emitting an outdoor safety floodlight level of brightness.

     The new product also provides additional flash and flashlight brightness control, with 8 user selectable brightness for flash mode and 12 user selectable brightness for flashlight mode, and provides a light sensor input. Controller chip built-in flash and flashlight safety timer, temperature sensor and short circuit protection.

     Using ST's unique architecture design, the STCF04 integrates a supercapacitor, a high-current MOSFET switch discrete device and multiple high-power white LED lights, making it the ideal choice for high-brightness emergency flash, as well as camera and camera phone flash.

     Discrete MOSFET devices are the key to the STCF04's higher power than similar products, because other brands of controllers only integrate a low-power MOSFET. The new product enables designers to replace the traditional high-power xenon flash with an LED flash to meet the higher light energy requirements of today's high-pixel camera sensors, while also having the advantages of compact and simple design.

     STMicroelectronics has begun supplying STCF04 samples to its two main partners, MURATA and OSRAM. Murata, the market-leading manufacturer of supercapacitors, and Osram, the world's leading supplier of flash modules for smartphones, have begun showing off their latest products using the chip.