Market Segments
The LED market can be broadly divided into three end-use segments: 1) Commercial, 2) Industrial/Outdoor, and 3) Residential. It can also be divided into three product categories:
1) Retrofit bulbs/linear, 2) Lighting fixture ballasts, and 3) High power.
Market – Market Segments - End-Use Segments
Commercial: This segment includes lighting in commercial buildings requiring highest energy savings and light quality in sometimes thermally-challenged environments. Here, high-performance efficiency, power factor, low EMI (for example, FCC Class B) and Triac dimming are added value metrics required for Energy Star compliance.
These include fixture ballasts and lamps for retail shops and high-end solutions such as track lights, recessed ceiling lights, under-cabinet lights and accent lights. Lamp types include the traditional A-style, MR-style, and PAR-style as well as linears (tubes - T8/T10 and so on). Typical power requirements range from 15W to 40W. This market includes fixture ballasts as well as retrofit bulbs and linear troffers.
Industrial/Outdoor: These are infrastructure applications which include street lights, tunnel lights, external wall sconces, pathway lights, garage structures, parking lots, factories, warehouses, and refrigerators. Solutions range from 40W to 200W, and require high power factor, efficiency and low EMI demanded by local utilities.
Dimming is generally set from an external control input and is often done for energy savings as opposed to aesthetic purposes. Special fixtures designed for special environments using ballasts as well as linear troffers are the mainstream in this market.
Residential: This segment includes lighting used in homes. Cost is the key driver with the traditional A-style and PAR-style form factors dominating this market. Triac dimming is required in new products and the cost is carefully weighed against efficiency and dimming performance. Allowable power factor and EMI are regulated based on the geographic region.
Market – Market Segments - Product Categories
Retrofit bulbs/linear: Used in all three end-use segments described below, these products include bulbs, lamps, and linear tubes such as A-style, PAR-style, MR, down-lights, and T-style. Exclara is targeting this product category with both HVX and LVX product families.
The HVX-based EXC100 IC offers the lowest cost and smallest size solution for these products with an ability to be integrated into the LED subsystem. Exclara provides a range of reference designs to improve customers’ development time and cost.
Exclara LVX-based products are delivered as open-frame modules, designed to the cost/performance requirements for A-style and PAR-style lamps.
Lighting fixture ballasts: Lighting fixture ballasts are composed of a fixture body, a power supply, and a socket. These fixture ballasts deliver high-quality and dimmable light management for indoor environments for all three end-user segments described below.
Exclara HVX and LVX product families are available for these products. EXC100 IC in the HVX product family offers the lowest cost and smallest size solution with high quality and reasonable dimming capability with support for Triac dimmers. Exclara offers a range of reference designs specifically targeting these products.
Exclara LVX family modules are a great choice for these products with the best dimming capability in the industry. Using Exclara Ultra-Dim technology with fine-grain dimming up to 0.01%, these products are tested with a large suite of worldwide dimmers. They employ a proprietary control function to manage the LED system when it is powered by wall dimmers of any type. LVX achieves highly stable dimmer operation by providing impedance similar to an incandescent bulb.
High power products (greater than 100W): Products in this category are designed to support large area lighting needing more than 100 watts of drive. These products are used in both commercial and industrial/outdoor end-use segments described below. Exclara HVX and HPX product families target these products.
Use of the EXC100 IC in the HVX product family offers the lowest cost, high efficiency, high power factor solution for these products. Exclara offers a range of reference designs specifically targeting these products.
HPX high power outdoor modules combine high efficiency, high power factor, multi-channel, and support class 2 functionality. Rated for high-humidity environments (IP67), these are ideal for street lights, tunnel lights, pathways, garage structures, and parking lots. The indoor modules have the same performance as the outdoor versions but with added support for easy centralized power distribution in conference rooms and other in-building systems.