Marvell announced the industry’s first dual-string LED lighting controller family. With the 88EM8801, Marvell has packed all the functionality onto a single 4X4 millimeter chip that previously would have required multiple driver chips, a micro-controller and various discrete components.
The capabilities of this new chip enables LED lightening OEMs to bring high-end architectural lighting capabilities – including improved CRI, more precise dimming and integrated networking capability – into consumer and professional settings at the same price as existing LED bulbs. Previously, these high-end features were too expensive (and large) for the general consumer market.
Marvell also announced three new LED reference designs with lighting leaders Cree and Lumileds - http://www.marvell.com/company/news/press_detail.html?releaseID=1484 and http://www.marvell.com/company/news/press_detail.html?releaseID=1483.
With lightening currently accounting for 20 percent of global energy consumption, LED technology is key initiative for Marvell’s Green business unit. Marvell said, the LED market, which is set to grow to $15 billion by 2015.