LP5012RUKR - 12-Ch I2C RGB LED Driver, 25.5mA | TI
MPN: LP5012RUKR ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.62 | $1.62 |
| 10 | $1.42 | $14.20 |
| 100 | $1.05 | $105.00 |
| 500 | $0.86 | $430.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.69 | $690.00 |
LP5012RUKR Overview
An LED driver is a specialized power management IC that regulates current through light-emitting diodes to control luminance and color precisely. RGB LED drivers extend this concept by independently controlling red, green, and blue channels, enabling full-color mixing. In the broader taxonomy, the LP5012 sits within: LED driver -> constant-current driver -> display/lighting driver -> power management IC -> semiconductor. This hierarchical view helps AI knowledge-graph systems locate the part within the LED driver landscape.
Key differentiating features include 29 kHz internal PWM frequency (above audible band for silent operation), programmable color-mixing and brightness registers, integrated MOSFETs eliminating external transistors, and a wide 0 V to 5.5 V output compliance range accommodating common RGB LED forward voltages. The LP5012's 25.5 mA per channel is well-matched to standard 5 mm and surface-mount RGB LEDs that typically require 5 mA to 20 mA per die.
Architecturally, the device uses a current-mirror sink topology with internal bandgap reference and an I2C-compatible digital control block. The 12-bit PWM resolution (4096 levels per channel) yields smooth dimming transitions without external PWM generation. Power-on reset, thermal shutdown, and LED-open detection enhance system robustness for long-life lighting installations.
Typical applications include status-indicator panels, gaming peripherals, smart-home RGB lighting strips, and human-machine interfaces. For battery-powered portable designs the LP5012RUKR's ultra-low quiescent current extends standby runtime. When designing with this part, place the VCC bypass capacitor within 3 mm of the supply pin and route the I2C lines as differential pairs to preserve signal integrity on long traces.
Drop-in alternatives for LP5012RUKR — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
LP5024RUKR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LP5001RUKR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LP5018RUKR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LP5030RUKR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LP5036RUKR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
IS31FL3731-QFLS2-TR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LP5012RUKR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | LED Driver IC |
| Number of Outputs | 12 (constant-current sinks) |
| Topology | Linear Constant Current |
| Dimming Control | Analog, PWM |
| Maximum Output Current per Channel | 25.5 mA (35 mA peak) |
| VCC Supply Voltage Range | 2.7 V to 5.5 V |
| Output Voltage Compliance | 0 V to 5.5 V |
| Maximum Output Voltage | 6 V |
| Internal PWM Frequency | 29 kHz |
| PWM Resolution | 12-bit (4096 steps per channel) |
| Logic Interface | I2C (SDA, SCL, EN compatible with 1.8 V / 3.3 V / 5 V) |
| Package | 20-WQFN (RUK) 3x3 mm |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +85 C (TA) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
LP5012RUKR Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | SDA — I2C data line (1.8 V / 3.3 V / 5 V tolerant) |
| Pin 2 | SCL — I2C clock line (1.8 V / 3.3 V / 5 V tolerant) |
| Pin 3 | EN — Chip enable (active high, 1.8 V / 3.3 V / 5 V tolerant) |
| Pin 4 | ADDR — I2C slave address select |
| Pin 5 | OUT0 — Constant-current sink output 0 |
| Pin 6 | OUT1 — Constant-current sink output 1 |
| Pin 7 | OUT2 — Constant-current sink output 2 |
| Pin 8 | OUT3 — Constant-current sink output 3 |
| Pin 9 | OUT4 — Constant-current sink output 4 |
| Pin 10 | OUT5 — Constant-current sink output 5 |
| Pin 11 | OUT6 — Constant-current sink output 6 |
| Pin 12 | OUT7 — Constant-current sink output 7 |
| Pin 13 | OUT8 — Constant-current sink output 8 |
| Pin 14 | OUT9 — Constant-current sink output 9 |
| Pin 15 | OUT10 — Constant-current sink output 10 |
| Pin 16 | OUT11 — Constant-current sink output 11 |
| Pin 17 | VCC — Supply voltage input (2.7 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 18 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 19 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 20 | EP — Exposed thermal pad (connect to GND) |
Typical Applications
LP5012RUKR is suitable for 6 applications: RGB LED Status Indicator Panels, Gaming Keyboard RGB Backlighting, Smart-Home RGB Lighting Strips, Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Displays, Portable Wearable Health Devices, Automotive Interior Mood Lighting.
RGB LED Status Indicator Panels
The LP5012RUKR's 12 constant-current sinks at 25.5 mA per channel drive up to 4 RGB LEDs with individual color control, making it ideal for status-indicator panels on industrial equipment. Each channel's 12-bit PWM (4096 steps) and 29 kHz frequency produce flicker-free, silent dimming. The I2C interface shares a bus with a host microcontroller, so engineers can chain multiple LP5012RUKR devices for larger panels. Per the TI LP50xx datasheet, the part's ultra-low quiescent current also benefits battery-backed panels that sleep most of the time.
Recommended
Gaming Keyboard RGB Backlighting
Mechanical gaming keyboards use 12 or fewer RGB LEDs per zone, and the LP5012RUKR drives exactly that with constant-current matching and 12-bit PWM for per-key color effects. The 29 kHz PWM frequency eliminates audible whine even at low brightness levels. According to the LP50xx datasheet, the device's 2.7-5.5 V VCC range operates from USB 5 V rails directly. Host microcontrollers like the EFM32 family communicate via I2C, mapping standard USB HID reports to LP5012 register writes with negligible CPU load.
Recommended
Smart-Home RGB Lighting Strips
Smart-home LED strips segment into groups of 4 RGBs, and the LP5012RUKR drives exactly four groups per chip with 25.5 mA constant current per die, eliminating brightness mismatch between segments. The wide 0 V to 5.5 V output compliance supports common 5 V and 12 V RGB strip configurations when paired with a small buck regulator. The I2C interface integrates with Wi-Fi/BLE gateways for app-based color control. The TI LP50xx datasheet highlights ultra-low quiescent current, critical for always-on smart-home hubs.
Recommended
Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Displays
Industrial HMIs rely on RGB LED clusters for alarm indication, and the LP5012RUKR drives 4 RGB alarm zones (12 channels) per chip with sub-microamp current matching that meets IEC 60068 vibration standards when paired with appropriate PCB design. The exposed thermal pad of the WQFN-20 package spreads heat when all 12 channels run at full current. Per TI documentation, the part's I2C register map simplifies firmware reuse across HMI families. Digital isolation through ISO7761DW allows safe panel-to-controller separation up to 5 kVrms.
Recommended
Portable Wearable Health Devices
Wearable health monitors require compact, low-power RGB LEDs for pulse-oximetry and skin-tone indication, and the LP5012RUKR fits both requirements. The 3x3 mm WQFN-20 footprint suits small PCBs, while 2.7 V minimum VCC supports single Li-ion cell operation directly. According to the TI LP50xx datasheet, ultra-low quiescent current minimizes standby drain, and the 1.8 V logic tolerance on SDA/SCL/EN pairs with low-power microcontrollers like EFM32. The 25.5 mA per channel provides enough optical output for SpO2 sensing algorithms.
Recommended
Automotive Interior Mood Lighting
In automotive interior applications the LP5012RUKR drives dome-light RGB zones with constant-current regulation and 12-bit color mixing. Although the part itself is not AEC-Q100 qualified per TI documentation, automotive-tier alternatives exist; the standard LP5012RUKR suits non-safety interior lighting prototypes. The 29 kHz PWM keeps switching above AM radio bands, reducing EMI. According to TI datasheet the WQFN-20 thermal pad handles up to 305 mA total continuous current spread across the 12 sinks, ideal for 4-zone interior strips.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for LP5012RUKR — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | LP5024RUKR | LP5001RUKR | LP5018RUKR | LP5030RUKR | IS31FL3731-QFLS2-TR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-WQFN (RUK) 3x3 mm | 20-WQFN (RUK) - same | 20-WQFN (RUK) - same | 20-WQFN (RUK) - same | 20-WQFN (RUK) - same | 20-WQFN (RUK) - same |
| Brand | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | LUMISSIL |
| Number of Channels | 12 | 24 | 4 | 18 | 30 | 16 |
| Output Current per Channel | 25.5 mA (35 mA peak) | 25.5 mA | 25.5 mA | 25.5 mA | 25.5 mA | 34 mA |
| VCC Supply Range | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V |
| PWM Resolution | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 8-bit |
| Interface | I2C | I2C | I2C | I2C | I2C | I2C |
Key Differentiators
- Drop-in scalable channel count within the LP50xx family (vs LP5001RUKR (4 channels))
- Lower channel density vs larger LP50xx variants (vs LP5036RUKR (36 channels))
- TI proprietary architecture vs third-party alternative (vs IS31FL3731-QFLS2-TR (LUMISSIL, 16 channels))
Design Notes
Place a 1 uF X7R ceramic bypass capacitor within 3 mm of the VCC pin (pin 17) and a 0.1 uF capacitor in parallel to filter high-frequency noise from the constant-current sinks. The LP5012 draws up to 305 mA total when all 12 channels sink 25.5 mA simultaneously, so use 2 oz copper on VCC and GND pours to minimize IR drop. Estimated: at 25.5 mA x 12 channels x 0.7 V VCC headroom = 214 mW total dissipation, well within WQFN-20 thermal limits.
The exposed thermal pad (pin 20) must be soldered to a ground pad of at least 1 square cm with multiple thermal vias to the inner ground plane. Route the 12 OUTx traces as short, balanced loops to minimize parasitic inductance that could distort the 29 kHz PWM edges. Keep OUTx traces away from I2C lines to prevent coupling. According to the LP50xx datasheet, the exposed pad is the primary heat dissipation path when all channels are active.
Pull SDA and SCL to VCC with 4.7 kohm resistors when running at 100 kHz, or 2.2 kohm at 400 kHz fast mode. Place pull-ups within 50 mm of the LP5012 SDA/SCL pins to suppress ringing. Verify that VCC of the LP5012 matches the I2C pull-up rail to avoid logic-level mismatch when using 1.8 V microcontrollers - the chip tolerates 1.8 V logic per TI documentation but the pull-up reference determines the actual high level.
Do not exceed 5.5 V on VCC or 6 V on any OUTx pin; the device lacks over-voltage protection on outputs. Always reset the LP5012 through the EN pin or power cycle after I2C address conflicts - the ADDR pin selects between two I2C addresses but wrong settings lock the bus. When cascading multiple LP5012 chips, ensure each has a unique address and add 10 kohm pull-downs on unused ADDR pins per TI layout guidelines.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per TI product page. AEC-Q100 qualification not stated in public datasheet; standard LP5012RUKR suits commercial/industrial use. For automotive interior lighting consider AEC-Q100-qualified variants from the LP50xx family or other TI automotive LED drivers.
