The Austin, Texas-based chipmaker said Wednesday that it is entering the market with a digital LED controller that it says solves dimmer compatibility issues that have been a major barrier to adoption of LED, or light-emitting-diode, retrofit bulbs.

LED retrofit bulbs available today are based primarily on analog controllers and often are incompatible with dimmers installed in homes and businesses.

Cirrus Logic expects that its CS161X and other chips will be used in many LED light bulbs — such as this one displayed (see above) at the... View Enlarged Image
Dimmer incompatibility problems are a leading cause of product returns because they can cause flickering or flashing light or the inability to turn on or off, the company says.

Cirrus executives say their new controller has been tested to provide compatibility with the vast majority of lighting dimmers in use worldwide. The CS161X controller already is in high-volume production for a "tier-1 lighting company," Cirrus Logic CEO Jason Rhode said in an interview. Cirrus expects to ship 5 million to 10 million LED controllers to multiple customers this year.