General Description

The TCS3472 device provides a digital return of red, green, blue (RGB), and clear light sensing values. An IR blocking filter, integrated on-chip and localized to the color sensing photodiodes, minimizes the IR spectral component of the incoming light and allows color measurements to be made accurately. The high sensitivity, wide dynamic range, and IR blocking filter make the TCS3472 an ideal color sensor solution for use under varying lighting conditions and through attenuating materials.

The TCS3472 color sensor has a wide range of applications including RGB LED backlight control, solid-state lighting, health/fitness products, industrial process controls and medical diagnostic equipment. In addition, the IR blocking filter enables the TCS3472 to perform ambient light sensing (ALS). Ambient light sensing is widely used in display-based products such as cell phones, notebooks, and TVs to sense the lighting environment and enable automatic display brightness for optimal viewing and power savings. The TCS3472, itself, can enter a lower-power wait state between light sensing measurements to further reduce the average power consumption.

Features

• Red, Green, Blue (RGB), and Clear Light

• Sensing with IR blocking filter

• Programmable analog gain and integration time

• 3,800,000:1 dynamic range

• Very high sensitivity - ideally suited for operation behind dark glass

• Maskable interrupt

• Programmable upper and lower thresholds with persistence filter

• Power management

• Low power - 2.5μA sleep state

• 65μA wait state with programmable wait state time from 2.4ms to > 7 seconds

• I²C fast mode compatible interface

• Data rates up to 400 kbit/s

• Input voltage levels compatible with VDD or 1.8 VBUS

• Register set and pin compatible with the TCS3x71 series

• Small 2mm x 2.4mm dual flat no-lead

• FN package

Applications

The applications of TCS3472 include:

• RGB LED backlight control

• Light color temperature measurement

• Ambient light sensing for display backlight control

• Fluid and gas analysis

• Product color verification and sorting