The MAX6971 serial-interfaced LED driver provides 16 open-drain, constant-current-sinking LED driver outputs rated at 36V. The MAX6971 operates from a 3V to 5.5V supply. The MAX6971 supply and the LEDs' supply or supplies can power up in any order. The constant-current outputs are programmed together to up to 55mA using a single external resistor. The MAX6971 operates with a 25Mb, industry-standard, 4-wire serial interface.The MAX6971 uses the industry-standard, shift-register-plus-latch-type serial interface. The driver accepts data shifted into a 16-bit shift register using data input DIN and clock input CLK. Input data appears at the DOUT output 16 clock cycles later to allow cascading of multiple MAX6971s. The latch-enable input, LE, loads the 16 bits of shift register data into a 16-bit output latch to set which LEDs are on and which are off. The active-low output-enable, OE, gates all 16 outputs on and off, and is fast enough to be used as a PWM input for LED intensity control.For applications requiring LED fault detection, refer to the MAX6983, which automatically detects open-circuit LEDs.For safety-related applications requiring a watchdog timer, refer to the MAX6983, which includes a fail-safe feature that blanks the display if the serial interface becomes inactive for more than 1s.The MAX6971 is one of a family of 12 shift-register-plus-latch-type LED drivers. The family includes 8-port and 16-port types, with 5.5V- or 36V-rated LED outputs, with and without open-circuit LED detection and watchdog. All versions operate from a 3V to 5.5V supply, and are specified over the -40°C to +125°C temperature range.ApplicationsArchitectural LightingGaming FeaturesMarquee DisplaysPoint-of-Order SignsTraffic SignsVariable Message Signs