Fairchild Semiconductor has introduced a programmable LED blinker, the FAN5646, which is designed to eliminate the need for a microprocessor to be in continuous operation mode. The FAN5646 enables designers of mobile handsets, ultra-portable devices, consumer products and industrial/embedded systems to implement a blinking LED solution that can easily be programmed to create an enhanced visual experience.

With proprietary TinyWire™ single-wire digital interface, the FAN5646 can be programmed with a unique LED blink rate and pattern. When the FAN5646 is enabled it will continually play these LED blink patterns until commanded by the microprocessor to stop. Common approaches for solving this challenge include connecting the LED to an LDO regulator or a FET plus a lithium ion battery. Both of these implementations require a microprocessor to be programmed with a blinking pattern, draining battery life since the microprocessor needs to be continually operating to maintain this pattern.