OZ8022 LED Driver Family Dims Using Any On/Off Switch and Features Ultra-Low BOM Cost and the Smallest Form-Factor

GEORGE TOWN, Grand Cayman, July 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — O2Micro®International Limited (Nasdaq:OIIM), a global leader in the design, development and marketing of high-performance integrated circuits and solutions, today unveiled a new dimming architecture for the global LED lighting market.

O2Micro’s patented Free Dimming™ technology enables LED bulbs to dim using any on/off switch, thus eliminating the burden of installing expensive dimmers. O2Micro’s patented Free Dimming technology works with any on/off switch, including wall toggles, paddle switches, pull cords, rotary switches and other types of on/off switches commonly found on walls, extension cords and table/desk lamps.

According to industry estimates, there are roughly 150 million incandescent dimmers installed in the USA alone. In theory, LED bulbs are fully dimmable; however, designing them to be compatible with incandescent dimmers is exceptionally challenging. Such designs add significant complexity and cost to the LED bulb, reduce efficiency, and often result in poor performance that leads to product returns and potential safety issues.

Chronic compatibility and performance issues include aesthetic problems such as flicker, audible hum, “jumpy” dimming, and poor turn-off performance. Others are various electrical issues such as inrush current, which stresses components in both the dimmer and LED bulb, shortening product lifetime and creating safety issues. Furthermore, support for legacy incandescent dimmers does not address the more than 85% of light bulbs that operate from non-dimming on/off switches. Although there are 150 million incandescent dimmers installed in the USA alone, according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), there are over 4.4 billion medium, screw-based light sockets in the U.S., representing an enormous, untapped market opportunity.

O2Micro has the answer. O2Micro’s Free Dimming LED driver product family is inherently simple and works with any non-dimming on/off switch. It has broad appeal, working with the more than 85% of lights that are on non-dimming circuits. For consumers, eliminating dimmer cost and installation makes LED bulbs that incorporate O2Micro’s Free Dimming LED driver easy to use and a great value.

For LED bulb manufacturers, O2Micro’s Free Dimming LED drivers shift dimming from a cost burden to a profit enhancer by enabling them to expand their addressable market by capturing dimmer revenue that would normally be served by dimmer manufacturers. O2Micro’s Free Dimming LED drivers offer the lowest BOM cost with the smallest footprint and have higher efficiency than incandescent dimming drivers by eliminating excess circuitry required to make LED bulbs work with incandescent dimmers.

About the OZ8022A and OZ8022B High Brightness Offline LED Driver Controllers

The products in O2Micro’s Free Dimming LED driver product family, the pin-compatible OZ8022A and OZ8022B provide three-step dimming using any ordinary on/off switch. The LED drivers dim the LED bulb to one of three preset levels each time the on/off switch is toggled. For example, with each toggle action, the OZ8022A dims the LED bulb from 100% to 60% to 20% and then loops back to 100% full brightness, repeating the sequence.

The OZ8022B operates in reverse, starting at 20% then increases brightness to 60% then 100% with each flick of the wall switch; imitating the operation of a traditional three-way incandescent light bulb and providing even more energy savings by starting at the lowest level.

The OZ8022 series supports universal 85V to 265V operation, enabling one LED bulb to address the global marketplace. High efficiency greater than 89% reduces energy consumption and thermal management complexity. Integrated over-temperature, over-voltage, cycle-by-cycle current limiting, and LED short circuit protection provides safe and reliable operation. Excellent LED current regulation ensures consistent lumen output, regardless of varying line input conditions.

Product Availability and Additional Information

The OZ8022A and OZ8022B are available in a SOT-23-6 package. All three products are in high volume production now. Samples and evaluation boards are available now for qualified customers.

For additional information, contact O2Micro sales representatives via our website at www.o2micro.com.

About O2Micro

Founded in April 1995, O2Micro develops and markets innovative power management and e-commerce components for the Computer, Consumer, Industrial, and Communications markets. Products include Intelligent Lighting, Battery Management, and Power Management.

O2Micro International maintains an extensive portfolio of intellectual property with 19,795 patent claims granted, and over 21,000 more pending. The company maintains offices worldwide. Additional company and product information can be found on the company website at www.o2micro.com.

O2Micro, the O2Micro logo, and combinations thereof are registered trademarks of O2Micro. Free Dimming and combinations thereof are trademarks of O2Micro. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

The O2Micro International Limited logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6567

Statements made in this release that are not historical, including statements regarding O2Micro’s or management’s intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, plans or predictions of the future, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties such as reduced demand for products of electronic equipment manufacturers which include O2Micro’s products due to adverse economic conditions in general or specifically affecting O2Micro’s markets, technical difficulties and delays in the developments process, and errors in the products. You are also referred to the Form F-1 in connection with the company’s initial public offering in August 2000, Form F-3 in connection with the company’s public offering in November 2001, and the annual reports on Form 20-F, which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.