7-segment LED Display

Introduction
 7-segment LED displays are formed by LED segments. It is
basically used to display numerical values from 0 to 9. One
more segment is also present there which is used as decimal
point.
 In 7-segment displays there are two types,common anode
and common cathode.
1.  Common Anode (CA)
In common anode display, all anode pins are connected
together to VCC and LEDs are controlled via cathode terminals. It means to turn ON LED
(segment), we have to make that cathode pin logic LOW or Ground.

2.  Common Cathode (CC)

In common cathode display, all cathode pins are connected together and led are controlled
via anode terminal. It means to turn ON LED (segment), we have to apply proper voltage to
the anode pin.
Following demonstration will show the working of above configuration,

Pin Diagram
 7-segment display has total 10 pins.
 The common pin (com) is connected either in common
anode or common cathode configuration.

 
Resistor Connections
 We have to connect resistor to each
segment individually.
 Avoid LED's connection in parallel
with one resistor, because each LED
segment doesn't have exact same
forward voltage drop.
 If we connect one resistor to the
parallel LEDs then some LEDs will
glow and some will not. Because forward voltage drops are different for each LEDs, LEDs
which are having lowest voltage drop across them will only glow. And though if we connect
LEDs with ideally equal voltage drop, current will get divided and brightness will get affected
each time while switching the LEDs.

Note: Please refer required voltage, absolute max current and forward voltage drop of the
segment from the datasheet.
Calculation of Resistor Value

R = (VS - VLED) / ILED

Where,
R = Resistor in series with LED.
Vs = Source voltage.
VLED = LED forward voltage drop.
ILED = LED forward current.
Example
Normally voltage is 5volt and abs. max. current is about 20mA to 25mA. Let’s take current
ILED = 10mA (considering safer margin) as 10mA is sufficient to glow the segment.
VS = 5V and VLED = 1.7V then resistor value is.
R = (5 – 1.7)/ 0.010 = 300 Ohm

 Display Driver
Why to use driver
  Display driver requires only 4 pins of microcontroller to drive the 7-segment display.
 We do not need to convert decimal numbers into 7 segment display format (from 0-9).We just
need to provide BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) numbers and it will take care rest of seven
segment conversion.
 No external Resistor is required.
 It makes easy to interface with microcontroller.
7-Segment Display Driver IC SN7446AN
 SN7446AN is a 16 pin IC, used to drive common anode type 7-segment LED display.
 This driver IC accepts 4 line of BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) input data, and drives 7-segments
display directly.
Pin Description

 Numerical Designations Resultant Display