<AsiaNet> NEC Electronics Introduces New LCD Driver IC and Interface

Technology for Large, Flat-Panel Televisions

(KAWASAKI, Japan, April 18, AsiaNet=연합뉴스)

NEC Electronics today introduced a LCD driver IC and interface technology

designed to reduce the overall system cost for large, thin film transistor

(TFT) flat-panel televisions. The newly developed Point to Point mini-LVDS

(PPmL) interface technology enables a single timing controller to control all

source driver ICs of a LCD display. An on-chip digital-analog converter with

12-bit resolution enables high-definition display of 68.7 billion colors, while 720 output channels enable display of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels (full

high-definition) with just eight source driver ICs, in place of the 12 ICs

currently required. This new source driver IC will allow flat-panel TV

manufacturers to design large-format LCD displays with impressive contrast and subtle color balance while reducing the part count and system cost.

The uPD160290 is for use with new PPmL-compliant timing controllers

currently under development by Texas Instruments Incorporated and Thine

Electronics, two leading suppliers of devices for high-definition displays.

The main features of the uPD160290 are:

(1) Enables control of driver ICs with single timing controller

NEC Electronics' newly developed PPmL interface technology allows a

single timing controller to control all of the source driver ICs on

an LCD display. Until now, two to four timing controllers were

needed to control a 40-inch or larger high-definition LCD display.

By reducing the part count to just one timing controller, overall

system costs can be reduced.

(2) 68.7 billion colors

The core components of a source driver IC are its D/A converter

circuits, which process the analog data that drives the display on

the screen. Advanced processing technology developed for the new

IC has boosted the resolution of its D/A converters to 12 bits from

the current 10 bits. This allows the chip to display 68.7 billion

colors, compared to the current 1 billion colors. A LCD with the

new driver IC can display subtle colors and shadings across a

large-format screen with little or no image degradation.

(3) 720 output channels

Most of the space in the output blocks of a driver IC is occupied

by D/A converter circuits. New technology has made it possible to

reduce the size of these circuits, allowing more blocks to be

integrated on a single chip. Compared to the 414 to 516 channels of

a typical chip, the new chip has 720 output channels, an increase of

about 40 percent. This allows the driver IC to display a larger

area on the screen. A full high-definition screen can be displayed

using only eight of the new chips, four fewer than the number

required when 480-channel driver ICs are used. The result is lower

part counts, less heat, and more efficient manufacturing.

(4) Linear output

The new driver IC is both compact and versatile, with a chip size

comparable to conventional 10-bit chips and linear output that can

be programmed in software to match the requirements of different LCD

panels. This allows display manufacturers to use the same driver IC

in a wide variety of LCD products, without needing to change

peripheral parts. Compared to current methods, which require

different driver ICs for different LCD panels, the new chip offers

greater efficiency in production and parts management.

Thanks to the greater variety of service offerings from broadcasters and

declining retail prices, shipments of high-definition displays for use in

digital TVs and computer monitors are showing explosive growth. But the

popularity of larger displays creates unique problems for designers.

Regardless of how many source driver ICs are used, they are spaced at wider

intervals on large-format displays, and the increased distance to timing

controllers makes it harder to control data transmissions. The traditional

solution to this problem is to use a pair of timing controller ICs to control

up to 16 source driver ICs, and to connect the pair of timing controllers to a clock distribution IC in a bus configuration. However, this approach requires numerous parts, and the transmission speed may not be fast enough to keep up with high-volume video and broadcast content.

The new source driver IC from NEC Electronics offers a more elegant and

cost-effective solution. It allows a single timing controller IC to control up to 16 driver ICs. This reduces the burden on developers of LCD displays and benefits consumers by enabling a better viewing environment. NEC Electronics plans to market this new source driver IC aggressively and is also considering the development of its own timing controller IC.

Pricing and Availability

Samples of the uPD160290are available now, priced at US$10. Volume

production will begin in late 2006, and monthly production is expected to reach 1 million units.

About NEC Electronics

NEC Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723) specializes in semiconductor

products encompassing advanced technology solutions for the high-end computing and broadband networking markets, system solutions for the mobile handsets, PC peripherals, automotive and digital consumer markets, and

multi-market solutions for a wide range of customer applications. NEC

Electronics Corporation has 25 subsidiaries worldwide including NEC Electronics America, Inc. ( www.am.necel.com ) and NEC Electronics (Europe) GmbH ( www.eu.necel.com ). For additional information about NEC Electronics

worldwide, visit www.necel.com .

NEC Electronics is either a registered trademark or trademark of NEC

Electronics Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Media Contacts:

Sophie Yamamoto

NEC Electronics Corporation

Tel: +81-44-435-1676

Email: sophie.yamamoto@necel.com

SOURCE NEC Electronics Corporation

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