National Reveals Royalty-Free Display Technology

By
iApplianceWeb
(05/30/01, 08:09:16 AM EDT)

A power-saving, low-noise reduced swing differential signaling (RSDS) digital interface technology is now available to any developer, royalty-free, from National Semiconductor. This technology, used in thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, enables larger, higher resolution displays and lowers component count without increasing power consumption, bus interconnect, or overall cost.

"The tendency of the TFT industry toward higher resolution displays requires a new low-noise digital interface. The open RSDS technology offers us an industry leading technology platform on which to base our product," said Kazuo Minorikawa, senior group executive, Microcomputer Division, Semiconductor & Integrated Circuits of Hitachi. "Combining our TFT display-related technology with a royalty-free, low noise interface like RSDS will accelerate developing new TFT driver families to achieve next-generation, high-performance TFT LCD modules."

As flat panel displays become larger, simplified design and improved power performance are becoming more important. This is especially true with applications such as notebook computers and other portable products where reducing weight and thickness are as important as increasing resolution and reducing component count.

A key part of National's displays and monitors portfolio, RSDS is a derivative of the Low Voltage Differential Signal (LVDS) technology used in National's FPD-Link interface chipset, a standard for notebook motherboard to flat panel display (FPD) interface.

With RSDS technology, designers can reduce the size of circuit boards and the bus interconnect and eliminate discrete components typically used in TFT LCD modules. National's universal interface XGA (eXtended Graphics Adapter) panel timing controller, combined with a partner's RSDS-enabled XGA column driver, reduces size, weight, and cost.

Besides reducing board size, this technology enables power savings, critical in battery-operated and mobile applications, without sacrificing performance and resolution. Significantly reduced EMI-radiated (electro-magnetic interference) noise is also possible, lowering production costs by eliminating EMI shielding and speeding new products to market.