Advanced 3D display technologies to be featured, as well as LTPS, OCB, and Screen Fit technologies

SEATTLE, May 25 — (PRNewswire) — Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC)*, a committed industry leader that collaborates with customers to create breakthrough designs, will exhibit next-generation displays and technologies developed by Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd. (TMD)** for industrial markets, mobile phone and portable electronics, and automotive applications in booth #631 at the 2010 Society for Information Display (SID) International Symposium, Seminar & Exhibition, May 25 to 27, 2010.  

Featured developments in TAEC's booth this year include three different 3D technology demonstrations, new displays for high-resolution handheld mobile applications, recently introduced industrial LCD displays with replaceable LED backlights achieving 100,000 hours MTBF(1), and new high-resolution automotive displays. Displays with Optically Compensated Bend (OCB), Low Temperature Poly-Silicon (LTPS), System-on-Glass (SOG), LED backlighting, and other advanced technologies can be viewed in four demonstration areas:  industrial, mobile, automotive, and 3D technology.

"We are excited to exhibit several new and innovative products and technologies aimed at mobile, automotive, and industrial applications. Our advanced technologies, such as our various approaches to 3D, will enable future growth in new markets and applications," said Clayton Bond, senior vice president, Display Devices and Components Business Unit for TAEC.

3D Technology

TAEC will demonstrate three separate 3D technologies. The first approach, Time Sequential Twin-Eye, will be shown on a 3.0-inch Wide-QVGA (400 x 240) 3D OCB display utilizing a backlight system incorporating a bi-directional lens sheet. This display synchronizes LED switching with left- and right-eye images to achieve stereoscopic (twin-eye 3D) viewing without special glasses while maintaining a fast response time, and a wide viewing angle. This approach is 2D/3D switchable, and enables a thin, easy to assemble LCD panel utilizing its full native resolution without compromise.  The second approach, Integral Imaging 3D, uses a lenticular sheet to enable "Multi-view" natural viewing without 3D glasses, so the same image can be seen from multiple viewing points. Integral Imaging will be shown in a 21.0-inch Wide-XGA (1280 x 800) technology demonstration. A third approach, which uses OCB glasses with time sequential 3D displays to achieve fast response with minimal crosstalk, will be shown in 15.4-inch Wide-XGA (1280 x 800) and 32-inch Wide-XGA (1366 x 768) sizes. This 3D technique alternately displays the appropriate image for each eye while the OCB glasses act as an alternating shutter to achieve a 3D effect without any loss of resolution between the LCD and the image.

Displays for Industrial Applications

Long-Life LED Backlight Industrial LCD Modules

A lineup of recently introduced color LTPS active-matrix thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD modules for industrial applications will be shown, which incorporate 100,000 hour MTBF LED backlighting systems designed to satisfy the requirements of a broad range of industrial applications, such as test and measurement equipment, medical equipment, and more. The demonstration includes LCD modules in five screen sizes: 5.7-inch, 6.5-inch, 8.4-inch, 10.4-inch, and 12.1-inch.  

Display resolutions are VGA (640 x 480) for the 5.7-inch module and the 6.5-inch module, SVGA (800 x 600) for the 8.4-inch module, and XGA (1024 x 768) for the 10.4-inch and 12.1-inch modules. Each of these modules have replaceable, mercury-free(2) LED-based backlighting systems with 100,000 hour MTBF, which far exceeds that of common TFT LCDs for industrial applications utilizing long-life cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlights.  

Resistive Touch Panels and Wide Viewing Angle Industrial Modules

Additional modules representing TAEC's diverse industrial LCD line include three 100,000 hour MTBF modules with resistive touch panels: 8.4-inch SVGA (800 x 600), 8.4-inch XGA (1024 x 768), and 10.4-inch XGA (1024 x 768) LCD panels, with replaceable LED backlights rated for 100,000 hours MTBF.  

"Screen Fit" Technology

TMD will again show its "Screen Fit" optical bonding transparent cover panel technology this year, demonstrating its potential for industrial applications. Screen Fit significantly reduces reflections from the inner surface of the cover panel as well as the reflections from the surface of the LCD panel, utilizing a special resin injected between the cover panel and the polarizer film of the LCD panel, fusing the two together. The resin assures optical integrity between the two materials, minimizes interface reflections and strengthens the module structure. Compared to a conventional LCD design, in which the top polarizer film layer of the display is protected by an acrylic cover panel encasing the hollow space between the cover and the display, a Screen Fit LCD enhances the display's optical characteristics by eliminating two boundaries that reflect and scatter light, reducing reflections. The exhibit shows a 12.1-inch Wide-XGA (1280 x 800) Screen Fit display adjacent to a conventional TN display of the same resolution and form factor to demonstrate the improvements in image quality.  

Displays for Mobile Phones and Portable Electronics

The mobile section of the booth will feature high-resolution LTPS displays, up to 367ppi (pixels per inch resolution density), in sizes ranging from 3.3-inch to 4.0-inch with resolution formats ranging from Wide-VGA (480 x 864) to HD (720 x 1280). In addition, these displays will demonstrate advanced technologies such as high-contrast (up to 1,500:1), high-color (up to 92% NTSC), and wide viewing angle (up to H/V 176 degrees /176 degrees). The displays are just a few representative examples of TMD's broad line of thin and light displays for mobile phones, handheld GPS, portable media players and other portable electronic devices.

Displays for Automotive Applications

High-resolution displays for automotive center information, navigation and entertainment applications are featured this year.  On display for the first time in North America, a 7.0-inch high-resolution Wide-XGA (1280 x 720) LTPS TFT module for center information or navigation applications will be shown, along with a 9.0-inch Wide-XGA (1280 x 720) TFT module for HDTV automotive entertainment applications. Two other displays – 4.2-inch Wide-QVGA (400 x 240) for instrument cluster, and 8.0-inch Wide-VGA (800 x 480) for navigation – will be demonstrated as well.  

*About TAEC

Through proven commitment, lasting relationships and advanced, reliable electronic components, Toshiba enables its customers to create market-leading designs. Toshiba is the heartbeat within product breakthroughs from OEMs, ODMs, CMs, distributors and fabless chip companies worldwide. A committed electronic components leader, Toshiba designs and manufactures high-quality flash memory-based storage solutions, discrete devices, displays, advanced materials, medical tubes, custom SoCs/ASICs, digital multimedia and imaging products, microcontrollers and wireless components that make possible today's leading cell phones, MP3 players, cameras, medical devices, automotive electronics and more.

Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Japan's largest semiconductor manufacturer and the world's third largest semiconductor manufacturer (Gartner, 2009 WW Semiconductor Revenue, January, 2010). For additional company and product information, please visit www.lcds.toshiba.com.

**About Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd

In April 2009, Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd. became a wholly owned subsidiary of Toshiba Group when Toshiba acquired Panasonic's shares from a joint venture, and in May changed the company name to Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd. Established in 2002, TMD is an industry leader in small- and medium-sized LCDs for application in such products as mobile phones, portable PCs and in-vehicle displays. For further information, please visit the TMD home page at http://www.tmdisplay.com/tm_dsp/index.htm.

About Toshiba

Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning information & communications systems; digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems, including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 730 companies, with 199,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing US$68.6 billion. Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm.

(1)Based on MTBF statistical values. MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) is not a guarantee or estimate of product life; it is a statistical value related to mean failure rates for a large number of products which may notaccurately reflect actual operation. Actual operating life of the product may not resemble the MTBF.

(2)Mercury-Free: Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd. defines "Mercury-Free" products as those containing no more than a maximum concentration value of 0.1 percent mercury(Hg) by weight in Homogeneous Materials(3).  This does not mean that Mercury-Free products are entirely free of mercury(Hg).