Toshiba announces industrial LCD modules with long-life LED backlighting

Toshiba’s new series comprises five LCD products, available in screen sizes of 5.7-inch, 6.5-inch, 8.4-inch, and 10.4-inch and all featuring a luminance rating of 400cd/m2. Contrast ratios are 400:1. Furthermore, during the first quarter of 2009 TMD will add 12.1-inch versions with SVGA and XGA resolutions to the line-up.

The 5.7-inch LTA057A343F is supplied in a QVGA (320 x 240) format and the 6.5-inch LTA065B0D2F in a VGA (640 x 480) format. The 8.4-inch LTA084C271F and LT084AC37000 are available in SVGA (800 x 600) and XGA (1024 x 768) formats respectively, while the 10.4-inch LT104AC36100 provides an XGA (1024 x 768) resolution.

All of the products have replaceable, long-life, LED-based backlighting systems, and are designed such that a resistive touch panel could be added as an option. Providing an average backlight lifetime of 70,000 hours (to half-brightness of the initial luminance specification), the backlighting systems employed in the new displays exceed the lifetime ratings for industrial LCDs based on long-life cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlighting systems. TMD has achieved this by applying long-life LEDs, and by optimizing the thermal design of the industrial-type LED-based backlighting system based on the company’s extensive experience in utilizing LED backlighting for mobile notebook PCs TFT displays. The modules have been designed with a replaceable backlight structure to accommodate product longevity requirements and the harsh environments of many industrial applications. Furthermore, TMD has integrated the LED driver circuitry into the electrical interface for the displays, allowing customers to reduce design-in time and costs.

Compared to CCFL backlit displays, LED-backlit displays feature superior characteristics in terms of weight, electrical noise and power consumption. They also offer a wider adjustable luminance range. As well as the lower power consumption, LED-backlit displays also reduce environmental impact since they are mercury-free1. Finally, the new LED-backlit displays do not require the high-voltage and high-frequency circuits required to control luminance in CCFL-backlit displays. This enables a higher level of flexibility in system design in terms of safety, electro-magnetic interference (EMI) compensation, and system architecture.