Agilent Technologies Introduces Breakthrough Flat-Panel TV Illumination System that Delivers 25 Percent More Brilliant Colors.LAS VEGAS -- Industry-First Technology Combines Color Management Controller, RGB Color Sensor with Luxeon High-Power LEDs to Backlight back·light n. A type of spotlight, used in photography, that illuminates a subject from behind. tr.v. back·light·ed or back·lit , back·light·ing, back·lights LCD Televisions Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :A) today announced a breakthrough color management system Software that translates the colors of an original image into the truest representation obtainable on the output device. Color management works from a profile of the output device, typically a digital printer or offset press, and works backward to the source of the material such as a for backlighting back·light n. A type of spotlight, used in photography, that illuminates a subject from behind. tr.v. back·light·ed or back·lit , back·light·ing, back·lights LCD (liquid crystal display liquid crystal display (LCD) Optoelectronic device used in displays for watches, calculators, notebook computers, and other electronic devices. Current passed through specific portions of the liquid crystal solution causes the crystals to align, blocking the passage of light. ) flat-panel TVs that delivers 25 percent more brilliant colors than current fluorescent backlighting. The color management controller IC (integrated circuit) and color sensor module combine to produce a complete hue (color) and intensity (brightness) control system. The Agilent illumination and color management system works with high-power Luxeon(R) red, green and blue LEDs (light-emitting diodes) from Lumileds Lighting. Lumileds is the joint venture between Agilent and Philips Electronics. "For years, manufacturers have struggled with how to provide a sharper, more natural color tone for their LCD TV displays," said Soo-Ghee Lee, vice president and general manager for the Optoelectronic Products Division in Agilent's Semiconductor Products Group. "Agilent has solved this technology problem. Now consumers watching flat-panel TVs will be able to see all colors of the rainbow brighter and more clearly for a more exciting viewing experience." The innovative Agilent solution solves past problems LCD television display manufacturers have had with RGB (Red Green Blue) The computer's native color space, which is the color system for capturing and displaying images. RGB was derived from our own perception of color because human eyes are sensitive to red, green and blue (see trichromaticity). LEDs by providing a closed-loop optical feedback system. The system enables plug and play for OEMs and maintains a set color point over the life of the TV display. Initially, the primary application for this technology is to control RGB LED backlighting for LCD flat-panel televisions. This color management capability may also be used to dynamically adjust the color and brightness of mood lighting in homes and businesses, interior lighting, infotainment and instrument panels in automobiles and context-sensitive colors for signs and other types of displays. Currently, most flat-panel LCD television displays are backlighted using cold-cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs). While efficient, CCFLs gradually degrade in brightness and change color with time, and offer a lifetime in the range of 15,000 to 25,000 hours. In addition, the CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) Same as CCFT. light source only covers 75 percent of the color space defined by the National Television System Committee (NTSC (National TV Standards Committee) The committee that developed the television standards for the U.S, which are also used in Canada, Japan, South Korea and several Central and South American countries. Both the committee and the standard are called "NTSC. ), which is responsible for setting television and video standards in the United States. RGB LEDs with Agilent's illumination and color management solution exceeds 100 percent of the NTSC color space, providing sharper, more brilliant colors. The use of LEDs also aids European manufacturers who are seeking to eliminate the small amount of mercury used in fluorescent backlighting. The Agilent illumination and color management solution enables white backlighting (using the combination of red, green and blue LEDs with feedback control) and makes it possible to maintain constant color and brightness over the lifetime of the display. This level of control combined with the increased color spectrum is not possible with any conventional technology. Agilent Illumination Color Management System The Agilent's HDJD-JB01 illumination and color management system consist of the HDJD-J822-SCR00 color management controller and the HDJD-S831-QT333 tri-color photo sensor. The color management controller is a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) Pronounced "c-moss." The most widely used integrated circuit design. It is found in almost every electronic product from handheld devices to mainframes. mixed-signal optical feedback controller IC; the HDJD-S381-QT333 color sensor is a monolithic CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor See CMOS. (integrated circuit) Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor - (CMOS) A semiconductor fabrication technology using a combination of n- and p-doped semiconductor material to achieve low power dissipation. ) IC solution. By using Agilent's color management feedback system, the light output produced by an RGB LED array maintains its color over time and with variations in ambient temperature. The desired color can be specified using a standard CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, International Commission on Illumination, Vienna, Austria, www.cie.co.at) An international organization that sets standards for all aspects of lighting and illumination, including colorimetry, photometry and the measurement of visible and (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage or International Commission on Illumination The International Commission on Illumination (usually known as the CIE for its French-language name Commission internationale de l'éclairage) is the international authority on light, illumination, color, and color spaces. ) color space. An important advantage of using an RGB LED array and color management is that the white point in a television can be set to, and will maintain, a wide range of color temperatures (whether the white tends toward a bluish blu·ish also blue·ish adj. Somewhat blue. blu  ish·ness n. or yellowish tint). While professional studio monitors in the United States and televisions in Europe are set to a color temperature of 6,500 kelvins (K), typically U.S. televisions are set for a color temperature of approximately 7,100 K (a bluer tint), and Japanese televisions and most worldwide computer monitors are set to 9,300 K (even bluer). A typical system consists of an array of red, green and blue LEDs, LED drivers, Agilent's HDJD-S831-QT333 tri-color photo sensor that samples the light output, and the HDJD-J822-SCR00 controller. The controller interfaces directly to the photo sensor, processes the color and brightness information and adjusts the light output from the LEDs until the desired color is achieved. Agilent's HDJD-J822-SCR00 integrates a high-accuracy, analog-to-digital converter front-end, a color data processing logic core and a high-resolution 12-bit PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) A modulation technique that generates variable-width pulses to represent the amplitude of an analog input signal. Like its fixed-width pulse density modulation (PDM) cousin, the output switching transistor is on more of the time for a (pulse-width modulation) output generator. The output pulse width modulation See PWM. (PWM) signals are connected directly to the LED drivers, controlling the on-time duration of the red, green and blue LEDs. That duration is continually adjusted in real-time to match the light output from the LED array to the specified color. U.S. Pricing and Availability The Agilent HDJD-JB01 illumination color management system is available now and is priced at less than $35 in low volume quantities. The Agilent HDJD-J822-SCR00 color controller and HDJD-S831-QT333 color sensor are also available individually through Agilent's direct sales channel and worldwide distribution partners. Further information about Agilent's illumination and color management system is available at www.agilent.com/view/icm. Information about Luxeon LEDs and their use in backlight systems for televisions is available at www.lumileds.com/televisions. About Agilent Technologies Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 28,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $7.2 billion in fiscal year 2004. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com. NOTE TO EDITORS: Please direct reader inquiries to Agilent Semiconductor Products Group at +1 800 235 0312, or e-mail us at semiconductorsupport@agilent.com. Further technology, corporate citizenship Corporate Citizenship The extent to which businesses are socially responsible in meeting legal, ethical and economic responsibilities placed on them by shareholders. The aim it to create higher standards of living and quality of life in the community in which it operates, while and executive news is available on the Agilent news site at www.agilent.com/go/news. |
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