New Color LCD Display Drivers Offer Fast Response for High Speed Moving Images.

KIRCHHEIM/TECK, Germany -- Dialog Semiconductor Plc (NASDAQ:DLGS) (FWB:DLG), has today launched the first two products in its new color liquid crystal display (LCD) driver family. Using multi-line addressing (MLA) LCD technology, the new DA8912A and DA8913A incorporate fully integrated graphic display RAM with high speed interfaces and various power management functions to enable a single, low power chip for managing the display in next generation mobile phone handsets and portable electronic products. Delivery of the devices is announced today in a separate joint release from Dialog Semiconductor, eMemory Technology and Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Nasdaq: CHRT and SGX-ST: Chartered).

The fast display graphic transfer rate of the DA8912A/8913A, with support for moving images at speeds faster than 15 frames per second, makes the new drivers ideal for next generation mobile phone handsets with advanced multimedia, multiple display and video and gaming capabilities. This is a result of the advantages of MLA technology which facilitate lower LCD drive voltage requirements, reduced power needs, fast frame response time, improved display contrast and quality (with very little flicker), and reduced noise on the display.

The new color LCD drivers are manufactured using Chartered's 0.35-micron process, and OTP (one-time programmable) non-volatile memory technology from eMemory Technology, Inc., one of Asia's most innovative embedded memory suppliers. The OTP memory is delivered as an IP (intellectual property) block to replace the traditional fuses required to adjust LCD driver color contrast. The OTP block, customized for Dialog's specific requirements, removes the need to run a set-up trim at chip testing, saving assembly time and cost. The electrical programmable memory enables the flexibility of adjusting display parameters at module assembly stage.

"Our new DA8912A/8913A ICs provide real innovation for the mobile phone display market, delivering superior color performance and low power consumption, while providing mobile phone handset makers the flexibility to customize display parameters for creating differentiation. At the same time, the color LCD driver comes as standard part that is ready for production," said Roland Pudelko, chief executive officer and president of Dialog Semiconductor. "We are pleased with the seamless collaboration made possible via Chartered's ecosystem, making available eMemory's pre-qualified OTP memory blocks and efficient design services. This has helped Dialog to adopt a faster, more cost-effective and flexible approach for implementing our sophisticated mixed-signal system solutions."

The new devices from Dialog Semiconductor are designed to drive color super-twisted nematic (STN) displays with a maximum size of 132 columns by 132 rows (DA8912A) or 96 columns by 96 rows (DA8913A), and support resolutions of either 4,096 or 65,536 colors. The DA8912A also features programmable on-chip temperature compensation to enable optimum display quality.

With a 278,784 bit low power display RAM to store color data, the DA8912A/8913A support both display scrolling and partial display capability with data written into the RAM by a user-configurable microprocessor unit interface. A high-speed serial or 8/16 bit parallel interface enables fast graphic data transfers as well as rewriting of data to the graphic display RAM. Other key features of the display capability of the DA8912A/8913A include a pointer management system which automatically increments or decrements the RAM pointer after each access, allowing data to be streamed into RAM without having to manipulate any address pointers; and a programmable color enhancement function for individual optimization of the RGB palettes.

Power management functions

The new drivers utilize Dialog Semiconductor's established expertise in power management and mixed signal circuit design to reduce the overall power consumption of the LCD system. The devices feature low voltage operation down to 2.4V, while programmable voltage booster circuits support a maximum LCD drive voltage of 21V; all LCD voltage reference and generation circuits plus output drivers are also included on-chip.

The result is a typical power consumption of just 0.5mA (including display load) for the DA8913A 96 x 96 graphic CSTN LCD display driver, while the DA8912A 132 x 132 driver has a typical power consumption of 0.9mA. Both devices feature standby consumption of only 10iA.

The devices are shipping now.

About Dialog Semiconductor

Dialog Semiconductor develops and supplies power management, audio and imaging technology, delivering innovative mixed signal standard products as well as application specific IC solutions for wireless, automotive and industrial applications. The company's expertise in mixed signal design, with products manufactured entirely in CMOS technology, enhances the performance and features of wireless, hand-held and portable electronic products. Its technology is also used in intelligent control circuits in automotive and industrial applications. Dialog Semiconductor Plc is headquartered near Stuttgart, Germany with additional design facilities in the UK, the USA, Austria and Japan.