Digital Camera LCD Product Line
Features Low Power and Digital Interface Support
ACX318/319/320/321/324
Sony has now completely revamped its LCD lineup to respond to the
increasingly rapid growth in the digital camera market.
These displays retain the 100% ratio viewing area and high picture
quality of earlier Sony LCDs and at the same time achieve signifi-
cantly lower power and digital interface support.
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Low-temperature polycrystalline
silicon LCD
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High color purity
Low power
Digital interface support
Adjustment free (digital interface)
Narrow frame, thin form factor
This new product line contributes to increased end product design
efficiency by providing a wide range of drive options and allowing
the use of common drivers.
Use of the same driver for multiple
panels
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Ratio viewing area: 100%
Extensive Lineup
Ratio Viewing Area: 100%
Low Power
Since these products form an extensive
product line in terms of both pixel counts
and screen sizes, they can respond
flexibly to differing end product sizes and
concepts. (See figure 3.) Sony is also
planning to expand this product line even
further.
In digital cameras it is critically important
both when composing and taking images
as well as when reviewing images to be
able to see the whole image without any
part being left out. All these panels sup-
port the implementation of 100% ratio
viewing area displays and viewfinders.
Sony has reduced the supply voltage from
12 V to 8.5 V and achieved significant
power reduction in these LCD panels by
switching from the conventional COM DC
drive to COM AC drive. (See figures 1
and 2.)
Digital Interface Support
Use of the Same Driver for
Multiple Panels
High Color Purity
The advantages of switching to digital
include obviating the need for D/A
converters, lower noise, and adjustment-
free manufacturing. Of course, these prod-
ucts also support use with a conventional
analog interface.
The color filters are manufactured inter-
nally by ST Liquid Crystal Display Corp.,
which manufactures the panels. This al-
lows each color to be designed optimally
for the panel, making high color purity
color reproduction possible.
This extensive lineup allows drive using
the same driver, even for the EVF prod-
ucts. (See figure 4.) The CXM4006 is used
with digital interface applications, and the
CXM3005 is used with analog interface
applications. Sony provides the digital
drive CXM4007 for compatible drive with
EVF units, and since only one driver is
required, power consumption, space, and
costs are reduced.
Narrow Frames
COG-less drive based on low-temperature
polycrystalline silicon fabrication allows
these panels to have extremely narrow
frames. This is a particularly attractive
feature for the design of digital cameras,
in which smaller models with larger LCD
monitors are now desired.
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Thinner Form Factor
Providing a full product line
requires ramping up production
for multiple products at the same
time and thus we had to make un-
reasonable demands on everyone
involved. While it was difficult to
achieve low-voltage drive without
sacrificing the optical transmit-
tance and narrow frame design
advantages, I am confident we
have created products that will
be more than satisfactory. The
monitor is the face the camera
presents to the user. Give Sony’s
“beautiful faces” a try in your
digital camera products.
Sony has introduced thinner light guide
plates, has actively promoted revised
backlight structures, and has even
introduced glass etching. Thinner form
factors is another area where Sony leads
the industry. (See figure 5.) For example,
the ACX318ELN features a module thick-
ness, including the backlight, of only
2.685 mm, the top level in the industry.
Up/Down and/or Right/Left
Inversion Functions
Since these panels support up/down and/
or right/left inversion functions controlled
with serial signals only, they provide
increased design flexibility in, for
example, digital cameras with a rotating
monitor.
SONY [ SONY CORPORATION ]
