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The article presents information on LEDs which have become the backlighting option for all types of liquid-crystal displays. LED backlighting is advantageous in many aspects including low cost, high reliability, low voltage, low EMI, high immunity to vibration, and wide operating-temperature range. Options such as INtersil's EL7801, a high-power LED backlight driver with integrated 36-V FET can be used to drive the series string of LEDs.

Lists semiconductor companies that are offering low-cost controllers and integrated circuits for liquid crystal display panels. Genesis Microchip Inc.; Analog Devices Inc.; National Semiconductor Corp.; Pixelworks Inc.; STMicroelectronics Inc.

This article presents a case study of the growth and development of the integrated circuits supplier Pixelworks Inc. In 1998, when Peter Brown came on board as the eighth man at integrated circuits supplier Pixelworks Inc., his first assignment was setting up the company's Taiwan connection. Although flat-panel TVs weren't big back then, most people had a feeling they would be, so after Pixelworks sent out a few news releases about upcoming display ICs, the highly competitive Taiwanese distributors were lining up to work with the company. For the first few years, Brown lived in Oregon where Pixelworks is headquartered and traveled to Taiwan every six weeks. Several local display manufacturers were beginning to lay out billions of dollars for bigger LCD production fabs, not only to handle the typical notebook and monitor displays, but also in order to prepare for the growing demand for flat-panel TVs.

Features the integrated circuits launched by Microchip Technology Inc. in 2004. Aim of catering to applications with liquid-crystal displays; Chip design and specifications; Capabilities.

Reports on Analog Devices Incorporated's AD9888 analog liquid crystal display interface chip. Possible benefits from AD9888; Features of the chip; AD9888's package.

Introduces the S1D13A03, a liquid crystal display controller integrated circuits developed by Epson Electronics America. Features of the chip; Price of the product.

Reports on the impact of the shortage of driver integrated circuits for flat-panel displays on the production of thin-film transistor liquid crystal displays used in desktop monitors. Business deal between NEC Corp. and Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. in response to the shortage; Segments of the electronic markets affected by the shortage; Details on the plan of several electronic companies to boost production of integrated circuits.

Introduces the Paradise Bridge 120 chip for liquid crystal displays (LCD) from Paradise Electronics. Price of desktop thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD; Design features of the chip.

The article reports that Seiko Epson has integrated an ANT ultra low power (ULP) wireless module interface to its SVT17705 emulator. Seiko said that the microcontrollers were used in liquid crystal display (LCD) display sports watches and small battery powered applications. The company further explained that ULP will be used in programming Epson 16bitS1C7705 single chip microcontrollers from a portable computer to enhance segment display.

This article focuses on Summit Microelectronics Inc.'s multi output SMB122, a second-generation power-management IC equally at home in either single lithium-ion cell or ac-input applications. Indeed, this chip is billed as one of the first multi output power ICs to include a fully programmable battery charger. The SMB122 Programmable Power Manager provides functionally configurable outputs and enables designers to adjust output parameters for such applications as digital still cameras/camcorders and portable LCD TVs. The battery charger is likewise fully programmable for all the battery's constant-current/constant-voltage parameters with 0.5 percent float voltage accuracy. Programmable phase interleaving for the switching regulators also reduces noise and peak battery loading.

Explains that Taiwan-based optical storage integrated circuit designer Mediatek Inc. is pursuing a broader strategy to push into mobile-phone chips, wireless-LAN baseband processors, and liquid crystal display image processors. Handset design wins with South Korea-based LG Electronics, Japan-based NEC, and Taiwan-based BenQ; Ships 1.5 million cellular telephone chip sets per month.

Focuses on the insights of Sunplus Technology Inc. owner Wayne Shen on the increase in sales of his company through the realm of multimedia. Competition of the company with Taiwan-based integrated circuits maker Hsinchu; Use of eight- and 16-bit microncontrollers for basic toys and game platforms; Use of image processors for liquid crystal display televisions.

Presents the FAN7310 full-bridge inverter/driver integrated circuit with a pulse-width modulation controller for liquid crystal displays developed by Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. Features of the circuit; Retail price.

This article presents information on the tablet personal computer HP/Compaq TC1000. Touchscreen, audio and IEEE 802.11 wireless interfaces in the TC1000 represent other critical areas for analog content, including a clever proximity pen-input system from FinePoint Innovations. An electromagnetic transmitter chip in the FinePoint active pen communicates with a sensor grid behind the LCD panel to fix on location without the physical contact required of traditional capacitive or resistive touch-screens. System audio is also managed through the VIA #VT82C686b Southbridge chip.

Evaluates three generations of charge pump integrated circuits from Advanced Analogic Technologies Inc. designed for light emitting diode and liquid crystal display-based applications. Specifications; Features; Performance; Contact information.

Introduces several electronic apparatus released in the market. Liquid crystal display panel released by Sony Corp.; Memory upgrades for supercomputers released by Dataram Corp.; Tantalum chip capacitors from Rohm Electronics USA LLC.

Focuses on graphics chips for mobile phone displays. Information on MediaQ's MQ-2074smart liquid crystal display (LCD) controller; Leading LCD panel vendor for cell phones; Key to designing a graphics chip optimized for cell phone displays.

Reports on the move of NEC Kansai Ltd. to refurbish its fab facility for the production of high-power liquid crystal display (LCD) driver integrated circuits. Estimated production of the facility; Importance of the facility to the business of NEC; Predicted demand for LCD.

Presents information on SXGA SD1200, an integrated circuit (IC) that controls active-matrix liquid crystal display (LCD) from SmartASIC Inc. Main competitors of the company; Features of the chip; Price.

Introduces the ML4877 and ML4878, two microchips for backlighting liquid-crystal displays (LCD), developed by Micro Linear Corp. Features of the microchips; Price of the products.

Introduces the SED 1356 color liquid crystal display/cathode ray tube controller from Epson Research & Development. Features of the controller; Product design; Functions.