IDT's DisplayPort-based TCON with integrated digital LED backlight for notebook LCD panels

SAN JOSE, USA: IDT (Integrated Device Technology Inc., a leading provider of essential mixed signal semiconductor solutions that enrich the digital media experience, introduced the first solution to feature its Power Smart technology.

This solution provides power management technology for DisplayPort-based notebooks that use LCD monitors. Moreover, the IDT devices integrate Power Smart technology into existing IDT PanelPort™ solutions, providing customers with prolonged battery life, improved power consumption and increased design flexibility.

Containing three separate chips (VPP1606, VPA2000, VPA1100), this new solution is designed to work in harmony in the LCD monitor.

Uniquely integrating together programmable smart power management functionality with IDT core silicon technologies, such as timing controllers, provides an integrated system-level approach to reducing power consumption and prolonging battery life.

Optimized for LCD notebooks, the complete power management solution integrates functional blocks, thereby reducing redundancy, increasing system reliability and improving overall performance.

No longer do these technologies necessarily need to be simply stand-alone functions, but by integrating the various technologies together, the resulting performance improvement is greater than merely adding the functional blocks onto a single chip.

The IDT Power Smart technology truly is “smart” technology.

This unique embedded DisplayPort-based solution combines together a backlight LED driver with an IDT PanelPort timing controller (TCON) into one device, which works in conjunction with a power management IC.

A traditional analog LED driver is implemented in the digital realm eliminating the need for a power-intensive, high-voltage analog process. The result provides IDT customers with an inherently finer and simpler control of power management functions, for example enabling digital brightness adjustment via the DisplayPort interface.

This integration of Power Smart technology not only improves the image quality on the notebook display but also helps to extend battery life and provides designers with increased flexibility by freeing up valuable board space. This implementation also reduces bill of materials and decreases time to market for notebook providers.

“Notebook users demand the picture quality on their machine be just as good as the flat-panel monitor on their desks, and they want to use their notebooks for extended periods without being tethered to a power outlet. This new solution from IDT accomplishes both,” said Ji Park, vice president and general manager of the IDT Video and Display Operation (VDO).

“IDT is the only company offering total silicon content for notebooks using thin film transistor (TFT) LCD panels. In addition, this solution is the first to incorporate our Power Smart technology, further proving the IDT commitment to providing our customers with the most power-efficient solutions in the industry.”