TPO Introduces SRP-MIP Technology with High Transmittance Aperture

CHUNAN, Taiwan - TPO Displays Corp. on June 20 introduced its Self-Refreshing-Pixel (SRP) - Memory-in-Pixel (MIP) technology, which the company said allows mobile displays to achieve low power consumption and high transmittance aperture at the same time, offering higher luminance without affecting usage time.

TPO said in a press release that it developed its SRP-MIP technology on a 1.36-in. QQVGA LCD to overcome the quandary faced by most mobile application providers today: achieving longer battery performance via lower power consumption, or offering stronger display brightness through a higher transmittance aperture. Mobile phones equipped with TPO's SRP-MIP sub-displays can extend the battery life two days longer than mobile phones with conventional displays, the company claimed.

Traditionally, LCD manufacturers have chosen between SRAM-based MIP and DRAM-based MIP technologies. SRAM-based MIP provides low power consumption based on the limited times data refreshing is required. However, SRAM-based MIP technology has a low transmittance aperture due to the comparatively large circuit required in the pixel. Conversely, DRAM-based MIP technology offers high transmittance aperture as it has a smaller circuit area; however, continuous refreshing is required to retain the data and at the same time switch polarity, TPO said.

TPO based its proprietary SRP-MIP technology on DRAM-MIP technology for low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) processes. The key to TPO's SRP-MIP technology is in its refresh function, which is fully integrated within the pixel, and thereby eliminates the transfer of data between the pixel and outside circuit, the company said. By this process that is only achieved on LTPS panels, the number of voltage transitions applied to the Column bus lines and common electrode for the frame refresh is dramatically reduced.

"As higher demands are placed on consumer mobile device manufacturers, TPO Displays has once again developed a unique technology to alleviate power consumption pressures. Our SRP-MIP technology provides our clients a module that not only offers longer battery life, but also features high display brightness," Bart Jeroen van der Bent, TPO Displays telecom product-marketing director, said in a company statement. "We anticipate demand for such a solution in the sub-display panel market from tier-1 mobile device manufacturers."

The development of SRP-MIP technology ultimately enables IC-less design, which decreases the ledge size of the module, TPO said. The technology also allows displays of existing systems to be replaced with SRP-MIP panels and modules to increase existing product power performance.

TPO Displays Corp. has evaluated its proprietary SRP-MIP technology on a 1.36-in. QQVGA LCD and confirmed its high transmittance aperture ratio and ultra-low power consumption of less than 100 uW.