New Substrate Tech Creates System LCDs

smartalix writes "Sharp Microelectronics has recently developed a new LCD substrate technology called Continuous-Grain Silicon (CG-Silicon), that enables device integration on a scale previously impossible. The technology enables the creation of System LCDs that integrate all driver and operation circuitry -- including digital logic, LCD driver, power supply, I/O interfaces, and signal-processing circuitry -- onto the glass itself. Eventually even the device's CPU will be included on the substrate. A key SLCD feature is the ability to dynamically control the resolution and color depth, providing output in multiple-resolution modes while lowering overall power consumption. A 3.7-in. SLCD created with CG-Silicon had a power consumption of 14 mW for color VGA, 8 mW for color QVGA, and 2 mW for monochrome QVGA. The first commercially available product that incorporates the System LCD architecture is Sharp's Zaurus SL-C700 PDA, recently released in Japan."

That's nice.

[Anonymous Coward]

18mW for VGA, but you still need 6-7W at least for the backlight, nuuu???

So does this mean...

[ZaMoose]

So then, what happens when I crack the screen? Time for an all-new Zaurus?

Wait a tick... that's bloody brilliant on Sharp's part!

I'm going to work on getting Sony and Nintendo to start integrating processing functionality into their controllers. Then, when somebody gets pissed and breaks one, they'll have to buy a whole new console!

I'm off to the USPTO, suckers!

Re:QVGA?

[Anonymous Coward]

Wait a minute, most math (after about the 6th grade) is done with letters of various types (you know, like x = y), and when you use up all the letters in your own alphabet, they start throwing in letters from other alphabets. If you stay with math long enough, they just make up symbols.

Re:So does this mean...

[Anonymous Coward]

So then, what happens when I crack the screen? Time for an all-new Zaurus?

Wait a tick... that's bloody brilliant on Sharp's part!

And this would be different from the current tech how?

Re:So does this mean...

[jandrese]

As opposed to current PDA technology that still works great after you crack the screen???

The big difference I can see is the opportunity to make really thin electronics, since you don't have to have the circut board behind the display anymore (just the batteries).

I wonder...

[wazzzup]

This technology combined with technology derived from Apple's new patent application, I wonder if we could have iPod's where the case itself displays the funky visualizations?

Just a thought.

No, more like Enterprise D (NCC1701-D)

[Anonymous Coward]

These will be the large display/touch screens like what were plastered all over every control panel, console, and corridor wall in the Enterprise D of ST:TNG