Flat Panel Displays with Sunlight Readability

Our sunlight-readable, flat panel displays comprise color TFT LCDs, in sizes ranging from 6.4" to 18.1", and our proprietary direct backlighting/ edgelighting materials and techiques. Until now, obtaining sunlight-readable displays meant shopping for all components separately — the panel, backlights, inverters, filters and other electronics. The Ultra-HiBrite line of flat panel displays makes all this available from one source, fully tested and warranted. Ultra-HiBrite panels are available in a variety of resolutions, with luminance ranging from 400 to 1600 nits, and with up to 16.7 million colors. In addition to our standard sunlight-readable display products, Computer Dynamics can custom-engineer your display lighting to suit your specific viewing requirements.

Sunlight Readable, Ultra-HiBrite Displays: More Than Putting a Light Bulb Behind a Display
A well-designed enhanced brightness flat panel display must do many things:

• Pump out enough light for the viewing environment. For sunlight readability, this means at least 700 nits.
  
• Disburse the light evenly across the panel.
  
• Drive the backlight tubes for maximum lifetime and minimum thermal output at the desired luminance.
  
• Dim the display for low-ambient light viewing. Dimming can be controlled by an analog or digital potentiometer, or via our “SunSensor” device for automatic light control.
  
• Direct the light to the viewer, who may not be in front of the display. For example, a dashboard display may need to be viewed from the side.
  
  

Direct Backlighting and Edgelighting
Ultra-HiBrite, sunlight-readable flat panel displays offer either direct backlighting (6.4x, some 10.4", 12.1", 15" and 18.1" displays), or a proprietary, high-efficiency xlight pipex edgelighting module. Our xlight pipex technology channels light evenly across the panel through a combination of micro-prisms, specialized reflectors, polarizers and diffusers. This edgelighting technique increases the displayxs thickness only slightly, and offers inherently better thermal performance than direct backlighting. It also gives us the ability to direct the light output on your selected panel to the best advantage. Edgelighting is available on our 10.4" VGA LCDs only. Larger flat panel displays require direct backlight.

Maximizing Backlight Life
The lamp life of a Cold Cathode Fluorescent Tube (CCFT) is defined as the time either of the following occur: 1) The brightness becomes 50% of the original value; or 2) The kick-off voltage exceeds the maximum value. Two factors have the most direct impact on lamp life:

Input Current: Most CCFT tubes have a recommended input current rating of 6.5 mA or less. Input current above this value can dramatically decrease the lamp life. CDI's backlight inverters are engineered to drive the tubes optimally in both edglight and backlight designs. We maximize the lamp life while achieving maximum brightness.

Start-up Temperature: Lamp life is specified at room temperature and is affected dramatically by cold temperature operation. For applications that require the displays to operate in cold environments, we recommend that you order our backlight heater option. To avoid a decrease in lamp life, the heating elements should be allowed to operate long enough to bring the bulb temperatures to 25°C before the backlight is turned on.

Our Applications Engineers will be happy to discuss the “SunSensor” and heating options, as well as any other custom flat panel display requirements you have. Specifications and product offerings are subject to change.