Large e-paper displays add a dash of yellow to signage

Large-format tri-colour displays from Pervasive Displays render text and images in yellow as well as black and white.

Both 7.4-inch and 12.2-inch models are available. The e-paper displays can be used for signage in locations with no mains power as they operate for months, or even years, on a single battery, says Pervasive Displays.

The tri-colour displays are designed for applications where information must be dynamic, but changes infrequently, such as office meeting room schedule screens, bus stop real-time departure boards, retail signage and museum information placards (particularly those used in temporary exhibitions or where multiple languages are required). Yellow can be used to highlight specific information, important facts, changes or special offers.

Both the 7.4 and 12.2-inch models have driving waveforms that enable the display of high-quality images at 126 dpi and 103 dpi respectively. The internal timing controller (iTC) reduces the amount of peripheral circuitry and programming required, resulting in slimline displays.

Characteristics of e-paper displays that make them suitable for indoor and outdoor signage include low energy requirements, wide viewing angles and the use of physical e-ink particles that reflect ambient light, for a readable display, even in bright sunlight, says Pervasive Displays.

Pervasive Displays designs, manufactures and markets e-paper displays for applications that require high resolution, good readability and low power consumption. The company focuses on commercial and industrial applications including retail, logistics, healthcare, security and manufacturing. Its mature TFT, integrated circuit and e-paper platforms reduce risks and improve product value. Pervasive Displays simplifies the work of designers by providing both standard and custom displays and offering extensive technical support through an ecosystem of partners. Design resources include detailed product specifications, application notes, reference designs, source code and applications support. The company is based in Tainan City, Taiwan and has offices in The Netherlands and Oregon, USA.

http://www.pervasivedisplays.com

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Capacitive touch controllers increase SNR for EMI qualification

Three maXTouch touchscreen controllers have been introduced by Microchip, together with optimisation services which address the EMI and EMC challenges of automotive touchscreens.

The MXT1067TD, MXT1189TD and MXT1665TDTD family of touch controllers have a differential mutual signal acquisition method that significantly increases the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), explains Microchip. This allows the use of very thick glass or plastic cover lenses and multi-finger thick gloved touch support up to the equivalent of 4.5mm polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

The touchscreen controllers are cost-optimised for nine- to 13-inch automotive touchscreens and are complemented by the recently introduced MXT449TD, MXT641TD, MXT2113TD and MXT2912TD devices supporting up to 20-inch touchscreens. Each addresses aspects of functional safety features and is designed in accordance with the Automotive SPICE Level 3 capability and ISO 26262 automotive safety integrity level (ASIL) B requirements.

The latest and existing controllers in the TD family have a waveform shaping capability to optimise the performance of the touch controller’s radiated emissions through an EMI optimisation tool. Developers can enter user-defined RF limits and tune the shape of the transmitted burst waveform used for the touch-sensing acquisition.

Waveform shaping is achieved through firmware parameters derived from the tool and helps designers to position the fundamental burst frequency to work together with other in-vehicle applications, such as the remote keyless entry system. The parameters are added to the maXTouch configuration file, which customises the touch controller performance to the customer design.

This process can save the designer many hours, or even weeks, of expensive EMC test chamber time, explains Microchip, by eliminating experimentation with different configuration settings to achieve the desired EMI/EMC performance.

Target applications for the touchscreen controllers are centre stack displays and navigation systems; they are also suitable for industrial automation and manufacturing stations.

An evaluation kit is available for each of the parts: ATEVK-MXT1067TDAT-A (I2C), ATEVK-MXT1189TDAT-A (I2C), ATEVK-MXT1189TDAT-C (SPI), ATEVK-MXT1665TDAT-A (I2C) and ATEVK-MXT1665TDAT-C (SPI). Each kit includes a PCB with the maXTouch touchscreen controller, a touch sensor on a clear glass lens, the flat printed circuit (FPC) to connect to the sensor and a bridge PCB to connect the kit to the host computer via USB, as well as cables, software and documentation. All parts are compatible with maXTouch Studio, a full software development environment to support the evaluation of maXTouch touchscreen controllers.

The maXTouch EMI optimisation service will be made available as part of the system support provided by one of Microchip’s worldwide application design centres.

The MXT1067TD, MXT1189TD and MXT1665TD devices are available now in sampling and volume quantities in TQFP128 (MXT1067TD only) and LQFP144 packages.

http://www.microchip.com

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RS Components plants the seed for LED use

Distributor, RS Components, now offers the LED series from Lumileds which targets horticulture applications. The Luxeon sunPlus 2835 LEDs target horticulture applications, and have been developed to deliver precise wavelengths of light to improve crop yields in indoor and greenhouse farming.

The Luxeon SunPlus 2835 either complements or potentially replaces natural sunlight. It is claimed to offer the only LED line available today that has been binned and tested to maximise photosynthetic photon flux (PPF), which determines the amount of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) provided by a light source. PAR/second is used by gardeners and other operators at indoor and greenhouse farming installations to monitor artificial lighting systems.

The SunPlus 2835 series offers PPF/W measurements from 1.84 for one of the purple LEDs (with 2.5 per cent blue), up to 2.32 for the ‘deep red’ and ‘far red’ LEDs, specified at 120mA current flow and a device junction temperature of 25 degrees C. There are also two other purple LED types, integrating 12.5 or 25 per cent blue, royal blue, lime and horticulture white LED colours, available with varying levels of PPF/W.

The LEDs are available from RS Components in packages measuring 2.8 x 3.5mm. They provide a 120 degree light-distribution angle to deliver uniform light in greenhouse applications, and include options for single LED-driver systems, as well as multi-channel and colour-tuneable solutions.

In addition to the Luxeon SunPlus 2835, RS also stocks the Luxeon 2835 Color series of LEDs, which offers a selection of viewing angles and colours, including whites. The LEDs can be used in architectural and entertainment lighting systems. Both series are available from RS in the EMEA region.

RS Components is a trading brand of Electrocomponents, a global multi-channel provider of industrial and electronic products and solutions. It offers more than 500,000 industrial and electronics products, sourced from over 2,500 suppliers, and provide a range of value-added services, and with operations in 32 countries.

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/

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Farnell extends semiconductor range with Osram Opto family

LEDs, infra red emitters, photodiodes and optical sensors from Osram Opto Semiconductor have been added to the semiconductor portfolio by Farnell.

The Osram range extends Farnell’s line card to provide customers with products to support applications in markets such as automotive, mobile, smart grid, metering, industrial, office and building automation, energy management and network infrastructure.

The distributor now ships the Olson Black family of infra red LEDs. Now with dedicated automotive versions that include the 850nm version for exterior applications such as night vision, pedestrian protection, pre-field recognition and lane detection. The 940nm version is targeted at interior automotive applications such as driver monitoring, seat occupancy detection and gesture recognition. The LEDs have different wavelengths and lenses and can be operated at up to 5A in pulse mode.

There is also the SFH 2200 family of photodiodes. The package allows them to be soldered without any damage for up to one year after initial contact with air, compared to only three days for typical standard products, reports Farnell. The package is approved up to an operating temperature of 125 degrees C. The SFH 2200 devices meet the requirements for AEC-Q101-C qualification and are particularly suitable for use in rain sensors.

The TOPLED E1608 family of low-power LEDs is also in a smaller package and are particularly suited to automotive applications such as displays, ambient lighting and backlighting of switches and instruments.

Other LEDs are the SFH 4776 broadband infra red LED range. They are suitable for near-infra red spectroscopy techniques for measuring parameters such as the water, fat, sugar and protein content of food and pharmaceutical products.

The SYNIOS P2720 platform consists of 15 LED products with different chip sizes, power ratings and colours which can be configured within a single footprint. The LEDs have high thermal reliability and high brightness and the devices can be scaled for cost-effective automotive and light design.

http://www.element14.com

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