Epson have developed an all-in-one LCD screen with an integrated cover and touch panel. The All-in-One Touch Screen LCD offers high visibility thanks to an all-in-one optical design that reduces brightness/contrast loss and prevents glare. Thanks to Photo Fine Vistarich wide viewing angle and anti-reflection technologies, it offers clear views from any angle. The new screen is intended for use in in-car systems, such as satellite navigation, and in digital cameras and advanced mobile phones with built-in digital TV receivers. 3.1-inch and 7-inch prototypes will be shown at FPD International 2007, which will be held from October 24 to 26 at Pacifico Yokohama, Japan.

Epson Press Release

Epson Imaging Devices Develops All-in-One LCD with Integrated Touch Panel and Cover

- TOKYO, Japan, October 22, 2007 - Epson Imaging Devices Corporation today announced the development of an all-in-one liquid-crystal display with an integrated cover (tempered glass or acrylic) and touch panel (resistive or capacitive). This new LCD takes advantage of the company’s Photo Fine Vistarich wide viewing angle technology, which enables it to produce beautiful images even when viewed from 90 degrees from the top, bottom, left, or right.

The fusion of telecommunications and broadcasting through digitization and the seamless integration of cable and mobile communication in the network society have raised expectations for the next generation of mobile devices. Consumers hope that these devices will bring more convenience, richer content, and more widespread service coverage. With mobile devices becoming more complex as a consequence of their enhanced functionality and increased diversity, there is growing demand for more user-friendly interfaces that are easier to control and handle. At the same time, the functionality of mobile devices needs to be improved to match technological advances, and creating new added value will require novel designs not found in existing products.

Mobile devices equipped with touch panels are expected to become more common as manufacturers strive to meet these needs. Yet the structure of current touch-panel-equipped modules fails to harness the true potential of liquid-crystal displays. The challenges of making screens bigger and frames narrower, improving visibility in natural sunlight, and incorporating input functions while keeping screens thin have proved especially hard to overcome.

To address this situation, Epson Imaging Devices has developed all-in-one LCDs in which the liquid-crystal panel, cover, and touch panel are combined without an air gap, thus preventing the loss of brightness and contrast that occurs when covers and touch panels are attached to LCDs with air in between. Thanks to their composite structure, the newly developed displays enable improved visibility and greater strength in a slimmer, more compact design.

Epson Imaging Devices’ unique expertise has enabled it to produce all-in-one touch-panel LCDs with the following notable characteristics:
  1. High visibility thanks to an all-in-one optical design that reduces brightness/contrast loss and prevents glare
  2. Exceptional strength and durability from newly developed structure and materials
  3. Narrow frame (on a par with those of ordinary liquid-crystal displays)
  4. Slim-line design achieved through a newly developed proprietary structure.

To meet the wide-ranging needs of its customers, Epson Imaging Devices intends to combine these all-in-one touch-panel LCDs with the company’s proprietary Photo Fine Vistarich wide viewing angle technology to produce high-resolution displays for use in in-car systems, such as satellite navigation, and in digital cameras and advanced mobile phones with built-in digital TV receivers. The company also plans to open up new fields of application for this product.

Based on the concepts of the HCL-S strategy (High quality, Compact design, Low power consumption, System solutions), Epson Imaging Devices will continue to develop clear, high-resolution displays that can be used anytime, anywhere as it strives to be the number one manufacturer of small and medium-sized LCDs.

Epson Imaging Devices will exhibit these liquid-crystal displays at the Epson Group booth at FPD International 2007, which will be held from October 24 to 26 at Pacifico Yokohama, Japan.

The main features and specifications of the integrated displays are listed below.

* Photo Fine is a registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation in Japan and other countries. Vistarich is a registered trademark of Epson Imaging Devices Corporation in Japan and other countries.

Main features of the all-in-one LCD

  1. High visibility (optical design combines liquid-crystal panel with cover and touch panel)
    >> Achieves high visibility through all-in-one optical design
  2. Strength and durability (newly developed structure and materials)
    >> Composite structure and materials optimized for maximum strength
  3. Narrow frame down to a minimum width of 1.5 mm (on a par with those of non-touch-panel LCDs)
    >> Metal material and wiring optimized to achieve narrow frame equal to those of non-touch-panel displays
  4. 1.8-mm slim-line design (newly developed structure)
    >> Change in structure of liquid-crystal panel and touch panel/cover enables sleek, slim-line design
  5. Clear display with wide viewing angle
    >> Clear views from any angle thanks to Epson Imaging Devices’ proprietary Photo Fine Vistarich wide viewing angle technology and anti-reflection technology

Specifications of the all-in-one LCD (prototype)

  3.1-inch model 7-inch model
  3.1-inch WVGA LCD (prototype) 7-inch WVGA LCD (prototype)
Screen size 7.8 cm/3.1 inches 17.7 cm/7.0 inches
Pixels 480 x 800 800 x 480
Type Low-temperature polysilicon TFT Amorphous silicon TFT
Display mode Photo Fine Vistarich, transmissive Photo Fine Vistarich, transmissive
Viewing angle (V/H) 160/160 degrees (CR>100) 160/160 degrees (CR>100)
Touch detection method Capacitive or resistive Capacitive or resistive

About Epson
Epson is a global leader in imaging products including printers, 3LCD projectors and small- and medium-sized LCDs. With an innovative and creative culture, Epson is dedicated to exceeding the vision and expectations of customers worldwide with products known for their superior quality, functionality, compactness and energy efficiency.

Epson is a network of 87,626 employees in 117 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and to the communities in which it is located. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corp., the Group had consolidated sales of 1416 billion yen in fiscal 2006.

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