Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe

FHP Develops New Series of High-Definition PDPs Incorporating ALIS Method

Highest Brightness in Industry: 1400cd/m² (42-inch model)

Frankfurt, June 15, 2005 — Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display Limited (FHP) today announced the development of its new series of 42-inch and 37-inch high-definition plasma display panels (PDPs), employing its proprietary ALIS (alternate lighting of surfaces) method. The 42-inch version boasts the highest brightness in the industry of 1400cd/m², or around 15% brighter than existing models. This is bright enough to clearly show the sparkling of crystals or the headlights of a car speeding past at night. Through control of peak brightness according to surface area of the bright portion on the display, FHP has significantly improved the expressive power of panel images—from images that convey a strong impression due to major light-dark discrepancies to delicate images requiring the feeling of texture. With a contrast of 3000:1 (42-inch version), the new PDPs smoothly and beautifully render images requiring finely detailed expression, such as movie images, from darkest black to lightest white.

In 1999, FHP unveiled the world’s first 42-inch high-definition PDP featuring its ALIS method, and has since pioneered advances in PDP image quality and resolution. The new 2005 series is the Company’s fifth generation of high-definition PDPs. Incorporating technologies to increase brightness and otherwise improve image quality, the new panels beautifully reproduce images where impressive display performance and feeling of presence are paramount, such as movies and natural scenery.

FHP estimates global PDP demand to exceed 5 million units in fiscal 2005. Since FHP commenced full-scale mass production in fiscal 2001, the market has expanded at a tremendous pace, growing around 15-fold in only four years. Against the background of growing PDP demand has been rapid advances in other areas, such as an increase in highquality images stemming from proliferation of digital high-definition broadcasting and DVD player/recorders, as well as the shift to larger television screen sizes. In Japan, satellite and terrestrial digital broadcasts have already started, bringing high-definition images into more and more people’s homes. Overseas, as well, plans are under way to commence high-definition broadcasting. The United States, Australia, South Korea already have systems in place to handle high-definition programs, while China and countries in Europe are planning to introduce their own high-definition broadcasts. Therefore, the infrastructure enabling people worldwide to enjoy top-quality highdefinition images is expanding, which will give rise to calls for further progress in image quality and screen size. Since PDPs are advanced display devices that meet these needs, we believe they will continue to rapidly proliferate.

Main Features of A3 Series (42-inch, 37-inch)

1. World’s highest brightness of 1400cd/m² (42-inch model)

PDPs incorporate a special control function that raises brightness of images requiring “sparkle and glitter” while suppressing brightness of images requiring more subtle expression, such as shadows and texture-filled images. This so-called Dynamic Brightness Control is peculiar to self-emissive devices, namely PDP and cathode ray tube (CRTs) televisions. However, LCD televisions and other systems using backlights and lamps are unable to control brightness so smoothly.

Figure 1 shows a graphic comparison of display brightnesses of PDP, LCD, and CRT televisions. With self- emissive devices (PDP and CRT televisions), small-area white portions (left-hand side of graph) are displayed with high brightness, while the brightness of large-area white portions (right-hand side) is suppressed for more visual appeal.

With its new series of high-definition PDPs, the Company has developed a special drive circuit and control technology to further raise the peak brightness of the high-apertureratio ALIS panel. The result is a panel brightness of 1400cd/m² for the 42-inch model and 1300cd/m² for the 37-inch model. This allows broader brightness display depending on the brightness level of image, leading to crisper light-dark rendering, as well as reproduction of beautiful images to the finest detail, without the “white out” phenomenon that affects most systems.

2. Dark-room contrast of 3000:1 (42-inch model)

Lowering background brightness through panel drive optimization technology while raising the peak brightness results in a dramatic improvement in dark-room contrast. This enables production of crisp, sharp images and increases the expressiveness of darker scenes.

3. Enhanced-quality picture control according to image

A cell-lighting control method, tailored to moving pictures, is used to enhance the expressiveness of gradation sequences. The result is beautiful reproduction of dark images requiring a delicate touch, such as in movies. Moreover, a brightness correction processing function provides clear on-screen menus and data broadcasting.

4. Lead-free soldering

All of the Company’s PDP module circuits have been created using lead-free soldering. In this way, we promote environmentally friendly design and development.

A3 series: Main specifications (PDP module)

Size (diagonal)	106cm (42-inch)	93cm (37V-inch)
Depth (front-back)	Approx. 66mm	Approx. 66mm
Weight	15kg	12kg
Effective display size (width x height)	922 x 522 mm	814 x 445mm
Display pixels (horizontal x vertical)	1024 x 1024	1024 x 1024
Aspect ratio	16:9	16:9
Pixel pitch (horizontal x vertical)	0.90 x 0.51 mm	0.80 x 0.44 mm
Brightness	1400cd/m²	1300cd/m²
Darkroom contrast	3000:1	2500:1

Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display Limited

• Established: April 1999
• Headquarters: Kawasaki City, Kanagawa, Japan
• Capitalization: ¥54 billion
• Representative: Yoshiyuki Imoto (President)
• Employees: Approx. 1,100 (at March 2005)

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