Parade Announces World’s First Embedded DisplayPort™ LCD Tcons with On-Chip Frame Memory for Panel Self-Refresh

Posted October 22nd, 2012

Integrated Memory Innovation Delivers Lowest Power Tcons for Ultra-Slim Notebook Computers

San Jose, CA—22 October 2012—Parade Technologies Ltd. (Taiwan OTC: 4966.TWO), a leading video display and interface IC supplier, today announced a family of eDP 1.3 (Embedded DisplayPort) Tcons (timing controllers) that implement PSR (panel self-refresh) using integrated, on-chip memory. Parade’s new DP633, DP643 and DP653 ICs are the world’s first eDP Tcons with integrated memory for the PSR function, significantly reducing power consumption and extending battery life in notebook computers.

eDP is a VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) standard that is widely used in notebook computers to connect the CPU and graphics chip (GPU) on the motherboard to the Tcon located on the LCD display panel. eDP 1.3, the latest version of the standard, added the PSR function that further saves system power by allowing the GPU and display interface to enter a low-power state during a static display image condition.  During the PSR mode, a local frame buffer built into the Tcon performs the routine display refresh task, offloading the GPU.  The local frame buffer can then be updated by the GPU to change to a new static image, or the system can exit PSR mode to display constantly changing video images. Since most displays are refreshed 60 times per second, for a typical notebook computer the new PSR feature allows both the GPU and display interface to be in low power state for most of the operating time, saving significant system power, extending battery life and reducing system weight.

“Display-related power consumption is becoming a bigger problem for portable computing devices,” said Jimmy Chiu, Executive VP of Marketing of Parade Technologies.  “Even as other system functions draws less and less power, display-related power is actually increasing due to higher resolutions.  This higher power consumption occurs in the GPU, display interface and display panel due to the higher pixel rates.  For sleek system designs with long battery life, display-related power must be addressed. Panel Self Refresh helps to alleviate this problem, and Parade is providing further benefit by offering the lowest power PSR-enabled Tcons on the market.”

In addition to saving power with the integrated, on-chip frame buffer, the DP633/643/653 series also include an innovative Content Adaptive Backlight Control (CABC) feature that offers additional power savings for the LCD panel module.  The devices offer the highest image quality through unique video processing features, including a color engine and bit dithering.

Parade is an acknowledged industry leader in eDP Tcons. With Parade’s innovative on-chip memory design, the company now offers the leading low-power solutions for eDP 1.3.  The new DP633/643/653 series devices support displays up to 1920x1080p with 24-bit color.  The chips support one or two-lane eDP, with link rates of 1.62 Gbps or 2.7 Gbps.

The DP633/643/653 series offer support for a wide variety of standards for the intra-panel interface, which is used to drive the LCD column drivers. The DP633 supports the traditional bus-type miniLVDS interface, and the DP643 and DP653 support the point-to-point interface used in COG (chip-on-glass) panel construction.  The DP633/DP643/DP653 series are pin compatible with non-PSR Tcons offered by Parade, enabling LCD panel product diversity with the same PCB and device footprint.

Product Availability

The DP633/643/653 devices are sampling now, with production quantities expected in Q1, 2013.
Device pricing is available from Parade Technologies’ local sales representatives.

About Parade Technologies, Ltd. and Parade Technologies, Inc.

Parade Technologies, Ltd. (Taiwan OTC: 4966.TWO) is a leading fabless supplier of mixed-signal ICs for a variety of popular display and high-speed interface standards used in computers, consumer electronics and display panels. Parade’s portfolio of IC products serves the growing demand for DisplayPort™, eDP™ (Embedded DisplayPort), HDMI®, MHL®, SATA, and USB ICs for display, storage and interface applications.

Parade leverages its close relationships with market-leading Tier-1 OEMs to develop ICs that provide unique system capabilities. Many of the company’s devices integrate proprietary technologies that offer superior system signal integrity, advanced system integration and enhanced power efficiency. As a result of the company’s “standards-plus” design philosophy, Parade ICs have been designed into products offered by nearly every leading computer and display vendor worldwide.

Parade Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned US-based subsidiary of Parade Technologies, Ltd., is a member of VESA (Video Electronics Standard Association). Parade Technologies, Inc. can be reached at (408) 329-5540, or on the Internet at http://www.paradetech.com.