As displays for portable appliances such as mobile phones and digital still cameras (which demand high image quality and low power consumption), advanced liquid-crystal display technologies using the "in-plane-switching" (IPS) mode technology (which is highly evaluated in large-sized liquid crystals displays for TVs) are being developed.
As the popularity of terrestrial digital TV broadcasts (so-called "One-seg" broadcasts) for portable appliances increases, the demand for liquid-crystal displays with high picture quality and low power consumption continues to grow. Moreover, portable appliances expected to be used outdoors require improved screen brightness in order to assure visibility in the open-air bright environment. To satisfy these needs, at Hitachi Research Laboratory, in collaboration with Hitachi Displays, Ltd., we are developing "IPS-Pro-Prollezza" technology-which has evolved through application of IPS technology to portable applications. With this technology, through improvement of pixel configuration (by introduction of fine processing technology and application of liquid-crystal simulation technology) as well as application of integrated optical design accounting for optical characteristics of all materials composing the liquid-crystal display, brightness is increased by 40% while low power consumption is maintained as is.
