Liquid Crystal Driver IC With Integrated Nonvolatile Memory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid crystal display driver ICs face challenges in efficiently setting and adjusting drive conditions, particularly due to heavy CPU load during system startup, limited usability in changing display specifications, and increased chip size from external components needed for manufacture variations and protection.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an electrically-programmable nonvolatile memory circuit, such as EPROM or EEPROM, within the semiconductor integrated circuit to store setting information, allowing for internal adjustment of drive conditions and reducing the need for external components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If setting information is transferred from external nonvolatile memory to register at power-on, then drive conditions can be set, but CPU load increases and system startup becomes slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the nonvolatile memory and register into a single integrated circuit chip. The nonvolatile memory stores setting information permanently, and the register is directly accessible within the chip, eliminating the need for external memory access during startup. This integration allows the CPU to read setting information quickly from internal memory without heavy load, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and startup speed.
2Ease of manufacture
If fuses are used for setting liquid crystal display specifications, then manufacturing cost decreases, but setting cannot be changed after initial configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces static fuse-based setting with dynamic electrically programmable nonvolatile memory. The memory can be programmed after manufacturing to match different liquid crystal display specifications, and the settings can be changed or reprogrammed if needed. This dynamic approach maintains low manufacturing cost while providing full adaptability and versatility for different display configurations.
3Manufacturing precision
If external devices are used for protection and boosting, then circuit characteristics can be adjusted, but number of external parts increases and chip size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates protection circuits and boosting circuits within the semiconductor chip alongside the nonvolatile memory. By merging these previously external devices into internal circuits, the patent eliminates the need for external parts while maintaining the ability to adjust circuit characteristics. This integration directly reduces chip size and eliminates external connections while preserving manufacturing precision for circuit characteristic adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention realizes a semiconductor integrated circuit device for driving liquid crystal (liquid crystal control driver IC) capable of easily setting drive conditions and the like according to specifications of a liquid crystal display to be used. An electrically-programmable nonvolatile memory circuit (EPROM) or an electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory circuit (EEPROM) is provided in a semiconductor integrated circuit device for driving a liquid crystal display, and setting information is stored in the memory circuit. The memory circuit is constructed by a normal device which can be formed in the same process as a semiconductor manufacturing process of forming devices of other circuits.