Efficient LEDs make batteries last longer
Holding back the cost of display backlighting
LEDs such as µSideLEDs are the ideal alternative to cold-cathode fluorescence lamps for display backlighting. They do not need any time to warm up, contain no lead or mercury and provide at least the same bright light but with a lower energy consumption.
The 60 LEDs in the latest generation from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors that are used to backlight the display on a demo laptop at this year's Flat Panel Display Fair in Yokohama (October 18 to 20) consume just 4.4 W. The 15-inch display achieves a maximum luminance of around 220 cd/m². This is even higher than the figures achieved by higher-wattage displays equipped with cold-cathode fluorescence lamps.
The new generation of side-emitting Micro SIDELEDs has a 30% higher luminous intensity than the previous generation. A single LED can now produce around 1.6 cd. This increase is thanks to further advances in thin-film technology. Despite producing the required luminance of almost 220 cd/m², these more efficient light sources now operate with a lower current. Additional savings can be made by dimming the display backlighting according to the amount of ambient daylight available. This can be done either manually or with the aid of an ambient light sensor. For a comparison value of 60 cd/m² consumption is then only 1 W. The new Micro SIDELED is just 0.6 mm tall, making it even more compact than its predecessor, which measured 0.8 mm. Its compact height, together with its side beam characteristic, means that extremely low-profile displays can be designed.
OSRAM Opto Semiconductors will be presenting the demo laptop at the stand of the "Extended Battery Life" group which has been set up by Intel. Around 50 companies - including OSRAM Opto Semiconductors as the only LED manufacturer - are working together on a project that aims to identify and exploit potential energy savings in order to maximise battery life in mobile terminals.
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Micro SIDELED