Where to find LCM / system design info?

It you're using a module with controller, try a google on the controller chip part number for code examples to do your basic graphics functions. Eg. (Toshiba) T6963, SED1520, KS(mumble) . There are only a few common controller types for the graphic modules. Some ARM microprocessor (almost microcontrollers, just missing the code memory) chips have *built-in* controllers that work with displays that have just drivers and no controller. A suitably programmed FPGA can also be used with that kind of display. You have to spit out data continuously at a fairly high rate to that kind of display, so it's unlikely to be very attractive to try and do it in firmware.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

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"it\'s the network..."                          "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com             Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

Start by looking at the following three companies (not necessarily in this order):

Winbond Sunplus Sonix

Sunplus in particular makes chips used in very cheap PDAs and similar devices.

I don't know nearly enough about your application to direct you, so I have suggested several options that seemed likely from your first post. There are many other possible ways to go in addition to those I've mentioned.

Understood. I can tell you that the modules with controllers tend to be relatively expensive (more like tens of dollars rather than dollars) in moderate and low volume, mostly because they are not really used in high volume consumer products. If you really have high volume, the problem becomes more difficult because there are more options. You can easily find monochrome LCD displays that cost more than a complete Gameboy Advance.

No problem.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

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"it\'s the network..."                          "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com             Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

Hey guys,

I'm looking to learn about ways to program a monochrome graphical liquid crystal module (128 x 128 or 128 x 96).

Can anyone suggest some resources to go read about using microprocessors / asics / fpgas to accomplish such a task?

Thanks!

Ok I should point out that I am looking to eventually package this in a very small package, something on the order of the size of a beeper or smaller. Size is very important.

Thanks for any advice you can give...

Spehro,

Thank you very much for your reply.

Your last comment seems to be directing me towards a microprocessor specifically? (Forgive the novice question - I am an EE, I'm just a bit out of my comfort zone right now)

My concern is cost - I can deal with relatively high non-recurring costs associated with design and development, but long term I need a very inexpensive solution for reproducing with high volume.

(No I'm not intending to design this on my own - I am just looking to become knowledgeable so I know what my challenges will be, before I run into them with an actual developer.)

My absolute key characteristics are low cost and small size - not always achievable, but that is why I am doing research now to see what is available out there.

Thanks again :)

Joe

Spehro Pefhany wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

All these COB micros are available as ROMless bodies either in standard IC packaging or on small demo boards (typically 1"x1") bonded out and ready to use. If he establishes the contacts to buy the chips, he will have access to the prototyping boards.

Brilliant!

Yes - monochrome.

Unfortunately it is a challenge to search for "toy" and "microcontroller" (and "lcd") and come up with precisely some of the parts families that may take care of me. (Not that I need the exact part - I just need to find out what is out there, sizes, and some reasonable idea of costs)

I will be making good use of google. . .

Thanks!

snipped-for-privacy@larwe.com wrote in news:1121539812.819591.261000 @g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Required bit rates to serial drivers are pretty high, and there are tight timing constraints. Say the refresh rate is 60Hz and there are

256 x 128 dots.. that's 2MHz/500KHz for bit/nibble-serial plus more bandwidth for the row driver data). And 4K bytes of RAM, minimum, which is more than most cheap micros have on board, total. In the standard T6963 configuration, it takes 8 LSI chips to drive a 64 x 320 monochrome graphic display-- 4 T6A39 column drivers, 1 T6A40 row driver, two SRAM chips and the controller itself.

Serial (more or less) so the pin count is probably not an issue unless you need a load of pins to interface to external RAM.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

--
"it\'s the network..."                          "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com             Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

Not to worry, as they are virtually assured to be mask-programed with a 50K piece or more minimum order. A fine time with arcane emulators, buggy development systems and Chinglish data (and many pots of coffee) is surely in the offing.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

--
"it\'s the network..."                          "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com             Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

Thanks for the hint...

I have heard of Winbond in the past - and may have visited websites of Sunplus and Sonix in the last couple of days while researching LCM's and such.

This helps a great deal. Thanks again.

snipped-for-privacy@larwe.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Hello Spehro,

IOW you can't really use an ordinary micro controller with a cheap graphics LCD? I mean a low pixel version like the OP suggested.

The driver in firmware is no easy feat but the number of available pins on a micro seems to be the limiting factor w/o an LCD controller if I understood you correctly.

Regards, Joerg

Hello Lewin,

The OP just needs to be aware that chips for that market segment (toys etc.) are, well, bare chips. Gold bump, bare die. Not in a package with pins and all. It's ok for production but prototyping on a bench can be quite a challenge.

Regards, Joerg

Hello Lewin,

I meant LCD drivers such as the ones from Sunplus. Probably you can have them packaged somewhere though.

Regards, Joerg

Hello Spehro,

That is unfortunate especially since most applications do not require a fast change of the displayed information. I may have an application coming up where a small low-res display would be just the ticket. But only if an ordinary (meaning cheap) uC can handle it on the side. The LCD wouldn't have to do much more than an etch-a-sketch, and about at that speed.

But aren't you back to the expensive kind of LCD with a controller that can take serial data?

I wonder if there is a toy game, maybe yahtzee or a watch, that is really cheap and offers a way to send data to its LCD. Then the parts list of a new unit might contain a part with a Walmart P/N ;-)

Sometimes it is amazing how cheap things get. There was a radio with ear phones and all recently. It even had an FM synthesizer. Sold for 99c and you could buy unlimited qties. The RF performance was lousy though.

Regards, Joerg