BCM Converter for Brighter LCD Displays
The displacement of Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) displays by Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technology is complete. Within LCDs, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) have replaced cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) to provide uniformly white backlight. LEDs offer significant benefits when compared with CCFLs, in terms of size, efficiency, purity and reliability. They also offer a reduction in the hazardous substances used to manufacture them.
LED backlighting provides the ability to modulate the light source from pixel to pixel, creating more realistic images with less motion blur. That’s exactly what one Vicor customer needed. Using a V•I Chip solution, they were able to utilize new high-brightness LEDs in a backlight LCD panel.
Their design is based on innovative patented technology for High Dynamic Range (HDR) image technology. This technology makes possible much brighter displays, i.e. ten times brighter than a conventional LCD. Every single LED in the backlight is individually addressable so the light levels can be changed dynamically frame by frame and spatially micro region by micro region. The result is pictures that display much more vividly, with brighter levels of light and a broader color spectrum than previously possible.
Previously, the LEDs were powered by a 5.5 Vdc, 500 A power supply, but that is too high a current to distribute efficiently inside the display. The customer based their new architecture on V•I Chip BCM converters. The BCM enabled them to distribute at 48 V at a much lower current which provides more efficient power distribution. The BCM is capable of directly powering individual LED driver ICs by stepping the voltage down to the high current 4V needed at the driver. The BCM’s high conversion efficiency and safe operating temperature range allowed the customer to complete the design without heat sinks.
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