Epson Develops Ultra-Thin Electronic Paper Display Controller

As time passes, electronic paper displays become ever more popular among device manufacturers, so Epson went on and developed a new 16-bit microcontroller with a built-in driver optimized for small to medium-size e-paper screens, the company planning to begin volume shipments in March 2011.

Dubbed the S1D14F50, this news series of display controllers integrate a wide range of standard functions such as memory (ROM and RAM), timers, and serial interfaces, Epson also adding an array of embedded features to the controller such as a real-time clock, theoretical regulation, a segmented EPD driver as well as a temperature sensor.

Furthermore, the chip is only 200-microns thick, which paired with its low power draw, makes it well suited for applications in smart cards and other small mobile devices that demand long battery life and thin form factors.

As a result, Citizen Seimitsu has already used this controller inside an integrated e-paper display module that pairs the S1C17F57 together with an e-Ink screen making it easier for manufacturers to design e-paper products.

"Epson developed the world's first embedded e-paper driver microcontroller," said Shuji Watanabe, division manager of Citizen Seimitsu's display division.

"Citizen Seimitsu's integrated e-paper display module incorporating Epson's microcontroller provides EPDs with high image quality, flexibility, and ultra-low power consumption and we are now moving forward with applications for IC cards, watches, and small mobile devices.

Citizen Seimitsu participated in the development of this controller from the planning stage and in addition to COF (chip-on-film), we can also mount the controller directly to an EPD.

We believe that it this will make it possible to produce an integrated e-paper display module with a small-footprint at low cost," concluded the company's rep.

As stated earlier, the S1D14F50 will become available in March 2011, Epson saying the company will continue to expand its lineup of microcontrollers and driver ICs for electronic paper displays in the near feature.