Category Archives: Open Frame Touchscreen

Articles discussing touchscreen technologies

Industrial LCD monitors usage in varied environmental conditions

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Industrial LCD Display

The prices of LCD panels have been on a steady decline all over the world. This may not be exciting news for the manufacturers,but buyers are only too happy to make the most of the situation. If you are planning to utilize long-life Industrial LCD Display Panels in your device, the market’s currently low pricing of LCD panels make this a great time to make the purchase.

LCD screens are very much in the modern workplace. They typically are embedded with an Open Frame LCD display, and finally assembled into an LCD monitor. In fact, it is now very rare to find a computer without one of these displays, although the cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors are still widely used in older systems on boats, hospital equipment and control rooms.

LCD displays have several important advantages over CRT monitors in that they take up far less space, they power-up almost instantaneously, and they use around 70% less power than a similar sized CRT monitor.LCD monitors are in fact so prevalent in the market place that almost every new computer purchased comes with a monitor that has an embedded LCD screen.

There are several reasons for the increased popularity of LCD displays:

Firstly, most computer monitors that are purchased are designed for use at home or in an office environment.

The LCD monitors are designed to sit in the same place for years, and not be moved.

They are designed for normal environmental conditions. They are not designed to be used in environments that are extremely hot, cold, damp or dusty. Such environments are ideal for a more rugged open frame LCD display solution.

These consumer-grade LCD displays are not designed to be particularly scratch resistant. Also they are not designed to withstand 24/7 constant operation or environments where there are vibrations.

If your LCD display’s environment falls outside of these categories then an industrial LCD monitor would be an ideal display solution.Industrial LCD displays are designed to withstand far more stringent environments. For industrial LCD displays that are suited for sunlight readability, harsh environments, vibrations or long-life operation, please contact Revosys with your requirements.

Industrial LCD screens are commonly used in the oil industry, in hot climates and in very cold climates, often well below freezing conditions such as used by the military.The industrial LCD displays can be used in harsh environments such as areas where large amounts of dust may be present that could potentially affect the electronics of a regular LCD display.Industrial monitors are designed to work in any environment as described above.

Industrial monitors are also designed to be shock and often scratch resistant. They come in different models that can be bolted down, making them ideal for use in marine display applications. These LCD displays are robust and designed to be moved and deployed in various locations frequently if needed.

If you are looking for an LCD display solution that is being deployed in a harsh environment, please contact Revosys for suggestion on finding your ideal industrial LCD monitor.

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Sunlight Readable Technology: An Innovation

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Several mediums and ways were opted from time to time to check the effectiveness of the ad for the mass publicity. Many traditional advertising and marketing concepts are now outdated and a new trend and innovation is welcomed and taken hand to hand.

In the changing arenas of advertising and publicity, the business and industry have recognized the need and potential of digital screen display.  A large number of companies upgraded to Sunlight Readable Industrial LCD Display from the conventional and traditional signage which shows the rising popularity of acceptance to high end technology in OOH (out of home) advertising. In-spite of acceptance to the high end technology, this should not be considered as a sudden, unexplained change, as there are several remarkable reasons why sunlight readable Transflective LCD displays reached such attention from conservative loyalists. A few of the reasons are mentioned below.

1)      Rising demand for OOH (Out-of-Home) Advertising

From the beginning in advertising world, Outdoor advertising has its own importance and hence it has gained ground with the technology ascend especially with digital screens. This has offered more flexibility and attention to the potential consumer base. The conventional screens can be dimmed down in the evening, after the campaigns. Sunlight readable LCD screens have helped to significantly increase profits and hence also the customer attention span.

2)      Lower Power Consumption

Sunlight readable LCD screens, in particular Transflective LCD displays significantly reduce the cost of energy consumption and thus increase the potential profit in comparison to conventional LCD screens which can be readable in daylight, if the brightness and contrast is increased significantly. The costs and power consumption of enhanced high brightness LCDs tend to negate their profit margins, as compared to transflective LCDs.

3)      Increase in Mass Usage

The implementation of sunlight readable LCD screens are wide-spread in various outdoor public places like airport terminals, bus terminals, traffic warning signs, road and railway signs, as well as advertisement displays in retail stores as well as other public spaces. This transition from traditional LCD to sunlight readable LCD display technology was an important event and a profound step in the field of advertising, because these digital screens have become the main medium for advertisements and displaying information.

4)      Backlight Technology

Enhancing backlight strength by increasing the LED or CCFL count is a common way to improve the readability of conventional LCD screens in direct sunlight. However, the additional overall costs and increased power consumption may not be the most cost-effective solution. Using a transflective LCD ensures that even a standard backlight will suffice for direct sunlight readability due to the reflective properties of the transflective LCD display.

5)      Low Reflectance Rate Glass

AR or anti-reflective glass is implemented in Sunlight Readable LCD Displays, where SAW and IR touchscreens are used due to the significant reduction in reflectivity. Although using AG Anti-Glare glass with conventional LCD displays helps with sunlight readability, this type of glass is not an ideal solution for this application.

Sunlight Readable LCD and High Brightness LCDs

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Sunlight Readable Monitorsor High Brightness LCDs are displays that can be comfortably viewed in the outdoors and even indirect sunlight. To be considered truly direct Sunlight readable, such LCD displays typically musthave a brightness of at least 1000 nits and a contrast ratio of 5:1 or higher.Although some 500 nit (2:1 contrast ratios) displays are somewhat visible in the daylight, they cannot be referred to as transflective LCDs or sunlight readable. High Brightness LCDs are especially vivid in outdoor shades.

A nit (in terms of brightness) is a measure of luminance used to judge the working effectiveness of sunlight readable displays or open frame high brightness LCDs. A nit means the amount of candelas /m2 that the backlight is giving off.Scientifically speaking, the human mind is drawn more to an object that has a higher luminance. While a 250 nits LCD might look good indoors,Sunlight Readable LCDsor High Brightness LCDs must have a luminance of around 1000 nits to be effectively seen in the outdoors.

A Sunlight Readable LCD or  does not only have to be very bright at its highest brightness and contrast ratio, it must allow for a wider brightness range. The brightness range in a normal LCD is around 10% to 100%, but most Sunlight Readable LCDsor High Brightness LCDs come with a 0.5% to 100% brightness range to allow healthy indoor and outdoor viewing.

The contrast ratio of the LCD tells us of the difference in the brightness between the blackest and the whitest elements of a LCD Display pixel, thusa Sunlight Readable LCD or High Brightness LCD must have a sharp contrast ratio to counteract the bright sunlight. Whilst a normal indoor LCD has a 300:1 contrast ratio in a dim room, this falls down to 2:1 when the LCD Display is taken outdoors. On the other hand, a Sunlight Readable LCD or a Transflective LCD display will have a contrast ratio of 8:1 when taken outdoors in direct sunlight.

Some Sunlight Readable LCD or High Brightness LCDsdo carry the risk of having an inadequate viewing angle. A viewing angle is the angle at which the image quality of a display deteriorates to the point that it stops fulfilling its intended purpose. This is because of a drop in luminance, contrast ratio and the shift in colors. Revosys’s Sunlight Readable LCD, High Brightness LCD and Transflective Displays do not carry this viewing angle risk because of their superior technology and proven field tests.

A Sunlight Readable LCD or High Brightness LCD commonly requiresa CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamps) that in turn require inverters. An inverter is a device that converts DC voltage into AC voltage. All of this heat dissipation coupled with the heat of the sun, may require a more robust thermal management system.

Please contact Revosys today to discuss your Sunlight Readable LCD, Transflective Displayand High Brightness Monitorrequirements and the related thermal management systems available.

Touch Screen LCD Panels – Types and Applications – Part 3

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This is the final article in a series of 3 articles brought to you by Revosys, and will focus mainly on capacitive touch screens and newly emerging touchscreen technologies.

Capacitive Touchscreen LCD Panels

A Capacitive touchscreen LCD panel uses a touchscreen overlay that is made up of an insulating material that is then coated over with a thin layer of a suitable, transparent conductive element such as indium tin oxide (ITO). A touch by a conductive object, such as a human finger or a capacitive stylus results in a disruption of the screen’s electrostatic field. This distortion is measured as a shift in capacitance and sent off to the touch screen controller for location processing.Capacitive touch screens can only be touched effectively with a conductive object, and will not work well with insulators such as a regular stylus or a gloved hand. There are two main types of Capacitive Touchscreens:

1.    Surface Capacitance Touchscreen Panel

In a surface capacitance touchscreen, one surface of the insulation layer is coated with a conductor. A small, uniform current creates an electrostatic field that forms a dynamic capacitor when a conductor touches the screen. The position of the touch is determined by the shift in capacitance across the corners of the touchscreen. Surface Capacitive touchscreens, however have a limited number of uses due to their low resolution. Their durability and the need for calibration make them a suitable touchscreen panel for kiosks, industrial controls and industrial automation.

2.    Projected Capacitive Touchscreen Panel

Famous for its use in the Apple IPhone and iPad, the Projected Capacitive Touchscreen technology permits accuracy and flexibility through a two-layer etched X-Y electrode grid. An alternative to the standard grid is the perpendicular conductive grid which allows coating and embedment into insulated or protective outer layers, such as the decorative bezel used in the iPhone. The sensitivity of the touchscreen makes a lasting impression when used in devices such as the IPhone, but on the other hand, they do not work well in rugged settings. Although a weather and vandal proof decorative cover lens offers some protection, the Projective Capacitive touchscreen has few outdoor or military applications.

To be able to function properly a Projected Capacitive touchscreen can only tolerate a limited amount of smudges, and no amount of water on the surface.

Optical Imaging Touchscreen Panel

This is a fairly new technology which operates by using image sensors (cameras) placed on the corners of the screen. Infrared backlights on the other side of the screen detect a touch by mapping its shadow. This technology is still being developed, but it promises a lot of applications due to its stability and versatility.

Dispersive Signal Touchscreen

This touchscreen technology works by detecting the Piezoelectricity in the glass that occurs when it is touched. The sensor then employs complex algorithms and programs to identify the location of the touch. Although this technology boasts clarity and scratch resistance, its reliance on mechanical vibrations means that it cannot detect a stationary touch and is susceptible to mechanical failure over time.

Touch Screen LCD Panels – Types and Applications – Part 2

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This is the second article of a series of 3 articles brought to you by Revosys. These articles will aim to educate our readers more on the science and application of customized Open Frame LCD panels including those with a touchscreen.

SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave)Touchscreen LCD Panels

The Surface Acoustic Wave or SAW touchscreen technology employs surface ultrasonic waves to detect the touch pattern. Whenever a relevant object touches any portion of the screen, a portion of the waves are absorbed by the glass. The device uses this change in the wave level to calculate the location of the touch point via 3 or more separate ultrasonic transducers.

The last 20 years have turned over a lot of useful research on the use of SAW touchscreen sensors, and recent applications include industrial, military, optical, chemical and biological devices. SAW technology is now readily used in portable devices, marine/boat displays, military displays, and PID (Public Information Displays).

Such touch screens are however vulnerable to external damage. If left unclean, the dust can interfere in the accuracy of the touch detection by absorbing some of the sound waves required for proper touch-point determination. Due to these issues, the success of SAW touchscreens has been relatively modest in comparison to other forms of touchscreens for Open Frame LCD panels. Commercial LCD panels are however readily available and used in a host of devices including devices that need a multi-touch LCD Panel.

Infrared Touchscreen LCD Panels

An infrared touchscreen detects a touch by processing a corresponding disruption in an array of X-Y photo-detectors and LED pairs along the screen’s edge. These pairs are crisscrossed in vertical and horizontal patterns. Such touchscreens can detect a disruption by any physical object, including a stylus or gloved finger. Their major uses are in outdoor devices such as marine/boat displays, military displays, and PID (Public Information Displays) and places where the user cannot rely on a conductor (i.e. a bare finger) such as in Point of Sales terminals and industrial applications where the devices may be subject to frequent wear and tear. Since the screen does not require a substrate or an overlay, it almost never gets worn out and has a long operational life.

Infrared touchscreens do not require any patterning on the screen’s surface, hence providing full-scale 100% light transmission and overall durability. They can also adjust to changing light conditions. Infrared touchscreens do not face sensor drift since the photo-detectors are all fixed into their places. It does not require a minimum Touch Activation force and it centroid accuracy is typically 2.5mm, with a response time as low as 10ms. Infrared touchscreens operate in extreme climates and can be sealed to meet IP65 and NEMA standards.

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Touchscreen LCD Panels –Types and Applications –Part 1

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Over the coming month, we will seek to educate our customers about the different LCD displays and LCD touchscreen options that Revosys has to offer within a multi-part article.

A touchscreen LCD panel is an electronic display unit that can detect the location and presence of a “touch” within the display area and respond accordingly. The interface type for a touchscreen is usually a human finger or a stylus pen. Older touchscreen technologies could only sense a tethered stylus pen on the touchscreen. Some of the newest touchscreen technologies like Multi-Touch allow for up to dozens of finger touch activation points.Some common uses of touchscreens include, but are not limited to computers, gaming consoles, network terminals, satellite navigation devices, smartphones, kiosks and tablet PCs.

A touchscreen LCD panel is popular for its two main differentiating features. It allows a user to interact actively with the displayed content instead of the passive “pointing device” interaction. Secondly, it allows for complete use without a secondary hand-held item other than the optional and rarely used stylus. In addition to this, Open Frame LCD monitors allow for customized touchscreen overlays.

Touchscreen LCDs come in a lot of different varieties, including:

LCD Touchscreens – Resistive

Resistive touchscreens for LCD panels are made up of many layers, including two thin electrically-resistive layers that are separated by a slim gap between them. This slim space is often replaced with microdots. One of these layers, known as the matrix, forms the coating on the underside of the touch screen, while the other one (analogue) supports it beyond the air gap. Whilst one layer carries conductive connections along its sides, the other carries similar ones along its top and bottom. When an object presses down on the screen, it causes the two surfaces to meet and connect at that point. The voltage transmission and detection allows the system to detect the position and placement of the touch. The passive touch reception and the pressure response allow for the screen to respond to a wide variety of objects accurately, including fingers and a stylus pen.

Resistive LCD touchscreens are commonly used in factories, marine/boat displays, military displays, and PID (Public Information Displays), restaurants and hospitals due to its low cost and high resistance to contamination and external damage. Resistive touch screens provide high resolution display options (Up to 4096 x 4096 DPI or higher). These screens might however suffer from a poorer contrast ratio owing mainly to the use of additional reflectors.Their light transmission rate is typically 81%.

Resistive touchscreens work well with gloved hands and inanimate objects. In a lot of circumstances, this is more desirable than the more “advanced” Capacitive LCD touchscreens, which only sense a bare human finger; the majority of these touchscreens do not sense fingers inside of gloves or inanimate objects. Resistive touch screens are cheaper, and can come equipped with a Multi-Touch option due to recent advanced in touchscreen technology.

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