FUJITSU TEN Unveils Vivid View Processor™ 3, the World's First LSI with
Color Correction in Direct Sunlight for Vehicle-Mounted Displays
Dramatic improvement in visibility reduced by sunlight, energy conservation through LED backlight control

May. 25, 2011
FUJITSU TEN LIMITED

	With Current model	With VVP3, highly visible in direct sunlight

FUJITSU TEN LIMITED, developer of the ECLIPSE car navigation brand, is proud to announce that it has developed Vivid View Processor™ 3 (VVP3), the world's first^*1 LSI for improving visibility in vehicle-mounted displays when exposed to direct sunlight, while reducing power consumption at the same time. Development was pursued together with Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited^*2 and Fujitsu Laboratories^*3

VVP3

With VVP3 LSI, FUJITSU TEN has added the newly developed "color correction in direct sunlight" function to the "sharp, clear, vivid" features provided by VVP1 in 2007 and the "improved visibility with vehicle mounted cameras (front and rear)" of VVP2 in 2009. This new LSI will come standard in all new car navigation system products from FUJITSU TEN.

Development Background

Displays mounted on car dashboards are often exposed to direct sunlight. The sunlight reflected from the display dramatically reduces the visibility of the screen, causing it to appear washed out and making dark (low tone, low saturation) areas in particular difficult to distinguish.

Sunlight often shines directly on car navigation displays, making it hard to check navigation maps or rear camera images. FUJITSU TEN believes that VVP3 mounted displays provide safety and confidence, for a comfortable driving environment.

Energy conservation is also an important issue for vehicle-mounted devices, in order to preserve the global environment. During the development of VVP3, FUJITSU TEN focused on reducing power consumption in the LED backlight which consumes 2/3 of all power to the display, while also improving visibility.

Features of VVP3

• Highly visible display even in direct sunlight
• Energy conservation through backlight control
• Sharp, clear, and vivid display of images
• Easy mounting on car navigation systems through the use of a low-cost LQFP^*4package
  (144-pin, 16mm x 16mm)

Features of Newly Developed Technology

Color correction in direct sunlight

1. Immediate correction of tone^*5and saturation

First the image is analyzed and differences in tone are assigned to each area of the image. Then, "pinpoint correction" magnifies the contrast in even the brightest regions, and "tone correction" adjusts dark areas to a lighter tone that will stand out better. Finally, "saturation correction" limits the dilution of color and brightens the image. The combination of this technology improves visibility through the immediate and automatic correction of contrast and saturation in dark areas.

2. Adjustment of correction strength based on the brightness of direct sunlight

A sensor detects the brightness of sunlight, which can fluctuate for a variety of reasons (season, time of day, car shape/size, location). Correction strength is adjusted based on brightness level, to achieve optimal image correction according to the degree of deterioration in image quality. A rapid response allows adjustments to be made even during repeated and drastic changes in bright sunlight in a short period of time.

Backlight control

1 Power consumption of display reduced 54% maximum, 24% average (compared to previous FUJITSU TEN products)

2. Energy conserved in backlight while limiting deterioration in image quality

Image data is analyzed for each scene to provide optimal brightness: low-level brightness for dark images, and higher-level brightness for light images. (In previous products, the brightness remained the same regardless of image.)
The brightness level of the image data is corrected according to the brightness of the backlight, to maintain the same appearance as the original image.

About FUJITSU TEN

FUJITSU TEN LIMITED operates worldwide businesses including car audio, car navigation systems, home audio, and automotive electronics devices including engine and air bag control, ECU etc. FUJITSU TEN delivers original products for Toyota Motor Corporation and other domestic and overseas automotive manufacturers.

*1   As of May 2011, based on FUJITSU TEN research

*2   Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited :
        Head Office: Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Japan ; President & Representative Director: Haruki Okada

*3   Fujitsu Laboratories Limited :
        Head Office: Kawasaki City, Kanagawa, Japan ; President & Representative Director: Tatsuo Tomita

*4   LQFP : Low Profile Quad Flat Package

*5   Tone : degree of density of color and brightness

The contents of a press release are as of the publication. Later, they are apt to be changed without notice. Thank you for understanding in advance.