LCD Panel Speaker Developed with Integrated Visual Display and Audio Output

OSAKA, Japan – September 22, 2003 -- Sharp Corporation has developed an LCD panel speaker in which the visual display and audio output functions are combined using a System LCD*1 with an embedded audio circuit. By eliminating the need for an external speaker, this product reduces space needed for peripheral equipment for the unit to which it is mounted and it even improves the equipment´s reliability.

With the advance of broadband technologies in broadcasting and communication infrastructures, it is forecasted that consumer demands for new AV- and IT-capable entertainment will grow rapidly. Mobile device users will be able to see actual images from movies and TV programs while enjoying their sound.

The LCD panel speaker is characterized by a DMA element*2 on a glass substrate, which vibrates and produces sounds from the glass surface. This audio output function is based on the flat panel speaker technology licensed by New Transducers Ltd. (hereafter called NXT) in the U.K. to Hoshiden. As the LCD panel speaker can enable a user to view moving images and hear sounds concurrently, it can be applied to a wide variety of mobile devices requiring simultaneous output of audio and video, such as mobile phones, PDAs, portable DVD players, and mobile TVs, without having to make these devices larger to accommodate both an LCD and speaker.

Sharp will further promote technological innovations with the aim of realizing a "system on panel" suitable for the ubiquitous-network society.

¹ System LCD with an embedded audio circuit: A LCD and audio circuit are integrated on a glass substrate with the use of the CG Silicon technology jointly developed by Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. and Sharp.

² DMA element: A drive element using a piezoelectric effect developed by NXT, which is the abbreviated name of Distributed Mode Actuator.