IDT intros industry’s first single-layer multi-touch capacitive touch screen controller

SAN JOSE, USA: Integrated Device Technology Inc. (IDT) has announced the industry’s first touch screen controller IC optimized for IDT’s proprietary single-layer multi-touch projected capacitive touch screen technology.

This new touch screen technology and controller solution revolutionizes the market by offering a true single-layer solution, not requiring cross-over isolation points that other solutions require, yet still maintaining full multi-touch capability. The result is a lower-cost total solution that does not sacrifice features or performance. Typical applications include mobile handsets, personal navigation devices, and handheld gaming platforms with screen sizes up to five inches.

The IDT LDS7000 and LDS7001 are high-performance, multi-touch, full resolution touch screen controller ICs featuring up to 30 and 35 sensor channels, respectively. Both controllers operate at a speedy 8ms data rate for quick response to touch inputs to improve the user’s experience and enable advanced applications that require fast response times.

The IDT LDS7000 family’s proprietary algorithms eliminate undesired multi touch ghosting, providing accurate individual X and Y coordinates in dual touch mode, a critical requirement for customers using host-interpreted custom gestures to differentiate their end product. The devices’ analog front-end design provides a high level of noise rejection performance that negates the need for a separate touch screen shield layer for most applications, lowering the overall solution cost even further.

“The new LDS7000 family of touch controllers enables our customers to take full advantage of IDT’s true single-layer touch screen technology,” said Alvin Wong, general manager of the Advanced User Interface group at IDT.

“Our innovative design and multi-touch capabilities allow touch screen manufacturers to simplify their manufacturing processes, yet maintain the critical feature set that is required for today’s most advanced consumer devices. IDT continues to extend its presence in breakthrough capacitive touch technologies and designs that improve the user experience, so our customers can deliver winning products to the market.”

“The market for multi-touch capable controllers continues to expand based on increasing adoption rates across the globe of smartphones, and since 2010, an exploding market for media tablet PCs, “ said Randy Lawson, Principal Analyst, Display Electronics at iSuppli.

“As screen resolutions and application processor data rates continue to climb in these applications, the ability to discern and reject injected noise at the controller has become a more compelling feature for device manufacturers when selecting their touch screen controller IC provider.”

The IDT LDS7000 and LDS7001 devices offer native support for a 10-bit resolution (1024 x 1024) with the ability to scale the touch values of the X and Y axes, offering the flexibility to apply this solution to different resolution LCD and AMOLED panels. In addition, the single-layer solution offers improved backlight transmittance, while the devices’ low power modes maximize battery life in portable electronics.

The IDT LDS7000 is currently sampling to qualified customers and is available in a 5x5 mm, 40-pin TQFN package. It is priced at $2.50 in 10,000-unit quantities. The IDT LDS7001 is currently sampling to qualified customers and is available in a 6x6 mm, 48-pin TQFN package. It is priced at $2.95 in 10,000-unit quantities.