CANON ANNOUNCES DEVELOPMENT OF OWN LCOS REFLECTIVE LCD PANEL

May 21, 2008

Source: Canon

Canon Inc. today announced that the Company has developed its own LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) reflective LCD panels, a key device used in multimedia projectors. At this year's InfoComm '08 trade show being held on June 18-20 in Las Vegas (Las Vegas Convention Center), this technology will be showcased (Booth #C1529).

Compared with devices utilized in projectors employing different types of projection systems, LCOS panels facilitate the reproduction of exceptionally high resolution images free of the "lattice effect," a phenomenon in which a faint grid pattern appears over the projected image. Realizing high levels of imaging performance, LCOS technology has garnered considerable attention within the industry.

Canon has developed two types of LCOS panels: a 0.71-inch WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200 pixels) panel, the world's first LCOS panel of its size to achieve such a level of resolution, and a 0.55-inch SXGA (1,400 x 1,050 pixels) panel.

In 2004, in advance of industry trends toward ever-increasing PC image-resolution levels and high-definition video content, Canon launched high-resolution multimedia office projectors incorporating LCOS panels. These products feature Canon's proprietary AISYS (Aspectual Illumination System) technology, which maximizes the performance of LCOS panels to realize bright, high-contrast images while making possible a compact body design. As a result, in addition to general business and education applications, these projectors have also earned praise from users who require high-quality imaging performance in such specialized fields as design, simulation and medicine.

With the development of its own LCOS panels, Canon has developed all of the key parts needed for the Company's high-performance projectors, including the AISYS optical engine, which optimizes LCOS panel performance; the projection lenses, which complement the high-resolution panels by minimizing image distortion; and the drive IC, which drives the panels.

In particular, Canon's newly developed WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200 pixels) panel not only makes possible the projection of HDTV-resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) images but, by supporting the display of ever-increasing PC image-resolution levels, is also expected to contribute to the cultivation of a new market for business-use projectors.

Capitalizing on this achievement, Canon will utilize the two types of LCOS panels in combination with the Company's world-class optical technologies with the aim of creating innovative new products to be brought to market in the near future.

Canon is now working toward the realization of cross-media imaging, a concept spanning a diverse range of input and output devices. In the field of LCD projectors, Canon aims to invigorate the market through the continued launch of products that deliver high-resolution, high-image-quality performance.

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