In the era of digital intelligence, driven by the trend of electrification, intelligence, and networking in the automotive industry, in-vehicle displays are booming in the direction of multi-screen, large-size, and high-definition, driving the demand for power management chips (PMICs) for automotive-grade displays. However, due to multiple factors such as high technical barriers, high requirements for automotive specification certification, difficult research and development, and long introduction cycle, the domestic automotive specification display PMIC market has a large gap and still needs to rely on imports.

As the “power supply hear”" of automotive electronic systems, PMIC products are the key to ensuring stable and efficient operation of the screen and optimizing energy consumption. ESWIN Computing has developed the first automotive LCD display PMIC EPA9900 in China in close combination with customer needs. 

Launched in China to create a highly competitive automotive-grade display PMIC

The automotive-grade LCD display PMIC EPA9900 adopts an optimized system architecture and design, and can be adapted to a variety of mainstream LCD displays such as amorphous silicon (a-Si), low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS), oxide, etc., and has outstanding performance in terms of reliability, flexibility, conversion efficiency, and protection.

EPA9900 has clear advantages in terms of reliability and flexibility. The IC integrates two positive and negative voltage power supplies to power the display Source IC, and also supports the expansion of the external two-channel charge pump architecture in the control mode to power the display Gate IC. At the same time, it supports flexible configuration of output voltage and start-up shutdown timing, effectively adapting to almost full-size LCD display applications.

In terms of power conversion efficiency, in the actual display module test, EPA9900 can increase the system efficiency by 5-10% compared with the same type of products in the application scenario of using two power supplies, and can also improve the efficiency by more than 3% in the application scenario of using four power supplies.

In terms of protection mechanism, EPA9900 has an independent OVP (Over Voltage Protection), which allows the load to automatically cut off or limit the supply voltage above the maximum safety threshold to prevent damage to electronic equipment. The linkage of UVP (Under Voltage Protection) and SCP (Short Circuit Protection) ensures that the chip can be shut down in time and restarted according to the timing under abnormal loads, and on the other hand, it can effectively prevent serious thermal damage or fire disasters caused by short circuits by detecting abnormal current increases and quickly cutting off the power supply.

Mass production and on-board construction of domestic automotive specification display integration scheme

To apply the chip to a car, you need to hold two “passes”: ISO 26262 certification and AEC-Q100 testing. Previously, ESWIN Computing has obtained ISO 26262 Functional Safety Management System Certification. In December 2023, EPA9900 product successfully passed the AEC-Q100 certification test formulated by the Automotive Electronics Council and obtained the AEC-Q100 &AEC-Q006 Grade2 certification, indicating that the product can provide high reliability and stability services in various harsh environments, and has the conditions for getting on the car.

ESWIN Computing calculates ISO 26262 functional safety management system and AEC-Q100 & AEC-Q006 Grade2 certification

At present, ESWIN Computing EPA9900 chip products are about to be mass-produced and put on the car. The next generation of automotive-grade display power management chips is also available and is being sampled, and the product will reach a new level of power integration, flexibility and protection functions. At the same time, ESWIN Computing is also actively deploying mini LED and OLED display on-board power supply products.

“We are pleased that EPA9900 ensures stable and efficient power support for LCD displays in complex automotive environments, and we are pleased that it has been recognized by Tier1 and Tier2 vendors," said Hu Weihao, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of ESWIN Computing's Power Management Business Unit. This product can be used with ESWIN Computing's self-developed automotive MCU, Gate IC, LTDDI and other automotive display driver ICs to meet the needs of more customers. We will continue to consolidate our technical strength, innovate and make breakthroughs, create higher-performance automotive-grade power chip products and on-board display integration solutions, empower the domestic on-board market with 'chips', and promote the sustainable and high-quality development of the industry.”

ESWIN calculates the integrated solution for in-vehicle displays 

Ni Weihua, Executive Vice President of Jifeng Electronics, who assisted in completing the AEC-Q100 qualification test, said: "EPA9900 is the first automotive LCD display PMIC products in China to pass the AEC-Q100 automotive standard, showing stable reliability advantages under the multiple protection mechanism of power output. We look forward to in-depth cooperation with ESWIN Computing to jointly help domestic automotive ICs make new breakthroughs!"

(Source: Zuosi Automotive Research)