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Measuring Instruments
Introducing the Color Analyzer CA-310,
a high-speed instrument that offers higher accuracy
for measuring LED-backlit displays
July 21, 2010
Konica Minolta Sensing, Inc. (Headquarters: Sakai, Osaka, JAPAN; President: Toshihiko Karasaki; hereinafter referred to as “Konica Minolta”) is proud to announce that the Color Analyzer CA-310, a high-speed instrument that enables higher-accuracy measurements of displays such as LCD TVs that use LED backlights by reducing errors due to variations in the peak wavelengths of LED backlights, will be introduced in September 2010.
| Product | Color Analyzer CA-310 |
|---|---|
| Start of sales | September 2010 |
LCD TVs with LED backlights have become very popular in recent years since such technology can make the TV flat and lightweight.
However, when conventional color analyzers are used for white- balance adjustment on LED-backlit LCD TV production lines, measurement errors are considerably larger than when non-LED backlights are used. A high-end luminance colorimeter could be used for accurate measurement of the screen but such measurements would be too slow for practical use on production lines.
To solve this problem, Konica Minolta, a leader in color analyzers for display white-balance adjustment for the last quarter of a century with a top market share, have succeeded in developing a new sensor which is suitable for measuring the brightness characteristics of LED backlights.
Although the emission wavelength distribution*1 of conventional backlights such as fluorescent lamps is uniform, it varies somewhat from LED to LED. When TVs with different LEDs are adjusted using a conventional color analyzer, they may show colors that are significantly different from each other, resulting in color reproduction that is incorrect compared to the original colors. In order to resolve this problem, Konica Minolta developed a new sensor with sensitivities that even more closely match the CIE 1931 color-matching functions*2 to enable correct measurements even if emission wavelength distribution varies. The CA-310 equipped with this new sensor makes it possible to properly adjust even LED-backlit LCDs TVs to reproduce images very close to the original with natural color.
The CA-310 also offers ten times the measuring speed of our luminance colorimeter (Konica Minolta Chroma Meter CS-200) which provides the equivalent high level of accuracy as the CA-310 but is intended for different purposes. The greatly enhanced work efficiency of the CA-310 makes it ideal for use on LED-backlit LCD TV production lines, where it can contribute to increased production efficiency.
Konica Minolta continues to develop precise sensing technology and applications in order to offer solutions matching customer needs and to maintain our status as “essential” for customers.
- *1
- How much light is emitted at each wavelength by a light source
- *2
- Spectral response curves defined by the CIE (International Commission on Illumination) in 1931 which express the sensitivity of the human eye.
Main Features of Color Analyzer CA-310
1 Sensors that more closely match the CIE 1931 color-matching functions
For the CA-310, Konica Minolta used how the human eye sees color as the model, and succeeded in developing sensors that even more closely match the color-matching functions defined by the CIE in 1931 which express the sensitivity of the human eye. This makes it possible to minimize measurement error for most light sources regardless of emission distribution.
2 Reduces errors due to LED emission distribution variations to less than 1/3.
Variations in the emission distribution of LED backlights result in individual differences of about 10nm in peak intensity wavelength. If LED-backlit LCD TVs with such individual differences are adjusted using conventional color analyzers, color differences of close to 0.010 on the xy chromaticity diagram may occur. But with the CA-310, the color difference in the same case is reduced to around 0.003, enabling errors to be suppressed to less than 1/3.
3 High-speed measurements of even extremely low luminances down to 0.005cd/m2
Sensor noise reduction technology has been used to enable measurements even in the extremely low luminance region around 0.005cd/m2at speeds as fast as 4 times per second. This allows the high-speed high-accuracy measurement essential for manufacturing high-grade displays. In addition, at luminances higher than 2.0cd/m2, 20 measurements per second are possible.
Color Analyzer CA-310 Specifications
All specifications other than Measurement area are for the Φ27mm measurement area probe.
| Receptors | Silicon photocells | |
|---|---|---|
| Measurement area | Φ27mm (Φ10mm probes also available) | |
| Acceptance angle | ±2.5° | |
| Measurement distance | 30±10mm | |
| Display range | Luminance | 0.0001 to 1000 cd/m2 |
| Chromaticity | Displayed as 4- or 3-digit value (selectable) | |
| Luminance | Measurement range | 0.0050 to 1000 cd/m2 |
| Accuracy (white) *1 | 10.00 to 1000 cd/m2: ±2% (0.0050 cd/m2: ±0.0015 cd/m2) |
|
| Repeatability (2σ) *1 | 10.00 to 1000 cd/m2: 0.1% (0.0050 cd/m2: 0.0010 cd/m2) |
|
| Chromaticity | Measurement range | 0.0500 to 1000 cd/m2 |
| Accuracy (white)*1 | 120 cd/m2: ±0.002 (± 0.004 for monochrome *2) | |
| Repeatability (2σ) *1 | 0.0500 to 0.0999 cd/m2: 0.010 2.00 to 1000 cd/m2: 0.001 |
|
| Flicker (Contrast method) | Measurement range | 5 cd/m2 or higher |
| Display range | 0.0 to 999.9% | |
| Accuracy | ±1% (Flicker frequency: 30Hz AC/DC 10% sine wave) ±2% (Flicker frequency: 60Hz AC/DC 10% sine wave) |
|
| Repeatability (2σ) | 1% (Flicker frequency: 30Hz AC/DC 10% sine wave) | |
| Measurement speed (USB) | xyLv | 0.0050 to 0.0999 cd/m2: 4 times/sec. 0.10 to 1.99 cd/m2: 5 times/sec. 2.000 to 1000 cd/m2: 20 times/sec. |
| Flicker (Contrast) | 16 times/sec. | |
| Display | Digital | xyLv, XYZ, TΔuvLv, u'v'Lv, RGB analyze |
| Analog | ΔxΔyΔLv, R/G B/G ΔG, ΔR B/R G/R | |
| LCD | 16 characters × 2 lines (with backlight) | |
| SYNC mode | NTSC, PAL, EXT, UNIV, INT | |
| Measurement subject | Vertical synchronous frequency: 40 to 200Hz | |
| Memory channels | 100 | |
| Analyzer function | Standard function | |
| Interface | USB or RS-232c (38,400 bps maximum) | |
| Multi-point measurement Max. | 5 points (using optional 4-Probe Expansion Board CA-B15) | |
| Software Solutions | SDK software (supplied as standard accessory) | |
| Operating temperature/humidity range | Temperature: 10 to 28°C; Relative humidity 70% or less with no condensation. Luminance change: ±2% ±1 digit of reading for white; Chromaticity change: ±0.002 for white, ±0.006 for monochrome from reading of Konica Minolta's standard LCD *1, 120.0 cd/m2 at 23°C 40%RH | |
| Storage temperature/humidity range | 0 to 28°C: Relative humidity 70% or less with no condensation; 28 to 40°C: Relative humidity 40% or less with no condensation | |
| Input voltage range | 100 to 240V AC, 50/60Hz, 50VA | |
| Dimensions (W × H × D) | Main body: 340 × 127 × 216mm Probe: Φ49 × 208mm |
|
| Weight | Main body: 3.58kg; Probe: 530g | |
- *1
- Chromaticity and luminance measured under Konica Minolta's conditions (Standard LCD at 6500K and 9300K)
- *2
- The luminance for monochrome is measured when the reading of luminance for white is 120 cd/m2
- Specifications and appearance subject to change without notice.
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