Sharp 2006 Annual Report Download - page 24

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Sharp strives to strengthen R&D activities based on the
policy of “selection and concentration.” As for intellectual
property, our aggressive patent strategy helps build strong
business foundations.
R&D and Intellectual Property
Sharp’s fundamental R&D focus is on one-of-a-kind
products and devices, especially LCD applied products and
solar cells, as well as on businesses that will drive future
growth such as digital appliances and health and environ-
ment related products. In order to improve R&D efficiency
and minimize R&D risk, we make the most of opportunities
generated by industry-academia-government collaboration.
Development of new technologies
LCDs
Sharp Corporation and its R&D base in Europe, Sharp
Laboratories of Europe, Ltd., have succeeded with the devel-
opment and mass-production of a new type of LCD that
enables viewing angle to be controlled. With the “two-way
viewing-angle LCD,” different information and image content
can be simultaneously displayed in right and left views. The
product has already been put to practical use in car navigation
system displays. Sharp expects that demand for this new type
of LCD and the
“ switchable viewing-angle LCD,” which uses
the same technology, will increase further in various types of
applications.
Photovoltaic power generation systems
Sharp is developing a new type of photovoltaic power
generation system that combines compound solar cells with
concentrator lenses. The system traps sunlight with the lenses
and increases the strength of the light by a factor of 500,
resulting in a conversion efficiency of 37.2%, which is more
than a two-fold improvement over ordinary photovoltaic power
generation systems. Sharp is moving ahead with field trials
aimed at realizing the practical application of this system.
High-definition image transmission technology
Sharp is developing technology that enables the transmis-
sion of large-capacity data such as high-definition images via
broadband inside the home. So far, we have succeeded in
developing the wireless transmission technology which enables
stable reception of AV content at the 5GHz band without dis-
tortion or delay of images. Sharp aims to apply this technology
to the transmission of more than one high-definition image via
PLC (Power Line Communication) that makes use of electrical
power lines for communication inside the home.
Health-care related technology
Research is currently underway
on the development of a new
health-care related system using
handheld terminals. This system
measures and assesses the condi-
tion of the patient using special
sensors, receiving and sending
data so that the appropriate action
can be taken. Sharp intends to
prove the viability of the system
through experimental trials.
White LED related technology
In cooperative work with the
National Institute for Materials
Science, Sharp has developed
blue oxynitride phosphors and a
white LED using this material. We
Two-way viewing-angle LCD
(prototype)
One user sees TV images from
the right while the other can see
an Internet homepage from the
left (Reflected in a mirror)
Switchable viewing-angle
LCD (prototype)
The content can be seen from
the front, but not from the side
(Reflected in a mirror)
Handheld terminal capable of
sending and receiving measure-
ment information and instructions
R&D strategy
Prototype of white LED warm white
type (correlated color temperature
2,800K)