1998 Jul 30
16
Philips Semiconductors
Product specication
Universal LCD driver for low multiplex
rates
PCF8576C
6.11
Display RAM
The display RAM is a static 40
× 4-bit RAM which stores
LCD data. A logic 1 in the RAM bit-map indicates the on
state of the corresponding LCD segment; similarly, a
logic 0 indicates the off state. There is a one-to-one
correspondence between the RAM addresses and the
segment outputs, and between the individual bits of a RAM
word and the backplane outputs. The first RAM column
corresponds to the 40 segments operated with respect to
backplane BP0 (see Fig.10). In multiplexed LCD
applications the segment data of the second, third and
fourth column of the display RAM are time-multiplexed
with BP1, BP2 and BP3 respectively.
When display data is transmitted to the PCF8576C the
display bytes received are stored in the display RAM in
accordance with the selected LCD drive mode.
To illustrate the filling order, an example of a 7-segment
numeric display showing all drive modes is given in Fig.11;
the RAM filling organization depicted applies equally to
other LCD types.
With reference to Fig.11, in the static drive mode the eight
transmitted data bits are placed in bit 0 of eight successive
display RAM addresses.
In the 1 : 2 multiplex drive mode the eight transmitted data
bits are placed in bits 0 and 1 of four successive display
RAM addresses. In the 1 : 3 multiplex drive mode these
bits are placed in bits 0, 1 and 2 of three successive
addresses, with bit 2 of the third address left unchanged.
This last bit may, if necessary, be controlled by an
additional transfer to this address but care should be taken
to avoid overriding adjacent data because full bytes are
always transmitted. In the 1 : 4 multiplex drive mode the
eight transmitted data bits are placed in bits 0, 1, 2 and 3
of two successive display RAM addresses.
Table 3
LCD frame frequencies
PCF8576C MODE
FRAME
FREQUENCY
NOMINAL
FRAME
FREQUENCY
(Hz)
Normal mode
64
Power-saving mode
64
f
clk
2880
-------------
f
clk
480
----------
Fig.10 Display RAM bit-map showing direct relationship between display RAM addresses
and segment outputs, and between bits in a RAM word and backplane outputs.
0
1
2
3
1234
35
36
37
38
39
display RAM addresses (rows) / segment outputs (S)
display RAM bits
(columns) /
backplane outputs
(BP)
MBE525