01.08.2007

GLYN Offers Cost-effective OLED Display Modules with Graphics Controller from 4D Systems

GLYN is partnering with 4D Systems to offer our customers with cost-effective, turnkey OLED modules with built-in embedded graphics controller to greatly simplify the task of adding high-performance display functionality to product designs.

The µOLED modules from 4D Systems are compact and cost effective all in one “SMART” OLED Display with an embedded graphics controller that will deliver ‘stand-alone’ functionality to your project. The ‘simple to use’ embedded commands not only control background colour but can produce text in a variety of sizes as well as draw shapes (which can include user definable bitmapped characters such as logos) in 65K or 262K colours whilst freeing up the host processor from the ‘processor hungry’ screen control functions.

µOLED Part Numbers
• µOLED-128-GMD1: 128 x 128 pixel resolution, 65K or 262K true to life colours with 1.5” diagonal display
• µOLED-160-GMD1: 160 x 128 pixel resolution, 65K or 262K true to life colours with 1.69” diagonal display

µOLED Features
• No backlighting, near 180° viewing angle
• Easy 5 pin interface to any host device: 5V, TX, RX, GND, and RESET
• Voltage supply from 3.6V to 6.0V, current @ 40mA nominal when using a 5.0V supply source
• Serial RS-232 (0V to 3.3V) with auto-baud feature (300 to 128K baud). If interfacing to a 5V system a series resistor (1K) is required on the Rx line
• Optional USB interface via the 4D microUSB (uUSB-MB5) modules
• Onboard micro-SD (μSD) memory card adaptor included for storing of icons, images, animations, etc. 64Mb to 1Gig μSD memory cards can be purchased separately.
• Three selectable font sizes (5x7, 8x8 and 8x12) for ASCII characters as well as user-defined bitmapped characters (64 @ 8x8)
• Built in graphics commands such as: LINE, CIRCLE, TEXT, PAINT, USER BITMAP, BACKGROUND COLOUR, PUT PIXEL, IMAGE, etc. just to name a few.

These µOLED modules are powered by the fully integrated GOLDELOX-MD1 module from 4D Systems.  The GOLDELOX modules have a custom virtual 16/32 bit processor (4DGP - 4D Graphics Processor) built in that runs 4DGL user code. 4DGP is a customised processor with a 16/32 bit instruction set designed specifically for the GOLDELOX modules and 4DGL is a new language designed specifically to run on the 4DGP.  4DGL (4D Graphics Language) is a cross between C, BASIC, ASSEMBLER and the syntax of the language is extremely easy to learn and understand.

The heart of the GOLDELOX module is its rich graphics oriented command set. This comprises of powerful instructions that can draw lines, circles, rectangles, text, images, etc. to provide a full graphical user interface. The GOLDELOX commands can be executed using one of two methods: (1) sent via the serial link, or (2) called as functions from the built-in library if the platform is running a higher level language such as 4DGL.  

For the second method, a free PC-based 4DGL compiler and IDE will be made available soon from 4D Systems. 4DGP/4DGL is powerful enough such that there is no need to employ a separate onboard host processor/controller.  Spare GOLDELOX module I/O pins are available under complete user control to implement buttons, generate complex sounds and tones, drive LEDs, etc.

The GOLDELOX graphics command set is divided into 3 groups:

• General Command Set
These commands are generic and display independent. These are standard commands that apply across all applications.

• Display Specific Command Set
These commands are display specific. Certain displays may have hardware functions that allow operations to be performed much faster than otherwise possible if they were to be implemented in firmware. These commands utilise those features, if available.

• Extended Command Set
The GOLDELOX module supports a built in micro-SD (µSD) memory card. It can also support an external SD or MMC type card. These commands are specific to the memory card related operations. Graphics commands in the form of objects can be stored into the memory card and later recalled under user control.

For more details about µOLED 4D Systems products, please send us an email at sales@glyn.com.au