Vol.2 No.3 (September, 2007)

Special Issue: REAL IT PLATFORM

MURAYAMA Yoshikazu
Senior Vice President

OKADA Takayuki Associate Senior Vice President
ITO Yukio Associate Vice President

With the steady deployment of NGN, our world is accelerating toward the era of the Ubiquitous Society. In order to respond to the needs of the corporate systems that will be required by the Ubiquitous Society of tomorrow, IT Platform Business Unit of NEC has unveiled a development roadmap called "REAL IT PLATFORM." The "REAL" in the vision's name has two meanings: it stands for our commitment to the REALization of the next-generation IT that provides on-time real solutions optimized for the needs and circumstances of the customer, and it signifies our pursuit of a REAL (true) next-generation platform.
In this special issue, we would like to provide the reader with an understanding of the background and key technologies necessary to realize the "REAL IT PLATFORM."

Servers

YOKOYAMA Jun, SUZUKI Kenichi, SUZUKI Kumiko, KAWAGUCHI Shinichi

The integrated enterprise server NX7700i/5080H-64 offers a high-performance, high-reliability and highly flexible environment using the original "A³ chipset" and enables the vision of "REAL IT PLATFORM." This paper introduces the NEC designed "A³ chipset" and the technologies incorporated in a scalable, reliable, and flexible system implemented using Dual-Core Intel Itanium2 processors.

KOSEKI Yasuharu, MATSUSHITA Junichi

While increases in the amounts of information and diversification of the modes of information usage have tended to increase the need for more information handling capacity and higher-speed processing, information systems are increasing their social impact and are creating strong pressures to improve availability.
The ft server NEC announced in February 2006 implements the flexibility and availability that can meet the current needs of an industry-standard, open platform. This paper introduces the features and key technologies of the core LSI "GeminiEngine" component of the ft server.

Storages

OHTANI Hiroyuki, YOSHITA Hiromitsu, YOSHIKAWA Akihiro,
FUJIMORI Hideaki, TAKIYANAGI Masumi, TANAKA Yoji

The explosive dissemination of broadband in recent years has increased the exchange of various types of data via the Internet, leading to an annual increase of 160% in the amount of data used in E-mails and movie contents. With regard to storage for use in IT systems, the issues attracting most attention are considered to be sudden increases in the data volumes, complications of management and the impacts of shutdowns. This paper discusses solutions to these issues, including "iStorage D8" featuring scalability, manageability and availability and "iStorage D1/D3" featuring high cost efficiency, easy introduction and space saving design.

SUGIHARA Tomoe, KISAKI Shunsuke, NAKAJIMA Toshiro
MIZUMACHI Hiroaki, KATO Mitsugu

HYDRAstor is a grid storage product developed in accordance with the NEC's three REAL IT PLATFORM concepts of "Flexibility,""Security" and "Comfort," in order to resolve serious issues surrounding storage in recent years. This paper introduces the state-of-the-art grid storage architecture of HYDRAstor and introduces its core technologies, Dynamic Topology, DataRedux and Distributed Resilient Data.

Software

EGETA Shusaku, KAITE Ikuo, JINNO Eri

In order to prepare for the advent of the ubiquitous society, computer systems are required to offer a higher reliability than ever before. One of the solutions to this requirement is the CLUSTERPRO, software for improving server system availability by introducing clustering technology. This paper is intended to describe the function and performance of the latest version, CLUSTERPRO X, together with details of NEC's efforts aimed at assimilating the latest technologies and an appraisal of future perspectives.

MIURA Kazuki

Recently, security measures are influenced by the open implementation of IT systems. What kinds of security measures and support products are required to effectively and flexibly enhance such systems when customer systems are becoming so diversified? This paper discusses the "cooperative security" based InfoCage, which has been developed in order to deal with the needs and issues related to security measures that affect individual products and persons, as well as the overall governance of individual organizations.

SHIBUYA Junichi, FUJITA Satoru

As we advance toward the NGN era, the development of enterprise information systems seems likely to increase in importance to an even higher level than ever by supporting further enhancements in enterprise competitiveness. The next-generation service execution infrastructure WebOTX has renewed the product lineup supporting the development of enterprise information systems by providing a rapid service developing environment, high-speed processing of large volumes of information and execution infrastructures that improve reliability. This paper is intended to introduce the product strategy for the next-generation service execution infrastructure WebOTX and to outline its latest solutions.

Thin Client

KAWASHIMA Hiroyuki, KOSHIBA Kunihiro, TUCHIMOCHI Kazuki,
FUTAMURA Kazuhiro, ENOMOTO Masahiko, WATANABE Masahiro

NEC has developed VirtualPCCenter, a thin client system with a completely new concept that virtualizes integrates entire personal computer environments on servers, and also developed the US100, a dedicated terminal for the system. Features that deserve special mention with regards to the VirtualPCCenter include a diverse range of functions intended to adjust the balance of the load on virtual PCs, as well as to improve operability. Furthermore, the US100 offers an animation playback accelerator capability, considered unsuitable for thin clients, as well as a software phone, featuring a superior sound quality and lower incidence of acoustic delay. This paper introduces features of the VirtualPCCenter and US100.

Special Issue: Video Display Technology

YAMAZAKI Takahiro
Senior Vice President,
NEC Display Solutions, Ltd.

A consequence of the evolution of information technology is the diversified forms that information assumes. In this context, video display devices play the role of output equipment in a wide range of applications. The NEC Group is developing several types of video display devices for different application scenarios, ranging from portable, compact sizes to large-size applications such as movie theater screens. In this special issue, in addition to the most important product technology trends, we will introduce the latest trends on device technologies such as LCD and backlight.

Corporate Profile

In April 2007, the projector business of NEC Viewtechnology, Ltd. was merged with the desktop and large-screen LCD businesses of NEC Display Solutions, Ltd. to form a total display solutions company – the new NEC Display Solutions, Ltd.
Operating on a global scope, the company is developing the very latest in display technology that delivers standards of image quality, performance, functionality and, of course, ease of use that meet application requirements and stand up to challenging environments in every imaginable display scene. Applying this technology, the company is then providing a broad portfolio of cutting-edge display equipment and offering customers total solutions for their display-related equipment needs.

"Together with our customers, we will create New Solutions for New and Emerging Markets." With these words as its management concept, NEC LCD Technologies is streamlining innovation and maximizing the speed and flexibility of its response to the increasingly diverse and sophisticated customer needs. The integration of manufacturing and marketing, achieved with the merger of the LCD manufacturing subsidiaries NEC Akita, Ltd. and NEC Kagoshima, Ltd. with the parent company NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd. has created both business and management efficiencies that promise more advanced display solutions and even greater customer satisfaction.

Monitors

HAYASHI Atsunori, HOSOKAWA Hiromi, TAKECHI Yoshihiro

Public display enables the transfer of a range of real-time information at public locations where many people may gather. NEC Display Solutions, Ltd. entered the public display market and released public display products to meet the diverse needs of the market long before other manufacturers took an interest in it. This paper introduces the installation of these products in various environments and also discusses the functions that are wanted by the market for public display products.

MIYAMOTO Tsuneo, NAGANO Satoru, IGARASHI Naoto

Following increases in widescreen representations of visual content, the launch of Windows Vista and the increase in the number of multi-display users, LCDs for IT applications are tending to shift toward the widescreen display. This paper introduces three widescreen LCD models that are leading this trend. These are the LCD2690WUXi/LCD2490WUXi pro-use models targeted at graphics display professionals and the LCD2470WNX high-end model targeted at commercial use and the general market. All of these models are compatible with widescreen signals up to WUXGA and have the capability of displaying full-HD (1080p) signals including HDCP. They are also support a wide range of applications including graphics, financial and medical solutions as well as TV and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) displays. These professional use and high-end models not only boast widescreens but also feature improved performances, including brightness, contrast and color gamut. Environmental considerations such as reduced power consumption as well as versatile functions and human interfaces are also featured.

Modules

FUJIMOTO Kazushi, SUZUKI Hiroshi, ISHIDA Hiroshi, KADOTANI Tsutomu

The advancement of IT applications in the medical field has increased the need for digital display devices. An LCD for use in interpretation should provide a high quality display that is equivalent to or better than traditional X-ray photo films. It is also required to achieve high degrees of brightness, contrast ratio, viewing angle characteristics and uniformity of brightness as well as consistent reliability. In support of such challenging display quality criteria for medical monitors, NEC LCD Technologies is able to offer LCD monitors composed of LCD panels based on SFT technology. These units feature low color shift, higher aperture ratio and high definition and have a direct backlight type panel that features a high degree of brightness and improved brightness uniformity.

YANO Takakazu, MIWA Tomoo

Since industrial display modules have very diverse applications, which include instrument measuring, ATM terminals, POS terminals, copiers, ticket venders, auto vending machines, machine tool monitors and broadcasting monitors etc., they should be designed assuming use in all the conceivable environments. This paper is intended to introduce examples of use and application of LCD modules applying the SFT technology that is the core technology of NEC LCD Technologies as well as the NLT technology and the adaptive design technology. In closing, this paper also proposes a display solution using an LED backlight as an example of adaptive technology.

YAMAGUCHI Hisashi, ITO Yukihiro

The progress of the ubiquitous information society has led to the debut of various portable terminals such as the PDA, SmartPhone and PND (Personal Navigation Device). This paper will describe the SR-NLT technology, which is a display technology suitable for LCD modules for use in portable terminals. It also introduces some products based on this technology.

SUGITANI Chouei, TAKAHASHI Kei

A growing number of LCD displays for the manufacturing industry are being equipped with backlights that use LED as their light source instead of the conventional cold-cathode tube.
The LED backlight modules developed by NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd. achieve a slimmer profile, lighter weight, and lower power consumption than those that use a CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) as the light source.
In the future, we will continue to address the issues of extending luminosity longevity as well as improving backlight visual quality, putting full effort into the development of LCD display modules that meet the needs of our customers through various efforts such as upgrading backlight matching technology and tie-ups with LED manufacturers.

SAKAMOTO Michiaki, MORI Kenichi, Nagai Hiroshi,
NAKA Kenichirou, INOUE Daisuke

In the context of the current trend in the advancement of digital TV technologies, there is an increased demand for our wide viewing angle range and transflective liquid crystal modules. In order to meet this demand, NEC LCD Technologies has developed two main technologies; a) our original compensation technology to solve display issues that the color tone is reversed between reflection and transmission modes when employing the IPS LCD (liquid crystal display) mode, and b) a fine comb-shaped electrode processing technology for unevenly surfaced reflectors. Wide-angle transflective SFT (Super-Fine-TFT) LCD panels have been developed as a result of these technologies. The transflective SFT LCD panel features superior characteristics in terms of improved transmissivity and reduced thickness compared to the conventional transflective LCD panel. It is expected that it will soon be employed for high grade mobile LCD monitors.

Projectors

TAKAMATSU Hiroaki, MASUDA Naoki, LEE Junsi,
NISHIMURA Yoshifumi, SAKAI Shigenori, TANI Yusuke

In its efforts to increase luminance and decrease the size of projectors, NEC has developed a new cooling technology that supports high-density packaging and also features an industry-first use of a small air pump.
The latest projector models have incorporated this technology achieving a luminance of 3,000lm from a lightest-in-the-class 1.6kg body weight.

NEC Information

News