Compact-disc maker Prodisc Technology Inc. recently introduced a new light-emitting-diode (LED) desk lamp that is claimed to overcome a shortcoming of other LED lamps: the high-intensity glare.

Behind this improvement, says Michael Ho, a senior special assistant in the Prodisc chairman`s office, is the company`s patented "TRIO" optical technology. The word "TRIO," Ho explains, refers to the three optical-filter films that make up the lamp`s cover.


The first film is a focal lens, which, according to the special assistant, enhances the intensity of LED light by focusing it into a far-reaching point. "The lens boosts the intensity from 45 to 60 lumens per watt," he says. The desk lamp has eight three-watt LED sources.

Next comes a fresnel film, which controls the light`s angle of reflection with micro-size bumps on its surface, preventing light from shining directly into the eyes. Last is a diffusing film which, as its name implies, diffuses light and spreads it more evenly.

Most Taiwanese optoelectronics manufacturers expanding into the field of LED lighting choose to concentrate on street lights instead of interior lights, but Prodisc has gone against this trend. "Actually," Ho stresses, "reading lamps demand higher technology than street lamps, because reading lamps are associated with the eyesight of the end users."

Taiwan`s Only LED Reading Lamps

He reports that his company developed the "TRIO" technology without much trouble, since the three films involved are the respective specialties of the firm`s optical device, storage media, and lens businesses. "With `TRIO,`" Ho comments, "we`re the only Taiwanese manufacturer that is now able to turn out LED lamps specifically for reading."

With a streamlined-shell design and a bell-bottom stand, Prodisc`s lamp has been given the Italianesque code name "Lumen Arte." The clamshell design allows the lamp to be folded for storage, and it comes with a touch panel that serves as a dimmer and on-off switch (codenamed "E-Touch").

Ho claims that he has received more phone calls about the new lamp than he can handle. "Most of the calls are from upstream manufacturers in the LED lighting sector," he says, "because they still cannot resolve the problem of glare for their downstream customers."

Prodisc has worked out three business models for its "TRIO" lamps; in addition to selling the "Lumen Arte" lamps (at a price per unit of about NT$7,000, or US$212 at NT$33:US$1), the company will also market patents to packagers and modules to lighting-fixture manufacturers. "Our plan is to target European and Japanese LED makers for our patent, mainland Chinese manufacturers for our modules, and European and Japanese customers for our lamps," Ho reports.

He also says that the main target for the company`s licensing effort right now is Lumiled, a big LED-chip packager owned by Phillips.

By 2012 Prodisc plans to concentrate exclusively on fresnel technology in its LED-lighting operations, because, comments Ho, "The global LED-lighting market is expected to begin taking off in 2010 or 2011, because LED prices will fall sharply by then, and we have the most mature fresnel technology of any Taiwanese manufacturer."

Focal Lens Boosts Light

The company also has a strong advantage in focal lenses, which have an amplification effect that gives its LED lamps at least 10 times the efficiency of other products. These focal lenses were first used with backlighting modules in mobile phones, a logical application because, Ho explains, "With this lens you don`t need too many LEDs in a handset." The lens also helps Lumen Arte lamps to achieve a light intensity up to 1,200 lux.

The new "TRIO" technology was announced only in May this year, and the company offered its LED desk lamps (which carry a 40,000-hour life-span warranty) on TV shopping channels beginning in late July. An improved "TRIO" lamp is expected out in October. Ho reports that the upgraded version will sport a color-rendering controller that is capable of switching the rendering index within the 2,700K-6,700K range. Normally, the higher the index, the colder the light appears.

In the future, Ho says, his company will apply its "TRIO" technology to streetlights and projection lamps in order to consolidate its technological dominance: "We have to take pre-emptive action to secure a position in the LED lighting market. Our strength is in desk lamps, but we can expand from them into other fields."

Prodisc decided to branch into the LED-lighting sector early this year as part of a diversification plan designed to boost operating profits, which had declined sharply because of intense competition in the optical-disc market. Now, Ho moans, "The gross margin in the disc business is below zero, which means that each disc is produced at a loss."

Another result of the diversification policy is polycarbonate (PC) eyeglasses, which originated in astronaut helmet shields. "This is a durable and safe material," Ho notes, "and the U.S. government requires it to be used for eyeglasses for children under 13 years old." He says that PC lenses occupy about 33% of the eyesight-correction lens market in the U.S.

The company develops only products that can use its current equipment. "Every new product we develop fits our existing machines," Ho explains, "so that we don`t have to spend money on new equipment.
(by Ken Liu)