Futaba GP1045A13A APPLICATION NOTE

A

AN-E-3197

APPLICATION NOTE

VACUUM FLUORESCENT DISPLAY MODULE

GRAPHIC DISPLAY MODULE

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

FUTABA GP1045A13A is a graphic display module using a FUTAB
256×64 VFD.
Consisting of a VFD, display drivers and a control circuit, the module

can be driven by connecting to the host system through a simple
interface.

GP1045A13A

AN-E-3197

[Important Safety Notice]

Important Safety Notice

!

Please read this note carefully before using the product.

Warning

• The module should be disconnected from the power supply before handling.

• The power supply should be switched off before connecting or disconnecting the power

or interface cables.

• The module contains electronic components that generate high voltages (approx. 70V)

which may cause an electrical shock when touched.

• Do not touch the electronic components of the module with any metal objects.

• The VFD used on the module is made of glass and should be handled with care.

When handling the VFD, it is recommended that cotton gloves be used.

• The module is equipped with a circuit protection fuse.

• Under no circumstances should the module be modified or repaired.

Any unauthorized modifications or repairs will invalidate the product warranty.

• The module should be abolished as the factory waste.

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1. FEATURES

1-1. High quality and long life can be achieved with FUTABA VFD.

1-2. Being equipped with VFD driver ICs, a controller, Kanji character generator ROM,

RS-232C interface IC and PSU.

1-3. Compact and light weight unit by using packed display drivers and one chip VFD controller.

1-4. It realizes displaying a Kanji character by RS-232C serial communication.

2. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

2-1. Outer dimension, Weight, (Refer to FIGURE-1)

Table-1

Item Specification Unit

(W) 230.0±0.8

Outer dimension

(H) 88.5±0.8

mm

(T) 29.3 Max.

Weight Approx. 320 g

2-2.Display specification

Table-2

Item Specification Unit

Display area

No. of pixels

Dot size

Dot pitch

Illumination color

163.59(W)×39.43(H)
256(W)×64(H)

0.39(W)×0.37(H)

0.64(W)×0.62(H)

Green (λp=505nm)

mm

dots

mm
mm

−

2-3. Environmental conditions

Table-3

Item Symbol
Operating temperature Topr 0 +50
Storage temperature Tstg -20 +70

MIN MAX Unit

°C
°C

Operating humidity (Note) Hpr 20 80 %
Storage humidity (Note) Hsg 20 90 %
Vibration (10∼55Hz)
Shock

Note) Avoid operations and/or storage in moist environmental conditions.

− −

− −

4 G

40 G

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2-4. Absolute maximum ratings

going

going

Table-4

Item Symbol MIN MAX Unit
Supply voltage Vcc -0.3 5.5 Vdc
Input signal voltage VIS -25 25 V

2-5. Recommended operating conditions

Table-5

Item Symbol MIN TYP MAX Unit
Supply voltage Vcc 4.5 5.0 5.5 Vdc
Receiver positive­input threshold voltage
Receiver negative­input threshold voltage

VIH

−

VIL 0.8

−

2.4 V

− −

V

2-6. Electrical, optical characteristics

Table-6

Item Symbol
Supply current
Power consumption
Luminance

High level output voltage

Low level output voltage

Note1) The surge current can be appox.5 times of specified maximum supply current at power on.
Note2) It indicates the value at 100% luminance adjustment level.

(Note1)

Icc

(Note2)

L

− −

VOH

VOL

Conditions MIN TYP MAX Unit

Vcc=5.0V

All dots on

Vcc=5.0V

IOH=-1.5mA

Vcc=5.0V

IOL=1.5mA

−

200 350

5

-15

1.8 2.4 A
9 12 W

−

−

−

15 V

-5 V

cd/m

2

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3. BASIC FUNCTIONS

3-1. Communication

3-1-1. Data reception

A module processes the reception data, assuming the state of reception prohibition by
disabled RTS signal, when data is transferred to the module.
After processing the data, the module can be ready to receive next data by enabled RTS
signal.
The RTS signal is controlled on the module side.

3-1-2. Communication error

a) When transferred data can not be received properly at host system by the reason of the

transmission failure, the module makes it the transmitted data.

b) In case of the command reception, when the overrun or the flaming error occurs, the

command is ignored.

c) In case of the display data reception, when the overrun or the flaming error occurs, the

display data is ignored.

d) In case of the command reception, when the parity error occurs, the command is

ignored.

e) In case of the display data reception, when the parity error occurs, the display data is

ignored.

f) When an illegal command is received, the command is ignored.

3-2. Data, command write-in

When a Shift-JIS/ANK character code is received, the data is written from the home
position (the most significant digit of the top row) or specified position, which is set by
‘Set virtual cursor’ command. And then the write in position is shifted one digit to the
right automatically.

In case the write-in position is on the least significant digit of the row, the write-in
position is left on the same position and a next character code is overwritten.

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3-3. Command

The following are all commands of the module.

No.

1 Back space without deleting 08H
2 Line feed 0AH
3 Carriage return 0DH
4 Clear display 1BH, 5BH, 32H, 4AH
5 Set virtual cursor 1BH, 5BH, (Py)H, 3BH, (Px)H, 48H
6 Delete to end of line 1BH, 5BH, 30H, 4BH
7 Dimming 1BH, 5CH, 3FH, 4CH, 44H, (Ps)H
8 Cursor mode 1BH, 5CH, 3FH, 4CH, 43H, (Ps)H
9 Screen Mode 1BH, 5CH, 3FH, 4CH, 53H, (Ps)H

10 Horizontal scroll 1BH, 5CH, 3FH, 4CH, 48H

11 Display mode set for blinking mode 1BH,5BH,35H,6DH

Display mode set for reverse mode 1BH,5BH,37H,6DH
Reset of display mode set

12

User definable font set by 24×24 dots
User definable font set by 12×24 dots
User definable font set by 16×16 dots
User definable font set by 8×16 dots
User definable font set by ANK (5×7 dots)

13 Graphic display mode 1BH,5CH,3FH,4CH,47H

14 Double size letter in horizontal 1BH,23H,Ps
15 Character code set of Full size letter The following are Display character code

16 Character code set of Half size letter The following are Display character code

17 Horizontal scroll on all lines

(Scroll mode select command)

Horizontal scroll on all lines

Display mode set

Horizontal scroll on all lines

Scroll start command

Horizontal scroll on all lines

Release command of scroll mode
18 Descriptor control 1BH,5CH,3FH,44H,53H,Ps
19 Descriptor blink control 1BH,5CH,3FH,44H,42H,Ps

Other codes except the above are ignored.

Command description Command code

Table-7

(Pm)H, 3BH, (Pl)H, 3BH, (Pt)H ,3BH, (Pn)H,
3BH, (Pd)H

1BH,5BH,30H,6DH
1BH,5CH,3FH,4CH,57H,35H

Pf,3BH,Pn,3BH,Pc,3BH,Pd...Pd
1BH,5CH,3FH,4CH,57H,34H

Pf,3BH,Pn,3BH,Pc,3BH,Pd...Pd
1BH,5CH,3FH,4CH,57H,33H

Pf,3BH,Pn,3BH,Pc,3BH,Pd...Pd
1BH,5CH,3FH,4CH,57H,32H

Pf,3BH,Pn,3BH,Pc,3BH,Pd...Pd
1BH,5CH,3FH,4CH,57H,31H

Pf,3BH,Pn,3BH,Pc,3BH,Pd...Pd

Px,3BH,Py,3BH,Ph,3BH,Pw,3BH,Pd...Pd

(2 bytes code)

(1 byte code)
1BH,5CH,3FH,4CH,4DH,53H

1BH,5DH3FH,4CH,4DH,
Pm,3BH,Pl,3BH,Pc,3BH,Pn,3BH,Pd…Pd
1BH,5DH3FH,4CH,4DH,47H

1BH,5DH3FH,4CH,4DH,45H

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3-3-1. Back space without deleting (08H)

The write-in position is shifted to the left one digit and displaying screen is not changed.
This command is ignored when write-in position is on the least significant digit.

3-3-2. Line Feed (0AH)

The write-in position is shifted to the next row on the same digit position.
When the write-in position is on the bottom row, the displayed character is scrolled up to
the upper row and all characters on the bottom row are cleared. The write in position is not
changed.
The displayed character under the screen mode of the 24×24dot 1row + 16×16dot 2rows is
not scrolled up from the row of 16×16 dot format to 24×24 dot.

3-3-3. Carriage return (0DH)

The write-in position is shifted to the most significant digit of the same row.
When the write-in position is on the most significant digit, this is ignored.

3-3-4. Clear display (1BH,5BH,32H,4AH)

All the displayed character are erased. The write-in position is not changed.

3-3-5. Set virtual cursor (1BH,5BH,Py,3BH,Px,48H)

Instead of writing the character from the first digit, the write-in start position can be
pointed with this command.
The write-in position is shifted with Py, Px.( It is based on the half size letter of the font,
which is specified by Screen Mode.)
Py indicates the position of the row and Px the digit.
Py and Px have to be defined under the following conditions.

1) Py=0, Py=1(31H)

2) Py>bottom row, Py=bottom row

3) Px=0, Px=1(31H)

4) Px>least digit, Px=least digit

When ESC [H' (1BH,5BH,48H,27H) command is input, the write-in position moves to
home position (Py=1, Px=1).

3-3-6. Delete to end of line (1BH,5BH,30H,4BH)

The displayed characters from the write-in position to the end on the same row are erased.
The write-in position is not shifted.

3-3-7. Dimming (1BH,5CH,3FH,4CH,44H,Ps)

Luminance can be adjusted into six levels by using this function.
The following one byte data, after writing 1BH 5CH 3FH 4CH 44H, is written to change
dimming level.
When the module is turned on , it is set to dimming level 5 (100%).

Table-8

Ps Luminance(%)
0 (30H) 0
1 (31H) 31.6
2 (32H) 45.0
3 (33H) 58.8
4 (34H) 79.4
5 (35H) 100

3-3-8. Cursor mode (1BH,5CH,3FH,4CH,43H,Ps)

This is only available under the screen mode of 5×7dot, 8rows.
The following one-byte data (Ps), after writing 1BH 5CH 3FH 4CH 43H, is written to
change the cursor mode. The cursor is always displayed at the write-in position.

The cursor is formed by 5 dots located at the bottom of 5×7 dot matrix character font.

Table -9

Ps Select mode
0 (30H) No Lighting
1 (31H) Blinking
2 (32H) Lighting

a) No Lighting mode

The cursor is not displayed on.
When the power is turned on, no lighting mode is selected automatically.

b) Blinking mode

The cursor is repeated ON and OFF every 0.3 seconds on the blank digit.

c) Lighting mode

The cursor is displayed on.
When the write-in position is assigned to the digit on where a character is displayed,
the cursor is displayed on, instead of the character displayed.

3-3-9. Screen mode (1BH,5CH,3FH,4CH,53H,Ps)

Table -10

Ps Screen mode Note
1(31H)
2(32H)
3(33H)
4(34H)

24×24dots, 12×24dots 2rows

24×24dots 1row+16×16dots 2rows

5×7 dots 8rows

16×16dots, 8×16dots 3rows

(12×24dots, 8×16dots)
5(35H)
6(36H)

16×16dots, 8×16dots 4rows

4×7(Indicator)+16×16dots 3rows,

8×16dots 3rows

7(37H)

16×16dots 3rows,

8×16dots 3rows+4×7(Indicator)

Ps=1 (31H) / 5×7 dots with 8 rows

1 Line

Space

1 Line

Space

CH1

CH42

CH85

CH127

CH169

CH211

CH253

CH295

256 dots

default

CH42

CH84

CH126

CH168

CH210

CH252

CH294

CH336

64 dots

2 Line

Space

1 Line

Space

2 Line

Space

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Ps=2 (32H) / 16×16dots, 8×16dots with 3 rows

256 dots

CH16

CH32

CH48

8 Lines

Space

8 Lines

Space

CH1

CH17

CH33

Ps=3 (33H) / 24×24dots, 12×24dots with 2 rows

4 Lines
Space

8 Lines
Space

4 Lines
Space

CH1

CH11

8 Lines
Space

CH2

CH12

256 dots

CH9 CH10

CH20 CH19

8 Lines

Space

Ps=4 (34H) / 24×24dots with 1 row+16×16dots with 2 rows (12×24dots, 8×16dots)

8 Lines
Space

256 dots

8 Lines

Space

64 dots

64dots

4 Lines
Space

4 Lines
Space

CH11

Ps=5 (35H) / 16×16dots, 8×16dots with 4 rows

CH1

CH17

CH33

CH49

256 dots

CH10 CH1

CH16

CH32

CH48

CH64

CH26

CH42 CH27

64 dots

64 dots

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