TCL Corp., the Chinese television and mobile phone maker, and U.S. technology firm Genesis Microchip Inc. are planning a joint laboratory to upgrade the quality of flat-panel and digital televisions for the Chinese market, state media reported Monday.

In a deal reached earlier this month, the two companies agreed to set up the laboratory at TCL's Development Center in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, according to a statement from Genesis Microchip, which is based in San Jose, California. Genesis, which makes image controllers for flat panel computer monitors, is to provide engineering, technology and marketing support, while TCL will manage the lab's daily operations, it said. Chips developed by the lab will be used for TCL's four major products–liquid crystal display TVs, plasma TVs, projection TVs and cathode ray tube TVs–the Xinhua News Agency reported. Financial details were not disclosed.

TCL will market the televisions produced by the joint research under the brand name "DDHD by Faroudja," Genesis said, explaining that the name stands for Digital Dynamic High Definition. Faroudja is a video technology developed by Genesis.