Patents Examined by David Nelms
  • Patent number: 8023073
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (“LCD”) includes forming only a ?/4 plate between a polarizer and a display panel and setting a direction of an absorption axis of the polarizer and a slow axis of the ?/4 plate, so that the LCD can have a smaller thickness and its fabrication cost can be reduced while having better or the same characteristics than an LCD using both ?/2 and ?/4 plates. In addition, in an ECB mode backlit LCD, transmittance, contrast ratio, and viewing angles can be enhanced by attaching both the ?/4 or ?/2 plate and allowing the absorption axis of the polarizer and the slow axis of the ?/4 and ?/2 plates to have predetermined angle relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Woo Kim, Cheong-Haeng Lee, Won-Sang Park, Young-Joo Chang, Jun-Young Lee, Sung-Wook Kang, Jae-Young Lee, Hae-Young Yun, Jae-Ik Lim, Seung-Kyu Lee, Chang-Woo Shim, Yong-Suk Yeo, Ji-Youn Choi
  • Patent number: 8018557
    Abstract: A retardation compensator 40 for compensating for residual retardation of a liquid crystal panel 11 includes a retardation compensating plate 50 having birefringence. An in-plane retardation R0c of the retardation compensating plate 50 and an in-plane retardation R0p of the liquid crystal panel 11 satisfy a relationship of 1<R0c/R0p?10, thereby allowing changes in the amount of compensated retardation among rotation angles occurring when the retardation compensating plate 50 is set with respect to the liquid crystal panel 11 to be confined within narrow limits. Therefore, the contrast can be adjusted readily, and variations in residual retardation among the individual liquid crystal panels 11 can be accommodated flexibly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Muramoto, Satoshi Sekino, Hideki Terashima, Tatsuya Harima, Sachie Shoji, Noriaki Doi, Tokuhiro Morioka
  • Patent number: 8018540
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a manufacturing method thereof. The liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a plurality of gate lines and data lines disposed on the first substrate and crossing each other to define a plurality of pixels, a plurality of thin film transistors connected to the gate lines and the data lines, a plurality of color filters disposed on the thin film transistors, a partition to divide the color filters, a plurality of pixel electrodes connected to the thin film transistors, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a common electrode disposed on the second substrate, the common electrode forming a liquid crystal capacitor and a storage capacitor along with the pixel electrode, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoung-Ju Shin, Chong-Chul Chai, Se-Young Song
  • Patent number: 8018564
    Abstract: An LCD device includes plurality of gate lines and data lines crossing each other to define pixel regions on a substrate. A thin film transistor (TFT) resides at a crossing portion of the gate lines and the data lines and a pixel electrode is electrically connected with the TFT. The TFT includes a gate electrode, a gate insulation layer on the gate electrode and a semiconductor layer on the gate insulation layer. A portion of the data line and the semiconductor layer form a composite layer between adjacent pixel electrodes in which a line width of data line is the same as a line width of semiconductor layer. A method of fabricating the LCD device includes etching a passivation layer using a mask pattern and etching the semiconductor layer using the mask pattern and a portion of the data line as an etch mask to form the composite layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Il Lee, Seung Kwang Roh
  • Patent number: 8013957
    Abstract: The construction of electrodes for liquid-crystal displays using larger grain lower absorption (LGLA) poly-Si showing an absorptivity below 20% in the visible light region is described. Integration in the manufacturing of substrates for active-matrix LCDs is shown. Source, drain and channel region (108b, 108c, 108d) of the TFTs as well as the pixel-electrode (108e) are formed conjointly in a single poly-Si layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Zhiguo Meng, Man Wong, Hoi Sing Kwok
  • Patent number: 8013967
    Abstract: Two electrodes parallel to each other are formed on one of two substrates, homeotropic alignment films are formed on the substrates and a liquid crystal material having positive dielectric anisotropy is injected between the substrates. When a voltage is applied to the two electrodes, a parabolic electric field between the electrodes drives the liquid crystal molecules. Since the generated electric field is symmetrical with respect to the boundary-plane equal distance from each of the two electrodes, the liquid crystal molecules are symmetrically aligned with respect to the boundary-plane, and the optical characteristic is compensated in both regions divided by the boundary-plane, thereby obtaining a wide viewing angle. The electric field does not exert influences on the liquid crystal molecules on the boundary-plane since the electric field on the boundary-plane is parallel to the substrates and perpendicular to the two electrodes; and thus, it is perpendicular to the liquid crystal molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyeong-Hyeon Kim, Jung-Uk Shim, Seung-Beom Park, Jang-Kun Song
  • Patent number: 8013966
    Abstract: A display panel is provided. The display panel includes a substrate and a pixel electrode disposed on the substrate and having a pair of first primary edges facing each other and a pair of second primary edges connected to the first primary edges and facing each other, wherein the second primary edges include a plurality of protrusions of the pixel electrode having the shape of sawteeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee-Wook Do, Yeon-Ju Kim, Yoon-Sung Um, Hak-Sun Chang, Seung-Hoo Yoo, Hyun-Wuk Kim, Jae-Jin Lyu, Chang-Hun Lee
  • Patent number: 8009262
    Abstract: A flat panel display has an optically-transparent electrically-conductive layer, especially an indium tin oxide layer, directly formed on an outer front surface of a liquid crystal display (LCD) assembly having a front plate, a rear plate, and a layer of liquid crystal material interposed between said front and rear plates. The optically-transparent electrically-conductive layer is preferably uniform and functions as an integral heater when connected to a direct current power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: American Panel Corporation
    Inventor: William R. Dunn
  • Patent number: 8009258
    Abstract: A display panel including a substrate and a plurality of films for carrying chips is provided. The substrate has a display region and a non-display region located at one side of the display region. The non-display region has a plurality of pad regions, and each pad region has a plurality of first leads and at least one first displacement measuring mark disposed therein. The first displacement measuring mark is located at at least one side of all the first leads. The films for carrying chips are correspondingly sticking on the substrate. Each film for carrying chips has a plurality of second leads and at least one second displacement measuring mark. The second displacement measuring mark is located at least one side of all the second leads and is corresponding to the first displacement measuring mark. The second leads are correspondingly connected with the first leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yung-Chien Chen
  • Patent number: 8009244
    Abstract: Plural light-emitting diodes are disposed in an on-line arrangement on a surface a circuit board facing an optical guide and spacers having a projecting dimension larger than the projecting dimension of this light-emitting diode from the surface are disposed adjacent to the light-emitting diode on the surface of the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Toriyama, Norihisa Fukayama, Saburo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8009263
    Abstract: A bistable display having one or more permanent hideable mark, and a method of forming the permanent hideable mark, are described. The permanent hideable mark can be hidden and revealed numerous times without loss of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Xiang-Dong Mi, Stanley W. Stephenson, III
  • Patent number: 8004621
    Abstract: A display apparatus has a switchable birefringent lens array. The display apparatus produces a substantially linearly polarised output. The lens array comprises birefringent material arranged between a planar surface of a first substrate and a relief substrate of a second substrate defining an array of cylindrical lenses. The lens array has electrodes for applying a control voltage across the birefringent material for electrically switching the birefringent material between a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode the lens array modifies the directional distribution of incident light polarised in a predetermined direction. In the second mode the lens array has substantially no effect on incident light polarised in said predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Graham John Woodgate, Jonathan Harrold
  • Patent number: 8004639
    Abstract: An LCD panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, alignment protrusions and a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate includes pixel units arranged in an array. Each of the pixel units has at least one reflection area and one transmittance area. The first substrate has concaves in the reflection areas. The second substrate is above the first substrate. The first substrate or the second substrate has at least one padding layer in the reflection area. The alignment protrusions having approximately the same height are disposed on the second substrate and located in centers of each of the reflections and the transmittance areas. In the reflection area, a group of the alignment protrusions are in the concaves to keep a gap from the first substrate. The other group of the alignment protrusions outside of the concaves contact with the first substrate directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shih-Chyuan Fan Jiang, Ching-Huan Lin, Chih-Ming Chang
  • Patent number: 8004179
    Abstract: A display apparatus has a switchable birefringent lens array. The display apparatus produces a substantially linearly polarised output. The lens array comprises birefringent material arranged between a planar surface of a first substrate and a relief substrate of a second substrate defining an array of cylindrical lenses. The lens array has electrodes for applying a control voltage across the birefringent material for electrically switching the birefringent material between a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode the lens array modifies the directional distribution of incident light polarised in a predetermined direction. In the second mode the lens array has substantially no effect on incident light polarised in said predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Graham John Woodgate, Jonathan Harrold
  • Patent number: 7999882
    Abstract: A liquid crystal module includes a rear frame, a light reflecting sheet, a cold cathode tube, an optical sheet, a liquid crystal panel, a pair of lead wires and a pair of lamp sockets. The rear frame has an access opening. The cold cathode tube is disposed above the light reflecting sheet in an interior of the rear frame and having a pair of electric terminals at both end portions of the cold cathode tube. The pair of lead wires is connected to the electric terminals to form connected portions. The lead wires extend through the access opening of the rear frame from the interior of the rear frame. The pair of lamp sockets is fixedly attached to the both end portions of the cold cathode tube and fitted into the access opening of the rear frame to support the cold cathode tube with respect to the rear frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kota Sakuma
  • Patent number: 7995159
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus, includes a liquid crystal panel including a first substrate, a second substrate disposed in an opposing relationship to the first substrate with a space left, and a liquid crystal layer provided in the space between the first and second substrates, the liquid crystal panel including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are provided on the faces of the first and second substrates which oppose to each other such that illuminating light irradiated from the first substrate side upon the second substrate side is transmitted through the pixel region to display an image, and the liquid crystal panel further including a light scattering layer provided on the face of the first substrate on which the illuminating light is illuminated and configured to scatter and transmit the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Harumi Okuno, Osamu Ishige, Masumitsu Ino
  • Patent number: 7995158
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus is provided in which occurrence of a moiré pattern can be prevented without largely reducing front luminance. A liquid crystal display apparatus 1 includes a surface light source 4, a liquid crystal display panel 2, and first and second prism sheets 5 and 6 for condensing light emitted from the surface light source 4 and guiding the light toward the liquid crystal display panel. The first and second prism sheets 5 and 6 are disposed such that prism array directions thereof are orthogonal to each other. When a pixel pitch of the liquid crystal display panel 2 is defined as Pp [?m]; a prism array pitch of the first prism sheet 5 is defined as Px [?m]; and a prism array pitch of the second prism sheet 6 is defined as Py [?m], relationships of Px?Pp/(14?0.045 Pp) and Py?Pp/(11.5?0.032 Pp) are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyohiro Kimura, Makoto Aoki, Jun Sasaki, Toru Abiko
  • Patent number: 7995170
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display apparatus in which a liquid crystal domain having radially tilted orientation is formed in a pixel, high-quality reflection display with occurrence of an afterimage being suppressed is attained. The liquid crystal display apparatus of this invention includes a first substrate 110a, a second substrate 110b and a vertically aligned liquid crystal layer 120 placed therebetween, and has pixels each including a first electrode 111, a second electrode 131 and a liquid crystal layer located therebetween. The first substrate includes a reflection layer 116 having a concave/convex surface and an insulating layer 117 formed to cover the reflection layer. The first electrode 111 is placed on the insulating layer 117 and has a shape defined to exert alignment regulating force with which at least one liquid crystal domain having radially tilted orientation is formed in the liquid crystal layer in a voltage applied state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriaki Onishi, Kazuhiko Tamai, Takaaki Okamoto, Nobukazu Nagae
  • Patent number: 7990482
    Abstract: An electro-optical device that displays a multiple viewing point image includes an electro-optical panel that has a plurality of pixels and includes at least a first substrate having transparency, a touch panel that detects contact in accordance with a change in electrostatic capacitance and includes a second substrate having transparency, a barrier layer that is formed on a face of the second substrate which is located on the first substrate side, has an opening part disposed in correspondence with an area between the adjacent pixels, and has a light shielding property, and a detection electrode that is formed on a face of the second substrate which is located on a side apart from the first substrate, has transparency, is used for detecting contact depending on a change in electrostatic capacitance. The second substrate and the first substrate are fixed with the barrier layer interposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Shinohara
  • Patent number: 7990515
    Abstract: A bistable display having one or more permanent hideable mark, and a method of forming the permanent hideable mark, are described. The permanent hideable mark can be hidden and revealed numerous times without loss of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Xiang-Dong Mi, Stanley W. Stephenson, III