Patents Examined by Michael Inadomi
  • 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: 7986391
    Abstract: An exemplary liquid crystal display (50) includes plural integrated circuit bonding regions (51), plural flexible printed circuit bonding regions (52), and plural wires (53). Each of the wires includes a first branch (535) connecting to a corresponding one of the integrated circuit bonding regions, and two second branches (538). Each of the second branches connects between the first branch and a corresponding one of the flexible printed circuit bonding regions. The liquid crystal display can provide high reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventor: De-Ching Shie
  • Patent number: 7982846
    Abstract: A device display includes a light guide with an optical fiber embedded in an optically transparent material, a pixel array that has a pixel aligned with a first end of the optical fiber, and a reflective mechanism provided at a second end of the optical fiber. The reflective mechanism is capable of reflecting light, received by the pixel, back to the pixel via the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Mats Kleverman, Gunnar Klinghult, Mats Wernersson
  • Patent number: 7978301
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is provided with an electrode structure for effective utilization of optically isotropic liquid crystals. Such a liquid crystal display device comprises a first substrate; a second substrate; polarizing plates provided on the first substrate and the second substrate, respectively; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and pixel electrodes and common electrodes provided on the first substrate, wherein the liquid crystal layer has such a property that optical anisotropy is induced therein by a change of an optically isotropic state caused by a voltage; wherein ones of the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes are formed in an inter-digital form, while the other ones are formed in a flat plate, and wherein an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer by a potential difference between the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shintaro Takeda, Osamu Itou, Masaki Matsumori
  • Patent number: 7961277
    Abstract: A display panel using laser cutting technology and a mother substrate thereof are provided. The display panel comprises two base plates opposite to each other, a sealant and a buffering metal layer. The sealant is disposed between the two base plates. The buffering metal layer formed on the inside surface of at least one of the two base plates is disposed along the sealant. At least a portion of the buffering metal layer is positioned outside the sealant. There is a first distance between the rim of the buffering metal layer and the edge of the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Li-Ya Yeh, Shu-Chih Wang
  • Patent number: 7948593
    Abstract: A projector includes: an optical modulator including a liquid crystal cell, a first optical element formed of an optical material having positive uniaxiality, a second optical element formed of an optical material having positive uniaxiality, a third optical element including at least one optical film formed of optical material having a refractive index anisotropy, and a pair of polarization elements; an adjustment mechanism that can adjust an optical azimuth of a first group, having at least one of the first optical element, second optical element, and at least one optical film included in the third optical element, with respect to a fixed optical azimuth of a second group as a remainder excluding the element included in the first group among the first to third optical elements; a light source generating light for illuminating the optical modulator; and a projection optical system projecting the light passed through the optical modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yanai, Takashi Endo
  • Patent number: 7944536
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a first substrate and a second substrate that face each other, a liquid crystal layer that is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, light reflecting films that are selectively provided on the side facing the liquid crystal layer of the first substrate and reflect light entering from the second substrate, light reflecting films that are selectively provided on the side facing the liquid crystal layer of the second substrate, corresponding to the regions of the first substrate where the light reflecting films are not provided and reflect light entering from the first substrate, transmissive electrodes that are selectively provided in the regions of the side facing the liquid crystal layer of the first substrate where the light reflecting films are not provided, and transmissive electrodes that are selectively provided in the regions of the side facing the liquid crystal layer of the second substrate where the light reflecting films are not provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiro Otake
  • Patent number: 7944530
    Abstract: An optical film, which is an optically compensatory film that comprises: at least two optically anisotropic layers comprising a first optically anisotropic layer and a second optically anisotropic layer, wherein the first optically anisotropic layer is formed by mixing two or more liquid crystal compounds having different structures with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Nagai, Akira Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7940366
    Abstract: A display device is provided with a sealing member for sealing a liquid crystal layer between a flexible first substrate and a second substrate, a mounting region provided in a portion of the first substrate outside a display area in which the liquid crystal layer is sealed, the mounting region mounting a circuit component on at least a portion thereof, wherein the second substrate includes an extending region extending to face the mounting region and an adhesive arranged to bond the extending region and the mounting region is provided in at least a portion of a space between the extending region and the mounting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7940348
    Abstract: An electrically conductive film is placed between a contact finger and an electrically conductive polarizing plate which hold a display panel therebetween, and static electricity accumulated in the display panel is released to a front frame through the electrically conductive film and the finger. This structure makes it possible to prevent deterioration in the display quality of a display device due to static electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Nec Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Nishimura, Hiroshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7929065
    Abstract: A LCD hanging-brand using solar energy for advertising, which includes a transparent base, a transparent scaling cover, a PCB board, a picture layer, a LCD sheet, a solar sheet, LEDs, a storage battery and a metal coil. One or more color transparent films can be mounted in the picture layer, and the films can be rotated by a motor or a rotating button. The LCD sheet is transparent when it is not turned on, and the image of the picture layer can be seen through the LCD sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Inventor: Sze Keun Chan
  • Patent number: 7920240
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes an electrode substrate having a pixel electrode and a counter electrode, a counter substrate placed opposite to the electrode substrate, a sealing material formed frame-like surrounding a display area to attach the electrode substrate and the counter substrate, and liquid crystals placed in a space created by the electrode substrate, the counter substrate and the sealing material. The liquid crystal display device also includes an overcoat layer formed on a surface of the counter substrate facing the liquid crystals and placed in the display area. An end of the overcoat layer is located on the inward side with respect to the outer end of the sealing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Yonemura
  • Patent number: 7916223
    Abstract: A LCD device includes first and second LCD panels stacked one on another. Each of the first and second LCD panels includes a pair of transparent substrates, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween, and a pair of polarizing films sandwiching therebetween the pair of transparent substrates. A light diffusion layer having light diffusion function is interposed between the first LCD panel and the second LCD panel. The light diffusion layer reduces the intensity of the light passed by the first LCD panel, thereby alleviating the periodicity of the arrangement of dark areas and bright areas to alleviate the moire caused by light interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Kitagawa, Hidenori Ikeno, Shinichi Uehara, Takashi Yatsushiro
  • Patent number: 7907240
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes two substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer and has a reflective display area and a transmissive display area. A liquid crystal layer thickness adjusting layer makes a thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display area smaller than in the transmissive display area. The device performs display by transitioning an alignment of the liquid crystal layer from splay alignment to bend alignment. The liquid crystal layer thickness adjusting layer has a slope inclining from the reflective display area side to the transmissive display side. A pixel electrode electrically connected to a switching element, which is electrically connected to a signal line, are provided on one of the substrates. A slit is formed in the pixel electrode at an area overlapping with the slope in plan view and part of the signal line is projected along at least part of the slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ayae Sawado
  • Patent number: 7898614
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display module which can prevent the generation of display irregularities. The liquid crystal display module includes a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight device arranged on a back surface of the liquid crystal display panel. The backlight device is constituted of a light guide plate and a reflection sheet arranged on a back surface of the light guide plate. The liquid crystal display module includes a flexible printed circuit board having one end thereof mounted on the liquid crystal display panel and the other end thereof formed on a back side of the reflection sheet in an overlapping manner. An insulation sheet is arranged between the other end of the flexible printed circuit board and the reflection sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Mishima, Takahiro Ooshina, Shinji Murooka
  • Patent number: 7898603
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of systems for high-performance compensated shutter lens designs, may include compensators for compensating for performance problems that stem from real-world performance limitations in present shutter-glass designs. In an embodiment, a shutterglass lens may include first and second pi-cells and first and second compensators. The pi-cells and the compensators of the shutterglass lens may be stacked together within the shutterglass lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventor: Gary D. Sharp
  • Patent number: 7894025
    Abstract: An LCD including a color filter substrate, an array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer therebetween is provided. This color filter substrate has a plurality of color filters with overlap regions acting as a black matrix. Subsequently, patterned regions are defined in part of the overlap regions. After formation of a planarization layer and a conductive layer, spacers are formed in the patterned regions. The spacers may not shield the transparent region of the color filters, thereby enhancing the aperture ratio of the color filter substrate. Additionally, the thickness of the planarization layer in the patterned regions is not influenced by the overlap of the color filters, such that the spacers thereon have a uniform height. Furthermore, the at least one spacer of the color filter substrate and at least one data line of the array substrate are overlapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ching-Sheng Cheng, Chih-Jen Hu
  • Patent number: 7894006
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) includes a substrate, gate lines, data lines, thin film transistors and pixel electrodes. The gate lines are formed on the substrate and cross the data lines. The thin film transistors are connected to the gate and data lines, and each thin film transistor includes a drain electrode. The pixel electrodes are connected to the thin film transistors and are arranged in a matrix, and each of the pixel electrodes has a first side disposed in parallel with the gate lines and a second side adjacent to the first side and shorter than the first side. In the LCD, the predetermined portion of each of the drain electrodes is overlapped with only one of two adjacent pixel electrodes if the polarities of the adjacent pixel electrodes are different, and the predetermined portion of each of the drain electrodes is overlapped with both of the adjacent pixel electrodes if the polarities are the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Young Choi, Seok-Je Seong, Jin Jeon
  • Patent number: 7889301
    Abstract: An array substrate adopted for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and the liquid crystal display device are provided. The array substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of switching devices, and an insulating layer, wherein the insulating layer is deposited above the scan lines and the data lines, and has a plurality of free ends. A pair of the free ends faces each other and defines a broken region, and each free end has a tilt down profile with a decreasing width facing the broken region. The profile can avoid the short circuiting between the two adjacent array pixels, which is caused by the residual reflective electrode during the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chia-Chun Tai, Pei-Yi Shen, Hsin-Yi Lai
  • Patent number: RE42365
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a first liquid crystal display panel, a second liquid crystal display panel smaller in area than the first liquid crystal display panel. A flat backlight has an optical waveguide and a point light source placed near one side surface portion of the optical waveguide, and is placed between the first liquid crystal display panel and the second liquid crystal display panel. One reflecting layer is placed at least between the flat backlight and the second liquid crystal display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaki Tsuji