Patents Examined by William D Peterson
  • Patent number: 11829026
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a display panel, a driving method thereof and a display device. The display panel includes: a light guide plate, configured to propagate light incident at a set angle by total reflection; an opposite substrate, arranged opposite to the light guide plate; a liquid crystal layer, arranged between the light guide plate and the opposite substrate; and a plurality of light extraction structures. Each light extraction structure includes: a light taking grating arranged on a surface of the light guide plate, a first wire grid structure arranged between the light guide plate and the liquid crystal layer, a second wire grid structure arranged between the liquid crystal layer and the opposite substrate, and a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure arranged between the light guide plate and the opposite substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xiandong Meng, Jifeng Tan, Wei Wang, Xianqin Meng, Jian Gao, Xiaochuan Chen
  • Patent number: 11816918
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus comprises a first substrate that includes a sensor element, a first light-shielding layer, and a first pinhole that is provided between the first light-shielding layers adjacent to each other, and a second substrate that includes a second light-shielding layer that is provided in contact with a base, a second pinhole that is provided between the second light-shielding layers adjacent to each other, a third light-shielding layer that is in contact with an insulating layer, a third pinhole that is provided between the third light-shielding layers adjacent to each other, wherein a transparent resin layer is provided inside the third pinhole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takahashi, Junko Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 11789285
    Abstract: A polarization beam splitter is disclosed having reduced size and weight relative to the prior art. The disclosed polarization beam splitter has a translucent substrate and a hologram layer provided on a front surface of the substrate. The polarization beam splitter is capable of separating S-polarized light from light incident on the hologram layer via the substrate, wherein the substrate has a back surface facing the front surface on which the hologram layer is provided, and a side surface connecting the front surface and the back surface. The hologram layer has a hologram for diffracting circularly polarized light incident on the hologram layer from outside the substrate via either the back surface or a portion of the side surface to generate S-polarized light having an extinction ratio of 50:1 or greater toward the other of the back surface or the portion of the side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Egarim Corporation Japan
    Inventors: Hideyoshi Horimai, Toshihiro Kasezawa, Shinobu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11760266
    Abstract: A rearview mirror with display function includes a display structure layer, a rearview mirror structure layer, a plastic frame and an electrochromic material. The display structure layer includes a first transparent substrate, a display body layer and a transflective layer on opposite sides of the first transparent substrate. The rearview mirror structure layer is disposed on one side of the display structure layer, and includes a second transparent substrate, a ring-shaped shielding layer, a touch sensing layer, an insulating substrate, and a transparent electrode layer. The ring-shaped shielding layer is disposed around a third surface of the second transparent substrate, and the touch sensing layer covers the third surface and the ring-shaped shielding layer. The ring-shaped shielding layer is electrically insulated from the touch sensing layer. The plastic frame, the transflective layer and the transparent electrode layer define an accommodating space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Unimicron Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, An-Sheng Lee, Ming-Yuan Hsu, Meng-Chia Chan
  • Patent number: 11754898
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an array substrate includes a semiconductor layer, scanning and signal lines, first and second insulating layers, a pedestal and a pixel electrode. The scanning line is opposed to the semiconductor layer. The first insulating layer is provided above the semiconductor layer. The signal line and the pedestal are connected to the semiconductor layer through first and second contact holes in the first insulating layer. The second insulating layer is provided above the pedestal. The pixel electrode is connected to the pedestal through a third contact hole in the second insulating layer. The signal line and the pedestal are provided in layers different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
    Inventor: Osamu Itou
  • Patent number: 11754863
    Abstract: A device includes a polarization rotator configured to be switchable between operating in two switching states. The device also includes a controller configured to control the polarization rotator to switch between operating in the two switching states at a predetermined switching frequency, to thereby switch, a polarization of a component of an input light having an initial light intensity, between two orthogonal polarizations at the predetermined switching frequency. The device also includes a polarizer coupled with the polarization rotator, and configured to convert the input light transmitted through the polarization rotator into an output light having a light intensity reduced to a predetermined percentage of the initial light intensity of the input light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jasmine Soria Sears, Afsoon Jamali, Gareth Valentine, Nathan Matsuda
  • Patent number: 11747539
    Abstract: Light-control panels including layered optical components are described in this application. An example of a light-control panel includes first and second glazing layers and first and second switchable components extending between the first and second glazing layers. The light-control panel also includes a thermal coating extending between the first switchable component and the first glazing layer and a filter extending between the first and second switchable components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: David E. Kingman, Christopher D. Jones, James R. Wilson, Martin Melcher, Peter F. Masschelein
  • Patent number: 11745662
    Abstract: An electrochromic mirror module including a light-transmissive substrate, an opaque touch sensing layer and an electrochromic device is provided. The light-transmissive substrate has a visible surface and a back surface disposed opposite to the visible surface. The opaque touch sensing layer and the electrochromic layer are disposed on the back surface. Distribution areas of the opaque touch sensing layer and the electrochromic layer are different on the back surface. An electrochromic mirror module including reflective layer and electrochromic device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Unimicron Technology Corp.
    Inventors: An-Sheng Lee, Meng-Chia Chan, Ming-Yuan Hsu, Po-Ching Chan, Shih-Yao Lin, Cheng-Ming Weng
  • Patent number: 11733559
    Abstract: In an electro-optical device, a temperature detection element is provided on a first substrate having a pixel region, on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are provided, in a position overlapping a light shielding portion that is formed on a second substrate so as to surround the pixel region. Further, the first substrate is provided with an electrostatic protection circuit that includes a semiconductor element and is electrically coupled to the temperature detection element. The semiconductor element is disposed in a position which is farther distanced from the center of the pixel region than the temperature detection element is, and at which a temperature is lower than a temperature at a position in which the temperature detection element is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinsuke Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 11719965
    Abstract: An optical isolator device with minimized polarization mode dispersion includes a first polarization splitter/combiner, a non-reciprocal polarization rotator and a second polarization splitter/combiner. Only forward propagation of light is allowed to propagate in the device, with backward optical signal blocked due to non-reciprocal polarization rotation. The optical paths of o-ray and e-ray are arranged to achieve equal optical path lengths, which makes polarization mode dispersion minimal to nonexistent. When symmetrically configured, both polarization mode dispersion (PMD) and polarization dependent loss (PDL) become zero in principle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Lightel Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shyh-Chung Lin, Hongyu Hu
  • Patent number: 11706966
    Abstract: A display device with improved viewing angle characteristics is provided. A display device with suppressed mixture of colors between adjacent pixels is provided. The display device includes a first coloring layer, a second coloring layer, and a structure body therebetween. The structure body has a portion closer to a display surface side than a bottom surface of the first coloring layer or a bottom surface of the second coloring layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoya Aoyama, Ryu Komatau, Daiki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11686987
    Abstract: The display device includes a first substrate; an active layer disposed on the first substrate; a first insulation layer disposed on the active layer; a first electrode layer disposed on the first insulation layer including a gate electrode line extending along a first direction and a protruding portion extending along a second direction; a second insulation layer disposed on the first electrode layer; and a second electrode layer disposed on the second insulation layer. The second electrode layer includes a date line extending along the second direction and a conductive layer. The conductive layer includes a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion, wherein the first conductive portion has a first maximum width A along the first direction, and the second conductive portion has a second maximum width B along the first direction. The first maximum width A is less than the second maximum width B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: INNOLUX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chung-Wen Yen, Yu-Tsung Liu, Chao-Hsiang Wang, Te-Yu Lee
  • Patent number: 11686988
    Abstract: Automated control of an electrochromic device is described. A method includes receiving a first image captured from a first viewpoint of an electrochromic device. The method further includes identifying at least one of an obstructed portion of the first image or an unobstructed portion of the first image. The method further includes generating an obstruction map based on the at least one of the obstructed portion of the first image or the unobstructed portion of the first image. The method further includes determining, based on the obstruction map, a desired tinting state of the electrochromic device and causing a current tinting state of the electrochromic device to correspond to the desired tinting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: HALIO, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew McNeil, Tanguy Timmermans
  • Patent number: 11686972
    Abstract: A backlight device is provided and includes case having bottom plate; light guide including front surface as emission surface, rear surface opposed to front surface, and incidence surface provided between front and rear surfaces, rear surface being arranged on bottom plate; and light-emitting elements facing incident surface of light guide, wherein light-emitting elements includes first surface provided at bottom of light-emitting elements, and light-emitting surface facing incidence surface of light guide, first surfaces and rear surface are arranged side by side, and fixed to fixing tape attached over first surfaces and rear surface of light guide, and light-shield is facing fixing tape through light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Sugiyama, Kosuke Matsubara, Takeshi Kaneki
  • Patent number: 11681196
    Abstract: An electrochromic device includes: an electrochromic element operating in at least one of a first optical characteristic state and a second optical characteristic state; and a temperature measuring device configured to measure temperature, and circuitry to control voltage to be applied to the electrochromic element such that the second optical characteristic state becomes constant irrespective of the measured temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tohru Hasegawa, Keiichiroh Yutani
  • Patent number: 11675239
    Abstract: The present application provides an array substrate and a display device. The array substrate includes: a first substrate and a plurality of signal lines on the first substrate. The plurality of signal lines are arranged along a first direction; at least one of the plurality of signal lines include a plurality of signal sub-lines arranged at intervals along the first direction, the plurality of signal sub-lines are electrically connected, each of the plurality of signal sub-lines extends along a second direction, and the second direction intersects the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignees: BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Weili Zhao
  • Patent number: 11668964
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a viewing angle control element includes an electrochromic layer, a plurality of projections formed on a first base, a first area and a second area provided on each of the projections, a first transparent electrode provided on the first area, and a second transparent electrode provided on the second area, wherein the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode are electrically independent of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takahashi, Jin Hirosawa
  • Patent number: 11668967
    Abstract: The display device includes a display panel and a front surface panel that is superimposed with the display panel, and that is switched between a reflective state in which incident light is reflected and a transmissive state in which incident light is transmitted. The front surface panel can detect presence of an object to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
    Inventors: Koji Yoshida, Hirofumi Ohira, Soichiro Ohama, Naoki Takada, Takayuki Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 11644711
    Abstract: A color filter, a display panel, and a display device are provided. The color filter includes a substrate, a plurality of color resistors, and a color blocking layer. The plurality of color resistors are arranged in a matrix on the substrate. Two adjacent color resistors have an interval in-between. The color blocking layer is placed in the interval. A transparent structure is placed on each of the color resistors. This could reduce the transmission loss of the light and thus raises the incident/outgoing light efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: JRD Communication (Shenzhen) LTD.
    Inventors: Ke Lin, Zhuwei Qiu, Yafang Xi, Panwei Xiong
  • Patent number: 11640079
    Abstract: A beam splitter configured to split incident light includes a polarization grating having a liquid crystal layer and a reflective sub-aperture beam splitter. The liquid crystal layer is configured to switch between an “on” state and an “off” state in response to an applied voltage. In the “off” state, the polarization grating angularly deviates and polarizes a portion of received incident light passing therethrough. In the “on” state, crystals of the polarization grating align with the incident light, allowing it to pass therethrough unimpeded and unpolarized. The beam splitter includes a plurality of sub-aperture mirrors which are spaced at randomly varying distances from one another, the mirrors being configured to reflect a portion of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventor: David N. Sitter, Jr.