Patents by Inventor Hirofumi Kubota

Hirofumi Kubota has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20060055319
    Abstract: An optical device includes a first waveguide layer in which multiple-beam interference occurs, a second wavelength layer which includes a back surface facing the first waveguide layer and a front surface as a light output surface, and an outcoupling layer which is disposed on a back side of the second waveguide layer and faces the first wave guide layer, wherein the outcoupling layer includes a first portion as a layer with light transmission property and second portions which are dispersed in the first portion and differ in optical property from the first portion, and wherein an array of the second portions forms a triangular lattice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Uemura, Satoshi Okutani, Hirofumi Kubota, Muneharu Akiyoshi, Naotada Okada, Junichi Tonotani
  • Publication number: 20050218796
    Abstract: An organic electroluminescent display panel includes one or more organic electroluminescent elements and a substrate supporting them. Each organic electroluminescent element has first and second display electrodes and one or more organic functional layers of organic compounds sandwiched and layered between the first and second display electrodes, the organic functional layers including a light-emitting layer. Such display panel has a high-molecular compound film covering the organic electroluminescent elements and a surface of the substrate around the one or more organic electroluminescent elements; and an inorganic barrier film covering the high-molecular compound film, an edge thereof, and a surface of the substrate around the high-molecular compound film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kubota
  • Patent number: 6950172
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the substrates; and a phase compensator arranged on an outer side of the substrates; wherein, when no voltage is applied, the liquid crystal layer, which has been subjected to a parallel alignment process, is in splay alignment, in which pretilt angles of the liquid crystal at an upper and at a lower boundary of the liquid crystal layer have opposite signs; wherein, before liquid crystal display driving, an initialization process is performed, in which the alignment of the liquid crystal layer is transitioned from splay alignment to bend alignment by application of a voltage; and wherein the liquid crystal display driving is performed in the bend alignment attained by this initialization; including at least one region outside the display pixels where the liquid crystal layer thickness is smaller than inside the display pixels, and that an electric field caused by the application of said voltage, applied to the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuji Hattori, Shoichi Ishihara, Hirofumi Kubota, Shin-ichiro Hatta, Katsumi Adachi, Yoshinori Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20050130548
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an organic electro luminescence panel comprising steps of: forming a first electrode layer on a substrate; forming an organic material layer on entire or partial surface of the substrate; forming a second electrode layer on the substrate; forming a passivation layer on the substrate to cover at least the organic material layer and the second electrode layer; and radiating at least either one of electron beams or ultraviolet rays onto locations other than previously specified light-emitting portion of the organic material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kubota
  • Publication number: 20050101041
    Abstract: A method of forming a thin film capable of forming a thin film of uniform thickness in a predetermined part without using any mask even in the case where there exist a part on which a thin film is formed and a part on which no thin film is formed is provided. Wettability of the surface of the part on which no thin film is formed is made lower than wettability of the surface of the part on which the thin film is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Applicant: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kubota
  • Patent number: 6888678
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a reflector having a plurality of convex portions 4 that are obtained by means of melt deformation of column-shaped bodys 15 formed of a photosensitive resin material, the photosensitive resin material has aspect ratio vs. average tilt angle characteristics in which an average tilt angle ? reaches a maximum value through an incremental change process and then converges to a certain value through a decremental process when an aspect ratio is gradually increased from a value close to zero, provided that the average tilt angle of the convex portion is an angle of elevation from the outer periphery of the bottom surface of the convex portion 4 to an apex of the convex portion and that the aspect ratio is a ratio of the height of said column-shaped body 15 with respect to the width thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Nishiyama, Naohide Wakita, Hirofumi Kubota
  • Publication number: 20050052399
    Abstract: Before starting the regular display in a liquid crystal display device of the bend alignment type, it is necessary to transition all the pixel regions in the entire display portion uniformly from splay alignment into bend alignment. However, conventionally, when applying a simple ac voltage, the transition sometimes does not take place, and when it does take place, the transition time is very long, and display defects due to alignment defects tend to occur. In the method for driving a liquid crystal display device with OCB cells according to the present invention, a step of applying between an electrode 22 and a pixel electrode 23 an ac voltage superimposed with a bias voltage, and a step of applying zero voltage or a low voltage to the substrates are repeated in alternation preceding the begin of the regular display operation and the regular display operation is carried out after all pixels have transitioned into bend alignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuji Hattori, Shoichi Ishihara, Hirofumi Kubota, Shin-ichiro Hatta, Katsumi Adachi, Yoshinori Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6864629
    Abstract: An organic EL cell for preventing moisture that deteriorates the light-emitting characteristics of the organic EL cell including a substrate, a laminate structure formed on the substrate, wherein the laminate structure includes at least an anode, an organic light emitting layer, and a cathode, a first sealing film formed on the laminate structure, and a second sealing film formed on the first sealing film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Miyaguchi, Hirofumi Kubota
  • Publication number: 20050012452
    Abstract: An organic EL display panel is provided in which delamination does not occur. This organic EL display panel includes a substrate and a laminate on the substrate. The laminate includes a first electrode layer, an organic functional layer covering the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer provided on the organic functional layer. The laminate is sealed by a sealing layer which covers the second electrode layer. The organic functional layer has at least one lacuna portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kubota
  • Patent number: 6836306
    Abstract: A transflective liquid crystal display device having excellent display quality is provided which is capable of precisely controlling the alignment of liquid crystal molecules and of providing a high brightness display both in a transmissive display mode and in a reflective display mode. The transflective liquid crystal display panel has a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates, pixel electrodes disposed on the surface of one of the substrates facing the liquid crystal layer, a counter electrode disposed on the surface of the other substrate facing the liquid crystal layer, and an alignment film covering the surface of each of the substrates facing the liquid crystal layer. The pixel electrodes, each including an electrode for reflective display and an electrode for transmissive display, are disposed such that the distances to the other substrate from the electrode for reflective display and from the electrode for transmissive display are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kubota, Naohide Wakita, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Sadayoshi Hotta
  • Publication number: 20040232832
    Abstract: An organic electroluminescence display panel has an enhanced shielding capability whereby degradation of light emission characteristics does not readily occur. This display panel includes one or more organic electroluminescence elements, and each organic electroluminescence element includes first and second display electrodes and one or more organic functional layers. The organic functional layer(s) is interposed between the first and second display electrodes. The organic functional layer includes an organic compound. The display panel also includes a substrate for supporting the organic electroluminescence element(s). The display panel further includes a high molecular compound film consisting of polyurea or polyimide that covers the organic electroluminescence element and the peripheral substrate surface. The display panel also includes an inorganic barrier film that covers the high molecular compound film, the edge face thereof, and the peripheral substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kubota
  • Publication number: 20040160396
    Abstract: Before starting the regular display in a liquid crystal display device of the bend alignment type, it is necessary to transition all the pixel regions in the entire display portion uniformly from splay alignment into bend alignment. However, conventionally, when applying a simple ac voltage, the transition sometimes does not take place, and when it does take place, the transition time is very long, and display defects due to alignment defects tend to occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuji Hattori, Shoichi Ishihara, Hirofumi Kubota, Shin-ichiro Hatta, Katsumi Adachi, Yoshinori Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6771331
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device configured so that ambient light is collected and the collected ambient light is guided to the back of a liquid crystal panel so as to illuminate the liquid crystal panel, a light-collecting unit 17 and a light-guiding unit 18 are provided. The light-collecting unit 17 collects and captures ambient light, and converts the ambient light into a transmitting light which transmits in the light-collecting unit 17. The light-guiding unit 18 connected to the light-collecting unit 17 redirects a light path of the transmitting light from the light-collecting unit 17 so that the transmitting light proceeds to the back of a liquid crystal panel 15. Thus, unlike conventional light-collecting units, a light-collecting unit of the invention is composed of two separated units, one being a light-collecting unit for converting ambient light into a transmitting light and the other being a light-guiding unit for guiding the transmitting light to the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kubota, Kenji Nakao, Tsuyoshi Uemura
  • Patent number: 6771334
    Abstract: A transflective liquid crystal display device having excellent display quality is provided which is capable of precisely controlling the alignment of liquid crystal molecules and of providing a high brightness display both in a transmissive display mode and in a reflective display mode. The transflective liquid crystal display panel has a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates, pixel electrodes disposed on the surface of one of the substrates facing the liquid crystal layer, a counter electrode disposed on the surface of the other substrate facing the liquid crystal layer, and an alignment film covering the surface of each of the substrates facing the liquid crystal layer. The pixel electrodes, each including an electrode for reflective display and an electrode for transmissive display, are disposed such that the distances to the other substrate from the electrode for reflective display and from the electrode for transmissive display are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kubota, Naohide Wakita, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Sadayoshi Hotta
  • Publication number: 20040145691
    Abstract: A transflective liquid crystal display device having excellent display quality is provided which is capable of precisely controlling the alignment of liquid crystal molecules and of providing a high brightness display both in a transmissive display mode and in a reflective display mode. The transflective liquid crystal display panel has a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates, pixel electrodes disposed on the surface of one of the substrates facing the liquid crystal layer, a counter electrode disposed on the surface of the other substrate facing the liquid crystal layer, and an alignment film covering the surface of each of the substrates facing the liquid crystal layer. The pixel electrodes, each including an electrode for reflective display and an electrode for transmissive display, are disposed such that the distances to the other substrate from the electrode for reflective display and from the electrode for transmissive display are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: Matsushita Elec. Ind. Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kubota, Naohide Wakita, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Sadayoshi Hotta
  • Patent number: 6748936
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided with a VVT mechanism capable of adjusting overlap period in which both intake and exhaust valves are open. The internal combustion engine is also provided with a recirculation mechanism that recirculates exhaust gas to the intake side. An EGR map from which internal EGR amount based on the VVT mechanism and external EGR amount based on the recirculation mechanism are derived in accordance with engine speed and engine torque is prepared. The EGR map is realized as a four-dimensional map that also takes engine intake air temperature and engine coolant temperature into account. By performing EGR control in consideration of these parameters, the occurrence of knocking during EGR control can be suppressed, and an improvement in fuel consumption and the like can be achieved with certainty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeki Kinomura, Kazuhisa Mogi, Hirofumi Kubota
  • Patent number: 6727965
    Abstract: In a semitransparent liquid crystal display device comprising semitransparent layers having a projections and depressions structure including reflective portions and transparent portions, the transparent portions are formed so as to include nearly flat regions of the projections and depressions structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kubota
  • Publication number: 20040021810
    Abstract: A reflective plate comprises a substrate, a plurality of protrusions each formed on the substrate and having a curved surface, and a reflective film formed on the substrate having the protrusions, wherein a planar shape of each of the protrusions is indefinite, and when a frame line of the planar shape of each of the protrusions is divided into fine line segments, the line segments are pointed in all directions or in predetermined directions. This improves reflective properties such as dispersion properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Mariko Kawaguri, Seiji Nishiyama, Naohide Wakita, Taketoshi Nakao, Yasuhiko Yamanaka, Toshiyasu Oue, Hirofumi Kubota
  • Patent number: 6671009
    Abstract: Before starting the regular display in a liquid crystal display device of the bend alignment type, it is necessary to transition all the pixel regions in the entire display portion uniformly from splay alignment into bend alignment. However, conventionally, when applying a simple ac voltage, the transition sometimes does not take place, and when it does take place, the transition time is very long, and display defects due to alignment defects tend to occur. In the method for driving a liquid crystal display device with OCB cells according to the present invention, a step of applying between an electrode 22 and a pixel electrode 23 an ac voltage superimposed with a bias voltage, and a step of applying zero voltage or a low voltage to the substrates are repeated in alternation preceding the begin of the regular display operation and the regular display operation is carried out after all pixels have transitioned into bend alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuji Hattori, Shoichi Ishihara, Hirofumi Kubota, Shin-ichiro Hatta, Katsumi Adachi, Yoshinori Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20030209708
    Abstract: An organic electroluminescent display panel includes: one or more organic electroluminescent elements each having first and second display electrodes and one or more organic functional layers of organic compounds sandwiched and layered between the first and second display electrodes, the organic functional layers including a light-emitting layer; and a substrate supporting the organic electroluminescent elements. The display panel also includes: a first inorganic barrier film covering the organic electroluminescent elements and a surface of the substrate around the one or more organic electroluminescent elements; a first high-molecular compound film having an area larger than each of the organic electroluminescent elements so as to partially cover the first inorganic barrier film thereover; and a second inorganic barrier film covering the first high-molecular compound film and an edge thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kubota