Liquid Crystal Sensors (e.g., Voltmeters, Pressure Sensors, Temperature Sensors) Patents (Class 349/199)
  • Patent number: 11776101
    Abstract: Visual artifact detection systems and methods are disclosed herein. In an example system, optical characteristic measurements (e.g., a luminance value) for a display are obtained over a length of time, such as during power cycle events of a computing device coupled to the display. Based on the measurements, ripple values are generated, where each ripple value indicates a change of the optical characteristic over a period of time. A first ripple value is identified that exceeds a threshold and a first time window for identifying a subsequent ripple exceeding the threshold is commenced. If a second ripple value exceeds the threshold in the first time window, a determination is made that the first ripple value corresponds to a visual artifact on the display. In response, a visual artifact indication is generated, such as a notification to a user and/or a dynamic adjustment to a display parameter for remediating the artifact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Ki-Chan Lee
  • Patent number: 11656490
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a display device includes a display panel having a first surface, a second surface on a side opposite to the first surface, and a display area including pixels, a first cover member overlapping the display area and opposed to the first surface, and a second cover member overlapping the display area and opposed to the second surface. The first cover member has a first side surface close to a first end portion of the display panel, the second cover member has a second side surface close to the first end portion, and the first side surface is located between the first end portion and the second side surface in planar view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuki Ichihara
  • Patent number: 11609128
    Abstract: An LC oscillator is provided. The LC oscillator includes a single layer inductor disposed within a single layer inlay, wherein the single layer inductor is configured in a spiral pattern within the layer of the inlay, wherein an integrated circuit is mounted on the single layer inlay; and a capacitor included in the integrated circuit, wherein the capacitor is connected to the single layer inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: WILIOT, LTD.
    Inventors: Alon Yehezkely, Yaron Elboim
  • Patent number: 11425294
    Abstract: An imaging device, to be installed under a display having a first polarizer part, includes: at least one first light sensor element; at least one second light sensor element; and a second polarizer part provided upstream of the at least one second light sensor element along a direction in which light is incident on the at least one second light sensor element, wherein polarization orientation of the first polarizer part is at a preset angle with respect to polarization orientation of the second polarizer part; the at least one first light sensor element receives screen light emitted by the display and first polarized ambient light incident through the first polarizer part; and the at least one second light sensor element receives the screen light emitted by the display and second polarized ambient light incident through the first polarizer part and the second polarizer part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Longlong Zhou
  • Patent number: 11391852
    Abstract: Provided is a radiation detection element, including: a plurality of electrode portions on a surface of a substrate; and an insulating portion between the electrode portions, the substrate being made of a compound semiconductor crystal containing cadmium telluride or cadmium zinc telluride, wherein an intermediate layer containing tellurium oxide is present between each of the electrode portions and the substrate, and wherein the tellurium oxide layer has a thickness of 100 nm or less on a 500 nm inner side from an end portion of the insulating portion between the electrode portions. The radiation detection element has higher adhesion of the electrodes, and does not result in an element performance defect caused by insufficient insulation between the electrodes, even if the radiation detection element has a narrower distance between the electrode portions in order to obtain a high-definition radiographic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohei Yamada, Koji Murakami, Akira Noda
  • Patent number: 11112637
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a liquid crystal panel in which a display region in which a plurality of touch blocks are arranged and a non-display region around the display region are defined, wherein the liquid crystal panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other and a polarizer attached to an outer surface of the first substrate, and a touch electrode is provided in each of the plurality of touch blocks; and a cover window attached to an outer surface of the polarizer through an adhesive layer, wherein the cover window has a size greater than that of the display region and smaller than or equal to that of the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Hun Bang, Jong-Seo Yoon, Dong-Il Chung, Byeong-Jun Lee, Kyung-Tai Ko
  • Patent number: 10908209
    Abstract: A semiconductor module includes a substrate; a plurality of semiconductor packages provided on the substrate; and an environment information indicator configured to display information related to an environment surrounding the plurality of semiconductor packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seyoung Won, Dan-Kyu Kang, Sang-Yeol Lee
  • Patent number: 10896926
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an array substrate, a method for controlling the same, and a display device. The array substrate comprises: a base substrate; and an array of first thin film transistors, a signal line array, a photosensor array and a receiving line array, each provided on the base substrate. Each first thin film transistor in the array of first thin film transistors is connected to one signal line of the signal line array. Each photosensor in the photosensor array is connected to one signal line in the signal line array and one receiving line in the receiving line array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ruiyong Wang, Ruizhi Yang, Yang You, Yun Qiu, Huijuan Wang
  • Patent number: 10386681
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device, containing: a pair of substrates provided with an electrode and a liquid crystal layer formed by disposing a liquid crystal composition between the pair of substrates and by irradiating and curing the liquid crystal composition with ultraviolet rays using an ultraviolet irradiation apparatus, wherein at least one of the substrates is further provided with a liquid crystal alignment film to vertically align a liquid crystal, the liquid crystal composition contains a liquid crystal, a curable resin, a bifunctional monomer and a monomer having at least one polar group of a hydroxy group, a carboxy group or a phosphoric acid group, and the liquid crystal alignment film is a liquid crystal alignment film obtained from a liquid crystal aligning agent containing a polymer having a specific side chain structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignees: Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd., Kyusyu Nanotec Optics Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Hosaka, Noritoshi Miki, Hiroyuki Omura, Jun Hashimoto, Junichi Baba, Shota Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10274753
    Abstract: The invention is based on a sun protection device, in particular sun spectacles, with at least one optical sun protection filter comprising at least one liquid-crystal cell, with at least one sensor unit configured for capturing a solar irradiation, and with at least one control and/or regulation unit, which is configured for controlling and/or regulating a permeability of the optical sun protection filter depending on a solar irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Optrel Holding AG
    Inventor: Ramon Hofer-Kraner
  • Patent number: 9851594
    Abstract: A display device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a cover member, a dam provided in a frame-like manner to a first surface of the cover member, an adhesion layer provided in a region surrounded by the dam, and a display panel bonded to the first surface with the adhesion layer interposed therebetween. A plurality of recesses depressed toward an outer circumference of the dam are provided on an inner circumference of the dam. The recesses are arranged side by side along the inner circumference of the dam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Miyashita
  • Patent number: 9671277
    Abstract: A light imaging system for an acoustic imaging system uses polarized light to illuminate a birefringent detector through a partially transparent mirror, a lens through which light reflected from the detector passes and a light imager views the mirror through a linear polarizer with the position of the light imager being adjusted to image the full detector and to minimize effects due to the non-linear behavior of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Inventor: Jaswinder Singh Sandhu
  • Patent number: 9375492
    Abstract: Three organic compounds mixtures of liquid-crystal properties, which when mixed together in a precisely determined weight ratio, may show an ability to form thermo-optically active mesophases of established, narrow range thermooptical transitions separation, every 0.5° C., in the temperature range: from 31.8° C. to 32.8° C., from 32.8° C. to 33.8° C., and from 33.8° C. to 34.8° C. and system including these mixtures. The use of these mixtures and the system containing the above mentioned mixtures for colorimetric detection of temperature differentiation on the surface of biological objects in a narrow range of temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: BRASTER SA
    Inventors: Jacek Bernard Stephien, Henryk Jaremek, Grzegorz Franciszek Pielak
  • Patent number: 9281486
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes, in order on a substrate, an organic semiconductor layer, an inorganic film, and a protective film. The inorganic film and the protective film each have a peripheral edge portion that is formed in an outer region compared to a peripheral edge portion of the organic semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaori Takimoto, Tetsuji Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9123672
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which a reduction in size and thinness are realized is provided. The semiconductor device of the present invention can realize a reduction in size by forming light emitting elements as a light source, and photodiodes as photoelectric conversion elements on the same substrate. Further, it becomes possible to control two signal lines by using one driver circuit with using an output switching circuit. As a result, it becomes possible to reduce the area occupied by the driver circuits of the semiconductor device, and the semiconductor device can be made smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Kimura
  • Patent number: 9104057
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel capable of achieving low-temperature display comprises an opposing substrate. a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the opposing substrate and the TFT substrate, a TFT pattern including gate lines and data lines is disposed on the front side of the TFT substrate, and an electrical heating pattern corresponding to the TFT pattern is disposed on the back side of the TFT substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Changgang Huang, Hongjiang Wu
  • Patent number: 9105544
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device including unit pixel cells, each having a photoelectric conversion film and a pixel electrode which are formed above a silicon substrate, an amplification transistor which is formed on the silicon substrate and outputs a voltage according to a potential of the pixel electrode, and a reset transistor which is formed on the silicon substrate and resets a potential of a gate electrode of the amplification transistor, the imaging device including a vertical signal line which is disposed correspondingly to a column of the unit pixel cells, and transmits a voltage of the unit pixel cells of the corresponding column, and a vertical scanning unit which selects a row of the unit pixel cells having a voltage to be outputted to the vertical signal line, wherein the vertical signal line is located below the pixel electrode of the unit pixel cells corresponding to the vertical signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 8937701
    Abstract: A wavefront analyzer comprises a network of adjustable converging microlenses dividing an incident wavefront into multiple beams and creating a respective focal point for each beam, and a network of light-sensitive detectors placed behind to detect positions of these focal points. The microlenses network is formed from a liquid crystal layer operating in transmission with an array of electrodes forming liquid crystal pixels whose refractive index is controllable by a voltage applied individually to each electrode. Each converging microlens comprises a subset of pixels grouped in a region constituting the microlens, the pixels of a subset having indices that vary radially in a monotonic manner by distance from a central point of the region to its edges, enabling the microlens to operate in refractive mode. The number, position, size and focal length of the microlenses can be adjusted by the profile of the voltages applied to the array of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventor: Umberto Rossini
  • Publication number: 20140368783
    Abstract: In an aspect, a liquid crystal modulator for an inspection apparatus for detecting a defect of a substrate is provided which includes a first substrate; an electrode provided on the first substrate; and a sensor layer provided between the first substrate and the electrode is provided. The sensor layer includes a polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suk Choi, Ohjeong Kwon, Sujin Kim, Jinwon Kim, SeungWook Nam, Jooyoung Yoon, Hyeokjin Lee
  • Patent number: 8891031
    Abstract: In a sensing device and a method for sending a light by using the same, the sensing device includes: a lower panel; an upper panel facing the lower panel; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the lower panel and the upper panel; an infrared ray sensor formed in at least one of the lower panel and the upper panel; and a visible ray sensor formed in at least one of the lower panel and the upper panel. The sensing device simultaneously includes the infrared ray sensor and the visible ray sensor such that a touch sensing function or an image sensing function having high reliability may be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Kwon Kim, Hyung-Guel Kim, Jun-Ho Song, Nam-Heon Kim, Joo-Hyung Lee, Sung-Hoon Yang, Kyung-Hun Yoon, Myung-Hun Shin, Jae-Hyun Cho
  • Publication number: 20140313470
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a liquid crystal (LC) device and large area LC devices is provided. The method includes forming a LC layer and forming a coated silicon wafer on at least one surface of the LC layer. The coated silicon wafer includes a sacrificial layer for providing structural strength during fabrication of the LC device and a thin coating layer serving as an external light transmissive layer, and the coated silicon wafer is formed such that the thin coating layer is formed on the LC layer and the sacrificial layer is formed on the thin coating layer. The method also includes fabricating the LC device and selectively removing at least a portion of the sacrificial layer of the coated silicon wafer to expose at least a portion of the thin coating layer to serve as an external layer of the LC device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: National University of Singapore
    Inventor: Mark Brian Howell Breese
  • Patent number: 8801964
    Abstract: Polymer network liquid crystal materials have improved mechanical properties such as rigidity and hardness and substantially improved electro-optical performance. The PNLC material can be manufactured with an emulsion process so as to simplify substantially the manufacturing process. Each LC droplet can be configured with the polymer network extending substantially across the LC droplet, and the polymer network may comprise a material to lower substantially the switching voltage, such as a fluorinated acrylate that may interact with the liquid crystal so as to lower the surface tension of the LC droplet. The PNLC material may comprise an interfacial layer combined with the polymer network so as to decrease substantially the driving voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Photon Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Xianhai Chen
  • Patent number: 8704977
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal cell and method thereof. The cell comprises two opposed substrates and a surfactant-free lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (LCLC) material disposed therebetween. By using an ammonium compound with LCLC or surface treatment on the substrates, the alignment of the LCLC material can be manipulated as a homeotropic bulk alignment; or a hybrid bulk alignment in which the LCLC alignment is changed from homeotropic bulk alignment in the vicinity of one substrate to planar alignment in the vicinity of another substrate. The cell can be used in biosensing, detection and amplification of ligands, optical devices, and photovoltaics etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kent State University
    Inventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Yuriy A. Nastyshyn, Vassili G. Nazarenko, Roman M. Vasyuta, Oleksandr P. Boiko, Ye Yin, Sergij V. Shiyanovskii
  • Patent number: 8692944
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, an isolating layer, and a conductor. The first electrode is disposed between the first substrate and the isolating layer, on which the conductor is disposed. Each of the second and third electrodes is disposed on the second substrate and includes a contact surface. The second and third electrodes are not in contact with each other and are separated by a gap. The conductor is disposed in accordance with the location of the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Jeng-Fang Wu, Yi-Pai Huang, Ting-Jui Chang, Wei-Lung Liao, Shui-Chih Lien
  • Patent number: 8681291
    Abstract: A display apparatus that includes a light amount adjustment section includes a lens provided corresponding to a light receiving region of a photo-sensor element. The light amount adjustment section varies the focus position of the lens with respect to the light receiving region of the photo-sensor element to adjust the amount of light to be introduced to the light receiving region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display West Inc.
    Inventors: Daisuke Takama, Amane Higashi, Yasuyuki Teranishi, Shiichiro Sarai
  • Patent number: 8525970
    Abstract: A micropolarimeter is described for simultaneously extracting all Stokes parameters from incident light. The micropolarimeter includes at least one superpixel, which further includes three or more subpixels, each exact a different polarization components from the incident light. The micropolarimeter includes a first and second alignment layers and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second alignment layers. The liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are aligned in accordance with the first and second alignment layers to form the superpixel. A method is provided for manufacturing the photo-aligned liquid-crystal micropolarimeter array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Xiaojin Zhao, Amine Bermak, Vladimir Grigorievich Chigrinov
  • Patent number: 8508674
    Abstract: An optically intelligent image sensing device is provided. By applying different potentials across different electrode sections in the image sensing device, the electric field profiles of the corresponding liquid crystal layer sections bend the lights passing through the liquid crystal layer sections in a predetermined manner. In one embodiment, all of a certain color light entering the image sensing device can be bent towards a color filter for the specific color, thereby entering the light sensor for the specific color light. Accordingly, the optically intelligent image sensing device has improved optical efficiency. An arrangement for an array of different electrode and light sensing sections in the image sensing device is also provided as an example for how each electrode may be connected to the optically intelligent image sensing device control signals. An example using the present optically intelligent image sensing device to improve the optical efficiency of an image capturing device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development, LLC
    Inventors: Vijay Mishra, Karthik Venkatraman
  • Patent number: 8467030
    Abstract: A transistor array substrate includes a substrate, a pixel array, a plurality of resistors, and a plurality of semiconductor transistors. The pixel array, the resistors, and the semiconductor transistors are all disposed on the substrate. The pixel array includes a plurality of scan lines. Each resistor is electrically connected to one of the scan lines, and each semiconductor transistor is electrically connected to one of the scan lines and one of the resistors. The scan lines can receive a first voltage and a second voltage. The second voltage is higher than the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventor: Chi-Liang Wu
  • Publication number: 20130107196
    Abstract: A wavefront analyzer comprises a network of adjustable converging microlenses dividing an incident wavefront into multiple beams and creating a respective focal point for each beam, and a network of light-sensitive detectors placed behind to detect positions of these focal points. The microlenses network is formed from a liquid crystal layer operating in transmission with an array of electrodes forming liquid crystal pixels whose refractive index is controllable by a voltage applied individually to each electrode. Each converging microlens comprises a subset of pixels grouped in a region constituting the microlens, the pixels of a subset having indices that vary radially in a monotonic manner by distance from a central point of the region to its edges, enabling the microlens to operate in refractive mode. The number, position, size and focal length of the microlenses can be adjusted by the profile of the voltages applied to the array of pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventor: Umberto Rossini
  • Patent number: 8405161
    Abstract: Provided are a driving device for a unit pixel of an organic light emitting display having an improved structure and a method of manufacturing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung-bae Park, Jang-yeon Kwon, Sang-yoon Lee, Ji-sim Jung
  • Patent number: 8378990
    Abstract: An exemplary display apparatus includes a plurality of pixel units, a plurality of gate lines, a readout line and a plurality of touch control units. The gate lines are for deciding whether to enable the pixel units. Each of the touch control units is electrically coupled to the readout line and a corresponding one of the gate lines and includes a switching element. When one of the touch control units is touched, the switching element of the touched touch control unit is turned on, and thereby a waveform on the gate line corresponding to the touched touch control unit is coupled to the readout line and a position of the touched touch control unit is determined according to a timing sequence of a waveform on the readout line. The present invention also provides a touch detection method adapted to be implemented on the above-mentioned display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Wen-Hao Wu, Hsueh-Ying Huang
  • Patent number: 8351017
    Abstract: An optically intelligent image sensing device is provided. By applying different potentials across different electrode sections in the image sensing device, the electric field profiles of the corresponding liquid crystal layer sections bend the lights passing through the liquid crystal layer sections in a predetermined manner. In one embodiment, all of a certain color light entering the image sensing device can be bent towards a color filter for the specific color, thereby entering the light sensor for the specific color light. Accordingly, the optically intelligent image sensing device has improved optical efficiency. An arrangement for an array of different electrode and light sensing sections in the image sensing device is also provided as an example for how each electrode may be connected to the optically intelligent image sensing device control signals. An example using the present optically intelligent image sensing device to improve the optical efficiency of an image capturing device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development, LLC
    Inventors: Vijay Mishra, Karthik Venkatraman
  • Patent number: 8345215
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for the optical calibration of the temperature of a micro-environment. The system comprises a thermochromic liquid crystal in combination with a luminophore. The steps of the method comprise providing in combination in the micro-environment at least one thermochromic liquid crystal and a luminophore, varying the temperature of the environment while irradiating the combination with light that includes light at one or more excitation wavelengths of the luminophore, and monitoring luminescence emitted by the combination while recording the temperature of the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Corbett Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Carl Peter Renneberg
  • Patent number: 8345174
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, an isolating layer, and a conductor. The first electrode is disposed between the first substrate and the isolating layer, on which the conductor is disposed. Each of the second and third electrodes is disposed on the second substrate and includes a contact surface. The second and third electrodes are not in contact with each other and are separated by a gap. The conductor is disposed in accordance with the location of the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Jeng-Fang Wu, Yi-Pai Huang, Ting-Jui Chang, Wei-Lung Liao, Shui-Chih Lien
  • Publication number: 20120293733
    Abstract: A sensing device may include a cholesteric crystal device including two optically transparent substrates; a liquid crystal having portions adapted for producing a plurality of optical states, said liquid crystal being arranged between the two optically transparent substrates; an optical sensor for changing optical states of respective portions of said liquid crystal to produce a range of respective optical states including all optical states produced by said liquid crystal ranging from one state to any combination of broadband reflection, tunable narrow band reflection, light scattering, and transparency in accordance with an amount of voltage applied across said cholesteric crystal device for changing optical states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Le Li, Yongxin Tang, Haiping Yu, Jie Yang, Jiangbin Zhao
  • Patent number: 8300189
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal (LC) device and method thereof. The device comprises (i) a body of liquid crystal, (ii) a first layer comprising a first material, and (iii) a second layer comprising a second material; wherein the first layer is located between the body of liquid crystal and the second layer; the first layer alone aligns the liquid crystal in a first orientation; the second layer alone aligns the liquid crystal in a second orientation; and the first orientation is different from the second orientation. With optimized first layer thickness, the invention can be used in sensor applications to improve detection sensitivity, and in LCD applications with enhanced control over LC pretilt transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Kent State University
    Inventors: Ke Zhang, Philip J. Bos, Robert J. Twieg, Na Liu
  • Publication number: 20120234079
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sensor for detecting a component (20) of an atmosphere, the sensor comprising a sensing surface (14, 16) covered by a barrier layer (18) of a material switchable between respective layer orientations that have permeability to the component. A NFC device comprising such a sensor, a package incorporating the NFC device and a method of manufacturing the sensor are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Aurelie Humbert, Dirk Gravesteijn, Pit Teunissen, Cornelis Wilhelmus Maria Bastiaansen
  • Publication number: 20120162596
    Abstract: Polymer network liquid crystal materials have improved mechanical properties such as rigidity and hardness and substantially improved electro-optical performance. The PNLC material can be manufactured with an emulsion process so as to simplify substantially the manufacturing process. Each LC droplet can be configured with the polymer network extending substantially across the LC droplet, and the polymer network may comprise a material to lower substantially the switching voltage, such as a fluorinated acrylate that may interact with the liquid crystal so as to lower the surface tension of the LC droplet. The PNLC material may comprise an interfacial layer combined with the polymer network so as to decrease substantially the driving voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Photon Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Xianhai Chen
  • Patent number: 8169589
    Abstract: Working range and beam cross-section are adjusted in an electro-optical reader for reading indicia by applying voltages to electrodes in one or more liquid crystal zone plates in which the index of refraction is changed in different regions of each zone plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David Tsi-Shi
  • Publication number: 20120033173
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multifunctional optical sensor, having at least 2 areas which independently react to different input parameters, the sensor comprising a substrate and a polymeric layer comprising polymerized liquid crystal monomers having an ordered morphology, wherein the color, the reflectivity or the birefringence of the sensor changes due to a change of the morphology, wherein said change of the morphology is caused by physical contact with a chemical agent such as a gas or liquid a change of temperature, or passage of time. The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of the sensor and for the use of a film comprising a single substrate, a layer having a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure for application in labels for packaging of perishable goods, food, fine chemicals, bio-medical materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Stichting Dutch Polymer Institute
    Inventors: Dirk J. Broer, Y. Han, Casper Laurens Van Oosten, Daniel Adalbert Nowak, Rintje Pieter Sijbensma, Jean-Pierre Teunissen, Cornelis Wilhelmus Maria Bastiaansen, Katherine Pacheco
  • Patent number: 8022913
    Abstract: A heater, used in a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) pixel array that uses a common voltage polysilicon line to supply heat to the pixel elements, instead of using active control transistor input lines, such as gate input lines. The approach permits the display to be activated during the warm-up process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Kopin Corporation
    Inventors: Kun Zhang, Frederick P. Herrmann
  • Patent number: 7990488
    Abstract: A method of forming a liquid crystal device, includes: contacting an aqueous solution comprising a surfactant and a receptor molecule with a top surface of a liquid crystal. The liquid crystal is in a holding compartment of a substrate, and the receptor molecule is adsorbed on the top surface of the liquid crystal forming an interface between the liquid crystal and the aqueous solution. The receptor molecule is different than the surfactant. A method of detecting a compound in a flowing stream includes passing an aqueous solution over a top surface of a liquid crystal in a holding compartment of a substrate. The method also includes determining whether a change in the orientation of the liquid crystal occurs as the aqueous solution is passed over the top surface of the liquid crystal. A change in the orientation of the liquid crystal indicates the presence of the compound in the flowing stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Nicholas L. Abbott, Jeffrey M. Brake
  • Publication number: 20110141431
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device for detecting interactions between a surface and an analyte. Specifically it provides a device for detecting interactions between a surface and an analyte, said device comprising a first substrate having an active surface supporting one or more first analyte(s), a second substrate, and a liquid crystal disposed on the active surface between the first substrate and second substrate, wherein the liquid crystal has a cross-section of varying thickness, wherein the cross-section of the liquid crystal has a first thickness and second thickness that is different to the first thickness, whereby the interaction between the active surface and the first analyte causes the orientation of the liquid crystal to change at a first critical thickness that is between the first and second thicknesses of the liquid crystal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventor: Pamela Ann Jordan
  • Patent number: 7956981
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) device (100) has the dual functionality of image display and environment scanning. Specifically, during environment scanning mode, the LCD device searches for targets, i.e., markers (700) in the environment. To enable such scanning, the LC layer (20) is configured to provide a scanning optical path allowing passage of a directional marker signal. The scanning optical path is controlled according to one or more transparent openings programmed to scan at least part of the LC layer. As a marker (700) is detected, based on the marker signal, a positional coordinate (e.g., relative angular position) is determinable based on the current scan position of the transparent opening(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Andrei Cernasov
  • Patent number: 7947510
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel methods and devices for detecting hybridization of nucleic acids using liquid crystals and cationic surfactants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate
    Inventors: Daniel K. Schwartz, Andrew D. Price
  • Publication number: 20110007261
    Abstract: Devices and methods for using changes in the defects in micrometer sized dispersed liquid crystal domains to detect or quantify analytes in a test sample, including endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), are disclosed. The dispersed liquid crystal microdomains are exposed to the test sample, and any changes in the number of defects in the liquid crystal microdomains are detected by detecting changes in the anchoring configuration of the microdomains. Such changes in anchoring configuration indicate the presence of analyte in the test sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Nicholas L. Abbott, I-Hsin Lin, Christopher J. Murphy, Jugal Gupta
  • Patent number: 7859621
    Abstract: A display device using a novel semiconductor device, which includes a pixel matrix, an image sensor, and a peripheral circuit for driving those, that is, which has both a camera function and a display function, and is made intelligent, is provided and a method of manufacturing the same is also provided. One pixel includes a semiconductor device for display and a semiconductor for light reception, that is, one pixel includes semiconductor devices (insulated gate-type field effect semiconductor device) for controlling both display and light reception, so that the display device having a picture reading function is made miniaturized and compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongyong Zhang, Masayuki Sakakura, Hideaki Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 7843404
    Abstract: The present invention provides a smart mirror apparatus using an LCD panel. The smart mirror of the present invention includes a reflective mirror, which is provided in the vehicle, and an LCD panel, which is placed in a light path between the reflective mirror and eyes of the driver and has one or two polarizing sheets. The smart mirror further includes an incident light detecting unit, which detects both the brightness of the incident light transmitted from the rear to the LCD panel and the brightness around the LCD panel, and calculates a difference value therebetween. The smart mirror further includes a voltage determination unit, which receives the calculated difference value and determines the drive voltage depending on the difference value, and a voltage apply and supply unit which applies the drive voltage, determined by the voltage determination unit, to the LCD panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Sody
    Inventor: Jong Cheon Lee
  • Patent number: 7796113
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to largely prevent certain influences from distributing the luminance of an image that can be reproduced on a panel of a flat screen. To this end, light-permeable parts are arranged between a sensor and a back light illuminating the panel from the rear, the ageing and/or temperature properties of said light-permeable parts essentially corresponding to those of the light-permeable parts of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: EIZO GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Eckhardt, Andreas Kärcher
  • Patent number: 7781252
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a CMOS image sensor comprising forming a first insulating film on a silicon semiconductor substrate which includes a metal pad; selectively etching the first insulating film, so as to form a first insulating film pattern with a first opening which exposes the metal pad; forming a metal pad protective film in the first opening portion with a predetermined thickness; forming a second insulating film on the first insulating film pattern and metal pad protective film; selectively etching the second insulating film, so as to form a second insulating film pattern which includes a second opening which exposes the metal pad protective film; forming a color filter array (CFA) on the second insulating film pattern; forming micro lenses on the CFA; and performing an etching process in order to remove the metal pad protective film so as to form a metal pad opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Dongby Hitek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Han Yun