Patents Assigned to Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
  • Publication number: 20090273554
    Abstract: Provided is an electro-optical device including: pixel electrodes provided in intersections of gate lines and data lines; counter electrodes provided to face the pixel electrodes with an electro-optical material interposed therebetween; and storage capacitors each of which one end is connected to each of the pixel electrodes, wherein, if data line signals supplied to the pixel electrodes via the data lines correspond to writing of a positive polarity with respect to the potential of the counter electrodes, the potential of the other end of each of the storage capacitors is changed to a high potential side after the data line signals are written and, if the data line signals correspond to writing of a negative polarity with respect to the potential of the counter electrodes, the potential of the other end of each of the storage capacitors is held at a constant level before and after the data line signals are written.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shin Fujita
  • Publication number: 20090273746
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is provided which includes a substrate having a pixel electrode; and a color filter substrate having a color filter layer on a transparent substrate while having an alignment film formed on an uppermost layer thereof, the substrate and the color filter substrate each having a display region having a plurality of sub-pixels formed thereon, in which the color filter substrate has a liquid crystal layer thickness-adjustment layer formed of a transparent resin layer being partially formed on an inner side of the alignment film; and the liquid crystal layer thickness-adjustment layer has a trench being formed along and between adjacent ones of the sub-pixels, the bottom position of the trench of the liquid crystal layer thickness-adjustment layer being lower than a height of the color filter layer from a surface of the transparent substrate, and the transparent resin layer existing on the bottom of the trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshinori Uehara, Koji Yoshida, Shuhei Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090268434
    Abstract: An illumination system includes a light source unit including a light source and a circuit substrate electrically connected to the light source. The light source is placed in the circuit substrate such that at least part of the light source overlaps the circuit substrate in the thicknesswise direction of the circuit substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junya Mita, Yoshinori Momose, Akemi Maruyama, Shintaro Hama
  • Publication number: 20090267121
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device is provided which includes a substrate; a transistor formed on the substrate; a photoelectric conversion element including a first electrode connected to a drain or a source of the transistor, a semiconductor layer stacked on the first electrode, and a second electrode stacked on the semiconductor layer; an insulating layer disposed on the second electrode; and a bias line formed on the insulating layer to be connected to the second electrode, in which the insulating layer contains at least an inorganic insulating film, and the bias line is connected to the second electrode via a contact hole formed in the insulating layer, and a side surface of the semiconductor layer is in contact with the inorganic insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukimasa ISHIDA, Takashi SATO, Yasushi YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 7609247
    Abstract: A driving circuit includes a scanning-line driving circuit applying an on potential to sequentially drive scanning-lines, a data-line driving circuit that, when the on potential is applied to each scanning-line, turns each data-line potential to a potential difference corresponding to a density based on a counter electrode potential and a potential corresponding to the same writing polarity among the scanning-lines, and a storage capacitor driving circuit which, when the on potential is applied to the scanning-lines and the data-line potential corresponds to positive polarity writing, shifts the other storage capacitor electrode potential in each storage capacitor to a high level after an off potential is applied to the scanning-lines, and, when the on potential is applied to the scanning-lines and the data-line potential corresponds to negative polarity writing, shifts the other storage capacitor electrode potential to a low level after the off potential is applied to the scanning-lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
    Inventor: Shin Fujita
  • Publication number: 20090256982
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device is provided that includes a pair of substrates having a liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween, the liquid crystal layer containing therein liquid crystal molecules of which the alignment state during no-voltage application corresponds to a splay alignment state; and a conductive alignment regulating member which is at least partially disposed in a frame region defining the perimeter of a pixel region on one substrate of the pair of substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiki TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20090257010
    Abstract: An electro-optical device includes: an electro-optical panel; a light-transmissive member that overlaps the electro-optical panel and has a protruding part that protrudes so as to be positioned outside an edge of the electro-optical panel, the light-transmissive member having a first area and a second area that is located outside the first area; a coloration layer that is formed on a surface of the light-transmissive member at the second area; an adhesive material that is provided between a part of the coloration layer and a corresponding part of the electro-optical panel as well as between the part of the light-transmissive member and a corresponding part of the electro-optical panel; and a first light-shielding layer formed over one surface of the light-transmissive member, and the first light-shielding layer being formed at an area where the coloration layer does not overlap the adhesive material in a plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji SAKURAI
  • Patent number: 7600910
    Abstract: An illumination device includes light sources; a light source substrate on which the light sources are mounted; a light guide panel having a light entrance plane to be arranged so as to oppose the light sources on a part of an end surface thereof; and spacers interposed between the end surface of the light guide panel and the light source substrate, wherein the light sources and the light guide panel are kept in a non-contact state by a space formed by the spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
    Inventor: Toyohiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 7602450
    Abstract: A heads-up display system includes a liquid crystal display unit that can change optical characteristics in accordance with a video signal. The light modulated by the liquid crystal display unit is projected on a surface of a transparent plate that can reflect the light so as to realize a projection display. The light projected on the transparent plate is polarized light having a transmission axis extending in a direction parallel to a line defining the center with respect to incident light and reflective light of the transparent plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
    Inventors: Norio Koma, Masashi Mitsui
  • Publication number: 20090244021
    Abstract: An electrostatic capacitance input device having a plurality of first electrodes extending in a first direction and a plurality of second electrodes extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction in an input area, including a plurality of first lines extending in parallel to each other from the plurality of first electrodes to a plurality of first terminals, and a plurality of second lines extending in parallel to each other from the plurality of second electrode to a plurality of second terminals, the first lines and the second lines being formed outside the input area, and an auxiliary line extending outside at least one of the lines at both ends in terms of the direction of arrangement of one or both of the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines, the auxiliary line generating a parasitic capacitance with respect to the at least one of the lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mutsumi MATSUO, Yasuhiro KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20090244467
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes two substrates, liquid crystal therebetween, and sub-pixel regions. Each sub-pixel region is divided into first to fourth display regions by a first axis extending orthogonal to an optical axis of a polarizing plate and a second axis extending orthogonal to the first axis. Each first to fourth display region includes slit electrodes on the second electrodes along the first axis. First slit electrodes in the first display region and second slit electrodes in the second display region are symmetric relative to the first axis. Third slit electrodes in the third display region and fourth slit electrodes in the fourth display region are symmetric relative to the first axis. The first and fourth slit electrodes are symmetric relative to the second axis. The second and third slit electrodes are symmetric relative to the second axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichiro NOMURA, Hideki KANEKO, Masahiro HORIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20090244821
    Abstract: An electro-optic apparatus includes: an electro-optic panel; and a holding member configured to hold at least the electro-optic panel, in which the holding member includes a shoulder configured to support at least part of a peripheral edge of the electro-optic panel, and the shoulder does not support the electro-optic panel in at least an area of a part of a corner and a proximity thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuya HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20090244028
    Abstract: A capacitive input device includes a light-transmitting substrate, a multilayer film formed on one of the surfaces of the light-transmitting substrate and including a plurality of light-transmitting thin films which have different refractive indexes and one of which is a niobium oxide film, a plurality of first light-transmitting electrodes formed on the multilayer film in an input region of the light-transmitting substrate to extend in a first direction, and a plurality of second light-transmitting electrodes formed on the multilayer film in the input region of the light-transmitting substrate to extend in a second direction crossing the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mutsumi MATSUO
  • Publication number: 20090243961
    Abstract: An electro-optical device including: first display elements each divided into at least a first region and a second region, for displaying a first image, and second display elements each divided into at least a third region and a fourth region, for displaying a second image, the first and second display elements being arranged such that each third region is disposed between the first region and the second region of the adjacent first display element and each second region is disposed between the third region and the fourth region of the adjacent second display element; a parallax barrier layer provided on a side of the display elements adjacent to a viewer, the parallax barrier having light transmitting regions at positions thereof corresponding to boundaries between adjoining first and third regions as well as between adjoining second and fourth regions; and a spacer layer separating the display elements from the parallax barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoichi Momose
  • Publication number: 20090244468
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal layer between a pair of substrates. One substrate includes pixel electrodes, an insulating layer and a common electrode having a plurality of slits. An electric field between the pixel and common electrodes turns liquid crystal molecules in a predetermined direction in regions corresponding to the slits. Each slit includes a first straight portion extending from a center of the pixel electrode toward both sides of the pixel electrode and second straight portions extending from the ends of the first straight portion to the outside of the pixel electrode. The first and second portions each form an acute angle with an initial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction. The acute angle between the second portions and the initial orientation is larger than the acute angle between the first portion and the initial orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori TANIGUCHI, Shinichiro TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20090248344
    Abstract: An optical detection device includes: an optical sensing unit that has an optical detection transistor and outputs a signal corresponding to the amount of light irradiated to the optical detection transistor; a threshold voltage detecting unit that has a threshold value detection transistor that is provided adjacent to the optical detection transistor and is formed in the same process as the formation process of the optical detection transistor, the threshold voltage detecting unit detecting the threshold voltage of the threshold value detection transistor; a sensor output value generating unit that generates a sensor output value that relates to the amount of irradiating light on the basis of the signal outputted from the optical sensing unit; a correction coefficient determining unit that determines a correction coefficient that is used for correcting a change in the sensor output value that is caused by the optical degradation of the optical detection transistor and corresponds to the threshold voltage det
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukiya Hirabayashi, Takashi Kunimori
  • Patent number: 7596201
    Abstract: There is offered a Gray code counter with which a delay time of a critical path is reduced and a fast operation is made possible. A first Gray code bit Q0 is obtained by outputting an output signal Q0o of an RDFF 2 through an RDFF 31 to synchronize with a clock CLK. A second Gray code bit Q1 is obtained by outputting an output signal Q1o of an RDFF 2 through an RDFF 32 to synchronize with the clock CLK. A third Gray code bit Q2 is obtained by delaying an output signal Q2o of an RDFF 4 with a selection circuit 21 and outputting it through an RDFF 33 to synchronize with the clock CLK. A fourth Gray code bit Q3 is obtained by delaying an output signal Q3o of an RDFF 5 with an AND circuit 11 and a selection circuit 22 and outputting it through an RDFF 34 to synchronize with the clock CLK. Higher bits of the Gray code are similarly generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
    Inventor: Norio Fujimura
  • Patent number: 7595983
    Abstract: A display capable of suppressing breakage of a display panel against an impact resulting from a fall or the like is obtained. This display comprises a display panel, an upper frame having a first opening for exposing a display surface of the display panel, a first flexible printed wiring board for the display panel having a first end connected to the display panel and a second end curvedly arranged on the lower side of the display panel, a reinforcing sheet arranged between the lower side of the display panel and the curvedly arranged first flexible printed wiring board and a lower frame engaging with the upper frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsumi Okuda
  • Publication number: 20090237594
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. A planar region of the pair of substrates has at least one display pixel region and at least one viewing-angle control pixel region that performs dark display in the front direction of surfaces of the pair of substrates and has brightness variable depending on a viewing angle in an oblique direction to the normal direction of the surfaces of the pair of substrates. A pair of electrodes driving the liquid crystal layer is provided in the display pixel region and the viewing-angle control pixel region. A voltage applied between the pair of electrodes in the viewing-angle control pixel region at the time of driving the liquid crystal layer in the viewing-angle control pixel region is higher than a voltage applied between the pair of electrodes in the display pixel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiharu MATSUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20090237957
    Abstract: There is provided an illumination device equipped with a light guide plate, a light source unit having a plurality of point like light sources for supplying light to the light guide plate and a light source holding member for holding the point like light sources, the light source unit being disposed to oppose an edge face of the light guide plate, and a housing for holding the light guide plate and the light source unit. The light source unit is constituted so as to be inserted in and extracted from the housing by a slide mechanism that can be slid along the edge face of the light guide plate, and the light source unit is equipped with a spacer for assuring a gap between the edge face of the light guide plate and the light sources at a slide insertion side end of the light source unit with respect to the housing when the light source unit is slidingly inserted in the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi TSUBAKI