Patents Examined by Nathanael R Briggs
  • Patent number: 11460729
    Abstract: Provided are a novel optical element that can be used as a sensor or the like and a sensor including the same optical element. The optical element includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, in which the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from a liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction, and in a case where a cross-section taken in a thickness direction conforming the in-plane direction in which the direction of the optical axis rotates is observed using a scanning electron microscope, a portion where a bright line and a dark line derived from the cholesteric liquid crystalline phase are discontinuous is provided in the cholesteric liquid crystal layer in the in-plane direction in which the direction of the optical axis rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yukito Saitoh, Hiroshi Sato
  • Patent number: 11454752
    Abstract: Provided are an optical element including a first optically-anisotropic layer consisting of a cured layer of a composition including a first liquid crystal compound, in which the first optically-anisotropic layer has 0.24 or more of a refractive index anisotropy ?n550 which is measured with light having a wavelength of 550 nm, the first optically-anisotropic layer has a first liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the first liquid crystal compound continuously changes rotationally in at least one in-plane direction, and in the first liquid crystal alignment pattern, in a case where a length ? over which the direction of the optical axis rotates 180° in a plane is defined as a single period, the length ? of the single period is 1.6 ?m or less; a method for forming a photo-alignment pattern; and a method for manufacturing an optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Sasata, Ryoji Goto, Hiroshi Sato, Yukito Saitoh
  • Patent number: 11454842
    Abstract: A display device includes a display module that includes a plurality of light emitting areas and a non-light emitting area that surrounds the light emitting areas, a first polarizer disposed on the display module, a second polarizer disposed on the first polarizer, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer. A plurality of openings are defined in the first polarizer or the second polarizer, and the openings overlap the light emitting areas. The display device is switchable between public and private viewing modes via an external input, in which a viewing angle of the display device in the private viewing mode is narrower than in the public viewing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 11448911
    Abstract: A method of setting a common electrode voltage of a liquid crystal display panel in a liquid crystal module is provided. The liquid crystal module includes the liquid crystal display panel including an alignment film, and a backlight disposed behind the liquid crystal display panel. The method of setting a common electrode voltage of a liquid crystal display panel includes: eliminating an electric charge of the alignment film by turning on the backlight without driving the liquid crystal display panel to emit light of the backlight onto the liquid crystal display panel; and setting the common electrode voltage of the liquid crystal display panel by adjusting the common electrode voltage, after the eliminating of the electric charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignees: PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD., PASONA KNOWLEDGE PARTNER INC.
    Inventors: Keisuke Izawa, Makoto Arita, Toshitaka Uchikoba
  • Patent number: 11448908
    Abstract: A display may have display layers that form an array of pixels. An angle-of-view adjustment layer may overlap the display layers. The angle-of-view adjustment layer may include an array of adjustable louvers that move from a first position in which the angle of view of the display is restricted for a private viewing mode and a second position in which the angle of view of the display is not restricted for a normal viewing mode. The louvers may contain electrophoretic particles. The louvers may be tapered and may have a width at one end that is less than ten microns. The electrophoretic particles may form isolated clusters on a lower substrate in normal viewing mode to increase the transmittance of the display in normal viewing mode. The angle-of-view adjustment layer may be a second liquid crystal display layer that is used to block off-axis light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shih-Chyuan Fan Jiang, Paul V. Johnson, Se Hyun Ahn, Cheng Chen, Yuan Chen, Hyungryul Choi, Zhibing Ge, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew, Hyunmin A. Song, Chaohao Wang, Jiaying Wu
  • Patent number: 11442210
    Abstract: A polarizer substrate includes a substrate, a reflective layer, and a metal pattern layer. The reflective layer is located on the substrate and has a transmission area and a reflective area. The metal pattern layer is located on the reflective layer and the substrate. The metal pattern layer includes a polarizer structure and a microstructure. The polarizer structure includes a plurality of grid lines overlapping the transmission area. A thickness of each of the grid lines is 200 nm to 500 nm, a width of each of the grid lines is 30 nm to 70 nm, and a distance between each adjacent two of the grid lines is 30 nm to 70 nm. The microstructure overlaps the reflective area, and a thickness of the microstructure is 20 nm to 500 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Sheng-Kai Lin, Chia-Hsin Chung, Tsai-Sheng Lo, Sheng-Ming Huang, Ming-Jui Wang, Chih-Chiang Chen, Hui-Ku Chang, Cheng-Chan Wang, Chia-Po Lin, Jen-Kuei Lu
  • Patent number: 11442314
    Abstract: A polarization insensitive optical phase modulator is provided including a glass substrate; a liquid crystal element; a first electrode on a first surface of the liquid crystal element adjacent the glass substrate; a second electrode on a second surface of the liquid crystal element, opposite the first surface, the first and second electrodes supplying an electric potential across the liquid crystal element to drive liquid crystals in a predetermined configuration; and a silicon backplane on the second electrode opposite the liquid crystal element. The first electrode is a transparent electrode to a selected wavelength and is on a surface of the glass substrate. The second electrode includes individually addressable pixels and reflection metal mirrors on pixel surfaces and is on a surface of the silicon backplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventor: Chongchang Mao
  • Patent number: 11442316
    Abstract: A switchable privacy display for an automotive vehicle comprises a spatial light modulator, a first switchable liquid crystal retarder and first passive retarder arranged between a first pair of polarisers and a second switchable liquid crystal retarder and second passive retarder arranged between a second pair of polarisers. The first switchable liquid crystal retarder comprises a homeotropic alignment layer and a homogeneous alignment layer. The second switchable liquid crystal retarder comprises two homeotropic alignment layers or two homogeneous alignment layers. In a privacy mode of operation, on-axis light from the spatial light modulator is directed without loss to the passenger, whereas off-axis light has reduced luminance to reduce the visibility of the display to off-axis driver leaning towards the display. In a shared mode of operation, the liquid crystal layers are controlled so that off-axis luminance and reflectivity are unmodified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: RealD Spark, LLC
    Inventors: Graham J. Woodgate, Michael G Robinson, Robert A Ramsey, Jonathan Harrold, Ben Ihas
  • Patent number: 11435640
    Abstract: A cholesteric liquid crystal display includes a cholesteric liquid crystal device, a color filter element, a first quarter-wave plate, and a light recovery structure. The cholesteric liquid crystal device includes a cholesteric liquid crystal. The color filter element and the first quarter-wave plate overlap the cholesteric liquid crystal device. The first quarter-wave plate and the color filter element are located between the cholesteric liquid crystal and the light recovery structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hao-Shiun Yang, Jian-Fu Chen, Chien-Chi Chen, Shang-Chiang Lin
  • Patent number: 11435626
    Abstract: By increasing an interval between electrodes which drives liquid crystals, a gradient of an electric field applied between the electrodes can be controlled and an optimal electric field can be applied between the electrodes. The invention includes a first electrode formed over a substrate, an insulating film formed over the substrate and the first electrode, a thin film transistor including a semiconductor film in which a source, a channel region, and a drain are formed over the insulating film, a second electrode located over the semiconductor film and the first electrode and including first opening patterns, and liquid crystals provided over the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Kimura
  • Patent number: 11428994
    Abstract: A substrate having a spacer formed thereon, a method of making the same, and an optical device including the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a substrate includes a base layer, and a black column spacer formed on the base layer, wherein the black column spacer has an optical density in a range of 1.1 to 4, and wherein the black column spacer having a curved portion, wherein a cross section of the curved portion having at least one region having curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventors: Cheol Ock Song, Ji Young Hwang, Han Min Seo, Sung Eun Park, Nam Seok Bae, Seung Heon Lee, Jung Sun You
  • Patent number: 11428991
    Abstract: The liquid crystal display device includes, sequentially from a viewing surface side to a back surface side: a linearly polarizing plate and a circularly polarizing plate including a first ?/4 retardation layer; a thin-film transistor substrate including a pair of electrodes disposed in a pixel region and a metal line disposed outside the pixel region; a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules aligned parallel to the thin-film transistor substrate, alignment of the liquid crystal molecules varying in response to an electric field generated by application of voltage to the pair of electrodes; a color filter substrate including a color filter layer; and a backlight, the thin-film transistor substrate including a second ?/4 retardation layer, the color filter substrate including a reflective layer disposed outside the pixel region and configured to reflect incident light from the backlight toward the back surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Kawahira, Takako Koide, Masahiro Hasegawa, Akira Hirai, Akira Sakai, Kiyoshi Minoura
  • Patent number: 11422458
    Abstract: Architecture and designs of modulating both amplitude and phase at the same time in spatial light modulation are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, nano-imprinting lithograph (NIL) and E-beam are used to create micro structures (transparent) as alignment cells. A first group of the alignment cells are oriented in a first direction and a second group of the alignment cells are oriented in a second direction, light going through the first group of the alignment cells is modulated in amplitude thereof and the light going through the second group of the alignment cells is modulated in phase thereof, all via the liquid crystals and at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventors: Darwin Hu, Cheng Hsing Liao
  • Patent number: 11415841
    Abstract: A light control element includes a first substrate, a first electrode, a first liquid crystal layer, a second electrode, a second substrate, a first internal conductive object, a first intermediate conductive object and a second internal conductive object. A peripheral area of the second substrate has a first through hole. The first internal conductive object is disposed in a first through hole of the second substrate. The first intermediate conductive object is disposed between the peripheral area of the second substrate and the first substrate, and is electrically connected to the first electrode and the first internal conductive object. The peripheral area of the second substrate further has a second through hole. The second internal conductive object is disposed in the second through hole of the second substrate and is electrically connected to the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: LIQXTAL TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Hung-Shan Chen, Chia-Hui Wu, Chih-Chan Lin
  • Patent number: 11409399
    Abstract: There are provided a display panel with a touch detector that allows the touch detection electrodes to be less visible, a touch panel, and an electronic unit having the display panel with a touch detector. The display panel with a touch detector includes: a display layer including a plurality of display elements arranged side by side; and an electrode layer alternately segmented into first regions and second regions along a first direction, the electrode layer including a plurality of first slits arranged side by side to extend in a second direction, and a plurality of second slits each allowing an adjacent pair of the plurality of first slits in the second regions to be in communication with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Ishizaki, Koji Noguchi, Masanobu Ikeda, Yasuyuki Matsui
  • Patent number: 11409118
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device for generating a 3D light field. The device comprises a first lens having a fixed focal length, and an imaging element arranged to send light into the first lens. The imaging element is configured to send the light from different positions within a defined distance on the optical axis of the first lens, in order to produce different depth layers of the 3D light field within a frame duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Cambridge Enterprise Limited
    Inventors: Jia Jia, Jhensi Chen, Daping Chu, Qing Zhang, Tao Lin
  • Patent number: 11409155
    Abstract: A wide viewing angle liquid crystal display includes color filters having a quantum dot and scattering particles and liquid crystal layer disposed in a microcavity, a distance between the color filter and the liquid crystal layer being sized to minimize display deterioration due to parallax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Byung Park, Sung Sik Yun, Jong Hyuk Kang, Hae Il Park, Hyun Min Cho
  • Patent number: 11409150
    Abstract: The present application provides a display device. When a camera assembly of the present application is switched to a camera mode, a light valve is in a light-shielding state, and pixel units in a light transmissive region are in a light transmissive state. A photosensitive element collects external image information through the light transmissive region for imaging. When the camera mode of the camera assembly is switched off, the light valve is in a light-transmissive state, and light of the backlight module passes through the light valve to perform normal display operations. Accordingly, camera-under-panel shooting and a full-screen design are realized, and a bezel problem of a display panel is completely solved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shaokun Li
  • Patent number: 11402703
    Abstract: An example device includes a light source, a liquid crystal layer, and an array of pixel electrodes disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer. The array of pixel electrodes is to control orientation of liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer to modulate light incident from the light source to produce an image composed of pixels. The example device further includes an array of scattering electrodes to selectively influence orientation of liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer to degrade contrast of selected pixels of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Hsing-Hung Hsieh, Chi Hao Chang, Ann Alejandro Villegas
  • Patent number: 11402656
    Abstract: A display switching device, a display device and an electronic device are provided. The display switching device includes: a controller; and a lens array, including a plurality of diffractive lenticular lenses, wherein each of the diffractive lenticular lenses includes: a first substrate, including a diffraction phase grating array; a liquid crystal element, including liquid crystal being filled in the diffraction phase grating array; a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer configured to apply a voltage to the liquid crystal element, wherein the controller is configured to acquire a corresponding display mode and apply a control voltage corresponding to the display mode to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer according to the display mode to change a refractive index state of the liquid crystal element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jian Gao, Xue Dong, Xiaochuan Chen, Yafeng Yang, Pengcheng Lu, Wei Wang, Xinli Ma