Patents Examined by Robert H. Kim
  • Liquid crystal display device
    Patent number: 6801264
    Abstract: One of a pair of substrates with liquid crystals sandwiched therebetween includes a plurality of pixels each of which is provided with a scanning electrode, an image signal electrode, a switching element provided at an intersection of the scanning electrode and the image signal electrode, a pixel electrode connected to the image signal electrode via the switching element, a counter electrode, and a busbar electrically connected to the counter electrode. A portion of the pixel electrode is overlapped with the busbar so as to make up a storage capacitance. A shape of the pixel electrode is altered for each pixel so that a value of the storage capacitance becomes smaller from a feeding side to a termination side. The portion of the pixel electrode overlapped with the busbar so as to make up the storage capacitance is located within the busbar in a plan view of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kumagawa, Masanori Kimura, Tetsuo Fukami
  • Liquid crystal display apparatus having flexible substrate and concave faces
    Patent number: 6801278
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal display apparatus having a flexible substrate that realizes the bright and high quality display. A liquid crystal display apparatus has a liquid crystal layer interposed between a pair of flexible substrates that face each other, and a plurality of concave faces having a spherical inner surface are formed continuously on the surface of the substrate that faces the liquid crystal layer side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsushi Tanada, Mitsuru Kano
  • Backlight for a liquid crystal display having high light-recycling efficiency
    Patent number: 6801270
    Abstract: A backlight for a liquid crystal display (LCD) employing light recycling. In one embodiment the backlight includes a light guide fabricated from a substantially non-absorptive material and a reflective layer fabricated from a highly reflective material. In another embodiment the backlight includes a light source, a bundle of optical fibers, and a reflective layer fabricated from a highly reflective material, wherein the bundle of optical fibers is configured to receive light from the light source and distribute it to the reflective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
    Inventors: Sadeg M. Faris, Aharon Hochbaum, Wnehua Niu, Jiang Yingqiu
  • Liquid crystal display having shorting bar for testing thin film transistor
    Patent number: 6801265
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a shorting bar for testing a thin film transistor. First and second source shorting bars are alternatively at lest two-by-two connected to source pads, and at least two adjacent pixel electrodes are scanned by being recognized as one, so that an active panel of a high resolution product with a fine isolation distance between pixel electrodes and area can be tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: LG. Phillips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung-Kyu Choi, Hyun-Tae Kim
  • Method for manufacturing an in-plane electric field mode liquid crystal element
    Patent number: 6801293
    Abstract: The curing, by UV-light irradiation, of a sealing resin after injecting liquid crystal is made reliable. The display characteristics and the like of an in-plane electric field mode liquid crystal element are improved. To resolve these problems, the viscosity of the sealing resin is lowered, while bubbles mixed in the sealing resin are eliminated by ultrasonic waves, for example. Also, a means for eliminating ions and charges in the liquid crystal layer is devised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nishiyama, Junko Asayama, Kazunori Komori, Yukio Tanaka, Akio Takimoto, Kazuo Inoue, Katsuhiko Kumagawa, Ichiro Sato, Hirofumi Wakemoto, Noriyuki Kizu, Masanori Kimura, Keisuke Tsuda
  • Structure-reinforced bezel for flat panel display
    Patent number: 6801268
    Abstract: A structure-reinforced bezel for flat panel display comprises: a bezel body, defined continuously by two opposite first sides and two opposite second sides, each of first sides including a first end wall and a first side wall being substantially perpendicular to and extending from the first end wall, each of second sides including a second end wall and a second side wall substantially perpendicular to and extending from the second end wall, the first side wall and the second side wall extending in a same direction, wherein one of the first side walls is configured to an inward folded shape to define an outer side wall and an inner side wall opposite to the outer side wall, and the inner side wall has at least one hole or one recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Kun-Feng Huang, Hsin-Fa Hsu
  • Reflection LCD device having an improved image quality
    Patent number: 6801282
    Abstract: A reflection LCD device has, on a front panel, a first phase shifter having a retardation of 145 to 180 nm which is a sum of ¼ of the central wavelength, 550 nm, of the visible wavelength range and an additional retardation, and a second phase shifter having a retardation of 250 to 300 nm which corresponds to ½ of the central wavelength. The optical axis of the first phase shifter is arranged so that the additional retardation of the first phase shifter and the residual retardation of the LC layer after application of a voltage cancel each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignees: NEC Corporation, NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Teruaki Suzuki
  • Method and device for connecting display panel substrates
    Patent number: 6801269
    Abstract: A method for connecting display panel substrates comprises the following steps. Firstly, a first substrate and a second substrate, whereon sealant material is disposed so as to form a waste region in the inner side region of the edges of the first and second substrates, are aligned in position and held. Thereupon, a spacer having a thickness substantially equal to a prescribed cell gap is inserted into the waste region between the first and second substrates. Next, the cell gap is determined by pressing the first and second substrates. The sealant material is then hardened, whereupon the spacer is withdrawn. In this connecting process for fabricating a display panel, the cell gap can be set readily and precisely to a high degree of accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Lan Technical Service Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiie Matsumoto
  • Liquid crystal device, method for making the same, and electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 6798476
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device has a configuration including substrates 200 and 300 bonded to each other with a sealant 110 and a liquid crystal 160 enclosed in the gap therebetween. Common electrodes 214 are provided on the inner face of the substrate 200, whereas an underlying film 301, a reflective film 302 composed of a silver alloy, a protective film 303 covering the reflective film 302, and segment electrodes 314 are provided on the inner face of the backside substrate 300. Since the protective film 303 suppresses the crystal grain growth of the reflective film 302 at a high-temperature treatment, a decrease in reflectance is avoided. A lead 350 comprises a laminate of a reflective conductive film 352 having a crystal grain size which is larger than that of the reflective film 302 and a transparent conductive film 354 which is formed by patterning the same layer as the segment electrode 314.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Hanakawa, Shoji Hinata
  • Liquid crystal display device and a method for producing the same
    Patent number: 6798467
    Abstract: The present invention is designed to provide a liquid crystal display device in which a nontacky silicone sheet having rubber elasticity is so provided between a liquid crystal display panel and a transparent protection plate for protecting the liquid crystal display panel as not to form any air layer and a method for producing such a liquid crystal display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Asahi Rubber Inc.
    Inventors: Masutsugu Tasaki, Akira Ichikawa
  • Display device with a light-reflective polarizer and electronic apparatus employing the same
    Patent number: 6798468
    Abstract: A display device includes a reflective polarizer beneath a liquid-crystal display panel, and a light diffusing plate and a lighting apparatus disposed beneath the reflective polarizer. In a reflective display mode, the display device presents a specular display resulting from a light ray reflected by the reflective polarizer and a diffusion display resulting from a diffused light. In a transmissive display mode, the display device presents a dark display and a diffusion display caused by the light diffusing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Chiyoaki Iijima
  • Method of fabricating ferroelectric liquid crystal display
    Patent number: 6798490
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a method of fabricating a ferroelectric liquid crystal display which prevents problems of injecting liquid crystal that result from a volume shrinking of the liquid crystal during the injection process. In the method, the pressure in a chamber is changed to above a liquid crystal injection pressure, while cooling a liquid crystal panel after injecting the liquid crystal, and at the same time, the temperature of a liquid crystal tray maintained at a liquid crystal injection temperature, to continue injection of the liquid crystal to an otherwise un-injected portion of the liquid crystal panel, so that an problems related to inadequate injection can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suk Won Choi, Su Seok Choi
  • Liquid crystal alignment
    Patent number: 6798481
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device has a surface alignment structure comprising a random or pseudorandom two dimensional array of alignment features (10) which are shaped and/or orientated to produce a desired alignment. Depending on the geometry and spacing of the features (10), the liquid crystal may be induced to adopt a planar, tilted, or homeotropic alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen Christopher Kitson, John Christopher Rudin, Christopher James P. Newton
  • Floating electrode switching liquid crystal display
    Patent number: 6798483
    Abstract: A floating electrode switching liquid crystal display (FES-LCD). A plurality of liquid crystal molecules held between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the liquid crystal molecules are aligned to a first direction. A plurality of transverse-extending gate lines and lengthwise-extending signal lines formed on the first substrate to define a plurality of pixel areas arranging in a matrix form. A plurality of pixel electrodes and floating electrodes formed on the first substrate, the pixel electrodes and the floating electrodes are positioned within the pixel areas, and being arranged to a second direction. A common electrode layer formed on the second substrate. The pixel electrodes and the floating electrodes are separated in the same plane, and the first direction and the second direction are intersected with an angle &thgr;.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Hannstar Display Corp.
    Inventors: Seok Lyul Lee, Han Jun Park
  • Method for fabricating a liquid crystal display having a pixel electrode with different surface roughness regions
    Patent number: 6798489
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a bottom substrate with a gate wire, a data wire and thin transistor, and a top substrate with color filters. In a method for fabricating the liquid crystal display, a pixel electrode is formed on the bottom substrate at each pixel area using a first mask such that the pixel electrode has a first region with a smooth surface, and a second region with a rough surface. A common electrode is formed on the top substrate using a second mask such that the common electrode has a first region with a smooth surface, and a second region with a rough surface. The bottom substrate and the top substrate are assembled together, and a liquid crystal is injected between the bottom and the top substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-Ho Lee, Young-Bae Park, Jeong-Young Lee
  • Two-domain in-plane switching mode LCD
    Patent number: 6798484
    Abstract: An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display (IPS-LCD). A plurality of lengthwise-extending common electrodes are formed in each pixel area, and each common electrode has a curved or zigzag profile. A plurality of lengthwise-extending pixel electrodes are formed in each pixel area, and each pixel electrode has a curved or zigzag profile. The pixel electrodes are disposed in the intervals between the common electrodes, and two adjacent pixel and common electrodes form a subpixel area. Liquid crystal molecules are positioned within each sub-pixel area. The two adjacent pixel electrode and common electrodes within each sub-pixel area are not parallel to each other, and thus a gradient in-plane electric field is generated therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Hannstar Display Corp.
    Inventors: Kie-Hsiung Yang, Sheng-Hsien Lin
  • Liquid crystal display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 6798478
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display apparatus having a liquid crystal layer between a first substrate and a second substrate and having an uneven layer with an uneven shape on a liquid crystal layer side of the first substrate, the uneven layer is formed by a film-forming step of forming a photosensitive resin layer on the first substrate, a first exposure step of exposing the photosensitive resin layer through a mask having a predetermined pattern, a developing step of developing the photosensitive resin layer exposed in the first exposure step, a second exposure step of exposing an entirety of the developed photosensitive resin layer, and a heating step of heating the photosensitive resin exposed in the second exposure step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Sadayasu Fujibayashi
  • Liquid crystal display device having particular metal reflective film
    Patent number: 6798485
    Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a liquid crystal display device which, when a liquid crystal injection portion is sealed and stopped up with a resin, makes it possible to precisely and easily perform the operation and makes it possible to detect defective liquid crystal injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Date, Toshiaki Hoshino
  • Display panel, laminated substrate, liquid crystal cell and method of manufacturing laminated substrate
    Patent number: 6795153
    Abstract: A display panel, laminated substrate, and liquid crystal cell which includes a pair of facing substrates bonded together with a sealing material. One or both of the substrates includes at least one corner portion on which a plurality of protruding pads are formed, the pads assisting in dispersion of the sealing material during bonding of the substrates to prevent sealing material from moving inwardly and possibly adversely affecting the display region of the resulting structure. A method of making such a laminated substrate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Shunji Suzuki
  • Optical fiber and optical communication system using this optical fiber
    Patent number: 6795629
    Abstract: The present invention resides in an optical fiber able to form an optical transmitting line for wavelength division multiplexing transmission in a wavelength band of 1.5 &mgr;m using a Raman amplifier, and an optical communication system using this optical fiber. The optical fiber has an effective core area from 40 &mgr;m2 to 60 &mgr;m2 in a set wavelength band of at least one portion of a wavelength band of 1.5 &mgr;m; a dispersion value from 4 to 10 ps/nm/km at a wavelength of 1.55 &mgr;m; a dispersion slope set to a positive value equal to or smaller than 0.04 ps/nm2/km in a wavelength band of 1.55 &mgr;m; and a zero dispersion wavelength equal to or smaller than 1.4 &mgr;m. Further, a cutoff wavelength is set to be equal to or smaller than 1.5 &mgr;m at a length of 2 m, and a bending loss is set to be equal to or smaller than 5 dB/m at a diameter of 20 mm in the wavelength band of 1.5 &mgr;m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Mukasa, Naomi Kumano