Abstract: A display panel includes sub-pixel pairs arranged laterally at a predetermined pitch, the sub-pixel pair including two sub pixels displaying images for right and left eyes respectively. A parallax-barrier shutter panel includes sub apertures switching light-transmitting and light-blocking states by driving a liquid crystal layer held between two transparent substrates with transparent electrodes extending vertically. The sub apertures are arranged laterally at a pitch obtained by dividing a reference parallax-barrier pitch by N (N being an even number equal to or greater than four), the reference parallax-barrier pitch being determined on the basis of a predetermined design observation distance and the pitch of the sub-pixel pairs. The parallax-barrier shutter panel includes common driving areas obtained by dividing a display area laterally.

Abstract: A one-pixel structure of a display panel included in an auto-stereoscopic image display device adopts an in-plane switching mode. Transparent counter electrodes that are not provided in a liquid crystal panel of a normal in-plane switching mode are formed correspondingly to pixel peripheral regions on a second transparent substrate side and, in 3-dimensional image display, a vertical electric field is forcibly generated between the transparent counter electrodes and the comb-shaped electrodes, which causes the liquid crystal molecules to rise to show black display in the pixel peripheral regions. In 2-dimensional image display, meanwhile, the transparent counter electrodes are set to be floating, and the display panel is caused to have a structure substantially equivalent to a structure in which the transparent counter electrodes are not provided, to thereby make the display in pixel peripheral regions identical to the display (brightness) in a pixel main region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an area light source device and a display device using the area light source device. The present invention includes a point light source, and a light guide plate. The light guide plate includes a protruding structure on a light entrance surface side. The protruding structure protrudes from a light exit surface side or a counter light exit surface side opposite from the light exit surface. The point light source includes an arrangement of point light sources. The protruding structure is configured such that oblique cylinders each having a semicircular upper surface protrude and arranged in a direction of the arrangement of the point light sources. The point light sources are arranged so that the lines of intersection of adjacent ones of the oblique cylinders coincide with the middles of the point light sources, respectively.

Abstract: A display panel has a first viewing-angle characteristic for a first yellow-shift direction that is an oblique visual-field direction in which an image shifts to yellow in white display and for a first blue-shift direction that is a visual field direction in which an image shifts to blue in white display. A parallax barrier panel has a second viewing-angle characteristic for a second yellow-shift direction that is an oblique visual-field direction in which an image shifts to yellow in white display and for a second blue-shift direction that is a visual field direction in which an image shifts to blue in white display. The display panel and the parallax barrier panel are laminated such that the first yellow-shift direction and the second blue-shift direction agree with each other and that the first blue-shift direction and the second yellow-shift direction agree with each other.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a technique capable of suppressing variations in luminance in the vicinity of a light entrance surface of a light guide plate. An illumination device includes a point light source, and a light guide plate having a side surface serving as a light entrance surface opposed to the point light source, and a main surface serving as a light exit surface. The light entrance surface of the light guide plate is provided with unevenness formed by arraying at predetermined pitches a plurality of protrusions each projecting from the light entrance surface and extending in a direction perpendicular to the light exit surface. Each of the top surface and the bottom surface of the unevenness is provided with a plurality of micro protrusions each extending in the direction perpendicular to the light exit surface and having a height smaller than the above protrusion.

Abstract: A one-pixel structure of a display panel included in an auto-stereoscopic image display device adopts an in-plane switching mode. Transparent counter electrodes that are not provided in a liquid crystal panel of a normal in-plane switching mode are formed correspondingly to pixel peripheral regions on a second transparent substrate side and, in 3-dimensional image display, a vertical electric field is forcibly generated between the transparent counter electrodes and the comb-shaped electrodes, which causes the liquid crystal molecules to rise to show black display in the pixel peripheral regions. In 2-dimensional image display, meanwhile, the transparent counter electrodes are set to be floating, and the display panel is caused to have a structure substantially equivalent to a structure in which the transparent counter electrodes are not provided, to thereby make the display in pixel peripheral regions identical to the display (brightness) in a pixel main region.

Abstract: The display device includes a display panel on which sub-pixel pairs are arranged in a lateral direction, and a parallax barrier shutter panel on which sub-openings that can be changed between a light transmittance state and a light-shielding state are arranged in a lateral direction. Arbitrary allocated number of adjacent sub-openings among the plural sub-openings belonging to a reference parallax barrier pitch are put into a light transmittance state, and the remaining sub-openings are put into a light-shielding state, so that a general opening is formed on the parallax barrier shutter panel. A sub-opening pitch of the sub-opening on the boundary part between the adjacent common driving areas is different from the sub-opening pitch of the other sub-openings.

Abstract: A planar light source device capable of increasing light use efficiency and preventing color breakup without using any reflection polarizing plate nor performing multiple reflection. The planar light source device includes a planar light guide plate, light sources arranged as to be opposed to end surfaces of the light guide plate on its both sides, and a divided prism formed in a back surface inside the light guide plate and that reflects light incident upon the light guide plate from the light sources toward a front surface side of the light guide plate. The divided prism includes a prism portion and a dividing portion both of which have a width equal to or less than the wavelength of light from the light sources and is formed with the prism portion and the dividing portion alternately repeated along a direction parallel to the end surfaces of the light guide plate which are opposed to the light sources.

Abstract: This invention provides an image display system that includes an image display device having an overdrive processing circuit and allows reduction in memory cost as a whole. The image display system according to this invention includes an image generation device that generates image data, and an image display device that receives the image data from the image generation device, performs overdrive processing based on the received image data, and displays an image. The image generation device includes a rendering circuit that generates image data to be outputted to the image display device for every frame, a memory unit that holds the plural pieces of image data corresponding to at least two frames among the plural pieces of image data generated by the rendering circuit, and a transfer circuit that transfers the plural pieces of image data corresponding to two frames among the plural pieces of image data held by the memory unit to the image display device within one frame period.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a technique capable of suppressing variations in luminance in the vicinity of a light entrance surface of a light guide plate. An illumination device includes a point light source, and a light guide plate having a side surface serving as a light entrance surface opposed to the point light source, and a main surface serving as a light exit surface. The light entrance surface of the light guide plate is provided with unevenness formed by arraying at predetermined pitches a plurality of protrusions each projecting from the light entrance surface and extending in a direction perpendicular to the light exit surface. Each of the top surface and the bottom surface of the unevenness is provided with a plurality of micro protrusions each extending in the direction perpendicular to the light exit surface and having a height smaller than the above protrusion.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display, a pixel driving circuit 16 alternately displays a first image and a second image on a liquid crystal panel 11. A front light 12 lights up while the first image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel by the pixel driving circuit 16, and another front light 13 lights up while the second image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel by the pixel driving circuit 16. As a result, the liquid crystal display enables a viewer B to look at the second image different from the first image which it provides for a viewer A.

Abstract: A planar light source device capable of increasing light use efficiency and preventing color breakup without using any reflection polarizing plate nor performing multiple reflection. The planar light source device includes a planar light guide plate, light sources arranged as to be opposed to end surfaces of the light guide plate on its both sides, and a divided prism formed in a back surface inside the light guide plate and that reflects light incident upon the light guide plate from the light sources toward a front surface side of the light guide plate. The divided prism includes a prism portion and a dividing portion both of which have a width equal to or less than the wavelength of light from the light sources and is formed with the prism portion and the dividing portion alternately repeated along a direction parallel to the end surfaces of the light guide plate which are opposed to the light sources.

Abstract: A backlight device includes: a first prism sheet which has a triangular prism row on a major surface thereof; a first light source which emits light having directivity in a slanted direction with respect to a normal line direction of a light outgoing surface of the first prism sheet in opposite side to the triangular prism row side so as to enter into the triangular prism row of the first prism sheet; and a second light source which emits light having directivity in the normal line direction of the light outgoing surface of the first prism sheet so as to enter into the triangular prism row of the first prism sheet.

Abstract: A display device includes a light guide plate which includes a light transmission portion and an antireflection portion at two opposite end faces and which is provided with a light extraction portion in part of a surface, respective light sources which are arranged on outer sides of the two opposite end faces, a transmission liquid crystal panel located adjacent to the light extraction portion, and a synchronous drive unit that alternately turns ON the light sources and that displays an image that is synchronous with an alternating turn-ON operation of the transmission liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: A display device includes a light guide plate which includes a light transmission portion and an antireflection portion at two opposite end faces and which is provided with a light extraction portion in part of a surface, respective light sources which are arranged on outer sides of the two opposite end faces, a transmission liquid crystal panel located adjacent to the light extraction portion, and a synchronous drive unit that alternately turns ON the light sources and that displays an image that is synchronous with an alternating turn-ON operation of the transmission liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: This invention provides an image display system that includes an image display device having an overdrive processing circuit and allows reduction in memory cost as a whole. The image display system according to this invention includes an image generation device that generates image data, and an image display device that receives the image data from the image generation device, performs overdrive processing based on the received image data, and displays an image. The image generation device includes a rendering circuit that generates image data to be outputted to the image display device for every frame, a memory unit that holds the plural pieces of image data corresponding to at least two frames among the plural pieces of image data generated by the rendering circuit, and a transfer circuit that transfers the plural pieces of image data corresponding to two frames among the plural pieces of image data held by the memory unit to the image display device within one frame period.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display, a pixel driving circuit 16 alternately displays a first image and a second image on a liquid crystal panel 11. A front light 12 lights up while the first image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel by the pixel driving circuit 16, and another front light 13 lights up while the second image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel by the pixel driving circuit 16. As a result, the liquid crystal display enables a viewer B to look at the second image different from the first image which it provides for a viewer A.

Abstract: A backlight device includes: a first prism sheet which has a triangular prism row on a major surface thereof; a first light source which emits light having directivity in a slanted direction with respect to a normal line direction of a light outgoing surface of the first prism sheet in opposite side to the triangular prism row side so as to enter into the triangular prism row of the first prism sheet; and a second light source which emits light having directivity in the normal line direction of the light outgoing surface of the first prism sheet so as to enter into the triangular prism row of the first prism sheet.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display according to the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell 10, in which pixels having independently driven reflecting and transmitting members are arranged in a matrix, that is composed of a first substrate 15, a second substrate 17 having pixel driving members, and a liquid crystal 16 sandwiched between the first substrate 15 and the second substrate 17; a first polarizing means 13 disposed facing the first substrate 15; a second polarizing means 19 disposed facing the second substrate 17; a first front light 6 disposed outside the first polarizing means 13; and a second front light 7 disposed outside the second polarizing means 19. Owing to the configuration of the display, images can be displayed on both sides of the liquid crystal display.

Abstract: A display system includes respective light sources disposed at two opposed light input ends of a light guiding plate. A double-sided prism sheet is disposed on a light-emitting side of the light guiding plate and includes, on a first surface facing the light guiding plate, a triangular prism bank extending in a direction parallel to the light input ends of the light guiding plate. The double-sided prism sheet includes, on a second surface, opposite to the first surface, a cylindrical lens bank extending in a direction parallel to the triangular prism bank. A transmissive display panel is disposed on a light-emitting side of the double-sided prism sheet. A synchronization driving section alternatively illuminates the respective light sources so the transmissive display panel displays two different images.