Patents by Inventor Hiromi Katoh

Hiromi Katoh has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8248395
    Abstract: An image display device includes an image display panel (4) with an image detection function, and includes a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix and a plurality of photosensors (17) disposed in correspondence with the pixels in a display region. The pixels each have a plurality of sub-pixels (5), and a color filter in which colors of color layers are formed in correspondence with the sub-pixels (5) is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayuko Sakamoto, Hiromi Katoh, Christopher Brown
  • Publication number: 20120188207
    Abstract: To provide a display device having an input function that is not dependent on the light environment, multiple sensor pixel circuits that detect light in a specified detection period and hold the light amount when not in the specified detection period are disposed in a pixel region. In a frame in which input is performed using the sensor pixel circuits, a backlight is lit one time for a time in a frame period, and a first detection period and a second detection period are set one time each in the frame period. The difference between the light amount in the first detection period and the light amount in the second detection period is obtained using a difference circuit. The backlight is in an extinguished state at the beginning of the first detection period, and lighting of the backlight is started at a time during the first detection period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naru Usukura, Hiromi Katoh
  • Patent number: 8227887
    Abstract: Provided are a photodetector capable of suppressing variations in the output characteristics among photodiodes, and a display device provided with the photodetector. A display device in use has an active matrix substrate (20) including a transparency base substrate (2), a plurality of active elements and a photodetector. The photodetector includes a light-shielding layer (3) provided on one main surface of the base substrate (2), a photodiode (1) arranged on an upper layer of the light-shielding layer (3), and an electrode (12) arranged in the vicinity of the photodiode (1) on the upper layer of the light-shielding layer (3). The photodiode (1) includes a silicon layer (11), and the silicon layer (11) is insulated electrically from the light-shielding layer (3). The electrode (12) is insulated electrically from the light-shielding layer (3) and the silicon layer (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Christopher Brown, Hiromi Katoh
  • Publication number: 20120176357
    Abstract: A plurality of first and second sensor pixel circuits each sensing light during a designated sensing period and retaining the amount of sensed light otherwise are arranged in a pixel region. A backlight is turned on once for a predetermined time in one-frame period. A sensing period when the backlight is turned on and a sensing period when the backlight is turned off are set once, respectively, in the one-frame period. The first sensor pixel circuit is reset. The second sensor pixel circuit is reset. Read from sensor pixel circuits of two types is performed in parallel in a line sequential manner during a period other than the periods and. A difference circuit provided outside of the sensor pixel circuits is used for obtaining a difference between an amount of light when the backlight is turned on and an amount of light when the backlight is turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohhei Tanaka, Kaoru Yamamoto, Naru Usukura, Hiroaki Shigeta
  • Publication number: 20120176356
    Abstract: A plurality of sensor pixel circuits are disclosed for detecting a difference between an amount of light when a backlight is turned on and an amount of light when the backlight is turned off are arranged in a pixel region. The backlight is turned on and off a plurality of times, respectively, in a one-frame period. Each of reset for the sensor pixel circuits and read from the sensor pixel circuits is performed in parallel, each in a line sequential manner over almost the one-frame period. A plurality of sensor pixel circuits of two types for separately detecting an amount of light when the backlight is turned on and an amount of light when the backlight is turned off may be arranged in the pixel region, and a difference circuit may be used for obtaining a difference between the two types of amounts of light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naru Usukura, Hiromi Katoh, Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohhei Tanaka, Kaoru Yamamoto, Christopher Brown
  • Publication number: 20120176355
    Abstract: A plurality of first sensor pixel circuits each sensing light during a sensing period when a backlight is turned on and retaining the amount of sensed light otherwise in accordance with a clock signal and a plurality of second sensor pixel circuits each sensing light during a sensing period when the backlight is turned off and retaining the amount of sensed light otherwise in accordance with a clock signal are arranged in a pixel region. The sensor pixel circuits of two types are connected to different output lines, so that a difference between two output signals is obtained at the outside of the sensor pixel circuit. The sensor pixel circuits described above are used for detecting a difference between an amount of light to be incident when the backlight is turned on and an amount of light to be incident when the backlight is turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Kohhei Tanaka, Kaoru Yamamoto, Hiromi Katoh
  • Publication number: 20120169962
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, noise light to a photodetecting element is reduced, whereby an improved S/N ratio is achieved. The liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate (100) on which a pixel circuit is provided; a second substrate (101) arranged so as to face the first substrate (100) with a liquid crystal layer (30) being interposed therebetween; a photodetecting element (17) provided on the first substrate (100); and a detection light filter (18) that is provided between the photodetecting element (17) and the liquid crystal layer (30) and that cuts off light in a band outside a signal light band that is a band of light to be detected by the photodetecting element (17).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuzo Yuki, Naru Usukura, Hiromi Katoh, Tadashi Nemoto, Hiroaki Shigeta, Yuichi Kanbayashi
  • Patent number: 8179483
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a liquid crystal display panel (10) in which a liquid crystal layer (13) is arranged between an active matrix substrate (11) and a counter substrate (12). A plurality of optical sensors (16) are provided in respective image display regions of the liquid crystal display panel (10), each of the optical sensors (16) having a light receiving section (16d) for detecting transmitted light through a panel surface of the liquid crystal display panel (10). The liquid crystal display panel (10) is a transflective type panel and the optical sensors (16) are provided in respective reflective display regions (R) of the transflective type panel. Further, a reflective electrodes (34) provided above the respective optical sensors (16) serve as light shielding layers so as to shut out light which enters the light receiving section (16d) in an oblique direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromi Katoh
  • Patent number: 8179386
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical sensor at least some part of which is formed monolithically in an active matrix substrate of a display device. In order to detect ambient light with high accuracy by eliminating the influences of stray light and of property variations between photodetecting elements, the optical sensor includes a detection photodiode (11) and a reference photodiode (12) covered with a shielding film (15). The optical sensor further includes a differential amplifier (16) one input terminal of which is connected to the cathode of the detection photodiode (11) and the other input terminal is connected to the cathode of the reference photodiode (12), an integration capacitor (19) and a reset switch (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Christopher Brown
  • Publication number: 20120113060
    Abstract: A sensor circuit or a display apparatus from which a highly accurate sensor output can be obtained includes a photodiode (photodetecting element); a capacitor connected to the photodiode via an accumulation node; a reset signal line to which a reset signal is supplied; a readout signal line to which a readout signal is supplied; a thin-film transistor (sensor switching element) that makes the accumulation node and an output line conductive with respect to each other and outputs an output signal according to the potential of the accumulation node; a microswitch that is capable of switching connection and disconnection between the accumulation node and an input electrode and provides connection when a pressure is applied by a touching operation; and a thin-film (control switching element) for switching conduction and non-conduction between the microswitch and the accumulation node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Christopher Brown, Kohei Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120112047
    Abstract: A sensor circuit or a display apparatus from which a highly accurate sensor output can be obtained includes a photodiode, a capacitor that is connected to the photodiode via an accumulation node and accumulates charges according to an electric current in the photodiode; a sensor switching element transistor that causes the accumulation node and an output line to be conductive with respect to each other in response to a readout signal and outputs an output signal according to the potential of the accumulation node to the output line; a variable capacitor that is provided between the accumulation node and an input electrode, and whose capacitance varies when a pressure is applied by a touching operation; and a control switching element transistor to which a control signal for switching conduction and non-conduction between the variable capacitor and the accumulation node is input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Christopher Brown, Hiromi Katoh, Kohei Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8164719
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device capable of preventing the occurrence of dark currents in photodiodes. Thus, the liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel 1 including an active matrix substrate and a backlight 13 for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel. The active matrix substrate 1 includes a photodiode 7 formed by a silicon film and a light shielding film 8 for shielding the photodiode 7 against illumination light from the backlight 13. The photodiode 7 and the light shielding film 8 are provided on a base substrate 5. The light shielding film 8 is formed by a semiconductor or an insulator. Preferably, the photodiode 7 is made of, for example, polycrystalline silicon or continuous grain silicon so as to have a characteristic that its sensitivity increases as the wavelength of light entering the photodiode becomes shorter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Christopher Brown, Benjamin James Hadwen
  • Publication number: 20120086671
    Abstract: A capacitance variation detection circuit is provided in which detection sensitivity to variations in the liquid crystal capacitance can be improved. A capacitance variation detection circuit (10) includes a first variable capacitance portion (CLC1) connected to the voltage supply line; a second variable capacitance portion (CLC2) connected in series with the first variable capacitance portion (CLC1); and a TFT (15) connected to the second variable capacitance portion (CLC2) to be driven depending on the capacitance value of the first variable capacitance (CLC1) and the capacitance value of the second variable capacitance (CLC2), to output an electrical signal corresponding to these capacitance values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher Brown, Hiromi Katoh, Kohei Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120062817
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device 100 according to the present invention is provided with a liquid crystal panel 20 in which a liquid crystal layer 23 is disposed between an active matrix substrate 21 and an opposite substrate 22 and a backlight 10 that irradiates the liquid crystal panel 20 with light. The liquid crystal panel 20 has a plurality of optical sensor elements 30 that detect the intensity of received infrared light, and the backlight 10 has an infrared LED (light source) 12 that emits infrared light. On a device surface 100a, an infrared light transmissive sheet (infrared light partially transmissive portion) 50 that partially transmits infrared light is provided. The optical sensor elements 30 detect an input position from outside by detecting infrared light reflected from an inputting object such as a finger or the like placed on the device surface 100a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuuichi Kanbayashi, Tadashi Nemoto, Ryuzo Yuki, Hiroaki Shigeta, Naru Usukura, Hiromi Katoh
  • Patent number: 8110887
    Abstract: Provided are a photodetector capable of suppressing variations in the output characteristics among photodiodes, and a display device provided with the photodetector. A display device in use has an active matrix substrate (20) including a transparency base substrate (2), a plurality of active elements and a photodetector. The photodetector includes a light-shielding layer (3) provided on the base substrate (2), and a photodiode (1) arranged on an upper layer of the light-shielding layer (3). The light-shielding layer (3) is overlapped with the photodiode (1) in the thickness direction of the base substrate (2). The photodiode (1) includes a silicon layer (11) insulated electrically from the light-shielding layer (3). The silicon layer (11) includes a p-layer (11c), an i-layer (11b) and an n-layer (11a) that are provided adjacent to each other in the planar direction. The p-layer (11c) is formed so that its area (length Lp) will be larger than the area (length Ln) of the n-layer (11a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Christopher Brown, Hiromi Katoh
  • Patent number: 8106401
    Abstract: Provided are a display device in which variation in output characteristics of the photodiode is suppressed, and a method for manufacturing the display device. The display device is provided with the active matrix substrate (2) and photodiode (6). First, on a substrate of glass (12), a silicon film (8) and an interlayer insulation film (15) for covering the silicon film (8) are formed in this order. Then, a metal film is formed, and metal lines (10, 11) traversing the silicon film (8) are formed by etching the metal film. Then, p-type impurity ions are implanted by using a mask that has an opening (24a) that exposes a portion that overlaps a region where a p-layer (9a) is to be formed, a part of the opening (24a) being formed with the metal line (10). Furthermore, n-type impurity ions are implanted by using a mask that has an opening (25b) that exposes a portion that overlaps a region where an n-layer (9c) is to be formed, a part of the opening (25a) being formed with the metal line (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Yamanaka, Hiromi Katoh, Christopher Brown
  • Publication number: 20120002149
    Abstract: An optical sensor is provided with a photodiode (D1) which receives light in a first range, including light to be detected, and a photodiode (D2) which receives light in a second range other than the light to be detected. For instance, the photodiode (D1) receives light at all the incident angles, and the photodiode (D2) has a light blocking film on an incident light path so as to selectively receive only the incident light from the oblique directions. The differential between the output from the photodiode (D1) and that from the photodiode (D2) is read out as sensor output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Kohei Tanaka, Christopher Brown
  • Publication number: 20110315860
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a display device including a photosensor in a pixel region. The photosensor of the present invention includes a diode (D1) that receives incident light, reset signal wiring (RST) that supplies a reset signal, readout signal wiring (RWS) that supplies a readout signal, a storage node (INT) whose potential changes in accordance with the amount of light received by the photodetection element in a sensing period, the sensing period being from when the reset signal is supplied until when the readout signal is supplied, an amplification element (C1) that amplifies the potential of the storage node in accordance with the readout signal, and a sensor switching element (M2) for reading out the potential amplified by the amplification element to output wiring (OUT) as sensor circuit output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Christopher Brown, Kohei Tanaka, Hiromi Katoh
  • Patent number: 8085256
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided which can appropriately adjust the brightness of a display apparatus in accordance with the lightness of visible light by preventing UV-light from being incident upon an optical sensor. An electronic device having, in a housing, a display apparatus (1) that includes an active matrix substrate (2) having a pixel array region (8) in which a plurality of pixels (5) are arranged and a display medium (4) provided in a gap between the active matrix substrate (2) and a counter substrate (3), includes an optical sensor (11) provided in a peripheral region (9) present in a periphery of the pixel array region (8) in the active matrix substrate (2) of a display apparatus (1), and a UV-light blocking member (70) that is provided in a portion covering the optical sensor (11) in the housing and transmits visible light and absorbs UV-light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayuko Sakamoto, Yoshihiro Izumi, Hiromi Katoh, Tomoyuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 8068190
    Abstract: In a photosensor in the pixel region of an active matrix substrate, the potential of a storage node is read out to output wiring as sensor circuit output, the potential of the storage node having changed in accordance with the amount of light received by a photodetection element in a sensing period, the sensing period being from when a reset signal (RS) is supplied until when a readout signal (RW) is supplied. A sensor startup period whose length is greater than or equal to the length of the sensing period is provided after a sensor data unnecessary period in which the sensor circuit output is not necessary, and furthermore before a valid sensor data period in which the sensor circuit output is necessary, and the sensor circuit output is read out in the valid sensor data period from the photosensor to which the reset signal was applied in the sensor startup period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Maeda, Ichiro Shiraki, Hiromi Katoh, Kouji Kumada