Patents by Inventor Iichiroh Inoue

Iichiroh Inoue 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: 10324337
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention has a display area that includes a plurality of pixels (Px). The display area is made up of n kinds of domains (where n is an integer that is equal to or greater than two and equal to or smaller than four). The directors of the n kinds of domains define mutually different alignment directions. If the domain structure of each pixel (Px) is defined by the kinds of the domains that form the pixel (Px), the number k of the kinds of the domains that form the pixel (Px), and the arrangement of the domains in the pixel (Px), the display area includes a pixel, of which k is less than n and of which the domain structure is different from the domain structures of adjacent pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isamu Miyake, Tomohiko Mori, Iichiroh Inoue
  • Patent number: 9857645
    Abstract: For the purpose of providing a display panel that realizes a high light utilization efficiency, a low power consumption, a fast response and a low cost, a display panel of the present invention includes, between a transparent substrate (102) and a TFT substrate (105), (i) a soft material layer (101) that expands or contracts in response to voltage application to the soft material layer (101), (ii) a flexible pixel electrode (102) that expands or contracts together with the soft material layer (101), and (iii) an upper electrode (103).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Iichiroh Inoue, Noriaki Yamaguchi, Akiko Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20170192307
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention has a display area that includes a plurality of pixels (Px). The display area is made up of n kinds of domains (where n is an integer that is equal to or greater than two and equal to or smaller than four). The directors of the n kinds of domains define mutually different alignment directions. If the domain structure of each pixel (Px) is defined by the kinds of the domains that form the pixel (Px), the number k of the kinds of the domains that form the pixel (Px), and the arrangement of the domains in the pixel (Px), the display area includes a pixel, of which k is less than n and of which the domain structure is different from the domain structures of adjacent pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Isamu MIYAKE, Tomohiko MORI, Iichiroh INOUE
  • Patent number: 9638960
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention has a display area that includes a plurality of pixels (Px). The display area is made up of n kinds of domains (where n is an integer that is equal to or greater than two and equal to or smaller than four). The directors of the n kinds of domains define mutually different alignment directions. If the domain structure of each pixel (Px) is defined by the kinds of the domains that form the pixel (Px), the number k of the kinds of the domains that form the pixel (Px), and the arrangement of the domains in the pixel (Px), the display area includes a pixel, of which k is less than n and of which the domain structure is different from the domain structures of adjacent pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isamu Miyake, Tomohiko Mori, Iichiroh Inoue
  • Publication number: 20150248034
    Abstract: For the purpose of providing a display panel that realizes a high light utilization efficiency, a low power consumption, a fast response and a low cost, a display panel of the present invention includes, between a transparent substrate (102) and a TFT substrate (105), (i) a soft material layer (101) that expands or contracts in response to voltage application to the soft material layer (101), (ii) a flexible pixel electrode (102) that expands or contracts together with the soft material layer (101), and (iii) an upper electrode (103).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sugita, Iichiroh Inoue, Noriaki Yamaguchi, Akiko Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20150036092
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention has a display area that includes a plurality of pixels (Px). The display area is made up of n kinds of domains (where n is an integer that is equal to or greater than two and equal to or smaller than four). The directors of the n kinds of domains define mutually different alignment directions. If the domain structure of each pixel (Px) is defined by the kinds of the domains that form the pixel (Px), the number k of the kinds of the domains that form the pixel (Px), and the arrangement of the domains in the pixel (Px), the display area includes a pixel, of which k is less than n and of which the domain structure is different from the domain structures of adjacent pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isamu Miyake, Tomohiko Mori, Iichiroh Inoue
  • Publication number: 20120229739
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (100) according to the present invention includes a vertical alignment type liquid crystal layer (3); and a pair of optical alignment films (12, 22). A plurality of picture elements (R, G, B, Y) each include four liquid crystal domains (D1 through D4) in which tilt directions of liquid crystal molecules when a voltage is applied are different. The four liquid crystal domains are located in a matrix of 2 rows×2 columns. The pair of optical alignment films have such an alignment regulation force that causes an identical alignment pattern to appear in repetition in the liquid crystal layer along a first direction which is parallel to one of a row direction and a column direction, with 2n pixels (n is an integer of 1 or greater) being a minimum unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Iichiroh Inoue, Koichi Miyachi, Hidetoshi Nakagawa, Akihiro Shohraku
  • Publication number: 20120120346
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (100) according to the present invention includes a vertical alignment type liquid crystal layer (3); and a pair of optical alignment films (12, 22). Each of a plurality of picture elements includes four liquid crystal domains (D1 through D4) having different tilt directions of liquid crystal molecules (3a) in the presence of an applied voltage. The four liquid crystal domains (D1 through D4) are arranged in a matrix of 2 rows×2 columns. The plurality of picture elements are an even number of picture elements including at least four picture elements for displaying different colors from each other, and include a first picture element of which a side parallel to a first direction has a prescribed first length L1 and a second picture element of which a side parallel to the first direction has a second length L2, which is different from the first length L1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Iichiroh Inoue, Koichi Miyachi
  • Publication number: 20110032466
    Abstract: A pixel of a liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes first and second linear alignment control structures 10a, 20a. The first and second linear alignment control structures each include a first component extending along a first axis L1 and a second component extending along a second axis L2 that is different from the first axis. Each of the first and second axes generally bisects angles between the polarization axes of the pair of polarizing plates. At least one group of the first and second linear alignment control structures are ribs 20a. A first component 20a1 of the rib includes three or more first linear portions arranged along the first axis. The first linear portions are arranged such that adjacent two form an angle of ?1 where 50°??1<180° and that the direction which bisects ?1 is generally perpendicular to the first axis. A second component 20a2 of the rib includes three or more second linear portions arranged along the second axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hakoi, Iichiroh Inoue, Koichi Miyachi