Patents by Inventor Joji Nishimura

Joji Nishimura 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: 8310609
    Abstract: Provided is a lateral electric field mode liquid crystal device including: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer and pixel electrodes and common electrodes. A lateral electric field mode liquid crystal device drives the liquid crystal layer by an electric field generated between the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes, a light shielding layer is formed on a surface of the second substrate disposed close to the liquid crystal layer. A coloring layer is also formed so as to overlap with the pixel electrodes. An overcoat layer protects the coloring layer, and an alignment film is formed. An electrostatic shielding layer is formed of a transparent conductive material on a surface of the overcoat layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shuhei Yoshida, Shinichiro Tanaka, Joji Nishimura, Koji Yoshida, Keiji Takizawa, Masakatsu Higa
  • Publication number: 20120162589
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel is provides and includes a pair of substrates arranged face to face so as to sandwich a liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal device includes on one of the pair of substrates: a lower electrode; an upper electrode formed on a surface of the lower substrate through an insulating layer, in which plural slits are formed in each sub-pixel; and an alignment film formed so as to cover a surface of the upper electrode and the insulating layer. The plural slits have different widths at both ends of slits in a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aya Yoso, Joji Nishimura, Hayato Kurasawa
  • Patent number: 7995168
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes first and second substrates which are arranged so as to face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, and first and second electrodes which are provided on the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is driven by electric fields generated between the first and second electrodes. A reflective display region for reflective display and a transmissive display region for transmissive display are provided in each of a plurality of subpixel regions. A liquid-crystal-layer-thickness-adjusting layer is provided in at least the reflective display region so as to vary the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the subpixel region. A gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the transmissive display region is narrower than a gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the reflective display region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Joji Nishimura, Masakatsu Higa
  • Patent number: 7990506
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate opposed to each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a plurality of displaying pixel electrodes disposed on a surface of the first substrate close to the liquid crystal layer; a plurality of viewing-angle controlling pixel electrodes disposed adjacent to the plurality of displaying pixel electrodes on the side of the first substrate close to the liquid crystal layer; a viewing angle control area controlling a viewing angle in a direction tilted from a normal line of the first substrate by the use of the plurality of viewing-angle controlling pixel electrodes; and a driving circuit supplying an image signal for displaying a plurality of patterns in the viewing angle control area to the plurality of viewing-angle controlling pixel electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Joji Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20110122342
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal display panel including: first substrate and second substrate configured to sandwich a liquid crystal layer and be disposed opposed to each other, a display sub-pixel and a viewing angle control sub-pixel being formed in the first substrate and the second substrate; a first polarizer configured to be provided on an outer surface side of the first substrate; and a second polarizer configured to be provided on an outer surface side of the second substrate and have an optical axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the first polarizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joji Nishimura, Aya Yoso, Shintaro Hama
  • Publication number: 20110007256
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes: a pair of substrates arranged to be opposite each other to sandwich a liquid crystal layer, an upper electrode in which a plurality of slit-shaped openings are provided in parallel in each of a plurality of subpixels formed in a display region being provided on one of the pair of substrates, a lower electrode being formed on the substrate through the upper electrode and an insulating film, and a shield electrode being formed on the other substrate to face the liquid crystal layer, wherein, when the pitch between adjacent slit-shaped openings is P, and the width of the upper electrode between adjacent slit-shaped openings is L, L/P is in a range of 45% to 55%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuhei Yoshida, Joji Nishimura, Toshinori Uehara
  • Patent number: 7760294
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal device including: a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer having a negative dielectric anisotropy; a pixel electrode; a counter electrode, the counter electrode being opposed to the pixel electrode; a vertical alignment film that aligns liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer in a direction in which the long axes of the liquid crystal molecules are oriented perpendicular to the pair of substrates. The pixel electrode is made up of island-pattern sub pixel elements each two adjacent ones of which are connected to each other via a connection portion having a width narrower than that of the sub pixel element. In addition, the light shielding film is formed, on one of the pair of substrates, in each region not corresponding to the connection portion between each two of the sub pixel elements that are adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Joji Nishimura, Takaya Uehara
  • Publication number: 20100171896
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first thin film transistor for pixel selection formed on the first substrate, a pixel electrode and a common electrode formed above the first thin film transistor of the first substrate, a second substrate provided above the pixel electrode and the common electrode via a liquid crystal layer, a shield electrode formed on a surface of the second substrate, and the shield electrode and an interconnection, which supplies specific AC or DC potential, and is turned on by potential larger than a predetermined potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuhei YOSHIDA, Joji NISHIMURA, Yukiya HIRABAYASHI, Hideki UEHARA
  • Publication number: 20100097558
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes: a liquid crystal layer is interposed between a first substrate and a second substrate; a first electrode having a linear portion formed in the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer; a second electrode having a linear portion formed adjacent to the first electrode; an insulating film disposed on the first electrode and the second electrode; a third electrode disposed on the insulting film correspond to the linear portion of the first electrode; and a fourth electrode disposed on the insulting film correspond to the linear portion of the second electrode. In the liquid crystal display, a voltage different from those of the second electrode and the third electrode is applied to the first electrode, and the first electrode and the second electrode are partially notched in the width direction of the linear portion in at least one side edge of the linear portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joji NISHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20100091231
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device including: first and second substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween; a first electrode formed on the liquid crystal layer side of the first substrate and having linear portions; a second electrode having linear portions formed along the linear portions of the first electrode and adjacent to the linear portions of the first electrode at a gap in plan view; and a third electrode formed on the liquid crystal layer side of the second substrate and having linear portions overlapping with the linear portions of the second electrode in plan view, wherein electric fields having different directions are generated between the first electrode and the second electrode and between the first electrode and the third electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joji Nishimura, Tatsuya Yata, Hayato Kurasawa
  • Publication number: 20100079694
    Abstract: Provided is a lateral electric field mode liquid crystal device including: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer and pixel electrodes and common electrodes. A lateral electric field mode liquid crystal device drives the liquid crystal layer by an electric field generated between the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes, a light shielding layer is formed on a surface of the second substrate disposed close to the liquid crystal layer. A coloring layer is also formed so as to overlap with the pixel electrodes. An overcoat layer protects the coloring layer, and an alignment film is formed. An electrostatic shielding layer is formed of a transparent conductive material on a surface of the overcoat layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuhei YOSHIDA, Shinichiro TANAKA, Joji NISHIMURA, Koji YOSHIDA, Keiji TAKIZAWA, Masakatsu HIGA
  • Patent number: 7659955
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes an OCB mode liquid crystal panel including a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween, an optical compensator provided on at least one side of the liquid crystal panel, and an optical-axis-adjusting unit that moves the optical compensator relative to the liquid crystal panel to adjust an angle formed by an optical axis of the optical compensator and an optical axis of the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Haruyama, Joji Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20090231530
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate and a second substrate opposed to each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a plurality of displaying pixel electrodes disposed on a surface of the first substrate close to the liquid crystal layer; a plurality of viewing-angle controlling pixel electrodes disposed adjacent to the plurality of displaying pixel electrodes on the side of the first substrate close to the liquid crystal layer; a viewing angle control area controlling a viewing angle in a direction tilted from a normal line of the first substrate by the use of the plurality of viewing-angle controlling pixel electrodes; and a driving circuit supplying an image signal for displaying a plurality of patterns in the viewing angle control area to the plurality of viewing-angle controlling pixel electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joji NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 7586575
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer held between the substrates and containing a liquid crystal having negative dielectric anisotropy. The liquid crystal layer includes subpixels, each including a plurality of transmissive display regions and a reflective display region that are arranged in a predetermined direction. The transmissive display regions are disposed at the ends of each subpixel in the direction in which the transmissive and reflective display regions are arranged. The liquid crystal device further includes a thickness-adjusting layer disposed between at least one of the substrates and the liquid crystal layer so that the liquid crystal layer is thinner in the reflective display region than in the transmissive display regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Higa, Joji Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20090180069
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes: lower electrodes which are formed in an element substrate; an insulating film which is stacked on the lower electrodes; upper electrodes which are stacked on the insulating film and each provided with a slit for generating a fringe electric field; a counter substrate which is formed opposite the element substrate; liquid crystal which is interposed between the counter substrate and the element substrate; a shield electrode which is formed in a potentially floating state on an inner surface of the counter substrate opposed to the element substrate; and a resin layer which is formed on the inner surface of the counter substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
    Inventor: Joji Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7502084
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes first and second substrates which are arranged to face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, and first and second electrodes which are provided on the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is driven by electric fields generated between the first and second electrodes. A reflective display region for reflective display and a transmissive display region for transmissive display are provided in each of a plurality of subpixel regions. A main direction of an electric field generated between the first and second electrodes in the transmissive display region is different from a main direction of an electric field between the first and second electrodes in the reflective display region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Joji Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7480022
    Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display device and an electronic apparatus in which deterioration of contrast due to a protrusion or a slit used for division of alignment can be prevented in the liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal which has a negative dielectric anisotropy exhibiting vertical alignment as an initial alignment state. There is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal layer, which includes a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy exhibiting vertical alignment as an initial alignment state, between a pair of substrates and disposed to be opposite to each other, in which alignment control means for controlling alignment of the liquid crystal layer is provided on at least one of electrodes provided on the pair of substrates, and in which a light-shielding film BM two-dimensionally overlapped with the alignment control means is provided on at least one substrate of the pair of substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Joji Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7460199
    Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display device and an electronic apparatus in which deterioration of contrast due to a protrusion or a slit used for division of alignment can be prevented in the liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal which has a negative dielectric anisotropy exhibiting vertical alignment as an initial alignment state. There is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal layer, which includes a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy exhibiting vertical alignment as an initial alignment state, between a pair of substrates and disposed to be opposite to each other, in which alignment control means for controlling alignment of the liquid crystal layer is provided on at least one of electrodes provided on the pair of substrates, and in which a light-shielding film BM two-dimensionally overlapped with the alignment control means is provided on at least one substrate of the pair of substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Joji Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20080218669
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal device including: a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer having a negative dielectric anisotropy; a pixel electrode; a counter electrode, the counter electrode being opposed to the pixel electrode; a vertical alignment film that aligns liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer in a direction in which the long axes of the liquid crystal molecules are oriented perpendicular to the pair of substrates. The pixel electrode is made up of island-pattern sub pixel elements each two adjacent ones of which are connected to each other via a connection portion having a width narrower than that of the sub pixel element. In addition, the light shielding film is formed, on one of the pair of substrates, in each region not corresponding to the connection portion between each two of the sub pixel elements that are adjacent to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joji Nishimura, Takuya Uehara
  • Publication number: 20070132926
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes an OCB mode liquid crystal panel including a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween, an optical compensator provided on at least one side of the liquid crystal panel, and an optical-axis-adjusting unit that moves the optical compensator relative to the liquid crystal panel to adjust an angle formed by an optical axis of the optical compensator and an optical axis of the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Applicant: SANYO EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihide HARUYAMA, Joji NISHIMURA