Patents by Inventor Kanetaka Sekiguchi

Kanetaka Sekiguchi 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).

  • Publication number: 20040201787
    Abstract: A liquid crystal shutter device is provided with a liquid crystal cell including a first substrate (1), a second substrate (21), and liquid crystal sandwiched therebetween, pixel electrodes (11, 12) which are signal electrodes and lead-out electrodes (15) provided on the first substrate (1), counter electrodes which are common electrodes facing the pixel electrodes, provided on the second substrate (21), and a plurality of pixel rows (200, 300, 400) which are composed of pixels (2, 3, 4, etc.) formed by overlapped portions of the pixel electrodes and the counter electrodes, and the liquid crystal shutter device controls light applied to a photosensitive member continuously and relatively moving in a direction orthogonal to the pixel rows, in which the counter electrodes are provided separately for the respective pixel rows. Further, an RGB coupling electrode (46) for electrically connecting the counter electrodes of the respective pixel rows is preferably provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Kanetaka Sekiguchi, Sadao Masubuchi
  • Patent number: 6791905
    Abstract: A timepiece is provided with a solar cell 8 comprising a power generation unit 39, having a first electrode, a photovoltaic layer, and a second electrode, stacked up in that order on the solar cell substrate 31 so as to be superimposed on each other, and electric power generated by the solar cell 8 is used as an energy source for executing time display on a time display unit by a dial 14 and hands 5, 6 or a liquid crystal display panel 50. The solar cell 8 is constructed such that a plurality of the power generation units 39, and transmitting portions 40 having a transmittance of light, larger than that for the power generation units, are alternately patterned on a solar cell substrate 31, and is disposed on the visible side of the time display unit so as to be superimposed thereon, thereby ensuring satisfactory power generation efficiency of the solar cell without impairing visibility of the time display unit, and without introducing restrictions on the design feature of the timepiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6774970
    Abstract: A liquid crystal layer (3) is sandwiched between upper and lower substrates (1, 2), a segment electrode (5g) and an auxiliary electrode (11) surrounding the segment electrode (5g) with a gap (G1) are formed on the upper substrate (1) by using the same transparent conductive film. An opposite electrode (6) is provided over the whole display area of the lower substrate (2). The overlap between the counter electrode (6) and the segment electrode (5g) constitutes a pixel portion (32), and the overlap between the opposite electrode (6) and the auxiliary electrode (11) constitutes a background portion (33). Voltages are selectively applied to the liquid crystal layer (3) of the pixel portion (32) and that of the background portion (33), and thereby the transmission, diffusion, or absorption of the light incident on the liquid crystal layer (3) is arbitrarily varied to conduct display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6771327
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal display panel (4) made up by coupling a first substrate (1) and a second substrate (6), having an electrode (2, 7) provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, and by filling the gap with a liquid crystal layer (15) in the gap, and an input panel (3) made up by coupling an upper substrate (21) and a lower substrate (26), both of which are transparent, having an electrode (22, 27) provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, and by filling the gap with a filling medium (41), and the first substrate (1) on the visible side of the liquid crystal display panel (3) is disposed so as to be opposed to the lower substrate (26) of the input panel (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6768532
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel fabricated by bonding a first substrate and a second substrate together with a peripheral sealing section, providing a given spacing therebetween. A signal electrode is disposed so as to oppose an opposite electrode, and a liquid crystal layer is sealed in-between the spacing such that a transmittance thereof increases by applying a voltage thereto. The signal electrode is composed of target electrodes, wiring electrodes, and a peripheral electrode, and wiring sealing sections formed of a transparent sealing material are installed in regions where wiring electrodes are opposed to the opposite electrode such that a transmittance of the regions is always substantially equal to that of regions of the liquid crystal layer where a voltage is applied, thereby enabling a transmitting state to occur to the entire area of a display region in a condition wherein no voltage is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6751164
    Abstract: A timepiece (1) comprises communication means (2) and hand haft control means (19), executes function processing on the basis of information acquired from an external apparatus via the communication means (2), and controls operation of respective hand shaft blocks (28, 29, 30) of the timepiece (1) via the hand shaft control means (19), so that a variety of information can be displayed under various assignments and in a display mode optionally designated by the external apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6738112
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprising: a first substrate (1) made of a transparent material, provided with signal electrodes and/or display electrodes (9) formed on one face thereof; a second substrate (2) made of a transparent material, provided with opposed electrodes (12) formed thereon; and liquid crystal sealed in-between the first substrate (1) and the second substrate (2) oppositely disposed opposite to each other with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween such that each of the signal electrodes or the display electrodes (9) face each of the opposed electrodes (12) so as to form a pixel. Further, a white diffusing film (22) and a reflector (25) are disposed in that order from of the first substrate (1) side on the second substrate (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20040046909
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel, in which a first substrate (1) and a second substrate (6) are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, a liquid crystal layer (25) is sealed in the gap with a sealant (26), pixel portions are formed by electrodes (2, 7), the electrodes being provided on the first substrate (1) and on the second substrate (6) to oppose to each other via the liquid crystal layer (25), and lead electrodes (41) for applying electric signals to the electrodes (2, 7) forming the pixel portions are provided at least on the first substrate (1), wherein a thin film insulating layer (22) being an insulating covering member is provided to cover at least portions of the lead electrodes (41) outside the sealant (26) and overlap with a portion of the second substrate (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6690438
    Abstract: A liquid crystal layer (15) is sandwiched between a first substrate (1) provided on a visible side and a second substrate (5) opposed to the first substrate; a first color filter (9) is provided on the first substrate (1) or on the second substrate (5); a transflective reflector (24) is provided on the opposite side to the visible side of the first color filter (9), which transmits a part of light and reflecting almost all the remaining light; and a second color filter (28) is provided on the opposite side to the first color filter (9) with respect to the transflective reflector (24), thereby forming a liquid crystal display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20040008293
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display has a first substrate formed with a picture character pixel electrode for displaying a picture character represented by a fixed pattern, a second substrate formed with a common electrode opposite to the picture character pixel electrode, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. The picture character pixel electrode is formed on an interlayer insulating film, and is connected to a picture character signal electrode formed below the interlayer insulating film through a plurality of contact holes formed through the interlayer insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Toshiaki Ishiyama, Takahiko Watanabe, Shinya Ikeda, Kazutoshi Takahashi, Kosei Miyabe, Kanetaka Sekiguchi, Takakazu Yano
  • Patent number: 6646697
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is structured in such a manner that plural of liquid crystal display panels each comprised of a liquid crystal layer provided between a pair of transparent substrates which have electrodes disposed on each facing inner surface, and a reflection-type polarizing film is disposed at least on the top surface of the plural liquid crystal display panel, or between the liquid crystal display panels, or on the lowest surface of the plural liquid crystal display panel. By controlling a reflection state and a transmission state through the reflection-type polarizing film with electric voltage applied on the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display panel, a display which represents the opening and closing of a metallic shutter is made possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanetaka Sekiguchi, Takashi Akiyama, Masafumi Ide, Masami Kikuchi, Yuichi Akiba, Koji Nakagawa, Koichi Hoshino, Takashi Toida
  • Patent number: 6643224
    Abstract: A timepiece, in which a first liquid crystal display panel and a second liquid crystal display panel, each of which is constituted by sealing a liquid crystal layer in a gap between a pair of substrates formed with electrodes on opposed inner faces thereof respectively, are arranged in a case body having a cover glass with at least portions thereof overlapping, a first polarizing film is provided on an upper substrate of the first liquid crystal display panel on the cover glass side, a second polarizing film is provided between the first liquid crystal display panel and the second liquid crystal display panel, and a third polarizing film is provided on the lower side of a lower substrate of the second liquid crystal display panel respectively, the second polarizing film being a reflection type polarizing film, the first polarizing film, the first liquid crystal display panel, and the second polarizing film constitutes an upper display portion, and the second polarizing film, the second liquid crystal display
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanetaka Sekiguchi, Masafumi Ide, Takashi Akiyama, Masami Kikuchi, Yuichi Akiba, Koji Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 6624858
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel for a timepiece comprises: a polymer dispersed liquid crystal cell (10) which is structured by respectively forming an opposed electrode (2) on a first substrate (1) of a pair of transparent substrates and a signal electrode (4) on a second substrate (3), and sealing a liquid crystal layer (5) containing a liquid crystal and a polymer material between the first substrate (1) and the second substrate (3) to form pixel portions at intersections between the signal electrode (4) and the opposed electrode (2); a reflector (15) which transmits a portion of light, placed on the side of a face, on which the opposed electrode (2) is not formed, of the first substrate (1); and an auxiliary light source placed on the outer side of the reflector (15), so that time information can be displayed with good visibility even when the auxiliary light source is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Nakagawa, Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6580479
    Abstract: A watch unit having a time-displaying section, including a reflection-type polarizing film 14 disposed on an upper portion or a lower portion of the time-displaying section or a portion comprising a part of the time-displaying section, an optical modulation section which varies the ratio of a transmission axis to a reflection axis of the reflection-type polarizing film 14, and a shutter function to shield a portion of or all of the watch unit having the time-display section by varying the reflection intensity and the transmission intensity in relation to the light incident direction using the reflection-type polarinzing film 14 and the optical modulation section, to enhance the appearance and to improve the versatility of the watch unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanetaka Sekiguchi, Masafumi Ide, Takashi Akiyama, Masami Kikuchi, Yuichi Akiba, Koji Nakagawa, Koichi Hoshino, Takashi Toida
  • Publication number: 20030107692
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprising: a first substrate (1) made of a transparent material, provided with signal electrodes and/or display electrodes (9) formed on one face thereof; a second substrate (2) made of a transparent material, provided with opposed electrodes (12) formed thereon; and liquid crystal sealed in-between the first substrate (1) and the second substrate (2) oppositely disposed opposite to each other with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween such that each of the signal electrodes or the display electrodes (9) face each of the opposed electrodes (12) so as to form a pixel. Further, a white diffusing film (22) and a reflector (25) are disposed in that order from of the first substrate (1) side on the second substrate (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Applicant: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6577360
    Abstract: The liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal cell with liquid crystals sealed thereinbetween, sandwiched between two transparent substrates having an electrode on each of the inner surfaces thereof facing each other, an absorption-type polarizing film disposed on the visible side of the liquid crystal cell, a reflection-type polarizing film disposed on the side of the liquid crystal cell, opposite from the visible side. The absorption-type polarizing film is a polarizing sheet absorbing a light linearly polarized in the direction orthogonal to the transmission axis thereof while the reflection-type polarizing film is a polarizing sheet reflecting a light linearly polarized in the direction orthogonal to the transmission axis thereof. A light reflection film or a color filter may preferably be disposed under the reflection-type polarizing film. Further, a light diffusing layer or a light diffusing film may preferably be disposed on the visible side of the absorption-type polarizing film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Akiyama, Masafuni Ide, Kanetaka Sekiguchi, Masami Kikuchi, Yuichi Akiba, Koji Nakagawa, Koichi Hoshino, Takashi Toida
  • Patent number: 6577361
    Abstract: A first polarizer (absorption-type polarizer) (21) is disposed in a visible side of a liquid crystal cell (1) in which a liquid crystal layer (15) is sealed in-between a pair of transparent substrates (2, 5), and a second polarizer (reflection-type polarizer) (22), a third polarizer (an absorption-type polarizer or a reflection-type polarizer) (25), and an auxiliary light source (31) are disposed in order in the opposite side to the visible side and by polarizing emitted light from the auxiliary light source 31 by the third polarizer (25) and the second polarizer (22), polarization degree of light emitted from the second polarizer (22) into the liquid crystal cell (1) is improved, thereby unevenness of display caused by lack of the polarization degree and distribution of the polarization degree of the second polarizer (22) and contrast ratio are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanetaka Sekiguchi, Takashi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 6567060
    Abstract: A printed layer having opening portions is provided at a position opposite to an observer of a liquid crystal display device, a display is performed by use of absorption or chromaticity of the printed layer when an external light source is utilized, and a display is performed by transmitting light through the opening portions of the printed layer when an auxiliary light source is turned on, and further different voltages between when the external light source is utilized and when the auxiliary light source is used are applied to a liquid crystal layer by a gradation reversal circuit. Moreover, reversal of brightness and darkness of a display by the use of the external light source and the auxiliary light source is eliminated by a polarizing film or a cholesteric liquid crystal polymer film disposed on the rear face of the liquid crystal display device, thereby enabling a liquid crystal display device with excellent visibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20030086037
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel has a first substrate and a second substrate composed of a transparent material and disposed opposite each other across a gap, display electrodes provided on one of the opposed surfaces of the first and second substrates, transparent counter electrodes provided on the other opposed surface, a region between each display electrode and an opposed counter electrode constituting a pixel region, a liquid crystal layer filled in the gap between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a color filter or a reflecting film provided at each pixel region. The color filter or the reflecting film at each pixel region is disposed as divided into multiple segments and light transmitting portions are provided around the color filter or reflecting film. Otherwise each color filter or reflecting film is partially provided with multiple openings or other portions with high light transmittance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6556515
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel (10) in a watchcase (41) displays time information and/or calendar information. In the liquid crystal display panel (10), a liquid crystal layer (3) is disposed between an upper substrate (1) and a lower substrate (2). On the upper substrate (1) are formed segment electrodes (5g) and an auxiliary electrode (11) that surrounds the segment electrodes with gaps (G1), and the segment and auxiliary electrodes are composed of the same transparent conductive film. An opposite electrode (6) is formed over the entire display area of the lower substrate (2). The overlaps between the opposite electrode (6) and the segment electrodes (5g) form pixel areas (32), while the overlap between the opposite electrode (6) and the auxiliary electrode (11) forms a background area (33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi