Patents by Inventor Katsufumi Ohmuro

Katsufumi Ohmuro 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: 20080303997
    Abstract: A vertically alignment mode liquid crystal display device having an improved viewing angle characteristic is disclosed. The disclosed liquid crystal display device uses a liquid crystal having a negative anisotropic dielectric constant, and orientations of the liquid crystal are vertical to substrates when no voltage being applied, almost horizontal when a predetermined voltage is applied, and oblique when an intermediate voltage is applied. At least one of the substrates includes a structure as domain regulating means, and inclined surfaces of the structure operate as a trigger to regulate azimuths of the oblique orientations of the liquid crystal when the intermediate voltage is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Takashi Sasabayashi, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida, Makoto Ohashi, Kenji Okamoto, Hisashi Yamaguchi, Minoru Otani, Makoto Morishige, Noriaki Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Yoshinori Tanaka, Atuyuki Hoshino, Shougo Hayashi, Hideaki Takizawa, Takeshi Kinjou, Makoto Tachibanaki, Keiji Imoto, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hidefumi Yoshida, Hiroyasu Inoue, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Satoshi Murata, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Siro Hirota, Masahiro Ikeda, Kunihiro Tashiro, Kouji Tsukao, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takatoshi Mayama, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 7453548
    Abstract: The gate bus lines, the data bus lines, TFTs, etc. are formed on one glass substrate. Also, linear structures arranged in parallel with the gate bus lines are formed simultaneously with any one of the gate bus lines and the data bus lines. Then, a positive resist film is formed over the substrate, and then only a surface layer is cured by irradiating the ultraviolet ray onto the resist film. Then, the annealing is applied to the resist film. Since the linear structures are present under the resist film, a cross section of the resist film is corrugated by the annealing and thus wrinkle-like roughness extending in the almost same direction as the structures are formed on the surface. Then, the reflective electrode is formed on the resist film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norio Sugiura, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Patent number: 7442566
    Abstract: On a glass substrate, gate bus lines, data bus lines, and TFTs are formed. Then, on the substrate, an insulating film, covering the gate bus lines, data bus lines and TFTs, is formed, and a positive type photoresist film is further formed thereon. Next, through exposure and development processes, the resist film is divided for each picture element and subjected to ultraviolet ray irradiation to harden only a surface layer thereof. Then, the resist film is subjected to heat treatment to form thereon wrinkle-form surface ruggedness of a uniform pattern, which is determined depending on the size of the resist film. Subsequently, reflection electrodes are formed on the resist film. The reflection electrodes are formed to overlap the gate bus line, data bus line and TFTs, and the regions between the adjacent reflection electrodes serve as light transmission regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Norio Sugiura, Kunihiro Tashiro, Yoshio Koike
  • Publication number: 20080239213
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate sandwiching a liquid crystal layer therebetween, a first polarizer disposed adjacent to the first substrate at a side opposite to a side of the first polarizer facing the liquid crystal layer, with a first gap between the first polarizer and the first substrate, a second polarizer disposed adjacent to the second substrate at a side opposite to a side of the second polarizer facing the liquid crystal layer, with a second gap between the second polarizer and the second substrate, wherein at least one of the first and second gaps includes therein a first retardation film having a positive optical anisotropy and a second retardation film having a negative optical anisotropy, such that the first retardation film is disposed closer to the liquid crystal layer with respect to the second retardation film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Takahiro Sasaki, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida
  • Publication number: 20080165314
    Abstract: A vertically alignment mode liquid crystal display device having an improved viewing angle characteristic is disclosed. The disclosed liquid crystal display device uses a liquid crystal having a negative anisotropic dielectric constant, and orientations of the liquid crystal are vertical to substrates when no voltage being applied, almost horizontal when a predetermined voltage is applied, and oblique when an intermediate voltage is applied. At least one of the substrates includes a structure as domain regulating means, and inclined surfaces of the structure operate as a trigger to regulate azimuths of the oblique orientations of the liquid crystal when the intermediate voltage is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventors: Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Takashi Sasabayashi, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida, Makoto Ohashi, Kenji Okamoto, Hisashi Yamaguchi, Minoru Otani, Makoto Morishige, Noriaki Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Yoshinori Tanaka, Atuyuki Hoshino, Shougo Hayashi, Hideaki Takizawa, Takeshi Kinjou, Makoto Tachibanaki, Keiji Imoto, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hidefumi Yoshida, Hiroyasu Inoue, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Satoshi Murata, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Siro Hirota, Masahiro Ikeda, Kunihiro Tashiro, Kouji Tsukao, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takatoshi Mayama, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 7382429
    Abstract: A reflection-type liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate and carrying projections and depressions, a reflective electrode on the second substrate so as to cover the projections and depressions and in electrical contact with a switching device provided on the second substrate via a contact hole, and a negative liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates, wherein the contact hole is disposed centrally to the reflection electrode and a structure controlling alignment of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer is disposed so as to overlap the contact hole viewed in a direction perpendicular to the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Norio Sugiura, Katsufumi Ohmuro
  • Patent number: 7379140
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate sandwiching a liquid crystal layer therebetween, a first polarizer disposed adjacent to the first substrate at a side opposite to a side of the first polarizer facing the liquid crystal layer, with a first gap between the first polarizer and the first substrate, a second polarizer disposed adjacent to the second substrate at a side opposite to a side of the second polarizer facing the liquid crystal layer, with a second gap between the second polarizer and the second substrate, wherein at least one of the first and second gaps includes therein a first retardation film having a positive optical anisotropy and a second retardation film having a negative optical anisotropy, such that the first retardation film is disposed closer to the liquid crystal layer with respect to the second retardation film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Takahiro Sasaki, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida
  • Publication number: 20080055528
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus including a pair of substrates having electrodes and vertical alignment layers. A liquid crystal having a negative anisotropy of dielectric is inserted between the substrates. Each substrate has linearly arranged alignment control structures for controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal. The alignment control structures are formed in the form of projections or slits. Each alignment control structure is formed of a plurality of constituent units. In addition, means for forming a boundary of alignment of liquid crystal (singular point in director field) to control the liquid crystal located on the alignment control structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Takahiro Sasaki, Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Hideo Chida, Yoshio Koike, Kimiaki Nakamura, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Patent number: 7312844
    Abstract: It was found that the domain in which the disinclination was unstable was a domain located on the periphery of the pixel and in which the alignment orientation of the liquid crystal molecules within the pixel was different from the tilting orientation of the liquid crystal molecules due to the transverse electric field of the outer edge of the pixel and it is larger than 90°. As a result it was found that the liquid crystal within the pixel needed to be aligned in order to minimize the domain for the improvement in the property of withstanding vibrations, and a liquid crystal display panel more excellent in the property of withstanding vibrations could be realized by keeping the domain in which the disinclination was unstable near the short side of the pixel as shown in FIG. 25B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsufumi Ohmuro
  • Patent number: 7304703
    Abstract: A vertically alignment mode liquid crystal display device having an improved viewing angle characteristic is disclosed. The disclosed liquid crystal display device uses a liquid crystal having a negative anisotropic dielectric constant, and orientations of the liquid crystal are vertical to substrates when no voltage being applied, almost horizontal when a predetermined voltage is applied, and oblique when an intermediate voltage is applied. At least one of the substrates includes a structure as domain regulating means, and inclined surfaces of the structure operate as a trigger to regulate azimuths of the oblique orientations of the liquid crystal when the intermediate voltage is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Takashi Sasabayashi, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida, Makoto Ohashi, Kenji Okamoto, Hisashi Yamaguchi, Minoru Otani, Makoto Morishige, Noriaki Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Yoshinori Tanaka, Atuyuki Hoshino, Shougo Hayashi, Hideaki Takizawa, Takeshi Kinjou, Makoto Tachibanaki, Keiji Imoto, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hidefumi Yoshida, Hiroyasu Inoue, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Satoshi Murata, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Siro Hirota, Masahiro Ikeda, Kunihiro Tashiro, Kouji Tsukao, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takatoshi Mayama, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20070273813
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transflective liquid crystal display capable of display in both of transmissive and reflective modes and a method of manufacturing the same and provides a transflective liquid crystal display which can achieve high display characteristics in both of the transmissive and reflective modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Hidefumi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Kunihiro Tashiro, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Kazuya Ueda, Masakazu Shibasaki
  • Patent number: 7295270
    Abstract: A reflection-type liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate and carrying projections and depressions, a reflective electrode on the second substrate so as to cover the projections and depressions and in electrical contact with a switching device provided on the second substrate via a contact hole, and a negative liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates, wherein the contact hole is disposed centrally to the reflection electrode and a structure controlling alignment of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer is disposed so as to overlap the contact hole viewed in a direction perpendicular to the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Norio Sugiura, Katsufumi Ohmuro
  • Publication number: 20070252930
    Abstract: The liquid crystal display comprises a first substrate 2 including a gate bus line 12a, a data bus line 28, a thin film transistor 18 formed near an intersection between the gate bus line 12a and the data bus line 28, and a pixel electrode 52 including a transmission electrode 32a electrically connected to the thin film transistor 18 and a reflection electrode 48b electrically connected to the transmission electrode 32a; a second substrate 4 opposed to the first substrate 2 and including an opposed electrode 68 opposed to the pixel electrode 52; and a liquid crystal layer 6 sealed between the first substrate 2 and the second substrate 4. The reflection electrode 48b is formed over another gate bus line 12b which is different from the gate bus line 12a, with an insulation layer 40 formed therebetween. The decrease of a voltage applied between the reflection electrode 48b and the opposed electrode 68 can be prevented while the space which can be not used as the transmission region can be utilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Hidefumi Yoshida, Yoshinori Tanaka, Norio Sugiura, Seiji Doi, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Isao Tsushima, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Tomoshige Oda
  • Patent number: 7283190
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus including a pair of substrates having electrodes and vertical alignment layers. A liquid crystal having a negative anisotropy of dielectric is inserted between the substrates. Each substrate has linearly arranged alignment control structures for controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal. The alignment control structures are formed in the form of projections or slits. Each alignment control structure is formed of a plurality of constituent units. In addition, means for forming a boundary of alignment of liquid crystal (singular point in director field) to control the liquid crystal located on the alignment control structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Sasaki, Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Hideo Chida, Yoshio Koike, Kimiaki Nakamura, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Patent number: 7274419
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a reflecting layer with projections and depressions having azimuthal anisotropies on reflection intensity formed on a surface thereof, for reflecting incident light, and a liquid crystal layer provided on the reflecting layer. The liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are aligned such that an angle formed between an azimuth ? in which the reflection intensity is maximum and a director azimuth L for the liquid crystal molecules is not less than 45° nor greater than 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Norio Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20070182907
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has been disclosed. The liquid crystal display device provides a display with a high reflectance (high transmittance) and a high color purity while maintaining white balance and adjusts the white balance by changing the occupied area instead of the transmission characteristics of a CF in order to prevent yellowing of the display due to a low-temperature light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Norio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7250996
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transflective liquid crystal display capable of display in both of transmissive and reflective modes and a method of manufacturing the same and provides a transflective liquid crystal display which can achieve high display characteristics in both of the transmissive and reflective modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hidefumi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Kunihiro Tashiro, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Kazuya Ueda, Masakazu Shibasaki
  • Publication number: 20070146589
    Abstract: On a glass substrate, gate bus lines, data bus lines, and TFTs are formed. Then, on the substrate, an insulating film, covering the gate bus lines, data bus lines and TFTs, is formed, and a positive type photoresist film is further formed thereon. Next, through exposure and development processes, the resist film is divided for each picture element and subjected to ultraviolet ray irradiation to harden only a surface layer thereof. Then, the resist film is subjected to heat treatment to form thereon wrinkle-form surface ruggedness of a uniform pattern, which is determined depending on the size of the resist film. Subsequently, reflection electrodes are formed on the resist film. The reflection electrodes are formed to overlap the gate bus line, data bus line and TFTS, and the regions between the adjacent reflection electrodes serve as light transmission regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Norio Sugiura, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20070146594
    Abstract: On a glass substrate, gate bus lines, data bus lines, and TFTs are formed. Then, on the substrate, an insulating film, covering the gate bus lines, data bus lines and TFTs, is formed, and a positive type photoresist film is further formed thereon. Next, through exposure and development processes, the resist film is divided for each picture element and subjected to ultraviolet ray irradiation to harden only a surface layer thereof. Then, the resist film is subjected to heat treatment to form thereon wrinkle-form surface ruggedness of a uniform pattern, which is determined depending on the size of the resist film. Subsequently, reflection electrodes are formed on the resist film. The reflection electrodes are formed to overlap the gate bus line, data bus line and TFTs, and the regions between the adjacent reflection electrodes serve as light transmission regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Norio Sugiura, Kunihiro Tashiro, Yoshio Koike
  • Patent number: 7227606
    Abstract: A vertical alignment mode liquid crystal display device having an improved viewing angle characteristic is provided. The liquid crystal display device uses a liquid crystal having a negative anisotropic dielectric constant, and orientations of the liquid crystal are vertical to substrates when no voltage is applied, almost horizontal when a predetermined voltage is applied, and oblique when an intermediate voltage is applied. At least one of the substrates includes a structure as domain regulating means, and inclined surfaces of the structure operate as a trigger to regulate azimuths of the oblique orientations of the liquid crystal when the intermediate voltage is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida, Makoto Ohashi, Kenji Okamoto, Hisashi Yamaguchi, Minoru Otani, Makoto Morishige, Noriaki Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Yoshinori Tanaka, Atuyuki Hoshino, Shougo Hayashi, Hideaki Takizawa, Takeshi Kinjou, Makoto Tachibanaki, Keiji Imoto, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hidefumi Yoshida, Hiroyasu Inoue, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Satoshi Murata, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Siro Hirota, Masahiro Ikeda, Kunihiro Tashiro, Kouji Tsukao, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takatoshi Mayama, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi