Patents by Inventor Katsutoshi Kikuchi

Katsutoshi Kikuchi 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: 11942056
    Abstract: A display device includes a lighting device, a display panel, a memory, and a correction circuit. The lighting device includes a light exit area defined into light exit sections corresponding to light sources. The display panel includes a display area disposed opposite the light exit area and including pixels. The memory stores data of pixel matrix linked to the display sections. The memory stores position data of the pixels that are not disposed opposite the corresponding light exit sections and deviation data when a position error is caused between the light exit area and the display area. The correction circuit is configured to determine whether the memory stores the position data of the pixels and link new pixel matrix units to the corresponding display sections based on the deviation data if a determination result is affirmative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Sharp Display Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Tomokawa, Yasutomo Nishihara, Yohji Inui, Kohichi Ohhara, Katsutoshi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20230096847
    Abstract: A display device includes a lighting device, a display panel, a memory, and a correction circuit. The lighting device includes a light exit area defined into light exit sections corresponding to light sources. The display panel includes a display area opposed to the light exit area and including pixels. The display area includes display sections to be opposed to the light exit sections. The memory stores data of pixel matrix linked to the display sections. The memory stores position data of the pixels that are not opposed to the corresponding light exit sections and deviation data when a position error is caused between the light exit area and the display area. The correction circuit is configured to determine whether the memory stores the position data of the pixels and link new pixel matrix units to the corresponding display sections based on the deviation data if determination result is affirmative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Shinji TOMOKAWA, Yasutomo NISHIHARA, Yohji INUI, Kohichi OHHARA, Katsutoshi KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 11079805
    Abstract: A display panel provided with a protective film includes a display panel and the protective film that is provided on a display surface of the display panel, in which the display panel is provided with a first through-hole passing through the display panel in a thickness direction, the protective film includes a first protective film, the first protective film is provided with a second through-hole passing through the first protective film in the thickness direction, the first through-hole and the second through-hole are in communication with each other and form a through-hole, the first protective film includes a first grip portion at a peripheral edge portion of the first protective film, and the first protective film includes a dividing portion that continues from the second through-hole to an end side of the first grip portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yamanaka, Masayuki Ohhashi, Katsutoshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10802313
    Abstract: A display device includes a display panel including a display area and a center non-display area, a polarizing plate on an outer surface of the display panel, a curved outer shape part included in a part of an outer shape of one of the display panel and the polarizing plate and having a curved planar shape, a linear outer shape part included in a part of the outer shape of one of or both of the display panel and the polarizing plate and having a linear planar shape, and an alignment mark included in another one or both of the polarizing plate and the display panel and disposed at a position overlapping the center non-display area and including a linear indicator part having a linear planar shape that is parallel to the linear outer shape part and a reference point part overlapping the linear indicator part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayuki Ohashi, Katsutoshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10754086
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel, a backlight device at least including LEDs arrayed at intervals and LED wiring portions connected to the LEDs such that the LEDs adjacent to one another have different connection targets, an image signal generation unit that generates an image signal related to the image, a panel control unit that displays the image on the liquid crystal panel based on the image signal generated in the image signal generation unit, and an LED control unit that energizes a relatively great amount of the LED wiring portions when the image based on the image signal sent from the image signal generation unit is a normal image, and selectively energizes a relatively small amount of the LED wiring portions when the image is a small image of which a display range is smaller than a display range of the normal image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Kikuchi, Hiromi Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20200142242
    Abstract: A display device includes: a display panel that has a panel through hole penetrating in a thickness direction and displays an image; a light source that emits light for display on the display panel; and a housing that accommodates the light source and has a housing through hole penetrating the housing, communicating with the panel through hole, and smaller than the panel through hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: KATSUTOSHI KIKUCHI, MASAYUKI OHHASHI
  • Publication number: 20200133346
    Abstract: A display panel provided with a protective film includes a display panel and the protective film that is provided on a display surface of the display panel, in which the display panel is provided with a first through-hole passing through the display panel in a thickness direction, the protective film includes a first protective film, the first protective film is provided with a second through-hole passing through the first protective film in the thickness direction, the first through-hole and the second through-hole are in communication with each other and form a through-hole, the first protective film includes a first grip portion at a peripheral edge portion of the first protective film, and the first protective film includes a dividing portion that continues from the second through-hole to an end side of the first grip portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: KAZUYUKI YAMANAKA, MASAYUKI OHHASHI, KATSUTOSHI KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 10527778
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a light guide plate, a first light source, a second light source, and a case. The light guide plate includes plate surfaces and an outer peripheral surface. One of the plate surfaces is configured as a light exiting surface. Sections of the outer peripheral surface on opposite sides from each other relative to the center of the light exiting surface are configured as a first light entering surface and a second light entering surface, respectively. The first light source is disposed opposite the first light entering surface. The second light source is disposed opposite the second light entering surface. The case includes an annular wall portion surrounding an outer circumference of the light guide plate, the first light source, and the second light source. The annular wall portion includes light source non-disposing areas between the first light entering surface and the second light entering surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuzo Yuki, Katsutoshi Kikuchi, Hayato Nakamura, Makoto Yoshimura, Hiromi Enomoto, Mitsuhiro Murata, Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga
  • Publication number: 20190369436
    Abstract: A display device includes a display panel including a display area and a center non-display area, a polarizing plate on an outer surface of the display panel, a curved outer shape part included in a part of an outer shape of one of the display panel and the polarizing plate and having a curved planar shape, a linear outer shape part included in a part of the outer shape of one of or both of the display panel and the polarizing plate and having a linear planar shape, and an alignment mark included in another one or both of the polarizing plate and the display panel and disposed at a position overlapping the center non-display area and including a linear indicator part having a linear planar shape that is parallel to the linear outer shape part and a reference point part overlapping the linear indicator part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Masayuki OHASHI, Katsutoshi KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20190243058
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel, a backlight device at least including LEDs arrayed at intervals and LED wiring portions connected to the LEDs such that the LEDs adjacent to one another have different connection targets, an image signal generation unit that generates an image signal related to the image, a panel control unit that displays the image on the liquid crystal panel based on the image signal generated in the image signal generation unit, and an LED control unit that energizes a relatively great amount of the LED wiring portions when the image based on the image signal sent from the image signal generation unit is a normal image, and selectively energizes a relatively small amount of the LED wiring portions when the image is a small image of which a display range is smaller than a display range of the normal image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: KATSUTOSHI KIKUCHI, HIROMI ENOMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180239078
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a light guide plate, a first light source, a second light source, and a case. The light guide plate includes plate surfaces and an outer peripheral surface. One of the plate surfaces is configured as a light exiting surface. Sections of the outer peripheral surface on opposite sides from each other relative to the center of the light exiting surface are configured as a first light entering surface and a second light entering surface, respectively. The first light source is disposed opposite the first light entering surface. The second light source is disposed opposite the second light entering surface. The case includes an annular wall portion surrounding an outer circumference of the light guide plate, the first light source, and the second light source. The annular wall portion includes light source non-disposing areas between the first light entering surface and the second light entering surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Ryuzo YUKI, Katsutoshi KIKUCHI, Hayato NAKAMURA, Makoto YOSHIMURA, Hiromi ENOMOTO, Mitsuhiro MURATA, Hisashi WATANABE, Hirotoshi YASUNAGA
  • Patent number: 9588272
    Abstract: A backlight device includes LEDs, a light guide plate, an LED board, and a light blocking portion. The light guide plate includes a side surface configured as a light entrance surface through which light from the LEDs enters and a plate surface configured as a light exit surface through which light exits the light guide plate. The LED board on which the LEDs are mounted and at least a portion of which is a light guide plate overlapping portion is on a light exit surface side. The light guide plate overlapping portion overlaps a light entering edge portion that is an edge portion of the light guide plate close to the light entrance surface. The light blocking portion is at the light guide plate overlapping portion of the LED board and between the light guide plate overlapping portion and the light entering edge portion of the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakazu Komano, Katsutoshi Kikuchi, Kazunori Minoura
  • Publication number: 20160154172
    Abstract: A backlight device includes LEDs, a light guide plate, and a frame. The light guide plated includes peripheral surfaces including an LED opposing surface and an LED non-opposing surface and includes plate surfaces including a light exit surface and an opposite plate surface on the opposite side from the light exit surface. The frame includes a high light reflective portion and a high light blocking portion. The high light reflective portion is opposed to the LED non-opposing surface. The high light blocking portion is arranged such that an end of the high light reflective portion in a direction parallel to a direction from the light exit surface to the opposite plate surface along a direction normal to the plate surfaces of the light guide plate. The high light blocking portion has a lower light reflectivity and a higher light blocking property than the high light reflective portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Masakazu KOMANO, Katsutoshi KIKUCHI, Kazunori MINOURA, Hayato NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20160077270
    Abstract: A backlight device includes LEDs, a light guide plate, an LED board, and a light blocking portion. The light guide plate includes a side surface configured as a light entrance surface through which light from the LEDs enters and a plate surface configured as a light exit surface through which light exits the light guide plate. The LED board on which the LEDs are mounted and at least a portion of which is a light guide plate overlapping portion is on a light exit surface side. The light guide plate overlapping portion overlaps a light entering edge portion that is an edge portion of the light guide plate close to the light entrance surface. The light blocking portion is at the light guide plate overlapping portion of the LED board and between the light guide plate overlapping portion and the light entering edge portion of the light guide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Masakazu KOMANO, Katsutoshi KIKUCHI, Kazunori MINOURA
  • Patent number: 9268175
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a display panel, a parallax barrier, and a spacer. The display panel includes a display area in which an image is displayed and a display surrounding area located around the display area. The parallax barrier includes a separation area and a separation surrounding area located around the separation area. The image displayed on the display panel is separated by parallax in the separation area. The parallax barrier is attached to the display panel with a space between the separation surrounding area of the parallax barrier and the display surrounding area of the display panel. The spacer is arranged in the space. The spacer is configured to define a distance between the display surrounding area of the display panel and the separation surrounding area of the parallax barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Kikuchi, Masayuki Ohhashi, Hajime Washio
  • Patent number: 8717514
    Abstract: An illumination device (3) is provided with a light-emitting diode (light source) (9), and a light guide plate (10) that guides light from the light-emitting diode (9) toward a prescribed propagation direction and that outputs the light toward a liquid crystal panel (object to be irradiated) (2). The illumination device is also provided with an optical sheet (optical member) (15) that is disposed so as not to make contact with the optical sheet (13) and that separates the optical sheet (13) from the liquid crystal panel (2) so as to create a prescribed space therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazunori Minoura, Katsutoshi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20140022472
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a display panel, a parallax barrier, and a spacer. The display panel includes a display area in which an image is displayed and a display surrounding area located around the display area. The parallax barrier includes a separation area and a separation surrounding area located around the separation area. The image displayed on the display panel is separated by parallax in the separation area. The parallax barrier is attached to the display panel with a space between the separation surrounding area of the parallax barrier and the display surrounding area of the display panel. The spacer is arranged in the space. The spacer is configured to define a distance between the display surrounding area of the display panel and the separation surrounding area of the parallax barrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Kikuchi, Masayuki Ohhashi, Hajime Washio
  • Publication number: 20130057805
    Abstract: An illumination device (3) is provided with a light-emitting diode (light source) (9), and a light guide plate (10) that guides light from the light-emitting diode (9) toward a prescribed propagation direction and that outputs the light toward a liquid crystal panel (object to be irradiated) (2). The illumination device is also provided with an optical sheet (optical member) (15) that is disposed so as not to make contact with the optical sheet (13) and that separates the optical sheet (13) from the liquid crystal panel (2) so as to create a prescribed space therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori Minoura, Katsutoshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8253882
    Abstract: A display device (1) having a curved display surface (2) sandwiches a display panel (5) by means of a pair of curved covers (10, 11). The display device (1) has a plurality of engaging sections (12), which are formed on each of the two side surfaces arranged to face each other with the display panel (5) therebetween and fix the pair of covers (10, 11) so that the covers are not removed. An intermediate position (C1) in the curving direction of the covers (10, 11) and an intermediate position (C2) in the curving direction of the display surface (2) are shifted from each other. The engaging sections (12) on each of the two side surfaces are substantially symmetrically arranged with the display panel (5) therebetween, and the positions where the engaging sections (12) are arranged include at least the both end sections (E1, E2) in the curving direction, and a display surface intermediate section (CB) which includes the intermediate position (C2) of the display surface (2) in the curving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsutoshi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20120176567
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal cell (3), a light source, and a light-guiding plate (1) that guides light from the light source to the liquid crystal cell (3), wherein a cutout (2) is formed on a sidewall of the light-guiding plate (1). The cutout (2) may have an inclined face inclining downward toward an outer side of the light-guiding plate (1). A reflecting member (5) may be inserted in the cutout (2). Further, a light-shielding member may be inserted in the cutout (2). In a region above the cutout of the light-guiding plate (1), an adhesion member (4) may be arranged on an upper face of the light-guiding plate (1) so that the light-guiding plate (1) and the liquid crystal cell (3) are adhered to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori Minoura, Katsutoshi Kikuchi