Patents by Inventor Mamoru Okamoto

Mamoru Okamoto 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: 6704076
    Abstract: Color filters of R, G and B consisting of a negative resist film are simultaneously exposed by use of a photomask intercepting light for the regions connected to the transparent pixel electrodes after the source electrodes. Then, the color filters are simultaneously developed. Since the color filters consist of a negative resist film, the regions of the color filters corresponding to the light-intercepted regions, that is, the regions connected to the transparent pixel electrodes after the source electrodes are removed by the development, so that openings are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Okamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Hironori Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 6693697
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is made up of a TFT substrate, an opposed substrate and a liquid crystal layer arranged between these substrates, in which the TFT substrate is provided with gate lines, data lines and TFT on its transparent insulative substrate, in addition, a passivation film is provided so as to cover them. A color filter is provided on the passivation film, and a black matrix is provided at corresponding area to above part of the TFT and to above part of the data line on the color filter. In addition, a first overcoat layer with film thickness of degree of 1 to 3 &mgr;m is provided so as to cover the black matrix. Further, a second overcoat layer with film thickness of approximate 0.5 &mgr;m is provided at the whole surface except for a contact hole. Furthermore, a pixel electrode is provided on pixel formation area on the second overcoat layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michiaki Sakamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Shigeru Kimura, Shinichi Nakata, Shouichi Kuroha, Masanobu Hidehira, Yoshitaka Horie, Takayuki Ishino
  • Patent number: 6690446
    Abstract: In a color liquid crystal display panel of a CF-on-TFT structure having a black matrix and a color filter formed on a TFT substrate, reflected light is reduced by selecting and controlling a gap (d) of the CF-on-TFT panel and refractive index anisotropy (&Dgr;d) of a liquid crystal material by exploiting the presence of wavelength dependency between retardation (&Dgr;nd) and light transmittance so as to shift the wavelength of reflected light of external light from a pixel electrode ITO to a shorter wavelength side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Okamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Hironori Kikkawa
  • Publication number: 20040007752
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate forms a liquid crystal display panel together with a counter substrate and liquid crystal filling a gap therebetween, and color filters are covered with an overcoat layer of photo-sensitive acrylic resin, wherein column spacers of the photo-sensitive acrylic resin project from the overcoat layer so that the column spacers are hardly separated from the overcoat layer in a rubbing for producing an orientation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Nakata, Yuji Yamamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Hironori Kikkawa, Muneo Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6667777
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having a switching device with a first electrode connected to the scanning line to become a gate, a second electrode connected to the signal line to become a drain or a source, a third electrode connected to the pixel electrode to become the source or the drain and switching the display signal to feed the corresponding pixel electrode by the scanning signal; and an electrode for an auxiliary capacitor, located in a place opposite to the pixel electrode to define the auxiliary capacitor. Further, the second and third electrodes are formed in a layer different from the first electrode, the pixel electrode is formed in top of the first, second, and third electrodes, and the electrode for an auxiliary capacitor is formed on the same layer as the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Kikkawa, Muneo Maruyama, Yuji Yamamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20030227586
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal display (LCD) device improves the performance of preventing the elution of impurity contained in the light-shielding layer (and the color layer) of the monochrome or color filter into the liquid crystal, thereby preventing defective operations of the LCD device (e.g., displaying defect) caused by impurity existing in the liquid crystal. The LCD device includes the protection layer made of a transparent organic resin, which satisfies at least one of a condition (a) that the transparent organic resin has a cross-link density of 70% or greater, and a condition (b) that the transparent organic resin has a Vickers hardness of 50 kgf/mm2 or greater. Preferably, an amount of internal impurity of the filter is 3 ng/cm2 or less. It is preferred that at least one selected from the group consisting of an acrylic resin, a styrene resin, and a polyimide resin is used as a base or matrix material of the transparent organic resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Applicant: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Okamoto, Tetuya Kimura, Sounosuke Takahashi, Nariyoshi Kotake, Shinichi Nishida
  • Patent number: 6654073
    Abstract: Band-shaped data lines are arranged in parallel with each other so as to cross address lines via a gate insulating film formed over the address lines. An upper insulating film is formed over the data lines, and pixel electrodes are formed on the upper insulating film. Storage capacitance section includes common electrode and storage capacitance electrode. The common electrode is extended from the address line of adjacent pixel region. The storage capacitance electrode sandwiches the gate insulating film with the common electrode to store capacitance therebetween. The storage capacitance electrodes and the pixel electrodes are connected to each other via conductive through hole piercing through the upper insulating film. Besides, the storage capacitance electrode, source electrode of the thin film transistor section and a wiring connecting them are integrally formed of the same metal films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Muneo Maruyama, Takahiko Watanabe, Hironori Kikkawa, Yuji Yamamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Shinichi Nakata, Masanobu Hidehira, Yoshitaka Horie
  • Patent number: 6650390
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel comprises a TFT substrate unit having a thin film transistor (TFT), a control electrode connected to the TFT, a flattening film covering the control electrode, and a pixel electrode having a cross slit and formed on the flattening film and insulated from the control electrode. An opposite substrate unit has an opposite electrode facing the pixel electrode at a predetermined position. A liquid crystal layer disposed between the TFT substrate unit and the opposite substrate includes liquid crystal molecules having negative dielectric aeolotropy. When voltage is supplied between the control electrode and the opposite electrode, an electric field is generated between them. The electric field divides the liquid crystal layer into four domains in each pixel according to the cross slit formed in the pixel electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michiaki Sakamoto, Teruaki Suzuki, Mamoru Okamoto, Masayoshi Suzuki, Toshiya Ishii, Hiroaki Matsuyama, Kiyomi Kawada, Seiji Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hirai, Yuji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6577374
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate forms a liquid crystal display panel together with a counter substrate and liquid crystal filling a gap therebetween, and color filters are covered with an overcoat layer of photo-sensitive acrylic resin, wherein column spacers of the photo-sensitive acrylic resin project from the overcoat layer so that the column spacers are hardly separated from the overcoat layer in a rubbing for producing an orientation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Nakata, Yuji Yamamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Hironori Kikkawa, Muneo Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20030025865
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display having a wide viewing angle and easily manufactured. The liquid crystal display comprises an upper substrate and a lower substrate, and a liquid crystal material disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The liquid crystal display has a conductive protrusion disposed on the surface of the upper substrate opposing to the lower substrate. The conductive protrusion is disposed over a scanning electrode line or a signal electrode line and has the same potential as that of the upper electrode. As another structure, each of pixel electrodes on the lower substrate has a smaller area than that of a common electrode on the upper substrate and is covered by the common electrode, and each of the pixel electrodes comprises an electrode portion having approximately symmetrical shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Inventors: Ken-Ichi Takatori, Masayoshi Suzuki, Toshiya Ishii, Teruaki Suzuki, Hiroshi Kanoh, Ken Sumiyoshi, Michiaki Sakamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Hiroaki Matsuyama, Kiyomi Kawada, Seiji Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Patent number: 6507382
    Abstract: This invention provides a liquid-crystal display where both pixel electrode 14 and common electrode 3 for controlling a liquid-crystal layer 40 are disposed above a color filter 10 covered with a shield electrode 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Sakamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Shinichi Nakata, Yuji Yamamoto, Takahiko Watanabe, Hirofumi Ihara, Hironori Kikkawa, Hiroaki Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 6504592
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display having a wide viewing angle and easily manufactured. The liquid crystal display comprises an upper substrate and a lower substrate, and a liquid crystal material disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The liquid crystal display has a conductive protrusion disposed on the surface of the upper substrate opposing to the lower substrate. The conductive protrusion is disposed over a scanning electrode line or a signal electrode line and has the same potential as that of the upper electrode. As another structure, each of pixel electrodes on the lower substrate has a smaller area than that of a common electrode on the upper substrate and is covered by the common electrode, and each of the pixel electrodes comprises an electrode portion having approximately symmetrical shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Ken-Ichi Takatori, Masayoshi Suzuki, Toshiya Ishii, Teruaki Suzuki, Hiroshi Kanoh, Ken Sumiyoshi, Michiaki Sakamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Hiroaki Matsuyama, Kiyomi Kawada, Seiji Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20020191146
    Abstract: Color filters of R, G and B consisting of a negative resist film are simultaneously exposed by use of a photomask intercepting light for the regions connected to the transparent pixel electrodes after the source electrodes. Then, the color filters are simultaneously developed. Since the color filters consist of a negative resist film, the regions of the color filters corresponding to the light-intercepted regions, that is, the regions connected to the transparent pixel electrodes after the source electrodes are removed by the development, so that openings are formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Okamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Hironori Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 6469765
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display and a method of operating such liquid crystal display in which display operation is performed by changing a director of said liquid crystal molecules mainly in a plane parallel to first and second substrate forming a liquid crystal display panel. Liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal display panel have a negative anisotropy of permittivity. The liquid crystal display comprises: a first common electrode disposed on the side of said first substrate; an insulating layer formed on the first common electrode; at least one pixel electrodes each of which is formed on the insulating layer and has a plurality of opening portions; a second common electrode disposed on the side of the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Matsuyama, Yoshihiko Hirai, Kazumi Kobayashi, Yuji Yamamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Shinichi Nakata
  • Publication number: 20020140883
    Abstract: A CF on TFT type liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same. The liquid crystal display has a plurality of parallel scanning lines, a plurality of parallel data lines which cross the scanning lines, thin film transistors each disposed in the proximity of an intersection between one of the scanning lines and one of the data lines, and pixel electrodes disposed in a matrix and each coupled with one of the thin film transistors. The light shield film is formed over areas including at least the thin film transistors but except over portions which become banks and hinder flow of developer for patterning the light shield film. As an embodiment, the light shield film can be formed along the data lines, and also partially along the scanning lines except a part of each portion of the scanning lines between adjacent data lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Okamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Masanobu Hidehira
  • Patent number: 6445432
    Abstract: First and second transparent substrates which are arranged to face each other are provided to a color liquid crystal display panel. A liquid crystal layer is provided between the first and the second transparent substrates. A plurality of thin film transistors are provided on the first transparent substrate. An insulation film provided on the first transparent substrate so as to cover the thin film transistors. A color filter which includes first to third color layers stacked on the insulation layer is provided. A contacting color layer is provided on the insulation film in a region above the thin film transistors. The contacting color layer has at least one color layer selected from a group of composed of the first to third color layers. A black matrix is provided on the contacting color layer. The black matrix has opening portions for transmitting light from the color filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Yamamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Takahiko Watanabe, Hironori Kikkawa, Muneo Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20020118318
    Abstract: In an active matrix type liquid crystal display device comprising a TFT having gate lines and data lines formed in a matrix manner and being connected to a source line, a contact hole for connecting the source line with a pixel electrode is formed in a position overlapping a disclination line. The contact hole is formed in a position overlapping a capacitance portion of the gate line. The gate line and the source line are provided to oppose to each other, and electrostatic capacitance is stored therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanobu Hidehira, Michiaki Sakamoto, Shouichi Kuroha, Mamoru Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20020118331
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) comprises a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, and switching elements each disposed in the proximity of one of intersections between the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines. The LCD further comprises a plurality of pixel electrodes disposed over the gate lines and the data lines via an interlayer insulating film, wherein, when viewed from upside, that is, from the side of a gap between adjacent pixel electrodes toward the side of the gate line, the gap between adjacent pixel electrodes at least partially overlaps with the gate line, and a plurality of control electrodes each disposed under the gap between adjacent pixel electrodes and over the gate line, wherein, when viewed from upside, the control electrode covers the gate line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiaki Sakamoto, Masanobu Hidehira, Mamoru Okamoto
  • Patent number: 6429916
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises a transparent insulator substrate, switching elements which are formed on the transparent insulator substrate, a passivation layer for passivating the switching elements, color filters of prescribed colors which are formed on the passivation layer so that no color filter will be formed in areas around contact holes, black matrixes as shields for preventing light leakage which are formed on the passivation layer after the formation of the color filters so as to cover at least the switching elements and so that no black matrix will be formed in areas around the contact holes, an overcoat layer which is formed on the color filters and the black matrixes, pixel electrodes formed on the overcoat layer, lead electrodes of the switching elements for being connected to corresponding pixel electrodes, and contact holes which are formed through the overcoat layer and the passivation layer for establishing connection between the pixel electrodes and lead electrodes of the switch
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Nakata, Yuji Yamamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Takahiko Watanabe, Hirofumi Ihara, Hironori Kikkawa, Muneo Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6429917
    Abstract: This invention provides a color liquid-crystal panel comprising the first substrate having pixel electrodes on which are formed a thin-film transistor as a switching element for each pixel, which is covered by a passivation film, and a color filter layer and a black matrix on the passivation film, which are covered by an overcoat layer, and where the first substrate and the second substrate having a transparent common electrode facing the first substrate are put together via a sealer, forming an inner space which is filled with a liquid-crystal material, wherein a frame-shaped black matrix is formed on the first substrate, covering the periphery of the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Okamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Michiaki Sakamoto, Shinichi Nakata, Hironori Kikkawa, Takahiko Watanabe, Hirofumi Ihara