Patents by Inventor Mitsuaki Hirata

Mitsuaki Hirata 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: 10503022
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules; a first alignment film in contact with a front surface of the liquid crystal layer; and a second alignment film in contact with a rear surface of the liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal panel being curved in the shape of a cylindrical surface. The first alignment film includes a plurality of first strip portions extending along a first direction and causing the liquid crystal molecules to be aligned. The second alignment film includes a plurality of second strip portions extending along a second direction and causing the liquid crystal molecules to be aligned. The first direction is a peripheral direction of the cylindrical surface. The second direction is a direction which crosses the peripheral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Sakai Display Products Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Yoshida, Masae Kitayama, Nobuo Okano, Mitsuaki Hirata
  • Patent number: 10274787
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal display apparatus having a reduced area of a dark line occurring when light is transmitted through a pixel region, and excellent transmittance of light and image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Sakai Display Products Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Hirata
  • Patent number: 10175535
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display apparatus which has a reduced area of a dark line generated when light is transmitted through a pixel region, and excellent transmittance of light and image quality. The liquid crystal display apparatus has two substrates which respectively have an electrode and a photo alignment film sequentially formed on respective one surfaces, and are disposed so that the one surfaces thereof face to each other, wherein a liquid crystal layer including a vertical alignment type liquid crystal material is interposed between the photo alignment films; a plurality of pixel regions formed on the substrate in a matrix shape in a plane direction of the substrate; and at least two liquid crystal domains which are included in each pixel region, and have standard alignment directions different from each other defined by the photo alignment films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Sakai Display Products Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Hirata
  • Publication number: 20170351148
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules; a first alignment film in contact with a front surface of the liquid crystal layer; and a second alignment film in contact with a rear surface of the liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal panel being curved in the shape of a cylindrical surface. The first alignment film includes a plurality of first strip portions extending along a first direction and causing the liquid crystal molecules to be aligned. The second alignment film includes a plurality of second strip portions extending along a second direction and causing the liquid crystal molecules to be aligned. The first direction is a peripheral direction of the cylindrical surface. The second direction is a direction which crosses the peripheral direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Yukio Yoshida, Masae Kitayama, Nobuo Okano, Mitsuaki Hirata
  • Patent number: 9818348
    Abstract: A color display pixel PCD in a liquid crystal display device (100) includes first through fourth pixels P1 through P4 arrayed in two rows by two columns, and first and second signal lines (13a, 13b) which are located in correspondence with each column of pixels and are supplied with signal voltages of polarities opposite to each other from a signal line driving circuit (30) in each vertical scanning period. A TFT (14) of one of the first and third pixel P1 and P3 is connected to the first signal line (13a), and a TFT (14) of the other pixel is connected to the second signal line (13b). A TFT (14) of one of the second and fourth pixel P2 and P4 is connected to the first signal line (13a), and a TFT (14) of the other pixel is connected to the second signal line (13b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masae Kitayama, Mitsuaki Hirata, Fumikazu Shimoshikiryoh, Kenichi Hyodo, Ikumi Itsumi, Yuki Yamashita, Akane Sugisaka
  • Publication number: 20170205670
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal display apparatus having a reduced area of a dark line occurring when light is transmitted through a pixel region, and excellent transmittance of light and image quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Hirata
  • Patent number: 9459744
    Abstract: A touch panel substrate used for a touch panel with enhanced display quality is realized. A touch panel substrate (2) in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes a first detection electrode (11) including a plurality of first lattice electrodes (13) aligned in a lateral direction. Each of the plurality of first lattice electrodes (13) includes conductive lines (17a) and second conductive lines (17b). The conductive lines (17a) and the second conductive lines (17b) form a lattice. The conductive lines (17a) are inclined by an angle ? (0°<?<45°) in a lateral direction. A pitch of conductive lines (21) of a connecting section (16) which are parallel to the conductive lines (17a) is smaller than a pitch of the conductive lines (17a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Hirata, Shinji Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20160054604
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display apparatus which has a reduced area of a dark line generated when light is transmitted through a pixel region, and excellent transmittance of light and image quality. The liquid crystal display apparatus has two substrates which respectively have an electrode and a photo alignment film sequentially formed on respective one surfaces, and are disposed so that the one surfaces thereof face to each other, wherein a liquid crystal layer including a vertical alignment type liquid crystal material is interposed between the photo alignment films; a plurality of pixel regions formed on the substrate in a matrix shape in a plane direction of the substrate; and at least two liquid crystal domains which are included in each pixel region, and have standard alignment directions different from each other defined by the photo alignment films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Hirata
  • Patent number: 9187233
    Abstract: There is provided a brightening ink composition for printing intended for realizing a heat insulating foamed paper container produced by foaming a low-melting point film by a heat treatment, such as a heat insulating foamed paper cup, the brightening ink composition conforming to the foaming without the occurrence of ink splits (cracks) upon foaming, having very small differences in level between the brightening printed areas and other printed areas at the container surface after foaming, making the container surface almost smooth, and having excellent design applicability and aesthetic properties as well as excellent heat resistance and print quality. A brightening ink composition containing a brightening material that imparts a sense of brightness, silicon dioxide, a binder resin and a solvent is prepared, and the brightening ink composition is used to form a printed layer of a paper container material for producing a heat insulating foamed paper container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignees: NISSIN FOODS HOLDINGS CO., LTD., Toyo Ink Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Matsuzaki, Hiroshi Tsukawaki, Mitsuaki Hirata, Shinya Sugiura, Hiroyuki Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20150301632
    Abstract: In order to provide a touch panel substrate in which a deterioration in display quality is prevented, the touch panel substrate is configured such that one of diagonal lines of a single grid that forms a grid shape of a first conductor line (217) is inclined by ? degrees with respect to a first direction, the other of the diagonal lines is inclined by ? degrees with respect to a direction vertical to the first direction, and in a plan view, a first connection section pattern (224) having a grid shape is located inside a second connection section pattern (234) having a grid shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventor: Mitsuaki HIRATA
  • Patent number: 9111505
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention employs a liquid crystal panel of CS control pixel division, and is configured such that two adjacent pixel rows share one retention capacitor wire, and two adjacent scanning signal lines are simultaneously selected. In a case where two pixels ((Pn+1) and (Pn+2)) which are adjacent along a scanning direction but are not simultaneously selected are to have an identical predetermined luminance in two frames, a first signal potential is written to one pixel (Pn+1) in one of the two frames and a second signal potential having a polarity identical to that of the first signal potential is written to the other pixel (Pn+2) in the other of the two frames, the first and second signal potentials are different from each other. The present invention makes it possible to suppress transverse lines of display unevenness which occur in the liquid crystal display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Hirata
  • Publication number: 20150220176
    Abstract: In order to provide a touch panel substrate in which deterioration in display quality is prevented, a plurality of first grid electrodes (113) each include a first conductor line (117) having a grid shape, one of diagonal lines of a single grid being inclined by ? degrees with respect to a first direction, the other of the diagonal lines being inclined by ? degrees with respect to a direction vertical to the first direction, the plurality of first grid electrodes (113) being arranged along a sensor axis (120), the sensor axis (120) being an axis of symmetry for vertices of a pair of opposite angles of an outer shape of each of the plurality of first grid electrodes (113).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Hirata
  • Publication number: 20150212622
    Abstract: A touch panel substrate used for a touch panel with enhanced display quality is realized. A touch panel substrate (2) in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes a first detection electrode (11) including a plurality of first lattice electrodes (13) aligned in a lateral direction. Each of the plurality of first lattice electrodes (13) includes conductive lines (17a) and second conductive lines (17b). The conductive lines (17a) and the second conductive lines (17b) form a lattice. The conductive lines (17a) are inclined by an angle ? (0°<?<45°) in a lateral direction. A pitch of conductive lines (21) of a connecting section (16) which are parallel to the conductive lines (17a) is smaller than a pitch of the conductive lines (17a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Hirata, Shinji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9046728
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device which hardly causes image sticking even when there is a difference in the pixel areas. The liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a pair of substrates, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates, and is configured such that a pixel is formed by picture elements of a plurality of colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikumi Itsumi, Mitsuaki Hirata, Masae Kitayama, Kenichi Hyohdoh, Yuki Yamashita, Akane Sugisaka, Fumikazu Shimoshikiryoh
  • Patent number: 9019186
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (100) according to the present invention has a plurality of pixels that are arranged in columns and rows to form a matrix pattern and one color display pixel (P) is comprised of four or any other larger even number of pixels. The liquid crystal display device (100) of the present invention includes a plurality of source bus lines (13) which run in a column direction. The even number of pixels that form one color display pixel (P) include larger pixels with a relatively large area and smaller pixels with a relatively small area. Each set of pixels to be supplied with a signal voltage from an associated one of the plurality of source bus lines (13) has substantially the same total area as any other set of pixels. According to the present invention, in a liquid crystal display device in which a plurality of pixels that forms one color display pixel includes the larger and smaller pixels, generation of display unevenness that runs in the column direction can be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshinori Sugihara, Toshihide Tsubata, Yuki Yamashita, Fumikazu Shimoshikiryoh, Mitsuaki Hirata, Kenichi Hyohdoh, Ikumi Itsumi, Akane Sugisaka, Masae Kitayama
  • Publication number: 20150042693
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention employs a liquid crystal panel of CS control pixel division, and is configured such that two adjacent pixel rows share one retention capacitor wire, and two adjacent scanning signal lines are simultaneously selected. In a case where two pixels ((Pn+1) and (Pn+2)) which are adjacent along a scanning direction but are not simultaneously selected are to have an identical predetermined luminance in two frames, a first signal potential is written to one pixel (Pn+1) in one of the two frames and a second signal potential having a polarity identical to that of the first signal potential is written to the other pixel (Pn+2) in the other of the two frames, the first and second signal potentials are different from each other. The present invention makes it possible to suppress transverse lines of display unevenness which occur in the liquid crystal display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Hirata
  • Patent number: 8885131
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (100) according to the present invention includes a color display pixel D including pixels PA through PD arrayed in a matrix. The pixels PA through PD respectively include sub pixels SA1 through SD1and sub pixels SA2 through SD2. At least at an intermediate gray scale level, the luminance of the sub pixels SA2 through SD2 is higher than the luminance of the sub pixels SA1through SD1. The plurality of sub pixels S included in the pixels PA through PD are arrayed in a matrix. The sub pixel SA2 is adjacent to the sub pixel SB2 in the row direction, is adjacent to the sub pixel SC2 in the column direction, and is adjacent to the sub pixel SD2 in an oblique direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Hirata, Masae Kitayama, Kenichi Hyohdoh, Ikumi Itsumi, Yuki Yamashita, Akane Sugisaka, Fumikazu Shimoshikiryoh
  • Publication number: 20140247259
    Abstract: In a case where two-lines simultaneous writing is carried out in a CS control pixel-division-type liquid crystal panel including: a first scanning signal line and a second scanning signal lines (G2, G3) which are adjacent to each other; a third scanning signal line (G49) which is not adjacent to the first scanning signal line; and a first pixel, a second pixel, and a third pixel connected to the first scanning signal line, the second scanning signal line, and the third scanning signal lines, respectively, the first pixel receives a data signal from the first data signal line, the second and third pixels receive a data signal from the second data signal line, and the first and third scanning signal lines (G2, G49) are simultaneously selected. This makes it possible to suppress transverse lines of display unevenness of a liquid crystal display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Hirata
  • Patent number: 8749727
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which hardly causes image sticking in a panel in which Cgd gradation is performed, even when the pixel capacitances of the picture elements are different from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikumi Itsumi, Fumikazu Shimoshikiryoh, Mitsuaki Hirata, Masae Kitayama, Kenichi Hyohdoh, Yuki Yamashita, Akane Sugisaka
  • Patent number: 8462287
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate capable of suppressing a change in an off characteristic of the TFT even when current passage time becomes longer is provided. A diode is connected between a video signal line and a conductive plate formed so as to cover a TFT of a pixel formation portion. Current is passed to the diode when a potential of a video signal applied to the video signal line is lower than that of the conductive plate, and the potential of the conductive plate becomes equal to that of the video signal line. No current flows when the potential of the video signal is higher than that of the conductive plate and the potential of the diode remains the same. Consequently, a leak current which flows from the pixel electrode of the pixel formation portion to the video signal line when the TFT is in the off state is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Morimoto, Mitsuaki Hirata