Patents by Inventor Mitsunori Imade

Mitsunori Imade 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: 9293594
    Abstract: A source and drain electrode layer (3s/3d) of an oxide TFT element (3) is formed by a first conductive layer. A gate electrode (3g) of the oxide TFT element (3) and a gate electrode (5g) of an a-Si TFT element (5) are formed by a single conductive layer, that is, a second conductive layer. A source and drain electrode layer (5s/5d) of the a-Si TFT element (5) is formed by a third conductive layer. The third conductive layer is formed above the second conductive layer in a thickness direction in which each conductive layer is stacked on an insulating substrate (2). Further, the first conductive layer is formed below the second conductive layer in the thickness direction. Therefore, it is possible to provide a circuit board that can have an improved degree of integration of transistor elements formed on the insulating substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Nishimura, Hideki Kitagawa, Atsuhito Murai, Hajime Imai, Shinya Tanaka, Mitsunori Imade, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Junya Shimada, Kazunori Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9111810
    Abstract: A circuit board (1) includes a plurality of transistor elements on an insulating substrate (2). At least one of the plurality of transistor elements is an oxide TFT (10) including, as a channel layer (11), an oxide semiconductor. At least one of the plurality of transistor elements is an a-SiTFT (20) (i) being different from the oxide TFT (10) in functions as circuit components and (ii) including, as a channel layer (21), an amorphous silicon semiconductor. The oxide TFT (10) is a top gate transistor, and the a-SiTFT (20) is a bottom gate transistor. This provides: a configuration that can (a) enhance the performance of the circuit board equipped with the TFTs differing in their respective functions as circuit components and (b) reduce the area necessary for mounting the TFTs; and a method for producing the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Kitagawa, Shinya Tanaka, Hajime Imai, Atsuhito Murai, Mitsunori Imade, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Kazunori Morimoto, Junya Shimada, Jun Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20140197412
    Abstract: A source and drain electrode layer (3s/3d) of an oxide TFT element (3) is formed by a first conductive layer. A gate electrode (3g) of the oxide TFT element (3) and a gate electrode (5g) of an a-Si TFT element (5) are formed by a single conductive layer, that is, a second conductive layer. A source and drain electrode layer (5s/5d) of the a-Si TFT element (5) is formed by a third conductive layer. The third conductive layer is formed above the second conductive layer in a thickness direction in which each conductive layer is stacked on an insulating substrate (2). Further, the first conductive layer is formed below the second conductive layer in the thickness direction. Therefore, it is possible to provide a circuit board that can have an improved degree of integration of transistor elements formed on the insulating substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun NISHIMURA, Hideki KITAGAWA, Atsuhito MURAI, Hajime IMAI, Shinya TANAKA, Mitsunori IMADE, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Junya SHIMADA, Kazunori MORIMOTO
  • Patent number: 8659726
    Abstract: Transflective-type and reflection type liquid crystal display devices having a high image quality are provided with a good production efficiency. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is a liquid crystal display device which includes; a first substrate and a second substrate between which liquid crystal is interposed; a first electrode and a second electrode formed on the first substrate for applying a voltage for controlling an orientation of the liquid crystal; a transistor having an electrode which is electrically connected to the first electrode; a metal layer being formed on the first substrate and including a protrusion, a recess, or an aperture; and a reflective layer formed above the metal layer on the first substrate for reflecting incident light toward a display surface. The metal layer is made of a same material as that of a gate electrode of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Imai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Yoshihito Hara, Junya Shimada, Mitsunori Imade, Yoshiharu Kataoka
  • Patent number: 8581257
    Abstract: The circuit board (1) of the present invention includes a plurality of transistor elements provided on a single insulating substrate (2) for respective pixels that are two-dimensionally arranged or respective pixels in a group of a predetermined number of the pixels. At least one of the plurality of transistor elements is an oxide TFT (10) having a channel layer (11) formed by an oxide semiconductor, and at least another of the plurality of transistor elements is an a-Si TFT (20) having a channel layer (21) formed by, for example, an amorphous silicon semiconductor. Each of the oxide TFT (10) and the a-Si TFT (20) is a bottom-gate transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsuhito Murai, Shinya Tanaka, Hideki Kitagawa, Hajime Imai, Mitsunori Imade, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Kazunori Morimoto, Junya Shimada, Jun Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20130214279
    Abstract: A source and drain electrode layer (3s/3d) of an oxide TFT element (3) is formed by a first conductive layer. A gate electrode (3g) of the oxide TFT element (3) and a gate electrode (5g) of an a-Si TFT element (5) are formed by a single conductive layer, that is, a second conductive layer. A source and drain electrode layer (5s/5d) of the a-Si TFT element (5) is formed by a third conductive layer. The third conductive layer is formed above the second conductive layer in a thickness direction in which each conductive layer is stacked on an insulating substrate (2). Further, the first conductive layer is formed below the second conductive layer in the thickness direction. Therefore, it is possible to provide a circuit board that can have an improved degree of integration of transistor elements formed on the insulating substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Jun Nishimura, Hideki Kitagawa, Atsuhito Murai, Hajime Imai, Shinya Tanaka, Mitsunori Imade, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Junya Shimada, Kazunori Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20130146866
    Abstract: A circuit board (1) includes a plurality of transistor elements on an insulating substrate (2). At least one of the plurality of transistor elements is an oxide TFT (10) including, as a channel layer (11), an oxide semiconductor. At least one of the plurality of transistor elements is an a-SiTFT (20) (i) being different from the oxide TFT (10) in functions as circuit components and (ii) including, as a channel layer (21), an amorphous silicon semiconductor. The oxide TFT (10) is a top gate transistor, and the a-SiTFT (20) is a bottom gate transistor. This provides: a configuration that can (a) enhance the performance of the circuit board equipped with the TFTs differing in their respective functions as circuit components and (b) reduce the area necessary for mounting the TFTs; and a method for producing the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Hideki Kitagawa, Shinya Tanaka, Hajime Imai, Atsuhito Murai, Mitsunori Imade, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Kazunori Morimoto, Junya Shimada, Jun Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20130092927
    Abstract: The circuit board (1) of the present invention includes a plurality of transistor elements provided on a single insulating substrate (2) for respective pixels that are two-dimensionally arranged or respective pixels in a group of a predetermined number of the pixels. At least one of the plurality of transistor elements is an oxide TFT (10) having a channel layer (11) formed by an oxide semiconductor, and at least another of the plurality of transistor elements is an a-Si TFT (20) having a channel layer (21) formed by, for example, an amorphous silicon semiconductor. Each of the oxide TFT (10) and the a-Si TFT (20) is a bottom-gate transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Atsuhito Murai, Shinya Tanaka, Hideki Kitagawa, Hajime Imai, Mitsunori Imade, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Kazunori Morimoto, Junya Shimada, Jun Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8384860
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a plurality of pixels and a reflection section for reflecting incident light toward a display surface. The reflection section includes a metal layer having a plurality of apertures, and a reflective layer formed on the metal layer with an insulating layer interposed therebetween. A surface of the reflective layer includes a plurality of recesses or protrusions formed in accordance with a cross-sectional shape of the metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Hajime Imai, Yoshihito Hara, Mitsunori Imade, Junya Shimada
  • Patent number: 8310640
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a vertical alignment type liquid crystal layer 32. Each pixel electrode thereof 12 has a plurality of unit electrode portions 12a, each of which has a conductive film and slits 13 that have been cut through the conductive film. When a predetermined voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and a counter electrode, a liquid crystal domain is produced in association with each unit electrode portion and liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal domain come to have a substantially radially tilting alignment state. As a result, the device of the present invention achieves a wide viewing angle and a fast response characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Imai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Yoshihito Hara, Junya Shimada, Mitsunori Imade
  • Patent number: 8294854
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a reflection region for reflecting incident light toward a display surface, wherein, the reflection region includes a metal layer formed on a substrate, a semiconductor layer formed above the metal layer, and a reflective layer formed above the semiconductor layer; and the reflection region includes a first recess formed on a surface of the reflective layer, a second recess formed on the surface of the reflective layer in the first recess, and a third recess formed on the surface of the reflective layer in the second recess. The liquid crystal display device provides a low-cost transflective-type or reflection-type liquid crystal display device having a high image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Mitsunori Imade, Yoshihito Hara, Junya Shimada, Takao Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8243236
    Abstract: A transflective-type and a reflection-type liquid crystal display device having a high reflection efficiency and a high image quality are provided. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention is a liquid crystal display device including a reflection region for reflecting incident light toward a display surface, wherein the reflection region includes a metal layer, an insulating layer formed on the metal layer, a semiconductor layer formed on the insulating layer, and a reflective layer formed on the semiconductor layer; a plurality of recesses are formed in at least one of the metal layer, the insulating layer and the semiconductor layer; a plurality of dents are formed in the reflective layer in the reflection region according to the plurality of recesses; and a shortest distance a between edge portions of at least two of the plurality of recesses is 4 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihito Hara, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Hajime Imai, Mitsunori Imade, Junya Shimada
  • Patent number: 7995167
    Abstract: A transflective-type and a reflection-type liquid crystal display device having a high reflection efficiency and a high image quality are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsunori Imade, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Yoshihito Hara, Junya Shimada
  • Publication number: 20100321618
    Abstract: A transflective-type and a reflection-type liquid crystal display device having a high reflection efficiency and a high image quality are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Mitsunori Imade, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Yoshihito Hara, Junya Shimada
  • Publication number: 20100315578
    Abstract: A transflective-type and a reflection-type liquid crystal display device having a high reflection efficiency and a high image quality are provided. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention is a liquid crystal display device including a reflection region for reflecting incident light toward a display surface, wherein the reflection region includes a metal layer, an insulating layer formed on the metal layer, a semiconductor layer formed on the insulating layer, and a reflective layer formed on the semiconductor layer; a plurality of recesses are formed in at least one of the metal layer, the insulating layer and the semiconductor layer; a plurality of dents are formed in the reflective layer in the reflection region according to the plurality of recesses; and a shortest distance a between edge portions of at least two of the plurality of recesses is 4 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Yoshihito Hara, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Hajime Imai, Mitsunori Imade, Junya Shimada
  • Publication number: 20100182527
    Abstract: A reflection-type or transflective-type liquid crystal display device having a high image quality, which has an excellent efficiency of utility of reflected light, is provided at low cost. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is a liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels, and including, in each of the plurality of pixels, a reflection section for reflecting incident light toward a display surface. The reflection section includes a metal layer having a plurality of apertures, and a reflective layer formed on the metal layer with an insulating layer interposed therebetween. A surface of the reflective layer includes a plurality of recesses or protrusions formed in accordance with a cross-sectional shape of the metal layer. Regarding distance between two adjoining apertures among the plurality of apertures of the metal layer, a shortest distance is no less than 0.3 ?m and no more than 3.0 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Hajime Imai, Yoshihito Hara, Mitsunori Imade, Junya Shimada
  • Publication number: 20100118238
    Abstract: Reflection-type and transflective-type liquid crystal display devices having a high image quality, in which moiré or coloration is reduced, are provided at low cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Junya Shimada, Hajime Imai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Mitsunori Imade, Yoshihito Hara
  • Publication number: 20100053517
    Abstract: Transflective-type and reflection type liquid crystal display devices having a high image quality are provided with a good production efficiency. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is a liquid crystal display device which includes; a first substrate and a second substrate between which liquid crystal is interposed; a first electrode and a second electrode formed on the first substrate for applying a voltage for controlling an orientation of the liquid crystal; a transistor having an electrode which is electrically connected to the first electrode; a metal layer being formed on the first substrate and including a protrusion, a recess, or an aperture; and a reflective layer formed above the metal layer on the first substrate for reflecting incident light toward a display surface. The metal layer is made of a same material as that of a gate electrode of the transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Hajime Imai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Yoshihito Hara, Junya Shimada, Mitsunori Imade, Yoshiharu Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20100045917
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a vertical alignment type liquid crystal layer 32. Each pixel electrode thereof 12 has a plurality of unit electrode portions 12a, each of which has a conductive film and slits 13 that have been cut through the conductive film. When a predetermined voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and a counter electrode, a liquid crystal domain is produced in association with each unit electrode portion and liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal domain come to have a substantially radially tilting alignment state. As a result, the device of the present invention achieves a wide viewing angle and a fast response characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Hajime Imai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Yoshihito Hara, Junya Shimada, Mitsunori Imade
  • Publication number: 20090185119
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a reflection region for reflecting incident light toward a display surface, wherein, the reflection region includes a metal layer formed on a substrate, a semiconductor layer formed above the metal layer, and a reflective layer formed above the semiconductor layer; and the reflection region includes a first recess formed on a surface of the reflective layer, a second recess formed on the surface of the reflective layer in the first recess, and a third recess formed on the surface of the reflective layer in the second recess. The liquid crystal display device provides a low-cost transflective-type or reflection-type liquid crystal display device having a high image quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Mitsunori Imade, Yoshihito Hara, Junya Shimada, Takao Matsumoto