Patents by Inventor Shinya Niioka

Shinya Niioka 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: 20140049944
    Abstract: An optical member including: a Fresnel lens sheet for deflecting and emitting deflected light, A louver for restricting a direction of light rays, where the louver restricts the traveling direction of incident light from the deflecting element to a direction that is parallel to the optical path of the incident light, and emits the restricted light. The Fresnel lens sheet is disposed so that a machined surface thereof faces the louver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinya Niioka, Ken Sumiyoshi, Shin-Ichi Uehara, Masao Imai, Kenichi Takatori, Fujio Okumura
  • Patent number: 8629955
    Abstract: A display device comprising a light source and having an optical waveguide, a louver, an anisotropic scattering sheet, and a transmissive liquid crystal panel disposed along the path of light emitted from the light source. The light-restricting direction of the louver is tilted at an angle ? from the Y-axis direction. The value of the angle ? is set so that the arrangement direction of moiré created between the louver and the liquid crystal panel approaches the X-axis direction. A plurality of belt-shaped convex portions extending in the Y-axis direction are formed on the surface of the anisotropic scattering sheet, and are configured so that the scattering direction of the light has anisotropy. Specifically, scattering in the X-axis direction is increased, and scattering in the Y-axis direction is reduced. Moiré can thereby be reduced in a display device having increased directivity of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin-ichi Uehara, Shinya Niioka, Masao Imai
  • Patent number: 8427620
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of IPS mode includes an array of pixels arranged in a matrix pattern by crossing a plurality of video signal lines and a plurality of scanning signal lines each other. Each of the pixels is provided with at least a switching element. A transparent insulating film is provided on both signal lines, and a plurality of pixel electrodes, common electrodes and common lines are provided on the transparent insulating film. The common lines are formed in a grid-shaped pattern such that a first group of the common lines is made of a first conductor having lower reflectivity against optical light than that of metal while a second group of the common lines is made of a second conductor including a metal layer such that the first group and the second group are crossing each other along the video signal lines and the scanning signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Soichi Saito, Shinya Niioka, Masayuki Jumonji, Hiroshi Tanabe, Masamichi Shimoda
  • Publication number: 20130076723
    Abstract: A subpixel is provided with a pixel electrode 4PIX, a pixel thin-film transistor 4TFT, and a charging capacitor electrode CS2. The charging capacitor electrode CS2 is formed in the same layer as a charging capacitor line CS and electrically connected to the charging capacitor line CS. A charging capacitor 4CS is mainly formed between the charging capacitor electrode CS2 and an electrode constituted by a silicon layer 4SI via an insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: NLT TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya NIIOKA, Koji SHIGEMURA
  • Patent number: 8368861
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises a plurality of pixels arrayed in a first direction and a second direction, each of the pixels having a reflective area in at least a portion thereof. The reflective area comprises a surface-irregularity film that is a film having a plurality of surface irregularities, a light reflecting film disposed as an upper layer over the surface-irregularity film, and an electrode group disposed as an upper layer over the light reflecting film. The electrode group in each of the pixels that are arrayed in at least the first direction comprises at least two types of electrode patterns having different layouts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Niioka, Ken Sumiyoshi
  • Patent number: 8339538
    Abstract: A display device comprising a light source and having an optical waveguide, a louver, an anisotropic scattering sheet, and a transmissive liquid crystal panel disposed along the path of light emitted from the light source. The light-restricting direction of the louver is tilted at an angle ? from the Y-axis direction. The value of the angle ? is set so that the arrangement direction of moiré created between the louver and the liquid crystal panel approaches the X-axis direction. A plurality of belt-shaped convex portions extending in the Y-axis direction are formed on the surface of the anisotropic scattering sheet, and are configured so that the scattering direction of the light has anisotropy. Specifically, scattering in the X-axis direction is increased, and scattering in the Y-axis direction is reduced. Moiré can thereby be reduced in a display device having increased directivity of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignees: NLT Technologies, Ltd., NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Shin-ichi Uehara, Shinya Niioka, Masao Imai
  • Publication number: 20120268481
    Abstract: A subpixel 4S has a parallelogram aperture, which is equivalent upon rotation by 180 degrees in a XY plane and asymmetric about a line R-R? or L-L? parallel to the Y-axis and passing through the center Or or Ol of the subpixel. The subpixels 4S adjacent to each other in the X-axis direction in a unit of display 4U are point-symmetric about the center Ou of the unit of display 4U. The apertures of a right-eye pixel 4R and left eye pixel 4L have the centers Or and Ol around the intersections of the diagonals of their respective parallelograms, respectively. The centers Or and Ol are shifted from a line E-E? to be away from each other in the Y-axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: NLT TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya NIIOKA, Koji SHIGEMURA
  • Publication number: 20120113100
    Abstract: In the display panel (2) of an image display apparatus, a left-eye pixel (4L) and a right-eye pixel (4R) constitute a display unit (4) and have a nearly trapezoidal shape. A sub-pixel has a nearly trapezoidal aperture having upper and lower bases nearly parallel to the X-axis and two oblique sides oblique in directions different from the Y-axis direction. A nearly triangular shielding part is provided at the acute angle part of the nearly trapezoidal shape. The nearly triangular shielding part serves to create a gentle distribution of brightness and luminance of the image display apparatus, whereby 3D moire becomes less visible and 3D crosstalk is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: NLT TECHNOLOGIES, LTD
    Inventors: Shinya NIIOKA, Koji SHIGEMURA
  • Publication number: 20110304601
    Abstract: An image display device includes a display element having a unit of display comprising sub pixels displaying images for first and second view points, respectively, and an optical unit that distributes lights emitted from respective sub pixels into different directions. When a region surrounded by a data line, a gate line and a storage capacitor electrode in the sub pixel is defined as an aperture, the sub pixels form a base unit that is an adjoining pixel pair including two sub pixels arranged via a data line therebetween. The two sub pixels have switching elements connected to the data line between the two sub pixels and controlled by different gate lines. When virtual lines each evenly dividing a width of the sub pixel in the first direction into K+1 pieces are presumed, K number of storage capacitor lines are each arranged across at least one virtual line in the aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: NEC LCD TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya NIIOKA, Koji SHIGEMURA
  • Publication number: 20110280044
    Abstract: A planar light source, Fresnel lens sheet, and louver are disposed in the stated order in a light source apparatus. The Fresnel lens sheet deflects and focuses in one dimension light that has entered from the planar light source. The louver is disposed in the optical path of the light emitted from the Fresnel lens sheet, and the directivity of the light can be increased by restricting the traveling direction of the light to the focal direction of the Fresnel lens sheet. The light utilization ratio can thereby be increased, the directivity of planarly emitted light can be increased, and the brightness can be made uniform at the point of observation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinya Niioka, Ken Sumiyoshi, Shin-Ichi Uehara, Masao Imai, Kenichi Takatori, Fujio Okumura
  • Patent number: 7852445
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal layer is provided between a principal substrate and an opposing substrate that are disposed so as to face each other, and a shared electrode and a pixel electrode, which is a parallel electrode pair formed in the shape of a comb, are formed on the surface of the principal substrate that faces the opposing substrate. Orientation films are also formed on the opposing surfaces of the principal substrate and the opposing substrate. The electrodes of the parallel electrode pair are formed so that the width thereof is smaller than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignees: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin-ichi Uehara, Shinya Niioka
  • Patent number: 7821611
    Abstract: A display device is provided with a light source, an light-guide plate, a prism sheet, a transparent/scattering state switching element, and a transmissive liquid crystal display panel. In the transparent/scattering state switching element, two transparent substrates are provided parallel to and separated from each other, and an electrode is provided to the surface of each transparent substrate. A scattering seal member is also provided between external peripheral portions of the transparent substrates, and a PDLC layer is enclosed in a space sealed by the scattering seal member between the transparent substrates. The scattering seal member is endowed with scattering properties whereby incident light is transmitted in a scattered state, and the degree of scattering thereof is equal to the degree of scattering of the PDLC layer during the scattering state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin-ichi Uehara, Shinya Niioka, Masao Imai, Fujio Okumura
  • Publication number: 20100208187
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of IPS mode includes an array of pixels arranged in a matrix pattern by crossing a plurality of video signal lines and a plurality of scanning signal lines each other. Each of the pixels is provided with at least a switching element. A transparent insulating film is provided on both signal lines, and a plurality of pixel electrodes, common electrodes and common lines are provided on the transparent insulating film. The common lines are formed in a grid-shaped pattern such that a first group of the common lines is made of a first conductor having lower reflectivity against optical light than that of metal while a second group of the common lines is made of a second conductor including a metal layer such that the first group and the second group are crossing each other along the video signal lines and the scanning signal lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Soichi Saito, Shinya Niioka, Masayuki Jumonji, Hiroshi Tanabe, Masamichi Shimoda
  • Publication number: 20090167846
    Abstract: To provide an image display device of an excellent display quality with which the brightness is not deteriorated in reflective displays, and to provide a portable terminal using the same. Provided is a display device which includes: a plurality of arranged display elements each including at least a pixel for displaying a first-viewpoint image and a pixel for displaying a second-viewpoint image, each of the pixels having a transmissive display area for transmitting light and a reflective display area for reflecting external light; and an optical device for distributing light emitted from each of the pixels to different directions from each other, wherein the reflective display areas of each of the display elements are arranged asymmetrically with respect to an axis that is perpendicular to an image distributing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: NEC LCD Technologies
    Inventors: Shinya NIIOKA, Koji Shigemura, Shinichi Uehara
  • Publication number: 20090079919
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises a plurality of pixels arrayed in a first direction and a second direction, each of the pixels having a reflective area in at least a portion thereof. The reflective area comprises a surface-irregularity film that is a film having a plurality of surface irregularities, a light reflecting film disposed as an upper layer over the surface-irregularity film, and an electrode group disposed as an upper layer over the light reflecting film. The electrode group in each of the pixels that are arrayed in at least the first direction comprises at least two types of electrode patterns having different layouts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya NIIOKA, Ken Sumiyoshi
  • Publication number: 20070222915
    Abstract: A plurality of pixels is arranged periodically in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction in the display panel of a display device, and because light is blocked by the portion other than the open part in each pixel, the display panel has a two-dimensional lattice structure. The pixels are rectangular, and the length Px of the long edges in the x direction is larger than the length Py of the short edges in the y direction. A louver, in which transparent regions and non-transparent regions are arranged periodically in a one-dimensional direction, is provided on the display panel, and the angle formed by the x axis and the one-dimensional period direction of the louver is 45 degrees or less, and preferably 10 degrees or less. This configuration makes it possible to obtain an optical element having high directivity, reduced moiré, and high transmittance. It is also possible to obtain a display device having excellent display quality into which the optical element is incorporated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicants: NEC CORPORATION, NEC LCD TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya NIIOKA, Shin-ichi Uehara, Ken Sumiyoshi, Setsuo Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20070146603
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal layer is provided between a principal substrate and an opposing substrate that are disposed so as to face each other, and a shared electrode and a pixel electrode, which is a parallel electrode pair formed in the shape of a comb, are formed on the surface of the principal substrate that faces the opposing substrate. Orientation films are also formed on the opposing surfaces of the principal substrate and the opposing substrate. The electrodes of the parallel electrode pair are formed so that the width thereof is smaller than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Shin-ichi UEHARA, Shinya NIIOKA
  • Publication number: 20070052879
    Abstract: A display device is provided with a light source, an light-guide plate, a prism sheet, a transparent/scattering state switching element, and a transmissive liquid crystal display panel. In the transparent/scattering state switching element, two transparent substrates are provided parallel to and separated from each other, and an electrode is provided to the surface of each transparent substrate. A scattering seal member is also provided between external peripheral portions of the transparent substrates, and a PDLC layer is enclosed in a space sealed by the scattering seal member between the transparent substrates. The scattering seal member is endowed with scattering properties whereby incident light is transmitted in a scattered state, and the degree of scattering thereof is equal to the degree of scattering of the PDLC layer during the scattering state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Inventors: Shin-ichi Uehara, Shinya Niioka, Masao Imai, Fujio Okumura
  • Publication number: 20060291243
    Abstract: A planar light source, Fresnel lens sheet, and louver are disposed in the stated order in a light source apparatus. The Fresnel lens sheet deflects and focuses in one dimension light that has entered from the planar light source. The louver is disposed in the optical path of the light emitted from the Fresnel lens sheet, and the directivity of the light can be increased by restricting the traveling direction of the light to the focal direction of the Fresnel lens sheet. The light utilization ratio can thereby be increased, the directivity of planarly emitted light can be increased, and the brightness can be made uniform at the point of observation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Shinya Niioka, Ken Sumiyoshi, Shin-ichi Uehara, Masao Imai, Kenichi Takatori, Fujio Okumura
  • Publication number: 20060238664
    Abstract: A display device comprising a light source and having an optical waveguide, a louver, an anisotropic scattering sheet, and a transmissive liquid crystal panel disposed along the path of light emitted from the light source. The light-restricting direction of the louver is tilted at an angle ? from the Y-axis direction. The value of the angle ? is set so that the arrangement direction of moiré created between the louver and the liquid crystal panel approaches the X-axis direction. A plurality of belt-shaped convex portions extending in the Y-axis direction are formed on the surface of the anisotropic scattering sheet, and are configured so that the scattering direction of the light has anisotropy. Specifically, scattering in the X-axis direction is increased, and scattering in the Y-axis direction is reduced. Moiré can thereby be reduced in a display device having increased directivity of the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Shin-ichi Uehara, Shinya Niioka, Masao Imai