Patents by Inventor Shunichi Suwa

Shunichi Suwa 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: 10754200
    Abstract: According to some aspects, a liquid crystal display panel comprising an electrode is provided. The electrode comprises a plurality of convex branch electrode portions arranged in a plane, the convex branch electrode portions being convex when viewed from a first direction perpendicular to the plane and extending from a central region of the electrode to a periphery of the electrode, and a plurality of concave branch electrode portions, the concave branch electrode portions being concave when viewed from the first direction, extending from the central region to the periphery and adjacent to convex branch electrode portions. According to some aspects, a method of applying a pretilt to molecules in a liquid crystal layer of a liquid crystal display panel by applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer via first and second electrodes is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunichi Suwa, Masashi Miyakawa, Chikashi Kobayashi, Yoji Nagase
  • Publication number: 20200230881
    Abstract: A three-dimensional structure manufacturing method capable of freely controlling physical properties of a three-dimensional structure is provided. There is provided the three-dimensional structure manufacturing method including: forming a layer containing at least one type of chemical substance; and orienting molecules of the at least one type of chemical substance, the forming the layer and the orienting the molecules being repeated a plurality of times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventor: Shunichi SUWA
  • Publication number: 20190218773
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a light-shielding device, a light-shielding method, and a program which make an object that is meant to be invisible to human beings enter a state in which the object is hidden so as to be invisible to eyes, or make an object that is meant to be visible enter a state in which the object is visible to eyes in correspondence with a state of the periphery of a light-shielding wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: SHUNICHI SUWA, JUNICHI REKIMOTO, KUNIHIKO NAGAMINE, YOSHINOBU ARISUMI
  • Publication number: 20190195012
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a light-shielding device, a light-shielding method, and a program which make an object that is meant to be invisible to human beings enter a state in which the object is hidden so as to be invisible to eyes, or make an object that is meant to be visible enter a state in which the object is visible to eyes in correspondence with biological information. A light-shielding wall, which partitions two spaces and includes a plurality of panels capable of being controlled to a transmitting state in which light is transmitted or a light-shielding state in which light is shielded, is used as a window, an orientation of a face of a user who is sleeping is detected as biological information, and the light-shielding wall is controlled so that the user is capable of visually recognizing light of which a light source is the sun when it reaches an alarm setting time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: KUNIHIKO NAGAMINE, JUNICHI REKIMOTO, SHUNICHI SUWA
  • Patent number: 10120242
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of arranged pixels. Each of the pixels includes: a first substrate and a second substrate; a first electrode provided on a counter face of the first substrate, the counter face facing the second substrate; a second electrode provided on a counter face of the second substrate, the counter face facing the first substrate; and a liquid crystal layer that contains liquid crystal molecules, and is sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. The liquid crystal molecules are given a pre-tilt. The first electrode includes a base layer 150 that contains a plurality of recesses and protrusions, and transparent conductive material layers 135 and 145. The first transparent conductive material layer 135 connected to a first power supply portion is formed on protrusion top faces 151 of the base layer 150.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunichi Suwa, Masashi Miyakawa, Chikashi Kobayashi, Yoji Nagase, Kunihiko Nagamine
  • Patent number: 10082702
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal display apparatus includes a plurality of rectangular pixels. Each pixel includes a first electrode and a second electrode. A slit region and a concave and convex portion are formed in the first electrode. It further includes a control circuit. The plurality of pixels are constituted of a first pixel group and a second pixel group. First data lines and for applying a voltage on the first electrode are provided closer to the first substrate than the first electrode. In each pixel that constitutes the first pixel group, a second data line extension extending from a second data line is provided adjacent to a first data line. In each pixel that constitutes the second pixel group, a first data line extension extending from the first data line is provided adjacent to the second data line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Chikashi Kobayashi, Shunichi Suwa, Masashi Miyakawa, Yoji Nagase, Sumito Shiina, Seiji Shibahara, Hiroki Takahashi, Hiromasa Mitani, Kunihiko Nagamine, Koji Hidaka, Masahiko Mizuki
  • Publication number: 20180203242
    Abstract: Provided is a lighting device capable of manipulating a wider range of parameters to reproduce various light sources. A light source unit 10 includes, for example, a liquid crystal panel and a backlight, and each pixel is a light source capable of adjusting innumerable hues and intensities capable of adjusting hue and intensity. A lenticular lens 20 includes an array of a plurality of lenticules, and is arranged such that a plurality of light sources capable of adjusting hue and intensity is associated with each lenticule. In addition, on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion of each lenticule, a partition is formed to block emission light from the pixel below the adjacent lenticule, thereby preventing repetition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: YUICHIRO TAKEUCHI, SHUNICHI SUWA, KUNIHIKO NAGAMINE
  • Publication number: 20180052344
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of arranged pixels. Each of the pixels includes: a first substrate and a second substrate; a first electrode provided on a counter face of the first substrate, the counter face facing the second substrate; a second electrode provided on a counter face of the second substrate, the counter face facing the first substrate; and a liquid crystal layer that contains liquid crystal molecules, and is sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. The liquid crystal molecules are given a pre-tilt. The first electrode includes a base layer 150 that contains a plurality of recesses and protrusions, and transparent conductive material layers 135 and 145. The first transparent conductive material layer 135 connected to a first power supply portion is formed on protrusion top faces 151 of the base layer 150.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: SHUNICHI SUWA, MASASHI MIYAKAWA, CHIKASHI KOBAYASHI, YOJI NAGASE, KUNIHIKO NAGAMINE
  • Publication number: 20170343861
    Abstract: According to some aspects, a liquid crystal display panel comprising an electrode is provided. The electrode comprises a plurality of convex branch electrode portions arranged in a plane, the convex branch electrode portions being convex when viewed from a first direction perpendicular to the plane and extending from a central region of the electrode to a periphery of the electrode, and a plurality of concave branch electrode portions, the concave branch electrode portions being concave when viewed from the first direction, extending from the central region to the periphery and adjacent to convex branch electrode portions. According to some aspects, a method of applying a pretilt to molecules in a liquid crystal layer of a liquid crystal display panel by applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer via first and second electrodes is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Shunichi Suwa, Masashi Miyakawa, Chikashi Kobayashi, Yoji Nagase
  • Publication number: 20170285410
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal display apparatus includes a plurality of rectangular pixels 10. Each pixel 10 includes a first electrode 22 and a second electrode. A slit region and a concave and convex portion are formed in the first electrode 22. It further includes a control circuit. The plurality of pixels are constituted of a first pixel group and a second pixel group. First data lines 41 and 42 for applying a voltage on the first electrode 22 are provided closer to the first substrate than the first electrode 22. In each pixel that constitutes the first pixel group, a second data line extension 42A extending from a second data line 42 is provided adjacent to a first data line 41. In each pixel that constitutes the second pixel group, a first data line extension 41A extending from the first data line 41 is provided adjacent to the second data line 42.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: CHIKASHI KOBAYASHI, SHUNICHI SUWA, MASASHI MIYAKAWA, YOJI NAGASE, SUMITO SHIINA, SEIJI SHIBAHARA, HIROKI TAKAHASHI, HIROMASA MITANI, KUNIHIKO NAGAMINE, KOJI HIDAKA, MASAHIKO MIZUKI
  • Patent number: 9753330
    Abstract: According to some aspects, a liquid crystal display panel comprising an electrode is provided. The electrode comprises a plurality of convex branch electrode portions arranged in a plane, the convex branch electrode portions being convex when viewed from a first direction perpendicular to the plane and extending from a central region of the electrode to a periphery of the electrode, and a plurality of concave branch electrode portions, the concave branch electrode portions being concave when viewed from the first direction, extending from the central region to the periphery and adjacent to convex branch electrode portions. According to some aspects, a method of applying a pretilt to molecules in a liquid crystal layer of a liquid crystal display panel by applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer via first and second electrodes is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shunichi Suwa, Masashi Miyakawa, Chikashi Kobayashi, Yoji Nagase
  • Patent number: 9726944
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is provided. The liquid crystal display device including a first substrate; a second substrate; a first electrode provided on a first surface of the first substrate, the first surface facing the second substrate, the first electrode including a plurality of convex and concave portions; a second electrode provided on a second surface of the second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shunichi Suwa, Masashi Miyakawa, Chikashi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20170139279
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display is formed by arraying a plurality of pixels 10, and the pixel 10 includes a first substrate 20, a second substrate 50, a first electrode 120 formed on the first substrate 20, a second electrode 52 formed on the second substrate 50, and a liquid crystal layer 60. A pretilt angle is provided to a liquid crystal molecule 61, and the first electrode 120 is formed of a transparent conductive material layer and a foundation layer 150 including a plurality of projecting portions 130 and recessed portions 140. A first transparent conductive material layer 135 connected to a first power feeding unit is formed on a projecting portion top surface 151 of the foundation layer 150, and a second transparent conductive material layer 145 connected to a second power feeding unit is formed on a recessed portion bottom surface 152 of the foundation layer 150.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: SHUNICHI SUWA, MASASHI MIYAKAWA, CHIKASHI KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20170038645
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is provided. The liquid crystal display device including a first substrate; a second substrate; a first electrode provided on a first surface of the first substrate, the first surface facing the second substrate, the first electrode including a plurality of convex and concave portions; a second electrode provided on a second surface of the second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Shunichi SUWA, Masashi MIYAKAWA, Chikashi KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9541795
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including an array of pixels each including first and second substrates, first and second electrodes formed on opposing surfaces of the first and second substrates, which surfaces are positioned opposite to the second and first substrates, first and second alignment restricting portions provided in the first and second electrodes, first and second alignment films covering respectively the first and second electrodes, the first and second alignment restricting portions, and the opposing surfaces of the first and second substrates, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the first and second alignment films and containing liquid crystal molecules, wherein, in each pixel, major axes of a group of liquid crystal molecules are positioned substantially in the same imaginary plane in a predetermined overlapped region between the first and second electrodes, and a pre-tilt is given to the liquid crystal molecules by at least the first alignment film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shunichi Suwa, Masashi Miyakawa, Masahiko Nakamura, Tadaaki Isozaki
  • Patent number: 9523889
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device with which response characteristics are able to be easily improved without using major equipment is provided. The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device includes steps of forming a first alignment film including a polymer compound having a crosslinkable functional group as a side chain on one substrate of a pair of substrates; forming a second alignment film on the other substrate of the pair of substrates; arranging the pair of substrates so that the first alignment film and the second alignment film are opposed to each other, and sealing a liquid crystal layer containing a liquid crystal molecule having negative dielectric constant anisotropy between the first alignment film and the second alignment film; and bridging the polymer compound to give pre-tilt to the liquid crystal molecule 41 after sealing the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunichi Suwa, Yuichi Inoue, Ryo Ogawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Masashi Miyakawa, Tadaaki Isozaki, Masahiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9507208
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display capable of realizing a high transmittance while maintaining favorable voltage response characteristics, and a method of manufacturing the same. The liquid crystal display includes: a liquid crystal layer; a first substrate and a second substrate arranged to face each other with the liquid crystal layer in between; a plurality of pixel electrodes provided on a liquid crystal layer side of the first substrate; and an opposite electrode provided on the second substrate to face the plurality of pixel electrodes. One or both of a face on the liquid crystal layer side of the pixel electrode, and a face on the liquid crystal layer side of the opposite electrode includes a concavo-convex structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Nakamura, Shunichi Suwa, Masashi Miyakawa, Yuichi Inoue, Tadaaki Isozaki, Yoji Nagase
  • Patent number: 9507210
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element capable of easily improving response characteristics without using a large apparatus is provided. After alignment films made of a polymer compound including a crosslinkable functional group as a side chain and a bulky skeleton such as an adamantane skeleton are formed in a TFT substrate and a CF substrate, the alignment films are arranged to face each other, and a liquid crystal layer 40 including liquid crystal molecules is sealed between the alignment films, and then, in a state where the liquid crystal molecules are aligned to allow long-axis directions thereof to be oblique with respect to a substrate surface, the polymer compound in the alignment films is reacted to form a polymer compound including a cross-linked structure, and predetermined pretilts are provided to liquid crystal molecules placed in proximity to the alignment films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunichi Suwa, Yuichi Inoue, Ryo Ogawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Masashi Miyakawa, Tadaaki Isozaki, Masahiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9488878
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising: a first substrate (20); a second substrate (50); a first electrode (140) formed on a first surface of the first substrate (20), the first surface facing the second substrate (50), the first electrode (140) including a plurality of convex and concave portions (141); a first oriented film (21) formed on the first surface of the first substrate (20); a second electrode (160) formed on a second surface of a second substrate (50), the second surface facing the first substrate (20); and a liquid crystal layer (70) provided between the first substrate (20) and the second substrate (50), wherein at least one of the convex portions (143,144) includes a plurality of stepped portions. There is also provided a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shunichi Suwa, Masashi Miyakawa, Chikashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9470929
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device with which response characteristics are able to be easily improved without using major equipment is provided. The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device includes steps of forming a first alignment film including a polymer compound having a crosslinkable functional group as a side chain on one substrate of a pair of substrates; forming a second alignment film on the other substrate of the pair of substrates; arranging the pair of substrates so that the first alignment film and the second alignment film are opposed to each other, and sealing a liquid crystal layer containing a liquid crystal molecule having negative dielectric constant anisotropy between the first alignment film and the second alignment film; and bridging the polymer compound to give pre-tilt to the liquid crystal molecule 41 after sealing the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunichi Suwa, Yuichi Inoue, Ryo Ogawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Masashi Miyakawa, Tadaaki Isozaki, Masahiko Nakamura