Patents by Inventor Tohru Daitoh

Tohru Daitoh 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: 12142614
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of source bus lines, a lower insulating layer covering the source bus lines, a plurality of gate bus lines formed above the lower insulating layer, and an oxide semiconductor TFT disposed to correspond to each pixel area. The oxide semiconductor TFT includes an oxide semiconductor layer disposed on the lower insulating layer, and a gate electrode disposed above the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate electrode is formed in a different layer from the gate bus lines, and is disposed to be separated from another gate electrode disposed in an adjacent pixel area. The gate electrode is covered by an interlayer insulating layer. The gate bus line is disposed on the interlayer insulating layer and in a gate contact hole formed in the interlayer insulating layer, and is connected to the gate electrode in the gate contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hajime Imai, Tohru Daitoh, Teruyuki Ueda, Yoshihito Hara, Masaki Maeda, Tatsuya Kawasaki, Yoshiharu Hirata, Tetsuo Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 12125856
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, an interlayer insulating layer covering the thin film transistor, a pixel electrode provided above the interlayer insulating layer and electrically connected to the thin film transistor, a common electrode provided between the pixel electrode and the interlayer insulating layer, a first dielectric layer provided between the common electrode and the pixel electrode, and an alignment film covering the pixel electrode. The first dielectric layer includes a plurality of openings each of which exposes a part of the common electrode and includes the alignment film positioned therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Sharp Display Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihito Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Jun Nishimura, Kengo Hara, Yohei Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 12117706
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a pixel TFT provided corresponding to each pixel region, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the pixel TFT, a plurality of gate wirings extending in a row direction, and a plurality of source wirings extending in a column direction. Each gate wiring has a multilayer structure including a lower gate wiring electrically connected to a lower gate electrode included in the pixel TFT and an upper gate wiring electrically connected to an upper gate electrode included in the pixel TFT. In a case where the number of the gate wirings is defined as m and the number of the source wirings is defined as n, each gate wiring has 3 or more and less than n contact portions, each contact portion is positioned in any of n intersection regions, and the number of the contact portions overlapping each source wiring is less than m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Sharp Display Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Kengo Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Yoshihito Hara, Jun Nishimura, Yohei Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20240339460
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of source bus lines and a plurality of gate bus lines and a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs that have a plurality of pixel TFTs, each of which is associated with one of the plurality of pixel regions, and a plurality of circuit TFTs constituting a peripheral circuit, in which each of oxide semiconductor TFTs has an oxide semiconductor layer and a gate electrode disposed on a channel region of the oxide semiconductor layer via a gate insulating layer, the plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs have a plurality of first TFTs, a plurality of second TFTs, and/or a plurality of third TFTs, and the plurality of first TFTs have the plurality of pixel TFTs, and the plurality of second TFTs and/or the plurality of third TFTs have at least a portion of the plurality of circuit TFTs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2024
    Publication date: October 10, 2024
    Inventors: Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA
  • Publication number: 20240337885
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes pixel regions each including a pixel electrode and an oxide semiconductor TFT including an oxide semiconductor layer. Each pixel electrode is electrically connected to one of adjacent two of source bus lines. The oxide semiconductor layer in the oxide semiconductor TFT of each pixel region overlaps the pixel electrode of a first adjacent pixel region. The pixel electrode of the each pixel region partially overlaps the oxide semiconductor layer in a second adjacent pixel region. The source bus lines include first and second source bus lines adjacent to each other. Pixels sets each including two pixel regions whose pixel electrodes are connected to the first source bus line and pixel sets each including two pixel regions whose pixel electrodes are connected to the second source bus line are arranged alternately between the first and second source bus lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2024
    Publication date: October 10, 2024
    Inventors: Tatsuya KAWASAKI, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Teruyuki UEDA, Masaki MAEDA, Yoshiharu HIRATA, Yoshihito HARA
  • Publication number: 20240329782
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate is to be mounted on a display panel with a touch sensor function. The active matrix substrate includes a first layer provided with a touch sensor line, a second layer being above the touch sensor line and being provided with a pixel electrode, and a common electrode as a third layer formed between the first layer and the second layer. The common electrode functions as a touch sensor electrode by being connected to the touch sensor line and also functions as a counter electrode of the pixel electrode. The active matrix substrate further includes a first insulating layer formed between the first layer and the third layer, and a second insulating layer formed between the second layer and the third layer. The first insulating layer is formed of an organic resin film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Tohru DAITOH, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Teruyuki UEDA
  • Publication number: 20240331653
    Abstract: A transistor includes a first electrode, a first semiconductor portion that is at least partly superimposed on the first electrode and that is composed of a semiconductor material, a first insulating film that is interposed between the first electrode and the first semiconductor portion, a second electrode that is superimposed on a part of the first semiconductor portion and that is connected to the first semiconductor portion, and a third electrode that is located in a layer in which the second electrode is located, that is superimposed on a part of the first semiconductor portion, and that is connected to the first semiconductor portion. An electric potential of the second electrode is lower than that of the third electrode. The third electrode includes a first portion that is spaced from the second electrode and a second portion that is spaced from the second electrode opposite the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Yohei TAKEUCHI, Tatsuya KAWASAKI, Kengo HARA, Masafumi SUGINO, Hajime IMAI, Tohru DAITOH
  • Patent number: 12100711
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs, and a plurality of wiring line connection sections, each of the plurality of wiring line connection sections includes a first connection electrode, an interlayer insulating layer extending over the first connection electrode, a wiring line contact hole formed in an insulating layer including the interlayer insulating layer, the wiring line contact hole exposing a part of a metal oxide layer of a first connection electrode, and a second connection electrode, and the second connection electrode is connected to a part of the metal oxide layer of the first connection electrode in the wiring line contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Setsuji Nishimiya, Kengo Hara, Hitoshi Takahata, Tohru Daitoh
  • Publication number: 20240297181
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of gate bus lines, a plurality of source bus lines located closer to the substrate side; a lower insulating layer that covers the source bus lines; an interlayer insulating layer that covers the gate bus lines; a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs disposed in association with respective pixel regions; a pixel electrode disposed in each of the pixel regions; and a plurality of source contact portions each of which electrically connects one of the oxide semiconductor TFTs to the corresponding one of the source bus lines, in which each of the oxide semiconductor TFTs includes an oxide semiconductor layer disposed on the lower insulating layer, a gate electrode disposed on a portion of the oxide semiconductor layer, and a source electrode formed of a conductive film, and each of the source contact portions includes a source contact hole, and a connection electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2024
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Inventors: Masahiko SUZUKI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Kengo HARA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Tohru DAITOH
  • Publication number: 20240288738
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a pixel TFT provided corresponding to each pixel region, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the pixel TFT, a plurality of gate wirings extending in a row direction, and a plurality of source wirings extending in a column direction. Each gate wiring has a multilayer structure including a lower gate wiring electrically connected to a lower gate electrode included in the pixel TFT and an upper gate wiring electrically connected to an upper gate electrode included in the pixel TFT. In a case where the number of the gate wirings is defined as m and the number of the source wirings is defined as n, each gate wiring has 3 or more and less than n contact portions, each contact portion is positioned in any of n intersection regions, and the number of the contact portions overlapping each source wiring is less than m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Yoshihito HARA, Jun NISHIMURA, Yohei TAKEUCHI
  • Patent number: 12057085
    Abstract: A set circuit in a unit circuit in a gate driver of a display device includes a setting transistor, a first auxiliary transistor, and a second auxiliary transistor. The setting transistor includes a source terminal connected to an internal node, a gate terminal connected to a set input terminal, and a drain terminal connected to the set input terminal via the first auxiliary transistor and also connected to an input terminal via the second auxiliary transistor in a diode-connected form. Each transistor is controlled to be in an on state and an off state during normal drive and is controlled to be in the off state and the on state during a pause period by a control signal supplied to the input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Sharp Display Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Nishimura, Kengo Hara, Yohei Takeuchi, Yoshihito Hara, Tohru Daitoh
  • Patent number: 12057454
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of source bus lines and a plurality of gate bus lines and a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs that have a plurality of pixel TFTs, each of which is associated with one of the plurality of pixel regions, and a plurality of circuit TFTs constituting a peripheral circuit, in which each of oxide semiconductor TFTs has an oxide semiconductor layer and a gate electrode disposed on a channel region of the oxide semiconductor layer via a gate insulating layer, the plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs have a plurality of first TFTs, a plurality of second TFTs, and/or a plurality of third TFTs, and the plurality of first TFTs have the plurality of pixel TFTs, and the plurality of second TFTs and/or the plurality of third TFTs have at least a portion of the plurality of circuit TFTs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Hitoshi Takahata
  • Publication number: 20240257774
    Abstract: In each of unit circuits that constitute a shift register, a first conduction terminal of a second thin-film transistor that controls the output of an output signal serving as a scanning signal is given a second input clock signal having a amplitude larger than the amplitude of a first input clock signal that is given to a first conduction terminal of a first thin-film transistor that controls the output of an output signal serving as a control signal for controlling another unit circuit. The channel length of the second thin-film transistor is set to be greater than the channel length of the first thin-film transistor, so that the breakdown voltage of the second thin-film transistor is higher than the breakdown voltage of the first thin-film transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Jun NISHIMURA, Yoshihito Hara, Masaki Maeda, Yoshiharu Hirata, Hideki Kitagawa, Masamitsu Yamanaka, Tohru Daitoh
  • Patent number: 12044943
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes pixel regions each including a pixel electrode and an oxide semiconductor TFT including an oxide semiconductor layer. Each pixel electrode is electrically connected to one of adjacent two of source bus lines. The oxide semiconductor layer in the oxide semiconductor TFT of each pixel region overlaps the pixel electrode of a first adjacent pixel region. The pixel electrode of the each pixel region partially overlaps the oxide semiconductor layer in a second adjacent pixel region. The source bus lines include first and second source bus lines adjacent to each other. Pixels sets each including two pixel regions whose pixel electrodes are connected to the first source bus line and pixel sets each including two pixel regions whose pixel electrodes are connected to the second source bus line are arranged alternately between the first and second source bus lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kawasaki, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Teruyuki Ueda, Masaki Maeda, Yoshiharu Hirata, Yoshihito Hara
  • Patent number: 12034010
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of gate bus lines, a plurality of source bus lines located closer to the substrate side; a lower insulating layer that covers the source bus lines; an interlayer insulating layer that covers the gate bus lines; a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs disposed in association with respective pixel regions; a pixel electrode disposed in each of the pixel regions; and a plurality of source contact portions each of which electrically connects one of the oxide semiconductor TFTs to the corresponding one of the source bus lines, in which each of the oxide semiconductor TFTs includes an oxide semiconductor layer disposed on the lower insulating layer, a gate electrode disposed on a portion of the oxide semiconductor layer, and a source electrode formed of a conductive film, and each of the source contact portions includes a source contact hole, and a connection electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Setsuji Nishimiya, Kengo Hara, Hitoshi Takahata, Tohru Daitoh
  • Publication number: 20240152013
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of thin film transistors including an oxide semiconductor layer, an interlayer insulating layer, a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged above the interlayer insulating layer, a common electrode arranged between the pixel electrode and the interlayer insulating layer and also configured to function as a touch sensor electrode, a first dielectric layer arranged between the interlayer insulating layer and the common electrode, a second dielectric layer arranged between the common electrode and the pixel electrode, a plurality of touch wiring lines arranged between the interlayer insulating layer and the common electrode and formed of a third conductive film, and a plurality of pixel contact portions, in which each of the plurality of pixel contact portions includes a drain electrode of the thin film transistor, a connection electrode formed of the third conductive film and electrically connected to the drain electrode in a lower opening formed in the interlayer i
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2024
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Yoshihito HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Teruyuki UEDA, Masaki MAEDA, Tatsuya KAWASAKI, Yoshiharu HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20240154038
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first TFT of a first conductivity type and a second TFT of a second conductivity type. The first TFT includes a first semiconductor layer made of an oxide semiconductor material of the first conductivity type, a first gate insulating layer provided on the first semiconductor layer, a first gate electrode located opposite to a channel region of the first semiconductor layer with the first gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, and a first source electrode. The second TFT includes a second semiconductor layer made of an oxide semiconductor material of the second conductivity type or a transparent semiconductor material of the second conductivity type, a second gate insulating layer provided on the second semiconductor layer, a second gate electrode located opposite to a channel region of the second semiconductor layer with the second gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, and a second source electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Tohru DAITOH, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA
  • Patent number: 11955097
    Abstract: A shift register includes stages each constituted by a unit circuit provided with a thin-film transistor (separation transistor) that separates a control node into an output-side first control node and an input-side second control node and a capacitor whose first end is connected to the second control node. The thin-film transistor (separation transistor) has a control terminal that is supplied with a high-level DC power supply voltage. Typically, the channel width of a thin-film transistor (first output control transistor) that controls output from a unit circuit is ten or more times greater than the channel width of the thin-film transistor (separation transistor).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Sharp Display Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Nishimura, Yoshihito Hara, Yohei Takeuchi, Kengo Hara, Tohru Daitoh
  • Publication number: 20240112646
    Abstract: A set circuit in a unit circuit in a gate driver of a display device includes a setting transistor, a first auxiliary transistor, and a second auxiliary transistor. The setting transistor includes a source terminal connected to an internal node, a gate terminal connected to a set input terminal, and a drain terminal connected to the set input terminal via the first auxiliary transistor and also connected to an input terminal via the second auxiliary transistor in a diode-connected form. Each transistor is controlled to be in an on state and an off state during normal drive and is controlled to be in the off state and the on state during a pause period by a control signal supplied to the input terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Jun NISHIMURA, Kengo HARA, Yohei TAKEUCHI, Yoshihito HARA, Tohru DAITOH
  • Patent number: 11927860
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of thin film transistors including an oxide semiconductor layer, an interlayer insulating layer, a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged above the interlayer insulating layer, a common electrode arranged between the pixel electrode and the interlayer insulating layer and also configured to function as a touch sensor electrode, a first dielectric layer arranged between the interlayer insulating layer and the common electrode, a second dielectric layer arranged between the common electrode and the pixel electrode, a plurality of touch wiring lines arranged between the interlayer insulating layer and the common electrode and formed of a third conductive film, and a plurality of pixel contact portions, in which each of the plurality of pixel contact portions includes a drain electrode of the thin film transistor, a connection electrode formed of the third conductive film and electrically connected to the drain electrode in a lower opening formed in the interlayer i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihito Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Teruyuki Ueda, Masaki Maeda, Tatsuya Kawasaki, Yoshiharu Hirata