Patents by Inventor Tokuro Ozawa

Tokuro Ozawa 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: 20080129197
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device having a plurality of unit regions arranged in a matrix on a surface of a flat plate-shaped base substrate. In each of the plurality of unit regions, a pixel electrode is formed. A counter electrode is formed on an opposite side to the base substrate with respect to the pixel electrodes. In pixel regions, which are first unit regions constituting a predetermined image among the plurality of unit regions, OLED elements are selectively formed. The OLED elements are interposed between the respective pixel electrodes and the counter electrode. In non-pixel regions, which are second unit regions other than the first unit regions among the plurality of unit regions, insulators are formed. The insulators are interposed between the respective pixel electrodes and the counter electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tokuro Ozawa, Ayae Endo, Ryoichi Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20080079679
    Abstract: Provided is a method of driving an electro-optical element having a first electrode, a second electrode, and an electro-optical material provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and having optical characteristics which vary in accordance with an applied voltage, including: applying a fixed voltage to the first electrode and applying a data voltage according to a gray scale level to be displayed to the second electrode in a first period; applying the data voltage to the first electrode and applying the fixed voltage to the second electrode in a second period; and alternately repeating the driving in the first period and the driving in the second period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tokuro OZAWA
  • Patent number: 7342563
    Abstract: The present invention provides a systems and methods to perform an electrical test on a substrate assembly used as a TFT array substrate of a liquid-crystal device without detaching a mounted external IC. The substrate assembly can include a substrate, a peripheral circuit embedded in the substrate, a first wiring arranged on the substrate, and an external IC, mounted on the substrate, and having a first terminal connected to an interconnection portion arranged on the first wiring. The substrate assembly can further include a second wiring which extends from the interconnection portion in such a manner that the second wiring is routed in a portion of the substrate facing the integrated circuit, and a first external circuit connection terminal arranged on the second wiring in a portion of the substrate not facing the integrated circuit. The external IC is thus tested through the external circuit connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Eguchi, Shinsuke Fujikawa, Tokuro Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7338844
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device having a plurality of unit regions arranged in a matrix on a surface of a flat plate-shaped base substrate. In each of the plurality of unit regions, a pixel electrode is formed. A counter electrode is formed on an opposite side to the base substrate with respect to the pixel electrodes. In pixel regions, which are first unit regions constituting a predetermined image among the plurality of unit regions, OLED elements are selectively formed. The OLED elements are interposed between the respective pixel electrodes and the counter electrode. In non-pixel regions, which are second unit regions other than the first unit regions among the plurality of unit regions, insulators are formed. The insulators are interposed between the respective pixel electrodes and the counter electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tokuro Ozawa, Kenji Hayashi, Ayae Endo, Ryoichi Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20070296652
    Abstract: The invention provides an electro-optical device having circuits for driving electro-optical elements, such as organic EL elements, and a driving device, which can employ driving elements having low driving ability, such as ?-TFTs. By providing a charge storage capacitor between the source electrode and the gate electrode of a driving transistor which is between power sources, the electro-optical device can allow the driving transistor to control a driving current, even when an electro-optical element is connected to the source side of the driving transistor. In addition, driving data can be stored in the charge storage capacitor by applying a predetermined voltage to the source electrode of the driving transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi Imamura, Toshiyuki Kasai, Tokuro Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20070273295
    Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a first electro-optical element, a second electro-optical element, and a third electro-optical element. A first node is electrically connected to the first electro-optical element, a second node is electrically connected to the second electro-optical element, and a third node electrically connected to the third electro-optical element. A first resistor placed between the first node and the third node and a second resistor placed between the second node and the third node. Additionally, a first signal supplying unit that supplies a first signal to the first node and a second signal supplying unit that supplies a second signal to the second node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi WAKABAYASHI, Tokuro OZAWA
  • Patent number: 7274345
    Abstract: The invention provides an electro-optical device having circuits for driving electro-optical elements, such as organic EL elements, and a driving device, which can employ driving elements having low driving ability, such as ?-TFTs. By providing a charge storage capacitor between the source electrode and the gate electrode of a driving transistor which is between power sources, the electro-optical device can allow the driving transistor to control a driving current, even when an electro-optical element is connected to the source side of the driving transistor. In addition, driving data can be stored in the charge storage capacitor by applying a predetermined voltage to the source electrode of the driving transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Imamura, Toshiyuki Kasai, Tokuro Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7268337
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes a light receiving element in which a current corresponding to the amount of received light flows between one end and the other end thereof, a comparator which compares a voltage at the one end of the light receiving element with a predetermined threshold voltage to output a logical signal based on the comparison result, an initialization circuit which initializes the voltage at the one end of the light receiving element to the threshold value or a voltage approximate to the threshold voltage before detecting the amount of the received light, and a voltage changing circuit which changes the voltage at the one end of the light receiving element by a predetermined voltage after completing the initialization. In the optical sensor, after changing the voltage by the voltage changing circuit, a period until the logical signal output from the comparator is logically inverted is expressed as a value corresponding to the amount of the received light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tokuro Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7256383
    Abstract: An optical sensor circuit has a first optical sensor that outputs a signal according to the amount of received light on an opened light-receiving surface, a second optical sensor that is provided near the first optical sensor and outputs a signal according to the amount of received light on a shielded light-receiving surface, and a difference calculating circuit that calculates a difference between the output signal of the first optical sensor and the output signal of the second optical sensor and outputs the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tokuro Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20070109485
    Abstract: The present invention provides a systems and methods to perform an electrical test on a substrate assembly used as a TFT array substrate of a liquid-crystal device without detaching a mounted external IC. The substrate assembly can include a substrate, a peripheral circuit embedded in the substrate, a first wiring arranged on the substrate, and an external IC, mounted on the substrate, and having a first terminal connected to an interconnection portion arranged on the first wiring. The substrate assembly can further include a second wiring which extends from the interconnection portion in such a manner that the second wiring is routed in a portion of the substrate facing the integrated circuit, and a first external circuit connection terminal arranged on the second wiring in a portion of the substrate not facing the integrated circuit. The external IC is thus tested through the external circuit connection terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Eguchi, Shinsuke Fujikawa, Tokuro Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7196307
    Abstract: An optical sensor is provided corresponding to a scanning line and a reading line. The optical sensor includes a light-receiving element, a current flowing between both terminals thereof being changed according to the amount of incident light and a transistor whose gate is connected to one end of the light-receiving element, one of a source and a drain being connected to the scanning line and the other being connected to the reading line. In an initialization period in which the scanning line is selected, a predetermined initialization voltage is applied to the gate and, after the application of the initialization voltage ends, a result according to the amount of received light is output based on a voltage on the reading line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tokuro Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20060267884
    Abstract: A method for driving a light-emitting device in which a plurality of pixel circuits are arranged in correspondence with the intersection of a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality data lines, the pixel circuit having a light-emitting element and a driving transistor that controls the current amount of a driving current flowing the light-emitting device, comprises repeating the process within unit period including a first period and a second period following the first period, wherein the second period process includes selecting one scanning line of the plurality of scanning lines, and supplying and holding a data voltage corresponding to the luminance of the light-emitting element to a gate of the driving transistor via the data lines with respect to the plurality pixel circuits connected the selected scanning lines, and wherein the first period process includes selecting two or more scanning lines of the plurality of scanning lines, and correcting the unbalance of the driving current output from the dri
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kasori TAKAHASHI, Eiji KANDA, Tokuro OZAWA
  • Patent number: 7116292
    Abstract: The invention provides an electro-optical panel that stores data in pixels with a simple structure. In particular, pixels can be provided in association with intersections of data lines and scanning lines. Each of the pixels includes a hold capacitor, an inverter, an OLED element, and first to third transistors. At a reading period, data stored in the hold capacitor is inverted by the inverter and rewritten to the hold capacitor an even number of times. Thus, the logical level of the hold capacitor can be maintained. At a holding period, the second transistor is turned on. Also, the potential of a high potential source at the reading period is set to be higher than that at the holding period, and the potential of a low potential source at the reading period is set to be lower than that at the holding period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko, Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tokuro Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7075507
    Abstract: The invention produces a high-quality display, in which the occurrence of display variations is reduced, with low power consumption. One field is divided into subfields corresponding to the bits of gray scale data, and the period of each subfield is set in such a manner as to correspond to the weight of each bit. A pixel includes memories that store bits of the gray scale data, a selector that selects a memory that stores the bit corresponding to the subfield from among these memories, a closed loop of inverters, and a TFT that reads and latches the bits stored in the selected memory and that rewrites into the selected memory, and complementary switches that select, with respect to a pixel electrode, a voltage corresponding to an ON display signal or an OFF display signal in accordance with the bit read from the selected memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tokuro Ozawa, Hideto Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 7067983
    Abstract: The invention provides an electro-optical device that can include a plurality of scanning lines, a plurality of signal lines, a plurality of pixels arranged corresponding to intersections of the scanning lines and the signal lines, and heat-release sections. The pixels can each include corresponding transistors and corresponding light-emitting elements, the light-emitting elements emit light in the direction that light is withdrawn, and the heat-release sections include heat release portions, located on the side opposite to the light-withdrawing direction of the light-emitting elements, having electrical conductivity. Accordingly, the invention can enhance the environmental resistance of an electro-optical device including light-emitting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tokuro Ozawa, Yoichi Imamura, Toshiyuki Kasai
  • Publication number: 20060092148
    Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a plurality of pixel circuits that are disposed to correspond to intersections of a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines, a scanning line driving circuit that sequentially selects the plurality of scanning lines to apply a selection voltage to the selected scanning line, a data line driving circuit that applies any one of an on voltage and an off voltage to the plurality of data lines in accordance with gray-scale levels of pixel circuits corresponding to intersections of the data lines and the selected scanning line by the scanning line driving circuit, and a signal supply circuit that supplies a driving signal, of which the level periodically changes, to a signal supply line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tokuro Ozawa, Ryoichi Nozawa
  • Patent number: 7038645
    Abstract: The invention obtains high-quality display by suppressing display unevenness. Sub-pixels are disposed correspondingly to each set of the intersections between 3m pairs of paired scanning lines, which are formed in such a manner as to extend in the X-direction, and n pairs of paired data lines, which are a digital data line and an analog data line and extend in the Y-direction. Further, a set of sub-pixels consecutively arranged in the Y-direction is driven as one pixel. In this case, in a first mode, each of the sub-pixels of one pixel turns on or off according to gradation data representing the gradation level of this pixel. Further, in a second mode, a voltage signal representing the gradation level of this pixel is applied to the sub-pixels of one pixel. Furthermore, in a first case of the second mode, the voltage signals are supplied by the first data line driving circuit in line sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tokuro Ozawa, Hideto Ishiguro, Yojiro Matsueda
  • Publication number: 20050269486
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes a light receiving element in which a current corresponding to the amount of received light flows between one end and the other end thereof, a comparator which compares a voltage at the one end of the light receiving element with a predetermined threshold voltage to output a logical signal based on the comparison result, an initialization circuit which initializes the voltage at the one end of the light receiving element to the threshold value or a voltage approximate to the threshold voltage before detecting the amount of the received light, and a voltage changing circuit which changes the voltage at the one end of the light receiving element by a predetermined voltage after completing the initialization. In the optical sensor, after changing the voltage by the voltage changing circuit, a period until the logical signal output from the comparator is logically inverted is expressed as a value corresponding to the amount of the received light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tokuro Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20050269487
    Abstract: An optical sensor circuit has a first optical sensor that outputs a signal according to the amount of received light on an opened light-receiving surface, a second optical sensor that is provided near the first optical sensor and outputs a signal according to the amount of received light on a shielded light-receiving surface, and a difference calculating circuit that calculates a difference between the output signal of the first optical sensor and the output signal of the second optical sensor and outputs the difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tokuro Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20050258337
    Abstract: An optical sensor is provided corresponding to a scanning line and a reading line. The optical sensor includes a light-receiving element, a current flowing between both terminals thereof being changed according to the amount of incident light and a transistor whose gate is connected to one end of the light-receiving element, one of a source and a drain being connected to the scanning line and the other being connected to the reading line. In an initialization period in which the scanning line is selected, a predetermined initialization voltage is applied to the gate and, after the application of the initialization voltage ends, a result according to the amount of received light is output based on a voltage on the reading line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tokuro Ozawa