Patents by Inventor Yoshiharu Kataoka

Yoshiharu Kataoka 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: 7932975
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a reflective liquid crystal panel (20) having a liquid crystal panel polarization plate (22), a polarization plate (32) provided on a front surface side of the polarization plate (22) with its absorption axis in parallel with an absorption axis of the polarization plate (22), and a negative C plate (31) provided between the liquid crystal panel polarization plate (22) and the polarization plate (32). The negative C plate (31) sets a direction in which viewing limitation is carried out. Thus, it is possible to provide the liquid crystal display device in which a viewing angle can be narrowed by freely setting, in the reflective liquid crystal panel, the direction in which the viewing limitation should be carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takehiko Sakai, Tsuyoshi Okazaki, Katsuhiko Morishita, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura, Dai Chiba
  • Publication number: 20110025962
    Abstract: A negative C plate (31) is arranged to be between a polarizing plate (32) and a reflective liquid crystal panel (20). A retardation of the negative C plate (31) is set so that a combination of the negative C plate (31) and the liquid crystal panel (20) generates a phase difference of “n?/4+?/8 (n is 0, or a positive or negative integer)” for a one-way light path with respect to linearly-polarized light entering into the liquid crystal display device. This makes it possible to provide, at low cost, a liquid crystal display device whose viewing angle can be narrowed by arbitrarily setting a direction in which visibility is limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Takehiko Sakai, Dai Chiba, Katsuhiko Morishita, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura
  • Patent number: 7880843
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (10) of the present invention includes a backlight (3), a display liquid crystal panel (1) and a viewing angle control panel (2) for switching a viewing angle of the display liquid crystal panel (1) between a wide viewing angle mode and a narrow viewing angle mode. The viewing angle control panel (2) includes a control panel upper polarizing plate (22), a liquid crystal cell (21) and a control panel lower polarizing plate (23) stacked in this order, and phase difference plates (24, 25) are provided between the polarizing plates (22, 23) and the liquid crystal cell (21), respectively. The viewing angle control panel (2) is arranged such that Re1 in a white display portion in the wide viewing angle mode is n?/2 (n is an integer of 1 or more), Re2 in a white display portion in the narrow viewing angle mode is n?/2 (n is an integer of 1 or more), and Re3 in a black display portion in the narrow viewing angle mode is n? (n is an integer of 1 or more).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Morishita, Tsuyoshi Okazaki, Takehiko Sakai, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura, Dai Chiba
  • Publication number: 20110012880
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a TFT includes: a first capacitor formed of a first capacitor electrode connected to a source electrode and a second capacitor electrode; a second capacitor formed of a third capacitor electrode and a fourth capacitor electrode; a first lead-out line; a second lead-out line connected to a gate electrode; a third lead-out line; a fourth lead-out line; a first interconnection; and a second interconnection. This realizes a TFT which can be easily saved from being a defective product even if leakage occurs in a capacitor connected to a TFT body section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Shinya Tanaka, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Yoshiharu Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20110007049
    Abstract: A TFT includes, in at least one embodiment, a capacitor formed: so as to have a region where a first capacitor electrode connected to a source electrode and a second capacitor electrode connected to a gate electrode are arranged to be stacked in a thickness direction and mutually opposed across a first dielectric layer therebetween; and so as to have a region where the first capacitor electrode and a third capacitor electrode connected to the gate electrode are arranged to be stacked in the thickness direction and mutually opposed across a second dielectric layer therebetween with a coupling between the first capacitor electrode and the third capacitor electrode and a coupling between the first capacitor electrode and the second capacitor electrode formed over mutually opposite faces of the first capacitor electrode. This realizes a TFT which can save a footprint of a capacitor connected to a TFT body section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Shinya Tanaka, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Chikao Yamasaki, Yoshiharu Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20110001736
    Abstract: A distance (d1) from an edge of a first region (R) at places (D) where branch electrodes (4b) extending, which branch off from an electrode line (4a) of a second source/drain electrode (4), start to overlap with a first region (R) to the electrode line (4a) is 5 ?m or more. This realizes a TFT including a comb-shaped source/drain structure that enables easy repair of a source-drain leakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Tanaka, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Yoshiharu Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20100253658
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display device in which a frame region is reduced while preventing decrease in reliability and a method for manufacturing the same. The present invention is a display device comprising: a display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a sealing member positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the display panel includes at least a part of a circuit unit and a moisture blocking film in a region overlapping with the sealing member on the first substrate, and the moisture blocking film is provided in a region other than a display region and interposed between the circuit unit and the sealing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Tanaka, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hajime Imai, Yoshiharu Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20100238376
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a display that can reliably shield visible light in the entire wavelength regions when viewed from an oblique direction and a viewing angle control element used for the display. A viewing angle control liquid crystal panel (2) is comprised of a liquid crystal cell (21) and an emission-side polarizing plate (22). When light having a part of wavelength components (R,G) in the visible wavelength regions enters at least at a predetermined angle, the liquid crystal cell (21) provides the incident light with a phase difference so as to function as a first light-shielding layer that shields the light of the R and G components not to pass through the emission-side polarizing plate (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Takehiko Sakai, Dai Chiba, Katsuhiko Morishita, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura
  • Publication number: 20100188617
    Abstract: There are provided a display that can block light so that a display on an image display device is invisible from a wide range of view angles in an oblique direction, and a view angle control element employed therein. In a narrow view angle state, a view angle control liquid crystal panel (2) prevents light in a predetermined wavelength region that has been incident at a polar angle of ?H or more from being transmitted through a polarizing plate (22) by using a phase difference imparted by a liquid crystal cell (21). In the narrow view angle state, a view angle control liquid crystal panel (3) prevents light that has been incident at a polar angle of ?L or more, among light that has been transmitted through the polarizing plate (22), from being transmitted through a polarizing plate (32) by using a phase difference imparted by a liquid crystal cell (31). Consequently, light forming a polar angle of ?L or more is blocked as a whole, which allows the narrow view angle state to cover a wide range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Takehiko Sakai, Dai Chiba, Katsuhiko Morishita, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura
  • Publication number: 20100128200
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (10) of the present invention includes a backlight (3), a display liquid crystal panel (1) and a viewing angle control panel (2) for switching a viewing angle of the display liquid crystal panel (1) between a wide viewing angle mode and a narrow viewing angle mode. The viewing angle control panel (2) includes a control panel upper polarizing plate (22), a liquid crystal cell (21) and a control panel lower polarizing plate (23) stacked in this order, and phase difference plates (24, 25) are provided between the polarizing plates (22, 23) and the liquid crystal cell (21), respectively. The viewing angle control panel (2) is arranged such that Re1 in a white display portion in the wide viewing angle mode is n?/2 (n is an integer of 1 or more), Re2 in a white display portion in the narrow viewing angle mode is n?/2 (n is an integer of 1 or more), and Re3 in a black display portion in the narrow viewing angle mode is n? (n is an integer of 1 or more).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Morishita, Tsuyoshi Okazaki, Takehiko Sakai, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura, Dai Chiba
  • Publication number: 20100110345
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a reflective liquid crystal panel (20) having a liquid crystal panel polarization plate (22), a polarization plate (32) provided on a front surface side of the polarization plate (22) with its absorption axis in parallel with an absorption axis of the polarization plate (22), and a negative C plate (31) provided between the liquid crystal panel polarization plate (22) and the polarization plate (32). The negative C plate (31) sets a direction in which viewing limitation is carried out. Thus, it is possible to provide the liquid crystal display device in which a viewing angle can be narrowed by freely setting, in the reflective liquid crystal panel, the direction in which the viewing limitation should be carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takehiko Sakai, Tsuyushi Okazaki, Katsuhiko Morishita, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura, Dai Chiba
  • Publication number: 20100103148
    Abstract: There are provided a viewing angle control device that can provide a pure black display without coloring and have a significantly improved shielding ability in the narrow viewing angle state, and a display using the viewing angle control device. To adjust the VT (voltage-transmittance) characteristics of a viewing angle control liquid crystal panel (2) that switches a viewing angle between a wide viewing angle state and a narrow viewing angle state by using birefringence of liquid crystal, translucent electrode films (205r, 205g, 206b), to which alternating-current voltages with different frequencies are applied, are provided on a portion of at least one of a pair of translucent substrates (201, 202) sandwiching the liquid crystal, the portion corresponding to at least one color of a picture element of a display liquid crystal panel (1), so that the voltage-transmittance characteristics of the liquid crystal are adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Okazaki, Takehiko Sakai, Katsuhiko Morishita, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura, Dai Chiba
  • Publication number: 20100085513
    Abstract: A viewing angle control panel (2) that includes two substrates (4 and 6) facing each other and liquid crystal layer (5) provided between the substrates and that is usable in combination with a display panel (10) so as to allow a liquid crystal display device (1) to switch a viewing angle characteristic, wherein: one of the substrates (6) includes a counter electrode pattern (62) in which a counter electrode is provided over the one of the two substrates; and the other one of the substrates (4) includes a transparent electrode pattern (49) in which transparent electrodes (49a through 49d) are provided in a striped manner and first and second wire electrodes (e.g., wire electrodes 48a and 48b) that are provided for each space (e.g., a space 51x) between the transparent electrodes in the transparent electrode pattern (49) in such a manner that the first the second wire electrodes, positioned in parallel with the transparent electrodes, respectively, overlap the space 51x.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventors: Dai Chiba, Tsuyoshi Okazaki, Katsuhiko Morishita, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura, Takehiko Sakai
  • Publication number: 20100085516
    Abstract: The present invention provides a color filter substrate which can suppress a reverse tilt domain from being generated in a liquid crystal layer near a boundary between a colored layer and a bank without forming a flattening layer on the colored layer. The color filter substrate of the present invention is a color filter substrate including a substrate, an insulating film having transparency, a bank, and a colored layer, the insulating film being arranged on the substrate, the bank and the colored layer being arranged on the insulating film, the colored layer being surrounded by the bank, wherein a thickness of the insulating film in a region overlapping with the center of the colored layer is smaller than a thickness of the insulating film in a region overlapping with an edge of the colored part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventors: Takayuki Hayano, Dai Chiba, Yoshiharu Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20100060824
    Abstract: A viewing angle controlling liquid crystal panel in which uniformity of a shielding effect in a screen is further improved is provided. Linearly polarized light enters a liquid crystal layer. Further, the liquid crystal layer is provided, on a light exit side of the liquid crystal layer, with a polarizing plate transmitting only a component of light having exited from the liquid crystal layer which component is parallel to a polarization axis of the linearly polarized light having entered the liquid crystal layer. Liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal layer are tilted in a direction parallel to or perpendicular to the polarization axis of the linearly polarized light having entered the liquid crystal layer. In addition, an electrode (26) is provided so that two or more different voltages can be applied to the liquid crystal layer simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Takehiko Sakai, Dai Chiba, Katsuhiko Morishita, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura
  • 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: 20100033670
    Abstract: A difference of work functions in different metal thin films is suppressed without causing the increase of the manufacturing steps or the decrease of the optical performance. In a semi-transmissive reflective liquid crystal display apparatus 1 including a reflective electrode 62 and a transmissive electrode 63 in the pixel electrode 64, the surface of the reflective electrode 62 is subject to a plasma treatment, so that the work function of the reflective electrode 62 is controlled by changing by a value of 0.1 eV from the original value. Thus, it is possible to place the work function of the reflective electrode 62 within a difference of ±0.2 eV with respect to the work function of the transmissive electrode 63. As a result, a number of the manufacturing steps is not increased or no optical performance is decreased, unlike conventional liquid crystal display apparatuses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Tetsuo Fujita, Masafumi Kokura, Mitsunori Harada, Hijiri Nakahara, Yoshiharu Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20100026937
    Abstract: There are provided a viewing angle control device that can provide a black display without coloring and achieve a significantly improved shielding ability during a narrow viewing angle state, and a display using the same. In order to adjust VT (voltage-transmittance) characteristics of a viewing angle control liquid crystal panel (2) that switches a viewing angle between a wide viewing angle state and a narrow viewing angle state by using birefringence of liquid crystal, the viewing angle control liquid crystal panel (2) includes a translucent dielectric film (206g, 206r) for adjusting the voltage-transmittance characteristics of the liquid crystal at a position corresponding to a picture element of at least one color in a display liquid crystal panel (1) on at least one of a pair of translucent substrates (201, 202) that sandwich the liquid crystal therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Okazaki, Takehiko Sakai, Katsuhiko Morishita, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Chikanori Tsukamura, Dai Chiba
  • Publication number: 20090185127
    Abstract: A display device includes a curved insulative substrate. A substrate line includes first input substrate lines electrically connected to first driving elements and first output substrate lines electrically connected to first lines and the first driving elements. The first output substrate lines are provided so as to be closer to the displaying region than are the first input substrate lines. Each first driving element has a rectangular shape with two longer sides and two shorter sides, the first driving element being mounted so that the longer sides are parallel or substantially parallel to the direction in which the first lines extend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Tanaka, Hajime Imai, Chikanori Tsukamura, Yoshiharu Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20090179840
    Abstract: In a display device, a first glass substrate is curved. When signal line driving elements and scanning line driving elements are viewed from a normal direction of a principal surface of the first glass substrate, the signal line driving elements and the scanning line driving elements each have a rectangular or substantially rectangular shape with two longer sides and two shorter sides. The signal line driving elements and the scanning line driving elements are mounted so that the longer sides thereof are parallel or substantially parallel to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Tanaka, Hajime Imai, Chikanori Tsukamura, Yoshiharu Kataoka