Patents by Inventor Yoshihiko Hirai

Yoshihiko Hirai 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: 6987551
    Abstract: An in-plane-switching liquid crystal display unit has a two-dimensional matrix of pixel regions each including a first auxiliary region and a second auxiliary region. When no electric field is applied, liquid crystal molecules in the first and second auxiliary regions are directed in respective orientations that lie at 90° with respect to each other. When a voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules are rotated in the same direction while maintaining their orientations in the first and second auxiliary regions at 90° with respect to each other. Alternatively, the liquid crystal molecules in the first and second auxiliary regions are directed in the same orientation when no electric field is applied, and when a voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules are rotated opposite directions while maintaining their orientations in symmetric relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Teruaki Suzuki, Shinichi Nishida, Hideya Murai, Masayoshi Suzuki, Makoto Watanabe, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20050280755
    Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display panel by which a good display characteristic can be obtained without suffering from gradation reversal over a wide visibility angle range. A liquid crystal layer 4 is formed such that the thickness thereof varies in accordance with transmission wavelengths of color layers 6, 7 and 8 so that a very good display which does not exhibit any coloring in whichever direction it is viewed may be obtained. An active matrix substrate A includes a plurality of opposing electrodes 2, a plurality of pixel electrodes 3 parallel to the opposing electrodes 2, a thin film transistor, and an orientation film 23 all formed on a glass substrate 10. A color filter substrate C includes an orientation film 56 provided on one surface of another glass substrate 10 and an optical compensation layer 35 provided on the other surface of the glass substrate 10 and formed from a plastic film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Shinichi Nishida, Teruaki Suzuki, Masayoshi Suzuki, Makoto Watanabe, Eriko Fujimaki, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20050264743
    Abstract: An in-plane-switching liquid crystal display unit has a two-dimensional matrix of pixel regions each including a first auxiliary region and a second auxiliary region. When no electric field is applied, liquid crystal molecules in the first and second auxiliary regions are directed in respective orientations that lie at 90° with respect to each other. When a voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules are rotated in the same direction while maintaining their orientations in the first and second auxiliary regions at 90° with respect to each other. Alternatively, the liquid crystal molecules in the first and second auxiliary regions are directed in the same orientation when no electric field is applied, and when a voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules are rotated 15 opposite directions while maintaining their orientations in symmetric relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Inventors: Teruaki Suzuki, Shinichi Nishida, Hideya Murai, Masayoshi Suzuki, Makoto Watanabe, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20050259197
    Abstract: An LCD device includes front substrate and rear substrate sandwiching therebetween an LC layer, front polarizing film and rear polarizing film disposed on the front side of the front substrate and the rear side of the rear substrate, respectively, and a reflecting film disposed on the rear side of the rear polarizing film. The distance between the LC layer and the reflecting film is set at 0.8 mm or smaller, to solve a parallax problem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Hirai, Kenichiro Naka
  • Patent number: 6965419
    Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display panel by which a good display characteristic can be obtained without suffering from gradation reversal over a wide visibility angle range. A liquid crystal layer 4 is formed such that the thickness thereof varies in accordance with transmission wavelengths of color layers 6, 7 and 8 so that a very good display which does not exhibit any coloring in whichever direction it is viewed may be obtained. An active matrix substrate A includes a plurality of opposing electrodes 2, a plurality of pixel electrodes 3 parallel to the opposing electrodes 2, a thin film transistor, and an orientation film 23 all formed on a glass substrate 10. A color filter substrate C includes an orientation film 56 provided on one surface of another glass substrate 10 and an optical compensation layer 35 provided on the other surface of the glass substrate 10 and formed from a plastic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Nishida, Teruaki Suzuki, Masayoshi Suzuki, Makoto Watanabe, Eriko Fujimaki, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20050191860
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming, on a substrate, a flowable film made of an insulating material with flowability; planarizing a top face of the flowable film by pressing the flowable film with a pressing member; forming a solidified film by annealing the flowable film at a first temperature with the pressing member pressed against the flowable film; and forming a burned film with a flat top face by burning the solidified film through annealing of the solidified film at a second temperature higher than the first temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Nakagawa, Masaru Sasago, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Patent number: 6927822
    Abstract: In an orientation division type liquid crystal display device for widen a viewing angle of a display pixel of an active matrix type liquid crystal color display device having a COT structure, pixel color layers (6B, 6R, 6G) as color filters and pixel electrodes 3 are formed on a substrate on the side of the pixel electrodes and slopes 13 are provided along four side peripheries of each pixel electrode. Liquid crystal molecules 8 between each pixel electrode of the pixel electrode substrate and a common electrode of an opposing substrate are controlled in orientation direction along the slopes to divide it to a plurality of directions to thereby widen a viewing angle of a pixel display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies
    Inventors: Hiroaki Matsuyama, Kiyomi Kawada, Seiji Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hirai, Michiaki Sakamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Toshiya Ishii, Teruaki Suzuki, Ken Sumiyoshi, Masayoshi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20050170269
    Abstract: A pattern formation method includes the steps of forming a flowable film made of a material with flowability; forming at least one of a concave portion and a convex portion provided on a pressing face of a pressing member onto the flowable film by pressing the pressing member against the flowable film; forming a solidified film by solidifying the flowable film, onto which the at least one of a concave portion and a convex portion has been transferred, through annealing at a first temperature with the pressing member pressed against the flowable film; and forming a pattern made of the solidified film burnt by annealing at a second temperature higher than the first temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Nakagawa, Masaru Sasago, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20050164494
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a flowable film made of an insulating material with flowability; forming a first concave portion in the flowable film through transfer of a convex portion of a pressing face of a pressing member by pressing the pressing member against the flowable film; forming a solidified film having the first concave portion by solidifying the flowable film through annealing at a first temperature with the pressing member pressed against the flowable film; forming a burnt film having the first concave portion by burning the solidified film through annealing at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; forming a second concave portion connected at least to the first concave portion in the burnt film by forming, on the burnt film, a mask having an opening for forming the second concave portion and etching the burnt film by using the mask; and forming a plug and a metal interconnect by filing the first concave portion and the second concav
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Nakagawa, Masaru Sasago, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20050036096
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display having a wide viewing angle and easily manufactured. The liquid crystal display comprises an upper substrate and a lower substrate, and a liquid crystal material disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The liquid crystal display has a conductive protrusion disposed on the surface of the upper substrate opposing to the lower substrate. The conductive protrusion is disposed over a scanning electrode line or a signal electrode line and has the same potential as that of the upper electrode. As another structure, each of pixel electrodes on the lower substrate has a smaller area than that of a common electrode on the upper substrate and is covered by the common electrode, and each of the pixel electrodes comprises an electrode portion having approximately symmetrical shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ken-Ichi Takatori, Masayoshi Suzuki, Toshiya Ishii, Teruaki Suzuki, Hiroshi Kanoh, Ken Sumiyoshi, Michiaki Sakamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Hiroaki Matsuyama, Kiyomi Kawada, Seiji Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Patent number: 6842207
    Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display panel by which a good display characteristic can be obtained without suffering from gradation reversal over a wide visibility angle range. A liquid crystal layer 4 is formed such that the thickness thereof varies in accordance with transmission wavelengths of color layers 6, 7 and 8 so that a very good display which does not exhibit any coloring in whichever direction it is viewed may be obtained. An active matrix substrate A includes a plurality of opposing electrodes 2, a plurality of pixel electrodes 3 parallel to the opposing electrodes 2, a thin film transistor, and an orientation film 23 all formed on a glass substrate 10. A color filter substrate C includes an orientation film 56 provided on one surface of another glass substrate 10 and an optical compensation layer 35 provided on the other surface of the glass substrate 10 and formed from a plastic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignees: NEC Corporation, NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Nishida, Teruaki Suzuki, Masayoshi Suzuki, Makoto Watanabe, Eriko Fujimaki, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20040252260
    Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display panel by which a good display characteristic can be obtained without suffering from gradation reversal over a wide visibility angle range. A liquid crystal layer 4 is formed such that the thickness thereof varies in accordance with transmission wavelengths of color layers 6, 7 and 8 so that a very good display which does not exhibit any coloring in whichever direction it is viewed may be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Nishida, Teruaki Suzuki, Masayoshi Suzuki, Makoto Watanabe, Eriko Fujimaki, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20040218128
    Abstract: In an orientation division type liquid crystal display device for widen a viewing angle of a display pixel of an active matrix type liquid crystal color display device having a COT structure, pixel color layers (6B, 6R, 6G) as color filters and pixel electrodes 3 are formed on a substrate on the side of the pixel electrodes and slopes 13 are provided along four side peripheries of each pixel electrode. Liquid crystal molecules 8 between each pixel electrode of the pixel electrode substrate and a common electrode of an opposing substrate are controlled in orientation direction along the slopes to divide it to a plurality of directions to thereby widen a viewing angle of a pixel display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Matsuyama, Kiyomi Kawada, Seiji Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hirai, Michiaki Sakamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Toshiya Ishii, Teruaki Suzuki, Ken Sumiyoshi, Masayoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6812986
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display having a wide viewing angle and easily manufactured. The liquid crystal display comprises an upper substrate and a lower substrate, and a liquid crystal material disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The liquid crystal display has a conductive protrusion disposed on the surface of the upper substrate opposing to the lower substrate. The conductive protrusion is disposed over a scanning electrode line or a signal electrode line and has the same potential as that of the upper electrode. As another structure, each of pixel electrodes on the lower substrate has a smaller area than that of a common electrode on the upper substrate and is covered by the common electrode, and each of the pixel electrodes comprises an electrode portion having approximately symmetrical shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Ken-Ichi Takatori, Masayoshi Suzuki, Toshiya Ishii, Teruaki Suzuki, Hiroshi Kanoh, Ken Sumiyoshi, Michiaki Sakamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Hiroaki Matsuyama, Kiyomi Kawada, Seiji Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Patent number: 6768530
    Abstract: In an orientation division type liquid crystal display device for widen a viewing angle of a display pixel of an active matrix type liquid crystal color display device having a COT structure, pixel color layers (6B, 6R, 6G) as color filters and pixel electrodes 3 are formed on a substrate on the side of the pixel electrodes and slopes 13 are provided along four side peripheries of each pixel electrode. Liquid crystal molecules 8 between each pixel electrode of the pixel electrode substrate and a common electrode of an opposing substrate are controlled in orientation direction along the slopes to divide it to a plurality of directions to thereby widen a viewing angle of a pixel display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Matsuyama, Kiyomi Kawada, Seiji Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hirai, Michiaki Sakamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Toshiya Ishii, Teruaki Suzuki, Ken Sumiyoshi, Masayoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6750934
    Abstract: A VA (Vertical Aligned) type active-matrix liquid crystal display capable of stabilizing a boundary position between divided areas (alignment areas). The liquid crystal display comprises a TFT (thin film transistor) substrate including a pixel electrode provided for each pixel and a driving element such as a TFT provided for each pixel electrode, an opposite substrate disposed opposite to the TFT substrate and including an opposite electrode, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the TFT substrate and the opposite substrate. Each pixel electrode has a recess in groove shape formed therein. The pixel electrode preferably has a generally rectangular shape. The recess is provided such that it extends from one of a pair of opposite sides of the pixel electrode to the other to divide the pixel electrode into two parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michiaki Sakamoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Mamoru Okamoto, Masayoshi Suzuki, Toshiya Ishii, Teruaki Suzuki, Hiroaki Matsuyama, Kiyomi Kawada, Seiji Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Patent number: 6714271
    Abstract: In an LCD, according to the present invention, an electrode 3 is made up of a transparent film such as indium tin oxide (ITO) and is formed on top of transparent substrate 1. An aperture 5, with its width W being equal to or longer than the width x of the defectively oriented region C, is formed on both the electrode 3 and the substrate 1. An alignment layer 10, made of a transparent insulating film, is formed on top of the electrode 3. The surface of the alignment layer 10 is subjected to an optically orienting process using UV rays. Thereby, differently oriented regions that orient respective liquid crystal molecules 15, 16 and 14 almost perpendicular to the surface of the alignment layer 10 when no electric field is applied via the electrode 3, are generated on the alignment layer 10. An electrode 4, made of a transparent conductive film such as an ITO, is formed on the underside of transparent substrate 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Matsuyama, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20040029363
    Abstract: After a fluid film is formed by supplying a material with fluidity to the surface of a substrate formed with a stepped layer, the fluid film is pressed against the substrate by a pressing member having a planar pressing surface so that the surface of the fluid film is planarized. The fluid film is heated in this state and thereby solidified to form a solidified film having a planar surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Hideo Nakagawa, Masaru Sasago, Masayuki Endo, Yoshihiko Hirai
  • Patent number: 6650390
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel comprises a TFT substrate unit having a thin film transistor (TFT), a control electrode connected to the TFT, a flattening film covering the control electrode, and a pixel electrode having a cross slit and formed on the flattening film and insulated from the control electrode. An opposite substrate unit has an opposite electrode facing the pixel electrode at a predetermined position. A liquid crystal layer disposed between the TFT substrate unit and the opposite substrate includes liquid crystal molecules having negative dielectric aeolotropy. When voltage is supplied between the control electrode and the opposite electrode, an electric field is generated between them. The electric field divides the liquid crystal layer into four domains in each pixel according to the cross slit formed in the pixel electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michiaki Sakamoto, Teruaki Suzuki, Mamoru Okamoto, Masayoshi Suzuki, Toshiya Ishii, Hiroaki Matsuyama, Kiyomi Kawada, Seiji Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hirai, Yuji Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20030133068
    Abstract: An in-plane-switching liquid crystal display unit has a two-dimensional matrix of pixel regions each including a first auxiliary region and a second auxiliary region. When no electric field is applied, liquid crystal molecules in the first and second auxiliary regions are directed in respective orientations that lie at 90° with respect to each other. When a voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules are rotated in the same direction while maintaining their orientations in the first and second auxiliary regions at 90° with respect to each other. Alternatively, the liquid crystal molecules in the first and second auxiliary regions are directed in the same orientation when no electric field is applied, and when a voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules are rotated opposite directions while maintaining their orientations in symmetric relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teruaki Suzuki, Shinichi Nishida, Hideya Murai, Masayoshi Suzuki, Makoto Watanabe, Yoshihiko Hirai