Diffuser (on Viewer Side Of Liquid Crystal) Patents (Class 349/112)
  • Patent number: 8203690
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device 10 of the present invention includes a liquid crystal panel 11 and a lighting device 12. The liquid crystal panel 11 has a liquid crystal layer 50 between a pair of glass substrates 31 and 41. The lighting device 12 provides illumination light to the liquid crystal panel 11. A concave lens 60 is formed on the glass substrate 41 among the pair of glass substrates 31 and 41, which is arranged on a side opposite from the lighting device 12. The concave lens 60 has a recess on a surface of glass substrate 41 on an opposite side from the liquid crystal layer 50 in an area overlapping a black dot failure occurrence area when viewed in plan. A light transmissive material 70 having a refraction index equal to or higher than the glass substrate 41 is applied to at least a part of the concave lens 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8199296
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is an antiglare film which includes an antiglare layer having particles A, particles B, and a binder matrix on a transparent substrate. A difference in refractive index between the particles A and the binder matrix (|nA?nM|) is 0.060 or less. A difference in refractive index between the particles B and the binder matrix (|nB?nM|) is in the 0.080-0.300 range. An average diameter (unit: ?m) of the particles B (rB) is in the 0.5-5.0 ?m range. The product value |nB?nM|wBH, which is obtained by multiplying a difference in refractive index between said particles B and said binder matrix (|nB?nM|) by a content (part by weight) of said particles B as against 100 parts by weight of said binder matrix (wB) and an average thickness (unit: ?m) of said antiglare layer (H) is in the 10.0-15.0 range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomo Yoshinari, Yusuke Tochigi, Takashi Nishihara, Hideaki Honma
  • Patent number: 8200060
    Abstract: A brightness enhancement sheet including a light transmissive substrate, a plurality of strip prisms, and a plurality of protruding structures is provided. The light transmissive substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The strip prisms are disposed on the first surface. Each of the strip prisms has two prism surfaces, and a junction of the two prism surfaces forms a crest line, and a valley line is formed between each of the two adjacent strip prisms. Each of the protruding structures has two wing portions. The two wing portions are respectively disposed on two prism surfaces of the corresponding strip prism. A junction of the two wing portions forms a protruding end. The protruding end protrudes from the crest line of the corresponding strip prism. Each of the wing portions extends from the protruding end to the valley line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Tzeng-Ke Shiau, Ching-Shiang Li, Chao-Hung Weng, Wei-Chung Chao
  • Patent number: 8192837
    Abstract: This invention relates to compositions suitable for the formation of an adhesive layer used for in-mold decoration. This invention also relates to in-mold decoration tape or strip, comprising: a carrier layer; a release layer; a durable layer; and an adhesive layer which comprises an adhesive binder, a polymeric particulate material and an inorganic particulate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Etansi Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaojia Wang, Cheri Pereria, Pei-Lin Wang, Jing-Den Chen, Rong-Chang Liang
  • Publication number: 20120099057
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the LCD device includes a first substrate including a plurality of interconnections and a protection layer covering the interconnections, a second substrate disposed opposite the first substrate, a liquid crystal (LC) layer interposed between the first and second substrates, and a sealant configured to contact the protection layer and interposed between the first and second substrates to surround and seal the LC layer. Convex portions are formed at positions between the interconnections of the protection layer and protrude convexly toward the sealant. In the above-described structure, even if light irradiated to cure the sealant is blocked by the plurality of interconnections, the light can be diffused into the entire sealant at an interface between the sealant and the protection layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-gyu KIM
  • Publication number: 20120086896
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a diffuser plate which diffuses light, support members which support the diffuser plate, and a liquid crystal panel on which diffused light is incident. The support members each include a placement surface on which the diffuser plate is placed, a first connected surface connected in a slanted manner to an end section of the placement surface, among two end sections of the placement surface that face each other in a width direction, and a second connected surface connected to one of the end sections. A synthetic resin film is glued seamlessly across the placement surface, the first connected surface and the second connected surface via an adhesive layer provided on one surface of the synthetic resin film. The synthetic resin film has a smaller frictional coefficient with respect to the diffuser plate than the placement surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi TANAKA
  • Patent number: 8154691
    Abstract: A matte surface of a display screen is converted to an optically flat surface, for example, via an epoxy resin coating or the like which has a refractive index equal to that of the matte surface. A film with a substantially flat surface may be applied to the matte surface. Alternatively, the matte surface may be removed from the screen, and replaced with an optically smooth surface. The matte surface may be a diffusive surface formed on a birefringent film of an LCD screen. The display screen is the front screen of a multilevel three-dimensional display comprising layered screens, and altering the surface from matte to flat reduces the blurring of displayed images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Pure Depth Limited
    Inventor: Mark John Searle
  • Patent number: 8154692
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a liquid crystal display panel, and a light diffusing layer which has first and second major surfaces and which is arranged such that the first major surface opposes a viewer side surface of the liquid crystal display panel. The light diffusing layer includes a first region formed of a first substance which has a first refractive index N1 and a plurality of second regions formed of a second substance which has a second refractive index N2 (<N1). The second regions are arranged in the first region at a predetermined pitch P in one direction in a plane parallel to the second major surface, each of the second regions forms interfaces with the first region, the interfaces being inclined by ?° from a normal of the second major surface. ?B which is expressed by ?B=tan?1 (a/Lb) is not more than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Nishihara, Iori Aoyama, Tokio Taguchi, Akihiro Yamamoto, Masumi Kubo
  • Patent number: 8149371
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device which can be manufactured at a low cost is provided. The liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate, a CF substrate of a size smaller than a size of the TFT substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the TFT substrate and the CF substrate. A ground pad is formed on a portion of the TFT substrate where the CF substrate does not overlap with the TFT substrate. A transparent conductive film is formed on an upper surface of the CF substrate. The transparent conductive film of the CF substrate and the ground pad formed on the TFT substrate are electrically connected with each other via a thermocompression bonding conductive tape. A double-sided adhesive tape is arranged between the thermocompression bonding conductive tape and an upper surface of the CF substrate and between the thermocompression bonding conductive tape and the TFT substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiji Oohira
  • Patent number: 8144271
    Abstract: High-resolution, scalable multi-touch sensing display systems and processes based on frustrated total internal reflection employ an optical waveguide that receives light, such as infrared light, that undergoes total internal reflection and an imaging sensor that detects light that escapes the optical waveguide caused by frustration of the total internal reflection due to contact by a user. The optical waveguide when fitted with a compliant surface overlay provides superior sensing performance, as well as other benefits and features. The systems and processes described provide true multi-touch (multi-input) and high-spatial and temporal resolution capability due to the continuous imaging of the frustrated total internal reflection that escapes the entire optical waveguide. Among other features and benefits, the systems and processes are scalable to large installations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Perceptive Pixel Inc.
    Inventor: Jefferson Y. Han
  • Patent number: 8139172
    Abstract: A 3-dimensional display device includes a display panel for displaying image; a backlight for supplying light to the display panel; a light scattering control unit between the display panel and the backlight to scatter or transmit the light from the backlight; and a light control film over the backlight to reflect and focus the light from the backlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-Hyun Soh
  • Patent number: 8134660
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical diffusion device, which can exhibit discontinuously different optical properties only in desired regions without creating any difference in grades and/or breaks, facilitate control of the optical diffusion properties, and prevent the occurrence of the stray light, as well as provides a projection screen and a design member, both using the optical diffusion device. An exemplary optical diffusion device according to this invention includes a base, and a cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer provided on the base and composed of a plurality of diffusion regions arranged on a plane. A diffusion angle of one of the diffusion regions (e.g., first diffusion regions) of the cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer is different from a diffusion angle of another of the diffusion regions (e.g., second diffusion regions).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Umeya, Masachika Watanabe, Minoru Azakami
  • Patent number: 8134661
    Abstract: To suppress a decrease in the contrast caused by the reflection on the interface to the air layer without decreasing the quality of display. A reflection-type liquid crystal display device includes a light guide plate having a polarizing element stuck or adhered thereto on the side facing a reflection-type liquid crystal display panel and arranged maintaining a predetermined gap relative to the reflection-type liquid crystal display panel. The display device further includes a source of light arranged on an end surface side of the light guide plate, and a member having a light-diffusing function and interposed between the polarizing element and the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hamada, Kunihiro Tashiro, Mari Sugawara, Toshihiro Suzuki, Hidefumi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20110292325
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes: a insulating substrate; a pixel including a memory formed from a plurality of active elements on the insulating substrate; an interlayer insulating film formed on the insulating substrate and the plurality of active elements; and a reflective electrode on the interlayer insulating film, wherein, when light is entered from a direction of ?30° to a normal line of the active matrix substrate and intensity of a reflected light thereof is measured, the following expression is satisfied: 0.02<I(35°)/I(30°)<0.1, where I(?°) represents intensity of the reflected light measured in a direction of ? degree(s) to the normal line of the active matrix substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Minoura
  • Patent number: 8064012
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel; a first polarizer on a first surface of the liquid crystal display panel; a second polarizer on a second surface of the liquid crystal display panel; and a first light path control film on a first surface of the second polarizer to refract the light polarized by the second polarizer to a direction minimizing a gray inversion on a display surface of the liquid crystal display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chi Hyuck Park
  • Patent number: 8049845
    Abstract: An optical diffusion device applied in a backlight module includes a plate. Multiple light sources are disposed on one side of the plate. Multiple optical microstructures provided with a longer axis and a shorter axis are disposed on the plate. The longer axis of each optical microstructure is approximately arranged in parallel with a direction extending from the light source, or, in other words, the shorter axis is arranged approximately crossing the direction extending from the light source. A diffusion effect is provided to each light source through the shorter axis of the optical microstructure to increase optical radiant energy among the light sources and to eliminate the dim and dark regions among the light sources for increasing general luminance of the backlight module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Entire Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Cheng Lin, Jyh-Horng Wang, Chao-Ying Lin
  • Patent number: 8035775
    Abstract: A polarization control system which includes an E-type polarizer and therefore can provide excellent dark state at a wide azimuth and viewing angle. Further, the polarization control system includes a viewing angle control element for controlling a traveling direction of light which has passed through the E-type polarizer and therefore can provide excellent bright state at a wide azimuth and viewing angle. Further a display device is disclosed including such a polarization control system. The polarization control system is a polarization control system including a plurality of polarizers, wherein the polarization control system includes an E-type polarizer and a viewing angle control element, and the viewing angle control element controls a traveling direction of light which has passed through the E-type polarizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Sakai
  • Patent number: 8031986
    Abstract: The optical device includes a substrate having an electrooptic effect; a plurality of optical waveguides formed in the substrate in parallel to one another; and a polarization inversion region which is disposed a part of the substrate and which has a polarization characteristic that is an inverse to that of the substrate, wherein a profile of a boundary between the polarization inversion region and a remaining region in which the polarization is not inverted is configured such that accumulated amounts of distortion that affects the respective waveguides over coordinates along a light propagation direction are substantially identical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Takashi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 8031302
    Abstract: A directional diffusion film with diffusion properties that vary depending on the incidence angle is characterized in that a diffusion axis direction is in the range of 20° to 50° with respect to a normal direction of the film, and a diffusion half-value angle is at least 20° and lower than 90°. The diffusion axis direction is a light irradiation direction in which the strongest diffusion light is obtained when the film is irradiated with light. The diffusion half-value angle is a diffusion angle at which intensity of outgoing diffusion light at a plane A is 50% of the peak intensity, with the plane A containing the normal direction and the diffusion axis direction of the directional diffusion film, when collimated light is incident at an incidence angle of 30° from the normal direction of the directional diffusion film in the plane A. A polarizing plate containing the directional diffusion film. An LCD device containing the directional diffusion film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Hin Hou, Taku Yamada
  • Patent number: 8023067
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device that reduces manufacturing cost, contributes to a thin profile, and generates uniform brightness, and a fabricating method thereof are disclosed. In the liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display panel is prepared. A backlight includes a plurality of lamps, a diffusion plate which is located on the lamps, and an intermediate diffusion medium located between the lamps and the diffusion plate to diffuse light from the lamps, and irradiates light to the liquid crystal display panel. Furthermore, in the method of fabricating the liquid crystal display device, a diffusion material is molded using a mold to form an intermediate diffusion medium that includes a plurality of ribs connected to an external band of square type and both sides of the external band of square type, respectively. The intermediate diffusion medium is located between lamps and a diffusion plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong Min Moon, Eun Ju Kim
  • Publication number: 20110194055
    Abstract: There is provided an optical sheet for use as a display device surface, which has a functional layer on at least one side of a base material and has a diffusion factor on the outer surface and/or interior of the functional layer, wherein the relationship represented by the following formula (I) is satisfied. 0.16<S×?<0.70??(I) S: Diffuse regular reflection intensity/regular reflection intensity of base material ?: The diffusion angle exhibiting ? of the diffusion intensity, obtained by extrapolating a straight line connecting the reflection intensity for diffuse regular reflection intensity at ±2 degrees and the reflection intensity for diffuse regular reflection at ±1 degree, to the diffuse regular reflection angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Inventors: Takashi Kodama, Gen Furui, Makoto Honda
  • Patent number: 7982826
    Abstract: A polarizing plate for a liquid crystal display is provided and includes a first protective film, a polarizer, a second protective film and a light diffusion layer in order. The light diffusion layer is a layer including a translucent resin and translucent particles having a refractive index different from a refractive index of the translucent resin. The internal haze of the light diffusion layer is 45% to 80%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Hirakata, Minoru Wada, Yukito Saitoh, Yusuke Ohashi, Katsufumi Ohmuro
  • Patent number: 7973895
    Abstract: An antiglare film includes an antiglare layer having a binder matrix, and particles A and particles B therein on a transparent substrate. A difference in density between the particles A and particles B is 0.2 g/cm3 or less. The quotient value (RA/H), which is obtained by division of the average diameter of the particles A (RA) by the average thickness of the antiglare layer (H), is in the 0.40-0.80 range. The quotient value (RB/RA), which is obtained by division of the average diameter of the particles B (RB) by the average diameter of the particles A (RA), is in the 0.20-0.60 range. The quotient value ((wA+wB)/wM), which is obtained by dividing the sum of the content of the particles A (wA) and that of the particles B (wB) in the antiglare layer (wA+wB) by the content of the binder matrix in the antiglare layer (wM), is in the 0.10-0.40 range. The quotient value (wB/wA), which is obtained by division of the content of the particles B (wB) by that of the particles A (wA) in the antiglare layer, is in the 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisamitsu Kameshima
  • Patent number: 7969655
    Abstract: An exemplary prism sheet includes a transparent main body. The transparent main body includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface and the second surface are on opposite sides of the main body. The first surface of transparent main body defines a plurality of spherical depressions. The second surface defines a plurality of rectangular structures. Each rectangular structure defines four adjacent triangular pyramid depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Han Chang
  • Patent number: 7961270
    Abstract: A display device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The display device includes a light guide, a light source, and a brightness enhancement film (BEF), and a dual brightness enhancement film (DBEF). The light guide has a first edge along a first direction and a second edge adjacent to the first edge corresponding to the light source. The BEF is disposed on the light guide and has a plurality of prisms along a second direction which rotates from 0 to 90 degrees with respect to the first direction. The DBEF has a transmission axis along a third direction which also rotates from 0 to 90 degrees with respect to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kuang-Hua Mei, Shih-Ping Lin, Po-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 7956960
    Abstract: A display panel and a manufacturing method are disclosed. The method is to thin the thickness of a pair of transparent substrates for the display panel by grinding or lapping only, or grinding with simplified polishing, so that at least one of the outer surface of the transparent substrates has Haze substantially less than 90% and a profile arithmetic mean roughness ranged from about 0.02 ?m to about 0.66 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Jong-wen Chwu, Yu-chen Liu
  • Patent number: 7956959
    Abstract: A display device includes: a back light unit for emitting a light; a lower polarization plate on the back light unit; a liquid crystal display panel on the lower polarization plate for displaying an image; an upper polarization plate on the liquid crystal display panel; an optical film bonded to the upper polarization plate; and a transparent material on the optical film for improving hardness of the optical film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Su Chang An, So Haeng Cho, Jae Hoon Park
  • Publication number: 20110128483
    Abstract: An optical film for reducing color shift is provided in front of a display panel of an LCD device. The optical film includes a background layer, and a plurality of lens parts, which are spaced apart from each other, engraved or embossed on the background layer. The color of light incident on the optical film from the display panel varies depending on the watching angle and the gray level due to birefringence by a liquid crystal in the display panel. The lens parts diffuse light incident thereon and then to mix the diffused light with light passing between the lens parts. The lens parts have a depth to width ratio of 0.25 or more, a spacing to pitch ratio ranging from 0.5 to 0.95, and a pitch of 45 ?m or less. An LCD device may include the optical film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG CORNING PRECISION MATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seong Sik Park, Eun Young Cho, Seung Won Park, In Sung Sohn
  • Patent number: 7950838
    Abstract: A light directing film and an optical system incorporating same are disclosed. The light directing film includes a first major surface and a microstructured second major surface. The microstructured second major surface has at least two periodic microstructured patterns. The first periodic pattern is arranged along a first direction. The second periodic pattern is arranged along a second direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Todd M. Johnson, Tetsuya Toma, Patrick H. Marushin
  • Patent number: 7952664
    Abstract: An array substrate of a reflective liquid crystal display device including gate and data lines on the substrate, a thin film transistor adjacent to where a gate line and a data line cross over each other, wherein the thin film transistor has a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode, a passivation layer with an uneven surface having curved profiles that are asymmetric over the thin film transistor, and an opaque conductive pixel electrode having a reflective surface with curved profiles that are asymmetric on the passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Su-Seok Choi, Hyun-Suk Jin
  • Patent number: 7948565
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device which improved brightness by preventing a wet out phenomenon caused by narrowing of a space between an upper polarizer and a touch panel is provided. The device includes a liquid crystal display panel for display images; a backlight unit for emitting light from the bottom of the liquid crystal display panel; upper and lower polarizers formed on top and bottom surfaces of the liquid crystal display panel, respectively; a light diffusion bead formed on the upper polarizer for controlling a haze of the upper polarizer; a support main for organizing the liquid crystal display panel and the backlight unit; a cover bottom for covering a lower surface and one side surface of the support main; a case top for covering and fixing the edges of the liquid crystal display panel and the cover bottom; and a touch panel, whose edges are fixed by the case top, formed on the upper polarizer formed with the light diffusion bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Heon Soo Ha, Jong Hyun Park
  • Publication number: 20110116017
    Abstract: Systems and methods for electronically controlling the viewing angle of a display using liquid crystal optical elements are provided. Each liquid crystal optical element may be associated with a respective scattering module and may selectively steer a device generated light beam to one of two or more scattering regions of its associated scattering module. When a scattering region receives a steered light beam, the steered light beam may be scattered into a viewing cone having at least one viewing angle defined by a characteristic of that scatter region. Each liquid crystal optical element may be made from one or more suitable liquid crystal materials that can be controlled electronically to vary the effective index of refraction of one or more different regions of the liquid crystal optical element, thereby steering incoming light towards a particular one of two or more scattering regions of an associated scattering module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: David S. Gere
  • Patent number: 7940461
    Abstract: An optical diffusion module comprises a first diffusion structure comprising a plurality of convex portions and a plurality of concave portions arranged alternatingly, and a second diffusion structure comprising a plurality of convex portions and a plurality of concave portions arranged alternatingly. Light from a light source passes through the first diffusion structure and the second diffusion structure sequentially, and each convex portion is adjacent to a plurality of concave portions and each concave portion is adjacent to a plurality of convex portions, and the convex portions, the concave portions and each junction of the convex and concave portions have a curvature different from 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chih-Chiang Chao, Po-Ling Shiao, Yu-Tsan Tseng, Cheng-Hsuan Lin, Mei Chun Lai
  • Patent number: 7907244
    Abstract: A transflective pixel structure including a scan line, a data line, a thin film transistor, a pixel electrode and an organic material layer is provided. The scan line and the data line are disposed over a substrate. The thin film transistor is disposed over the substrate and electrically connected to the scan line and the data line. The pixel electrode is disposed over a substrate and is electrically connected to the thin film transistor. The pixel electrode has a reflective region and a transmissive region. The organic material layer covers both the thin film transistor and the pixel electrode. The organic material layer disposed correspondently above the transmissive region of the pixel electrode has a plurality of refracting patterns on its upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventor: Ching-Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 7907243
    Abstract: A transflective pixel structure including a scan line, a data line, a thin film transistor, a pixel electrode and an organic material layer is provided. The scan line and the data line are disposed over a substrate. The thin film transistor is disposed over the substrate and electrically connected to the scan line and the data line. The pixel electrode is disposed over a substrate and is electrically connected to the thin film transistor. The pixel electrode has a reflective region and a transmissive region. The organic material layer covers both the thin film transistor and the pixel electrode. The organic material layer disposed correspondently above the transmissive region of the pixel electrode has a plurality of refracting patterns on its upper surface. The refracting patterns refract external light into the reflective region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventor: Ching-Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 7903340
    Abstract: An anti-glare film has a plurality of diffuser elements, and has specified optical properties. The ratio of I(?+1)/I(?) is more than 0.1 to 0.6, where I(?) is an intensity of a light reflected toward an arbitrary angle ? of 10° or less from a specular reflection direction of an incident light upon the surface at an angle of 5° to 30° from the surface normal, and I(?+1) is an intensity of a reflected light deviated from the arbitrary angle ? by 1° in a wide-angle direction. The gain of a light reflected in the direction at 20° or more from the specular reflection direction of the incident light is 0.02 or less, in which the gain is obtained by normalizing a reflected light intensity using a specular reflection intensity of a standard diffuse plate as 1. The diffuser elements have an average space therebetween of 50 to 300 micrometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Nagahama, Yumi Haga, Hitoshi Watanabe, Shinichi Matsumura
  • Patent number: 7894014
    Abstract: A backlight device that illuminates a transmissive liquid crystal panel is disclosed. The device includes: a plurality of light source substrates on which a plurality of light emitting devices irradiating illumination light are mounted; drive substrates having drive circuits for the light emitting devices and electrically connected to the light source substrates; a bottom chassis having one surface to which the plurality of light source substrates are attached; a reflector having openings corresponding to the light emitting devices and through which the light emitting devices are exposed, and reflecting the illumination light; a diffuser facing the one surface side of the reflector through a predetermined facing interval and internally diffusing the illumination light; and an optical function sheet laminate combined with the diffuser on one surface side thereof, containing a stack of a plurality of optical function sheets and guiding the illumination light to the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Kawase, Toshiaki Shirakuma
  • Patent number: 7894015
    Abstract: A backlight device that illuminates a transmissive liquid crystal panel is disclosed. The device includes: a plurality of light source substrates on which a plurality of light emitting devices irradiating illumination light are mounted; a bottom chassis having one surface to which the plurality of light source substrates are attached; a reflector having openings corresponding to the light emitting devices and through which the light emitting devices are exposed to one surface side, and reflecting the illumination light irradiated from the light emitting devices; a diffuser facing the one surface side of the reflector through a predetermined facing interval and internally diffusing the illumination light incident from the reflector; and an optical function sheet laminate combined with the diffuser on one surface side thereof, containing a stack of a plurality of optical function sheets and guiding the illumination light to the transmissive liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Kawase
  • Publication number: 20110019135
    Abstract: A panel unit is formed by sandwiching a liquid crystal display panel and a diffusion sheet between a front surface plate having a curved plane and a back surface plate having a curved plane. A light source unit is arranged on a back surface of the panel unit. The diffusion sheet is formed into an outward convex shape in the same manner as the liquid crystal display panel and hence, due to a lens action of the diffusion sheet, light from the light source unit is collected in the direction toward the center of a screen. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress a phenomenon that brightness in a periphery of the screen is reduced when the screen is viewed from a front side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Koganezawa
  • Publication number: 20110013127
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises an optically diffusively reflecting layer arranged to maximize utilization of incident light. The reflecting layer contains a thin metallic film with projections (14a) each having an unsymmetrical cross section to centralise reflected light in a specific azimuth direction (y). The range of viewing angles (?x-z, ?y-z) into which a substantial portion of the incident light is reflected is broader in the specific azimuth direction (y) than in another direction (x). The director (5d) of liquid crystal molecules initiallly lies in a plane (y-z) parallel to the specific azimuth direction (y) to achieve retardation self-compensation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventor: Satoru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7872711
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical sheet for a backlight unit of a TFT-LCD and a TFT-LCD including the same. The optical sheet of the present invention includes a transparent base sheet, and a light diffusion layer in which a diffusion pattern comprised of a plurality of protrusions is formed on the transparent base sheet. The diffusion pattern satisfies an aspect ratio of 0.8 or more, the aspect ratio being a ratio of a radius (l) of a unit body portion of the protrusion, which is formed on the transparent base sheet, to a thickness (d) of the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Toray Advanced Materials Korea Inc.
    Inventors: Jeong Tae Seo, Moon Bok Lee, Jun Sang Park
  • Patent number: 7864270
    Abstract: An electronic device (200) includes a display (202) and an LC shutter (204), at least a portion of which is operatively positioned over the display (202). The LC shutter (204) provides switching between a transparent state and a diffusive state with high image integrity, and high transmission in the transparent state. In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) further includes control logic (206) operatively coupled to the LC shutter (204) to provide control signals (212) to the LC shutter (204) to effect the transparent state. The LC shutter (204) includes a first dichroic polarizer (300), such as a broadband dichroic polarizer, an LC cell (304), and a diffusive reflective polarizer (307). The LC cell (304) is interposed between the first dichroic polarizer (300) and the diffusive reflective polarizer (307). Related methods are also set forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim Zhuang, Tomohiro Ishikawa, Robert Polak
  • Patent number: 7852451
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a liquid crystal display (LCD) includes forming an upper panel and a lower panel, applying a sealant to either one of the panels, adding a liquid crystal material within a boundary of the sealant, coupling the upper panel and the lower panel, and forming a sensor in an upper part of the upper panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong-Ho Kim, Hae-Young Yun, Sang-Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 7852435
    Abstract: A conventional liquid crystal display comprises a number of components, so that a manufacturing cost cannot be reduced. Furthermore, a large-area substrate has problems in shipping. According to this invention, a liquid-crystal panel is prepared by forming individual optically functional films, a TFT device and a light-emitting device on a long thin film and then laminating the film by a transfer process. A base film to be a substrate in a liquid-crystal panel preferably has a thickness of 10 ?m to 200 ?m, a curvature radius of 40 mm or less as a measure of flexibility and a coefficient of thermal expansion of 50 ppm/° C. or less. Furthermore, it more preferably gives a variation of ±5% or less in mechanical and optical properties to a thermal history at 200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignees: Kuraray Co., Ltd., Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc., JSR Corporation, Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited, Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd., Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc., Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd., Toray Industries, Inc., Toppan Printing Co., Ltd., NEC Corporation, Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuya Fujisawa, Tokuo Ikari, Kazuo Genda, Atsushi Kumano, Noboru Oshima, Yoshiki Matsuoka, Toshimasa Eguchi, Shigenori Yamaoka, Yoshiyuki Ono, Hisatomo Yonehara, Tatsumi Takahashi, Motoyuki Suzuki, Akimitsu Tsukuda, Norimasa Sekine, Kazushige Takechi, Ken Sumiyoshi, Ichiro Fujieda, Yasuo Tsuruoka
  • Patent number: 7838093
    Abstract: Provided are a multifunctional optical film having light transmission, light diffusion, heat resistance, UV-shielding properties, etc., due to the use of optical silicone resin(s), and showing improved production efficiency based on physical properties (e.g., release property, smoothness) of the silicone resin(s), and a surface light source device and a liquid crystal display employing the optical film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Optix Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Gun Kim, Eung Chan Lee, Seung Sang Hwang, Jae Hwan Shin
  • Patent number: 7834963
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical integrator panel is provided. The method comprises the steps of: suspending a plurality of elongate particles in a liquid; applying an electric or magnetic field to the suspension to orientate the particles with parallel longitudinal axes; and solidifying the liquid to fix the orientation of the particles, thereby forming an optical integrator panel having a homogeneous distribution of elongate particles. An optical integrator panel is also provided. The optical integrator panel is adapted to reduce the angular dependence of contrast of a liquid crystal display. Specifically, the optical integrator panel is for placement in the path of reflected or transmitted light emitted by the liquid crystal display. The optical integrator panel comprises: a solid transparent panel; and a plurality of elongate particles homogeneously distributed in the panel, wherein the plurality of elongate particles are orientated with parallel longitudinal axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Rifat A. M. Hikmet, Ties Van Bommel
  • Publication number: 20100283945
    Abstract: There is provided an optical sheet for use as a display device surface, which has a functional layer on at least one side of a transparent base material and has a diffusion factor on the outer surface and/or interior of the functional layer, wherein the relationship represented by the following formula (I) is satisfied. 2.1<Q/U<21.4??(I) Q (regular transmission intensity): Diffuse transmission intensity at 0 degrees. U (virtual regular transmission intensity): Transmission intensity which is a straight line connecting the transmission intensities at diffusion regular transmission ±2 degrees and diffusion regular transmission ±1 degree, extrapolated from the diffuse regular transmission angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventors: Takashi Kodama, Gen Furui, Makotto Honda
  • Publication number: 20100283944
    Abstract: There is provided an optical sheet for use as a display device surface, which has a functional layer on at least one side of a transparent base material and has a diffusion factor on the outer surface and/or interior of the functional layer, wherein the relationship represented by the following formula (I) is satisfied. 1.92<?<5.11??(I) ?: The diffusion angle representing 1/10 of the diffusion intensity, obtained by extrapolating a straight line connecting the reflection intensity at diffuse regular reflection±2 and the reflection intensity at diffuse regular reflection±1, to the diffuse regular reflection angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventors: Takashi Kodama, Gen Furui, Makoto Honda
  • Publication number: 20100283947
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal display panel; and first and second light diffusing layers, each of which has a first major surface and a second major surface and each of which is arranged such that the first major surface opposes a viewer side surface of the liquid crystal display panel. Each of the first and second light diffusing layers includes a first region formed of a first substance which has a first refractive index N1 and a plurality of second regions formed of a second substance which has a second refractive index N2 (<N1). The plurality of second regions are arranged in the first region at a predetermined pitch P in one direction in a plane parallel to the second major surface. Each of the plurality of second regions forms a plurality of interfaces with the first region, the interfaces being inclined by ?° from the normal of the second major surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Nishihara, Iori Aoyama, Tokio Taguchi, Akihiro Yamamoto, Masumi Kubo
  • Patent number: 7820071
    Abstract: A light modulating material comprising at least one kind of dichroic dye having a substituent represented by the following Formula (1) and at least one kind of host liquid crystal between a pair of electrodes, and changing the transmittance of incident light. In the formula (1), Het is oxygen atom or sulfur atom; B1 and B2 each independently represent an arylene group, a heteroarylene group or a bivalent cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group; Q1 represents a bivalent linking group; C1 represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an acyl group, or an acyloxy group; j represents 0 or 1; p, q and r each independently represent an integer from 0 to 5; n represents an integer from 1 to 3; (p+r)×n is an integer from 3 to 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kato, Koji Takaku, Naoyuki Hayashi, Akihide Osaku