Specifically For Guiding Light In A Front-lit Device Patents (Class 349/63)
  • Patent number: 8111354
    Abstract: A backlight unit having a LED light source includes a light guide plate partitioned in areas each having a tapered shape formed of a thick portion and a thin portion. The light guide plate is formed such that a thick portion and a thin portion are repeated at certain intervals, and the repeated thick portions and the repeated thin portions gradually decrease in thickness. The LED light source is attached to a lateral side of each thick portion. Grooves are formed in the light irradiation direction of the LED light source and in a direction perpendicularly intersecting the light irradiation direction. Each of the grooves is formed in an concave shape (V-shape or trapezoid-shape). There is a relation 0.2/30<=W/D<0.1 where D denotes the distance between the light guide plate and a light diffusion plate, and W denotes the width of each of the grooves. An inclination angle ? relative to the center of each of the grooves is between 9 and 15 degrees inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ouchi, Koichi Sakita, Hajime Inoue, Seiji Murata
  • Patent number: 8102484
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a transparent conductive layer formed adjacent one of two semiconductor layers having an active layer therebetween. The transparent conductive layer includes first and second transparent conductive regions with different electrical conductivities. The difference in electrical conductivities controls an amount or flow rate of current into the semiconductor layer adjacent the transparent conductive layer, and an electrode is at least partial aligned with the second transparent conductive region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Youl Lee, So Jung Kim, June O Song, Kwang Ki Choi
  • Patent number: 8094260
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) including an LCD panel and a back light module is provided. The back light module is disposed below the LCD panel. The back light module includes a planar light source, a reflective polarized light enhancement film, a first prism film and a ?/4 phase retardation film. The planar light source is disposed below the LCD panel, while the reflective polarized light enhancement film is disposed between the LCD panel and the planar light source. The first prism film is disposed between the reflective polarized light enhancement film and the planar light source. Besides, the ?/4 phase retardation film is disposed between the reflective polarized light enhancement film and the first prism film. The back light module has a relatively high light utilization rate, and the LCD has favorable display luminance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Wintek Corporation
    Inventors: Yi-Chun Wu, Chien-Chung Lee, Chun-Chi Chi, Chung-Hui Hu, Yu-Chen Liu, Tzung-Fu Lai, Ya-Ling Hsu, Zi-Chi Ye, Chong-Yang Fang, Ping-Yeng Chen, Kuo-Chang Su, Yu-Chen Ting
  • Patent number: 8085361
    Abstract: A liquid crystal module includes a rear frame, a light reflecting sheet, a plurality of U-shaped cold cathode tubes, an optical sheet and a liquid crystal panel. The light reflecting sheet is disposed on the rear frame. The U-shaped cold cathode tubes are disposed above the light reflecting sheet and arranged parallel to each other. Each of the U-shaped cold cathode tubes includes a U-shaped bent part and a pair of end portions extending from the U-shaped bent part. Widths of the U-shaped bent parts of the U-shaped cold cathode tubes are different from each other. Overall lengths of the U-shaped cold cathode tubes from one end portions to the other end portions along the U-shaped cold cathode tubes are equal to each other. The optical sheet is disposed above the U-shaped cold cathode tube. The liquid crystal panel is disposed above the optical sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuji Sudo
  • Publication number: 20110292320
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a backlight unit and a display device. The backlight unit includes a bottom cover, a light emitting device module disposed at the lower portion of the inside of the bottom cover, a light guide plate disposed adjacent to the light emitting device module and disposed in front of the bottom cover, at least one optical sheet and a reflective sheet disposed adjacent to the light guide plate, recesses, each of which is disposed with one opened side, disposed at the edges of at least one of the light guide plate, the reflective sheet and the at least one optical sheet, and protrusions disposed at one side of the bottom cover disposed with the light emitting device module so as to be inserted into the recesses of the at least one of the light guide plate, the reflective sheet and the at least one optical sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Dong Kug YU, Sung Yong Park, Young Bae Jang
  • Patent number: 8054414
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) device including upper and lower substrates facing each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, upper and lower polarization plates positioned on outer surfaces of the upper and lower substrates, respectively, and a beam steering film positioned on the upper polarization plate and including a plurality of curved-lenses formed on a surface of the beam steering film facing the upper polarization plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi Hyuck Park, Seung Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 8049838
    Abstract: A direct light type backlight unit and a color filterless liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus employing the same are provided. The direct light type backlight unit includes: a substrate; a plurality of light-emitting devices inclined with respect to the substrate; a diffraction grating which diffracts light emitted by the plurality of light-emitting devices at different angles according to wavelength and thereby separates the light into a plurality of color beams; and a plurality of reflectors, each reflector disposed at a side of one of the plurality of light-emitting devices, which reduces the range of angles of light incident on the diffraction grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Il-yong Jung
  • Patent number: 8045092
    Abstract: A multifunctional optical sheet for a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate diffusing incident light; a light-concentrating layer on the substrate and including a plurality of patterns that arranged to form alternating peaks and valleys; and reflection patterns between the substrate and the light-concentrating layer corresponding to the valleys of the light concentrating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Hun Jeong, Hyeuk-Chan Kwon, Man-Hoan Lee
  • Patent number: 8040459
    Abstract: A backlight (illuminating device) of the present invention is a tandem type backlight including a plurality of light-emitting units (11) including at least one point light source (5) and a light guide plate (7) for causing light from the at least one point light source to be diffused and surface-emitted. In each of the light-emitting units (11), a length X of a light guide area (9) is set so that an area, on a boundary surface between a light-emitting area (10) and the light guide area (9), of a cross-section of a light beam that is emitted from the at least one point light source (5) and is diffused in the light guide plate (7) is equal to or larger than an area of the boundary surface (interface). Moreover, a length X, in a length direction D1, of the light guide area is smaller than a length Y, in the length direction D1, of the light-emitting area, the length direction being a direction pointing from the at least one point light source (5) toward the light-emitting area (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuhsaku Ajichi, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 8040456
    Abstract: To sophisticate a portable electronic appliance without hindering reduction of the weight and the size, more specifically, to sophisticate a liquid crystal display apparatus installed in a portable electronic appliance without hindering the mechanical strength, a liquid crystal display apparatus includes a first plastic substrate, a light-emitting device which is disposed over the first plastic substrate, resin which covers the light-emitting device, an insulating film which is in contact with the resin, a semiconductor device which is in contact with the insulating film, a liquid crystal cell which is electrically connected to the semiconductor device, and a second plastic substrate, wherein the semiconductor device and the liquid crystal cell are disposed between the first plastic substrate and the second plastic substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toru Takayama, Junya Maruyama, Yuugo Goto, Yumiko Ohno, Akio Endo, Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 8040461
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display, comprising: a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module. The backlight module comprising: a reflection unit, a light emitting unit, and a compound diffusion plate structure. The light emitting unit has a plurality of light emitting components installed within the installation space of the reflection unit. The compound diffusion plate structure is placed on one side of the light emitting unit, comprising: a body unit and a printing micro diffusion unit. The body unit has a main layer, and a plurality of micro diffusion particles formed inside the body unit, allowing light to diffuse within the body unit. The printing micro diffusion unit has a plurality of convex lens units formed on a light entrance plane or a light exit plane of the body unit by means of printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Entire Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chao-Ying Lin, Ying Yuan Wu, Chun-Yu Lin, Jen-Huai Chang, Chung Yu Chen
  • Publication number: 20110249219
    Abstract: A display device includes a first layer having an optically active display portion, a second layer including a photovoltaic element, and a third layer including electronics operatively coupled to the first layer, wherein the electronics are configured to drive the optically active display portion. Further, the second layer is arranged between the first and third layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Allan EVANS, Stephen Day, Sunay Shah, Patrick Zebedee, Lesley Parry-Jones, Gareth Nicholas
  • Publication number: 20110242457
    Abstract: A composite color separation system, comprises: a light control module, a light guide module and a light splitting module. The light control module has a lighting unit and a lens unit, in which the lighting unit includes an array of lighting elements whereas there are at least two types of lighting elements in the array for emitting at least two beams of different wavelengths. The light from the lighting unit is directed to enter the lens unit before being discharged out of the light control module. The light guide module comprises: a first light incident surface, for receiving the beams from the light control module; a first light emergence surface; and a light guide structure, for guiding the beams to the first light emergence surface where they are discharged out of the light guide module to the light splitting module. The light splitting module is used for splitting the beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chi-Hung Lee, Hui-Hsiung Lin, Po-Chou Chen, Cheng-Huan Chen
  • Publication number: 20110242456
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a display device includes a display unit and a drive circuit. The display unit includes a first display region to display a first image and a second display region to display a second image. The display unit includes a first support substrate, a second support substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The second support substrate is disposed to oppose the first support substrate. The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first support substrate and the second support substrate and is held by the first support substrate and the second support substrate. The drive circuit drives the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Hioki, Rieko Fukushima, Takeshi Morino
  • Patent number: 8022615
    Abstract: A self emission device (644) that emits light (526). The self emission device can include at least one light emission layer (104) encompassing an area, and generating light over such area in a distributed fashion. The self emission device also can include a first electrode (113) interfacing with a first side (116) of the light emission layer and a second electrode (114) interfacing with a second side (117) of the light emission layer. The first electrode and the second electrode can provide energy used by the light emission layer to illuminate. The self emission device can be a component of a display (100) comprising a reflective display panel (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: XiaoPing Bai, Sen Yang, Wenyong Zhu
  • Patent number: 7986388
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate film for optical sheets, an optical sheet and a backlight unit which can markedly enhance utilization efficiency of rays of light and dramatically increase luminance and which are suited for immediate beneath type liquid crystal display modules and the like. The present invention is characterized by a substrate film for optical sheets formed into a rectangular shape and made of a resin, in which the substrate film for optical sheets has an optical anisotropy, and the absolute value of an angle of the crystal orientation with respect to the short side orientation is ?/8 or greater and 3?/8 or less. The retardation value of the substrate film is preferably 70 nm or greater and 320 nm or less. Matrix resin constituting the substrate film is preferably polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Keiwa Inc.
    Inventor: Kenichi Harada
  • Publication number: 20110176087
    Abstract: Disclosed are a backlight unit and a display device using the same. The backlight unit includes a light guide plate, a light emitting module provided on at least one lateral surface of the light guide plate to supply light to the light guide plate, and a bottom cover to contain the light guide plate and the light emitting module. The light emitting module includes a substrate including a plurality of through holes and a plurality of light emitting devices which are inserted into the through holes and spaced apart from the light guide plate at a first distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventor: Dong Wook PARK
  • Patent number: 7982821
    Abstract: A display device of the present invention includes: an illumination device that emits light; first and second substrates provided opposite each other; and the first substrate being disposed closer to the backlight device than the second substrate is; and a plurality of microlenses (2) provided on the surface, opposite the backlight device, of the first substrate, the plurality of microlenses converging light (7) emitted from the illumination device, the first substrate having a plurality of pixels (Px) disposed in a matrix, each of the pixels including: a transparent region (Tr) through which light passes; and a reflective region (Rf) from which light is reflected, wherein the light (7) emitted from the illumination device is converged onto the transparent region (Tr) through the microlens (2), wherein an uneven section (19) with convexities and concavities is provided between the neighboring microlenses (2) on the surface of the first substrate which surface is opposite the illumination device (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7978285
    Abstract: A surface light source includes a light source which selectively irradiates two polarized light beams in polarized states different from each other, a light guide plate which includes a transparent plate having two plate surfaces facing each other and end faces surrounding the plate surfaces, and irradiates the two polarized light beams form an irradiation surface, and an optical element which irradiates irradiated light from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate toward a direction substantially normal to the light guide plate upon changing the propagation direction of the irradiated light. A liquid crystal display apparatus includes this surface light source, a polarization control element which is placed on the observation side of the surface light source and rotates the polarization plane of linearly polarized light transmitted through one of partitioned first and second areas through a predetermined angle, and a liquid crystal display device placed on the observation side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Daiku
  • Patent number: 7969405
    Abstract: There is disclosed a double-sided liquid crystal display (LCD) panel which includes a first polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) layer configured to be responsive to an applied DC voltage for making the first PDLC layer substantially transparent; a center liquid crystal cell layer; a second PDLC layer configured to be responsive to an applied DC voltage for making the second PDLC layer substantially transparent; and an LCD control module configured to control the first and second PDLC layers such that the center liquid crystal cell layer is viewable from a selected viewing side. Depending on the selected viewing side, the LCD control module is configured to select one of the first and second PDLC layers to make substantially transparent, and the other of the first and second PDLC layers to make substantially translucent. A light source may be applied to a side of a translucent one of the PDLC layers to provide a backlight for the center liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Derek Kwan
  • Patent number: 7950816
    Abstract: It is an object to manufacture a highly reliable backlight device with less color unevenness and less luminance unevenness, and a high-performance and highly reliable display device including the backlight device, which can display a high quality image. A light emitting diode (LED) is used as a light source of a backlight device and thermoelectric elements are provided in a chassis for holding the light emitting diode so as to surround the light emitting diode (the thermoelectric elements are provided under the light emitting diode and on the four sides thereof). A temperature in the backlight device is adjusted by cooling and heating by the thermoelectric elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Moriya, Takeshi Nishi
  • Patent number: 7944524
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the provision of a high-contrast display apparatus. The display apparatus of the present invention includes a light source, a display section having an electro-optical conversion device for transmitting or scattering light introduced from the light source, light control means for reflecting the light introduced from the light source at a prescribed reflection angle, and a light reflecting member for causing the light reflected by the light control means and transmitted through the electro-optical conversion device to be reflected outside the field of view of a viewer who is viewing the display section straight on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Akiyama, Sachiko Kawada
  • Patent number: 7924368
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a light diffusing layer attached to a reflective polarizing layer. An intermediate region between the light diffusing layer and the reflective polarizing layer includes an intermediate structure that defines voids between the light diffusing layer and the reflective polarizing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ryan T. Fabick, Stephen J. Etzkorn, Mark D. Gehlsen
  • Publication number: 20110069255
    Abstract: A backlight unit that is easy to slim and simplify the configuration is disclosed. The backlight unit includes: a lower case with an opened upper surface; at least one light source unit disposed at an inner side surface of the lower case; and a modularized optical unit disposed parallel to the light source unit and configured to include a light guide plate and optical sheets which are accommodated into a reflection sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventors: Sang Joon CHOI, Young Min Kweon, Sang Ryeon Park, Jae Yong Ryu, Sung Sik Son
  • Patent number: 7894012
    Abstract: A backlight device includes projections disposed on the back side of a light guide plate, and engagement holes engaging with the projections formed in a housing. The projections of the light guide plate are engaged with the engagement holes in the housing to prevent displacement of the light guide plate caused by vibration and impact. One surface of each projection is flush with a light incident surface, the area of that cross-section of each projection which is parallel or substantially parallel to the light incident surface is set such that it continuously decreases as the section is farther away from the light incident surface, and as a result, occurrence of a bright line and a dark line is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuhji Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20110037924
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes at least three layers respectively including members that transmit light when voltages are applied to the members and disperse the light when the voltages are not applied to the members; light-emitting units that respectively emit light beams of different colors from side surfaces of the at least three layers; transparent layers sealed in spaces among the at least three layers, the transparent layers having a refractive index such that the light beams respectively emitted on the at least three layers from the light-emitting units are totally internally reflected by the at least three layers; and a display control unit that individually switches on and off the voltages to be applied to the at least three layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: SONY ERICSSON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS AB
    Inventor: Nobuhiko KIDO
  • Patent number: 7887208
    Abstract: A direct type back-light device comprising: a reflection plate; a plurality of linear light sources disposed in parallel; and a light diffusion plate disposed, in this order, in which the light diffusion plate includes on at least one main surface a plurality of concave or convex structural units each having three or more sloped sides, has a maximum height Rz of the main surface having the structural units being not more than 1000 ?m, and in a vertical cross section of the light diffusion plate, which lies immediately above a region between central axes of adjacent linear light sources and in which a direction perpendicular to a central axis direction of the linear light source is defined as a cutting-plane line, includes a portion: in which the number of lines representing the sloped sides n of which gradients Xn (unit:degree, where n is a natural number and is a subindex for representing each sloped side) differ is 2 or more, and in which all gradients Xn have, between an average distance aL(mm) between the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Zeon Corporation
    Inventor: Keisuke Tsukada
  • Patent number: 7880826
    Abstract: Disclosed is a light guide plate, comprising a light guide plate body and a plurality of micro mirrors formed on an upper surface of the light guide plate body for controlling a reflection direction of light incident on the light guide plate. The amount of light output from a backlight module using the light guide plate can be controlled by adjusting an angle of each of the micro mirrors with respect to an incident light from a light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Beijing Boe Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jian Guo, Kiyong Kim, Weifeng Zhou, Xing Ming
  • Patent number: 7876397
    Abstract: A backlight (5) for a 3D display device, the backlight (5) comprising a planar light guide (7) through which light is guided transversely by internal reflection. The light guide (7) is provided with a plurality of grooves (8), which are configured to direct light propagating within the light guide (7), out of a face (7f) of the light guide (7) so as to form a plurality of line light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Marcellinus P. C. M. Krijn, Willem L. Ijzerman, Siebe T. De Zwart, Hugo J. Cornelissen
  • Patent number: 7872705
    Abstract: A LCD system including multiple light sources optically coupled through different light entry regions to at least one waveguide element positioned to backlight a LCD panel. A LCD system including multiple light sources coupled to light entry regions of two or more waveguides comprising a waveguide system positioned to backlight a LCD panel. Waveguides of various configurations and promoting even lighting of associated LCD panels are provided. Resulting LCD systems enable uniformly lit panels having diagonal measurements in excess of 12 to 14 inches, but the invention is not limited to panels of any particular size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas W. Medendorp, Jr., Norbert Hiller, Russell G. Villard
  • Publication number: 20110007241
    Abstract: A polarized light emitting light guide plate includes: a transparent substrate of optically isotropic material, in which the light incident through a lateral side thereof travels; an anisotropic liquid crystal polymer layer formed on an upper surface of the substrate and having first and second refractive indices with respect to first and second perpendicular polarization components; and a polarization separation microstructure formed at an interface between the transparent substrate and the liquid crystal polymer layer, which refracts or reflects the first polarization component and transmits the second polarization component. The refractive index of the polarization separation microstructure is substantially equal to the refractive index of the substrate; the first refractive index of the liquid crystal polymer layer is greater than the refractive index of the substrate, and the second refractive index of the liquid crystal polymer layer light is substantially equal to the refractive index of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seong-mo HWANG, Dong-ho WEE, Seung-ho NAM
  • Patent number: 7864258
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel assembly includes a liquid crystal panel, a backlight module having at least one light emitting diode (LED) light source to irradiate light to the liquid crystal panel, and a housing which surrounds the liquid crystal panel and the backlight module. At least a portion of the housing adjacent to the at least one LED light source is formed of a thermal-conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-hyun Cho, Joon Kang
  • Patent number: 7862179
    Abstract: A dual-mode projection apparatus has a projection module for projecting an image onto a projection surface. An image sensor module captures images of the projection surface and determines spatial and temporal characteristics of a visible light spot superimposed on the projection surface. A communications module transmits the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot to a remote device for remote control of the device based on the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jizhang Shan, Jin Li
  • Patent number: 7855765
    Abstract: In a backlight which arranges light emitting diodes on a side surface of a light guide plate, even when the light emitting diodes having a thickness larger than a thickness of the light guide plate are used, it is possible to manufacture the light guide plate with high accuracy by injection molding. In a liquid crystal display device having a backlight which radiates light to a liquid crystal panel, LEDs are mounted on the light guide plate formed on the backlight as a light emitting element, and an S-shaped inclined portion whose thickness is not changed is formed on the light guide plate from a light incident surface to a light emitting surface of the light guide plate. Since the thickness of the inclined portion is not changed, it is possible to make the pressure of resin flow at the time of performing injection molding uniform thus manufacturing the light guide plate with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Hitachi Display Devices, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takahashi, Masayuki Mifune, Ken Kagabu, Hidehiro Hanada, Nobuyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7855763
    Abstract: A backlight device includes: a first prism sheet which has a triangular prism row on a major surface thereof; a first light source which emits light having directivity in a slanted direction with respect to a normal line direction of a light outgoing surface of the first prism sheet in opposite side to the triangular prism row side so as to enter into the triangular prism row of the first prism sheet; and a second light source which emits light having directivity in the normal line direction of the light outgoing surface of the first prism sheet so as to enter into the triangular prism row of the first prism sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akimasa Yuuki, Kyoichiro Oda, Naoko Iwasaki, Shin Tahata, Toru Kokogawa
  • Patent number: 7852429
    Abstract: A display device includes a display panel, a flexible printed circuit, and a holder that holds the display panel and the flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit connects to a top surface of the display panel and is bent in the vicinity of a side surface of the display panel, and a part of the flexible printed circuit is disposed between a back of the display panel and the holder, the holder having an opening or a depression in a vicinity of the side surface of the display panel. The flexible printed circuit deflects so that a portion of the part of the flexible printed circuit board projects into a space in the opening or the depression of the holder, as viewed in section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Kondo, Tsutomu Sato, Kosuke Matsubara, Toshimitsu Matsudo
  • Patent number: 7852423
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a main support supporting a liquid crystal panel and a back light unit, a printed circuit board attached to the liquid crystal panel to provide driving signals to the liquid crystal panel, a separation part between the printed circuit board and the main support creating a gap therebetween, and a holder holding the printed circuit board and the main support together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won Yong Park
  • Patent number: 7847880
    Abstract: A light guiding plate, a backlight assembly having the light guiding plate and a display device having the backlight assembly include a light guiding plate body, a polarization transformation layer on a surface of the light guiding plate body to transform a polarization component of light emitted through the light guiding plate, and a polarization extraction layer on the polarization transformation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joong-Hyun Kim, In-Sun Hwang
  • Patent number: 7847883
    Abstract: The invention is directed to the higher contrast in a liquid crystal display device (LCD) having a lighting portion as a front light. A lighting portion is formed by interposing an organic EL layer between a transparent substrate and a transparent substrate. A light shield layer is formed covering a cathode layer of the organic EL element layer. The lighting portion is disposed above the reflective LCD. The reflective LCD has a polarizing plate, a light scattering layer, an opposing substrate, a common electrode, a liquid crystal layer, and a TFT substrate. When the refractive indexes of seven layers of an anode layer, the transparent substrate, a resin layer, the polarizing plate, the light scattering layer, the opposing substrate, and the common electrode are defined as n(1), n(2), n(3), n(4), n(5), n(6), and n(7) respectively, the relation of 1.33>n(k)/n(k+1)>0.75(k=1?6) holds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
    Inventor: Norio Koma
  • Patent number: 7843527
    Abstract: A display device includes a lower substrate, comprising reflective display pixel electrodes, an upper substrate and a liquid crystal layer provided between the substrates. A light source is provided on the upper substrate for illuminating the display electrodes through the liquid crystal layer. This arrangement provides a top light as an integrated structure within the liquid crystal display structure. The illumination can be efficiently provided to the pixel electrodes. This means that a light source pattern used can provide small light source areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: TPO Displays Corp.
    Inventors: Nigel David Young, Steve Battersby
  • Patent number: 7841749
    Abstract: A backlight assembly includes a light source and an optical member disposed over the light source and including a surface that has a plurality of lens-shaped portions and at least one prism-shaped portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Soo Kim, Jung-Wook Paek, Byung-Yun Joo, Ju-Hwa Ha, Jin-Sung Choi
  • Publication number: 20100283941
    Abstract: A vertically aligned type liquid crystal display panel with wide viewing angles and high display quality can be provided with high production efficiency. A liquid crystal display panel of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal layer of a vertically aligned type; a light-incident side substrate and a light-outgoing side substrate which oppose each other via the liquid crystal layer; a microlens array provided on a light-outgoing side of the light-outgoing side substrate, which includes a plurality of microlenses; an optical film which includes a first polarizing plate provided on a light-outgoing side of the microlens array; and an optical film which includes a second polarizing plate provided on a light-incident side of the light-incident side substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventors: Tadashi Nemoto, Seishi Kosegawa, Naru Usukura, Takehiro Murao, Satoshi Shibata, Takuma Tomotoshi
  • Patent number: 7808475
    Abstract: Backlight support is provided for flat panel displays through use of phospho-luminescent materials. Photo-luminescent materials are integrated into a flat panel display such as an LCD display as a back panel substrate or by embedding in display pixels. When ambient light levels exceed a predetermined threshold the material is activated allowing a reduction in active backlight power. The active backlight may be provided by an electrically supported system such as an ELP, a light pipe, an LED, etc. By reducing the power of the active backlight in an analog manner or through decreasing the duty cycle, an overall power savings is accomplished for the display. By embedding different photo-luminescent materials that operate at different wavelengths, color display may be enhanced while reducing power consumption. Display properties, such as transparency, contrast, etc., may be adjusted to affect phospho-luminescent backlight support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Shawn M. Brown
  • Patent number: 7804555
    Abstract: An LCD includes a transmissive liquid crystal panel, a front light unit placed in front of the transmissive liquid crystal panel and providing light for image display, and a light control unit placed at the rear of the transmissive liquid crystal panel and reflecting or transmitting incident light. A mobile station includes: an LCD having a transmissive liquid crystal panel, a front light unit placed in front of the transmissive liquid crystal panel and providing light for image display and a light control unit placed at the rear of the transmissive liquid crystal panel and reflecting or transmitting incident light, a communication unit for communicating with an exterior, and a control unit controlling the communication unit and the image display of the LCD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Ho Kim, Hyun Ha Hwang
  • Patent number: 7804561
    Abstract: A cyan-colored composition for a color filter contains a phthalocyanine blue pigment comprising either of C.I. Pigment Blue 15:3 and C.I. Pigment Blue 15:4, or both, a phthalocyanine green pigment comprising C.I. Pigment Green 7, and a pigment carrier consisting of a transparent resin, a precursor of the resin or a mixture thereof. A color filter includes a red-colored filter segment, a green-colored filter segment, a blue-colored filter segment, and a cyan-colored filter segment or a yellow-colored filter segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sasaki, Kazunori Yamada, Yusuke Iida, Noriko Asashi
  • Patent number: 7800715
    Abstract: In front of a liquid crystal display element, a surface light source is arranged which emits a light toward the liquid crystal display element and lets lights coming from its front and its back permeate therethrough. The liquid crystal display element has reflection/permeation means which is provided behind a liquid crystal cell and a liquid crystal layer, and which reflects a part of a light that comes to each of a plurality of pixels from the front of the liquid crystal cell, and lets the other part of the light permeate the reflection/permeation means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Nishino, Norihiro Arai, Kunpei Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20100231825
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes: a substrate; reflective layers formed upon the substrate; and light-emitting layers formed upon respective reflective layers and disposed so as to overlap the respective reflective layers when viewed from above. The reflective layers are formed in a convex shape protruding toward the respective light-emitting layers, and when reflecting light irradiated from the light-emitting layers, diffuse and reflect the light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norio KOMA, Kenji TANASE, Yasushi KARASAWA, Tadayoshi IKEHARA
  • Patent number: 7796234
    Abstract: A device display includes a light guide with an optical fiber embedded in an optically transparent material, a pixel array that has a pixel aligned with a first end of the optical fiber, and a reflective mechanism provided at a second end of the optical fiber. The reflective mechanism is capable of reflecting light, received by the pixel, back to the pixel via the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Mats Kleverman, Gunnar Klinghult, Mats Wernersson
  • Patent number: 7796211
    Abstract: An exemplary backlight module (20) includes a light guide plate (250) including a light incident surface (251), a frame (280) accommodating the light guide plate and including a side wall (281), light emitting units (270) adjacent to the light incident surface of the light guide plate, and elastic members (240). The elastic members are detachably engaged with the side wall of the frame. Each elastic member is configured to elastically urge a corresponding light emitting unit such that the light emitting unit abuts the light incident surface of the light guide plate. In other examples, each elastic member elastically urges the side wall of the frame, or elastically urges the light guide plate. A liquid crystal display device using the backlight module is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventor: Chih-Chia Yu
  • Patent number: 7777833
    Abstract: A double-side illumination apparatus includes a light source, an isotropic light guide plate including an incident plane on which light emitted from the light source is incident, an opposite plane facing the incident plane, and upper and lower surfaces through which the light is out-coupled. Isotropic micro-structures are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the isotropic light guide plate, respectively, and first and second anisotropic layers are respectively formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the isotropic light guide plate so as to completely cover the isotropic micro-structures. Herein, the first and second anisotropic layers have different refractive indices with respect to light having first and second polarization components that are perpendicular to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong-mo Hwang, Dong-ho Wee, Seung-ho Nam