Specifically For Guiding Light In A Front-lit Device Patents (Class 349/63)
  • Patent number: 6879354
    Abstract: Featured are a front-illuminating device including a light source and first and second light-directing bodies. The first light-directing body is disposed in front of an object to be illuminated and has a first light-releasing surface from which light is released to the object to be illuminated and a second light-releasing surface, placed face to face with the first light-releasing surface, for releasing light reflected from the object to be illuminated. The second light-releasing surface also is formed into a step shape and includes slanting portions that reflect light mainly from the light source toward the first light-releasing surface. The second light-directing body is disposed between the first light-directing body and the object to be illuminated and is configured and arranged so a distance from each of the slanting portions to the surface of the second light-directing body second surface is essentially uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Sawayama, Yukihiro Sumida, Takeshi Masuda, Tsuyoshi Ebi
  • Patent number: 6871976
    Abstract: A light guiding plate guides light from a light source and irradiates the light onto a display portion. The light guiding plate has an incidence plane, which permits light to enter the light guiding plate, an opposite and plane opposite to the incidence plane an exit plane facing the display portion, and a reflection-exit plane opposite to the exit plane. A plurality of grooves are formed on the reflection exit plane. In any adjacent pair of the grooves, the depth of the groove closer to the opposite end plane is equal to or greater than the depth of the groove closer to the incidence plane. The depth of the grooves substantially increase from the incidence plane toward the opposite end plane. This improves the uniformity of brightness distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Eiki Niida, Fumikazu Isogai, Yasuya Mita, Norihito Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 6866393
    Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) is constituted by a light pipe which emits incident light from an incident side from the other surface of its upper and lower surfaces through light emitting means formed on the one of them, a plane light source device with a light source arranged on one or more sides of the light pipe, and a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel having a reflective layer. The light emitting side of the plane light source device and the visual recognition side of the LCD panel are bonded to each other through an adhesive layer having a refractive index lower than that of the light pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Shuuji Yano, Seiji Umemoto
  • Patent number: 6863413
    Abstract: In a plane light source unit, a light pipe including an upper surface, a lower surface, and an incidence side surface, and including a light output means formed in the upper surface so that light incident on the incidence side surface exits from the lower surface through the light output means while light incident on the lower surface is transmitted through the upper surface; and a linear light source disposed on the incidence side surface of the light pipe, the linear light source having an effective light emission region which is longer than the longitudinal length of the incidence side surface. Information light generated on the lower surface of the light pipe is transmitted and made visible through the upper surface of the light pipe. Further provided is a reflection type liquid-crystal display device in which a liquid-crystal cell is disposed on a lower surface of the above-mentioned plane light source unit, the liquid-crystal cell including a reflection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Umemoto
  • Patent number: 6847424
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal display includes a reflective liquid-crystal panel, a light guiding plate disposed on the reflective liquid-crystal panel, a polarizer arranged between a liquid-crystal layer of the reflective liquid-crystal panel and the light guiding plate, and a light source disposed on a side surface of the light guiding plate. Light emitted from the light source propagates through the light guiding plate and has a primary direction. A smaller one of two angles between a projection of the primary direction onto the reflective liquid-crystal panel and an absorption axis of the light guiding plate is at least 50°. This resultantly improves performance of the liquid-crystal display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Display Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Gotoh, Tetsuya Hamada, Tetsuya Kobayashi, Keiji Hayashi, Toshihiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6836314
    Abstract: An optical device and a display apparatus of the present invention are constructed so as to improve display characteristics of output light intensity, display contrast, and reduction of scattered light due to external light, and also to provide a large-screen. The optical device has a first stacked body and a plurality of second stacked bodies. The first stacked body includes a light guide, a first electrode, and an optical control layer. The second stacked body includes a plurality of second electrodes, the reflection film and a substrate. There is an optical control layer which changes in scattering degree or diffraction efficiency by an electric field applied by said first electrode and said second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Munekazu Date, Shiro Suyama, Kinya Kato, Kazutake Uehira
  • Patent number: 6825895
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal display apparatus having a liquid-crystal panel, the liquid-crystal panel including a lower transparent substrate having a transparent electrode on at least one of its opposite surfaces, an upper transparent substrate having a transparent electrode opposite to the transparent electrode of the lower substrate, and liquid crystal held between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, wherein the upper substrate is thicker than the lower substrate. Preferably, the thickness of the lower substrate is not larger than ⅔ as large as the thickness of the upper substrate in order to achieve reduction in thickness and weight more effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuki Nakano, Toshihiko Ariyoshi, Seiji Umemoto, Hideo Abe, Ryoji Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 6819380
    Abstract: A double-sided LCD panel is comprised of a transflective LCD panel and a light-emitting device. One surface of the transflective panel is used in the transparent mode, and the other surface is used in the reflective mode, achieving the goal of double-sided display. The light-emitting device may function as the front light source of the display surface in the reflective mode and the backlit source of the display surface in the transparent mode. In this manner, one can use a single panel for double screen display. This can simultaneously satisfy the requirements of light-weighted products and lowering the manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Toppoly Optoelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chi-Jain Wen, Dai-Liang Ting, Li-Sen Chuang, Shyuan-Jeng Ho, I-Wei Wu
  • Patent number: 6819393
    Abstract: An optical device and a display apparatus of the present invention are constructed so as to improve display characteristics of output light intensity, display contrast, and reduction of scattered light due to external light, and also to provide a large-screen. The optical device has a first stacked body and a plurality of second stacked bodies. The first stacked body includes a light guide, a first electrode, and an optical control layer. The second stacked body includes a plurality of second electrodes, the reflection film and a substrate. At least one of said first electrode and said second electrode has a periodic structure for inducing a fine periodic structure for light diffraction in said optical control layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Munekazu Date, Shiro Suyama, Kinya Kato, Kazutake Uehira
  • Publication number: 20040223094
    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, a source of light arranged on an end surface side of the light guide plate, and the reflection-type liquid crystal display panel arranged maintaining a predetermined gap relative to the light guide plate, wherein a light-diffusing function is imparted to the surface of the reflection-type liquid crystal display panel on the side facing the light guide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: FUJITSU DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hamada, Kunihiro Tashiro, Mari Sugawara, Toshihiro Suzuki, Hidefumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6806921
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display panel, an illumination unit including a light-conducting plate having a protrusion protruded from a side surface of the light-conducting plate, and a housing having a bottom plate and a casing provided onto a bottom plate peripheral area for holding the light-conducting plate. A depression portion is formed to the casing of the housing. An inside of the bottom plate peripheral area is processed from roots of the end surfaces along the end surfaces so that a first slit which continues to the end surfaces is formed. The casing in a position separated from the end surfaces with a predetermined interval and an inside of the bottom plate peripheral area in this position are processed so that a second slit is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Nishida, Hiroyuki Nakano, Yuji Obuchi
  • Patent number: 6806922
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a surface light-emitting device. The surface light-emitting device includes a light source and a light guide panel having a light incident surface provided on an end surface thereof for introducing light from the light source and an exit surface from which the light is radiated. The light guide panel includes a reflecting surface which faces the exit surface and which is provided with a plurality of grooves formed sequentially in a stripe pattern, each of the grooves having a gentle slope and a steep slope whose slope angle is steeper than that of the gentle slope. The direction in which the amount of light radiated from the exit surface of the light guide panel is maximized defines an angle of 1° to 10° with respect to the normal line of the exit surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Ishitaka
  • Patent number: 6806920
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel in which a liquid crystal layer is interposed between a pair of substrates, a front light unit that illuminates the liquid crystal panel, and a cell case that cooperates with the front light unit to sandwich the liquid crystal panel. The front light unit comprises a light source section, a plate-shaped light guide body that guides light from the light source section to the liquid crystal panel, and a frame-shaped protection member mounted on a peripheral portion of the light guide body and engaged with the cell case, thus integrally holding the liquid crystal panel and the light guide body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shunichiro Hayashi, Satoru Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 6791639
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device of a direct view type, a lenticular lens sheet is provided in the backside of a liquid crystal display panel. Light emitted to a lens of the lenticular lens sheet is first converged in the liquid crystal display panel, and then diffused. When the light is emitted from the liquid crystal display panel, the radiation distribution thereof is widened. Thus, a bright display screen even when seen from a wide angle can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Evan George Colgan, Fuad Elias Doany, Rama Nand Singh, Masaru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6791635
    Abstract: A LCD comprises a surface light source device of side light type for auxiliary lighting. A fluorescent lamp is turned on to supply primary light to be introduce into a guide plate. A back face (upper face) of the guide plate provides a light control face including an emission promoting surface to promote emission from an illumination output face (lower face). The illumination output face provides a specular face without scattering power. Illumination light L2 introduced into the guide plate escapes gradually from the back face and the illumination output face on the way of propagation. Some of illumination light emitted from the illumination output face reaches a reflection plate after transmitting a liquid crystal cell and polarization plates. Quantity of light reaching the reflection plate depends on directions of transmission polarization planes of first and second polarization plates as well as state of a liquid crystal layer (depending on voltage applied to transparent electrodes).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Ohkawa, Kazumasa Ohsumi
  • Patent number: 6784952
    Abstract: A reflection type semiconductor display device which can make satisfactory display even when external light is not satisfactorily intense is provided. A reflection type semiconductor display device according to the present invention can take in light other than incident light on a liquid crystal panel to be an auxiliary light source using optical fibers, and thus, display of high quality level can be made even indoors or in a place where light is faint. Further, by combining the semiconductor display device with a front light, insufficient amount of light can be supplemented with the front light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6784958
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) that minimizes moiré phenomenon to prevent display performance degradation in the LCD is provided. The present invention also minimizes loss of the light supplied to a LCD panel and achieves high luminance with low power consumption. When a light transforming unit for uniformly forming light distribution of light supplied from a light source is overlapped with a reflective electrode of the reflective type LCD, the moiré is generated. The more and light leakage generated in the light transforming unit are prevented by changing in a structure of the light transforming unit. Therefore, a display operation of the reflective type LCD operates normally even in a dark place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong-Kyu Jang
  • Patent number: 6781654
    Abstract: A mobile terminal having a liquid crystal display apparatus, which includes a liquid crystal panel having a polygonal flat shape and an adhesion member installed on at least one part among edges except corner parts at the flat portion of the liquid crystal panel. The mobile terminal includes a transmission and reception unit positioned at one side of a case, an input adjusting unit exposed to external portion of the case, a control unit, and a liquid crystal display driving unit operated by an output signal of the control unit, Accordingly, the mobile terminal with the liquid crystal display apparatus features improved durability and reliability since the liquid crystal panel has minimized spot generation that may occur from physical impacts, temperature changes or applied wrenching loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Young Ho Kim, Seong Woo Choi, Sang Yong Lee, Young Sik Ha, Soo Ho An
  • Patent number: 6781647
    Abstract: A LCD device includes a LCD unit and a front light unit disposed in front of the LCD unit. The front light unit has a transparent electrode, an organic EL layer and a patterned non-transparent electrode. The non-transparent electrode has a mesh structure for defining light emission areas and transparent areas of the organic EL layer, which are arranged alternately. The light emitted by the light emission areas irradiate the LCD unit. The light reflected by reflective members of the LCD unit passes through the transparent areas of the organic EL layer and reaches to the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Ichiro Fujieda
  • Patent number: 6774964
    Abstract: In a reflection type display apparatus in which a forward lightening apparatus is arranged in front of a reflection type display panel, lowering of contrast occurred when the forward lightening apparatus is turned ON is prevented. In this reflection type display apparatus, the forward lightening apparatus is adhered via an adhesive layer to a front surface of the reflection type display panel having a reflection plane. The reflection plane is constituted by a large number of first very fine patterns having a spherical shape, and a large number of second very fine patterns whose front surfaces are inclined. External light which is vertically entered into the front surfaces is reflected by the first patterns, and thereafter, the reflected external light is projected as a display along a forward direction. The forward lightening apparatus is arranged by providing a light source on a side surface of a light conducting plate having a wedge shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Funamoto, Motohiko Matsushita, Masayuki Shinohara, Masaaki Ikeda, Shigeru Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20040125271
    Abstract: A dual mode liquid crystal display device comprising an upper substrate, a lower substrate and a liquid crystal layer between the upper and the lower substrate is provided. The lower substrate further includes a first thin film transistor, a second thin film transistor, a reflective electrode connected to the first thin film transistor, and a regional light-emitting source connected to the second thin film transistor. The first thin film transistor and its electrically connected reflective electrode and the second thin film transistor and its electrically connected light-emitting diode can be positioned inside two separate pixel regions or inside a single pixel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Ivan Yang-En Wu, Jian-Shen Yu, Fu-Jen Ko
  • Patent number: 6747714
    Abstract: The invention provides a transflective liquid crystal display with bright transmissive display. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal held between a pair of substrates, a transflector disposed inside the liquid crystal cell, a backlight disposed outside the liquid crystal cell, and a retardation film disposed between the liquid crystal cell and the backlight. The backlight includes a light guide plate and a light source, a diffusing polarizer disposed on one surface of the light guide plate and a reflector disposed on the other surface. A retardation film, separate from the above retardation film, is provided between the light guide plate and the reflector of the above backlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Patent number: 6746130
    Abstract: A light control sheet suitable for direction-controlling an angularly extending oblique input light, surface light source device and LCD using the light control sheet. A light control sheet is disposed along an emission face of a light guide plate direction-controls main and subsidiary light fluxes to cause them to be emitted toward a desired direction. Main beam S1 emitted from the emission face transmits (with a small refraction) through a first face, being inner-reflected (total reflection) by a first slope region and then outputted from a light output face (SS1). First subsidiary beam T1 transmits (with a small refraction) through the first face, being inner-reflected (total reflection) by a second slope region and then outputted from the light output face (TT1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 6742921
    Abstract: A light pipe includes a plate-like member having light output means formed in its upper surface so that light incident on an incidence side surface of the plate-like member is exited from the lower surface of the plate-like member through the light output means, an adhesive layer having a refractive index lower than that of the plate-like member, and (i) an anti-reflection layer made of a circularly polarizer and bonded to a lower surface of the plate-like member through the adhesive layer or (ii) a light-diffusing layer having a surface of fine prismatic structures and bonded to a lower surface of the plate-like member through the adhesive layer. A plane light source unit includes at least one light source disposed on one side surface of the light pipe. A reflection type liquid-crystal display device includes the plane light source unit and a liquid-crystal cell including a reflection layer disposed on the light output side of the plane light source unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Umemoto, Toshihiko Ariyoshi, Takao Suzuki, Shuuji Yano
  • Patent number: 6742907
    Abstract: An illumination device is provided of the type arranged at the front which is of low power consumption and of high recognisability both when the illumination is turned on and when illumination is turned off. An illumination device arranged at the front face of an illuminated object has a light-guide plate forming a transparent flat plate shape and formed with point-form optical extraction structures on its surface or in a position facing this surface, and a light source arranged opposite and end face of this light-guide plate. The light source is for example a point light source. The optical extraction structures are for example pillar-shaped projections and these are arranged two-dimensionally. The function is provided that, when this illumination device is arranged at the front of the illuminated body, rays are projected on to the illuminated body and rays reflected by the illuminated body are transmitted with scarcely any dispersion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuaki Funamoto, Osamu Yokoyama, Satoru Miyashita, Kanemitsu Kubota
  • Patent number: 6738112
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprising: a first substrate (1) made of a transparent material, provided with signal electrodes and/or display electrodes (9) formed on one face thereof; a second substrate (2) made of a transparent material, provided with opposed electrodes (12) formed thereon; and liquid crystal sealed in-between the first substrate (1) and the second substrate (2) oppositely disposed opposite to each other with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween such that each of the signal electrodes or the display electrodes (9) face each of the opposed electrodes (12) so as to form a pixel. Further, a white diffusing film (22) and a reflector (25) are disposed in that order from of the first substrate (1) side on the second substrate (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanetaka Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6738051
    Abstract: A frontlit touch panel for use with a reflective light valve, comprising a front light guide having at least one light input face that supplies light to the guide, a viewing face, a light output face opposite the viewing face, and at least one component of a touch-sensitive transducer, the light output face having a light extraction layer thereon having a substantially flat light exit face and containing buried reflective facets that extract supplied light from the guide through the light exit face. The touch panel can be used with a light source, reflective light valve and suitable control electronics to form a compact, efficient illuminated touch panel display assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Gary T. Boyd, Stephan J. Pankratz
  • Patent number: 6738116
    Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal display device having a structure providing high contrast even if there is undesired light. The structure includes a light-guiding plate for receiving, from a light-incident surface, light coming from a light source, and for allowing the light to exit from a bottom surface; a reflective liquid crystal display panel opposed to the bottom surface of the light-guiding plate; and a prism disposed on the side of a top surface of an upper substrate of the liquid crystal display panel. The prism has a surface that is substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the upper substrate, and a tilted surface which is tilted towards a side opposite to the light source from a crest line of the substantially perpendicular surface at a tilt angle with respect to an imaginary surface which passes through the crest line and which is parallel to the top surface of the upper substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sasagawa, Akimasa Yuuki, Toshio Tobita
  • Patent number: 6734934
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display, first and second substrates are provided opposing each other with a liquid crystal layer held between them, the outer surface of the first substrate serves as a light scattering surface having a light scattering characteristic, and a reflector including an irregular reflection surface is provided on the light scattering surface so that the reflection surface is on the light scattering surface side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Tetsushi Tanada
  • Publication number: 20040070711
    Abstract: A double-sided LCD panel is comprised of a transflective LCD panel and a light-emitting device. One surface of the transflective panel is used in the transparent mode, and the other surface is used in the reflective mode, achieving the goal of double-sided display. The light-emitting device may function as the front light source of the display surface in the reflective mode and the backlit source of the display surface in the transparent mode. In this manner, one can use a single panel for double screen display. This can simultaneously satisfy the requirements of light-weighted products and lowering the manufacturing cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Chi-Jain Wen, Dai-Liang Ting, Li-Sen Chuang, Shyuan-Jeng Ho, I-Wei Wu
  • Publication number: 20040061811
    Abstract: A front-lit display panel comprising: at least one pixel units, each having a layered structure including transparent conductor, an active layer containing liquid-crystal-type molecules, and a rear conductive layer, electrical connectors in electrical contact with the rear conductive layer and extending to the rear portion of the pixel unit; and a plurality of electronics module for respectively receiving each pixel unit, each having a conformal interconnection facilities with the at least two contacts adapted for making electrical contact with the electrical connectors, and interfacing with at least one data communications line and at least one electric power line; and an assembly board for receiving the at least one second conformal interconnection facilities, each receiving position having at least two contacts respectively adapted for making electrical contact with the data communications line and with electric power line of one of the electronics modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Ran Poliakine, Amir Ben-Shalom
  • Publication number: 20040061818
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus includes: an illumination section having a light source and an optical guide member, and a reflection type LCD having a display region including a plurality of pixels for performing a display function, the optical guide member having first and second principal faces opposite to each other and first and second end faces opposite to each other. The reflection type LCD is disposed on or above the first principal face of the optical guide member. Light from the light source enters the optical guide member at the first end face, exits the optical guide member at the first principal face so as to be incident on the reflection type LCD and reflected therefrom, reenters the optical guide member at the first principal face, and exits the optical guide member at the second principal face toward a viewer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukihiro Sumida, Takeshi Masuda, Tsuyoshi Ebi
  • Patent number: 6709123
    Abstract: A display device is described in which a fiber optic plate provided with light scattering particles is used for effective front lighting of a display, for example, a liquid crystal cell. The fiber optic plate is lighted from the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Heinrich Flohr, Siegfried Vogt
  • Patent number: 6693682
    Abstract: A light emission surface having a substantially single surface in a liquid crystal display 1 is designed so as to be opposite to a rear of a liquid crystal panel 2 or a rear of an optical member 5 through an air layer. Thus, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display that can prevent a heat accumulation in a liquid crystal panel without any drop of brightness, and a light source device used in the liquid crystal display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiko Fujishiro, Tsutomu Kanatsu, Fumio Hasegawa, Shin-Ichirou Ono, Hirokazu Fukuyoshi
  • Patent number: 6693690
    Abstract: A lightweight, touch-input-type reflective liquid-crystal display panel having a reflective liquid-crystal display panel. The reflective liquid-crystal display panel being formed in a manner such that external light incident on an outer surface is reflected by the light-reflecting layer so that display light transmitted through the liquid-crystal layer is made to emerge from the visual side cell substrate and viewed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Umemoto, Yuuki Nakano, Ryoji Kinoshita, Hiroaki Kishioka, Waka Sakaitani
  • Publication number: 20040027511
    Abstract: A display device comprising:
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: NOKIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Steve Doe
  • Patent number: 6679613
    Abstract: A surface light source device includes a linear light source, and a light emitted from the linear light source is incident onto one side surface of a light guide plate. The light is then emitted from an upper surface of the light guide plate. A display panel is provided so as to cover an upper surface of the light guide plate. The display panel has two display areas that its translucent rates are different each other. In addition, a light-shielding sheet is provided between the light guide plate and the display area to shield the light emitted from the light guide plate. A light-shielding effect of the light guide plate deteriorates with to a distance from the side surface of the light guide plate, and a luminance irregularity of the light emitted from the light guide plate is absorbed in the light-shielding sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Mabuchi
  • Patent number: 6674496
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) device has a first side and a second side in parallel with the first side. The LCD device includes a front light source positioned on the first side of the LCD device for generating light beams, and a transflective liquid crystal panel. The transflective liquid crystal panel includes a first glass substrate located between the front light source and the second side of the LCD device, a second glass substrate located between the first glass substrate and the second side of LCD device, and a transflective layer located between the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate for reflecting and transmitting the light beams generated by the front light source. The LCD devices can display images both through the first side and through the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corporation
    Inventor: Chung-Kuang Wei
  • Patent number: 6671013
    Abstract: A light guide plate provides an emission controlled in three dimensions with little light leaking, being applied to a surface light source device and LCD. The back face is provided with projections each having a pair of faces providing a guiding portion. Orientation of the projections are aligned to a main light coming direction. Input light input to a valley configured as to get narrower and shallower according to distance from the guide portion, then being inside reflected as two slopes successively. Three-dimensionally direction-converted twice, inside output light directed to the emission face is generated. A direction of the output light is controlled through adjusting inclination angles of the slopes. Light introduction from two directions opposite to each other may be done so that the guiding portions are used for direction conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 6667781
    Abstract: An electronic device provided with a front lit LCD (13) having a theoretical viewing area (TVA). The electronic device comprises a transparent front light guiding plate (14) extending between the LCD (13) and a front (11) of said electronic device and the front (11) has an opening (12) through which the LCD (13) can be viewed through the transparent front light guiding plate (14). A masking (20) is provided between the LCD (13) and the front light guiding plate (14), said masking (20) having an opening (21) that substantially corresponds to the theoretical viewing area (TVA) of the LCD (13), and extending outwards from said opening (21). The opening (12) in the front (11) of the electronic device is larger than the opening (21) in the masking (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Martin Ek, Göran Schack
  • Patent number: 6667780
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display apparatus which is reduced in an overall size and a weight of thereof. A lamp cover for protecting a lamp is disposed directly contacting a first sidewall of a bottom chassis. A light guiding plate for guiding the light from the lamp to a display unit and optical sheets for controlling a visual angle of the light are fixed in a receiving space of the bottom chassis by a guide frame which is installed at a second sidewall of the bottom chassis perpendicular to the lamp. Therefore, the size of the liquid crystal display device can be reduced by a thickness of the sidewall of a conventional mold frame. A mold frame having a low thermal conductivity does not exist between the lamp cover and the sidewall of the bottom chassis, so the heat generated from the lamp can be easily discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Hyun Cho
  • Patent number: 6665029
    Abstract: An optical film constituted by: a transparent film including a repetitive structure of a plurality of light exit means arranged at intervals of a regular pitch or intervals of irregular pitches in one of opposite surfaces of the transparent film, the repetitive structure of the plurality of light exit means having optical path changing slopes each inclined to the film surface at an inclination angle in a range of from 30 to 48 degrees in order to change an optical path of light from a direction of the film surface into a direction of thickness of the film; and an anti-reflection layer disposed on the film surface in which the plurality of light exit means are formed; wherein the optical film is light-transmissible in the direction of the thickness of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kondo, Seiji Umemoto, Toshihiko Ariyoshi
  • Patent number: 6661480
    Abstract: A light emission surface having a substantially single surface in a liquid crystal display 1 is designed so as to be opposite to a rear of a liquid crystal panel 2 or a rear of an optical member 5 through an air layer. Thus, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display that can prevent a heat accumulation in a liquid crystal panel without any drop of brightness, and a light source device used in the liquid-crystal display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiko Fujishiro, Tsutomu Kanatsu, Fumio Hasegawa, Shin-Ichirou Ono, Hirokazu Fukuyoshi
  • Patent number: 6661647
    Abstract: An apparatus (26) for mounting a display screen (28) to a printed circuit board (32). The display screen (28) has four edges. The apparatus (26) includes a top member (34) opposed to a bottom member (36), and first and second snap-fit members (40). The top member (34) and the bottom member (36) each form an overhang (38), wherein each overhang (38) is adapted to receive an edge (30) of the display screen (28). The first snap-fit member (40) is connected with and extended outwards from the top member (34). The second snap-fit member (40) is also connected with and extended outwards from the bottom member (36). Both the first and the second snap-fit members (40) are adapted to connect with the printed circuit board (32) for snap-fit assembly of the mounting apparatus (26) to the printed circuit board (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Bayer Corporation
    Inventors: G. Lamar Kirchhevel, Michael K. Brown
  • Patent number: 6657684
    Abstract: The invention provides a reflective liquid crystal display device that can provide a bright image regardless of an operating environment without generating location-dependent uneven brightness or moir ófringes. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a liquid crystal cell in which liquid crystal is sandwiched between a pair of substrates, a front light having a light source and a light guide plate which are provided at the upper surface side of the liquid crystal cell, and a reflector provided at the lower surface side of the liquid crystal cell. A plurality of projections are provided on the light guide plate of the front light so as to extend in one direction. A plurality of projections are provided on the reflector so as to extend in one direction. The extending direction of the projections of the light guide plate and the extending direction of the projections of the reflector are not parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Maeda, Kimitaka Kamijo
  • Patent number: 6657683
    Abstract: A front illumination device for illuminating a reflective liquid crystal display cell (42) having a light source (12), a light guide (20), and a light coupling element (22). The light guide (20) has a thin plate element configured to receive light along an edge surface (28) thereof at an angle such that a majority of the light is totally internally reflected from the front surface (24) of the light guide (20). The light coupling element (22) has a thin plate element having a front surface (30) that is in contact with the back surface (26) of planar light guide (20). The front surface (30) of the light coupling element (22) has a plurality of cavities (40) disposed therein. Light impinging the interfaces (27) between cavities (40) and the back surface (26) is totally internally reflected within light guide (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred Vincent Richard
  • Patent number: 6652109
    Abstract: A surface light emitting device includes a light source and a light introduction plate having a structure for causing the light from the light source to be incident from a side end surface and to outgo from a light outgoing surface. Grooves are formed in a stripe shape on an opposing surface opposite to the light outgoing surface, and the grooves are formed deeper as they have a longer distance from the light source, and the difference between the depths of adjacent grooves is made larger as they have a distance longer from the light source. A method of manufacturing the surface light emitting device and a liquid crystal device including the surface light emitting device are also disclosed. With this arrangement, the surface light emitting device can obtain a sufficiently quantity of light at any position and the liquid crystal device can display an image in uniform brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sadao Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6650382
    Abstract: A reflective type LCD is provided with a front-light. The front light includes an optical film provided on the large face of a lightguide which faces the liquid crystal display device. A two dimensional area defined by the optical film is greater than a two dimensional area defined by a window formed in the protection member, but less than a two dimensional area defined by the lightguide, so that at least a portion of a peripheral edge of the optical film is located between the end face of the window and the end face of the light guide as viewed from a front of the LCD apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukihiro Sumida, Takeshi Masuda, Tsuyoshi Ebi
  • Publication number: 20030210367
    Abstract: A reflection-type liquid-crystal display with a reflection-type liquid-crystal display panel, which comprises a transparent view-side substrate with a transparent electrode and a transparent backside substrate with a transparent electrode that are so combined as to have a liquid crystal between the facing electrodes thereof to construct a liquid-crystal cell, and comprises a transparent optical film having a radius of curvature at break of at most 5 mm, on the outer side of the view-side substrate via a polarizing layer therebetween, and a reflection layer on the outer side of the backside substrate, and which is characterized in that the optical film has, in its surface, a plurality of optical path-changing slopes that incline at an angle of from 35 to 48 degrees relative to the standard plane of the view-side substrate, and one or more sides of the optical film have a light source; and the optical film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuki Nakano, Toshihiko Ariyoshi, Seiji Umemoto, Ryoji Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20030202135
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus of a front light type includes a liquid crystal display panel, a light guide plate, a light source optically connected with the light guide plate and irradiating light to the light guide plate, a space holding member which supports and fixes the liquid crystal panel and the light guide plate in a region outside a display area of the liquid crystal display panel to have a predetermined gap. The space holding member having a base member and an adhesive material layer on at least one side of the base member. A refractive index of the adhesive material layer is smaller than that of the light guide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Applicant: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin-ichirou Ono, Hirokazu Fukuyoshi