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US5321536A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Liquid crystal operation device and an image system using the same

Assignee: Sharp Corp
•
Filing: 1992-10-30
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Granted: 1994-06-14
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Expires: 2012-10-30
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Abstract

Abstract A liquid crystal operation device including a pair of substrates opposed to each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the substrates; and a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes which are at least partially opposed to each other with an insulating film interposed therebetween. The first electrodes are provided on one of the substrates. The liquid crystal operation device further includes a third electrode provided on a surface of the other substrate to be opposed to the second electrodes; and a photosensitive section bridging the second electrodes and a signal line provided in the vicinity of the second electrodes. The photosensitive section is formed of a photoconductive material. A first capacitance is generated between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, a second capacitance is generated between the second electrodes and the third electrode. The second electrodes are controllably connected to and separated from the signal line by the photosensitive section. An image processing system includes such a liquid crystal operation device; and a spatial light modulator for optically transferring an image to the liquid crystal operation device.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yutaka Ishii
  • 👤 Yoshitaka Yamamoto

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 07:55
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/135; G06; G06T; G06T1/00; G02F1/1357

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 150 words
A liquid crystal operation device, comprising: a pair of substrates opposed to each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the substrates; a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes which are at least partially opposed to each other with an insulating film interposed therebetween, the first electrodes being provided on one of the substrates; a third electrode provided on a surface of the other substrate to be opposed to the second electrodes; and a photosensitive section bridging the second electrodes and a signal line provided in the vicinity of the second electrodes, the photosensitive section being formed of a photoconductive material, wherein a first capacitance is generated between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, a second capacitance is generated between the second electrodes and the third electrode, and the second electrodes are controllably connected to and separated from the signal line by the photosensitive section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 150 words
A liquid crystal operation device, comprising: a pair of substrates opposed to each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the substrates; a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes which are at least partially opposed to each other with an insulating film interposed therebetween, the first electrodes being provided on one of the substrates; a third electrode provided on a surface of the other substrate to be opposed to the second electrodes; and a photosensitive section bridging the second electrodes and a signal line provided in the vicinity of the second electrodes, the photosensitive section being formed of a photoconductive material, wherein a first capacitance is generated between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, a second capacitance is generated between the second electrodes and the third electrode, and the second electrodes are controllably connected to and separated from the signal line by the photosensitive section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 58 words
A liquid crystal operation device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrodes and the signal line are separated from each other and arranged in a direction along the surface of one of the substrates, and a portion of the photosensitive section is connected to the second electrode and another portion thereof is connected to the signal line.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
A liquid crystal operation device according to claim 2, further comprising a scanning line opposed to the signal line with the photosensitive section interposed therebetween, the scanning line being electrically insulated from the second electrodes, the signal line and the photosensitive section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
A liquid crystal operation device according to claim 1, wherein the signal line is provided on a portion of the second electrodes with the photosensitive section interposed therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 177 words
An image processing system, comprising: a liquid crystal operation device; and a spatial light modulator for optically transferring an image to the liquid crystal operation device, wherein the liquid crystal operation device comprises: a pair of substrates opposed to each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the substrates; a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes which are at least partially opposed to each other with an insulating film interposed therebetween, the first electrodes being provided on one of the substrates; a third electrode provided on a surface of the other substrate to be opposed to the second electrodes; and a photosensitive section bridging the second electrodes and a signal line provided in the vicinity of the second electrodes, the photosensitive section being formed of a photoconductive material, wherein a first capacitance is generated between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, a second capacitance is generated between the second electrodes and the third electrode, and the second electrodes are controllably connected to and separated from the signal line by the photosensitive section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 177 words
An image processing system, comprising: a liquid crystal operation device; and a spatial light modulator for optically transferring an image to the liquid crystal operation device, wherein the liquid crystal operation device comprises: a pair of substrates opposed to each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the substrates; a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes which are at least partially opposed to each other with an insulating film interposed therebetween, the first electrodes being provided on one of the substrates; a third electrode provided on a surface of the other substrate to be opposed to the second electrodes; and a photosensitive section bridging the second electrodes and a signal line provided in the vicinity of the second electrodes, the photosensitive section being formed of a photoconductive material, wherein a first capacitance is generated between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, a second capacitance is generated between the second electrodes and the third electrode, and the second electrodes are controllably connected to and separated from the signal line by the photosensitive section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 41 words
An image processing system according to claim 5, wherein the spatial light modulator comprises a transparent electrode, a photoconductive layer, a light reflecting layer, a liquid crystal layer and another transparent electrode which are laminated between the substrates in this order.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 57 words
An image processing system according to claim 5, wherein the second electrodes and the signal line are separated from each other and arranged in a direction along the surface of one of the substrates, and a portion of the photosensitive section is connected to the second electrode and another portion thereof is connected to the signal line.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 41 words
An image processing system according to claim 5, further comprising a scanning line opposed to the signal line with the photosensitive section interposed therebetween, the scanning line being electrically insulated from the second electrodes, the signal line and the photosensitive section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
An image processing system according to claim 5, wherein the signal line is provided on a portion of the second electrodes with the photosensitive section interposed therebetween.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 161 words
An image processing system according to claim 5, further comprising another liquid crystal operation device which comprises: a pair of substrates opposed to each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the substrates; a plurality of fourth electrodes and a plurality of fifth electrodes which are at least partially opposed to each other with an insulating film interposed therebetween, the fourth electrodes being provided on one of the substrates; a sixth electrode provided on a surface of the other substrate to be opposed to the fifth electrodes; and a photosensitive section bridging the fifth electrodes and a signal line provided in the vicinity of the fifth electrodes, the photosensitive section being formed of a photoconductive material, wherein a third capacitance is generated between the fourth electrodes and the fifth electrodes, a fourth capacitance is generated between the fifth electrodes and the sixth electrode, and the fifth electrodes are controllably connected to and separated from the signal line by the photosensitive section.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4114991A Cited
US5042917A Cited
US5046828A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-06-13 1997-12-13 1998-06-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-06-13 2001-12-13 2002-06-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-06-13 2005-12-13 2006-06-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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