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US5591990A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Active matrix assembly

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
•
Filing: 1995-06-05
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Granted: 1997-01-07
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Expires: 2015-06-05
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Abstract

Abstract An active matrix panel including a matrix of driving electrodes couples through thin film transistor switches to a corresponding source line and gate line and at least one of a driver circuit including complementary thin film transistors for driving the source and/or gate lines of the picture elements on the substrate. The thin film transistors of the active matrix have the same cross-sectional structure as the P-type or the N-type thin film transistors forming the driver circuit and are formed during the same patterning process.

Inventors

  • 👤 Toshiyuki Misawa
  • 👤 Hiroyuki Oshima

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 10:07
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1345; G02F1/13454; H; H10; H10D; H10D84/00; H10D84/80; H10D84/82; H10D84/83; H10D84/85; H10D84/859; G09; G09G; G09G3/00; G09G3/001; G09G3/002; G09G3/003; G09G3/20; G09G3/34; G09G3/36; G09G3/3611; G09G3/3648; G09G3/3674; G09G3/3677; G09G3/3685; G09G3/3688; H10D84/01; H10D84/0123; H10D84/0126; H10D84/0165; H10D84/0191; H10D86/00; H10D86/40; H10D86/441; H10D86/60; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; G02F1/133345; G02F1/136; G02F1/1362; G02F1/136213; G02F1/136254; G09G2300/00; G09G2300/04; G09G2300/0404; G09G2300/0408; G09G2300/08; G09G2300/0809; G09G2330/00; G09G2330/12; G09G3/006; G09G3/2007; G09G3/2011; G09G3/3659; H10D30/00; H10D30/60; H10D30/67; H10D30/6704; H10D30/6713; H10W72/00; H10W72/01; H10W72/015; H10W72/01515; H10W72/071; H10W72/075; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S257/00; Y10S257/923; Y10S345/00; Y10S345/904

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim 170 words
An active matrix assembly for an electro-optical device comprising: a picture element matrix including a plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including a thin film transistor and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch, the unit cells comprising a plurality of power source lines and a plurality of thin film transistor regions having longitudinal axes, the thin film transistor regions comprising P-type and N-type regions, the thin film transistor regions being connected to the plurality of power source lines, wherein distances between adjacent thin film transistor regions along a direction perpendicular to the axes of the thin film transistor regions are approximately equal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 170 words
An active matrix assembly for an electro-optical device comprising: a picture element matrix including a plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including a thin film transistor and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch, the unit cells comprising a plurality of power source lines and a plurality of thin film transistor regions having longitudinal axes, the thin film transistor regions comprising P-type and N-type regions, the thin film transistor regions being connected to the plurality of power source lines, wherein distances between adjacent thin film transistor regions along a direction perpendicular to the axes of the thin film transistor regions are approximately equal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 101 words
An active matrix assembly for an electro-optical device comprising: a picture element matrix including a plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including a thin film transistor and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 101 words
An active matrix assembly for an electro-optical device comprising: a picture element matrix including a plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including a thin film transistor and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 40 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises: a plurality of power source lines; a plurality of thin film transistor regions arranged between adjacent ones of the plurality of power source lines.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 121 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of power source lines comprises a first portion extending in a first direction and at least one second portion extending from the first portion in a second direction, the thin film transistor regions being generally rectangular having longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portion of the power source lines, the thin film transistor regions being separated from each other along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions by fixed distances forming a pattern, the pattern of the thin film transistor regions repeated along the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions forming the plurality of unit cells.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 4, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction of the first portion of each of the power source lines.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 107 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises a plurality of complementary thin film transistors formed between adjacent first portions of the plurality of power source lines, each of the complementary thin film transistors including a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor, the P-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region and the N-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region, the P-channel and N-channel transistors having axes which are substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portions of the power source lines.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 236 words
An active matrix assembly for an electro-optical device comprising: a picture element matrix including a plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including a thin film transistor and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; a plurality of thin film transistor regions, each of the plurality of thin film transistor regions being one of a first type and a second type, each pair of adjacent ones of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of a same type being separated by a first distance, each pair of adjacent ones of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of different types being separated by a second distance, the first and second distances being substantially the same, a layout of thin film transistors formed in each of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of the first type being different than a layout of thin film transistors formed in each of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of the second type; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix and formed in the plurality of thin film transistor regions, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 236 words
An active matrix assembly for an electro-optical device comprising: a picture element matrix including a plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including a thin film transistor and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; a plurality of thin film transistor regions, each of the plurality of thin film transistor regions being one of a first type and a second type, each pair of adjacent ones of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of a same type being separated by a first distance, each pair of adjacent ones of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of different types being separated by a second distance, the first and second distances being substantially the same, a layout of thin film transistors formed in each of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of the first type being different than a layout of thin film transistors formed in each of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of the second type; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix and formed in the plurality of thin film transistor regions, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 40 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises: a plurality of power source lines; a plurality of thin film transistor regions arranged between adjacent ones of the plurality of power source lines.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 121 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of power source lines comprises a first portion extending in a first direction and at least one second portion extending from the first portion in a second direction, the thin film transistor regions being generally rectangular having longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portion of the power source lines, the thin film transistor regions being separated from each other along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions by fixed distances forming a pattern, the pattern of the thin film transistor regions repeated along the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions forming the plurality of unit cells.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 28 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 9, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction of the first portion of each of the power source lines.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 107 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises a plurality of complementary thin film transistors formed between adjacent first portions of the plurality of power source lines, each of the complementary thin film transistors including a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor, the P-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region and the N-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region, the P-channel and N-channel transistors having axes which are substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portions of the power source lines.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 235 words
A projection type color display device including a light source, at least one light valve, and at least one projecting optical system for projecting a color image, the at least one light valve including a plurality of liquid crystal cells, wherein data signals are supplied to the plurality of liquid crystal cells through a plurality of field effect transistors arranged in a plurality of picture elements, the light valve comprising: a picture element matrix including the plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including one of the plurality of field effect transistors and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch, the unit cells comprising a plurality of power source lines and a plurality of thin film transistor regions having longitudinal axes, the thin film transistor regions comprising P-type and N-type regions, the thin film transistor regions being connected to the plurality of power source lines, wherein distances between adjacent thin film transistor regions along a direction perpendicular to the axes of the thin film transistor regions are approximately equal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 235 words
A projection type color display device including a light source, at least one light valve, and at least one projecting optical system for projecting a color image, the at least one light valve including a plurality of liquid crystal cells, wherein data signals are supplied to the plurality of liquid crystal cells through a plurality of field effect transistors arranged in a plurality of picture elements, the light valve comprising: a picture element matrix including the plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including one of the plurality of field effect transistors and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch, the unit cells comprising a plurality of power source lines and a plurality of thin film transistor regions having longitudinal axes, the thin film transistor regions comprising P-type and N-type regions, the thin film transistor regions being connected to the plurality of power source lines, wherein distances between adjacent thin film transistor regions along a direction perpendicular to the axes of the thin film transistor regions are approximately equal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 42 words
The projection type color display device of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises: a plurality of power source lines; a plurality of thin film transistor regions arranged between adjacent ones of the plurality of power source lines.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 123 words
The projection type color display device of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of power source lines comprises a first portion extending in a first direction and at least one second portion extending from the first portion in a second direction, the thin film transistor regions being generally rectangular having longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portion of the power source lines, the thin film transistor regions being separated from each other along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions by fixed distances forming a pattern, the pattern of the thin film transistor regions repeated along the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions forming the plurality of unit cells.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 30 words
The projection type color display device of claim 14, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction of the first portion of each of the power source lines.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 109 words
The projection type color display device of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises a plurality of complementary thin film transistors formed between adjacent first portions of the plurality of power source lines, each of the complementary thin film transistors including a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor, the P-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region and the N-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region, the P-channel and N-channel transistors having axes which are substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portions of the power source lines.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 166 words
A projection type color display device including a light source, at least one light valve, and at least one projecting optical system for projecting a color image, the at least one light valve including a plurality of liquid crystal cells, wherein data signals are supplied to the plurality of liquid crystal cells through a plurality of field effect transistors arranged in a plurality of picture elements, the light valve comprising: a picture element matrix including the plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including one of the plurality of field effect transistors and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 166 words
A projection type color display device including a light source, at least one light valve, and at least one projecting optical system for projecting a color image, the at least one light valve including a plurality of liquid crystal cells, wherein data signals are supplied to the plurality of liquid crystal cells through a plurality of field effect transistors arranged in a plurality of picture elements, the light valve comprising: a picture element matrix including the plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including one of the plurality of field effect transistors and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 42 words
The projection type color display device of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises: a plurality of power source lines; a plurality of thin film transistor regions arranged between adjacent ones of the plurality of power source lines.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 123 words
The projection type color display device of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of power source lines comprises a first portion extending in a first direction and at least one second portion extending from the first portion in a second direction, the thin film transistor regions being generally rectangular having longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portion of the power source lines, the thin film transistor regions being separated from each other along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions by fixed distances forming a pattern, the pattern of the thin film transistor regions repeated along the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions forming the plurality of unit cells.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 30 words
The projection type color display device of claim 19, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction of the first portion of each of the power source lines.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 109 words
The projection type color display device of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises a plurality of complementary thin film transistors formed between adjacent first portions of the plurality of power source lines, each of the complementary thin film transistors including a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor, the P-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region and the N-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region, the P-channel and N-channel transistors having axes which are substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portions of the power source lines.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 300 words
A projection type color display device including a light source, at least one light valve, and at least one projecting optical system for projecting a color image, the at least one light valve including a plurality of liquid crystal cells, wherein data signals are supplied to the plurality of liquid crystal cells through a plurality of field effect transistors arranged in a plurality of picture elements, the light valve comprising: a picture element matrix including the plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including one of the plurality of field effect transistors and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; a plurality of thin film transistor regions, each of the plurality of thin film transistor regions being one of a first type and a second type, each pair of adjacent ones of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of a same type being separated by a first distance, each pair of adjacent ones of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of different types being separated by a second distance, the first and second distances being substantially the same, a layout of thin film transistors formed in each of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of the first type being different than a layout of thin film transistors formed in each of the plurality of thin-film transistor regions of the second type; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix and formed in the plurality of thin film transistor regions, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 300 words
A projection type color display device including a light source, at least one light valve, and at least one projecting optical system for projecting a color image, the at least one light valve including a plurality of liquid crystal cells, wherein data signals are supplied to the plurality of liquid crystal cells through a plurality of field effect transistors arranged in a plurality of picture elements, the light valve comprising: a picture element matrix including the plurality of picture elements, each of the plurality of picture elements including one of the plurality of field effect transistors and a transparent picture element electrode, each of the plurality of picture elements having a picture element pitch; a plurality of thin film transistor regions, each of the plurality of thin film transistor regions being one of a first type and a second type, each pair of adjacent ones of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of a same type being separated by a first distance, each pair of adjacent ones of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of different types being separated by a second distance, the first and second distances being substantially the same, a layout of thin film transistors formed in each of the plurality of thin film transistor regions of the first type being different than a layout of thin film transistors formed in each of the plurality of thin-film transistor regions of the second type; and a driving circuit coupled to the picture element matrix and formed in the plurality of thin film transistor regions, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells having an unit cell pitch, a value of the unit cell pitch being one of equal to and twice a value of the picture element pitch.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 42 words
The projection type color display device of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises: a plurality of power source lines; a plurality of thin film transistor regions arranged between adjacent ones of the plurality of power source lines.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 123 words
The projection type color display device of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of power source lines comprises a first portion extending in a first direction and at least one second portion extending from the first portion in a second direction, the thin film transistor regions being generally rectangular having longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portion of the power source lines, the thin film transistor regions being separated from each other along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions by fixed distances forming a pattern, the pattern of the thin film transistor regions repeated along the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions forming the plurality of unit cells.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 30 words
The projection type color display device of claim 24, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction of the first portion of each of the power source lines.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 109 words
The projection type color display device of claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises a plurality of complementary thin film transistors formed between adjacent first portions of the plurality of power source lines, each of the complementary thin film transistors including a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor, the P-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region and the N-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region, the P-channel and N-channel transistors having axes which are substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portions of the power source lines.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 41 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises: the plurality of power source lines; and, the plurality of thin film transistor regions arranged between adjacent ones of the plurality of power source lines.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 121 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of power source lines comprises a first portion extending in a first direction and at least one second portion extending from the first portion in a second direction, the thin film transistor regions being generally rectangular having longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portion of the power source lines, the thin film transistor regions being separated from each other along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions by fixed distances forming a pattern, the pattern of the thin film transistor regions repeated along the longitudinal axes of the thin film transistor regions forming the plurality of unit cells.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 28 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 28, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction of the first portion of each of the power source lines.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 107 words
The active matrix assembly of claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells comprises a plurality of complementary thin film transistors formed between adjacent first portions of the plurality of power source lines, each of the complementary thin film transistors including a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor, the P-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region and the N-channel transistor having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region, the P-channel and N-channel transistors having axes which are substantially parallel to the first direction of the first portions of the power source lines.

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