Patent US5790215A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5790215A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Liquid crystal display device
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1996-03-13
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Granted: 1998-08-04
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Expires: 2016-03-13
Abstract
Abstract This invention is a liquid crystal display device including a reflecting plate formed above a substrate, and a liquid crystal cell formed by alternately, repeatedly stacking a liquid crystal layer and a transparent electrode layer at least once on the reflecting plate, wherein the liquid crystal layer includes a thin film constituted by a microcapsulated guest-host liquid crystal containing dye molecules and liquid crystal molecules.
Inventors
- 👤 Atsushi Sugahara
- 👤 Norihiko Kamiura
- 👤 Yutaka Nakai
- 👤 Katsuyuki Naito
- 👤 Kohei Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:01
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1347; G02F1/13475; G02F1/1334
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A liquid crystal display device, comprising: a substrate; a reflecting plate formed above said substrate; and a liquid crystal cell including a plurality of liquid crystal layers and a plurality of transparent electrode layers, said liquid crystal layers and said transparent electrode layers being alternately disposed to form a stacking structure above said reflecting plate, wherein active elements for controlling a potential information given to all the transparent electrode layers are formed on said substrate, and each transparent electrode layer is electrically connected to said active elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
A liquid crystal display device, comprising: a substrate; a reflecting plate formed above said substrate; and a liquid crystal cell including a plurality of liquid crystal layers and a plurality of transparent electrode layers, said liquid crystal layers and said transparent electrode layers being alternately disposed to form a stacking structure above said reflecting plate, wherein active elements for controlling a potential information given to all the transparent electrode layers are formed on said substrate, and each transparent electrode layer is electrically connected to said active elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal layer is formed of guest-host liquid crystal material containing dye molecules and liquid crystal molecules.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, wherein said liquid crystal layer is formed of a thin film having said guest-host liquid crystal material microencapsulated therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal layer contains a selective reflection mode liquid crystal material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
89 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a stacking structure comprises a first liquid crystal layer, a first transparent electrode layer, a first transparent insulating layer, a second transparent electrode layer, a second liquid crystal layer, a third transparent electrode layer, a second transparent insulating layer, a fourth transparent electrode layer, and a third liquid crystal layer, said first transparent electrode layer being electrically connected to said second transparent electrode layer, and said third transparent electrode layer being electrically connected to said fourth transparent electrode layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein said reflecting plate further serves as a shield plate and is supplied with a fixed potential from a fixed potential source.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein an insulating film is provided between the substrate and the reflecting plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the active elements are provided on a portion of the substrate beneath the reflecting plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
104 words
A liquid crystal display device comprising: a substrate; a reflecting plate formed above said substrate; a liquid crystal cell formed by stacking at least one liquid crystal layer and at least one transparent electrode layer on said reflecting plate; and active elements formed on said substrate and electrically connected to the reflecting layer and to the at least one transparent electrode layer for supplying voltage potentials to the reflecting layer and to the at least one transparent electrode layer, wherein said at least one liquid crystal layer includes a thin film having a microcapsulated guest-host liquid crystal containing dye molecules and liquid crystal molecules.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
104 words
A liquid crystal display device comprising: a substrate; a reflecting plate formed above said substrate; a liquid crystal cell formed by stacking at least one liquid crystal layer and at least one transparent electrode layer on said reflecting plate; and active elements formed on said substrate and electrically connected to the reflecting layer and to the at least one transparent electrode layer for supplying voltage potentials to the reflecting layer and to the at least one transparent electrode layer, wherein said at least one liquid crystal layer includes a thin film having a microcapsulated guest-host liquid crystal containing dye molecules and liquid crystal molecules.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of liquid crystal layers and transparent electrode layers are alternately stacked on said reflecting plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein three transparent electrode layers and three liquid crystal layers are alternately stacked on said reflecting plate, and colors of said liquid crystal layers correspond to cyan, magenta, and yellow.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, wherein there are three active elements formed on said substrate and electrically connected to one scanning line.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein four transparent electrode layers and four liquid crystal layers are alternately stacked on said reflecting plate, and colors of said liquid crystal layers correspond to cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein said transparent electrode layer and said active elements are electrically connected by a plating layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein said reflecting plate is an electrode.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein said transparent electrode layer and said active elements are electrically connected by one material selected from the group consisting of a conductive paste, a metal deposition film, a metal sputtering film, a conductive metal oxide deposition film, and a conductive metal oxide sputtering film.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein a diameter of microcapsules constituting said liquid crystal layer is not more than a cell gap.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein a thickness of said thin film is 5 to 15 μm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein said microcapsulated guest-host liquid crystal contains an additional polymer as a microcapsulating agent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein the liquid crystal cell has at least three different color liquid crystal layers having different color dye molecules alternately stacked with at least two transparent electrode layers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
79 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 20, wherein the active elements supply two different alternating voltage potentials to the reflecting plate and the at least two transparent electrode layers to selectively switch the at least three different color liquid crystal layers between a mode causing light transmission through a given liquid crystal layer and a mode causing light absorption by a given liquid crystal layer to control a color being displayed by the liquid crystal display device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
53 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein one of the at least three different color liquid crystal layers is cyan colored, one of the at least three different color liquid crystal layers is magenta colored, and one of the at least three different color liquid crystal layers is yellow colored.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
91 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein the active elements supply different alternating voltage potentials in a range from +V to -V to the reflecting plate and the at least two transparent electrode layers to selectively switch the at least three different color liquid crystal layers between a mode causing light transmission through a given liquid crystal layer and at least two absorption modes causing different degrees of light absorption by a given liquid crystal layer to control a color being displayed by the liquid crystal display device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
53 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 23, wherein one of the at least three different color liquid crystal layers is cyan colored, one of the at least three different color liquid crystal layers is magenta colored, and one of the at least three different color liquid crystal layers is yellow colored.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein the reflecting plate is in direct electrical contact with one of the active elements.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein the reflecting plate is provided with a roughened surface to provide a predetermined degree of reflective light diffraction.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one liquid crystal layer and the at least one transparent electrode layer are in direct contact.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein an insulating film is provided between the substrate and the reflecting plate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein the active elements are provided on a portion of the substrate beneath the reflecting plate.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
92 words
A liquid crystal display device comprising: a substrate; a reflecting plate formed above said substrate; a liquid crystal cell formed by stacking at least one liquid crystal layer and at least one transparent electrode layer on said reflecting plate; wherein said at least one liquid crystal layer includes a thin film comprised of a microcapsulated guest-host liquid crystal containing dye molecules and liquid crystal molecules; and a shield electrode formed between said substrate and said reflecting plate, said shield electrode being provided with a fixed potential from a source of fixed potential.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
92 words
A liquid crystal display device comprising: a substrate; a reflecting plate formed above said substrate; a liquid crystal cell formed by stacking at least one liquid crystal layer and at least one transparent electrode layer on said reflecting plate; wherein said at least one liquid crystal layer includes a thin film comprised of a microcapsulated guest-host liquid crystal containing dye molecules and liquid crystal molecules; and a shield electrode formed between said substrate and said reflecting plate, said shield electrode being provided with a fixed potential from a source of fixed potential.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 30, wherein an insulating film is provided between the substrate and the reflecting plate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 30, wherein active elements are provided on said substrate and electrically connected to the reflecting layer and to the at least one transparent electrode layer.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
33 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 32, wherein the active elements are provided on a portion of the substrate beneath the shield electrode formed between the substrate and the reflecting plate.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
91 words
A liquid crystal display device comprising: a substrate; a reflecting plate electrode formed above said substrate; a liquid crystal cell formed by stacking at least one liquid crystal layer and at least one transparent electrode layer on said reflecting plate electrode; wherein said at least one liquid crystal layer includes a thin film comprised of a microcapsulated guest-host liquid crystal containing dye molecules and liquid crystal molecules; and wherein said reflecting plate electrode serves as a shield electrode which is provided with a fixed potential from a source of fixed potential.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
91 words
A liquid crystal display device comprising: a substrate; a reflecting plate electrode formed above said substrate; a liquid crystal cell formed by stacking at least one liquid crystal layer and at least one transparent electrode layer on said reflecting plate electrode; wherein said at least one liquid crystal layer includes a thin film comprised of a microcapsulated guest-host liquid crystal containing dye molecules and liquid crystal molecules; and wherein said reflecting plate electrode serves as a shield electrode which is provided with a fixed potential from a source of fixed potential.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 34, wherein an insulating film is provided between the substrate and the reflecting plate.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
33 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 34, wherein active elements are provided on said substrate and electrically connected to the reflecting layer and to the at least one transparent electrode layer.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
The liquid crystal display device according to claim 36, wherein the active elements are located on a portion of the substrate beneath the reflecting plate.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of driving a liquid crystal display device, said device comprising a substrate, a reflecting plate formed above said substrate, a liquid crystal cell including a plurality of liquid crystal layers and a plurality of transparent electrode layers, said liquid crystal layers and said transparent electrode layers being alternately disposed to form a stacked structure above the reflecting plate, and substrate supported active elements mounted below the reflecting plate and electrically connected to the reflecting plate and the transparent electrode layers, comprising the steps of: applying at least two different alternating voltage levels to said reflecting plate; and applying said at least two different alternating voltages to said transparent electrode layers, wherein the order in which the two different voltages are applied to the reflecting electrode and the transparent electrode layers is different to create different display effects.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of driving a liquid crystal display device, said device comprising a substrate, a reflecting plate formed above said substrate, a liquid crystal cell including a plurality of liquid crystal layers and a plurality of transparent electrode layers, said liquid crystal layers and said transparent electrode layers being alternately disposed to form a stacked structure above the reflecting plate, and substrate supported active elements mounted below the reflecting plate and electrically connected to the reflecting plate and the transparent electrode layers, comprising the steps of: applying at least two different alternating voltage levels to said reflecting plate; and applying said at least two different alternating voltages to said transparent electrode layers, wherein the order in which the two different voltages are applied to the reflecting electrode and the transparent electrode layers is different to create different display effects.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method according to claim 38, wherein the different display effects result from the steps of applying the at least two different alternating voltages and an associated condition wherein a transmittance or a reflectance of liquid crystal molecules and dye molecules contained in said liquid crystal layers becomes a maximum or a minimum with respect to incident light in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of said reflecting plate or of said transparent electrode layers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-08-03 | 2002-02-02 | 2002-08-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-03 | 2006-02-02 | 2006-08-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-03 | 2010-02-02 | 2010-08-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |