Liquid crystal display

• US 20020126240A1
• Filed: 01/14/2002
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Central Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Ryoichi, Toyama, Akimasa, Seiki, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,714,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/114
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133638 Waveplates, i.e. plates with a retardation value of lambda/n

Abstract

There is provided a liquid crystal display wherein a first display region corresponding to a first area on which first pixel electrodes are provided displays an image by light reflection mode, and a second display region corresponding to a second area on which second pixel electrodes are provided can display an image by light transmission mode.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display, comprising:

first and second substrates facing each other;

first pixel electrodes arrayed on a first area within a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate;

second pixel electrodes arrayed on a second area within the surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, the second area being different from the first area;

a first common electrode supported by the second substrate and facing first pixel electrodes;

a second common electrode supported by the second substrate and facing the second pixel electrodes; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first pixel electrodes and the first common electrode and between the second pixel electrodes and the second common electrode, wherein a first display region corresponding to the first area displays an image by light reflection mode, and a second display region corresponding to the second area can display an image by light transmission mode.

2. A liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein the second display region can display an image by light transmission mode and can display an image by light reflection mode.

3. A liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein each of the first pixel electrodes is formed of a light reflecting conductive film, and each of the second pixel electrodes is formed of a light reflecting conductive film provided with at least one opening.

4. A liquid crystal display according to claim 3, wherein a material of the first pixel electrodes is the same as a material of the second pixel electrodes, and a material of the first common electrode is the same as a material of the second common electrode.

5. A liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein each of the first pixel electrodes and the second pixel electrodes is formed of a transparent conductive film, and a reflecting layer is arranged between each of the first pixel electrode and the first substrate.

6. A liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein the first common electrode is electrically connected to the second common electrode.

7. A liquid crystal display according to claim 1, further comprising a planar light source device configured to emit light from a side of the first substrate opposite to a side of the first substrate facing the second substrate toward the liquid crystal layer.

8. A liquid crystal display according to claim 7, wherein the planar light source device is configured to irradiate selectively the second display region among the first and second display regions with the light.

9. A liquid crystal display, comprising:

first and second substrates facing each other;

first pixel electrodes arrayed on a first area within a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate;

second pixel electrodes arrayed on a second area within the surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, the second area being different from the first area;

a first common electrode supported by the second substrate and facing the first pixel electrodes;

a second common electrode supported by the second substrate and facing the second pixel electrodes; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first pixel electrodes and the first common electrode and between the second pixel electrodes and the second common electrode, wherein each of the first pixel electrodes is formed of a reflecting conductive film, and each of the second pixel electrodes is formed of a reflecting conductive film provided with at least one opening.

10. A liquid crystal display according to claim 9, wherein a material of the first pixel electrodes is the same as a material of the second pixel electrodes, and a material of the first common electrode is the same as a material of the second common electrode.

11. A liquid crystal display according to claim 9, wherein the first common electrode is electrically connected to the second common electrode.

12. A liquid crystal display according to claim 9, further comprising a planar light source device configured to emit light from a side of the first substrate opposite to a side of the first substrate facing the second substrate toward the liquid crystal layer.

13. A liquid crystal display according to claim 12, wherein the planar light source device is configured to irradiate selectively the second display region among the first and second display regions with the light.

15. A liquid crystal display according to claim 14, wherein a material of the first pixel electrodes is the same as a material of the second pixel electrodes, and a material of the first common electrode is the same as a material of the second common electrode.

16. A liquid crystal display according to claim 14, wherein the first common electrode is electrically connected to the second common electrode.

17. A liquid crystal display according to claim 14, further comprising a planar light source device configured to emit light from a side of the first substrate opposite to a side of the first substrate facing the second substrate toward the liquid crystal layer.

18. A liquid crystal display according to claim 17, wherein the planar light source device is configured to irradiate selectively the second display region among the first and second display regions with the light.

14. A liquid crystal display, comprising:

first and second substrates facing each other;

first pixel electrodes arrayed on a first area within a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate;

a reflecting film interposed between the first pixel electrodes and the first substrate;

second pixel electrodes arrayed on a second area within the surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, the second area being different from the first area;

a first common electrode supported by the second substrate and facing the first pixel electrodes;

a second common electrode supported by the second substrate and facing the second pixel electrodes; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first pixel electrodes and the first common electrode and between the second pixel electrodes and the second common electrode, wherein each of the first pixel electrodes and the second pixel electrodes is formed of a transparent conductive film.