Liquid crystal display

• US 20060017871A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co Ltd (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co Ltd (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Inventors: Morimoto, Hirokazu, Kinoshita, Masaki
• Application Number:
  US11/176,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20060017871A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/114
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13312 Circuits comprising photodetectors for purposes other than feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136227 Through-hole connection of the pixel electrode to the active element through an insulation layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence

Abstract

A liquid crystal display (1) includes an array substrate (11), a liquid crystal layer (12), and a counter substrate (13). The array substrate has optical sensors (1112) to detect light from an object presented in front of the array substrate. The counter electrode has a color filter (132) to transmit light emitted from a light source (14), a transparent electrode (134a) that faces a first plurality of pixel electrodes (113) and transmits the light transmitted through the color filter, and a reflective electrode (135) that faces a second plurality of pixel electrodes (113) and reflects external light. The light from the object to be detected is directly given to the optical sensors, which can therefore correctly detect the object. The light emitted from the light source and transmitted through the transparent electrode and the external light reflected from the reflective electrode realize transmissive display and reflective display.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display comprising an array substrate provided with a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of signal lines that cross the scanning lines, a counter substrate, a liquid crystal layer held between the array substrate and the counter substrate, and pixels formed at crossing portions of the scanning lines and the signal lines, respectively, wherein:

the array substrate includes transparent pixel electrodes and detective elements, the pixel electrodes being provided for the pixels, respectively, to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal layer, the detective elements detecting an object presented in front of the array substrate; and

the counter substrate includes a color filter to transmit light emitted from a light source that is arranged behind the counter substrate, a transparent electrode facing a first plurality of the pixel electrodes, to transmit the light transmitted through the color filter, and a reflective electrode facing a second plurality of the pixel electrodes, to reflect external light.

2. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein the reflective electrode has irregularities.

3. The liquid crystal display of any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the reflective electrode is arranged on the liquid crystal layer side of the color filter.