Generation of pattern data with no overlapping or excessive distance between adjacent patterns

• US 7,855,766 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd. (Tianma Microelectronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies Limited (Tianma Microelectronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Teruaki, Kanoh, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, SATHYANARAYA V
• Application Number:
  US12/384,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 349/113
• US Class Current: 349/113
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/10 with curved faces
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/00 Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g., masks, photo-masks, reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles therefor; Containers specially adapted therefor; Preparation thereof

Abstract

A device is disclosed for generating pattern data for unevenness that is randomly arranged on the surface of the reflective substrate of a reflective liquid crystal display device. The number of coordinates, a basic pitch, a movable range, and a dot diameter are entered from a data entry unit. An array generation unit regularly arranges base coordinates in two dimensions in accordance with the basic pitch. Coordinate displacement unit randomly displaces within the movable range at a portion of the basic coordinates to generate a multiplicity of displaced coordinates. Pattern generation unit arranges dot patterns with the dot diameter entered at each of the displaced coordinates generated to generate pattern data.

Claims

1. A device for generating pattern data for unevenness that is randomly arranged on a reflecting surface, said device comprising:

a coordinate displacement device that generates a multiplicity of displaced coordinates that are randomly displaced in two dimensions with a limitation on the arrangement of patterns to prevent overlap or excessive distance between patterns, wherein the limitation on the arrangement of patterns includes limiting pattern arrangement according to a relationship between a basic pitch, a movable range and a pattern unit dimension;

a pattern generator that arranges said patterns according to at least a portion of or all of said displaced coordinates generated by said coordinate displacement device to generate the pattern data for unevenness that is randomly arranged on the reflecting surface; and

an entry confirmation device, wherein at least one of the following is further included;

(i) the patterns are dot patterns, wherein the pattern unit dimension is a dot diameter, wherein the pattern generator arranges predetermined dot patterns, and wherein the entry confirmation device determines whether or not said basic pitch P, said movable range R, and said dot diameter D satisfy the relationship;

P≧

2R+D; and

(ii) the patterns are line patterns, wherein the pattern unit dimension is a line width, wherein the pattern generator arranges predetermined line patterns, and wherein the entry confirmation device determines whether or not said basic pitch P, said movable range R, and said line width W satisfy the relationship;

P≧

2R+W.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data entry device for entering the basic pitch, the movable range, and the pattern unit dimension.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an array generation device that regularly arranges a multiplicity of base coordinates in two dimensions in accordance with said basic pitch.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a random number generator that generates random numbers, wherein said coordinate displacement device displaces said base coordinates according to random numbers generated by said random number generator.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pattern generator arranges a line pattern with said line width at each side of a plurality of predetermined polygons that take as vertices at least a portion of said displaced coordinates generated by said coordinate displacement device to generate the pattern data.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the polygons are hexagons.

7. A device for generating pattern data for unevenness that is randomly arranged on a reflecting surface, said device comprising:

a coordinate displacement device that generates a multiplicity of displaced coordinates that are randomly displaced in two dimensions with a limitation on the arrangement of patterns to prevent overlap or excessive distance between patterns, wherein the limitation on the arrangement of patterns includes limiting pattern arrangement according to a relationship between a basic pitch, a movable range and a pattern unit dimension;

a pattern generator that arranges said patterns according to at least a portion of or all of said displaced coordinates generated by said coordinate displacement device to generate the pattern data for unevenness that is randomly arranged on the reflecting surface; and

an array generation device that regularly arranges a multiplicity of base coordinates in two dimensions in accordance with said basic pitch, wherein said array generation device includes an arranging device that arranges said base coordinates in positions such that even-numbered rows of the base coordinates are displaced by one-half of said basic pitch in the column direction relative to odd-numbered rows of the base coordinates.

8. A device for generating pattern data for unevenness that is randomly arranged on a reflecting surface, said device comprising:

a coordinate displacement device that generates a multiplicity of displaced coordinates that are randomly displaced in two dimensions with a limitation on the arrangement of patterns to prevent overlap or excessive distance between patterns, wherein the limitation on the arrangement of patterns includes limiting pattern arrangement according to a relationship between a basic pitch, a movable range and a pattern unit dimension; and

a pattern generator that arranges said patterns according to at least a portion of or all of said displaced coordinates generated by said coordinate displacement device to generate the pattern data for unevenness that is randomly arranged on the reflecting surface,

wherein said coordinate displacement device includes a displacement device that displaces said base coordinates such that half-width H of a distribution graph of the displacements of said displaced coordinates satisfies the relationship with said basic pitch P;

0.3 P≦

H≦

0.9 P.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute processes for generating pattern data for unevenness that is randomly arranged on a reflecting surface, said computer program comprising executable code that provides:

a first command set for entering a basic pitch, a movable range, and a pattern unit dimension;

a second command set for regularly arranging a multiplicity of base coordinates in two dimensions in accordance with said basic pitch entered by said first command set;

a third command set for randomly displacing within said movable range at least a portion of said base coordinates arranged by said second command set; and

a fourth command set for arranging patterns with said pattern unit dimension according to at least a portion of the multiplicity of said displaced coordinates generated by said third command set, wherein the patterns are arranged according to a pattern arrangement limitation to prevent overlap or excessive distance between patterns, wherein the pattern arrangement limitation includes limiting pattern arrangement according to a relationship between the basic pitch, the movable range and the pattern unit dimension, and wherein at least one of the following is further provided;

(i) the patterns are dot patterns, wherein the pattern unit dimension is a dot diameter, and wherein the limiting of the pattern arrangement is according to the basic pitch P, the movable range R, and the dot diameter D satisfying the relationship;

P≧

2R+D; and

(ii) the patterns are line patterns, wherein the pattern unit dimension is a line width, and wherein the limiting of the pattern arrangement is according to the basic pitch P, the movable range R, and the line width W satisfying the relationship;

P≧

2R+W.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the fourth command arranges the line width at each side of a plurality of predetermined polygons that take as vertices at least a portion of said displaced coordinates generated by said third command set to generate a pattern data.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the polygons are hexagons.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute processes for generating pattern data for unevenness that is randomly arranged on a reflecting surface, said computer program comprising executable code that provides:

a first command set for entering a basic pitch, a movable range, and a pattern unit dimension;

a second command set for regularly arranging a multiplicity of base coordinates in two dimensions in accordance with said basic pitch entered by said first command set;

a third command set for randomly displacing within said movable range at least a portion of said base coordinates arranged by said second command set; and

a fourth command set for arranging patterns with said pattern unit dimension according to at least a portion of the multiplicity of said displaced coordinates generated by said third command set, wherein the patterns are arranged according to a pattern arrangement limitation to prevent overlap or excessive distance between patterns, wherein the pattern arrangement limitation includes limiting pattern arrangement according to a relationship between the basic pitch, the movable range and the pattern unit dimension, and wherein the second command set provides for arranging said base coordinates in positions such that even numbered rows of the base coordinates are displaced by one half of said basic pitch in the column direction relative to odd numbered rows of the base coordinates.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute processes for generating pattern data for unevenness that is randomly arranged on a reflecting surface, said computer program comprising executable code that provides:

a first command set for entering a basic pitch, a movable range, and a pattern unit dimension;

a second command set for regularly arranging a multiplicity of base coordinates in two dimensions in accordance with said basic pitch entered by said first command set;

a third command set for randomly displacing within said movable range at least a portion of said base coordinates arranged by said second command set; and

a fourth command set for arranging patterns with said pattern unit dimension according to at least a portion of the multiplicity of said displaced coordinates generated by said third command set, wherein the patterns are arranged according to a pattern arrangement limitation to prevent overlap or excessive distance between patterns, wherein the pattern arrangement limitation includes limiting pattern arrangement according to a relationship between the basic pitch, the movable range and the pattern unit dimension, and wherein the third command set provides for displacing said base coordinates such that half width H of a distribution graph of the displacements of said displaced coordinates satisfies the relationship with said basic pitch P;

0.3 P≦

H≦

0.9 P.