Display device

• US 7,924,384 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Displays Limited (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yanagawa, Kazuhiko, Ochiai, Takahiro, Nakayoshi, Yoshiaki, Imayama, Hirotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chien; Lucy P
• Application Number:
  US10/563,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,829 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 349/141
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134318 having a patterned common electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134345 Subdivided pixels, e.g. for grey scale or redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]

Abstract

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which exhibits the excellent wide viewing angle characteristic and the high-speed responsiveness. A pixel region includes a switching element which is operated in response to a scanning signal from a gate signal line, a pixel electrode to which a video signal from a drain signal line is supplied through a switching element, and a counter electrode which generates an electric field between the counter electrode and the pixel electrode. The pixel region is constituted of divided respective regions. In one region, the counter electrode made of a light-transmitting material which is formed on the center except for a slight periphery of the region below an insulation film and the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in the direction which intersects one direction above the insulation film in a state that the group of electrodes are overlapped to the counter electrode are formed. In another region, the counter electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in the direction which intersects one direction below the insulation layer and the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel in the direction which intersects one direction above the insulation film and is arranged alternately with the counter electrode are formed.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

on a liquid-crystal-side surface of one substrate of a pair of substrates which are arranged to face each other with liquid crystal therebetween, a region which is surrounded by a plurality of gate signal lines which are arranged in parallel to each other and a plurality of drain signal lines which are arranged in parallel to each other in a state that the drain signal lines intersect the gate signal lines defines a pixel region;

the pixel region includes a switching element which is operated in response to a scanning signal from the gate signal line, a pixel electrode to which a video signal from the drain signal line is supplied through the switching element, and a counter electrode which generates an electric field between the counter electrode and the pixel electrode;

the pixel region is constituted of divided respective regions;

wherein

in one region, the counter electrode made of one of a light-transmitting material and a light-reflecting material extends over the one region so as to be substantially planar at a center of the one region except at a periphery of the one region and to be below an insulation film, and the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in a direction which intersects the one direction in the one region so as to be above the insulation film in a state that the group of electrodes of the pixel electrode is overlapped to the substantially planar counter electrode in the one region in plan view, and

in another region, the counter electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in a direction which intersects the one direction in the another region so as to be below the insulation film, and the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in the one direction and are arranged in parallel in the direction which intersects the one direction in the another region so as to be above the insulation film and is arranged alternately with the group of electrodes of the counter electrode in the another region in plan view.

9. A display device according to claim 1, wherein the counter electrode is made of a light-transmitting material.

11. A display device according to claim 1, wherein the substantially planar counter electrode in the one region is a substantially rectangular planar counter electrode which is overlapped with the group of electrodes of the pixel electrode in the one region in plan view.

2. A display device comprising:

on a liquid-crystal-side surface of one substrate of a pair of substrates which are arranged to face each other with liquid crystal therebetween, a region which is surrounded by a plurality of gate signal lines which are arranged in parallel to each other and a plurality of drain signal lines which are arranged in parallel to each other in a state that the drain signal lines intersect the gate signal lines defines a pixel region;

the pixel region includes a switching element which is operated in response to a scanning signal from the gate signal line, a pixel electrode to which a video signal from the drain signal line is supplied through the switching element, and a counter electrode which generates an electric field between the counter electrode and the pixel electrode;

the pixel region is constituted of divided respective regions;

wherein

in one region, the pixel electrode made of one of a light-transmitting material and light-reflecting material extends over the one region so as to be substantially planar at a center of the one region except at a periphery of the one region and to be below an insulation film, and the counter electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in a direction which intersects the one direction in the one region so as to be above the insulation film in a state that the group of electrodes of the counter electrode is overlapped to the substantially planar pixel electrode in the one region in plan view,

in another region, the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in a direction which intersects the one direction in the another region so as to be below the insulation film, and the counter electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in the one direction and are arranged in parallel in the direction which intersects the one direction in the another region so as to be above the insulation film and is arranged alternately with the group of electrodes of the pixel electrode in the another region in plan view, and

each counter electrode in each region is formed in a state that the counter electrode covers the drain signal line.

3. A display device according to claim 2, wherein the respective insulation films formed in the respective regions are formed of a sequentially stacked body which is constituted of a protective film made of an inorganic material and a protective film made of an organic material, and the respective counter electrodes are formed of a light transmitting material.

10. A display device according to claim 2, wherein the pixel electrode is made of a light-transmitting material.

12. A display device according to claim 2, wherein the substantially planar pixel electrode in the one region is a substantially rectangular planar pixel electrode which is overlapped with the group of electrodes of the counter electrode in the one region in plan view.

4. A display device comprising:

on a liquid-crystal-side surface of one substrate of a pair of substrates which are arranged to face each other with liquid crystal therebetween, a region which is surrounded by a plurality of gate signal lines which are arranged in parallel to each other and a plurality of drain signal lines which are arranged in parallel to each other in a state that the drain signal lines intersect the gate signal lines defines a pixel region;

the pixel region includes a switching element which is operated in response to a scanning signal from the gate signal line, a pixel electrode to which a video signal from the drain signal line is supplied through the switching element, and a counter electrode which generates an electric field between the counter electrode and the pixel electrode; and

the pixel region is constituted of divided respective regions;

wherein

in one region, the counter electrode extends over the one region so as to be substantially planar at a center of the one region except at a periphery of the one region and to be below an insulation film and also functions as a reflective electrode, and the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in a direction which intersects the one direction in the one region so as to be above the insulation film in a state that the group of electrodes of the pixel electrode is overlapped to the substantially planar counter electrode in the one region in plan view, and

in another region, the counter electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in a direction which intersects the one direction in the another region so as to be below the insulation film, and the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in the one direction and are arranged in parallel in the direction which intersects the one direction in the another region so as to be above the insulation film and is arranged alternately with the group of electrodes of the counter electrode in the another region in plan view.

13. A display device according to claim 4, wherein the substantially planar counter electrode in the one region is a substantially rectangular planar counter electrode which is overlapped with the group of electrodes of the pixel electrode in the one region in plan view.

5. A display device comprising:

on a liquid-crystal-side surface of one substrate of a pair of substrates which are arranged to face each other with liquid crystal therebetween, a region which is surrounded by a plurality of gate signal lines which are arranged in parallel to each other and a plurality of drain signal lines which are arranged in parallel to each other in a state that the drain signal lines intersect the gate signal lines defines a pixel region;

the pixel region includes a switching element which is operated in response to a scanning signal from the gate signal line, a pixel electrode to which a video signal from the drain signal line is supplied through the switching element, and a counter electrode which generates an electric field between the counter electrode and the pixel electrode; and

the pixel region is constituted of divided respective regions;

wherein

in one region, the counter electrode extends over the one region so as to be substantially planar at a center of the one region except at a periphery of the one region and to be below an insulation film and also functions as a reflective electrode, and the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in a direction which intersects the one direction in the one region so as to be above the insulation film in a state that the group of electrodes of the pixel electrode is overlapped to the substantially planar counter electrode in the one region in plan view,

in another region, the counter electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in a direction which intersects the one direction in the another region so as to be below the insulation film, and the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in the one direction and are arranged in parallel in the direction which intersects the one direction in the another region so as to be above the insulation film and is arranged alternately with the group of electrodes of the counter electrode in the another region in plan view, and

the insulation film has a larger thickness in another region than one region such that a film thickness of a liquid crystal layer in one region is approximately three times as large as a film thickness of a liquid crystal layer in another region.

6. A display device according to claim 5, wherein the insulation film in one region is formed of a protective film made of an inorganic material, the insulation film in another region is formed of a sequentially stacked body consisting of a protective film made of an inorganic material and a protective film made of an organic material, and at the same time, the counter electrode includes at least a counter electrode which covers the drain signal line.

14. A display device according to claim 5, wherein the substantially planar counter electrode in the one region is a substantially rectangular planar counter electrode which is overlapped with the group of electrodes of the pixel electrode in the one region in plan view.

7. A display device comprising:

on a liquid-crystal-side surface of one substrate of a pair of substrates which are arranged to face each other with liquid crystal therebetween, a region which is surrounded by a plurality of gate signal lines which are arranged in parallel to each other and a plurality of drain signal lines which are arranged in parallel to each other in a state that the drain signal lines intersect the gate signal lines defines a pixel region;

the pixel region includes a switching element which is operated in response to a scanning signal from the gate signal line, a pixel electrode to which a video signal from the drain signal line is supplied through the switching element, and a counter electrode which generates an electric field between the counter electrode and the pixel electrode;

the pixel region is constituted of divided respective regions;

wherein

in one region, the counter electrode extends over the one region so as to be substantially planar at a center of the one region except at a periphery of the one region and to be below an insulation film and also functions as a reflective electrode, and the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in a direction which intersects the one direction in the one region so as to be above the insulation film in a state that the group of electrodes of the pixel electrode is overlapped to the substantially planar counter electrode in the one region in plan view,

in another region, the counter electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in one direction and are arranged in parallel to each other in a direction which intersects the one direction in the another region so as to be below the insulation film, and the pixel electrode which is constituted of a group of electrodes which extend in the one direction and are arranged in parallel in the direction which intersects the one direction in the another region so as to be above the insulation film and is arranged alternately with the group of electrodes of the counter electrode in the one region in plan view, and

the insulation film has a layer thickness thereof in one region than the layer thickness in another region.

8. A display device according to claim 7, wherein the insulation film in another region is formed of a protective film made of an inorganic material, and the insulation film in one region is formed of a sequentially stacked body consisting of a protective film made of an inorganic material and a protective film made of an organic material.

15. A display device according to claim 7, wherein the substantially planar counter electrode in the one region is a substantially rectangular planar counter electrode which is overlapped with the group of electrodes of the pixel electrode in the one region in plan view.