In-plane switching liquid crystal display device having reflective region and transmissive region

• US 8,482,711 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nishida, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lauren
• Application Number:
  US13/370,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20130038825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 349/114, 349/141
• US Class Current: 349/141
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134372 for fringe field switching [FFS] where the common electrode is not patterned
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/137 characterised by the electro-optical or magneto-optical effect, e.g. field-induced phase transition, orientation effect, guest-host interaction or dynamic scattering

Abstract

A display device includes a pair of substrates, a display medium interposed between the pair of substrates, and a pixel including a reflective region for performing reflective display and a transmissive region for performing transmissive display. A voltage is applied to the display medium through at least a pixel electrode and a common electrode, at least one the pixel electrode and the common electrode being provided with a slit. The pixel electrode can be provided with the slit in at least the reflective region, and the common electrode is provided with the slit in the reflective region and/or the transmissive region.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a pair of substrates;

a display medium interposed between the pair of substrates; and

a pixel having a reflective region for performing reflective display and a transmissive region for performing transmissive display,

wherein the display device includes a pixel electrode and a common electrode on one of the pair of substrates,

a voltage is applied to the display medium through the pixel electrode and the common electrode,

each of the pixel electrode and the common electrode is provided with a slit,

the common electrode is provided with the slit in the reflective region and the transmissive region, and

the pixel electrode comprises a first portion in the reflective region and a second portion in the transmissive region, wherein the first portion of the pixel electrode in the reflective region comprises a plurality of slits defined in the pixel electrode, and the second portion of the pixel electrode in the transmissive region does not include a plurality of slits defined therein, so that the pixel electrode does not include a plurality of slits in the tranmissive region of the pixel.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode is formed over the entire transmissive region.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode has a comb-tooth shape in the reflective region.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the pixel electrode is entirely surrounded by the common electrode.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the pixel electrode has a rectangular shape.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the pixel electrode has a rectangular shape having at least one bent part.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the pixel electrode has a zig-zag shape.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the pixel electrode has a circular arc shape.

9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the pixel electrode has a meandering shape.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the common electrode has a comb-tooth shape.

11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the common electrode is entirely surrounded by the common electrode.

12. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the common electrode has a rectangular shape.

13. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the common electrode has a rectangular shape having at least one bent part.

14. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the common electrode has a zig-zag shape.

15. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the common electrode has a circular arc shape.

16. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the common electrode has a meandering shape.

17. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit of the common electrode has substantially the same shape as a shape of the slit of the pixel electrode.

18. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the slit of the common electrode in the reflective region is larger than a width of the slit of the common electrode in the transmissive region.

19. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a shield electrode is arranged between the pixel electrode and the common electrode in the reflective region.

20. The display device according to claim 19, wherein the shield electrode is connected to ground.