Liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing liquid crystal display device

• US 9,785,004 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ono, Kikuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Merlin, Jessica M
• Application Number:
  US14/744,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20160370676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of pixel regions divided into a plurality of areas. The plurality of areas include a plurality of first areas and a plurality of second areas. In each of the pixel regions in each of the first areas, one of (i) the pixel electrode and (ii) the common electrode is formed closer to the liquid crystal layer than the other of (i) the pixel electrode and (ii) the common electrode. In each of the pixel regions in each of the second areas, the other of (i) the pixel electrode and (ii) the common electrode is formed closer to the liquid crystal layer than the one of (i) the pixel electrode and (ii) the common electrode. The common electrode in each of the first areas is formed in a same layer as the pixel electrode in each of the second areas.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate, and

a display portion formed on the first substrate,

the display portion including;

a plurality of data lines extending in a first direction;

a plurality of gate lines extending in a second direction which is different from the first direction; and

a plurality of pixel regions formed in a matrix, each of the pixel regions being surrounded by the data lines and the gate lines, wherein;

each of the plurality of pixel regions includes;

a thin film transistor connected to the data line;

a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor; and

a common electrode that is opposed to the pixel electrode,

the plurality of pixel regions in the display portion are divided into a plurality of areas, each of the plurality of areas including at least two pixel regions arranged adjacent to each other,

the plurality of areas include a plurality of first areas and a plurality of second areas,

in each of the plurality of pixel regions in each of the first areas, one of (i) the pixel electrode and (ii) the common electrode is formed closer to the liquid crystal layer than the other of (i) the pixel electrode and (ii) the common electrode,

in each of the plurality of pixel regions in each of the second areas, the other of (i) the pixel electrode and (ii) the common electrode is formed closer to the liquid crystal layer than the one of (i) the pixel electrode and (ii) the common electrode,

in each of the plurality of pixel regions in each of the first areas, the pixel electrode is formed in only a first layer, and the common electrode is formed in only a second layer, the first layer being a different layer than the second layer, and

in each of the plurality of pixel regions in each of the second areas, the pixel electrode is formed in only the second layer, and the common electrode is formed in only the first layer.

2. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first areas and second areas extends along an entire edge of the display region in the first direction, and the first areas and the second areas are alternately arranged in the second direction.

3. The liquid crystal display device of claim 2, wherein:

each of the first areas is divided into a plurality of blocks, the plurality of blocks being arranged in the first direction, each of the plurality of blocks including at least two pixel regions arranged adjacent to each other, and

the common electrodes in one of the plurality of blocks are electrically isolated from the common electrodes in an other of the plurality of blocks.

4. The liquid crystal display device of claim 3, wherein the common electrodes in each of the plurality of blocks overlap with the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines formed therein.

5. The liquid crystal display device of claim 2, wherein:

at least one of the second areas is interposed between two of the first areas, and

the common electrodes formed in one of the plurality of block regions in one of the two of the first areas electrically connect to the common electrodes in an other of the two of the first areas through wirings.

6. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first areas and the plurality of second areas are arranged in zigzag pattern.

7. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of first areas and second areas are arranged in a matrix,

at least one of the first areas is surrounded by four of the second areas,

at least one of the second areas is surrounded by four of the first areas,

the first areas and the second areas are alternately arranged in the first direction,

the first areas and the second areas are alternately arranged in the second direction,

at least one of the second areas is arranged between two of the first areas in the first direction,

at least one of the first areas is arranged between two of the second areas in the second direction,

common electrodes in the two of the first areas are electrically connected with first wirings, and

common electrodes in the two of the second areas are electrically connected with second wirings.

8. The liquid crystal display device of claim 7, wherein:

the first wirings extend in the first direction, and the second wirings extend in the second direction.

9. The liquid crystal display device of claim 7, wherein:

one of the first wirings is arranged between two pixel electrodes formed in two pixel regions in at least one of the second areas, and

one of the second wirings is arranged between two pixel electrodes formed in two pixel regions in at least one of the first areas.

10. A liquid crystal display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a touch drive circuit; and

a detect drive circuit, wherein;

the touch drive circuit outputs touch panel signals for detecting whether a touch to the common electrodes has occurred in the first areas, and

the detect drive circuit detects a voltage of the common electrodes in the second areas.

11. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1,

wherein each of the first areas is a drive electrode region, and

each of the second areas is a detect electrode region.