Sony Corporation

Other

Ying Bao Yang

Akio Yasuda

Keiichi Nito

Masaru Higuchi

Hidehiko Takanashi

Susumu Kimura

Tetsuo Urabe

Hideo Kataoka

Takafumi Suzuki

Tsutomu Tanaka

Kazunori Yamaguchi

Masumitsu Ino

Hiromasa Suzuki

Yoji Oki

Nobuyuki Shigeno

Osamu Ishige

Takayuki Fujioka

Yukio Kinoshita

Masaki Munakata

Masaki Kondoh

A reflection detection apparatus includes: a light-emitting surface; a detection light output portion to obliquely emit detection light from an emission area as a part of the light-emitting surface; a plurality of light-receiving devices to selectively receive, as reflected detection light, the detection light that is emitted to an external object from the emission area and enters the light-emitting surface with a predetermined angle after being reflected by the external object; and a height detection portion to obtain a height of a spot at which the detection light is reflected by the external object using positional information of the light-receiving device which has received the reflected detection light and positional information of the emission area, the height being a distance from the light-emitting surface.

Reflection detection apparatus, display apparatus, electronic apparatus, and reflection detection method

A surface light source device, which may perform surface light emission using a plurality of light guide members while suppressing formation of emission lines, and a display device using the surface light source device is provided. The surface light source device includes light sources, and a plurality of light guide members, each light guide member having a light incidence surface for light entering from each of the light sources, and making surface light emission based on incident light from the light incidence surface. The plurality of light guide members are arranged on the same plane, and each light guide member has tapered or curved surfaces adjacent to the light incidence surface, each tapered or curved surface having a predetermined angle against the light incidence surface.

Surface light source device and display device

The present invention provides a backlight capable of suppressing loss of light from an invisible light source and a displaying/imaging apparatus using the same. The backlight includes: a light guide plate having a light emitting face and a rear face opposed to the light emitting face; a visible light source disposed on a side face of the light guide plate; an invisible light source disposed on a side face of the light guide plate; a first reflection film disposed on the rear face side of the light guide plate, reflecting light from the visible light source, and transmitting light from the invisible light source; and a second reflection film disposed on the rear face side of the light guide plate and reflecting light from at least the invisible light source out of the visible light source and the invisible light source.

Backlight and displaying/imaging apparatus

A surface emission apparatus includes a first light source for emitting invisible light rays; a second light source for emitting visible light rays; a light guide having a light entrance surface for entering therethrough into the light guide the invisible light rays emitted from the first light source and the visible light rays emitted from the second light source, and a light exit surface for emitting the invisible light rays and the visible light rays therethrough out of the light guide; and a plurality of optical devices disposed on a surface of the light guide which confronts the light exit surface, for scattering more of the invisible light rays than the visible light rays.

Surface emission apparatus, light guide, and method of manufacturing light guide

Disclosed herein is a display device including, a visual target, and a backlight adapted to illuminate the visual target from the rear, the backlight including, a plurality of first light sources, second light sources, and a light guide plate, wherein the light guide plate has a plurality of projecting portions on a side surface portion thereof upon which the light, produced by the plurality of first and second light sources is incident, the projecting portions being arranged, along the side surface portion and project toward the one side of the given direction, the plurality of first light sources are disposed to be opposed to the tip surfaces of the plurality of projecting portions, and the second light sources are disposed to be opposed to the bottom surfaces of recessed portions formed between the plurality of projecting portions.

Display device and optical device

Method of driving a liquid crystal display such as a ferroelectric liquid crystal display by multiplex addressing. The display has a pair of bases. A transparent electrode layer and an orientation film are formed in this order on each base. The two bases are placed opposite to each other with a certain gap between them. A ferroelectric liquid crystal material is inserted in the gap. Let V be the voltage applied when the transmittivity of the liquid crystal material begins to change. Let V be the voltage applied when the transmittivity of the liquid crystal material substantially assumes its maximum value. First and second select pulses of opposite polarities are applied to the liquid crystal material. Let V be the voltage of the first select pulse. Let V be the voltage of the second select voltage. This method is characterized in that V &equals;&plusmn;(V &minus;&Dgr;V), where &Dgr;V>0, and that V &equals;&mnplus;(V &plus;&Dgr;V), where &Dgr;V>0.

Method of driving liquid crystal device

A reflection type display having a front light comprises a light guide plate having a light incident portion to which the lights are introduced, a planar surface arranged on the surface facing said first substrate and a prismatic surface arranged on the other surface, said prismatic surface comprising pseudo-planar surfaces which are formed at an angle of approximately 0.5 to 3.5 degrees with said planar surface and are raised greater as being distanced away from said light incident portion and slanted surfaces which are formed at an angle of approximately 40 to 60 degrees with said planar surface and are descended greater as being distanced away from said light incident portion, said pseudo-planar surfaces and said slanted surfaces are arranged alternately to form multiple prisms.

Reflection type display with front light

A method of driving a liquid crystal device, which comprises matrix-addressed driving a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal, particularly a ferroelectric liquid crystal, disposed between a pair of substrates and comprising finely distributed domains differing in threshold voltage for use in switching said liquid crystal, said method being a pulse modulation method comprising modulating at least one of pulse voltage and pulse width, a pixel electrode division method, or a time integration method. Also claimed is a liquid crystal device driven by any of said methods. The liquid crystal device provides a further improved analog multiple gray-scale level display, realizes a large-area display at a low cost, and enables drive at full color video rate.

Passive matrix addressed LCD pulse modulated drive method with pixel area and/or time integration method to produce covay scale

A reflection type display device includes a panel, a light guide plate placed external to the panel, and a light source placed at the end of the light guide plate for generating illumination light as required. The light guide plate normally transmits external light onto a first substrate of the panel and emits the external light reflected from a second substrate of the panel, while, as required, guides illumination light onto the first substrate and emits the illumination light reflected from the second substrate. The light guide plate includes a planar section divided into bands and an inclined section lying between each planar section. The light guide plate reflects the illumination light guided from the light source at each inclined section so as to lead it onto the first substrate and emits the illumination light reflected from the second substrate through each planar section and inclined section. The width of the planar section is set to 15 or more times, or preferably 20 or more times, the width of the inclined section.

Reflection type display with light waveguide with inclined and planar

An illumination structure which is for viewing an image in a dark environment without deterioration of image quality in a bright environment is incorporated in a reflective display. A reflective display comprises a panel, a light guide plate, and a light source. The panel is provided with a transparent first substrate located on the incident side of the outside light, a second substrate bonded to the first substrate with interposition of a prescribed space and located on the side opposite to the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer held in the space between both substrates, and an electrode for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer. The light guide plate is placed on the outside of the first substrate. The light source is located on the end of the light guide plate, and emits the illumination light as required. The light guide plate allows the outside light to be transmitted, which is incident on the first substrate, and allows the outside light reflected on the second substrate to come out. On the other hand, the light guide plate guides the illumination light as required, which is incident on the first substrate, and allows the illumination light reflected on the second substrate to come out. A laminate structure comprising a polarization plate and a quarter wavelength plate placed one on the other is attached on the light guide plate, and shuts off the outside light or illumination light unnecessary reflected on the first substrate of the panel.

Reflective display having a laminated structure of a polarizer and

Passive matrix addressed LCD pulse modulated drive method with pixel

A reflective guest-host liquid-crystal display includes: a pair of upper and lower substrates joined together with a predetermined space therebetween; and a guest-host liquid-crystal layer which is held within the space and contains a dichroic dye. The upper substrate is provided with at least a counter electrode. At least thin-film transistors (TFTs), a reflective layer, a .lambda./4 phase shifter (quarter-wavelength plate), and pixel electrodes are formed on the lower substrate. The .lambda./4 phase shifter is formed above the TFTs and the reflective layer, and has contact holes connecting to the drain electrodes of the TFTs. The pixel electrodes are patterned on the .lambda./4 phase shifter and connected to the corresponding drain electrodes of the TFTs through the corresponding contact holes.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Ying Bao Yang