The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 23, 2009
Filed:
Feb. 01, 2005
Hiroshi Fukushima, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Koji Yabuta, Kashiba, JP;
Tomoo Takatani, Nara, JP;
Masakazu Wada, Soraku-gun, JP;
Hiroshi Fukushima, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Koji Yabuta, Kashiba, JP;
Tomoo Takatani, Nara, JP;
Masakazu Wada, Soraku-gun, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A viewing angle control element of the present invention contains transparent regionshaving a transmittance Tand light shield regionscapable of switching between a transmittance Tand a transmittance Twhich is less than Tand Taccording to an external signal. Each of the transparent regionsand the light shield regionsis positioned opposite to one of pixels. Displays are produced at or close to the original brightness of the image display element in wide viewing angle mode, whereas in narrow viewing angle mode, light transmission is limited to achieve narrow viewing angles. This is in contrast with other viewing angle control elements which produce displays at or close to the original brightness of the image display element in narrow viewing angle mode, whereas in wide viewing angle mode, light is diffused or otherwise modified to achieve wide viewing angles. Thus, the viewing angle control element is capable of achieving both wide viewing angles and narrow viewing angles, and still preventing image quality deterioration at wide viewing angles due to decreased brightness of the image display element.