Japan Display has been granted a patent for a view-angle control device that includes a drive layer with light-transmitting and switchable regions, and multiple optical member layers. The device uses liquid crystal orientation to switch between light-transmitting and light-blocking states, and includes polarization layers and branch electrodes for control. The patent aims to improve view-angle control in display devices. GlobalData’s report on Japan Display gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
Smarter leaders trust GlobalData
According to GlobalData’s company profile on Japan Display, Under-screen fingerprint recognition was a key innovation area identified from patents. Japan Display's grant share as of September 2023 was 61%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Patent granted for a view-angle control device
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11774786B2) describes a view-angle control device that can be used in display devices. The device includes a drive layer with alternating light-transmitting regions and switchable regions. The switchable regions can switch between a light-transmitting state and a light-blocking state through the switching of liquid crystal orientation. The drive layer is stacked with multiple optical member layers and is sandwiched between a pair of polarization layers.
Each optical member layer consists of a base member that transmits light and a light-blocking part that blocks light. The light-blocking part is positioned to overlap with the switchable regions. The drive layer includes a liquid crystal layer and features a common electrode, an insulating layer, and branch electrodes. The branch electrodes extend along the direction of the switchable regions and have a width smaller than the light-transmitting and switchable regions. Multiple branch electrodes are present in both the light-transmitting and switchable regions, with the branch electrodes in the switchable regions being coupled to each other, and the branch electrodes in the light-transmitting regions being coupled to each other.
The drive layer also includes a pair of orientation films with the liquid crystal layer in between. The angle between the orientation direction of the films and the extending direction of the branch electrodes is set between 0° and 10°. The polarization direction of light that can transmit through the polarization layers intersects the extending direction of the branch electrodes. By applying an OFF potential to the branch electrodes in the light-transmitting regions and an ON potential to the branch electrodes in the switchable regions, each switchable region in the drive layer can be brought into the light-blocking state.
The patent also mentions the use of multiple optical member layers facing each other with the drive layer in between. Additionally, a polarization layer can be provided on at least one surface side of the view-angle control device. The patent further describes a display device that includes the view-angle control device and a display panel stacked together. The display panel can output an image and may include a polarization layer on the view-angle control device side, while the view-angle control device includes a polarization layer on the opposite side.
Overall, this patent describes a view-angle control device that can be used in display devices to control the transmission of light and improve viewing angles. The device utilizes a drive layer with alternating light-transmitting and switchable regions, along with multiple optical member layers and polarization layers. The device can be incorporated into a display device to enhance image quality and visibility from different angles.
To know more about GlobalData’s detailed insights on Japan Display, buy the report here.
Premium Insights
From
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.
GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
