# US 10,310,356 B2 · Optical device and display device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,356 B2 - Document ID: US10310356B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/924,359 - Filed: 2018-03-19 - Published: 2018-10-04 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-31 - Assignees: Japan Display Inc. - Applicants: Japan Display Inc. - Inventors: Tatsuya Yata; Takayuki Nakanishi; Takeo Koito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310356B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/293: {by another light beam, i.e. opto-optical deflection} - G02F 1/133526: {Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses} - G02F 1/133553: {Reflecting elements (associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605)} - G02F 1/13362: {providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one} - G02F 1/134309: {characterised by their geometrical arrangement} - G02F 1/13439: {characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making} - G02F 1/1347: Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells - G02F 1/1337: Surface-induced orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, e.g. by alignment layers - G02F 1/294: {Variable focal length devices} - G02F 2201/121: common or background - G02F 2201/123: pixel - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract According to one embodiment, an optical device includes a liquid crystal element including a first substrate including a plurality of first control electrodes, a second substrate which is opposed to the first substrate and comprises a second control electrode, and a first liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a modulation element opposed to the liquid crystal element, the modulation element including a modulation portion which modulates incident light, and a non-modulation portion which is adjacent to the modulation portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical device, comprising: a liquid crystal element comprising a first substrate comprising a plurality of first control electrodes, a second substrate which is opposed to the first substrate and comprises a second control electrode, and a first liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a modulation element opposed to the liquid crystal element, the modulation element comprising a modulation portion which modulates incident light, and a non-modulation portion which is adjacent to the modulation portion, wherein the modulation element comprises a third substrate comprising a third control electrode, a fourth substrate which is opposed to the third substrate and comprises a fourth control electrode, and a second liquid crystal layer held between the third substrate and the fourth substrate, and the third control electrode comprises a first gap portion, a first electrode portion, a second electrode portion which is located directly above the first gap portion, and a second gap portion which is located directly above the first electrode portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the modulation portion is smaller than the non-modulation portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The optical device of claim 2, further comprising: a controller which controls the liquid crystal element, wherein the controller forms a lens which converges light incident on the liquid crystal element to the modulation portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The optical device of claim 3, wherein first transmitted light, which is light transmitted through the liquid crystal element, and second transmitted light, which is light transmitted through the modulation element, include first polarized light and second polarized light, respectively, a first ratio of the first polarized light in the second transmitted light is smaller than a second ratio of the first polarized light in the first transmitted light, and a third ratio of the second polarized light in the second transmitted light is larger than a fourth ratio of the second polarized light in the first transmitted light. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein each of the first control electrodes is a strip electrode, and the modulation portion is located between two first control electrodes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The optical device of claim 5, wherein a width of each of the first control electrodes is less than or equal to an interval between the first control electrodes adjacent to each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical device of claim 6, wherein each of the first control electrodes and the second control electrode are transparent electrodes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein a polarizer is nonexistent between the liquid crystal element and the modulation element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the first liquid crystal layer has a thickness of 10 to 100 μm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the modulation portion and the non-modulation portion are formed in the second liquid crystal layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optical device of claim 10, further comprising: a controller which controls the liquid crystal element and the modulation element, wherein the controller forms a lens, which converges light incident on the liquid crystal element, in the first liquid crystal layer, and forms the modulation portion in an area of the second liquid crystal layer where the light is converged by the lens. ### Claim 12 A display device, comprising: a liquid crystal element comprising a first substrate comprising a plurality of first control electrodes, a second substrate which is opposed to the first substrate and comprises a second control electrode, and a first liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate; a modulation element which is opposed to the liquid crystal element, the modulation element comprising a modulation portion which modulates first polarized light and second polarized light, and a non-modulation portion which is adjacent to the modulation portion; an optical element which is opposed to the modulation element, and transmits the second polarized light; a liquid crystal display panel which is opposed to the optical element, and is illuminated by the second polarized light; and a display controller which controls the liquid crystal display panel including a first display area and a second display area, and an optical controller which controls the liquid crystal element including a first control area and a second control area, wherein the first control area is opposed to the first display area, the second control area is opposed to the second display area, the display controller displays a first image of a first gradation value in the first display area, and displays a second image of a second gradation value in the second display area, the second gradation value being different from the first gradation value, and the optical controller forms no lens in the first control area of the first liquid crystal layer, and forms a lens, which converges light incident on the liquid crystal element to the modulation portion, in the second control area of the first liquid crystal layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The display device of claim 12, wherein the modulation element comprises a third substrate comprising a plurality of third control electrodes, a fourth substrate which is opposed to the third substrate and comprises a fourth control electrode, and a second liquid crystal layer held between the third substrate and the fourth substrate, and the modulation portion and the non-modulation portion are formed in the second liquid crystal layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The display device of claim 13, wherein the liquid crystal display panel comprises a fifth substrate, a sixth substrate, a third liquid crystal layer held between the fifth substrate and the sixth substrate, and a pixel electrode and a common electrode which apply a voltage to the third liquid crystal layer, and the pixel electrode is a reflective electrode, and the common electrode is a transparent electrode. ### Claim 15 A display device, comprising: a liquid crystal element comprising a first substrate comprising a plurality of first control electrodes, a second substrate which is opposed to the first substrate and comprises a second control electrode, and a first liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate; a modulation element which is opposed to the liquid crystal element, the modulation element comprising a modulation portion which modulates first polarized light and second polarized light, and a non-modulation portion which is adjacent to the modulation portion; an optical element which is opposed to the modulation element, and transmits the second polarized light; and a liquid crystal display panel which is opposed to the optical element, and is illuminated by the second polarized light, wherein the modulation element comprises a third substrate comprising a plurality of third control electrodes, a fourth substrate which is opposed to the third substrate and comprises a fourth control electrode, and a second liquid crystal layer held between the third substrate and the fourth substrate, the modulation portion and the non-modulation portion are formed in the second liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal display panel comprises a fifth substrate, a sixth substrate, a third liquid crystal layer held between the fifth substrate and the sixth substrate, and a pixel electrode and a common electrode which apply a voltage to the third liquid crystal layer, and the pixel electrode is a reflective electrode, and the common electrode is a transparent electrode.