# US 12,007,588 B2 · Liquid crystal display 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 12,007,588 B2 - Document ID: US12007588B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/705,917 - Filed: 2022-03-28 - Published: 2022-10-06 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-31 - Assignees: Japan Display Inc. - Applicants: Japan Display Inc. - Inventors: Takeo Koito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007588B2 ## CPC - G02B 30/31: involving active parallax barriers (involving directional light or back-light sources G02B30/33) - G02B 30/32: characterised by the geometry of the parallax barriers, e.g. staggered barriers, slanted parallax arrays or parallax arrays of varying shape or size - G02F 1/29: for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - 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 an aspect, a liquid crystal display device includes: a first panel configured to display an image; a backlight configured to irradiate the first panel with light; and a second panel configured to limit an emission area of the light. The second panel includes a plurality of first electrodes whose potentials are individually controllable and a second electrode provided at a position opposite to the first electrodes with liquid crystal between the first and second electrodes. The first electrodes are arranged in a first direction along the second panel. The first electrodes are provided with such a potential that liquid crystal in a first state and liquid crystal in a second state alternately occur in the first direction. The first state is a state of blocking light. The second state is a state of transmitting light and changing refractive index distribution of light incident from the backlight side. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid crystal display device comprising: a first panel configured to display an image by using light from a back surface side of the first panel; a backlight configured to irradiate the first panel with light from the back surface side; and a second panel configured to limit an emission area of the light so that the image output from the first panel is visually recognized as a parallax image, wherein the second panel includes a plurality of first electrodes whose potentials are individually controllable and a second electrode provided at a position opposite to the first electrodes with liquid crystal interposed between the first and second electrodes, the second electrode is formed in one body and overlaps all of the first electrodes, the first electrodes are arranged in a first direction along the second panel, the first electrodes are provided with such respective potentials that a first state and a second state alternately occur in the first direction on the main surface, the first and second states being states of the liquid crystal, the first state configured to block light, and the second state is configured to transmit light and to change refractive index distribution of light incident from the first panel, a first one of the first electrodes that causes the first state has a first width in the first direction, a second one of the first electrodes that causes the second state has a second width in the first direction, and the first width is wider than the second width. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes have light-transmitting properties. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein, among the first electrodes, an electrode disposed corresponding to the liquid crystal that is in the first state has light-blocking properties. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a light-blocking part is provided at a position opposite to, among the first electrodes, an electrode disposed corresponding to the liquid crystal that is in the first state, with the liquid crystal interposed between the light-blocking part and the electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrodes extend in a direction parallel to the main surface and intersecting the first direction and a second direction, and the second direction is a direction parallel to the main surface and orthogonal to the first direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a first polarization plate is provided between the backlight and the first panel, a second polarization plate is provided between the first and second panels, a third polarization plate is provided on the second panel, and the polarization axes of the first polarization plate and the third polarization plate are parallel to each other and intersect the polarization axis of the second polarization plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein third ones of the first electrodes causes the second state, and the first width is wider than a width of each of the third ones. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein third ones of the first electrodes cause the second state, fourth ones of the first electrodes cause the first state, each of the fourth ones has the first width, and the first width is wider than a width of each of the third ones. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein third ones of the first electrodes cause the second state, fourth ones of the first electrodes cause the first state, each of the fourth ones has the first width, and a first pair of the fourth ones, some of the third ones, and a second pair of the fourth ones are arranged in the first direction in the order as listed, none of the first electrodes being disposed between the first pair and the second pair. ### Claim 10 A display device comprising: a first panel configured to display an image; a second panel configured to limit an emission area of the light so that the image output from the first panel is visually recognized as a parallax image, wherein the second panel includes a plurality of first electrodes whose potentials are individually controllable and a second electrode provided at a position opposite to the first electrodes with liquid crystal interposed between the first and second electrodes, the second electrode is formed in one body and overlaps all of the first electrodes, the first electrodes are arranged in a first direction parallel to a main surface of the second panel, the first electrodes are provided with such respective potentials that a first state and a second state alternately occur in the first direction on the main surface, the first and second states being states of the liquid crystal, the first state is a state of blocking light, and the second state is a state of transmitting light and changing refractive index distribution of light incident from the first panel, a first one of the first electrodes that causes the first state has a first width in the first direction, a second one of the first electrodes that causes the second state has a second width in the first direction, and the first width is wider than the second width. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The display device according to claim 10, wherein a first polarization plate is provided between the first and second panels, a second polarization plate is provided on the second panel, and the polarization axis of the first polarization plate intersects the polarization axis of the second polarization plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The display device according to claim 11, further comprising a Λ/4 plate provided between the first panel and the first polarization plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The display device according to claim 10, wherein third ones of the first electrodes cause the second state, and the first width is wider than a width of each of the third ones. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The display device according to claim 10, wherein third ones of the first electrodes cause the second state, fourth ones of the first electrodes cause the first state, each of the fourth ones has the first width, and the first width is wider than a width of each of the third ones. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The display device according to claim 10, wherein third ones of the first electrodes cause the second state, fourth ones of the first electrodes cause the first state, each of the fourth ones has the first width, and a first pair of the fourth ones, some of the third ones, and a second pair of the fourth ones are arranged in the first direction in the order as listed, none of the first electrodes being disposed between the first pair and the second pair.