# US 2014/0192284 A1 · Gradient Index Liquid Crystal Optical Device and Image Display Device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2014/0192284 A1
- Document ID: US20140192284A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/203,423
- Filed: 2014-03-10
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-09-16
- Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Inventors: AYAKO TAKAGI; SHINICHI UEHARA; MASAKO KASHIWAGI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192284A1

## CPC

- G02B 30/27: involving lenticular arrays
- G02B 30/28: involving active lenticular arrays
- G02F 1/1313: {specially adapted for a particular application}
- G02F 1/134363: {for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]}
- G02F 1/29: for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
- H04N 13/31: using parallax barriers
- H04N 13/361: Reproducing mixed stereoscopic images; Reproducing mixed monoscopic and stereoscopic images, e.g. a stereoscopic image overlay window on a monoscopic image background
- G02F 1/134381: {Hybrid switching mode, i.e. for applying an electric field with components parallel and orthogonal to the substrates}
- G02F 1/294: {Variable focal length devices}
- G02F 2203/28: focussing or defocussing
- 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
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

According to one embodiment, an optical device includes a first substrate, a second substrate arranged to face the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer, first electrodes, second electrodes, a third electrode, and fourth electrodes. The first electrodes are provided on the first substrate on a side of the liquid crystal layer and extends in a first direction. The second electrodes are arranged between the first electrodes and extend in the first direction. The third electrode is provided on the second substrate on the side of the liquid crystal layer and extends in a third direction. The fourth electrodes are arranged between the first and second electrodes and extend in the first direction. The second electrodes adjacent in a second direction are electrically connected, and the fourth electrodes adjacent in the second direction are electrically connected.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gradient index liquid crystal optical device comprising:
a first substrate;
a second substrate arranged to face the first substrate;
a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate;
a plurality of first electrodes provided on the first substrate on a side of the liquid crystal layer and extending in a first direction;
a plurality of second electrodes arranged between the first electrodes and extending in the first direction;
a third electrode provided on the second substrate on the side of the liquid crystal layer and extending in a third direction different from the first direction; and
a plurality of fourth electrodes arranged between the first electrodes and the second electrodes and extending in the first direction,
wherein the second electrodes adjacent in a second direction different from the first direction are electrically connected, and the fourth electrodes adjacent in the second direction are electrically connected.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a second extraction electrode configured to electrically connect the second electrodes adjacent in the second direction; and
a fourth extraction electrode configured to electrically connect the fourth electrodes adjacent in the second direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device according to claim 2, further comprising:
a second voltage supply unit configured to supply a second voltage to the second extraction electrode; and
a fourth voltage supply unit configured to supply a fourth voltage different from the second voltage to the fourth extraction electrode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrodes are electrically connected together to form a group.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the third electrode extends in the third direction perpendicular to the first direction, and third electrode each corresponding to the same position for each lens unit is electrically connected to each other.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal layer is made of a uniaxial liquid crystal and a direction parallel to the third direction is an orientation direction of liquid crystal directors.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of (n+1)th electrodes arranged between the first electrode and the nth electrode and extending in the first direction,
wherein n is a number of not less than 4, and when n is not less than 5, the gradient index liquid crystal optical device comprises fifth to (n+1)th electrodes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device according to claim 7, a distance between the first electrode and the (n+1)th electrode closest to the first electrode is longer than a distance between the (n+1)th electrode and the nth electrode located, on a side of the second electrode closest to the (n+1)th electrode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, a distance between the first electrode and the fourth electrode closest to the first electrode is longer than a distance between the fourth electrode and a fifth electrode located, on a side of the second electrode closest to the fourth electrode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, a voltage applied between each of the fourth electrodes and the third electrode facing the each of fourth electrodes is lower than a threshold voltage at which a liquid crystal begins to rise.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, a voltage value ⅓ of a voltage applied to the first electrodes is smaller than a threshold voltage value at which a liquid crystal begins to rise.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, when a voltage value ⅓ of a voltage applied to the first electrodes is not less than a threshold voltage value at which a liquid crystal begins to rise, a voltage having a voltage value Vc is applied to the third electrode, the voltage value Vc meeting
Vc≦(V1−V0)×0.5 and Vc≧Vn/3−Vth
where Vc is the voltage value of the third electrode facing the first electrode, V0 is a voltage of an electrode closest to a lens center, V1 is a voltage of an electrode second closest to the lens center, and Vn is a voltage applied to a lens end.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, the second direction is not perpendicular to the first direction.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device according to claim 13, each of the first electrodes further comprises a connection portion configured to connect the adjacent first electrodes to make a shape close to a rectangle have an equal position voltage.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The device according to claim 13, the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The device according to claim 15, third electrode each corresponding to the same position for each lens unit is electrically connected to each other.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, the first electrodes, the second electrodes, and the fourth electrodes are repetitively arranged in an order named along the second direction.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

An image display device comprising:
the gradient index liquid crystal optical device according to claim 1; and
an image display unit.