# US 8,570,451 B2 · Display apparatus and liquid crystal lens > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,570,451 B2 - Document ID: US8570451B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/454,089 - Filed: 2012-04-24 - Published: 2013-08-08 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-04 - Assignees: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd. - Applicants: Che-Wei Chang; Tzu-Hsuan Huang - Inventors: Che-Wei Chang; Tzu-Hsuan Huang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570451B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/29: for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection - G02B 30/28: involving active lenticular arrays - G02F 1/134309: {characterised by their geometrical arrangement} - G02B 30/27: involving lenticular arrays - G02F 1/134381: {Hybrid switching mode, i.e. for applying an electric field with components parallel and orthogonal to the substrates} - G02F 1/291: {Two-dimensional analogue deflection} - G02F 1/294: {Variable focal length devices} - 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 - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A display apparatus and a liquid crystal lens are provided. The display apparatus includes a display panel and a liquid crystal lens. The liquid crystal lens includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, a third electrode layer, and an insulating layer. The liquid crystal layer is between the first and second substrates. The first electrode layer is between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer. The second electrode layer is between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer. The third electrode layer is between the second electrode layer and the second substrate. The liquid crystal layer is driven by the first, second, and third electrode layers and has a refractive index that is first decreased and then increased to define a lens unit. The insulating layer is between the second and third electrode layers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid crystal lens comprising: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first electrode layer disposed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer; a second electrode layer disposed between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, the second electrode layer comprising a plurality of floating second electrodes; a third electrode layer disposed between the second electrode layer and the second substrate, the third electrode layer comprising a plurality of third electrodes, each of the second electrodes covering a location of at least one of the third electrodes to form a plurality of driving units, the driving units being arranged along a direction, wherein the liquid crystal layer is driven by the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer, and the third electrode layer, such that a refractive index of the liquid crystal layer is first decreased and then increased along the direction to define a lens unit; and an insulating layer disposed between the second electrode layer and the third electrode layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens as recited in claim 1, wherein the number of the third electrodes covered by each of the second electrodes is identical, so as to form the driving units. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens as recited in claim 1, wherein parts of the third electrodes in the lens unit are enabled, and the other parts of the third electrodes in the lens unit are disabled. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens as recited in claim 1, wherein the number of the third electrodes in at least two of the driving units is different. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens as recited in claim 1, wherein a width of the second electrodes is identical or the widths of at least two of the second electrodes are different. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens as recited in claim 1, wherein the second electrode layer further comprises a plurality of auxiliary electrodes adjacent to the driving units, and a driving voltage is suitable for being input to the auxiliary electrodes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens as recited in claim 1, wherein the third electrode layer further comprises a plurality of auxiliary electrodes, and locations of the auxiliary electrodes are exposed by the floating second electrodes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The liquid crystal lens as recited in claim 7, wherein a voltage of the third electrodes is substantially equal to a voltage of the auxiliary electrodes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens as recited in claim 1, wherein a ground voltage is input to the first electrode layer, and a driving voltage is input to the third electrodes. ### Claim 10 A display apparatus comprising: a display panel having a plurality of pixel units; and a liquid crystal lens disposed on the display panel and comprising: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first electrode layer disposed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer; a second electrode layer disposed between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, the second electrode layer comprising a plurality of floating second electrodes; a third electrode layer disposed between the second electrode layer and the second substrate, the third electrode layer comprising a plurality of third electrodes, each of the second electrodes covering a location of at least one of the third electrodes to form a plurality of driving units, the driving units being arranged along a direction, wherein the liquid crystal layer is driven by the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer, and the third electrode layer, such that a refractive index of the liquid crystal layer is first decreased and then increased along the direction to define a lens unit; and an insulating layer disposed between the second electrode layer and the third electrode layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The display apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the lens unit corresponds to at least two of the pixel units. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The display apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the number of the third electrodes covered by each of the second electrodes is identical, so as to form the driving units. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The display apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein parts of the third electrodes in the lens unit are enabled, and the other parts of the third electrodes in the lens unit are disabled. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The display apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the number of the third electrodes in at least two of the driving units is different. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The display apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein a width of the second electrodes is identical or the widths of at least two of the second electrodes are different. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The display apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the second electrode layer further comprises a plurality of auxiliary electrodes adjacent to the driving units, and a driving voltage is suitable for being input to the auxiliary electrodes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The display apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the third electrode layer further comprises a plurality of auxiliary electrodes, and locations of the auxiliary electrodes are exposed by the floating second electrodes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The display apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein a voltage of the third electrodes is substantially equal to a voltage of the auxiliary electrodes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The display apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein a ground voltage is input to the first electrode layer, and a driving voltage is input to the third electrodes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The display apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the liquid crystal lens provides a stereo display function when the liquid crystal lens is driven to formed the lens unit.