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US4681404A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Liquid crystal device and driving method therefor

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1985-09-24
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Granted: 1987-07-21
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Expires: 2005-09-24
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Abstract

Abstract A liquid crystal device for time-division driving comprising a plurality of picture elements arranged in a plurality of rows. Each picture element is composed of opposite electrodes, a layer of a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a volume resistivity of 1×10 9 Ω.cm or larger, disposed between the opposite electrodes and placed under bistability condition, and an insulating layer disposed on at least one of the opposite electrodes. The liquid crystal device is adapted to driving according to a time-division driving scheme wherein a writing signal is applied row by row and cyclically to the picture elements, and a particular row of picture elements to which the writing signal has been applied in a writing cycle retain their written states until a writing signal is applied to the particular row in a subsequent writing cycle.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shinjiro Okada
  • 👤 Junichiro Kanbe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 08:50
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G3/00; G09G3/20; G09G3/34; G09G3/36; G09G3/3611; G09G3/3622; G09G3/3629; C; C09; C09K; C09K19/00; C09K19/02; C09K19/0225; C09K19/04; C09K19/06; C09K19/08; C09K19/10; C09K19/20; C09K19/2007; C09K19/2021; C09K19/24; C09K19/26; G09G3/3648; G09G3/3651; G09G2310/00; G09G2310/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S359/00; Y10S359/90

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim 103 words
A liquid crystal device comprising a plurality of picture elements arranged in a plurality of rows; each picture element comprising a pair of oppositely spaced electrodes and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the electrodes and showing a first stable state and a second stable state depending on an electric field applied; said liquid crystal device being driven by sequentially orienting the ferroelectric liquid crystal at selected picture elements on a selected row to the first or second stable state to write in the picture elements row by row; said ferroelectric liquid crystal having a volume resistivity of 1×10 9 Ω.cm or larger.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 103 words
A liquid crystal device comprising a plurality of picture elements arranged in a plurality of rows; each picture element comprising a pair of oppositely spaced electrodes and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the electrodes and showing a first stable state and a second stable state depending on an electric field applied; said liquid crystal device being driven by sequentially orienting the ferroelectric liquid crystal at selected picture elements on a selected row to the first or second stable state to write in the picture elements row by row; said ferroelectric liquid crystal having a volume resistivity of 1×10 9 Ω.cm or larger.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal has volume resistivity of 1×10 10 Ω.cm to 1×10 13 Ω.cm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal has a volume resistivity of 1×10 11 Ω.cm to 1×10 13 Ω.cm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal has a volume resistivity of 1×10 12 Ω.cm to 1×10 13 Ω.cm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein an insulating film of an inorganic insulating material is disposed on at least one of the electrodes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 55 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 5, wherein said inorganic insulating material is at least one member selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon nitride containing hydrogen, silicon carbide, silicon carbide containing hydrogen, silicon oxide, boron nitride, boron nitride containing hydrogen, cerium oxide, aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide and magnesium fluoride.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 26 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein an insulating film of an organic insulating material is disposed on at least one of the electrodes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 50 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 7, wherein said organic insulating material is at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyimide, polyamide-imide, polyester-imide, polyparaxylylene, polyester, polycarbonate, polyvinylacetal, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyamide, polystyrene, cellulose resin, melamine resin, urea resin, acrylic resin and photoresist resins.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein an insulating layer providing a capacitance of 5.5×10 3 pF/cm 2 or above is disposed on at least one of the electrodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 24 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 9, wherein said insulating layer provides a capacitance of 5.5×10 3 to 3.0×10 5 pF/cm 2 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 24 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 9, wherein said insulating layer provides a capacitance of 9.0×10 3 to 5.5×10 4 pF/cm 2 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal is a smectic liquid crystal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal is a chiral smectic liquid crystal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 31 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 13, wherein said chiral smectic liquid crystal is in C phase, H phase, I phase, J phase, K phase, G phase and F phase.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 19 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 13, wherein said chiral smectic liquid crystal is in a non-spiral structure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 31 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein an alternating voltage for preventing reversal phenomenon is applied to a picture element to which said writing signal is not being applied.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 16 words
A liquid crystal device according to claim 16, wherein said alternating voltage is an AC voltage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 111 words
A driving method for a liquid crystal device comprising a plurality of picture elements arranged in a plurality of rows; each picture element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal showing a first stable state and a second stable state depending on an electric field applied thereto and having a volume resistivity of 1×10 9 Ω.cm or larger said driving method comprising: orientating the ferroelectric liquid crystal at a picture element on a selected row to the first or second stable state to write in the picture elements row by row; and applying a voltage signal of an alternating waveform to the ferroelectric liquid crystal at the picture element on a nonselected row.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 111 words
A driving method for a liquid crystal device comprising a plurality of picture elements arranged in a plurality of rows; each picture element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal showing a first stable state and a second stable state depending on an electric field applied thereto and having a volume resistivity of 1×10 9 Ω.cm or larger said driving method comprising: orientating the ferroelectric liquid crystal at a picture element on a selected row to the first or second stable state to write in the picture elements row by row; and applying a voltage signal of an alternating waveform to the ferroelectric liquid crystal at the picture element on a nonselected row.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 15 words
A driving method according to claim 18, wherein said alternating waveform is an AC voltage.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 24 words
A driving method according to claim 18, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal has a volume resistivity of 1×10 10 Ω.cm to 1×10 13 Ω.cm.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 24 words
A driving method according to claim 18, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal has a volume resistivity of 1×10 11 Ω.cm to 1×10 13 Ω.cm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 24 words
A driving method according to claim 18, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal has a volume resistivity of 1×10 12 Ω.cm to 1×10 13 Ω.cm.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 17 words
A driving method according to claim 18, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal is placed under bistability condition.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 124 words
A driving method for a liquid crystal device comprising a plurality of picture elements arranged two-dimensionally; each picture element comprising opposite electrodes, a layer of a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a volume resistivity of 1×10 9 Ω.cm or larger and disposed between the opposite electrodes and having a first display state and a second display state; said driving method comprising: applying a first writing signal of a polarity for producing a first display state and a holding signal of a reverse polarity for holding the first display state respectively to a selected first group of picture elements among said plurality of picture elements, and applying a second writing signal for producing a second display state respectively to a remaining second group of picture elements.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 124 words
A driving method for a liquid crystal device comprising a plurality of picture elements arranged two-dimensionally; each picture element comprising opposite electrodes, a layer of a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a volume resistivity of 1×10 9 Ω.cm or larger and disposed between the opposite electrodes and having a first display state and a second display state; said driving method comprising: applying a first writing signal of a polarity for producing a first display state and a holding signal of a reverse polarity for holding the first display state respectively to a selected first group of picture elements among said plurality of picture elements, and applying a second writing signal for producing a second display state respectively to a remaining second group of picture elements.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 32 words
A driving method according to claim 24, wherein an alternating voltage for preventing reversal of display states is applied to a picture element to which said writing signals are not being applied.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 15 words
A driving method according to claim 25, wherein said alternating voltage is an AC voltage.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 24 words
A driving method according to claim 24, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal has a volume resistivity of 1×10 10 Ω.cm to 1×10 13 Ω.cm.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 24 words
A driving method according to claim 24, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal has a volume resistivity of 1×10 11 Ω.cm to 1×10 13 Ω.cm.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 24 words
A driving method according to claim 24, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal has a volume resistivity of 1×10 12 Ω.cm to 1×10 13 Ω.cm.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 18 words
A driving method according to claim 24, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal state is placed under bistability condition.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 68 words
A driving method according to claim 18, wherein the orienting of the ferroelectric crystal comprises a first phase of applying a voltage signal for orienting the ferroelectric liquid crystal to the first stable state and a second phase of applying a voltage signal for orienting the ferroelectric liquid crystal to the second stable state; the voltage signals applied in the first and second phases having mutually opposite polarities.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3861135A Cited
US4538884A Cited
US4595260A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-07-20 1991-01-19 1991-07-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-07-20 1995-01-19 1995-07-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-07-20 1999-01-19 1999-07-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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