HK1168427B - Pseudo multi-domain design for improved viewing angle and color shift - Google Patents

Description

Pseudo multi-quadrant design for improved viewing angle and color shift

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to display devices, and more particularly, to Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) devices.

Background

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present technology, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) are commonly used as screens or displays for a variety of electronic devices, including consumer electronic devices such as televisions, computers, and handheld devices (e.g., cellular telephones, audio and video players, gaming systems, etc.). Such LCD devices generally provide a flat panel display using a relatively thin package, which is suitable for use in various electronic goods. Furthermore, such LCD devices typically use less power than comparable display technologies, thereby making such LCD devices suitable for use in battery-powered devices, or in other situations where it is desirable to minimize power usage. The LCD device generally includes a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix. The unit pixels may be driven through scan lines and data line circuits to display an image that can be perceived by a user.

Conventional unit pixels of Fringe Field Switching (FFS) LCD display panels may utilize either a multi-domain or single-domain configuration and may typically include strip or finger pixel electrodes. The pixel electrodes are typically controlled by transistors in order to create an electric field that allows at least part of the light source to pass through the liquid crystal material within the pixel. In a conventional single-quadrant pixel configuration, the pixel electrodes are generally arranged parallel to each other so that all pixel electrodes within the LCD panel face the same direction. Generally, this results in the electric field generated within a single-quadrant unit pixel being in the same direction in the unit pixel, thereby providing higher light transmittance compared to a multi-quadrant pixel configuration. However, conventional single quadrant pixel configurations generally provide less favorable viewing angle and color shift properties compared to multi-quadrant configurations.

In a conventional multi-quadrant pixel configuration, the pixel electrodes within each unit pixel may face more than one direction. In this way, the overall viewing angle and color shift properties of the LCD panel may be improved. However, disclination (disclination) may cause the respective light-transmitting portions of the multi-quadrant cell pixel due to different directions of the electric field. Such disclination is particularly problematic because it can block a portion of the light transmitted through the pixel, thereby reducing the overall transmittance of the LCD panel.

Disclosure of Invention

Certain aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein by way of example are summarized below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of certain forms the various techniques disclosed and/or claimed herein may take and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of any techniques disclosed and/or claimed herein. Indeed, any of the techniques disclosed and/or claimed herein may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.

The present disclosure relates generally to single-domain electrode configurations that can be implemented in unit pixels of LCD devices, such as Fringe Field Switching (FFS) LCDs, in order to provide a "pseudo-multi-domain" effect, wherein the benefits of both conventional single-domain and multi-domain pixel configuration devices are retained. In accordance with aspects of the present technique, a single-domain unit pixel is provided in order to maintain a relatively higher transmittance (relative to multi-domain transmittance) typical of conventional single-domain LCD panels (relative to multi-domain panel transmittance). In one embodiment, the single-quadrant cell pixels may be angled or tilted in different directions relative to a vertical axis (e.g., y-axis) of the LCD panel to provide an alternating and/or periodic arrangement of pixel electrodes at different angles along each scan line, data line, or a combination of both scan and data lines. In this manner, the transmittance of conventional single-domain LCD panels may be maintained while providing the improved viewing angle and color shift properties typical of conventional multi-domain LCD panels.

Various refinements of the features noted above may exist in relation to various aspects of the present disclosure. Other features may also be incorporated within these various aspects. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For example, various features discussed below in relation to one or more of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated within any of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure, alone or in any combination. In addition, the brief summary presented above is intended only to familiarize the reader with certain aspects and contexts of embodiments of the present disclosure without limitation to the claimed subject matter.

Drawings

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description of certain exemplary embodiments is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating example components of an electronic device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a handheld electronic device according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a computer in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an example layer of a unit pixel of an LCD display panel, according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating a switch and display circuit that may be used in conjunction with an LCD display panel in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a cut-away cross-sectional view of a unit pixel of an LCD display panel according to aspects of the present disclosure;

fig. 7 is a simplified plan view of an electrode arrangement corresponding to two adjacent unit pixels, according to an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a detailed plan view of a portion of an LCD display panel according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a detailed plan view of a portion of an LCD display panel according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are simplified plan views of a portion of an LCD display panel according to other embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 11 is a detailed plan view of a portion of an LCD display panel according to other embodiments of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. These described embodiments are merely examples of the presently disclosed technology. In addition, in an effort to provide a concise description of these exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present invention, the articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" ("the") are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising" and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

In view of the foregoing, the following provides a general description of a suitable electronic device using an LCD display that can implement the pseudo-multi-quadrant properties according to aspects of the present disclosure. In fig. 1, a block diagram is provided illustrating various components that may be present in an electronic device suitable for use with the present technology. In fig. 2, an example of a suitable electronic device, here provided as a handheld electronic device, is given. In fig. 3, another example of a suitable electronic device, provided herein as a computer system, is given. These types of electronic devices, as well as other electronic devices that provide comparable display capabilities, may be used in conjunction with current technology.

Examples of suitable electronic devices may include various internal and/or external components that contribute to the functionality of the device. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating components that may be present within such an electronic device 10 and that allow the device 10 to function in accordance with the techniques discussed herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various functional blocks illustrated in fig. 1 may include hardware elements (including circuitry), software elements (including computer code stored on a computer-readable medium), or a combination of both hardware and software elements. It should also be noted that FIG. 1 is only one example of a particular implementation and is intended only to illustrate the types of components that may be present within device 10. For example, in the presently illustrated embodiment, these components may include the display 12, the I/O ports 14, the input structures 16, the one or more processors 18, the memory device 20, the non-volatile storage 22, the expansion card(s) 24, the networking device 26, and the power supply 28.

With respect to each of these components, display 12 may be used to display various images produced by device 10. In one embodiment, the display 12 may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). For example, display 12 may be an LCD employing Fringe Field Switching (FFS), in-plane switching (IPS), or other technologies that may be used to operate these LCD devices. Additionally, in some embodiments of the electronic device 10, a display 12 may be provided in conjunction with a touch-sensitive element, such as a touch screen, which may be used as part of a control interface for the device 10.

The I/O ports 14 may include ports configured to connect various external devices, such as power supplies, headsets or headphones, or other electronic devices (such as handheld devices and/or computers, printers, projectors, external displays, modems, docking cradles, etc.). The I/O ports 14 may support any interface type, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a video port, a serial connection port, an IEEE-1394 port, an Internet or modem port, and/or an AC/DC power connection port.

The input structure 16 may include various devices, circuits, and paths through which user input or feedback may be provided to the processor 18. These input structures 16 may be configured to control functions of the device 10, applications running on the device 10, and/or any interfaces or devices connected to the electronic device 10 or used by the electronic device 10. For example, the input structures 16 may allow a user to navigate within a displayed user interface or application interface. Examples of input structures 16 may include buttons, sliders, switches, control pads, keys, knobs, scroll wheels, keyboards, mice, touch pads, and the like.

In some embodiments, the input structure 16 and the display 12 may be provided together, such as in the case of a touch screen, where a touch sensitive mechanism is provided in conjunction with the display 12. In these embodiments, the user may select or interact with the displayed interface elements through a touch-sensitive mechanism. In this manner, the displayed interface may provide interactive functionality, allowing a user to navigate through the displayed interface by touching display 12. For example, user interaction with the input structures 16, such as with a user or application interface displayed on the display 12, may generate electrical signals indicative of the user input. These input signals may be passed to one or more processors 18 for further processing by an appropriate path, such as an input hub or data bus.

In addition to processing various input signals received via input structure(s) 16, processor(s) 18 may control the general operation of device 10. For example, the processor(s) 18 may provide processing capabilities for executing the operating system, programs, user and application interfaces, and any other functions of the electronic device 10. The processor(s) 18 may include one or more microprocessors, such as one or more "general purpose" microprocessors, one or more special purpose microprocessors, and/or application specific microprocessors (ASICs), or some combination of these processing components. For example, the processors 18 may include one or more instruction set (RISC) processors, as well as graphics processors, video processors, audio processors, and/or related chip sets. As should be appreciated, the processor(s) 18 may be coupled to one or more data buses for communicating data and instructions between the various components of the device 10.

Instructions or data processed by processor(s) 18 may be stored within a computer-readable medium, such as memory 20. Such memory 20 may be provided in volatile memory, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), or in non-volatile memory, such as Read Only Memory (ROM), or in a combination of one or more RAM and ROM devices. The memory 20 may store various information and may be used for various purposes. For example, the memory 20 may store firmware of the electronic device 10, such as a basic input/output system (BIOS), an operating system, various programs, applications, or any other routines that may be executed on the electronic device 10, including user interface functions, processor functions, and so forth. Additionally, the memory 20 may be used for buffering or caching during operation of the electronic device 10.

In addition to memory 20, device 10 may also include non-volatile storage 22 for the permanent storage of data and/or instructions. The non-volatile storage 22 may include flash memory, a hard drive, or any other optical, magnetic, and/or solid-state storage medium or some combination thereof. Nonvolatile storage 22 may be used to store data files such as firmware, data files, software programs and applications, wireless connection information, personal information, user preferences, and any other suitable data.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 may also include one or more card or expansion slots. The card slot may be configured to receive an expansion card 24 that may be used to add functionality to the electronic device 10, such as additional memory, I/O functionality, or networking capability. Such an expansion card 24 may be connected to the device by any type of suitable connector and may be accessed from inside or outside with respect to the housing of the electronic device 10. For example, in one embodiment, expansion card 24 may be a flash memory card, such as a Secure Digital (SD) card, mini or microSD, CompactFlash card, or multimedia card (MMC), or the like. Additionally, expansion card 24 may be a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card of an embodiment of electronic device 10 for providing mobile telephone capabilities.

The components shown in FIG. 1 also include a network device 26, such as a network controller or a Network Interface Card (NIC). In one embodiment, network device 26 may be a wireless NIC that provides wireless connectivity based on any 802.11 standard or any other suitable wireless networking standard. Network device 26 may allow electronic device 10 to communicate over a network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), such as for 3G numbersEnhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) networks (e.g., based on the IMT-2000 standard) or the internet. In addition, network device 26 may provide connectivity to a personal area network, such asA network, an ieee802.15.4 (e.g., ZigBee) network, or an ultra wideband network (UWB). In certain embodiments, network device 26 may also use a network device according to one or more standards, such as ISO 18092, ISO21481, orA protocol operated Near Field Communication (NFC) interface provides near field communication.

It should be understood that device 10 may use network device 26 to connect to and send or receive data with any device on a public network, such as a portable electronic device, personal computer, printer, etc. Alternatively, in some embodiments, electronic device 10 may not include network device 26. In such an embodiment, a NIC may be added as an expansion card 24 to provide similar networking functionality as described above.

In addition, the assembly may also include a power supply 28. In one embodiment, the power source 28 may be provided by one or more batteries, such as lithium ion polymer batteries. The battery may be user removable or may be secured within the housing of the electronic device 10 and may be rechargeable. Additionally, the power source 28 may include AC power, such as provided by an electrical outlet, and the electronic device 10 may be connected to the power source 28 via a power adapter, which may also be used to charge one or more batteries (if present).

With the above in mind, FIG. 2 shows an electronic device 10 in the form of a portable handheld device 30, here the portable handheld device 30 is provided as a cellular telephone. It should be understood that while the illustrated device 30 is generally described in the context of a cellular telephone, other types of handheld devices may be provided as the handheld device 30, such as a digital media player for playing music and/or video, a personal data manager, a gaming platform, to name a few. In addition, various embodiments of handheld device 30 may incorporate the functionality of one or more devices, such as cellular telephone functionality, a digital media player, a camera, a portable gaming platform, a personal data manager, or some combination thereof. Thus, depending on the functionality provided by the handheld electronic device 30, a user may listen to music, play video games, take pictures, and place telephone calls while freely moving with the device 30.

As discussed above with respect to the electronic device 10 shown in fig. 1, the handheld device 30 may allow a user to connect to and communicate through the Internet or other network, such as a local area network or a wide area network (e.g., using the network device 26). For example, handheld device 30 may allow a user to communicate using email, text messaging, instant messaging, or other forms of electronic communication. In some embodiments, handheld device 30 may also communicate with other devices using short-range connection protocols, such as Bluetooth and Near Field Communication (NFC). By way of example only, the handheld device 30 may be a model available from apple Inc. of Cupertino, CalifOr

In the illustrated embodiment, the handheld device 30 includes a housing 32, and the housing 32 may be used to protect internal components from physical damage and to provide electromagnetic interference shielding for them. The housing 32 may be formed of any suitable material or combination of materials, such as plastic, metal, or composite material, and may allow certain frequencies of electromagnetic radiation to enter the wireless communication circuitry within the handheld device 30 to facilitate wireless communication.

As shown in the current embodiment, the housing 32 includes user input structures 16, through which a user may interact with the device 30. For example, each user input structure 16 may be configured to control one or more respective device functions when pressed or actuated. By way of example, in a cellular telephone implementation, one or more input structures 16 may be configured to invoke a "home" screen or menu to be displayed, transition between sleep, wake-up or power-up/power-down modes, mute a cellular telephone application ring, increase or decrease a volume output, and so forth. It should be appreciated that the illustrated input structures 16 are merely examples, and that the handheld electronic device 30 may include any number of suitable user input structures in various forms, including buttons, switches, control pads, keys, knobs, scroll wheels, and the like, depending on particular implementation goals and/or requirements.

In the illustrated embodiment, the handheld device 30 includes the display 12 in the form of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)34 discussed above. The LCD 34 may display various images produced by the handheld device 30. For example, the LCD 34 may display various system indicators 36 that provide feedback to the user regarding one or more states of the handheld device 30, such as power status, signal strength, call status, external device connection, and the like.

LCD 34 may also be configured to display a graphical user interface ("GUI") 38 that allows a user to interact with handheld device 30. The GUI 38 may include various layers, windows, screens, templates, or other graphical elements that may be displayed on all or a portion of the LCD 34. In general, the GUI 38 may include graphical elements representing applications and functions of the electronic device. These graphical elements may include icons 40 and other images representing buttons, sliders, menu bars, and the like. The icons 40 may correspond to various applications of the electronic device that may be opened or executed upon detection of a user selection of a respective icon 40. In some embodiments, selection of an icon 40 results in a hierarchical navigation process, such that selection of an icon 40 results in a screen that includes one or more additional icons or other GUI elements. It should be understood that the icon 40 may be selected via a touch screen included within the display 12, or the icon 40 may be selected via the user input structure 16, such as a wheel or button.

The handheld electronic device 30 additionally includes various input and output (I/O) ports 14 that allow the handheld device 30 to be connected to one or more external devices. For example, one I/O port 14 may be a port that allows data or commands to be transmitted and received between the handheld electronic device 30 and another electronic device, such as a computer system. In some embodiments, some of the I/O ports 14 may have dual functionality depending, for example, on the external components being coupled to the handheld device 30 through the I/O ports 14. For example, in addition to providing data transmission and reception when coupled to another electronic device, certain I/O ports 14 may also charge a battery (power supply 28) of handheld device 30 when coupled to a power adapter configured to draw/provide power from an external power source, such as a wall outlet. Such an I/O port 14 may be a proprietary port of apple Inc., or may be an open standard I/O port, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.

In addition to handheld devices 30, such as the cellular telephone shown in FIG. 2, electronic device 10 may also take the form of a computer or other type of electronic device in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. For example, these computers may include computers that are generally portable (such as laptop, notebook, and tablet computers) as well as computers that are not generally portable (such as conventional desktop computers, workstations, and/or servers). In some embodiments, electronic device 10 in the form of a computer may be a model number available from apple IncOrBy way of example, FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device 10 in the form of a laptop computer 50 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated computer 50 includes a housing 52, a display 12 (such as the LCD 34 shown in FIG. 2), an input structure 16, and I/O ports 14.

In one embodiment, the input structures 16 may include a keyboard, a touchpad, and various other buttons and/or switches that may be used to interact with the computer 50, such as to power the computer or turn on the computer, operate a GUI or application running on the computer 50, and adjust various other aspects of the operation with respect to the computer 50 (such as sound volume, display brightness, etc.). For example, a keyboard and/or touchpad may allow a user to navigate through a user interface (e.g., a GUI) or application interface displayed on the LCD 34.

As shown in this figure, electronic device 10 in the form of computer 50 may also include various I/O ports 14 that provide connection to additional devices. For example, the computer 50 may include I/O ports 14, such as USB ports,An (IEEE1394) port, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, or any other type of port suitable for connecting an external device, such as another computer or handheld device, a projector, a supplemental display, an external storage device, or the like. Additionally, as described with respect to fig. 1, computer 50 may include a network connection (e.g., network device 26), memory (e.g., memory 20), and storage capabilities (e.g., storage device 22). Accordingly, the computer 50 may store and execute a GUI and various other applications.

In view of the foregoing discussion, it will be appreciated that electronic device 10 in the form of handheld device 30 (FIG. 2) or computer 50 (FIG. 3) may be provided with display device 10 in the form of LCD 34. As discussed above, LCD 34 may be used to display a corresponding operating system and/or application graphical user interface running on electronic device 10, and/or to display various data files, including text, images, video data, or any other type of video output data that may be relevant to the operation of electronic device 10.

In embodiments where electronic device 10 includes an LCD 34, LCD 34 typically includes an array or matrix of picture elements (i.e., pixels). In operation, the LCD 34 generally operates to modulate the transmission of light through each pixel by controlling the orientation of liquid crystals disposed at each pixel, thereby controlling the amount of emitted or reflected light emitted by each pixel. In general, the orientation of the liquid crystals is controlled by varying the electric field associated with each respective pixel, and the liquid crystals are oriented at any given moment in time depending on the properties (such as intensity, shape, etc.) of the applied electric field.

It will be appreciated that different types of LCDs may employ different technologies for operating these electric fields and/or liquid crystals. For example, some LCDs may employ a lateral electric field mode in which liquid crystals are oriented by applying an in-plane electric field to a liquid crystal layer. Examples of these techniques include in-plane switching (IPS) and Fringe Field Switching (FFS) techniques, which differ in the type of electrode arrangement used to generate the respective electric field.

While the control of the orientation of the liquid crystals within these displays may be sufficient to modulate the amount of light emitted by the pixels, a color filter may also be associated with each pixel within the LCD 34 to allow a particular color of light to be emitted by each pixel. For example, in embodiments where LCD 34 is a color display, each pixel in a group of pixels may correspond to a different primary color. For example, in one embodiment, a group of pixels may include red, green, and blue pixels, each associated with a color filter element of an appropriate color. The intensity of light allowed to pass through each pixel (e.g., by modulation of the corresponding liquid crystal) and its combination with light emitted from other adjacent pixels determines what color or colors a user viewing the display perceives. Since the visible color is formed by individual color components (e.g., red, green, and blue) provided by one color pixel or a combination of color pixels, each color pixel may also be referred to herein by itself as a "pixel" or "unit pixel" or the like.

With the foregoing in mind, and with reference again to the drawings, FIG. 4 shows an exploded view illustrating the different layers that may be implemented within a unit pixel of LCD 34. The pixel, here designated by reference numeral 60, includes an upper polarizing layer 62 and a lower polarizing layer 64 that polarize light emitted from a light source 66, and the light source 66 may be provided as a backlight assembly unit or a light reflection surface. In embodiments where the light source 66 is a backlight assembly unit, any type of suitable light emitting device, such as a Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL), a Hot Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (HCFL), and/or a light emitting diode, may be used to provide the light.

As shown in this embodiment, the lower substrate 68 is disposed above the lower polarizing layer 64. The lower substrate 68 is typically formed of an optically transparent material, such as glass, quartz, and/or plastic. A Thin Film Transistor (TFT) layer 70 is shown disposed over the lower substrate 68. To simplify the illustration, the TFT layer 70 is shown in a generalized structure in fig. 4. In practice, the TFT layer 70 itself may include various conductive, non-conductive and semiconductive layers and structures that collectively form the electronics and pathways that drive operation of the unit pixel 60. For example, in embodiments where the pixels 60 are part of an FFS LCD panel, the TFT layer 70 may include respective data lines (also referred to as "source lines"), scan lines (also referred to as "gate lines"), pixel electrodes, and a common electrode (as well as other conductive traces and structures) of the pixels 60. In the light-transmitting portion of the pixel 60, these conductive structures may be formed using a transparent conductive material, such as Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) or Indium Zinc Oxide (IZO), for example. The TFT layer 70 also includes an insulating layer (such as a gate insulating film) formed of a suitable transparent material (such as silicon oxide), and a semiconductor layer formed of a suitable semiconductor material (such as amorphous silicon). In general, as described in more detail below with respect to fig. 5, respective conductive structures and traces, insulating structures, and semiconductor structures may be suitably arranged so as to form respective pixel and common electrodes, TFTs, and respective data and scan lines for operating the unit pixels 60. In the illustrated embodiment, a lower alignment layer 71, which may be formed of polyimide or other suitable material, may be disposed between the TFT layer 70 and the liquid crystal layer 72.

The liquid crystal layer 72 may include liquid crystal molecules suspended in a liquid or embedded in a polymer network. The liquid crystal molecules may be oriented or oriented with respect to the electric field generated by the TFT layer 70. In effect, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules within the liquid crystal layer 72 determines the amount of light transmitted through the pixel 60 (e.g., provided by the light source 66). Thus, by modulating the electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer 72, the amount of light transmitted through the pixel 60 can be modulated accordingly.

One or more alignment layers and/or protective coatings 74 connected between the liquid crystal layer 72 and the overlapping color filters 76 are disposed on the opposite side of the liquid crystal layer 72 from the TFT layer 70. In some embodiments, the color filter 76 may be a red, green, or blue filter such that each unit pixel 60 of the LCD 34 corresponds to one primary color when light from the light source 66 is transmitted through the liquid crystal layer 72 and the color filter 76.

Color filter 76 may be surrounded by an opaque mask or matrix 78, commonly referred to as a "black mask," which defines the light-transmissive portion of unit pixel 60. For example, in some embodiments, the black mask 78 may be sized and shaped to define a light transmissive aperture over the liquid crystal layer 72 and to surround the color filter 76 and cover or obscure opaque portions of the unit pixel 60, such as the scan and data line driver circuits, the TFTs, and the periphery of the pixel 60. In addition, in addition to defining the clear aperture, a black mask 78 may be used to prevent light transmitted through the aperture and the color filter 76 from diffusing or "bleeding" into adjacent unit pixels.

In the illustrated embodiment, an upper substrate 80 may also be disposed between the color filter 76 (including the black mask 78) and the lower polarizer layer 64. In such embodiments, the upper substrate may be formed from light-transmissive glass, quartz, and/or plastic.

Continuing now with fig. 5, a schematic circuit representation of the pixel drive circuitry found in LCD 34 is shown. For example, such circuitry shown in FIG. 5 may be included within the TFT layer 70 described above with respect to FIG. 4. As shown, a plurality of unit pixels 60, each unit pixel 60 may be formed according to the unit pixel 60 shown in fig. 4, may be arranged in a pixel array or matrix defining a plurality of rows and columns of unit pixels, which collectively form an image display area of the LCD 34. Within such an array, each unit pixel 60 is defined by the intersection of a row and a column, which may be defined by the illustrated data (or "source") line 100 and scan (or "gate") line 102, respectively.

Although only 6 unit pixels individually indicated by reference numerals 60a-60f are shown in the present example for simplicity, respectively, it should be understood that each of the data lines 100 and scan lines 102 may include hundreds or even thousands of unit pixels in an actual LCD implementation. By way of example, in a color LCD panel 34 having a display resolution of 1024 × 768, each data line 100, which may define a column of the pixel array, may include 768 unit pixels, and each scan line 102, which may define a row of the pixel array, may include 1024 groups of pixels, where each group of pixels has red, blue, and green pixels, resulting in a total of 3072 unit pixels per scan line 102. In the current illustration, the set of unit pixels 60a-60c may represent a set of pixels having a red pixel (60a), a blue pixel (60b), and a green pixel (60 c). The unit pixels 60d-60f are arranged in groups in a similar manner.

As shown in the present drawing, each unit pixel 60 includes a pixel electrode 110 and a Thin Film Transistor (TFT)112 for switching the pixel electrode 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the source 114 of each TFT112 is electrically connected to a data line 100 extending from a respective data line driver circuit 120. Similarly, in the illustrated embodiment, the gate electrode 122 of each TFT112 is electrically connected to a scan or gate line 102 extending from a corresponding scan line driver circuit 124. In the illustrated embodiment, the pixel electrode 110 is electrically connected to the drain electrode 128 of the corresponding TFT 112.

In one embodiment, the data line driving circuit 120 may transmit an image signal to the pixels 60 via the corresponding data lines 100. These image signals may be applied in a row sequence. That is, the data lines 100 may be sequentially activated (defining columns) during operation of the LCD 34. The scan lines 102 (defining rows) may apply a scan signal from a scan line driver circuit 124 to the respective gate electrode 122 of each TFT112, with the respective scan lines 102 connected to the respective gate electrodes 122. Such a scanning signal may be applied in a row sequence at a predetermined timing and/or in a pulse manner.

Each TFT112 serves as a switching element that can be activated and deactivated (e.g., turned on and off) for a predetermined period of time based on the respective presence or absence of a scan signal at the gate 122 of the TFT 112. When activated, the TFT112 may store an image signal received through the corresponding data line 100 as an electric charge within the pixel electrode 110 at a predetermined timing. The image signal stored by the pixel electrode 110 may be used to generate an electric field between the corresponding pixel electrode 110 and a common electrode (not shown in fig. 5). Such an electric field may orient liquid crystal molecules within the liquid crystal layer 72 (FIG. 4) so as to modulate light transmission through the liquid crystal layer 72. In some embodiments, a storage capacitor (not shown) may also be provided in parallel with a liquid crystal capacitor formed between the pixel electrode 110 and the common electrode in order to prevent leakage of an image signal stored by the pixel electrode 110. Such a storage capacitor may be provided, for example, between the drain 128 of the respective TFT112 and a separate capacitor line.

The operation of the unit pixel 60, and in particular the arrangement of the pixel electrode 110 and the common electrode discussed in fig. 5, may be better understood with reference to fig. 6, which illustrates the operation of the unit pixel 60 by means of a cut-away cross-sectional view. As shown, the view of unit pixel 60 in FIG. 6 includes the layers generally described above with reference to FIG. 4, including upper polarizing layer 62, lower polarizing layer 64, lower substrate 68, TFT layer 70, liquid crystal layer 72, alignment layers 71 and 74, color filter 76, and upper substrate 80.

As described above, the TFT layer 70, which is shown in general structure in fig. 4, may include various conductive, non-conductive, and/or semiconductor layers and structures that define the electronics and pathways for driving the operation of the pixel 60. In the illustrated embodiment, the TFT layer 70 is shown in the context of a Fringe Field Switching (FFS) LCD display device and includes a pixel electrode 110, an insulating layer 132, and a common electrode layer 134. A common electrode layer 134 is disposed over the lower substrate 68, and an insulating layer 132 is disposed between the pixel electrode 110 and the common electrode layer 134.

As described above, the pixel electrode 110 and the common electrode layer 134 may be made of a transparent conductive material, such as ITO or IZO. The common electrode layer 134 generally covers a surface of each unit pixel 60 and may be connected to a common line (not shown) parallel to the scan line 102, the illustrated unit pixel 60 being connected to the scan line 102. The pixel electrodes 110 may be formed in a single quadrant configuration with a plurality of slit-like spaces 138, such that, as shown in the reference axis of fig. 6, the portions of the pixel electrodes 110 between each slit 138 define a generally straight (single quadrant) "stripe" or "finger" electrode shape that generally lies within the plane (x-y plane) of the unit pixel 60 defined by the x-axis and y-axis. As shown in this figure, portions of the lower alignment layer 71 may extend at least partially into the area defined by the gap 138. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, discussed in more detail below with reference to fig. 7-11, the pixel electrode 110 may be arranged such that its electrode "strip" is tilted at an angle (relative to the y-axis) in the x-y plane.

According to the FFS LCD operating principle, the liquid crystal molecules 136 within the liquid crystal layer 72 may have a "default" orientation of a first direction based on the configuration of the lower alignment layer 71 and the upper alignment layer 74. When a voltage is applied to the unit pixel 60, an electric field is formed between the pixel electrode 110 and the common electrode layer 134. As discussed above, the electric field (here indicated by reference E) controls the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 136 within the liquid crystal layer 72, which changes relative to a default orientation, thereby allowing at least a portion of the light transmitted from the light source 66 (not shown in FIG. 6) to pass through the pixel 60. Therefore, by modulating the electric field E, light, which is provided by the light source 66 and transmitted through the unit pixel 60, indicated by reference sign T, can be controlled. In this manner, the image data sent along data lines 100 and scan lines 102 may be perceived as an image by a user viewing LCD 134.

Before continuing, it should be understood that the illustrated electrode 110 and electrode layer 134 of the FFS LCD panel can also be implemented in the reverse manner, depending on how the FFS LCD panel 34 is constructed. That is, in some embodiments, the electrode 110 may serve as a common electrode and the electrode layer 134 may serve as a pixel electrode. Thus, while the following discussion with respect to fig. 7-11 describes various aspects of the present technique as being implemented with respect to the pixel electrode of a unit pixel, it should be understood that the presently described techniques are also applicable to the case where the electrode 110 is used as a common electrode.

As discussed above, certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a unit pixel 60 having a pixel electrode 110 that is angled relative to the y-axis of the LCD 34. For example, referring to fig. 7, a simplified plan view of pixel electrodes 110a and 110b corresponding to two adjacent pixels 60a and 60b (shown in fig. 5 above) is shown. As shown, the pixel electrodes 110a and 110b each have a single quadrant design and are tilted in opposite directions at angles α and β, respectively, relative to the y-axis of the LCD 34. That is, each electrode stripe of the pixel electrode 110a (between the slits 138) is inclined at an angle α with respect to the y-axis, and each electrode stripe of the pixel electrode 110b is inclined at an angle β with respect to the y-axis.

In the illustrated embodiment, the angles α and β are shown as being equal in magnitude relative to the y-axis. However, in other embodiments, the angles α and β may have different magnitudes. Additionally, in one embodiment, the values of the angles α and β relative to the y-axis may be selected such that 0 ≦ α | and | β ≦ 90. In another embodiment, the angles α and β can be selected such that 0 ≦ α | and | β ≦ 15. In another embodiment, the angles α and β can be selected such that 75 ≦ α | and | β ≦ 90. Preferably, the angles α and β may each have a magnitude selected from a range of at least 15 ° to 75 °. As discussed below, the LCD 34 implementing aspects of the present technique may provide various configurations in which a first set of unit pixels 60 having pixel electrodes 110a (tilted at an angle α) and a second set of unit pixels 60 having pixel electrodes 110b (tilted at an angle β) are arranged in an alternating manner along the scan lines 102, along the data lines 100, or a combination thereof.

In view of the foregoing, fig. 8 shows a more detailed plan view of a portion of the LCD 34 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, the portion of LCD 34 shown in FIG. 8 includes unit pixels 60a-60f, discussed above with reference to FIG. 5, and unit pixels 60g-60 k. In the illustrated embodiment, three scan lines 102a, 102b, and 102c and three data lines 100a, 100b, and 100c are shown. Each of the unit pixels 60a-60c is coupled to a scan line 102a and a corresponding data line 100a-100 c. Similarly, each of unit pixels 60d-60f is coupled to scan line 102b and corresponding data line 100a-100c, and each of unit pixels 60g-60i is coupled to scan line 102c and corresponding data line 100a-100 c. As discussed above, where LCD 34 is a color display, each set of unit pixels 60a-60c, 60d-60f, and 60g-60i may represent a set of unit pixels having red, blue, and green unit pixels.

As described above, each unit pixel 60 is generally defined by the intersection of the data line 100 and the scan line 102. Specifically, the intersections of the data lines 100 and the scan lines 102 define TFTs 112 for applying a voltage (switch on) or removing an applied voltage (switch off) from the data lines 100 to the liquid crystal molecules 136 in the corresponding unit pixels 60.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the illustrated unit pixels 60a-60i can be arranged such that their respective pixel electrodes are tilted with respect to the y-axis in an alternating manner along each scan line (102a-102c) and each data line (100a-100 c). For example, along the scan line 102a, the unit pixels 60a and 60c may have the pixel electrode 110a at an angle α, and the unit pixel 60b may have the pixel electrode 110b at an angle β. Thus, for each group of red, blue, and green unit pixels coupled to a common scan line (e.g., 102a), two unit pixels within the group may be angled in a first direction (e.g., α or β) relative to the y-axis, and the remaining unit pixels may be angled in a second direction. Similarly, along the data line 100a, the unit pixels 60a, 60d, and 60g may also be arranged in an alternating manner, wherein the unit pixels 60a and 60g have the pixel electrode 110a at an angle α, and the unit pixel 60d may have the pixel electrode 110b at an angle β.

In addition, referring to the unit pixels 60j and 60k, the black mask 78 elements are shown. As discussed above, the black mask 78, which may be opaque, may define a light transmissive aperture above the liquid crystal layer 72 for each unit pixel, and may cover or obscure opaque portions of the unit pixel 60, such as the TFT112 and scan/data line circuitry. In addition, according to aspects of the presently described technology, the black mask 78 may be used to mask disclination within the liquid crystal layer 72 of the neighboring unit pixel 60, which may be caused by interference between electric fields (E) generated by the pixel electrodes 110a and 110b located in different angular (α or β) directions.

As shown in the present embodiment, the edge 140 of the black mask 78 is generally parallel to both the y-axis and the data lines 100a-100 c. Also as discussed above, color filters 76, which may be red, green, or blue filters, may be provided within a defined aperture such that each unit pixel 60 corresponds to a particular primary color when light is transmitted through the unit pixel 60. For illustrative purposes, the black mask 78 is shown covering only the unit pixels 60j and 60 k. In practice, it should be understood that the black mask 78 may form a matrix covering all of the unit pixels within the LCD 34.

Continuing now to FIG. 9, another embodiment of a portion of an LCD panel 34 that implements aspects of the presently disclosed technology is shown. The embodiment shown in fig. 9 is similar to the embodiment of fig. 8, except that the pixel electrodes 110a and 110b are arranged in an alternating manner along the scan lines 102a-102c, but are arranged in parallel along each of the data lines 100a-100 c. For example, pixel groups 60a-60c, which may include each of red, green, and blue unit pixels, are arranged in a manner similar to the embodiment shown in fig. 8, such that unit pixels 60a and 60c have pixel electrodes 110a that are angled at an angle α, and unit pixel 60b has pixel electrode 110b that is angled at an angle β. In the illustrated embodiment, pixel groups 60d-60f and 60g-60i are arranged in a similar manner.

Along each data line 100a-100c, the unit pixels may be arranged in parallel such that the pixel electrodes 110 of each unit pixel are angled in the same direction along the particular data line. For example, as shown in the present drawing, each of the unit pixels 60a, 60d, and 60g coupled to the data line 100a, and each of the unit pixels 60c, 60f, and 60i coupled to the data line 100c has a pixel electrode 110b angled at β. Similarly, each of unit pixels 60b, 60e, and 60h coupled to data line 100b is shown as having a pixel electrode 110a at an angle α. Additionally, although not shown in this figure, it should be understood that the black mask 78 shown in FIG. 8 may also be applied and disposed over the liquid crystal layer 72 of the LCD 34 embodiment shown in FIG. 9.

Continuing now to fig. 10A and 10B, additional embodiments of an LCD panel 34 according to aspects of the present disclosure are shown using simplified plan views to illustrate. Referring first to fig. 10A, the pixel electrodes 110A and 110b are arranged in a periodic manner, but need not be alternately arranged with respect to every other pixel within the scanning lines (102a-102 c). In the illustrated embodiment, the unit pixels 60 are arranged along the scan line 102a such that within a group of three pixels 60a-60c that can represent red, blue and green pixels, two adjacent unit pixels utilize pixel electrodes that are angled in the same direction and the remaining unit pixels utilize pixel electrodes that are angled in the opposite direction as the other two pixels. As an example, adjacent unit pixels 60a and 60b are shown in this figure as having pixel electrodes 110a at an angle α, while the remaining unit pixels 60c within a pixel group 60a-60c have pixel electrodes 110b at an angle β. The unit pixels 60d-60f in scan line 102b immediately below (relative to the y-axis) scan line 102a may be arranged in the opposite manner. For example, within the pixel group 60d-60f, the neighboring unit pixels 60d and 60e have the pixel electrode 110b angled at β, and the remaining unit pixels 60f have the pixel electrode 110a angled at α.

As discussed above, in some embodiments, the magnitude of the angles α and β at which the unit pixels 60 within the LCD panel 34 are tilted with respect to the y-axis may be different. For example, referring to FIG. 10B, a pixel configuration is shown that alternates along scan lines 102a-102c and data lines 100a-100c in a manner similar to the arrangement shown in FIG. 8, but with the angle β being greater in magnitude than the angle α. Thus, referring to the pixel groups 60a-60c, the unit pixels 60a and 60c may be inclined by a small number of degrees with respect to the y-axis and the unit pixel 60b may be inclined by a large number of degrees with respect to the y-axis in the opposite direction to the unit pixels 60a and 60c when compared to the unit pixel 60 b. When a voltage is applied to the unit pixels 60a and 60b, respective electric fields Ea and Eb for manipulating the liquid crystal molecules may be generated so as to allow light from a light source 66 (not shown) to be at least partially transmitted through each of the respective unit pixels 60a and 60 b.

In addition, in contrast to conventional LCD panel designs where the liquid crystal alignment direction (also commonly referred to as the liquid crystal "rubbing angle") is generally the vertical or horizontal axis direction of the panel, the present embodiment shows a liquid crystal layer 72 having an alignment direction LC that is offset at an angle relative to the y-axis of the LCD panel 34 shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the magnitude of the angle of the orientation direction LC from the y-axis may be between the magnitudes of the angles α and β in order to provide increased transmissivity. By way of example only, angle α (unit pixel 60a) may have a magnitude of approximately 15 °, angle β (unit pixel 60b) may have a magnitude of approximately 83 °, and the angle by which the orientation direction LC deviates from the y-axis may have a magnitude of approximately 30 °.

The presently shown configuration with the off-liquid crystal alignment direction LC may provide some additional viewing benefits, particularly when viewing the LCD panel 34 from behind a polarizing medium, such as, for example, by a user wearing polarized sunglasses. In conventional LCD panels where the liquid crystal orientation direction is either a horizontal or vertical axis direction, the device (e.g., 30 or 50) is held with the LCD display on the device oriented vertically or horizontally, and while a user viewing the LCD display from behind a polarizing medium (e.g., sunglasses) may perceive that the amount of light transmitted through the LCD display (from light source 66) is reduced or partially blocked. Accordingly, by providing a liquid crystal layer having an alignment direction LC that deviates from the vertical or horizontal axis of the LCD panel 34, the transmittance perceived by the user under these circumstances may be improved.

Before continuing, it should be understood that the present embodiment is provided herein by way of example only, and that in alternative embodiments, angle β may be smaller in magnitude than angle α. In addition, as shown in fig. 10B, the electrodes 110a and 110B may include different numbers of electrode stripes within the corresponding unit pixels. In the present example, electrode 110a includes 3 strips, while electrode 110b includes 4 strips. In addition, it should be understood that the black mask 78 shown in FIG. 8 may be similarly applied to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. In other embodiments, multiple angular magnitudes in both the alpha and beta directions may be utilized. For example, in such an embodiment, both unit pixels 60a and 60c may be angled in the same direction with respect to the y-axis, but have different angular magnitudes.

Continuing now to FIG. 11, a plan view is shown illustrating another embodiment of the LCD panel 34. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the unit pixels 60 coupled to each respective scan line 102a-102c are angled in the same manner (e.g., α or β), but alternate between every other scan line (e.g., every other row of the pixel array). For example, each of unit pixels 60a-60c (which may include red, green, and blue pixels) coupled to scan line 102a and unit pixels 60g-60i coupled to scan line 102c may include pixel electrode 110b at an angle β, while each of unit pixels 60d-60f coupled to scan line 102b has pixel electrode 110a at an angle α.

This embodiment also differs from the above embodiments in that the data lines 100a-100c are parallel to each other, rather than parallel with respect to the y-axis, as shown by the reference axes in fig. 11. Instead, data lines 100a-100c are parallel with respect to the pixel electrode (110a or 110b) coupled to each scan line 102a-102c, such that data lines 100a-100c form a zigzag structure generally along the direction of the y-axis. Referring to the data line 110a as an example, a portion of the data line 100a adjacent to the unit pixel 60a over the scan line 102a is parallel to an angle of the pixel electrode 110 b. That is, the portion of the data line adjacent to the unit pixel 60a is also inclined at an angle β with respect to the y-axis. Similarly, a portion of the data line 100a adjacent to the unit pixel 60d makes an angle α in the opposite direction, and thus is parallel to the pixel electrode 110a of the unit pixel 60 d. As discussed above, the portion of the data line 100a adjacent to the unit pixel 60g may be angled (at an angle β) in the same manner as the portion of the data line 100a adjacent to the unit pixel 60 a. Thus, according to this embodiment, the data lines 100a-100c may be angled or slanted in an alternating manner with respect to the y-axis (e.g., between every other scan line) such that the data lines 100a-100c are parallel to the pixel electrodes (110a or 110b) of adjacent unit pixels between each scan line 102a-102 c.

In addition, a modified black mask structure 78 may be used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 11. As an example, referring to the unit pixel 60k, the edge 140k (relative to the y-axis) of the aperture defined by the black mask 78 is not parallel to the y-axis. Instead, edge 140k is angled at an angle α, such that edge 140k is parallel to pixel electrode 110a within unit pixel 60k, and the angled portions of data lines 110a, 110b, and 110c between scan lines 102a and 102 b. Similarly, the portion of the black mask structure 78 above the liquid crystal layer 72 of the unit pixel 601 is shown as having an aperture with an edge 1401 at an angle β, such that the edge 1401 is parallel to the pixel electrode 110b within the unit pixel 601, and the angled portions of the data lines 110a, 110b, and 110c between the scan lines 102b and 102 c. Additionally, as explained above, where the LCD panel 34 is a color display, a respective color filter 76 (e.g., red, blue, or green) may be disposed within each aperture defined by the black mask 78.

The presently disclosed technology explained by means of the various exemplary embodiments described above can be used for various LCD devices, particularly, a Fringe Field Switching (FFS) LCD device. It will be appreciated that LCD devices utilizing the "pseudo-multi-quadrant" configuration described herein can retain the benefits of both single-quadrant and multi-quadrant pixel configuration devices. For example, the result of a single-domain pixel configuration using unit pixels in accordance with the present techniques may be to maintain a relatively high transmittance (as opposed to a multi-domain panel transmittance) typical of conventional single-domain LCD panels. In particular, the use of a single-domain pixel configuration throughout the LCD panel may prevent the occurrence of undesirable disclinations (e.g., due to interference between electric fields of different directions) that typically occur in multi-domain pixel designs within the light-transmissive region of each unit pixel. As described above, such disclination may reduce the amount of light transmitted through each unit pixel, and thus reduce the overall transmittance of the LCD. In addition, the alternating and/or periodic arrangement of differently angled pixel electrodes (e.g., at angles α or β) within each single-quadrant cell pixel can generally provide improved viewing angle and color shift properties typical of conventional multi-quadrant LCD panels. In addition, one skilled in the art will appreciate that any type of suitable layer deposition process, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD or PECVD), may be used to fabricate an LCD panel incorporating one or more of the above-described techniques.

While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the technology presented in this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following appended claims.

Claims (16)

1. A Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, comprising:

a pixel array having a plurality of unit pixels, each unit pixel being in a single quadrant configuration, comprising:

a first set of unit pixels, wherein each unit pixel of the first set of unit pixels includes electrodes that are generally parallel to each other; and

a second set of unit pixels, wherein each of the unit pixels of the second set of unit pixels includes electrodes that are generally parallel to each other but generally not parallel to the electrodes of the first set of unit pixels, wherein the electrodes of the first set of unit pixels are tilted in a first angular direction by a first angle with respect to a vertical axis of the LCD panel, wherein the electrodes of the second set of unit pixels are tilted in a second angular direction by a second angle with respect to the vertical axis, and wherein the first and second angular directions are opposite to each other, and wherein the magnitudes of the first and second angles are not equal;

wherein the plurality of unit pixels are arranged in a plurality of groups, wherein each group includes three directly adjacent unit pixels coupled to a common scan line, wherein the three unit pixels include a red unit pixel, a blue unit pixel, and a green unit pixel, and wherein the three unit pixels in each group include two unit pixels from a first set of unit pixels and one unit pixel from a second set of unit pixels, or one unit pixel from the first set of unit pixels and two unit pixels from the second set of unit pixels; and

a liquid crystal layer configured to modulate an amount of light transmitted through the first and second sets of unit pixels, wherein the liquid crystal layer is tilted by a third angle in a third angular direction with respect to the vertical axis, and wherein a magnitude of the third angle is between magnitudes of the first and second angles.

2. The LCD panel of claim 1, wherein two unit pixels from the first set of unit pixels or two unit pixels from the second set of unit pixels are directly adjacent along a common scan line.

3. The LCD panel of claim 1, wherein the first angle is greater than 0 ° in magnitude relative to the vertical axis, and wherein the second angle is less than 90 ° in magnitude relative to the vertical axis.

4. The LCD panel of claim 1, wherein the first angle is greater than 0 ° in magnitude relative to the vertical axis, and wherein the second angle is less than or equal to 15 ° in magnitude relative to the vertical axis.

5. The LCD panel of claim 1, wherein the first angle is greater than or equal to 75 ° in magnitude relative to the vertical axis, and wherein the second angle is less than 90 ° in magnitude relative to the vertical axis.

6. The LCD panel of claim 1, wherein the magnitudes of the first and second angles have a range from 15 ° to 75 °.

7. A Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, comprising:

a pixel array having a plurality of unit pixels arranged in rows and columns defined by scan lines and data lines, respectively, the pixel array including:

a first set of unit pixels, wherein each unit pixel of the first set of unit pixels includes electrodes that are generally parallel to each other, but generally not parallel to a vertical axis of the LCD panel; and

a second set of unit pixels, wherein each of the unit pixels in the second set of unit pixels includes electrodes that are generally parallel to each other but generally not parallel to the electrodes of the first set of unit pixels or the vertical axis, wherein the electrodes of the first set of unit pixels are tilted in a first angular direction by a first angle with respect to a vertical axis of the LCD panel, wherein the electrodes of the second set of unit pixels are tilted in a second angular direction by a second angle with respect to the vertical axis, and wherein the first and second angular directions are opposite to each other, and wherein the magnitudes of the first and second angles are not equal;

wherein the scan lines include a first set of scan lines and a second set of scan lines, and wherein each unit pixel of the first set of unit pixels is coupled to one scan line of the first set of scan lines and a corresponding data line, and wherein each unit pixel from the second set of unit pixels is coupled to one scan line of the second set of scan lines and a corresponding data line, wherein the first and second sets of scan lines are alternately arranged along a vertical axis of the LCD panel, and wherein each data line is oriented such that a portion of each data line arranged between adjacent scan lines is generally parallel to an electrode of a directly adjacent unit pixel; and

a liquid crystal layer configured to modulate an amount of light transmitted through the first and second sets of unit pixels, wherein the liquid crystal layer is tilted by a third angle in a third angular direction with respect to the vertical axis, and wherein a magnitude of the third angle is between magnitudes of the first and second angles.

8. The LCD panel of claim 7, wherein the plurality of unit pixels are arranged in groups of three directly adjacent unit pixels coupled to a common one of the scan lines, wherein the three unit pixels include a red unit pixel, a blue unit pixel, and a green unit pixel.

9. The LCD panel of claim 7, wherein each data line is formed in a generally zigzag shape generally along a vertical axis of the LCD panel.

10. The LCD panel of claim 7, comprising:

a driving circuit configured to transmit image data to the scanning lines and the data lines.

11. The LCD panel of claim 7, comprising:

an opaque matrix of light transmissive apertures is defined over each of the first and second sets of unit pixels, wherein the edge of each aperture in the vertical axis direction is generally parallel to the electrodes of its corresponding unit pixel.

12. The LCD panel of claim 11, wherein the opaque matrix masks disclination between directly adjacent unit pixels coupled to directly adjacent scan lines or directly adjacent data lines.

13. The LCD panel of claim 7, wherein the electrode of each of the plurality of unit pixels has a single-domain configuration.

14. A Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, comprising:

an opaque material disposed over a pixel array, the pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels disposed in rows and columns respectively defined by scan lines and data lines, the plurality of unit pixels including:

a first set of unit pixels having pixel electrodes oriented at a first angle with respect to a vertical axis of the LCD panel in a first angular direction, wherein the pixel electrodes are configured to generate an electric field in the first direction; and

a second set of unit pixels having pixel electrodes oriented at a second angle relative to the vertical axis in a second angular direction opposite the first angular direction, wherein the pixel electrodes are configured to generate an electric field in the second direction, wherein the first and second angles are not equal in magnitude; and

a liquid crystal layer configured to modulate an amount of light transmitted through the first and second sets of unit pixels, wherein the liquid crystal layer is tilted by a third angle in a third angular direction with respect to the vertical axis, and wherein a magnitude of the third angle is between magnitudes of the first and second angles,

wherein electric fields in a first direction and electric fields in a second direction respectively generated by two directly adjacent unit pixels including one unit pixel from the first unit pixel set and one unit pixel from the second unit pixel set interfere with each other and cause one or more disclinations to be formed between the directly adjacent unit pixels, the one or more disclinations at least partially preventing light provided from the light source from being transmitted through the first unit pixel or the second unit pixel;

wherein the opaque material forms a matrix defining a light-transmissive aperture bounded by the opaque material over each of the plurality of unit pixels, wherein the opaque border corresponding to an immediately adjacent unit pixel obscures the one or more disclinations.

15. The LCD panel of claim 14, wherein each set of unit pixels comprises two unit pixels from the first set of unit pixels and one unit pixel from the second set of unit pixels, or one unit pixel from the first set of unit pixels and two unit pixels from the second set of unit pixels.

16. The LCD panel of claim 14, wherein the unit pixels coupled to the respective data lines alternate between the unit pixels from the first set of unit pixels and the unit pixels from the second set of unit pixels.