JP2000056287A - Liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To give variety to displayed shapes which can be expressed in a display region with specified regularity and which is neither monotonous nor disordered by imparting regular modification to shapes and sizes of individual display pixels. SOLUTION: In a liquid crystal display having a display region 4 formed with a systematic assembly of display pixels 1 using liquid crystal, the display pixels 1 are formed so that shapes and sizes of individual display pixels neighboring with each other are continuously modified at least toward one direction with specified reqularity. As in the display region 4 the shapes and sizes of the individual display pixels are formed with specified regularity and with continuous modification, characters, figures and symbols displayed in the display region 4 become ununiformized and are displayed in a state being modified corresponding to varied states of the shapes and sizes of the individual display pixels.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, for example, a liquid crystal display device in which liquid crystals are arranged between a group of electrodes arranged in a matrix, and the intersections of the electrodes in the matrix are used as display pixels. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a liquid crystal display device of this type, an electrode group provided on a transparent substrate on one side, an electrode group provided on a transparent substrate on the other side, and these electrode groups are arranged at a predetermined interval. And a peripheral sealing material for supporting the electrodes, the two electrode groups are arranged in a matrix with facing each other, and liquid crystal is sealed in a space formed by these electrode groups and the peripheral sealing material. Matrix-type displays, segment-type displays used in watches, calculators, and the like. In the former matrix type display,
Since the two electrode groups are formed in the same band shape and are arranged at regular intervals in the X direction and the Y direction on the transparent substrate, each of the two electrode groups includes an intersection of the electrode groups arranged in a matrix. The display pixels have a uniform square shape and are arranged at equal intervals in the upper, lower, left, and right directions. In the latter segment-type display, so-called "day-shaped" seven segments are often used. When driving this liquid crystal display device, a scanning signal is supplied to an electrode group on one surface and a display signal is supplied to an electrode group on the other surface, so that an intersection (display pixel) portion of the electrode group is supplied. A state change is caused in the liquid crystal, and a predetermined display is performed based on the state change.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional liquid crystal display device, the display pixels are all substantially square in shape, and the display section is formed by an ordered collection of the square display pixels. Are formed, or the display portion is formed by segments of the “day-shaped”. Therefore, there is a problem that the display form that can be expressed by the display unit is monotonous and has little change.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a display mode which can be expressed by the display section by giving a regular change to the shape and size of each display pixel, and is not monotonous. It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display device which can be varied with a certain regularity without being disorderly.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 of the present application is directed to a liquid crystal display device in which a display section is formed by a regular collection of display pixels using liquid crystal. The display pixels are formed by continuously changing the shape and size of each display pixel adjacent to each other in at least one direction with a constant regularity. According to the present invention, since the display section is formed by continuously changing the shape and size of each display pixel with a constant regularity, characters, figures, symbols, and the like displayed on the display section are displayed. Therefore, the image is not uniform, and is changed and displayed according to the change of the shape and size of each pixel. That is, it is possible to make the display form expressed by the display unit not monotonous and random but rich in change with a certain regularity. Further, by using the display unit to scroll and display characters, graphics, and the like, or by appropriately moving the screen, a richer expression can be realized.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the outer shape of the display section is
A quadrilateral having at least one arc-shaped side, a non-square such as a trapezoid or a rectangle, and the continuous change of each display pixel is formed so as to follow the outer shape of the display unit. Is what you do. According to the present invention,
Since the continuous change state of each display pixel is specified in close cooperation with the outer shape of the display unit, the entire surface from the center to the sides and corners of the display unit is subjected to the continuous change. It can be used as a rich display surface,
Manufacturing can be simplified since the design can be made based on the external shape.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the display pixels have a maximum display area at the center of the screen and approach the periphery of the screen. It is characterized by having a small display area. According to the present invention, the central portion of the display screen is displayed in a state of being enlarged most greatly, and gradually becomes smaller as it goes from the center to the periphery, so that the display form of characters, figures, symbols, and the like is projected onto the convex mirror. And the display form can be changed richly. Further, when the displayed characters, graphics, and the like are scrolled on the screen or moved as appropriate, the display state changes more richly according to the display location.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the display pixel has a minimum display area at the center of the screen and approaches the periphery of the screen. It is characterized by having a large display area. According to the present invention, contrary to the invention described in claim 3, the central portion of the display screen is displayed in the smallest reduced size, and gradually increases uniformly from the center to the periphery. The display form of characters, figures, symbols, and the like is displayed as if it were reflected on a concave mirror, and the display form can be changed richly. Further, as in the case of the third aspect, when the displayed characters, symbols, and the like are scrolled on the screen or moved as appropriate, the display state changes more richly according to the display location.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the display pixel has a display area that increases in size from one side to the other side of the screen. There is a feature. According to the present invention, a display form of a graphic, a symbol, or the like displayed on a screen is gradually displayed larger as going from one side to the other side. Become like Further, when the displayed characters, symbols, and the like are scrolled on the screen or moved as appropriate, the display state changes more richly according to the display location.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, and is a plan view of a display portion of a digital timepiece. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, each display pixel 1 using liquid crystal includes a portion surrounded by a plurality of vertical lines 2 and a plurality of horizontal lines 3, and the shape and the shape of each display pixel 1 The size is not random, but is formed with a constant regular change between the neighbors, and the display unit 4 is configured as an aggregate of such display pixels 1. That is, the display pixel 1 is formed by continuously changing the shape and size of each adjacent display pixel in at least one direction with a certain regularity. Structurally, each portion sandwiched between adjacent vertical lines 2 corresponds to one transparent electrode, and each portion sandwiched between adjacent horizontal lines 3 corresponds to the other transparent electrode crossing the transparent electrode. In this embodiment, the outer shape of the display unit 4 is formed of a shape having an arc-shaped side projecting outward on four sides 5 of a rectangle, and the continuous change of each display pixel 1 It is formed so as to follow the shape of the four sides 5 which is the outer shape. The vertical line 2 and the horizontal line 3 correspond to the state of the overall regular change of the display pixel 1. As a result, in this example, as shown in FIG. 1, the display pixel 1 has a maximum display area at the center of the display unit 4 serving as a screen and a smaller display area toward the periphery of the screen. Is formed.

Next, a simple method for forming various display portions by regularly changing the shape and size of the display pixel 1 will be described with reference to FIG. Numbers 1 to 5 in FIG. 2A show examples of variations of the outer shape of the display unit 4. No. 1 to No. 5 in FIG. 7B show an example of a variation of the width change of one transparent electrode, and No. 1 to No. 5 of FIG. 9C show an example of a variation of the width change of the other transparent electrode. By appropriately combining the shapes of (A), (B) and (C), ie, (B)
Based on the width of the transparent electrode of (C) and combining them so as to follow the outer shape of (A), it is easy to make various desired regular changes in the display pixel 1.

FIG. 3 shows an example in which the shapes (A), (B) and (C) are specifically combined. FIG. 3D shows a set of display pixels 1 formed by combining the outer shape of No. 5 in FIG. 2A with the transparent electrodes of No. 2 in FIG. 2B and No. 2 in FIG. It is. This is the same system as the regular change of the display pixel 1 shown in FIG. 1, and the numeral “26” is displayed as an example. FIG. 3E shows a set of display pixels 1 formed by combining the outer shape No. 2 in FIG. 2A with the transparent electrodes No. 3 in FIG. 2B and No. 1 in FIG. 2C. is there. FIG. 2F shows a set of display pixels 1 formed by combining the external shape No. 3 in FIG. 2A with the transparent electrodes No. 1 in FIG. 2B and No. 5 in FIG. 2C. is there.

Next, the operation of the liquid crystal display device according to the above embodiment will be described. According to the present embodiment, FIG.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3, since the display unit 4 is formed by continuously changing the shape and size of each display pixel 1 with a certain regularity, the characters displayed on the display unit 4 are changed. , Figures, symbols, etc., are no longer uniform, that is, the display form represented by the display unit 4 is not monotonous, is not disorderly, and is varied with a certain regularity. In FIG. 1, "10.42.59" is displayed on the display unit 4 by numeral.
Is displayed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the outer shape of the display section 4 is a non-square shape such as a trapezoidal shape and a rectangular shape having at least one side 5 of an arc on a side 5, and a rectangular shape. Since the continuous change is formed so as to follow the outer shape of the display unit 4, that is, each display pixel 1 closely cooperates with the shape of the side 5 which is the outer shape of the display unit 4.
Is defined, the entire surface from the center of the display unit 4 to the sides 5 and the corners becomes a display surface rich in the continuous changes. Further, manufacturing is easy because the design can be made based on the outer shape.

As shown in FIG. 1, the display pixel 1 has a maximum display area at the center of the screen and a smaller display area toward the periphery of the screen. The central part of the image is displayed with the largest enlargement, and gradually becomes smaller from the center to the periphery, so that the display form of characters, figures, symbols, etc. is displayed as if it were projected on a convex mirror, and its display The form changes richly. Further, when the displayed characters, graphics, and the like are scrolled on the screen or moved as appropriate, the display state changes more richly according to the display location.

The display pixel 1 has a minimum display area at the center of the screen and has a larger display area toward the periphery of the screen, as shown in FIG. 3E, for example. In contrast to the example of FIG. 1, the center portion of the display screen is displayed in the smallest scaled-down state, and gradually increases uniformly from the center to the periphery.
The display form of characters, figures, symbols, and the like is displayed as if it were reflected on a concave mirror, and the display form changes richly. FIG.
In the same manner as in the above example, when the displayed characters, symbols, and the like are scrolled on the screen or moved as appropriate, the display state changes more richly according to the display location.

As shown in FIG. 3 (F), when the display area of the display pixel 1 gradually increases from the left side to the right side of the screen, the figure displayed on the screen is The display form of the symbol or the like is gradually enlarged in the left-right direction, as if expressed using a perspective method. Also, in this example, when the displayed characters, symbols, and the like are scrolled on the screen or moved as appropriate, the display state changes more richly according to the display location. In the above description, the liquid crystal display of a digital timepiece has been described as an example, but it goes without saying that the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is not limited to the digital timepiece.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, the display section is formed by continuously changing the shape and size of each display pixel with a constant regularity. Characters, figures, symbols, etc. to be displayed are no longer uniform, that is, the display form represented by the display unit is not monotonous, and is not disorderly, but is varied and has constant regularity. It is possible to Further, by using the display unit to scroll and display characters, graphics, and the like, or by appropriately moving the screen, a richer expression can be realized.

In the case where the continuous change state of each display pixel is defined in close cooperation with the outer shape of the display unit, the whole area from the center of the display unit to the sides and corners is defined. The display surface can be used as the display surface which is rich in the continuous changes, and the manufacturing can be designed on the basis of the outer shape. Furthermore, the one in which the central portion of the display screen is displayed with the largest enlargement, and gradually becomes smaller from the center to the periphery,
The display form of characters, figures, symbols, and the like is displayed as if it were reflected on a convex mirror, and the display form can be varied richly. When characters, figures, etc. displayed using this display unit are scrolled on the screen or moved as appropriate,
The display state changes more richly according to the display location.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a display section of a digital timepiece, showing an embodiment of a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a simple method for forming various display portions by regularly changing the shape and size of display pixels of the liquid crystal display device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example in which the shapes of FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are specifically combined.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 display pixel 2 vertical line 3 horizontal line 4 display unit 5 side

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Sachiko Matsue 2-15-1, Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Junichi Kamata 2-15-1, Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Seiko Corporation F term (reference) 2H088 EA02 EA27 MA01 5C094 BA43 CA14 CA20 CA30 HA02 HA03 HA08

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A liquid crystal display device in which a display portion is formed by a regular collection of display pixels using liquid crystal, wherein the display pixels have a shape and a shape of each adjacent display pixel in at least one direction. A liquid crystal display device characterized in that the size is continuously changed with a constant regularity. 2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the outer shape of the display unit is a non-square shape such as a trapezoidal shape or a rectangular shape having at least one side of an arc on a square, and the continuous change of each display pixel is the same. A liquid crystal display device characterized by being formed so as to follow the outer shape of the display unit. 3. The display pixel according to claim 1, wherein the display pixel has a maximum display area at the center of the screen and a smaller display area toward the periphery of the screen. Liquid crystal display device. 4. The display pixel according to claim 1, wherein the display pixel has a minimum display area at the center of the screen and has a larger display area toward the periphery of the screen. Liquid crystal display device. 5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the display pixels have a display area that sequentially increases from one side surface to the other side surface of the screen.