JP2010170058A - Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal display device having a touch panel function of precisely detecting an image of an object to be detected. <P>SOLUTION: In a liquid crystal panel 20 of a liquid crystal display panel 60, a plurality of optical sensor elements 30, which detect intensity of light incident on the liquid crystal panel 20 to detect an image of a pen 70 based on the detection of the light intensity, are arranged. On the light incident face side of the optical sensor element 30, a PNLC panel 50 varying the light reflection ratio is arranged on the surface of the liquid crystal panel 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device having a sensing function.

  In recent years, a display device with a touch panel function for acquiring a user's input operation by touching the surface of the display screen with a finger or a pen has been developed. As an example of a display device with a touch panel function, an optical sensor element is incorporated in a pixel, and the optical sensor element detects reflected light from a user's finger, pen, or the like that contacts the panel surface. A liquid crystal display device with an optical sensor element that recognizes an input has been developed.

  As such a liquid crystal display device in which a photosensor element such as a photodiode or a phototransistor is provided for each pixel (or in units of a plurality of pixels) in an image display region, for example, disclosed in Patent Document 1 The thing that is.

  This will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a conventional liquid crystal display device with a built-in optical sensor.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the liquid crystal display device 300 with a built-in optical sensor includes a liquid crystal panel 307 and a backlight 310 that emits light to the liquid crystal panel 307.

  The liquid crystal panel 307 is sandwiched between the TFT substrate 301 on which TFT elements for driving pixels are arranged, a CF substrate 302 disposed opposite to the TFT substrate and disposed with a CF (color filter), and the TFT substrate 301 and the CF substrate 302. The liquid crystal layer 303 is provided. Polarizing plates 305 and 304 are disposed on the outer surfaces of the TFT substrate 301 and the CF substrate 302 (surfaces opposite to the side on which the liquid crystal layer 303 is disposed), respectively.

  On the surface of the TFT substrate 301 on the side where the liquid crystal layer 303 is disposed, a plurality of optical sensor elements 305a, 305b, and 305c for detecting the intensity of received light are disposed.

  The light emitted from the backlight 310 passes through the liquid crystal panel 307 from the direction of the polarizing plate 305, passes through the polarizing plate 304, and is emitted to the outside of the liquid crystal panel 307.

  When the user brings the pen 320 close to the surface of the polarizing plate 304, the light reflected by the pen 320 out of the light emitted from the backlight 310 enters the photosensor element 305b located near the pen 320. . Other light passes through the liquid crystal panel 307. That is, the light reflected by the pen 320 does not enter the optical sensor elements 305a and 305c.

  As described above, the liquid crystal display device 300 with a built-in optical sensor can detect and sense an image of an object to be detected such as the pen 320 based on a difference in intensity of light incident on each of the photosensor elements 305a, 305b, and 305c. it can.

JP 2006-18219 A (published on January 19, 2006)

  However, when performing touch panel input with a finger or pen on the liquid crystal display device with a built-in sensor element, the optical sensor element built into the liquid crystal display device between when the finger or the pen tip is not in contact with the panel surface. The amount of light received by does not change significantly. That is, the difference in the intensity of light incident on each of the plurality of photosensor elements for detecting the image of the object is insufficient.

  Therefore, there arises a problem that it is difficult to clearly distinguish between when the finger or the input pen touches the display panel and when the finger or the input pen does not touch.

  Also, when the contact area between the object to be detected and the display panel, such as a pen, is relatively small, sufficient intensity of reflected light for clearly detecting the object cannot be obtained. The effect to detect clearly is insufficient.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to realize a liquid crystal display device having a touch panel function capable of clearly detecting a detection target.

  In order to solve the above problems, a liquid crystal panel according to the present invention has a liquid crystal layer disposed between an active matrix substrate and a counter substrate disposed opposite to the active matrix substrate, and an object disposed nearby. In the liquid crystal display panel including the first liquid crystal panel capable of detecting an image, the first liquid crystal panel detects the intensity of light incident on the first liquid crystal panel, and the object is detected by the detection. A plurality of optical sensor elements for detecting the image of the optical sensor, and a light incident surface side of the optical sensor element, on the surface of the first liquid crystal panel, for changing light transmittance or reflectance. Two liquid crystal panels are arranged.

  According to the above configuration, for example, when light from a backlight or ambient external light enters the first liquid crystal panel, the incident light enters the photosensor element. When an object is disposed in the vicinity of the first liquid crystal panel, the intensity of light incident on the optical sensor element differs depending on the image of the object. Thereby, the optical sensor element can detect the image of the object.

  Furthermore, a second liquid crystal panel for changing the reflectance of light is disposed on the light incident surface side of the optical sensor element and on the surface of the first liquid crystal panel. In other words, the second liquid crystal panel can also be expressed as changing the light transmittance.

  For this reason, in the second liquid crystal panel, the optical sensor element changes the reflectance of the region where the image of the object is to be detected and the reflectance of the other region, thereby changing the plurality of light beams. Among the intensities of light incident on the sensor element, the intensity of the light for detecting the image of the object can be changed, so that the detection accuracy of the image can be improved.

  Thus, according to the said structure, the liquid crystal display panel which can detect the image of the target object which should be detected correctly can be provided.

  The second liquid crystal panel of the liquid crystal display panel of the present invention includes an upper substrate, a lower substrate disposed to face the upper substrate, a light-scattering liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, Are preferably provided.

  Here, the light scattering liquid crystal has a function of reflecting light by scattering incident light. For example, a polymer network type liquid crystal (PNLC), a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal (PN) PDLC; Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal).

  PNLC is a structure in which a three-dimensional network polymer network is formed in a liquid crystal, and a liquid crystal layer is continuously formed.

  On the other hand, PDLC has a structure in which water droplets of liquid crystal are dispersed in a polymer, and the liquid crystal exists in a discontinuous state in the polymer.

  In the light scattering liquid crystal, in an ordinary state, the alignment state of liquid crystal molecules is irregular and scatters incident light. Then, by controlling the liquid crystal molecules having irregular alignment, it is possible to control the location where light is scattered and the location where light is transmitted in the second liquid crystal panel. For this reason, since the intensity | strength of the light which injects into an optical sensor element can be controlled by the area | region corresponding to the image of the target object which the said optical sensor element should detect, and an area other than that, the liquid crystal panel which can detect an image correctly Can be configured.

  The light-scattering liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display panel of the present invention reflects light incident on the light-scattering liquid crystal layer, and when pressure is applied to the light-scattering liquid crystal layer, a region to which the pressure is applied It is preferable to change the reflectance of light.

  According to the above configuration, when light is incident on the light scattering liquid crystal layer, the light incident on the light scattering liquid crystal layer is scattered. For this reason, the light incident on the light-scattering liquid crystal layer is reflected by the light-scattering liquid crystal layer.

  For example, when a pressure is applied to the light-scattering liquid crystal layer by, for example, the user pressing down with a pen or the like, the thickness of the region to which the pressure of the light-scattering liquid crystal layer is applied is reduced. Then, the light scattering property decreases in the region where the thickness of the light scattering liquid crystal layer is reduced. That is, in the region where the light-scattering liquid crystal layer is thin, the light reflectance changes.

  That is, the area where the pressure is applied is an area where the thickness of the light-scattering liquid crystal layer is reduced by the pressure applied to the light-scattering liquid crystal layer from the outside.

  Thereby, the intensity | strength of the light reflected by the said light-scattering liquid crystal layer can be changed with the area | region other than the area | region where the thickness of the said light-scattering liquid crystal layer is thin. For this reason, since the intensity of light incident on each of the plurality of photosensor elements can be controlled according to the area where pressure is applied to the light-scattering liquid crystal layer, the photosensor element is surely detected. An image of an object can be detected.

  In addition, the second liquid crystal panel of the liquid crystal display panel of the present invention has an electrode for applying a voltage to the light scattering liquid crystal layer, and the light scattering liquid crystal layer is light incident on the light scattering liquid crystal layer. When the pressure is applied to the light-scattering liquid crystal layer, it is preferable to change the light transmittance of the region where the pressure is applied.

  According to the above configuration, the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules of the light-scattering liquid crystal layer can be controlled by applying a voltage to the light-scattering liquid crystal layer. That is, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal in the light-scattering liquid crystal layer is controlled so that light incident on the light-scattering liquid crystal layer is transmitted in a state where no pressure is applied.

  Then, for example, when pressure is applied to the light scattering liquid crystal layer by pressing the pen with a pen or the like, the alignment of the liquid crystal in the light scattering liquid crystal layer in the region where the pressure of the light scattering liquid crystal layer is applied. The direction will be disturbed. For this reason, the light scattering property is improved in the region where the pressure of the light scattering liquid crystal layer is applied. That is, the light transmittance changes in the region where the pressure of the light-scattering liquid crystal layer is applied.

  Thereby, the intensity | strength of the light which the said light-scattering liquid-crystal layer permeate | transmits can be changed with the area | region where the pressure of the said light-scattering liquid-crystal layer was added, and the area | region other than that. For this reason, since the intensity of light incident on each of the plurality of photosensor elements can be controlled in accordance with the area where pressure is applied to the light-scattering liquid crystal layer, the photosensor element can be accurately detected. An image of an object can be detected.

  Moreover, in the liquid crystal display device of this invention, it is preferable to provide the backlight which irradiates light to the said 1st liquid crystal panel of the said liquid crystal display panel.

  According to the said structure, the light for making it enter into the said optical sensor element can be supplied from the said backlight. Thereby, the liquid crystal panel and liquid crystal display device which can detect the image of the target object which should be detected correctly can be provided.

  In the liquid crystal display panel of the present invention, a plurality of photosensor elements that detect the intensity of light incident on the first liquid crystal panel and detect the image of the object by the detection are arranged. A second liquid crystal panel that changes the reflectance of light is disposed on the surface of the first liquid crystal panel on the light incident surface side.

  For this reason, there exists an effect that the image of the target object which should be detected can be detected correctly.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the first embodiment. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing a PNLC panel when the object is not touched on the liquid crystal display device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing the PNLC panel when the object is touched. It is. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the second embodiment. 4A is a cross-sectional view showing a PNLC panel when the object is not touched on the liquid crystal display device of FIG. 3, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view showing the PNLC panel when the object is touched. It is. It is sectional drawing showing schematic structure of the conventional liquid crystal display device with a built-in optical sensor.

  One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  The liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment is a touch panel integrated liquid crystal display device having a touch panel function by incorporating a photosensor in a pixel.

[Embodiment 1]
A first embodiment of a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a liquid crystal display device 100 of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display device 100 includes a liquid crystal display panel 60 and a backlight 10 that is disposed on the back side of the liquid crystal display panel 60 and irradiates the liquid crystal display panel 60 with light. The liquid crystal display panel 60 includes a liquid crystal panel 20 (first liquid crystal panel), a PNLC (Polymer Network Liquid Crystal) panel 50 (second liquid crystal panel), and polarizing plates 40a and 40b. Yes.

  The liquid crystal panel 20 includes a liquid crystal layer 23 disposed between an active matrix substrate 21 in which a large number of pixels are arranged in a matrix and a counter substrate 22 disposed to face the active matrix substrate 21, and a pen disposed in the vicinity. 70 (object) image can be detected. In the present embodiment, the display mode of the liquid crystal panel 20 is not particularly limited, and any display mode such as a TN mode, an IPS mode, and a VA mode can be applied.

  The liquid crystal panel 20 is provided with a plurality of optical sensor elements 30 that detect the intensity of light incident on the liquid crystal panel 20 and detect the image of the pen 70 based on the detection.

  The PNLC panel 50 changes the reflectance (transmittance) of light transmitted through the PNLC panel 50, and is disposed on the surface of the liquid crystal panel 20 on the light incident surface side of the optical sensor element 30. .

  Although the present embodiment will be described using the PNLC panel 50, a similar effect can be obtained even with PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal). The PNLC panel 50 reflects light incident on the PNLC panel 50 (see arrow A in FIG. 1), and when pressure is applied to the PNLC panel 50, changes the reflectance of light in the region b where the pressure is applied. Can do. Thereby, as shown by the arrow B of FIG. 1, the light which injects into the area | region b can be permeate | transmitted.

  In the present embodiment, the PNLC panel 50 has a thickness (cell thickness) of about 7 μm or about 28 μm. The cell thickness of the PNLC panel 50 is not limited to this.

  In addition, a front-side polarizing plate 40a is provided on the outside of the PNLC panel 50 (on the side opposite to the side on which the liquid crystal panel 20 is disposed), and on the outside of the liquid crystal panel 20 (on the side on which the PNLC panel 50 is disposed). On the opposite side) are respectively provided with back side polarizing plates 40b.

  Each polarizing plate 40a and 40b serves as a polarizer. For example, when the liquid crystal material sealed in the liquid crystal layer is a vertical alignment type, the polarization direction of the front-side polarizing plate 40a and the polarization direction of the back-side polarizing plate 40b are arranged so as to have a crossed Nicol relationship. Thus, a normally black mode liquid crystal display device can be realized.

  Moreover, you may use what integrated the polarizing plate and the PNLC panel as a front side polarizing plate. Accordingly, the polarizing plate and the PNLC panel can be arranged on the liquid crystal panel 20 in the step of arranging the polarizing plate 40 a on the liquid crystal panel 20. For this reason, it is not necessary to change the process of arrange | positioning a polarizing plate to a liquid crystal panel.

  The surface of the polarizing plate 40a is the touch surface 100a, and the liquid crystal display device 100 can detect an image of a symmetrical object that touches the touch surface 100a, such as the pen 70, for example.

  The active matrix substrate 21 is provided with a TFT (not shown) that is a switching element for driving each pixel, an alignment film (not shown), an optical sensor element 30 and the like. Further, the counter substrate 22 is formed with a color filter layer 22a composed of colored portions having respective colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) and a black matrix. Further, a counter electrode (not shown), an alignment film (not shown), and the like are formed on the counter substrate 22.

  As described above, the touch panel integrated liquid crystal display device 100 according to the present embodiment is provided with the optical sensor element 30 in each pixel region, thereby detecting an image of an object touched on the touch surface 100a. (Sensing function) is realized.

  When a finger or a pen 70 (target object) contacts (touches) the touch surface 100a that is the surface of the liquid crystal display panel 60, the position is read (detected) by the optical sensor element 30, and information is transmitted to the device. Can be entered and the intended operation can be executed. Thus, in the liquid crystal display device 100 of the present embodiment, the touch panel function can be realized by the optical sensor element 30.

  The optical sensor element 30 is formed of a photodiode or a phototransistor, and detects the amount of received light by flowing a current corresponding to the intensity of received light. The TFT and the optical sensor element 30 may be monolithically formed on the active matrix substrate 21 by substantially the same process. That is, some constituent members of the optical sensor element 30 may be formed simultaneously with some constituent members of the TFT. Such a method for forming an optical sensor element can be performed in accordance with a conventionally known method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device incorporating an optical sensor element.

  In the present invention, the photosensor element is not necessarily provided for each pixel. For example, a photosensor is provided for each pixel having any one color filter of R, G, and B. It may be a configuration.

  Further, although not shown, the liquid crystal display device 100 performs drive control of a liquid crystal drive circuit (not shown) for performing display drive on the liquid crystal panel 20 and the optical sensor element 30, and corresponds to the intensity of received light. A sensor control unit (not shown) that receives light reception signals from a plurality of optical sensor elements 30 that output light reception signals is provided.

  2A and 2B show an example of the configuration of the PNLC panel 50 provided in the liquid crystal display device 100. FIG.

  2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the PNLC panel 50 in a state where the pen 70 is not touched on the touch surface 100a of the liquid crystal display device 100, and FIG. 2B illustrates a touch surface 100a of the liquid crystal display device 100. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the PNLC panel 50 in a state where the pen 70 is touched.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the PNLC panel 50 includes a PNLC layer 52 sandwiched between a lower substrate 51 and an upper substrate 53 disposed to face the lower substrate 51. The lower substrate 51 and the upper substrate 53 are transparent films made of, for example, plastic. Note that the lower substrate 51 may be made of transparent glass.

  In the PNLC layer 52, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal is usually non-uniformly arranged, and light incident on the PNLC layer 52 is scattered. Therefore, the light emitted from the backlight 10 is reflected by the PNLC layer 52 as indicated by an arrow A in FIG. Then, the light reflected by the PNLC layer 52 enters the optical sensor element 30 shown in FIG.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, the user brings the pen 70 into contact with the touch surface 100a. Then, as shown in a region b in FIG. 2B, the cell thickness of the PNLC panel 50 is reduced in the region b where pressure is applied when the pen 70 of the PNLC panel 50 touches.

  For this reason, since the scattering property in the PNLC layer 52 in the area | region b becomes low, the reflectance of the light in the area | region b falls. That is, the proportion of light emitted from the backlight 10 and incident on the region b of the PNLC layer 52 is reduced toward the photosensor element 30 side, and as shown by arrows B1 and B2 in FIG. The ratio of transmitting through the layer 52 increases. For this reason, compared with the intensity | strength of the light (arrow A of FIG. 2 (a)) reflected in areas other than the area | region b among the lights which the some optical sensor element 30 detects, the intensity | strength of the light reflected in the area | region b Can be significantly reduced.

  For this reason, since the intensity of light incident on each of the plurality of photosensor elements 30 can be controlled according to the area where pressure is applied to the PNLC layer 52, the photosensor elements 30 are surely objects to be detected. An image of a pen 70 or the like can be detected.

  In addition, since the PNLC layer 52 can control the intensity of light reflected or transmitted through the PNLC layer 52 by liquid crystal molecules that scatter light, it can be more accurately matched to the contour of the image of the object. The reflectance can be changed. Therefore, it is possible to configure the liquid crystal display device 100 that can accurately detect an image.

  Furthermore, in the above description, it has been described that the reflected light of the light emitted from the backlight 10 is received by the plurality of photosensor elements 30 to detect the image of the object to be detected.

  However, the optical sensor element 30 may detect the image of the object by receiving external light around the liquid crystal display device 100 instead of the light emitted from the backlight 10. In this case, external light is incident on the liquid crystal display panel 60 through the region b from the touch surface 100 a side shown in FIG. 1 and is received by the photosensor element 30. Of the external light incident on the PNLC 50 from the touch surface 100a side, the region other than the region b is reflected by the PNLC panel 50. For this reason, it is possible to remarkably suppress the incidence of external light that passes through the PNLC panel 50 other than the region b to the optical sensor element 30. Thereby, the target object which should be detected can be detected reliably.

[Embodiment 2]
Next, a second embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

  The liquid crystal display device 100 described in the first embodiment is different from the liquid crystal display device 101 illustrated in FIG. 3 in that the PNLC panel 80 is different. Similar members are denoted by the same member numbers, and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the PNLC panel 80 includes an extraction electrode 85 (electrode) for applying a voltage to the PNLC panel 80. The extraction electrode 85 is made of, for example, ITO or the like, and is connected to a voltage source 86 provided outside the PNLC panel 80. Then, when the voltage supplied from the voltage source 86 is applied to the PNLC layer, the liquid crystal in the PNLC layer in the PNLC panel 80 is in a transmissive state (transparent state).

  For this reason, the PNLC panel 80 transmits the light incident on the PNLC panel 80 (arrow C in FIG. 1). When the user touches the touch surface 101a with, for example, the pen 70 to apply pressure to the PNLC panel 80, the transmittance of the region d, which is the region to which the pressure of the PNLC panel 80 is applied, changes. Thereby, the light emitted from the backlight 10 is reflected by the region d (arrow D in FIG. 1). For this reason, the optical sensor element 30 can accurately detect the image of the pen 70 that has touched the touch surface 101a.

  This will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  4A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the PNLC panel 80 in a state where the pen 70 is not touched on the touch surface 101a of the liquid crystal display device 101, and FIG. 4B illustrates a touch surface 101a of the liquid crystal display device 101. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the PNLC panel 80 in a state where the pen 70 is touched.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the PNLC panel 80 includes a PNLC layer 82 sandwiched between a lower substrate 81 and an upper substrate 83 disposed to face the lower substrate 81. As the lower substrate 81, the upper substrate 83, and the PNLC layer 82, those similar to the lower substrate 51, the upper substrate 53, and the PNLC layer 52 of the first embodiment can be used.

  An ITO electrode 84 for applying a voltage to the PNLC layer 82 is formed between the lower substrate 81 and the PNLC layer 82 and between the PNLC layer 82 and the upper substrate 83. The ITO electrode 84 is connected to a voltage source 86 formed outside the PNLC panel 80 through a lead electrode 85 drawn outside the PNLC panel 80.

  Then, a voltage is applied to the PNLC panel 80 from the voltage source 86 through the extraction electrode 85. Then, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules that are included in the PNLC layer 82 and are non-uniformly aligned becomes uniform and becomes transparent. As a result, the light emitted from the backlight 10 passes through the PNLC panel 80 as indicated by an arrow C in FIG.

  And as shown in FIG.4 (b), when a user presses down the touch surface 101a with the pen 70 etc. and a pressure is added to the PNLC layer 82, the area | region where the pressure of the PNLC layer 82 was added, and The alignment direction of the liquid crystal in the region d, which is a nearby region, is disturbed.

  For this reason, the light scattering property is improved in the region d of the PNLC layer 82. That is, in the region d of the PNLC layer 82, the light transmittance is reduced (the reflectance is improved).

  For this reason, the light emitted from the backlight 10 and incident on the region d of the PNLC layer 82 is reflected to the optical sensor element 30 side, and as shown by an arrow D in FIG. 4B, the PNLC layer The ratio of reflecting 52 increases. Further, as indicated by an arrow C in FIG. 4B, the light emitted from the backlight 10 and incident outside the region d of the PNLC layer 82 is hardly reflected toward the photosensor element 30 side, and is passed through the PNLC panel 80. To Penetrate.

  As a result, the intensity of the light reflected by the region d is significantly larger than the intensity of the light reflected by the PNLC layer 82 outside the region d out of the light intensities detected by the plurality of photosensor elements 30. can do.

  Accordingly, since the intensity of light incident on each of the plurality of photosensor elements 30 can be controlled in accordance with the area where pressure is applied to the PNLC layer 82, the photosensor element 30 is a pen that is an object to be detected reliably. An image such as 70 can be detected.

  As described above, according to the configuration of the PNLC panel 80, the intensity of transmitted light is larger than that of the PNLC panel 50. Therefore, compared with the liquid crystal display device 100 described in Embodiment 1, the liquid crystal display device 101 can improve luminance.

  In the above description, the orientation of the liquid crystal in the PNLC layer 82 is changed by applying pressure to the PNLC panel 80. However, a driving circuit for controlling the driving of the liquid crystal in the PNLC layer 82 is provided, and the driving is performed. The transmittance (reflectance) may be changed by controlling the orientation of the liquid crystal in the PNLC layer 82 in a region corresponding to the contact area of the object touched on the touch surface 101a by a circuit.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  Since the liquid crystal display device having a touch panel function can improve the sensing function of an object, it can be widely applied to display devices having a sensing function.

10 Backlight 20 Liquid crystal panel (first liquid crystal panel)
21 Active matrix substrate 22 Counter substrate 23 Liquid crystal layer 30 Optical sensor element 40a Polarizing plate 40b Polarizing plate 50 PNLC panel (second liquid crystal panel)
60 Liquid crystal display panel 70 Pen (object)
80 PNLC panel (second liquid crystal panel)
84 ITO electrode (electrode)
85 Lead electrode (electrode)
86 Voltage source 100 Liquid crystal display device 101 Liquid crystal display device 101a Touch surface

Claims (5)

A liquid crystal having a first liquid crystal panel in which a liquid crystal layer is disposed between an active matrix substrate and a counter substrate disposed opposite to the active matrix substrate and capable of detecting an image of an object disposed in the vicinity. In the display panel,
The first liquid crystal panel is provided with a plurality of optical sensor elements that detect the intensity of light incident on the first liquid crystal panel and detect the image of the object by the detection.
2. A liquid crystal display panel, wherein a second liquid crystal panel for changing a reflectance of light is arranged on the light incident surface side of the photo sensor element and on the surface of the first liquid crystal panel.   The second liquid crystal panel includes an upper substrate that is transparent to each other, a lower substrate that is disposed to face the upper substrate, and a light-scattering liquid crystal layer that is sandwiched between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The liquid crystal display panel according to claim 1.   The light-scattering liquid crystal layer reflects light incident on the light-scattering liquid crystal layer, and when pressure is applied to the light-scattering liquid crystal layer, the reflectance of light in a region to which the pressure is applied is changed. The liquid crystal display panel according to claim 2. The second liquid crystal panel has an electrode for applying a voltage to the light-scattering liquid crystal layer,
The light-scattering liquid crystal layer transmits light incident on the light-scattering liquid crystal layer, and when light is applied to the light-scattering liquid crystal layer, the light transmittance of the region to which the pressure is applied is changed. The liquid crystal display panel according to claim 2.   The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a backlight that irradiates light to the first liquid crystal panel.

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