JPH0830244A - Liquid crystal stereoscopic display device and its driving method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the liquid crystal stereoscopic display device which can make a beautiful color stereoscopic display at low cost through a simple device. CONSTITUTION:This device is provided with a 1st transparent substrate 6, a 1st transparent electrode 7 which is formed inside the 1st substrate 6, a 1st orientation film 8 which is provided on its top surface and oriented, a 2nd transparent substrate 6 which is provided opposite the 1st substrate 6, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th transparent electrodes 71-74 which are provided successively inside the 2nd substrate 6, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th transparent orientation films which are provided inside the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th transparent electrodes 71-73 by mutually the same orientation processing and have visual angle characteristics in a specific direction on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th transparent electrodes 71-73, a 5th orientation film which is provided inside the 5th transparent electrode 74 and has visual angle characteristics on the 5th transparent electrode 74 in the opposite direction from the 4th orientation film, and a liquid crystal driving circuit which applies primary color signal voltages of the colors to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th transparent electrodes 71-73 and applies an image signal voltage to the 5th transparent electrode 74.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention uses a liquid crystal display device to display a plurality of input images corresponding to different viewing angles, which are the directions of light rays entering the left and right eyes when a human looks at an object. The present invention relates to a liquid crystal stereoscopic display device for displaying and reproducing stereoscopic color image information and a driving method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, research on three-dimensional (three-dimensional) image display technology has been actively conducted, and some technologies have been put to practical use by a projection type method. Also,
In the method of using glasses, optical switchable glasses, a method of using glasses to change the left and right light intensities, and the like are being studied.

Various methods have been proposed as a method that does not require glasses, but as a method suitable for displaying moving images, an image taken from multiple directions using a lens having a cylindrical convex shape has a predetermined viewing angle. A lenticular method of displaying in a direction and a liquid crystal barrier method of using two liquid crystal display elements, one of which is a display section and the other of which is a slit in the viewing angle direction are being studied.

Further, as disclosed in JP-A-61-137128 and JP-A-2-146087, the viewing angle characteristic of a liquid crystal display element is utilized to change the direction of light from the liquid crystal display unit to the left or right. There has also been proposed a device that forms an image by adjusting the viewing angle characteristics of the liquid crystal display unit so as to be different depending on the direction of the eyes.

[0005]

In the case of the above-described conventional stereoscopic display device, the following problems must be solved before it can be widely used in general households. First, a method that does not require glasses is required. Resolving discomfort caused by wearing glasses such as discomfort caused by wearing glasses, reduction in light intensity, and limitation of viewing angle is required in general-purpose technology. Second
In addition, it is necessary that the resolution be comparable to that of conventional display elements. A liquid crystal display device has been proposed which produces two pixels having different viewing angle characteristics in the same plane. However, considering the liquid crystal display performance, especially the display brightness,
There is a problem that when a pixel of a liquid crystal display element which is said to be darker than a CRT or the like in a normal state is divided into two, the luminance becomes ½ and the performance as a display deteriorates. Thirdly, it is necessary that the display device can display the conventional image as it is. Although there is a trade-off with the price, the market scale of an apparatus dedicated to stereoscopic image display is remarkably reduced, so that it is necessary to be able to display not only stereoscopic display but also conventional 2D images. Fourth, the realization of a low-priced device is an issue. For example, there is an attempt to generate a three-dimensional effect by using two CRTs or liquid crystal displays, but it is expected that the price will double and the market will not grow. Fifth, it needs to be small. In order to substitute the conventional product, it is necessary to have the same size as the conventional product. Sixth, due to the nature of stereoscopic display, a wide viewing angle range (stereoscopic viewing range) in which a stereoscopic image can be reproduced is required. Not only the angle at which you can actually see the stereoscopic image,
Conditions such as intensity and color inversion do not occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal stereoscopic display device which is a simple device and is capable of inexpensive and beautiful color stereoscopic display.

[0007]

The present invention provides a transparent first
Substrate, the first transparent electrode formed on the inside of the first substrate, and the first transparent electrode provided on the upper surface and subjected to the alignment treatment.
Alignment film, a transparent second substrate provided so as to face the first substrate, and second, third, fourth, and fifth transparent layers arranged in parallel inside the second substrate. The electrode and the second, third, and fourth transparent electrodes, which are subjected to the same alignment treatment as each other, are provided inside the second, third, and fourth transparent electrodes to have a viewing angle characteristic in a predetermined direction on the second, third, and fourth transparent electrodes. The second, third, and fourth alignment films were provided inside the fifth transparent electrode, and viewing angle characteristics in directions opposite to the fourth alignment film were provided on the fifth transparent electrode. A fifth alignment film and a liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates are provided, and the second, third, fourth, and fifth electrodes are alternately provided in a matrix. A liquid crystal display section, first and second polarizing plates provided outside the first and second substrates of the liquid crystal display section, and the second, third and fourth polarizing plates.
Liquid crystal drive circuit for applying three primary color signal voltages to the transparent electrodes, and an image signal different from the drive signal voltages applied to the fifth, transparent electrodes to the second, third, and fourth electrodes. A liquid crystal stereoscopic display device provided with a liquid crystal drive circuit for applying a voltage.

Further, according to the present invention, a transparent first substrate, a first transparent electrode formed inside the first substrate, and a first alignment film provided on an upper surface of the first alignment electrode and subjected to an alignment treatment. When,
The transparent second substrate provided to face the first substrate and the second, third, fourth, and fifth transparent electrodes arranged in parallel inside the second substrate are the same as each other. The second, third, and fourth alignment films that have been subjected to the alignment treatment and are provided inside the second, third, and fourth transparent electrodes, and the fifth film that is provided inside the fifth transparent electrode. And the liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates, and the second, third, fourth, and fifth electrodes are alternately provided in a matrix. The display unit, the first and second polarizing plates provided outside the first and second substrates of the liquid crystal display unit, and the second, third, and fourth transparent electrodes are colored. A liquid crystal drive circuit for applying a voltage for generating a viewing angle characteristic in the same direction to the liquid crystal on the second, third, and fourth electrodes while applying the three primary color signal voltages; A liquid crystal stereoscopic display device having a liquid crystal drive circuit for applying to the transparent electrode 5 an image signal voltage for providing a viewing angle characteristic in a direction different from the drive signal voltage applied to the second, third, and fourth electrodes. is there.

The present invention further includes a transparent first substrate,
A first transparent electrode formed on the inside of the first substrate;
A first alignment film provided on the upper surface and subjected to an alignment treatment, a transparent second substrate provided to face the first substrate, and a transparent second substrate arranged side by side inside the second substrate. The second, third, fourth, and fifth transparent electrodes and the second, third, and fourth transparent electrodes provided with the same alignment treatment as each other and provided inside the second, third, and fourth transparent electrodes. An alignment film, a fifth alignment film provided inside the fifth transparent electrode, and a liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates, and the second and third alignment films. A liquid crystal display section in which fourth and fifth electrodes are alternately provided in a matrix, and first and second polarizing plates located outside the first and second substrates of the liquid crystal display section. And a liquid crystal stereoscopic display device provided with the liquid crystal stereoscopic display device, and applying an image signal voltage that causes viewing angle characteristics in the same direction to the second, third, and fourth electrodes, Note that a liquid crystal stereo driven by a voltage that applies an image signal voltage that gives a viewing angle characteristic in a direction different from that of the driving signal voltage applied to the second, third, and fourth electrodes and that produces a viewing angle characteristic in mutually opposite directions. It is a method of driving a display device.

[0010]

According to the liquid crystal stereoscopic display device of the present invention, the viewing angle characteristics of the liquid crystal display elements adjacent to each other are set in mutually opposite directions by the alignment treatment of the alignment film and the voltage control so as to correspond to the electrodes of each liquid crystal display element. Of the domains, three types have the same viewing angle characteristics in the same direction and correspond to the three primary colors, and the other domains are driven by different image signal voltages with different orientation characteristics, so that different images are incident on both human eyes. However, the image on the liquid crystal display portion is made to appear in color and three-dimensionally.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the characteristics of the display element of a normal liquid crystal display will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, the circumferential direction is the azimuth angle (0 °, 90 °) in the vertical and horizontal directions of the display element.
Angle, 180 °, 270 °), and the radial direction is the tilt angle from the vertical direction (on the horizontal axis, 0 °, 10 as an example).
(Indicated as °, 20 °, 30 °, 40 °, 50 °).
The thick line in the figure is a contour map of the contrast ratio of the display element,
The contrast ratio has a magnitude relation of a>b>c> d on the drawing. For example, when the liquid crystal display element is viewed from the azimuth of 180 °, it may be in a black state in which there is almost no contrast ratio, that is, blackout. That is, a general liquid crystal display device has a direction in which it is easy to see and a direction in which it is difficult to see in the azimuth direction.

Next, the viewing angle characteristics are improved by the applied voltage range.
The principle for achieving this is shown in FIG. Figure 2 shows that L. Pohl et al.
Journal of the Physical Society of Japan (Applied Physics Letters, vol.38 (7) p.
497-499 (1981)) with normal voltage applied
Of the viewing angle dependence of a Ted nematic (TN) liquid crystal display device
The calculation results are shown. 4 from the vertical direction of display element screen
The transmitted light intensity from the direction shifted by 5 ° is shown. Circumferential direction
The direction indicates the azimuth angle, and the radial direction indicates the transmitted light intensity in that direction.
You 2 (a), (b), (c), and (d) are respectively
V / V₀= 3.0, 2.1, 1.45, 0 (V is
Applied voltage, V₀Threshold voltage). Solid line, dotted line, broken
The lines are birefringence Δn = 0.054, 0.1, 0.
Corresponds to state 2. Elastic constant ratio K₃₃/ K₁₁= 1.5,
Permittivity ε in major and minor axes_P, Ε _R Is ε_P= 25.
4, ε _R= 5.4, cell thickness 10 μm,
Is the calculation result when the wavelength λ of light is 632.8 nm.
is there. From this, for example, V / V₀= 1.45
In addition, it can be seen that the viewing angle dependency is strong and selective.

As described above, the color liquid crystal stereoscopic display device of this embodiment is realized by the viewing angle dependence of the liquid crystal display element and the selective viewing angle dependence by voltage application.

First, for simplification, the liquid crystal display element 10 having two pieces of visual angle information will be described. In the liquid crystal display element 10 of the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. Divided transparent electrodes 71, 72, 73, 74 are formed. Furthermore, on each inner surface of the transparent electrodes 7, 71, 72, 73, 74,
Alignment films 8, 81, 82, 83, 84 are provided, and the liquid crystal material 41 is injected between the alignment films 8, 81, 82, 83. In the liquid crystal material 41, the liquid crystal molecules 4 exist with a predetermined inclination, as schematically shown in FIG. The liquid crystal display element 10 includes transparent electrodes 71, 72, 73, 7
4 and the alignment films 81, 82, 83, 84 corresponding to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, four domains 91, 92, 93, 9 having two kinds of viewing angle characteristics of directions 21, 22, 23 and direction 3 are shown.
4 are formed. Then, the alignment films 8, 81, 82,
Reference numerals 83 and 84 denote the domains 91 and 9 of the liquid crystal display element 10.
Orientation processing is performed for each of 2, 93, and 94 so that two types of viewing angle characteristics shown in FIG. 4 can be obtained.

As shown in FIG. 5, the liquid crystal display unit 17 of this embodiment has domains 91, 92, 93 in order on one line.
And an A output pixel table composed of domains and a B output pixel table composed of domains 94 are alternately provided. The domains 91, 92, and 93 are provided with red, green, and blue color filters (not shown) in order so that a color image can be formed. Further, the domain 94 is for displaying an image of only brightness.

In the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a subject 11 is photographed by a pair of cameras 12 and 13 capable of realizing the viewing angles of both eyes 19 of a person, and the signal line 1
Imaging signals from the cameras 12 and 13 are obtained from the cameras 4 and 15. Then, each image pickup signal is converted into an image signal for liquid crystal display by the liquid crystal drive circuit 16 and displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 17. In the liquid crystal display unit 17, as shown in FIG. 5, adjacent liquid crystal display elements 10 are arranged with different viewing angle characteristics.

As a result, an image from two directions (images from the cameras 12 and 13 in FIG. 6) is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 17 having two kinds of output characteristics of A output pixels and B output pixels.
Can be output more. As a method of obtaining the A output pixel and the B output pixel, firstly, the alignment films 81, 82, 8
3 can be obtained by performing orientation treatment so as to have the viewing angle characteristic as shown in the A output pixel of FIG. 4, and by subjecting the alignment film 84 to orientation processing so as to have the viewing angle characteristic of the B output pixel of FIG.

As a second method, for example, as shown in FIG. 2C, the drive voltage of the liquid crystal display device 10 is set so that V / V ₀ = 1.45 in FIG. 2, for example. Is controlled to an appropriate value, the viewing angle dependence is emphasized by the applied voltage, and the matrix of the liquid crystal display element 10 having the viewing angle characteristics of the output light shown in the A output pixel and the B output pixel of FIG. 4 is formed. . Then, the liquid crystal display unit 17
Both the human eyes are made to input the A output image and the B output image which are different images. The viewing angle dependence of FIG. 4 is as shown in FIG.
As shown in, it can be made completely selective by applying a voltage. Here, it is not necessary that the intensities of the left and right images be symmetrical.

In FIG. 6, the information corresponding to the viewing angle dependence of the actual liquid crystal display element 10 is displayed by the cameras 12, 1 which are input sections.
However, it is also possible to use a device such that the cameras 12 and 13 have asymmetry or the liquid crystal drive circuit 16 makes a correction.

According to the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment, completely selective viewing angle dependence can be obtained and the image on the liquid crystal display element can be viewed stereoscopically without using a device such as special glasses. Becomes Further, it is possible to easily switch the display between the stereoscopic image and the planar image, and it is possible to display the conventional image with high quality. That is, for example, the transparent electrode 7 in FIG.
A normal plane image can be displayed only by applying the same signal to 1 and 72, and the display characteristics have a shape in which the viewing angle characteristics of FIGS. It is possible to display a small high-quality planar image.

Further, since 75% of the image information is colorized and the remaining 25% is stereoscopically displayed, there is little reduction in luminance as a whole and a three-dimensional color image can be easily formed. is there. Further, in terms of resolution, as shown in FIG. 5, the intensity of the three primary color information is performed in an area of about 75%, so that the light of the A output pixel is 1 in comparison with the conventionally proposed pixel bisection method. It is possible to secure 5 times the brightness.

Further, in the system of this embodiment, it is sufficient to add the signal processing circuit for the A and B output pixels to the liquid crystal display element 10, and the display device requires only one panel, and is similar to the lenticular system. It is possible to provide a liquid crystal display element at a low cost, since no special sheet is required. Furthermore, the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display unit 17 is no different from that of the wide viewing angle display device which has recently been put into practical use. Further, since the liquid crystal display unit 17 is smaller than a CRT and only a signal processing circuit is added, the volume of the liquid crystal display unit 17 is not different from that of a normal liquid crystal display device.

Regarding the stereoscopic viewing area, the display of two pieces of stereoscopic information has been considered so far for simplification.
By providing three or more input signals and reproducing them in three or more spaces, display with a wider stereoscopic viewing range becomes possible. However, in this case, it is necessary to provide a region having three or more kinds of characteristics for the alignment treatment and the voltage applied to the electrodes.

[0024]

According to the liquid crystal display device and the driving method thereof of the present invention, it is possible to provide a color liquid crystal stereoscopic display device which can obtain good viewing angle characteristics without glasses and has high brightness and a wide stereoscopic viewing range. it can. Moreover, conventional images can be displayed, and a low-priced, compact liquid crystal stereoscopic display device can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing viewing angle characteristics of a general liquid crystal display element.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a relationship between a drive voltage of a liquid crystal display element and a viewing angle characteristic.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a cross section of a liquid crystal display element.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing viewing angle characteristics of a pair of liquid crystal display elements of this example.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a liquid crystal display element of a liquid crystal display section of this example.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a liquid crystal display device of this example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 polarizing plate 6 transparent substrate 10 liquid crystal display element 17 liquid crystal display section 41 liquid crystal material 7, 71, 72, 73, 74 transparent electrode 8, 81, 82, 83, 84 alignment film 91, 92, 93, 94 domain

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A transparent first substrate, a first transparent electrode formed inside the first substrate, a first alignment film provided on an upper surface of the first transparent electrode and subjected to an alignment treatment, The transparent second substrate provided so as to face the first substrate, and the second, third, fourth, and fifth transparent electrodes arranged side by side inside the second substrate have the same orientation as each other. The second, third, and
The second, third, and fourth electrodes are provided inside the fourth transparent electrode.
Second, which has a viewing angle characteristic in a predetermined direction on the transparent electrode of
A fifth alignment electrode is provided inside the fifth transparent electrode and a fifth alignment electrode is provided inside the fifth transparent electrode and has viewing angle characteristics in a direction opposite to that of the fourth alignment film. An alignment film and a liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates,
A liquid crystal display section in which the second, third, fourth, and fifth electrodes are alternately provided in a matrix, and a first section provided outside the first and second substrates of the liquid crystal display section, Three primary color signal voltages of colors are applied to the second polarizing plate and the second, third and fourth transparent electrodes, and the second, third and fourth transparent electrodes are applied to the fifth transparent electrode. A liquid crystal stereoscopic display device provided with a liquid crystal drive circuit for applying an image signal voltage different from a drive signal voltage applied to electrodes. 2. A transparent first substrate, a first transparent electrode formed inside the first substrate, a first alignment film provided on an upper surface of the first transparent electrode and subjected to an alignment treatment, and The transparent second substrate provided so as to face the first substrate, and the second, third, fourth, and fifth transparent electrodes arranged side by side inside the second substrate have the same orientation as each other. The second, third, and
The second, third, and fourth alignment films provided inside the fourth transparent electrode, and the fifth alignment film provided inside the fifth transparent electrode.
And the liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates, and the second, third, fourth, and fifth electrodes are alternately provided in a matrix. The display unit, the first and second polarizing plates provided outside the first and second substrates of the liquid crystal display unit, and the second, third, and fourth transparent electrodes are colored. A liquid crystal drive circuit for applying a voltage for generating three primary color signals, and a voltage for causing liquid crystal on the second, third, and fourth electrodes to generate viewing angle characteristics in the same direction, further comprising the fifth transparent electrode. And a liquid crystal stereoscopic display device provided with a liquid crystal drive circuit for applying an image signal voltage for providing a viewing angle characteristic in a direction different from the drive signal voltage applied to the second, third, and fourth electrodes. 3. A transparent first substrate, a first transparent electrode formed inside the first substrate, a first alignment film provided on an upper surface of the first transparent electrode and subjected to an alignment treatment, and The transparent second substrate provided so as to face the first substrate, and the second, third, fourth, and fifth transparent electrodes arranged side by side inside the second substrate have the same orientation as each other. The second, third, and
The second, third, and fourth alignment films provided inside the fourth transparent electrode, and the fifth alignment film provided inside the fifth transparent electrode.
And the liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates, and the second, third, fourth, and fifth electrodes are alternately provided in a matrix. The liquid crystal stereoscopic display device is provided with a display unit and first and second polarizing plates positioned outside the first and second substrates of the liquid crystal display unit, and includes the second, third, and third liquid crystal display devices. An image signal voltage that causes viewing angle characteristics in the same direction is applied to the fourth electrode, and is different from the driving image signal voltage applied to the second, third, and fourth electrodes to the fifth transparent electrode. A method for driving a liquid crystal stereoscopic display device, in which an image signal voltage having a directional viewing angle characteristic is applied and driven with a voltage which produces viewing angle characteristics in mutually opposite directions.