WO2008053724A1

WO2008053724A1 - Liquid crystal display device and television receiver

Info

Publication number: WO2008053724A1
Application number: PCT/JP2007/070472
Authority: WO
Inventors: Akiyoshi Fujii; Kazuhiko Tsuda; Akira Sakai; Kyoko Azumada
Original assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2006-11-02
Filing date: 2007-10-19
Publication date: 2008-05-08

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device is provided with an image display panel (2) composed of a light transmitting liquid crystal display panel, and a backlight (3) for projecting light from the back side of the image display panel (2). A light control panel (1), which is composed of a transmissive liquid crystal display panel for performing gradation display based on luminance information included in a video signal inputted to the image display panel (2), is arranged between the image display panel (2) and the backlight (3). Since the size of a pixel configuring the light control panel (1) is larger than the size of a pixel configuring the image display panel (2), luminance distribution is made uniform and image display qualities can be improved with the thin backlight unit (3).

Description

Specification

Liquid crystal display device and television receiver

Technical field

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display device and a television receiver that improve contrast.

Background art

[0002] In recent years, flat panel displays have become widespread in the market as large, thin and / or display devices. As flat panel displays become familiar, it is desirable to improve their display performance.

[0003] A liquid crystal display device as one type of flat panel display has a liquid crystal panel that controls image display and a backlight that illuminates the liquid crystal panel because the liquid crystal panel itself does not emit light. is doing. In such a liquid crystal display device, the knock light is always turned on, and the amount of transmitted light is controlled by a liquid crystal panel placed on the light emitting side of the backlight.

[0004] Normally, polarizing plates are respectively arranged on the front and back sides of the liquid crystal panel, and light emitted from the backlight on the back side is linearly passed through the polarizing plates on the incident side, that is, on the back side of the liquid crystal panel. This light is polarized, and this light is modulated for each pixel by a liquid crystal panel and then analyzed by a polarizing plate on the output side. When displaying black, the display quality of the black display is determined by how efficiently the light from the backlight is absorbed by the two polarizing plates placed on the front and back of the liquid crystal panel.

[0005] However, even if the liquid crystal panel displays black, the liquid crystal orientation in the liquid crystal panel is disturbed, the refractive index difference between the films constituting the liquid crystal panel, the dispersion with the color filter pigment, the optical Due to various reasons such as the limit of compensation, some of the light that does not sufficiently satisfy the crossed Nicols condition that can be achieved by the polarizing plates on the incident side and the outgoing side of the backlight light that is always lit is emitted from the polarizing plate on the outgoing side. It will come off. This leakage light is observed when a black display LCD panel is observed in a dark room, because the screen that should be black is floating in gray, reducing the contrast (light intensity difference between white display and black display). Factor of the liquid crystal display device. This is one of the challenges for high-quality images.

[0006] To deal with such problems, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 have backlight units that use LEDs as light sources, and each adjusts the light according to the corresponding image area. The display quality is improved by dimming.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Publication “JP 2002-99250 A (Publication Date: April 5, 2002)”

Patent Document 2: Japanese publication “JP 2002-91385 gazette (publication date: March 27, 2002)”

Patent Document 3: US (US) Published Patent Gazette “Patent No. 6927908 (Registration Date: August 9, 2005)”

Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Publication “Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-27412” (Publication Date: February 4, 1994) Disclosure of Invention

[0007] By the way, in a backlight unit using LEDs, a light emitting point of an LED as a light source is close to point light emission, and a large number of LEDs must be spread to obtain a required luminance. In this way, when a large number of LEDs are installed, the cost increases. For this reason, it is necessary to increase the luminous efficiency of the LED and obtain the required brightness with the smallest possible number and quantity.

However, if the luminous efficiency of the LED is increased, the number of LEDs required to obtain the required luminance can be reduced, but the luminance distribution on the backlight exit surface must be averaged. Furthermore, it is necessary to increase the distance between the light emitting part of the LED and the light irradiation surface of the backlight. Therefore, there arises a problem that the thickness of the entire backlight becomes thicker than that of a backlight using a conventional fluorescent tube.

[0009] In addition, in the backlight system using LEDs, the irradiation area of one LED is made a square, and this square unit is spread out, so when there is a difference in brightness between adjacent square units. In this case, a luminance boundary appears at the unit boundary, and this luminance boundary appears as a spot on the image display screen.

[0010] Furthermore, in a backlight system using LEDs, it is difficult to average the brightness difference between units adjacent in an oblique direction with one LED irradiation area as a unit! / A problem arises. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a dimming function and a thin backlight unit, and to balance the luminance distribution on the light exit surface of the backlight. And providing a liquid crystal display device capable of improving image display quality.

[0012] In order to solve the above problems, a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a liquid crystal display device including an image display panel including a liquid crystal display panel and a light source that irradiates the liquid crystal display panel. A transmissive liquid crystal display panel is provided between the image display panel and the light source, and the gradation display is performed based on the luminance information included in the video signal input to the image display panel. It is characterized by the fact that a light panel is provided! /!

In the present specification, the liquid crystal display panel for image display is also simply referred to as an image display panel, and the liquid crystal display panel for dimming is also simply referred to as a dimming panel. .

[0014] According to the above configuration, the transmissive liquid crystal display panel is provided between the image display panel and the light source, and the luminance information included in the video signal input to the image display panel is displayed. Since the light control panel that performs gradation display is provided, the light emitted from the light source passes through the light adjustment panel that performs gradation display and is applied to the image display panel. It will be.

[0015] Thereby, it is possible to irradiate the image display panel with light (dimming) whose transmission amount is adjusted according to the degree of brightness of each area of the image displayed based on the video signal. Become. That is, the amount of light applied to the image display panel is adjusted by the light control panel.

As described above, by adjusting the amount of light applied to the image display panel with the light control panel, light leaking from the image display panel can be reduced, and as a result, the power S can be improved.

[0017] In addition, unlike a backlight using an LED as a light source, a dimming function is provided by the dimming panel even when there is no dimming function like a backlight unit of a fluorescent tube. A high-quality image can be obtained by using a simple backlight.

That is, it can be realized by a backlight in which fluorescent tubes are arranged in a plane. Thus, the thickness of the entire backlight unit can be made very thin and inexpensive, about the diameter of the fluorescent tube.

[0019] From the above, it is possible to make the cost and thickness necessary for obtaining the same luminance in the backlight cheaper and thinner than in the case of using the LED.

[0020] Further, it is preferable that the size of the pixels constituting the dimming panel is larger than the size of the pixels constituting the image display panel!

In this case, the light transmitted through the pixels of the light control panel is surely applied to the corresponding pixels of the image display panel. On the other hand, when the light is blocked by the pixel of the light control panel, the corresponding pixel of the image display panel is surely shielded. Therefore, in the image display panel, white can be made white and black can be made black, so that the contrast can be sufficiently increased.

[0022] It is preferable that the pixels constituting the light control panel have a polygonal shape in which pixel electrodes constituting adjacent pixels are adjacent to each other!

As described above, since the pixel electrodes constituting the adjacent pixels have a polygonal shape that is adjacent to each other at the sides, the adjacent pixels surrounding one pixel must always pass through the boundary line in both the horizontal and diagonal directions. Because it does not touch at a point, it is easy to adjust the halftone so that the change in brightness is smooth.

For example, the pixels constituting the light control panel are preferably hexagonal.

The boundary between the pixels is preferably an uneven shape.

In this case, the boundary between the pixels is in a state where a part of each pixel is inserted. This

The luminance distribution at the pixel boundary can be smoothed.

[0027] Then, by adjusting the amount of penetration between the pixels, the power distribution S can be achieved with a luminance distribution that does not give a sense of incongruity.

[0028] In this way, by making the pixel boundary in an embedded state, it is possible to smooth the luminance change of the pixel.

[0029] Note that the uneven shape includes a zigzag shape, a wave shape, and the like.

[0030] The light control panel is driven by a segment in which a signal wiring for supplying a drive signal for driving the pixel electrode is directly connected to a pixel electrode constituting the pixel. It is preferable that the drive system.

In this manner, the segment drive method does not require a switching element such as a transistor and a control circuit for controlling the switching element, so that the light control panel can be manufactured at low cost.

[0032] When adjacent pixels are connected in a state where they are inserted as described above, the area serving as the pixel boundary becomes larger, so that the influence on the display of the pixel boundary is increased.

Here, the pixel boundary is a portion between adjacent pixels, and the distance is the pixel boundary line width. For convenience of explanation, the pixel boundary is the pixel boundary, and the pixel boundary line width is the pixel boundary line. Distance

[0034] For example, when the dimming panel is driven in the normally black mode and adjacent pixels display white, only the pixels are displayed black, so that the image display panel is configured. The aperture ratio of the pixel is lowered and the influence on the display is increased. For this purpose, the distance between the pixels of the dimming panel is at least shorter than the length in the short-side direction of the pixels configured in the image display panel, so that the pixels have an opening area of the pixel of the image display panel. It is possible to reduce the proportion of the pixel area, and to suppress a decrease in the aperture ratio of the pixel. As a result, it is possible to eliminate the deterioration in display quality due to a decrease in the aperture ratio of the pixels.

[0035] Each pixel of the dimming panel is connected with a signal wiring for supplying a driving signal to the pixel, and the line width of the signal wiring is the image display panel. It is preferable that the length of each pixel is shorter than the length in the short side direction of the pixel! /.

[0036] This makes it possible to reduce the ratio of the signal wiring to the opening area of the pixel of the image display panel, thereby suppressing a decrease in the opening ratio of the pixel. As a result, it is possible to eliminate deterioration in display quality due to reduction in the aperture ratio of the pixel.

[0037] In order to suppress the reduction in the aperture ratio of the pixel, it is preferable that the width of the signal wiring is smaller than the size of the pixel configured in the image display panel, but the width of the signal wiring is narrow. As a result, a desired resistance value cannot be obtained for the signal wiring, and the pixel cannot be driven normally. In order to drive the pixel normally, it is necessary to widen the signal wiring width so as to obtain a desired resistance value. For this reason, the ratio of the signal wiring to the pixels of the image display panel cannot be lowered to some extent. As a result, the aperture ratio of the pixels is low. A force that can only be controlled to a certain extent.

[0038] Therefore, each pixel of the dimming panel is connected to two or more signal wirings, so that the resistance value of the wiring necessary for driving each pixel can be obtained. Can be driven normally. As a result, the width of the signal wiring can be made narrower than in the case of one signal wiring for driving the pixel. As a result, even if there are a plurality of signal lines on the pixel, the width of each signal line can be narrowed, so that it is possible to further suppress the decrease in the aperture ratio of the pixel.

Further, since the light control panel is segment-driven, the signal wiring connected to each pixel is in a state of being drawn out from the driving driver at the shortest distance. For this reason, the closer to the driver for driving, the more signal wiring passes over the pixel, and the number of signal wiring passing over the pixel decreases as the distance from the driving driver decreases, so the signal wiring occupies each pixel. The ratio is different. That is, each pixel has a different aperture ratio, which may cause a reduction in image display quality.

[0040] Therefore, by providing dummy wiring on the pixels arranged in the extending direction of the signal wiring so that the number of wirings passing through each pixel is the same, the ratio of the signal wiring to each pixel is increased. Can be the same. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in image display quality due to variations in the aperture ratio.

[0041] It is preferable that the dummy wiring is formed to have the same length as each signal wiring. In this case, the aperture ratio in each pixel can be made the same.

[0042] It is preferable that a scattering plate for scattering light is provided between the image display panel and the light control panel.

[0043] In this case, the light emitted from the light control panel can be scattered to smooth the luminance change in the image display panel, that is, it can be reduced.

[0044] The scattering plate is disposed so as to be spaced from the light control panel!

As described above, by disposing the scattering plate away from the dimming panel, a diffusion effect is obtained while suppressing the polarization emitted from the image display panel from being disturbed by the scattering plate. The power S [0046] A television receiver of the present invention includes a tuner unit that receives a television broadcast, and a liquid crystal display device that displays the television broadcast received by the tuner unit, and the liquid crystal display device includes: The liquid crystal display device described above is applied.

[0047] According to the above configuration, it is possible to realize a television receiver capable of displaying a high-definition television image with high contrast while realizing further thinning of the liquid crystal display device.

[0048] By the way, in the structure in which the light control panel is installed between the image display panel and the light source, the image display panel and the light control panel have two different functions and configurations. Panel is required. In this way, when manufacturing a liquid crystal display device having an image display panel and a dimming panel having different functions and configurations, the panel manufacturing process uses different substrates but the same size. Will produce more panels.

In other words, this means that in the panel manufacturing process, it is necessary to increase the production capacity of the same manufacturing line in order to manufacture each panel.

In the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, the light control panel is configured by connecting a plurality of sub-panels. This is because the dimming panel is on the back surface and is not directly seen by the observer, so even if the sub-panels are joined together, the boundary can be made inconspicuous. This also means that the dimming panel can be manufactured by using existing lines for manufacturing other panels or simple lines, and combining the completed panels.

[0051] According to the above configuration, since the sub-panel of the existing size (relatively small size) can be combined, the liquid crystal display panel of the existing size is used for manufacturing the light control panel. The production line of the display device can be used effectively and efficiently. Therefore, the liquid crystal display device of the present invention is particularly effective for a line for manufacturing a large-sized liquid crystal display device with a large capital investment.

[0052] In the portion where the plurality of sub-panels are connected to each other, it is preferable that the sub-panels are overlapped.

[0053] According to the above configuration, since the sub-panels can be bonded to each other on the surface, You can increase the degree. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a glass substrate for reinforcement when connecting the sub-panels.

[0054] It is preferable that the light control panel further includes a substrate, and the plurality of sub-panels are attached to the substrate adjacent to each other! /.

[0055] According to the above configuration, it is possible to connect a plurality of sub-panels without causing a step on a panel surface formed by connecting the plurality of sub-panels. Therefore, a polarizing plate or the like can be directly provided on the surface of the sub panel.

[0056] Note that techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 3 and 4 may be cited as techniques for joining the divided panels. However, all of these technologies constitute a large image display panel with a plurality of panels, and the point is to make the joints of the panels inconspicuous. Therefore, unlike the present invention, the panel arranged on the backlight side is different from the one divided into a plurality of sub-panels.

[0057] It is preferable that each boundary between adjacent pixels constituting the light control panel has an uneven shape.

[0058] According to the above configuration, a part of each pixel enters the boundary between the pixels. Thereby, the luminance distribution at the pixel boundary can be smoothed.

[0059] Then, by adjusting the amount of penetration between the pixels, the power S can be obtained by making the luminance distribution without a sense of incongruity.

[0060] In this way, it is effective to smooth the luminance change of a pixel by making the pixel boundary intrusive. Note that the uneven shape includes a zigzag shape, a wave shape, and the like.

[0061] The boundary between the plurality of sub-panels is provided at a position different from the boundary of the pixels constituting the light control panel.

[0062] The boundary between the plurality of sub-panels includes a liquid crystal seal line in the sub-panel in which liquid crystal is sealed, an end (cut portion) of the sub-panel, and the like.

[0063] According to the above configuration, even if the boundary of the pixels constituting the light control panel has a complicated uneven shape, the boundary of the sub-panel is provided at a position different from the pixel boundary. The shape of the boundary between the sub-panels can be a simple shape. For this reason, multiple sub-panels that do not impair the wrinkle effect due to the uneven shape of the pixel boundary are connected together. A large dimming panel can be formed.

[0064] When such a light control panel is viewed from the observer side, it seems that one pixel is formed by combining some of the pixels of each adjacent sub-panel.

The pixels constituting the light control panel have a hexagonal shape, and the center of the hexagonal pixel is

In addition, it is preferable that the sub panels are connected to each other so that a line obtained by connecting the apexes of the hexagons is a boundary between the plurality of sub panels.

[0066] According to the above configuration, it is possible to make the force S so that the ends of the sub-panels to be joined have the same shape. Therefore, the end of each sub-panel can be formed on the same production line.

[0067] It is preferable that the pixels constituting the light control panel have a polygonal shape in which adjacent pixels are adjacent to each other on the sides.

[0068] According to the above configuration, since the shape of the pixel is a polygonal shape in which adjacent pixels are adjacent to each other on the side, the adjacent pixels surrounding one pixel must be bounded in both the horizontal and diagonal directions. Since the pixels are arranged via a line and the pixels do not touch each other at a point, it is possible to easily adjust the halftone so that the luminance change is smooth.

[0069] The pixels constituting the light control panel preferably have a hexagonal shape.

[0070] According to the above configuration, by arranging hexagonal pixels in a close-packed manner, adjacent pixels surrounding one pixel are always arranged via a boundary line in both the horizontal and diagonal directions, and the pixels are dotted. Therefore, it is easy to adjust the halftone so that the luminance change is smooth.

[0071] The driving method of the light control panel is preferably a segment driving method.

[0072] According to the above configuration, the light control panel can be manufactured at low cost.

[0073] It is preferable that a scattering plate for scattering light is provided between the image display panel and the light control panel.

[0074] According to the above configuration, the light emitted from the light control panel can be scattered to smooth the luminance change in the image display panel, that is, it can be reduced.

[0075] The scattering plate is arranged so as to be separated from the light control panel! [0076] According to the above configuration, by disposing the scattering plate away from the light control panel, it is possible to prevent diffusion of the polarized light emitted from the image display panel from being disturbed by the scattering plate. Use the power S to get the effect.

[0077] Further, a television receiver of the present invention includes a tuner unit that receives a television broadcast, and the liquid crystal display device according to any one of the above that displays the television broadcast received by the tuner unit. It is characterized by that!

[0078] According to the above configuration, the provision of the above-described liquid crystal display device makes it possible to provide a television receiver with improved display quality.

[0079] As described above, the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is a liquid crystal display device including an image display panel including a liquid crystal display panel and a light source that emits light from the back side of the liquid crystal display panel. A transmissive liquid crystal display panel is provided between the image display panel and the light source, and gradation display is performed based on luminance information included in a video signal input to the image display panel. A light control panel is provided. When the light source is a backlight, the cost and thickness necessary to obtain the same brightness in the backlight can be made cheaper and thinner than when the LED is used.

Further, the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a transmissive liquid crystal display panel between the image display panel and the light source, and is included in the video signal input to the image display panel. A dimming panel is provided that performs gradation display based on luminance information to be displayed. The dimming panel includes a plurality of sub-panels, and the size of the pixels constituting the sub-panel is determined by the image display. The size of the pixels that make up the panel is larger! /, And the multiple sub-panels are connected together! /

Therefore, according to the present invention, the image display quality can be improved by improving the contrast without causing the above-described problems that occur when an LED is used as a light source, and the display device can be improved. It is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device that can be efficiently manufactured even when the size is increased.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1, showing an embodiment of the present invention, is a perspective view showing a main configuration of a liquid crystal display device It is.

2] A schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG.

3] is a diagram showing a display example of the image display panel shown in FIG.

4] A diagram showing an arrangement state of pixels of the light control panel of the present invention.

5 is a graph showing the relationship between the penetration distance between the pixels in the arrangement state shown in FIG. 4 and the luminance.

6] A graph showing the luminance between pixels in the arrangement state shown in FIG.

7] A graph showing the difference in contrast ratio depending on the type of diffuser.

FIG. 8] A diagram showing a pixel structure of the light control panel and an example of wiring to the pixels.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the light control panel shown in FIG. 8 (b).

[10] It is a plan view of the light control panel.

FIG. 11] A schematic block diagram showing a drive circuit for driving the liquid crystal display device of the present invention. [12] FIG. 12 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a liquid crystal projector device using the liquid crystal display device of the present invention.

13] FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another example of a liquid crystal projector device using the liquid crystal display device of the present invention.

14] A diagram showing the shape of the pixel boundary in the light control panel.

Fig. 15] is a diagram showing the relationship between the pixels of the light control panel and the wiring.

16] It is a diagram showing the relationship between the pixels of the light control panel and the wiring.

17] is a cross-sectional view of the pixel shown in FIG.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a pixel of the light control panel and a drive driver.

19] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the pixel shown in FIG.

20] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of the pixel shown in FIG.

FIG. 21] A diagram showing a manufacturing process of the light control panel.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a liquid crystal display device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23] is a cross-sectional view taken along the line EE of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. FIG. 24] A schematic diagram showing the configuration of the light control panel provided in the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 22. [25] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a pixel structure of a sub-panel constituting the light control panel and an example of wiring to the pixels. .

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF of the sub-panel shown in FIG. 25 (b).

Fig. 27] is a plan view of a sub-panel constituting the light control panel.

[28] It is a schematic diagram for explaining the shape of the end (seal line) of the sub-panel.

Fig. 29] is a schematic diagram showing the shape of the boundary of the sub-panel.

FIG. 30 is a schematic diagram showing how sub-panels having boundaries shown in FIG. 29 are joined together.

31 (a)] is a partial cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional configuration of a light control panel formed by connecting two sub-panels by a first method and a polarizing plate.

31 (b)] is a partial plan view schematically showing the state of the surface of the light control panel shown in FIG. 31 (a).

32 (a)] is a partial cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional configuration of a light control panel formed by connecting two sub-panels by a second method and a polarizing plate.

32 (b)] is a partial plan view schematically showing the state of the surface of the light control panel shown in FIG. 32 (a).

[33] FIG. 33 is a schematic diagram showing the nomination of the light control panel constituting the liquid crystal display device of the present invention.

FIG. 34 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a pixel shape of a light control panel and a panel boundary shape of a sub-panel.

[35] FIG. 35 is a schematic block diagram of a television receiver including the liquid crystal display device of the present invention. 36] FIG. 36 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the tuner unit and the liquid crystal display device in the television receiver shown in FIG.

37] is an exploded perspective view of the television receiver shown in FIG.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1 An embodiment of the present invention will be described as follows.

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment has a structure in which a light control panel 1 is arranged between an image display panel 2 and a knock light unit 3. In FIG. 1, illustration of an optical film such as a light diffusion plate provided in the backlight unit 3 is omitted.

The dimming panel 1 is composed of a display panel composed of a plurality of pixels 20 each independently performing grayscale display including halftone display.

It is assumed that the pixel 20 of the light control panel 1 has a larger area than the pixel (not shown) of the image display panel 2. In addition, the pixel 20 is arranged in a precise manner based on a hexagon so that the pixels 20 in the diagonal direction are adjacent to each other.

[0087] In this way, by making the pixels 20 hexagonal, the adjacent pixels 20 surrounding one pixel 20 are

In both horizontal and diagonal directions, borders are not necessarily touched by adjacent pixels, and it is easy to adjust the halftone so that the luminance changes smoothly.

The image display panel 2 is a liquid crystal display panel having an image display surface 2a in which a plurality of pixels (not shown) are arranged in a matrix.

A scattering plate 71 is installed between the image display panel 2 and the light control panel 1. The scattering plate 71 scatters the light transmitted through the light control panel 1 so as to obscure the display boundary of the light control panel 1.

[0090] It should be noted that a space is provided between the light control panel 1 and the image display panel 2.

The scattering plate 71 is preferably installed on the side close to the image display panel 2 with this interval.

. In this way, by arranging the light control panel 1 and the image display panel 2 at a predetermined interval, the power of the scatter plate 71 installed between the panels can be further enhanced. Therefore, there is an advantage that the diffusion effect can be obtained while suppressing that the polarized light emitted from the dimming panel 1 is disturbed by the scattering plate 71.

[0091] The backlight unit 3 uses a plurality of fluorescent lamps as light sources, a surface facing the image display panel 2 as a light exit surface 3a, and light from the light exit surface 3a toward the image display panel 2. It comes to irradiate.

As shown in FIG. 2, the light control panel 1 includes the image display panel 2 and the backlight unit. A liquid crystal layer 4 sandwiched between two substrates, a polarizing plate 5 on the knock light unit 3 side, and a polarizing plate 5 on the light incident side of the image display panel 2 The panel configuration is capable of gray scale display.

The image display panel 2 is a liquid crystal display panel in which a liquid crystal layer 4 is provided between glass substrates 201 and 202 and a plurality of pixels (not shown) are arranged in a matrix. Glass substrate 201 2

On each outer side of 02, polarizing plates 5 and 5 having a crossed Nicol relationship are arranged.

In FIG. 2, the polarizing plate on the exit side (the side opposite to the backlight unit 3 side) of the dimming panel 1 can also serve as the polarizing plate 5 of the image display panel 2. Omitted. Here, the polarizing plate 5 of the light control panel 1 and the polarizing plate on the incident side of the image display panel 2

5 has a crossed Nicols relationship.

Further, a polarizing plate 5 may be further provided between the light control panel 1 and the scattering plate 71, that is, so that the scattering plate 71 is sandwiched between the polarizing plates 5. In this case, since the polarized light disturbed by the light control panel 1 can be absorbed, the contrast can be further improved.

[0096] As described above, the scattering plate 71 is disposed close to the image display panel 2, and the dimming panel 1 is an area boundary while suppressing disturbance of light by the scattering plate 71 as described above. In order to effectively detract from the distance, the distance is set at a distance d.

[0097] When scattering plate 71 is in close contact with the exit side of light control panel 1, that is, when distance d is 0

The area boundary pattern displayed on the light control panel 1 is not sufficiently diffused and may be recognized through the image display panel 2.

Therefore, in order to prevent the area boundary pattern from being recognized, it is conceivable to increase the scattering degree of the scattering plate 71, but the following problems arise.

When the scattering degree of the scattering plate 71 is increased, the polarized light emitted from the light control panel 1 is disturbed by the scattering plate and absorbed by the polarizing plate 5 installed on the incident side of the image display panel 2. As a result, the efficiency of light use decreases.

[0100] Accordingly, it can be seen that it is important that the depolarization does not occur in the scattering plate 71 as much as possible. In other words, it is necessary to install the scattering plate 71 at a certain distance so that the polarization pattern is not disturbed and the boundary pattern of the light control panel 1 is blurred to obtain a smooth luminance distribution.

[0101] Between the backlight unit 3 and the light control panel 1, there are a scattering plate 7 and a prism sheet 6 An optical film such as is arranged.

[0102] The polarizing plate 5 on the incident side of the light control panel 1 can be a polarizing plate that also has a selection function.

Next, the backlight unit 3 is a general backlight using a lamp 8 made of a fluorescent tube as a light source. Therefore, although the backlight unit 3 can adjust the light to some extent on the entire emission surface or for each fluorescent tube, the emission surface is divided into a plurality of areas so that light can be adjusted for each area. Hana! /, Na! /, ...

[0104] Further, in order to divide the backlight unit 3 composed of fluorescent tubes into a plurality of regions, it is necessary to provide a fluorescent tube for each region and make a mechanism that can be turned on and off. Various problems arise.

[0105] For example, when the fluorescent tube is arranged according to the shape of the divided area, the shape of the fluorescent tube itself is complicated. In addition, there is a limit to the size of the divided area depending on the size of the fluorescent tube, and it is not possible to deal with fine areas. Furthermore, as the number of areas increases, the driving circuit for the fluorescent tube becomes complicated.

However, in the present embodiment, since the gradation expression for each area is adjusted by the liquid crystal of the light control panel 1, there is no burden on the backlight unit 3 side made of the fluorescent tube as described above.

As long as it is always on, the mechanism is simple.

[0107] An image display example in the case where gradation display for each area in the image display panel 2 is performed using the light control panel 1 will be described below.

[0108] FIGS. 3A and 3B show a case where an image is displayed in the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 (a) is an example in which an image is displayed on the image display panel 2. On the other hand, FIG. 3 (b) is a diagram of the dimming panel 1 for the image of FIG. 3 (a). The projected pattern image is shown.

[0110] The dimming panel 1 reflects the average transmittance of the corresponding image display panel 2, and displays the gray scale in units of hexagonal pixels.

[0111] Normally, the liquid crystal display device has the power to display an image by changing the transmittance of each pixel of the image display panel with a constant luminous flux from the backlight. After the light is displayed in grayscale in a mosaic pattern on the light control panel 1. You can enter the image display panel 2.

[0112] Fig. 3 (b) is basically the power to display the gray scale pattern reflecting the brightness distribution of the image shown in Fig. 3 (a). The display location in Fig. 3 (b), corresponding to the high point, also has a high transmittance. On the other hand, the thick part in (a) of FIG. 3 is also enlarged in (b) of FIG. 3, and this improves the contrast because light leakage from the dark part is suppressed.

[0113] That is, by adjusting the amount of light applied to the image display panel 2 with the light control panel 1, the light leaking from the image display panel 2 can be reduced, and as a result, the power S can be improved. ! /

In the liquid crystal display device having the above-described configuration, the display image is expressed through two panels of the light control panel 1 and the image display panel 2. As a result, the bright part of the display image is expressed by the maximum transmittance of both, so the brightness that can be expressed by a single image display panel is the maximum value, and the dark part of the display image is The black display will be displayed together.

[0115] That is, in the black representation, since the image display panel 2 is displayed using the leakage light when displaying black on the light control panel 1 as the backlight, the display gradation width of the dark portion is widened. It can be said that. In other words, in this method, the white display on one image display panel 2 is maximized, the gradation expression in the dark direction spreads from here, and the black display becomes an expression through two black display states. The black display is darker than a single display panel.

[0116] For this reason, the image is tighter and the contrast is improved.

In the present embodiment, the pixel 20 of the light control panel 1 is a pixel based on a hexagon. This is because all the adjacent pixel forces are adjacent to each other at the boundary by using a hexagonal shape, so that the luminance change between adjacent luminances can be adjusted in the same way in either direction. That is, for example, if square pixels are simply arranged, the force that makes contact with adjacent pixels at the top, bottom, left, and right can be only point contact with the adjacent pixels in the diagonal direction. This causes a problem that the change in luminance in the oblique direction is different from the change in other directions. In order to avoid such problems, the shape of the pixel is preferably a hexagon. However, the shape of the pixel is not limited to this shape, and a shape in which all adjacent pixels are in line contact with each other, for example, an octagonal shape is used. There may be.

[0118] In the above, as a method of making the pixel boundary of the light control panel 1 the pixel 20 having a hexagonal shape, a method of making it fly with a predetermined distance from the scattering plate 71 has been described. In this method, the range that can be corrected is adjusted by the scattering intensity and spacing distance of the scattering plate 71. Therefore, the range that can be corrected is limited to the vicinity of the area boundary, and the boundary can be adjusted over a wide range. It is difficult to adjust the brightness, and if the pixel area of the dimming panel is increased, it is not possible to sufficiently cope with this method.

[0119] Therefore, in the following, a description will be given of an interleaved pixel structure that can be effectively distorted even when the pixel area is large. In other words, in the following, a method will be described in which the area boundary between pixels is formed in a zigzag shape so that the pixels enter each other.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the uneven pixel boundary 41 b of the adjacent pixel enters the hexagonal pixel boundary 41 a serving as the reference of the pixel 20 in a zigzag manner. In FIG. 4, the hexagonal region surrounded by the dotted line indicates the pixel boundary 4 la, and the portion of the pixels 20 entering in a zigzag shape indicates the uneven pixel boundary 41b.

[0121] The zigzag shape described above is a shape in which a boundary pattern in which pixels are opposed to each other in a straight line is inserted, and at the apex where three hexagonal pixels confront each other, the directional force on the apex and thus the entering distance is shortened. Is set to

[0122] As shown in Fig. 4, this entering portion is defined by the pitch of the entering portion, that is, the entering pitch and the entering distance.

Here, the amount of insertion will be described below with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG.

[0124] The pixel A shown in FIG. 4 has a large transmittance and is in a white display state, and the pixel B shown in FIG.

A change in average luminance between pixels in the case of the black display state will be described.

[0125] First, looking at the change in average luminance in the vertical direction in the A–B direction in the rectangular area (pixel boundaries are broken lines) in the A and B pixels, as shown by the broken lines in FIG. The change in brightness becomes steep at the pixel boundary.

On the other hand, when the change in average luminance in the direction perpendicular to the A–B direction in the rectangular area in the A and B pixels (the boundary formed by the intrusion part is a solid line), as shown by the solid line in FIG. ,average It can be seen that the change in luminance is smooth at the entrance of the pixel boundary. The range in which the brightness is smoothly inclined is determined by the amount of penetration, and by adjusting the amount of penetration according to the size of the pixel, it is possible to form a luminance distribution range without any sense of incongruity in each pixel.

[0127] When the pixel boundary is a straight line as shown by the broken line in FIG. 4, a sharp change in the luminance distribution between the pixels is confirmed as a spot on the image display panel, making it difficult to view the image. Let

[0128] On the other hand, when the pixels are embedded as shown by the solid line in FIG. 4, even if the luminance difference between adjacent pixels becomes large, the luminance change is averaged and smoothed. Spots due to the luminance distribution between pixels, which makes it difficult to recognize the degree distribution, become inconspicuous.

[0129] In this way, by making the area boundary into a shape, it is possible to smooth the luminance change between adjacent pixels.

It should be noted that the pattern in which the edge portions of adjacent pixels are inserted into each other has an equal area and a symmetrical shape with respect to the boundary of the hexagonal basic pattern.

[0131] Fig. 6 shows an example in which three consecutive pixels of the area table panel display 50% gray, white, and black in the same manner as in Figs.

[0132] As in FIG. 4, an area is assumed with continuous pixels, and an average luminance distribution is taken in the adjacent direction.

A broken line indicates a case where the pixel boundary is a straight line, and the luminance changes abruptly at the boundary. On the other hand, a solid line state was a state enters the pixel boundary, it forces ^s Such that can smooth the luminance change.

[0133] In the above description, the intrusion shape is a zigzag-shaped force. The uneven shape includes a zigzag shape, a wave shape, and the like. In order to cause a smooth luminance change, the boundary between pixel electrodes is not on a straight line, and a pixel electrode adjacent to an arbitrary pixel electrode is formed so as to partially surround the arbitrary pixel electrode. /!

[0134] Further, the following is important as a condition for smoothly changing the luminance distribution at the area boundary of the light control panel 1 when the light control panel 1 is viewed through the image display panel. [0135] (1) When the image display panel is viewed obliquely, there is little deviation (parallax) between the image and the light and shade of the light control panel.

(2) Dimming panel boundaries, that is, area display zigzag boundaries are not recognized

(3) No moire between the area boundary penetration pitch and the pixel pitch of the image display panel

(4) The luminance distribution gradually changes at the boundary between the white display and black display pixels. First, for (1), the distance d between the image display panel 2 and the dimming panel 1 is the distance d. In addition, even if the distance d becomes 0 and the image display panel 2 and the light control panel 1 are placed in contact with each other, the liquid crystal layer 4 between each panel is equivalent to the thickness of the substrate and the polarizing plate. Therefore, there is a difference between the image and the shading of the light control panel 1.

[0136] Light power from the panel 1 for dimming In order to overlap the image and look uncomfortable, here the diagonal force, the shift power between the image when viewed and the shading of the panel 1 for dimming One pixel size The condition satisfying the above (1) was determined to be within 20%.

[0137] For example, if the image display panel 2 is viewed from an angle of 80 ° from the vertical direction, the parallax at the distance d force SO is 1 if the refractive index of the glass spacer is 1 · 5. · It will be about 5mm. If this parallax is 20% of the pixel size, the pixel size when d = 0 is 7.5 mm, which is the minimum size of the actual pixel.

[0138] When the interval d is larger than 0, the parallax increases in accordance with d.

[0139] In addition, the conditions differ depending on whether the distance apart by d is air or a transparent spacer having a refractive index is sandwiched. Needless to say, if it is better to provide the distance d, the force and parallax cannot be increased by inserting a spacer having a refractive index larger than that of the air layer.

[0140] The upper limit of the pixel size is determined within a range that can be charged by the drive driver within the time when the area of the image display panel 2 corresponding to the pixel is rewritten. Here, assuming that one output terminal of the source driver of the image display panel 2 is charged, one pixel is charged, the product of the resistance applied and the parasitic capacitance at the time of driving, and CR that is approximately equivalent to CR, the width of the pixel is assumed. The width is 20mm.

[0141] Next, the above (2) and (3) are for adjusting the penetration pitch of the light control panel 1 and the image display panel 2. It is determined by the scattering degree of the scattering plate 71 placed between the light panel 1 and the condition of the distance d.

[0142] That is, the boundary of the pixels displayed on the light control panel 1 through the image display panel 2 is insufficiently distorted by the scattering plate 71 when the penetration pitch is large, that is, the scattering plate 71 does not have enough force. If the degree of scattering! / Is insufficient, or if the panels are close to each other! /, The contour of the entangled shape may be recognized.

[0143] If attention is paid only to the insertion pitch, the smaller this pitch is, the less noticeable it is. However, if it is made finer, the shape becomes complicated and manufacturing defects are likely to be caused. Further, moire occurs between the penetration pitch and the pixel pitch of the image display panel 2, and the displayed image may deteriorate. It is necessary to prevent moiré.

Therefore, in order to prevent the area boundary from being recognized and to eliminate the moire, as shown in FIG. 2, the scattering plate 71 is installed, and the interval d is provided according to the scattering plate 71.

[0145] [Table 1]

Number: Pitch (jU m)

[0146] Table 1 shows that a scattering plate 71 having a haze value of 40 or 80 is placed on a light control panel, and an image display panel having a pixel pitch of 140 Hm or 200 μm is further spaced apart. When! /, Is seen from the image display panel, the penetration depth at the boundary between the pixels of the light control panel, the penetration pitch when the moiré is seen is shown with respect to the distance d.

[0147] The numbers in Table 1 indicate the force at which no moire is observed and the maximum pitch (in m). That is, it shows that moire was observed at a pitch greater than the indicated value! /.

[0148] Looking at the table in the horizontal direction, it can be understood that the moire effect is not observed because the penetration pitch increases and the effect becomes greater as the distance d increases with the scattering plate 71. [0149] In addition, the moiré is less visible as the scattering plate 71 has a higher haze and a greater degree of scattering. Incidentally, moire was observed in all cases unless the scattering plate 71 was inserted.

[0150] With respect to the pixel pitch of the image display panel 2, in this experiment, the larger the pixel pitch, the larger the pitch at which moire occurs. The one in the table indicates that no moire was observed within the maximum pitch (850 m) prepared for the intrusion sample prepared for examination!

[0151] As described above, in order to prevent moiré, it is necessary to set the scattering degree of the scattering plate, the penetration pitch, and the distance between the image display panel and the light control panel in an appropriate relationship.

Next, the scattering plate 71 will be described. The scattering plate 71 has a characteristic of scattering incident light in a direction different from the traveling direction. The haze value expressing the scattering characteristic is a numerical value indicating how much light is incident in the traveling direction of the light force perpendicularly incident on the scattering plate 71. The larger the value, the stronger the scattering. In other words, haze 80 indicates that 80% of the incident light travels in a direction different from the incident direction.

[0153] When polarized light enters the scattering plate 71, the polarized light is disturbed by scattering. The graph shown in Fig. 7 is based on a polarizing plate placed in crossed Nicols, and a scattering plate A and B with a haze of 80 is inserted between them, and the polar angle is 0 degree perpendicular to the polarizing plate surface. It shows the direction contrast. Both the scattering plates A and B have a lower contrast than the polarizing plate alone, and the scattering power is disturbed by the scattering plate.

[0154] If only the blurring effect by the scattering plate is emphasized, the degree of scattering may be increased. However, since the depolarization effect of the scattering plate also increases, it cannot be increased unnecessarily. Although not stated here, the contrast further decreased when the haze level was further increased.

[0155] Contrasts were also different for scattering plates A and B with the same haze of 80. Scattering plate A had higher contrast that made it difficult to disturb polarization. In this configuration, the image display panel and the light control panel are overlapped. V, the polarization is not disturbed by the scattering plate! /, Because the light utilization efficiency is higher. Decided to adopt.

[0156] In the graph shown in Fig. 7, there is almost no contrast when the angle exceeds 40 degrees. This is due to the characteristics of the polarizing plate in which the crossed Nicols condition collapses with respect to the angle from the polar angle and the contrast is lowered, and the contrast of the larger angle is not lowered due to the characteristics of the scattering plate alone. The difference in contrast ratio between scattering plates A and B is considered to be caused by the internal structure of the scattering plate. In the moire observation shown in Table 1, the polarizing plate is not relevant. There will be no difference.

[0157] Summarizing the above along the present configuration, as described above, in this configuration in which the area width is 20 mm and the deviation due to parallax is within 20% of the pixel width of the light control panel, the image display panel and The distance d from the light panel is about 2 mm in terms of air distance, and about 3 mm if a glass-like material with a refractive index of 1.5 is sandwiched. In this way, from the viewpoint of parallax, the upper limit of the distance d is roughly decided.

[0158] Next, it can be seen from Table 1 that if a scattering plate with a haze of 80 is selected and formed with a penetration pitch of 850 µm or less, the penetration shape is not noticeable and moire does not occur.

[0159] In the above (4), when the polarized light emitted from the light control panel is scattered, the polarization is disturbed by the scattering plate, and light that should be absorbed by the polarizing plate on the incident side of the image display panel passes through. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce such depolarization as much as possible, because the contrast may decrease, or the light that should be transmitted without being absorbed may be absorbed. Show me! /

[0160] Finally, (4) is the same as described in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6.

[0161] In order to smoothly connect the luminance distribution at the area boundary, adjustment was made with the penetration distance in Fig. 5. Here, 14mm, which corresponds to 70% of the area width, was taken as the intrusion distance, and a smooth brightness distribution was obtained.

[0162] As described above, the above (1) to (4) are related to each other, and the conditions differ depending on the size of the image display panel 2 and how to set the visibility. is there. The example shown here is merely an embodiment, and although the configuration parameters are determined by the method shown here, the configuration is not limited by the number of these parameters. Not too long.

[0163] Next, as the light control panel 1 according to the present embodiment, a vertically aligned liquid crystal panel is used for the following reason. [0164] Like the image display panel 2, the dimming panel 1 requires a wide viewing angle characteristic, and the alignment of the liquid crystal used in the image display panel 2 is wide based on the vertical alignment. Since this is a liquid crystal panel with phase difference compensation to obtain a viewing angle, a vertically aligned liquid crystal panel is used.

[0165] In the present invention, the alignment of the liquid crystal panel used as the light control panel 1 is not limited to the vertical alignment but may be other alignments.

[0166] The structure of the light control panel 1 will be described in detail.

[0167] Fig. 8 (a) is an overall perspective view of the light control panel 1, and Fig. 8 (b) is an enlarged view of the region X of the light control panel 1 shown in Fig. 8 (a). The figure is shown. Here, for convenience of explanation, as described above, the pixel shape is a simple hexagonal shape rather than the intrusive shape.

[0168] In addition, as a display method of the light control panel 1, a segment display method was adopted from the viewpoints that gradation expression is possible and the panel cost is kept low. In the segment method, a wiring for driving is required for each pixel. Therefore, as shown in (b) of FIG. 8, it is necessary to provide the wiring 11 to all the pixels 20.

Here, since the pixel 20 has a hexagonal shape, it has a hexagonal pixel electrode. This hexagonal pixel electrode was a regular hexagon with a distance of 25 mm between the opposing sides. For example, the pixel size of RGB color for a 37-inch LCD panel is about 430 squares for high-vision. Accordingly, the pixel size of the light control panel 1 is set to have an area approximately 12500 times the pixel area of the image display panel 2 because the distance between opposite sides is 25 mm here.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in (b) of FIG.

[0171] The light control panel 1 will be described in more detail with reference to the cross-sectional view shown in FIG.

The dimming panel 1 has a configuration in which the liquid crystal layer 4 is sandwiched between the substrates 101a ′ and 101b. Here, the substrate lO la 'lOlb only needs to be a transparent substrate, so the material can be glass, plastic, transparent resin film, etc.!

[0173] A transparent electrode to be the pixel electrode 9a is formed on one of the two substrates 101a via the wiring 11 and the interlayer insulating layer 10, and the opposite electrode 9b is formed on the entire surface of the other substrate 101b. A transparent electrode is formed. An alignment film (not shown) is formed on the surface of these transparent electrodes. After the substrate is formed, the substrate 101a and the substrate 101b are arranged to face each other at a desired distance, and a liquid crystal is sealed between them to form a liquid crystal panel.

[0174] Here, as the substrate 101a, first, A1 and Mo, which are materials of the wiring 11, were formed in this order by continuous film formation on a glass substrate by sputtering. The material of the wiring 11 is not limited to these. Instead of A1, Cu, Al alloy, or Cu alloy may be used. Further, refractory metals such as Ti and Ta may be used instead of Mo. Here, A1 and Mo were selected to use wet etching for low resistance and wiring formation, and the film thickness was set to 3000A for A1 and 1000A for Mo.

[0175] Next, a photoresist was applied to process the formed metal film into a wiring, and a spring pattern was formed on the resist by photolithography. Thereafter, Al and Mo were wet-etched with an etching solution, and then the resist was removed to form wiring 11. Here, the wiring width of the wiring 11 to each pixel 20 was set to 100 μm.

[0176] Since the liquid crystal panel employs the segment method, the number of wirings 11 of the light control panel 1 increases toward the pixel 20 at the end of the panel as shown in FIG. 8 (b). Although the distance between opposite sides of the pixel 20 is 25 mm, the electrode width of the wiring 11 is about 100 m, so that the aperture ratio is not drastically reduced by the wiring 11.

[0177] On the formed wiring 11, a photosensitive acrylic resin was applied as an interlayer insulating layer 10 between the transparent electrode to be the pixel electrode 9a, and a contact hole 12 was formed by photolithography.

[0178] Next, an ITO film was formed on the interlayer insulating layer 10 of the substrate 101a as a transparent electrode to be the pixel electrode 9a by sputtering. The ITO film and the wiring 11 are connected via a contact hole 12 formed in the interlayer insulating layer 10.

[0179] After the ITO film is formed by sputtering, a resist is applied, and the ITO film is processed by wet etching using the resist pattern of the pixel electrode formed by photolithography as a mask. A pixel electrode 9a was formed.

On the other hand, the substrate 101b shown in FIG. 9 is formed as a counter electrode 9b by ITO film force S sputtering, which is a transparent electrode, on the entire surface.

[0181] An alignment film (not shown) is further formed on the substrate 101a and the substrate 101b having the above-described configuration. The The alignment film was formed by printing a polyimide film with a thickness of 500A. After that, if necessary, rubbing is applied as a liquid crystal alignment treatment, and UV irradiation is performed. After each substrate is formed with a sealing resin (not shown) and bonded to the outer periphery of the panel, a liquid crystal material is injected between the substrates. A light panel 1 is formed.

[0182] Here, the liquid crystal alignment was vertical alignment, and the gap between the upper and lower substrates was 5 m. As a method of guaranteeing the distance between the two substrates, beads are dispersed over the entire surface of the substrate.

[0183] The overall configuration of the light control panel 1 having the above configuration is as shown in FIG. Here, an example is shown in which driving drivers 13 are arranged on the left and right, and each pixel 20 is driven from the left and right. In the cross-sectional view of the light control panel 1 shown in FIG. 9, the substrate 101a on which the wiring is formed out of the two substrates constituting the light control panel 1 is an area where the driving driver 13 is mounted at the end. Each wiring 11 is wired so as to be concentrated in the driver mounting region at the end of the substrate 101a so as to be connected to the driver terminal of the driving driver 13.

Further, the wiring 11 to the pixels 20 arranged in the left-right direction is a force shown by one in FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 8 (b), a plurality of wirings 11 correspond to each pixel 20, respectively. It is a bunch of.

Note that the arrangement of the wiring 11 to the pixel 20 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 8B.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, a light-shielding area 14 is provided at the outer edge of the light control panel 1 so that no extra light wraps around the image display panel 2.

Here, an operation for displaying an image in the liquid crystal display device having the above configuration will be described below with reference to a block diagram shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration block diagram of a video signal supply circuit for supplying video signals to the light control panel 1 and the image display panel 2 constituting the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment. is there. This video signal supply circuit is provided in a liquid crystal controller, for example.

As shown in FIG. 11, the video signal supply circuit includes a frame memory 301 for temporarily storing an externally input video signal, and a video signal stored in the frame memory 301. An area display signal generation circuit 302 for generating a display signal for the dimming panel 1 and an image for generating a display signal for the image display panel 2 from the video signal stored in the frame memory 301 And a display signal generation circuit 303.

[0190] The area display signal generation circuit 302 extracts only the luminance signal from the video signal stored in the frame memory 301, performs area separation and gradation level measurement to determine the gradation for each pixel, The area display gradation is determined, and the area display gradation signal is output to the light control panel 1 as the area display signal.

On the other hand, the image display signal generation circuit 303 extracts both the luminance signal and the color signal from the video signal stored in the frame memory 301 and corrects the color and gradation of the pixel in the corresponding area. The corrected color signal and gradation signal are output to the image display panel 2 as image display signals.

[0192] Specifically, the area display signal generation circuit 302 extracts a luminance signal from the video signal stored in the frame memory 301, and then determines a gradation for each area with respect to the luminance signal. Therefore, the gradation level is measured by performing a mapping process in which the area is associated with the pixel position. Therefore, in the area display signal generation circuit 302 described above, area separation and gradation level measurement are performed.

[0193] Next, a reference gradation is determined for each area. This reference gradation means that the entire area is displayed in this gradation, and is determined from the gradation of each pixel corresponding to the area. For example, the pixel group of the image display panel corresponding to a certain area has a high gradation and whiteness! / If it is an image, the entire area may be unified with the highest pixel group! / And the number of gradations! /.

[0194] In the liquid crystal display device with this configuration, the image display panel 2 displays an image using both luminance signals and color signals, and the light control panel 1 displays a gray image from the gray signal generated from the luminance signal. Since the whole image is displayed in combination with the brightness information, brightness information is expressed through two panels. Therefore, a panel that expresses gradation by transmitting light, such as a transmissive liquid crystal panel, is the product of the gradations of both panels, so the gradation is adjusted on the light control panel 1 side for a bright image. Lowering it will result in a dark black image.

[0195] On the other hand, if the entire pixel group of the image display panel 2 is expressed as 喑! The average value of the entire luminance information of the pixels corresponding to this area may be set, or may be set more conservatively than the average. In this way, the gradation level of the pixel corresponding to the area is measured, and the reference gradation is determined according to the nature. In this case, a reference gradation may be determined by providing a gradation lookup table according to the character in advance and appropriately reading out from the lookup table according to the pixel gradation level corresponding to the area.

[0196] As described above, when the gradation of the light control panel 1 is determined, the image of the image display panel 2 needs to be corrected accordingly. This is because, as described above, light is transmitted through two panels to display an image, and color expression is shifted unless correction is made to color information depending on the gradation of area display.

[0197] In this way, the image on the image display panel 2 and the image on the light control panel 1 can be displayed in synchronization with each other so as to display the entire image. In addition, after determining the gradation for area display, it may be corrected to make the shading of each area smoother.

[0198] In the liquid crystal display device that is effective in this embodiment as described above, since the light control panel 1 is used, the pixels can be processed into an arbitrary shape in the light control panel, so that the luminance distribution is averaged. There is an advantage that can be realized. In other words, the shape of the pixels in the panel can be easily accommodated by modifying the mask pattern, compared to the processing of the backlight partition plate with LED as the light source, and this allows the luminance distribution to change smoothly. Can do.

[0199] In a divided backlight using LEDs as light sources, the divided areas are formed in the shape of a partition plate or a light guide plate. Therefore, a mold is required and it is difficult to devise the shape of the boundary region in detail.

[0200] In addition, since the design is dedicated to the screen size, it is difficult to change the design, and there are problems in terms of cost and time.

[0201] In contrast, in this method, the screen size can be changed by changing the cut-out size from the substrate, and the pattern change can also be handled by changing the mask at the time of production. There is.

[0202] As described above, in this embodiment, a liquid crystal display panel including a light transmission type liquid crystal display panel and a backlight that irradiates light from the back side of the liquid crystal display panel. In the crystal display device, a transmissive liquid crystal display panel is provided between the image display panel and the backlight, and is based on luminance information included in a video signal input to the image display panel! / In this example, a light control panel for gradation display is provided!

[0203] According to the above configuration, the luminance information included in the video signal input to the image display panel is formed of a transmissive liquid crystal display panel between the image display panel and the backlight. Based on this, a light control panel for gradation display is provided! /, So that the light emitted from the knock light is transmitted through the light control panel for gradation display and the image is displayed. The display panel will be irradiated.

[0204] With this, it is possible to irradiate the image display panel with light (dimming) whose transmission amount is adjusted according to the degree of brightness of each area of the image displayed based on the video signal. Become. That is, the amount of light applied to the image display panel is adjusted by the light control panel.

In this way, by adjusting the amount of light applied to the image display panel with the light control panel, light leaking from the image display panel can be reduced, and as a result, the contrast can be improved.

[0206] Moreover, since there is no need for dimming on the backlight side, the force to use a fluorescent tube as the backlight becomes S Kurakura.

[0207] Therefore, a backlight with a uniform luminance distribution can be realized simply by arranging the fluorescent tubes in a flat shape. Therefore, the thickness of the backlight must be made very thin, about the diameter of the fluorescent tube. Is possible.

[0208] From the above, it is possible to make the cost and thickness necessary for obtaining the same luminance in the backlight cheaper and thinner than in the case of using the LED.

It should be noted that the present invention can be applied to the following liquid crystal projector in addition to the liquid crystal display device as described above.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example in which the liquid crystal display device of the present invention is applied to a liquid crystal projector. Here, a projector that composes and projects an image with three transmissive liquid crystal panels will be described.

[0211] LCD non-nore 1004, 1005, and 1006 are panels corresponding to R, G, and B signals, respectively. A full color image is formed by combining the images displayed here. Here, LCD panels corresponding to R, G, B signals 1004, 1005

, 1006 corresponds to an image display panel.

[0212] A panel corresponding to the light control panel is a liquid crystal panel 1008 arranged on the light source 1001 side of the liquid crystal panels 1004, 1005, and 1006.

[0213] In FIG. 12, the position of the polarizing plate is not clearly shown, but it goes without saying that the liquid crystal panels 1004, 1005, and 1006 are on the incident and exit sides of the image display panel. It is also installed on the incident side of the liquid crystal panel 1008 as a dimming panel.

[0214] In addition, in this case, the contrast can be further improved by installing the liquid crystal panel 1008 as a light control panel on the emission side.

[0215] The light emitted from the light source 1001 is adjusted by the fly-eye lens 1002 so that it becomes a secondary light source having a uniform luminance distribution in the projection plane.

[0216] Next, the light passing through the fly-eye lens enters the light control panel, and after displaying the luminance distribution according to the image, the cross dichroic mirror (cross diced mouth) 1003 B Separated into each color.

Of the separated lights, the G light is directly incident on the liquid crystal panels 1004 to 1006 by the cross dichroic mirror 1003 by the R and B lights.

[0218] The light incident on each panel undergoes modulation corresponding to the image signal in each panel, and enters the cross-diode port 1010, where the R, G, and B lights are combined, and then the projection lens 1007 Is projected on the screen.

[0219] In this example, the dimming panel is one, but as is clear from FIG. 12, the liquid crystal panel 1005 that displays the G signal and the liquid crystal panels 1004 and 1006 that display the R and B signals. The distance from the light control panel is different! In the case of a projector, the parallelism of the light from the light source is fairly good within ± 5 degrees, so there is a problem even if the display that has passed through the light control panel that does not display fine details is different at each image display panel. There is no.

[0220] However, when the parallelism of the illumination light is worse, a different luminance distribution on the image display panel may be a problem. In such a case, the relay lens 1009 can be installed in the optical path to correct it. [0221] Fig. 13 is a diagram showing another example in which the liquid crystal display device of the present invention is applied to a liquid crystal projector. Here, a liquid crystal projector provided with an optical system composed of three reflective liquid crystal panels and a transmissive light control panel will be described.

[0222] Liquid crystal screens 1101, 1102, and 1103 are reflective liquid crystal panels corresponding to G and B signals, respectively, and function as image display panels.

The liquid crystal panel 1104 positioned in the vicinity of the liquid crystal panels 1101, 1102, and 1103 is a transmissive liquid crystal panel and functions as a light control panel.

The liquid crystal panel 1104 is installed on the incident light side of a polarized beam splitter (PBS) 1107 on which the liquid crystal panels 1101, 1102, and 1103 are installed.

Note that the light source 1001, the fly-eye lens 1002, the cross dyke mouth plate 0, and the projection lens 1007 are the same as those of the liquid crystal projector shown in FIG.

[0226] The light emitted from the fly-eye lens 1002 is first separated into R light and G and B light by a dichroic mirror (dicing port) 1105, and the R light passes through the mirror 1110 to the liquid crystal panel 1101. Head in the direction. On the other hand, the G and B lights are separated into G light and B light at the next diced opening 1106, and the G light is reflected and directed toward the liquid crystal panel 1102, while the B light is transmitted and transmitted through the liquid crystal panel 1103. Head in the direction of.

[0227] After being separated into R, G, and B lights, each light is incident on a liquid crystal panel 1104, which is a dimming panel, and is modulated into a grayscale display that matches the brightness distribution of each image.

[0228] After that, the light that has entered PBS 1107 is reflected toward the liquid crystal panel, and is then modulated by the liquid crystal panel based on the image signal and returned to PBS 1107 again. Since the polarization direction of the modulated light is converted by 90 °, the light travels straight without being reflected by the PBS 1107 and proceeds to the cross dichroic 1010, where each color light is synthesized and proceeds to the projection lens.

Here, PBS 1107 is further placed on the exit side of the fly-eye lens 1002, and a part of polarized light reflected by the PBS 1107 is returned to the light source 1001 again by the mirror 1108 and reused. In addition, the incident-side polarization of the liquid crystal 1104, which is a light control panel, and the R-, G-, and B-liquid crystal panels 1101 to 1103; A λ / 2 plate 1109 is installed on the exit side of 1107 to rotate the polarization direction by 90 °.

[0230] In the case of the liquid crystal projector shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. Because of the good light parallelism, there is no parallax as shown in the direct-view panel example, and it is not always necessary to use a scattering plate from the viewpoint of light utilization efficiency! If a scattering plate is required, the haze value can be reduced because there is a distance from the light control panel to the image display panel if it is installed on the exit side of the liquid crystal panels 1008 and 1104, which are light control panels.

As described above, as in the examples shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the present invention can also be applied to a liquid crystal projector, and the contrast can be easily improved by passing the light control panel.

[0232] In the liquid crystal display device having the above configuration, adjacent pixels in the light control panel 1 that is a light control panel are connected to each other in a concavo-convex shape at the pixel boundary. Here, the pixel boundary is a portion between adjacent pixels, and the distance is defined as the pixel boundary line width. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the pixel boundary is defined as the pixel boundary line width. This is the distance between pixels. Depending on the length of the distance between adjacent pixels, the pixels may affect the image displayed on the image display panel 2.

[0233] The following describes the influence between pixels in the light control panel 1 and how to eliminate it.

FIG. 14 (a) is an enlarged view of a pixel portion of the light control panel 1, and FIG. 14 (b) is a pixel of the light control panel 1 shown in FIG. 14 (a). FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the vicinity Y between the pixels (pixel boundary 41b). Note that the pixels constituting the dimming panel 1 are originally connected in a state where adjacent pixels are in an uneven shape as shown in FIG. However, in FIG. 14 (a) and (b) used for the present explanation, for convenience of explanation, two adjacent pixels 20 and 20 (in FIG. 14 (a) and (b), the pixel (1) and the pixel ( 2) is equivalent)), and only the pixels that are the contact portions of these pixels are intruded.

[0235] By the way, the inter-pixel 41b shown in (a) and (b) of Fig. 14 is always black display when the light control panel 1 is in the normally black mode. When viewed from the image display panel side, the pixel spacing is confirmed on the image, which may affect the image quality.

Therefore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 14 (b), the distance between the pixels is Wa, and the length of the pixels formed on the image display panel in the short side direction is the length of the short side part. When Wb The inter-element distance Wa is made smaller than the length Wb of the short side part.

[0237] By doing so, it is possible to reduce the influence of the adjacent pixel 41b on the image when viewed from the image display panel 2 side.

[0238] Next, the wiring 11 in the light control panel 1 and the pixels formed on the image display panel

The effect of the relationship with 20 on the display image and the solution (1) will be described.

[0239] Usually, since the wiring 11 is made of a conductive film such as Cu, the pixel 20 serves as a light shielding portion.

For this reason, the image displayed on the image display panel 2 by the signal line may be affected, and the quality of the display image may be reduced.

[0240] Therefore, in the present invention, the following measures are taken in order to reduce the influence of the wiring 11 described above.

FIG. 15 shows an enlarged view of the pixel portion of the light control panel 1 shown in FIG. 8B and wiring for driving the pixel. Here, a simple hexagonal arrangement in which the pixel shape is not an intrusive shape will be described as an example.

[0242] FIG. 16 shows an enlarged view of the pixel portion of the light control panel 1 and a state where two or more wirings are connected to drive the pixel. Here, a simple hexagonal arrangement in which the pixel shape is not an intrusive shape will be described as an example.

[0243] FIG. 17 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line BB shown in FIG. In this figure, the light control panel 1 is composed of an insulating substrate 101a made of a glass substrate, a wiring 11, an insulating layer 10, and a pixel electrode 9a made of a transparent electrode from the bottom, and an insulating side made of a glass substrate on the opposite side. Board 1

A counter electrode 9b composed of a transparent electrode facing the pixel electrode 9a is formed on 01b, and the liquid crystal layer 4 is sandwiched therebetween.

First, as shown in FIG. 15, when the signal wiring width is Ws and the length of the short side portion of the pixel of the image display panel 2 is Wb, the signal wiring width Ws of the dimming panel 1 is described above. However, the length of the short side is shorter than the length Wb!

Accordingly, since the ratio of the signal wiring (wiring 11) to the opening area of the pixel of the image display panel 2 can be reduced, a decrease in the aperture ratio of the pixel can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to eliminate the deterioration in display quality due to the decrease in pixel aperture ratio.

[0246] As shown in FIG. 16, each pixel 20 of the light control panel 1 has two or more pixels. The upper signal wiring (wiring 11) may be connected. As a result, even if the width of each signal wiring is narrowed, the resistance value of the wiring 11 necessary to drive each pixel 20 can be obtained by adjusting the number of wirings connected to each pixel 20. Can be driven normally. As a result, even if there are a plurality of signal wirings on the pixel 20, the width of the signal wiring can be made narrower than in the case of a single signal wiring for driving the pixel 20. It is possible to further suppress the decrease in the aperture ratio.

Further, the influence of the relationship between the wiring 11 and the pixel 20 in the dimming panel 1 on the display image, which is different from the elimination method (1), and the elimination method (2) will be described.

[0248] As shown in FIG. 8 (b), the light control panel 1 is segment-driven, and thus is directly connected so that one wiring 11 corresponds to one pixel 20. . Moreover, since the wiring 11 is arranged so as to straddle the adjacent pixels 20, the closer to the drive driver (not shown) to which the wiring 11 is connected, the more the number of wirings 11 passing through one pixel 20 is. As the distance from the drive driver increases, the number of wires 11 passing through one pixel 20 decreases.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 8 (b), if the number of wirings 11 passing through each pixel 20 is different, the aperture ratio of each pixel 20 is higher when viewed from the image display panel 2 side. Although different, for each pixel size, the width of this signal line is very narrow, so the aperture ratio does not drop extremely.

[0250] For example, in the case of a 32-inch LCD panel, the combined pixel size of each RGB color is approximately 370 Hm square for Noi and Ivision, and the pixel size is 430 μm for Hi-Vision. Smaller than a 37-inch LCD panel.

[0251] For this reason, the pixel size of the light control panel needs to be reduced as the pixel size changes. In that case, the decrease in the aperture ratio of each pixel 20 due to the difference in the number of wirings 11 passing through each pixel 20 cannot be ignored, and as a result, the quality of the display image may be degraded.

FIG. 18 shows an enlarged view of the pixel portion of the light control panel 1, the wiring 11 for driving the pixel 20, and the drive driver 13 for driving each pixel 20.

FIG. 19 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line CC shown in FIG. 20 is shown in FIG. Show the cross sectional view along the DD line!

[0254] The light control panel 1 having the above-described configuration includes an insulating substrate 101a made of a glass substrate from below, and wiring.

11 and a dummy wiring 311, an insulating layer 10, and a pixel electrode 9a made of a transparent electrode, and the opposite side is made of an insulating substrate 10 lb made of a glass substrate and a counter electrode 9b made of a transparent electrode. Has a structure in which the liquid crystal layer 4 is sandwiched.

[0255] Since each pixel 20 is segment driven, the wiring from the driving driver 13 is directly connected to each pixel 20. On the other hand, the dummy wiring 311 that is not directly connected to the driver 13 for driving is formed in the same line as the driving wiring 11 of each pixel 20 in all the pixels 20, so that the bottom of each pixel 20 is formed. Since the area of the wiring 11 serving as a light shielding portion that passes through does not change, the change in the aperture ratio of each pixel 20 when viewed from the image display panel 2 side is reduced, and the influence on the image can be reduced. At this time, the combined length of the wiring 11 and the dummy wiring 311 provided on the line of the wiring 11 is the same as the combined length of the other wiring 11 and the dummy wiring 311. Thus, the aperture ratio of each pixel 20 can be made the same, and even if the pixel size of the light control panel 1 is reduced, the power S can be suppressed to suppress the deterioration of display quality.

[0256] Here, a method for manufacturing the light control panel 1 will be described below with reference to (a) to (f) of FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 21 (a), a metal film 111 to be the wiring 11 is formed on the glass substrate to be the insulating substrate 101a by a sputtering method or the like, and FIG. As shown, segment driving wiring 11 is formed by patterning by photolithography.

Next, as shown in FIG. 21 (c), an insulating film 110 to be the insulating layer 10 is formed by CVD so as to cover the entire substrate on which the wiring 11 is formed, and (d) in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the contact hole 10a is formed by patterning by photolithography.

[0259] Further, a transparent electrode (ITO) is formed by sputtering or the like. Then, (e

), The pixel electrode 9a is formed by patterning by photolithography. Thereby, a pixel electrode substrate is manufactured.

[0260] Next, a transparent electrode (ITO) is formed on the insulating substrate 101b serving as the counter glass substrate by a sputtering method or the like, thereby forming the counter electrode 9b. [0261] Subsequently, a polyimide resin is applied to the substrate on which the pixel electrode 9a is formed and the entire substrate on which the counter electrode 9b is formed by spin coating or the like, followed by rubbing to form an alignment film. To do.

[0262] Next, a seal material made of epoxy resin or the like is applied to the counter substrate on which the alignment film is formed on the frame-like pattern that lacks the liquid crystal inlet so as to surround the display area. By doing so, a seal pattern is formed.

[0263] A spherical spacer is then sprayed inside the seal pattern.

[0264] Continuing! / The counter substrate on which the spacers are dispersed and the pixel electrode substrate fabricated above are bonded together and heated to cure the seal pattern, thereby emptying the liquid crystal display plate. Make a panel.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 21 (f), after injecting liquid crystal material into the empty liquid crystal display prepanel by the decompression method, a UV curable resin is applied to the liquid crystal injection port, and the liquid crystal is irradiated by UV irradiation. Seal the material. Thereby, the liquid crystal layer 4 is formed, and the light control panel 1 is manufactured.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, in the structure in which the light control panel 1 is installed between the image display panel 2 and the backlight unit 3, the image display panel 2 and the light control panel 1 are provided. Two types of panels with different functions and configurations are required. Thus, when manufacturing a liquid crystal display device having an image display panel 2 and a dimming panel 1 having different functions and configurations, different types of substrates of the same size are used in the panel manufacturing process. The panel manufactured in will be further manufactured.

[0267] In other words, in the panel manufacturing process, it is necessary to increase the number of manufacturing lines for manufacturing each panel. In this case, if the size of the image display panel 2 and the dimming panel 1 are the same, the larger the panel size, the larger the capital investment for manufacturing the panel.

[0268] Therefore, in the following second embodiment, among the image display panel 2 and the dimming panel 1, the dimming panel 1 is configured by a plurality of sub-panels, thereby manufacturing other panels. An example of creating a simple line and reducing the capital investment for manufacturing the panel will be explained.

[Embodiment 2] An embodiment of the present invention will be described as follows. Note that members having the same functions as those described in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

The liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment has a structure in which a light control panel 1 is disposed between an image display panel 2 and a backlight unit (light source) 3 as shown in FIG. is there. In FIG. 22, illustration of an optical film such as a light diffusing plate provided in the backlight unit 3 is omitted.

[0271] Here, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment has almost the same configuration as the liquid crystal display device according to the first embodiment, but the dimming panel 1 includes two sub-panels la. And lb is different. The two sub-panels la and lb are bonded with their ends overlapped. Note that the number of sub-panels is not limited to two, and may be set as appropriate according to the size of the light control panel 1 as long as it is a plurality of sub-panels.

[0272] The function of the light control panel 1 is the same as that of the light control panel described in the first embodiment. In other words, the dimming panel 1 is a display panel composed of a plurality of pixels 20 each independently performing grayscale display including halftone display.

[0273] The area of the pixel 20 of the light control panel 1 is larger than that of the pixel (not shown) of the image display panel 2. Further, it is a close-packed arrangement based on a hexagon so that the pixels 20 in the diagonal direction are adjacent to each other.

[0274] Thus, by making the pixel 20 hexagonal, the adjacent pixels 20 surrounding one pixel 20 are

In both horizontal and diagonal directions, the boundary line is not necessarily touched by a point, so it is easy to adjust the halftone so that the change in luminance is smooth.

[0275] Since the image display panel 2 and the backlight unit 3 have the same configuration and function as those of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

[0276] Next, a more specific configuration of the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line EE of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG.

[0277] As shown in Fig. 23, the light control panel 1 includes the image display panel 2 and the backlight unit. It is located between The light control panel 1 is composed of two sub-panels la and 1b. The two sub-panels la and lb are glued together by overlapping their ends!

[0278] Each sub-panel la'lb is configured by sandwiching the liquid crystal layer 4 between two substrates 101a '101b. Two polarizing plates 5 and 5 are arranged so as to sandwich a panel formed by joining the two sub-panels la and lb. In other words, the polarizing plate 5 provided on the backlight 3 side with respect to the sub-panel and the polarizing plate 5 provided on the image display panel 2 side with respect to the sub-panel have a panel configuration capable of gray scale display. Yes. The two polarizing plates 5 arranged with the sub-panel interposed therebetween have a crossed Nicols relationship.

As described above, in the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, the dimming panel 1 is configured by connecting two sub-panels la ′ lb. A specific method for connecting the sub-panels will be described later.

[0280] The image display panel 2 includes a liquid crystal display panel in which a liquid crystal layer 4 is provided between glass substrates 201 and 202, and a plurality of pixels (not shown) are arranged in a matrix. Polarizing plates 5 and 5 having a crossed Nicols relationship are arranged on the outside of the glass substrates 201 and 202, respectively.

[0281] The polarizing plate 5 provided between the light control panel 1 and the scattering plate 71 may be omitted. However, by providing the polarizing plate 5, the polarization disturbed by the light control panel 1 can be absorbed and the contrast can be further improved, so that the polarizing plate 5 is provided! / I prefer to do that!

[0282] As described above, the scattering plate 71 is disposed close to the image display panel 2, and the dimming panel 1 is the area boundary while suppressing the disturbance of light by the scattering plate 71 as described above. In order to effectively detract from the distance, the distance is set at a distance d.

[0283] When the scattering plate 71 is in close contact with the exit side of the light control panel 1, that is, when the distance d is 0

[0284] Therefore, in order to prevent the above area boundary pattern from being recognized, Although it is conceivable to increase the degree of scattering, the following problems arise.

[0285] When the scattering degree of the scattering plate 71 is increased, the polarized light emitted from the light control panel 1 is disturbed by the scattering plate and absorbed by the polarizing plate 5 installed on the incident side of the image display panel 2. As a result, the efficiency of light use decreases.

[0286] Here, it can be seen that it is important that the depolarization does not occur as much as possible in the scattering plate 71. That is, it is necessary to install the scattering plate 71 while maintaining a certain distance d so that the polarization pattern is not disturbed and the boundary pattern of the light control panel 1 is blurred to obtain a smooth luminance distribution.

[0287] Between the backlight unit 3 and the light control panel 1, optical films such as a scattering plate 7 and a prism sheet 6 are disposed.

[0288] The polarizing plate 5 provided on the light incident side of the light control panel 1 can be a polarizing plate having a selection function.

[0289] Next, the backlight unit 3 will be described. The backlight unit 3 is a general backlight using a lamp 8 made of a fluorescent tube as a light source. Therefore, the knocklight unit 3 is capable of dimming to some extent on the entire emission surface or in units of fluorescent tubes. The light emission surface is not divided, and the light can not be adjusted for each of the divided areas.

[0290] In order to divide each area in the backlight unit 3 composed of fluorescent tubes, it is necessary to provide a fluorescent tube for each area and make the mechanism capable of turning on and off. Various problems arise.

[0291] For example, when a fluorescent tube is arranged according to the shape of the area, the shape of the fluorescent tube itself is complicated. In addition, the pixel size is limited by the size of the fluorescent tube, so it cannot handle fine areas. Furthermore, as the number of areas increases, the circuit for driving the fluorescent tube becomes complicated.

[0292] However, in the present embodiment, since the gradation expression for each area is adjusted by the liquid crystal of the light control panel 1, there is no burden on the backlight unit 3 side including the fluorescent tube as described above.

It suffices if it is always on. Therefore, the backlight mechanism can be simplified.

[0293] An image display example in the case of performing gradation expression for each area in the image display panel 2 using the light control panel 1 is the same as that in the first embodiment, and therefore here. Detailed description is omitted.

[0294] The shape of the pixel 20 of the light control panel 1 is the same as that of the first embodiment. Therefore, detailed description is omitted here.

[0295] As the light control panel 1 according to the present embodiment, a vertically aligned liquid crystal panel is used as in the first embodiment.

[0296] In the present embodiment, the alignment of the liquid crystal panel used as the light control panel 1 is not limited to the vertical alignment but may be other alignments.

[0297] Next, the structure of the light control panel 1 will be described in detail.

FIG. 24 schematically shows the configuration of the light control panel 1 provided in the liquid crystal display device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 24, here, the dimming panel 1 is formed by connecting a plurality (four in this case) of sub-panels la · lb-lc-Id to each other! /. The number of sub-panels constituting the light control panel 1 is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately changed according to the size of the target display device and the size of the sub-panel. Further, the dimming panel 1 may be produced by combining different sizes of sub-panels that are not necessarily the same size.

[0299] Each sub-panel la'lb'lc'ld is an independent panel. In other words, liquid crystal is sealed in each sub-panel, and each panel can independently drive the pixels formed therein. Therefore, a driver for driving is mounted on the periphery of each sub-panel here.

[0300] Next, a detailed configuration of the sub-panel constituting the light control panel 1 will be described.

[0301] FIG. 25 (a) shows an overall perspective view of the sub-panel la, and FIG. 25 (b) shows an enlarged view of the region X of the sub-panel la shown in FIG. 25 (a). Here, for convenience of explanation, as described above, the pixel shape is a simple hexagonal shape rather than the intrusive shape.

[0302] Subpanel la ~ constituting light control panel 1; As a display method of Id, a segment display method is used from the viewpoint that gradation expression is possible and panel cost can be kept low. Adopted. Since the segment method requires a driving wiring for each pixel, it is necessary to provide wiring 11 for all the pixels 20 as shown in FIG. 25 (b).

[0303] Here, since the pixel 20 has a hexagonal shape, it has a hexagonal pixel electrode. The hexagonal pixel electrode has a regular hexagonal distance of 25 mm between the opposing sides (that is, the distance that the wiring passes over the hexagonal pixel electrode in FIG. 25B). For example, type 37 fluid The pixel size of the crystal panel combined with each RGB color is about 430 m square for high-definition. Therefore, the pixel size of the light control panel 1 (sub-panel la) has an area approximately 12500 times the pixel area of the image display panel 2 because the distance between the opposite sides is 25 mm here.

[0304] FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF shown in FIG. 25 (b).

[0305] The subpanel la will be described in more detail with reference to the cross-sectional view shown in FIG.

The sub-panel la has a configuration in which the liquid crystal layer 4 is sandwiched between the substrates 101a ′ 101b. Here, since the substrate lOla'lOlb may be a transparent substrate, any of glass, plastic, transparent resin film, etc. can be used as its material.

[0307] One of the two substrates 101a is provided with a transparent electrode to be the pixel electrode 9a via the wiring 11 and the interlayer insulating layer 10, and the other substrate 101b has a counter electrode 9b on the entire surface. A transparent electrode is formed. Then, after an alignment film (not shown) is formed on the surface of these transparent electrodes, the substrate 101a and the substrate 101b are arranged to face each other at a desired distance, and a liquid crystal is sealed between them. Formed!

[0308] Here, a method for producing the sub-panel la will be described. Basically, it is the same as the manufacturing method of the light control panel 1 described in the first embodiment.

[0309] That is, as the substrate 101a, first, A1 and Mo, which are the materials of the wiring 11, were formed by continuous film formation in this order on a glass substrate. The material of the wiring 11 is not limited to these. Instead of A1, Cu, A1 alloy or Cu alloy may be used. Further, refractory metals such as Ti and Ta may be used instead of Mo. Here, in order to use wet etching for low resistance and wiring formation, A1 and Mo were selected as materials for wiring 11, and the film thicknesses were set to Α1: 300θΑ and: ο: 100θΑ.

[0310] Next, a photoresist was applied to process the formed metal film into a wiring, and a spring pattern was formed on the resist by photolithography. Thereafter, Al and Mo were wet-etched with an etching solution, and then the resist was removed to form wiring 11. Here, the wiring width of the wiring 11 to each pixel 20 was set to 100 μm.

[0311] The liquid crystal panel uses a segment system, so the wiring of the light control panel 1

As shown in Fig. 25 (b), the number of pixels increases as the pixel 20 at the edge of the panel increases. However, since the electrode width of the wiring 11 is about 100 m while the distance between opposite sides of the pixel 20 is 25 mm, the aperture ratio is not drastically reduced by the wiring 11.

[0312] On the formed wiring 11, a photosensitive acrylic resin was applied as an interlayer insulating layer 10 between the transparent electrode to be the pixel electrode 9a, and the contact hole 12 was formed by photolithography.

[0313] Next, an ITO film was formed as a transparent electrode to be the pixel electrode 9a on the interlayer insulating layer 10 of the substrate 101a by sputtering. The ITO film and the wiring 11 are connected via a contact hole 12 formed in the interlayer insulating layer 10.

[0314] After the ITO film is formed by sputtering, a resist is applied, and the ITO film is processed by wet etching using the resist pattern of the pixel electrode formed by photolithography as a mask. A pixel electrode 9a was formed.

On the other hand, the substrate 101b shown in FIG. 26 is formed by ITO film force S sputtering, which is a transparent electrode, on the entire surface as the counter electrode 9b.

[0316] An alignment film (not shown) is further formed on the substrate 101a and the substrate 101b having the above-described configuration. The alignment film was formed by printing a polyimide film with a thickness of 500A. Then, if necessary, rubbing and UV irradiation are performed as alignment treatment of the liquid crystal, and each substrate is formed by adhering a sealing resin (not shown) on the outer periphery of the panel, and then a liquid crystal material is injected between the substrates. The panel la is formed.

[0317] Here, the liquid crystal alignment was vertical alignment, and the gap between the upper and lower substrates was 5 m. As a method of guaranteeing the distance between the two substrates, beads are spread over the entire surface of the substrate.

[0318] The overall structure of the sub-panel la manufactured as described above is as shown in FIG.

Here, an example is shown in which driving drivers 13 are arranged on the left and right, and each pixel 20 is driven from the left and right. In the cross-sectional view of the sub-panel la shown in FIG. 26, of the two substrates constituting the sub-panel la, the substrate 101a on which the wiring is formed has a region where the driving driver 13 is mounted at the end. Each wiring 11 is wired so as to be concentrated to the driver mounting area at the end of the substrate 101a so as to be connected to the driver terminal of the driving driver 13. [0319] Also, the wiring 11 to the pixels 20 arranged in the left-right direction is a single force shown in FIG. 27. As shown in (b) of FIG. It is a bundle from the book.

[0320] Note that the arrangement of the wiring 11 to the pixel 20 is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 25B.

[0321] Further, as shown in FIG. 27, a light shielding area 14 is provided at the outer edge of the sub-panel la so that no excessive light wraps around the image display panel 2.

[0322] Then, the plurality of sub-panels manufactured as described above are positioned according to the pattern and connected. After this, components such as TAB are mounted, and the light control panel is completed.

[0323] At this time, the mounting of the TAB or the like for driving the light control panel may be performed after the connection or before the connection.

[0324] Finally, the image display panel 2 and the backlight unit 3 are combined and integrated.

At this time, the scattering plate 71 and the polarizing plate 5 of the light control panel 1 are also installed.

[0325] The liquid crystal display device having the configuration shown in FIG. 23 is manufactured by the procedure as described above.

Note that the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 23 shows an example in which two sub-panels la ′ lb are overlapped and joined to each other. In other words, in the present embodiment, the light control panel 1 is composed of two sub-panels la ′ lb, and the end portions of the sub-panels are connected to each other. Here, when they are connected in this way, there is a step on the surface due to the relationship in which the panels overlap vertically. In this state, the polarizing plate 5 cannot be applied directly, so that the polarizing plate 5 is preferably installed away from the light control panel 1. Further, the distance d between the scattering plate 71 and the light control panel 1 is such that the sub panel la and the sub panel lb overlap each other, and the distance d is different for each sub panel. Therefore, when setting the distance d, the haze values of the entrance pitch and the scattering plate are adjusted so that the entrance pattern of the pixel boundary 41a of both of the two sub-panels can be made.

[0327] By the way, each sub-panel manufactured as described above has a force S, which is a segment drive panel having hexagonal pixels, and its pixel boundary (area boundary) is a complicated entry due to a flaw. (See Fig. 4). For this reason, if the sub-panel is divided in pixel units (area units), complicated area boundaries are divided, and it is difficult to divide the sub-panels.

That is, as described above, the pixel 20 of the dimming panel 1 has a pixel based on a hexagon as described above. Therefore, the boundary between the sub-panels la 'lb, that is, the sub-panel la and the sub-panel lb It is considered that the method of connecting the connecting parts based on this hexagon is the general method.

However, the pixel 20 of the power dimming panel 1 has an intrusion shape as shown in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment in order to smoothly connect gradations between adjacent pixels. The penetration pitch of this penetration shape is a complex shape with a few hundred microns and a penetration distance of about 10 mm. It is difficult to divide the panel along this shape, considering the width and shape of the seal part of the current liquid crystal panel. Therefore, if the sub-panel is divided in units of pixels, the end of the sub-panel cannot be formed according to the intrusion shape, and the effect of the intrusion shape cannot be effectively used at the connecting portion of the sub-panels.

[0330] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the center point 20a of the three hexagonal pixels (area) 20 shown in Fig. 28 and the three hexagonal apexes adjacent to each center point are formed. Hexagonal shape is considered the basic pattern.

[0331] Draw a line from the center 20a of each pixel (area) 20 toward the top of the area, and create a hexagonal pattern (hexagon obtained by connecting the solid line S and the broken line T) with this line. The solid line S obtained by connecting the lines does not divide the area boundary fringe pattern (intrusion shape). If this line is used as a panel joint line (or seal line), it is possible to avoid the complicated intrusion that forms the area boundary from becoming the sub-panel boundary or seal line. The hexagonal sides of this basic pattern do not coincide with the pixel boundary 4 la, which has a zigzag intrusion shape, so dividing the subpanel with this hexagonal side changes the complex intrusion shape of the pixel boundary. I need it.

[0332] Therefore, it is preferable that the boundary between adjacent sub-panels be formed by this line S. Here, there are the following three types of boundaries between adjacent sub-panels. That is, (1) The sealing line force of the liquid crystal in the sub-panel enclosing the liquid crystal In the case of a boundary, (2) the end of the sub-panel (cut portion) is a boundary between sub-panels, and (3) the pixel electrode pattern (that is, the boundary between pixels) is a boundary between sub-panels. is there. At this time, in the cases of (1) and (2), the seal line is effectively the boundary between the sub-panels, whereas in the case of (3), the end of the pixel pattern is the boundary between the sub-panels. The seal line exists elsewhere.

[0333] For this reason, it is possible to maintain the blurring effect of the pixel boundary using the intrusion shape as it is. From this point of view, the force indicating the boundary of the sub-panel is the line indicated by S in Figure 29. Line S is a line formed by alternately connecting the hexagonal center of the pixel and the vertex of the hexagon. Here, the line S is also called a division line.

[0334] Since the line S is formed by a combination of straight lines that do not divide the penetration pattern that is the boundary of the pixels, it can also be formed as a liquid crystal seal pattern. Further, the sub-panel may be cut along the line S to form a sub-panel having the line S as an end.

FIG. 29 shows a state where the line S in FIG. 28 is used as a dividing boundary and divided into the inner side (liquid crystal side, upper side in FIG. 29) and the outer side (lower side in FIG. 29) of the sub-panel la. In addition, when this line S is used as a liquid crystal sealing material line, no liquid crystal is present below the line S in FIG. The above applies to cases (1) and (2) above.

[0336] Further, the line S can be formed as a pixel pattern. At this time, the seal line is formed at a position away from the pixel end. Therefore, in this case, the sub-panels are overlapped with each other, and the alignment is performed in a pixel pattern. The seal pattern may be formed in the same shape as the line S at a distant place where pixels are not formed, or may be a simple straight line pattern when the seal line is not conspicuous as being transparent. The cross-sectional view shown in Fig. 23 shows this state. The pixel boundaries of each sub-panel are exactly like the line S, and the upper and lower sub-panels are aligned and overlapped based on this pattern! Therefore, the seal position between the sub-panels matches! This corresponds to case (3) above.

[0337] In these cases, the pixels delimited by the line S have an area of 1/3 or 2/3 of a hexagon as shown in FIG. [0338] In this way, a new hexagon that is formed by connecting the center and apex of the hexagon that constitutes the pixel is not based on the hexagonal boundary originally based on pixels as the division boundary of the sub-panel. Assume line S. By setting this as the boundary of the sub-panels, it is possible to divide the dimming panel into a plurality of sub-panels with a simple boundary line without breaking the penetration structure between pixels while maintaining the penetration effect.

[0339] Fig. 30 shows a state in which the sub-panels la 'lb having S1 and S2 as division lines are connected to each other. The harm IJ lines S1 and S2 also represent the shape of the boundary of the subpanel (end of the subpanel). As shown in Figure 30, align each subpanel la 'lb so that each split line S 1' S2 matches.

[0340] It should be noted that each sub-panel la 'lb may be a panel having the harm ij line SI' S2 as a seal line and an end face (that is, the seal line and the end face of the sub-panel are at the same position). A panel having a dividing line of S 1 'S2 as a seal boundary inside the substrate may be used. Further, the dividing lines S1 to S2 shown in FIG. 30 may be pixel pattern boundaries as described above. In the case of (2) above, if plastic is used as the substrate material, processing is possible even for lines like S1-S2. Also, if the substrate is glass, it is difficult to form a line like S1. S2, so as in the case of (1) above, the end force of the glass substrate, S 1-S2 The force that forms the seal line of the sub-panel, or the boundary between the sub-panels coincides with the boundary between the pixels as in (3) above, and the panels are overlapped so that the S1 and S2 lines coincide with each other. Can thrive.

[0341] Here, a method for connecting a plurality of sub-panels, which is preferable when the pixel boundary has a complicated intrusion shape as described above, will be described.

[0342] First, the first method is a method of joining the sub-panels at the end so that the panel surfaces of the plurality of sub-panels to be joined are in a single plane. This method is suitable when the sub-panels to be joined have a split line force S, a seal line and an end face.

[0343] Figure 31 (a) shows the dimming panel 1 formed by joining two sub-panels la 'lb by this method, and the sub-panel connection of polarizing plates 5 and 5 holding them. The cross-sectional structure of the part is shown. Fig. 31 (b) shows the state of the surface of the light control panel 1 shown in Fig. 31 (a). FIG. The cross section of the panel shown in FIG. 31 (a) is a cross section taken along line GG shown in FIG. 31 (b).

[0344] The sub-panel la and the sub-panel lb have a connection portion between the portions indicated by the arrows A. In addition, the seal line 53 of each sub-panel la ′ lb exists at the position of the connection portion A. Sub-panel la and sub-panel lb are both attached to glass substrate (substrate) 30. By making the adhesive used at this time the same refractive index as that of the glass substrate 30, the joints can be made inconspicuous. A polarizing plate 5 is disposed on the glass substrate 30.

Further, as shown in FIG. 31 (b), the seal line (seal part) 53 of each sub-panel la ′ lb has a shape like a line S 1 ′ S2 shown in FIG. In order to cut the boundary of sub panel la 'lb with line S as shown in Fig. 13, it is preferable to use plastic as the material of substrate 101a' 101b that constitutes the sub panel, and cut by punching or laser.

[0346] According to the first method, since the sub-panel la 'lb is attached adjacent to each other on one glass substrate 30, the thickness of the light control panel 1 to be formed is equal to that of the panel. It can be constant over the entire surface. Further, since there is no step between the subpanel la and the subpanel lb, the force S can be applied by directly attaching the polarizing plate 5 to the light control panel 1 without providing a space.

[0347] Next, the second method will be described. The second method is a method in which a plurality of sub-panels are overlapped and connected. The light control panel 1 of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 23 is formed using this method.

[0348] Fig. 32 (a) shows the dimming panel 1 formed by joining two sub-panels la 'lb by this method, and the sub-panel connection of the polarizing plates 5 and 5 holding them. The cross-sectional structure of the part is shown. FIG. 32 (b) schematically shows the state of the surface of the light control panel 1 shown in FIG. 32 (a). Note that the cross section of the panel shown in FIG. 32 (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line HH shown in FIG. 32 (b). Further, the sub-panel la ′ lb shown in this figure is a case where seal lines 54 and 55 are formed inward from the end portions of the substrates 101a and 101b.

[0349] The light control panel 1 formed by the second method has two sub-types as shown in Fig. 32 (a). Panels la 'lb are connected by overlapping the ends. In this case, since the sub-panels la ′ 1 b overlap each other, the polarizing plate 5 cannot be directly attached to the panel. Therefore, the polarizing plate 5 is placed at a distance from the sub-panel la · lb! /.

[0350] FIG. 32 (b) is a plan view of the connecting portion of each sub-panel la'lb. In this figure, the end 51 of the sub panel la is indicated by a solid line, and the end 52 of the sub panel lb is indicated by a broken line. In FIG. 32 (b), the hexagons indicated by double lines on each sub-panel la'lb are hexagons formed by solid lines S and broken lines T in FIG. On the other hand, the hexagonal pixel 20 is indicated by a broken line.

As shown in this figure, in the second method, each sub-panel la 'lb is positioned so that the seal lines 54 and 55 of each sub-panel la' lb are aligned. By being connected in this way, at the boundary between the subpanel la and the subpanel lb, one pixel 20 is formed by combining some of the pixels of each subpanel.

[0352] The merit of this method is that the panels can be bonded to each other on the surface, so the glass substrate 30 that is the above-mentioned reinforcement is required! It is possible to connect them with simple alignment.

[0353] In particular, since a glass substrate cannot form a complicated dividing line, it is preferable to employ the above-described method in which a sealing line is formed on the inner side of the substrate so that the lines overlap when connected. .

[0354] In addition, a wiring for driving the pixel 20 is formed so as to overlap with the seal line, whereby a decrease in the aperture ratio due to the wiring can be suppressed. Furthermore, a light shielding line may be formed along the boundary of the newly considered basic hexagon, such as the S and T lines in FIG. 28, and wiring may be formed by overlapping this line! /, .

[0355] Further, since the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is about 3 to 5 μm, the thickness of the seal lines 54 and 55 is also about the same. Therefore, to ensure the cell gap in the sealing resin, the amount of filler or beads mixed in the sealing material is adjusted, and the light transmittance is good! Can be raised. In addition, it is possible to make this line difficult to see by forming a prism along this seal line. [0356] By using each method as described above, the boundary between the pixels constituting the dimming panel has a complicated intrusion shape, and the boundary between the sub-panels constitutes the dimming panel In the case where it is provided at a position different from the boundary, a dimming panel can be formed by connecting a plurality of sub-panels without impairing the effect of the effect. At the boundary between the sub-panels connected by the above method, one pixel is configured by combining a part of the pixels of adjacent sub-panels.

[0357] As the substrates 101a and 101b constituting the sub-panel, it is preferable to use a plastic substrate. This is because a plastic substrate can be manufactured to be thinner than a glass substrate, so that it is easy to superimpose and the panel does not become thicker in the overlap region. In addition, if a plastic substrate is used, division can be facilitated as compared with the case of a glass substrate. Therefore, for example, it is possible to divide the sub-panel along a line S that is not a straight line as shown in FIG.

[0358] Note that the liquid crystal display panel of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the one provided at a position different from the boundary of the pixels constituting the boundary force dimming panel between the sub-panels as described above. The light control panel may be formed by connecting a plurality of sub-panels. That is, the scope of the present invention includes a case where the pixel boundary of the light control panel and the boundary between the sub-panels are all or partially coincident with each other.

[0359] For example, in the case of using the first method described above, if glass is used as the substrate lOla 'lOlb, the sub-panel is cut so that the seal line and the cutting line of each sub-panel overlap as much as possible. In order to achieve this, it is preferable to use a dicing technique in which cutting is performed by a blade coated with diamond particles. However, dicing technology can basically only cut straight lines.

[0360] Therefore, when glass is used as the substrates 101a '101b, it is desirable to cut the sub-panel with a simple linear shape rather than the shape of the line S as shown in FIG. Therefore, in this case, the pixel boundary of the dimming panel and the boundary between sub-panels partially match.

[0361] Further, as a modification of the second method described above, when a seal line is formed at the end 51.52 of the sub-panel and the two sub-panels la 'lb are overlapped, the seal lines are placed at different positions. It is also possible to connect them by pasting them together.

[0362] Although the light control panel in the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this configuration. In the present invention, the dimming panel is formed by connecting a plurality of sub-panels! /, A method of connecting the sub-panels, a pixel shape, and an intrusion shape at the pixel boundary (area boundary). The presence or absence can be changed as appropriate.

[0363] FIG. 33 shows a nomination of the light control panel constituting the liquid crystal display device of the present invention. FIG. 34 (a) to FIG. 34 (f) show examples of the pixel shape of the light control panel and the panel boundary shape of the sub-panel.

[0364] On the left side of Fig. 33, the pixel shape of the light control panel and the nodalization of the panel boundary of the sub panel are shown. In this figure, the part showing the shape of the pixel is a corresponding figure in (a) to (f) of FIG. 34 (however, the pixel having a hexagonal shape is not shown). ). Further, in FIG. 34 (a) to FIG. 34 (f), an assumed panel boundary (division line) of the same sub-panel is indicated by a line S1 or S2.

[0365] The right side of Fig. 33 shows a method of connecting a plurality of sub-panels. The details of each method are as follows, with the force S as described above and each specific example illustrated.

(i) Configuration in which the sub-panels are overlapped and joined together (Fig. 23, Fig. 32 (a)) _D

(ii) A configuration in which the sub-panels are joined together on the same plane (see Fig. 31 (a)). In this configuration, each sub-panel is adjacent to each other on a single substrate and is shelled! /.

[0366] In addition, there is a way to connect multiple sub-panels! /

(a) A configuration in which the sub-panels are connected to each other so that the boundary force S between the connected sub-panels does not become a pixel boundary of the liquid crystal panel,

(b) A configuration in which the sub-panels are connected so that the boundary between the connected sub-panels is formed by the pixel boundary of the liquid crystal panel.

are categorized. [0367] In the liquid crystal display device having the above-described configuration, the operation for displaying an image is performed by the configuration shown in the block diagram of Fig. 11 of the first embodiment, which is the same as the first embodiment. Because there are, it is omitted here.

In the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, the light control panel is formed by connecting a plurality of sub-panels as described above. Therefore, it is preferable to apply the configuration of the present invention particularly when a large liquid crystal display device is formed.

[0369] When manufacturing such a large-sized liquid crystal display device, for the display panel arranged on the observer side, the panel is manufactured by using a large-sized panel-dedicated production line. Regarding the dimming panel to be arranged, first, a sub-panel is manufactured using an existing panel manufacturing line, and a plurality of sub-panels are connected to manufacture a single large dimming panel. Can do. According to this, the production line for the sub-panel can be used as a production line for a light control panel of a liquid crystal display device having a normal size. Since other liquid crystal display devices are also manufactured at the liquid crystal display manufacturing plant, if the liquid crystal display device of the present invention is manufactured with the above-described line configuration, the production capacity of the entire plant is greatly reduced. Can be prevented.

[0370] Next, a television receiver including the liquid crystal display device of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 35 to 37. FIG.

[0371] FIG. 35 shows a circuit block of a liquid crystal display device 601 for a television receiver.

[0372] As shown in FIG. 35, the liquid crystal display device 601 includes a Y / C separation circuit 500, a video chroma circuit 5001, an A / D converter 502, a liquid crystal controller 503, a liquid crystal node 504, and a backlight drive circuit. 505, knock light 506, microcomputer 507, and gradation circuit 508.

[0373] The liquid crystal panel 504 includes a first liquid crystal panel (image display panel) and a second liquid crystal panel.

This is a two-panel configuration (light control panel), and may be any configuration described in the above-described embodiment.

[0374] In the liquid crystal display device 601 having the above configuration, first, an input video signal of a television signal is input to the Y / C separation circuit 500 and separated into a luminance signal and a color signal. The luminance and color signals are converted to R, G, and B, which are the three primary colors of light, by the video chroma circuit 501, and this analog RGB signal is converted to a digital RGB signal by the A / D converter 502, liquid Input to the crystal controller 503.

In the liquid crystal panel 504, the RGB signal from the liquid crystal controller 503 is input at a predetermined timing, and the RGB gradation voltages from the gradation circuit 508 are supplied to display an image. The microcomputer 507 controls the entire system including these processes.

[0376] Note that various video signals such as a video signal based on television broadcasting, a video signal captured by a camera, a video signal supplied via an Internet line, and a video signal recorded on a DVD can be used as the video signal. Based on! /, Can be displayed.

[0377] Further, the tuner unit 600 shown in FIG. 36 receives a television broadcast and outputs a video signal, and the liquid crystal display device 601 displays an image (video) based on the video signal output from the tuner unit 600. Do.

[0378] When the liquid crystal display device having the above configuration is a television receiver, for example, as shown in FIG. 37, the liquid crystal display device 601 is wrapped in a first housing 311 and a second housing 316. It becomes a sandwiched structure!

[0379] The first housing 311 is formed with an opening 311a through which an image displayed on the liquid crystal display device 601 is transmitted.

[0380] The second casing 316 covers the back side of the liquid crystal display device 601. An operation circuit 315 for operating the liquid crystal display device 601 is provided, and a support member is provided below. 318 is attached.

[0381] As described above, in the television receiver and the video monitor having the above-described configuration, by using the liquid crystal display device of the present invention as a display device, it is possible to display a video with high contrast and high display quality. Become.

[0382] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and can be obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Such embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Industrial applicability

[0383] Since the liquid crystal display device of the present invention can obtain an image with a small display angle effect and a high contrast display quality, it can be used for television receivers, movie and broadcast models. Applicable to Utah etc. In addition, since the light control panel includes a plurality of sub-panels, the liquid crystal display device of the present invention can be efficiently manufactured when the display device becomes large. Therefore, the liquid crystal display device of the present invention can be suitably used for a large display device.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] A liquid crystal display device provided with an image display panel including a liquid crystal display panel and a light source for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel,

A dimming display comprising a transmissive liquid crystal display panel between the image display panel and the light source, and performing gradation display based on luminance information included in a video signal input to the image display panel. A panel is provided,

A liquid crystal display device, wherein a size of a pixel constituting the dimming panel is larger than a size of a pixel constituting the image display panel.

[2] The dimming panel is composed of a plurality of sub-panels,

2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-panels are connected to each other! /.

[3] The liquid crystal display device according to [2], wherein the sub-panels are overlapped with each other in a portion where the plurality of sub-panels are connected to each other.

[4] The light control panel further includes a substrate,

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of sub-panels are attached adjacent to each other on the substrate.

5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, wherein each boundary between adjacent pixels constituting the dimming panel has an uneven shape.

6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 5, wherein a boundary between the plurality of sub-panels is provided at a position different from a boundary between pixels constituting the dimming panel.

[7] The pixels constituting the light control panel have a hexagonal shape, and the center of the hexagonal pixel and

6. The liquid crystal according to claim 5, wherein the sub-panels are connected to each other so that a line obtained by connecting the apexes of the hexagon is a boundary between the plurality of sub-panels. Display device.

[8] The liquid crystal display according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pixels constituting the dimming panel have a polygonal shape in which pixel electrodes constituting adjacent pixels are adjacent to each other at sides. apparatus.

[9] The pixels constituting the dimming panel have a hexagonal shape. Or 2. A liquid crystal display device according to 2.

10. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the boundary between the pixels constituting the light control panel is an uneven shape.

11. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 10, wherein an inter-pixel distance between pixels of the dimming panel is shorter than a length in a short side direction of each pixel of the image display panel. .

12. The liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the light control panel is segment driven.

[13] Each pixel of the dimming panel is connected to a signal wiring for supplying a driving signal to each pixel.

13. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 12, wherein a line width of the signal wiring is shorter than a length in a short side direction of each pixel in each pixel of the image display panel.

14. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 13, wherein at least two signal lines are connected to each pixel of the dimming panel.

[15] In the above dimming panel, dummy wirings are provided on the pixels arranged in the signal wiring extending direction so that the number of wirings passing through each pixel is the same. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 13 or 14.

[16] The liquid crystal according to any one of [1] to [15], wherein a scattering plate that scatters light is provided between the image display panel and the light control panel. Display device

17. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 16, wherein the scattering plate is spaced apart from the light control panel.

[18] A television receiver comprising: a tuner unit that receives a television broadcast; and the television broadcast received by the tuner unit; and the liquid crystal display device according to any one of! To 17 Machine.