IP Library Granted Patent US 7,196,353
Granted Patent B2
US 7,196,353 · App. 10/917,504 · Granted Mar 27, 2007

Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,196,353
App. No.
10/917,504
Granted
Mar 27, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

Aspects of the invention can provide an electro-optical device that displays an image in good quality by an electro-optical device, such as a liquid crystal device, even in the proximity of edges of the image displayed. The electro-optical device can include a plurality of pixel electrodes, and wires and electronic elements that are used to drive the pixel electrodes, provided on a substrate. The plurality of pixel electrodes can be arranged in an image display area and a dummy area. The pixel electrodes disposed in the dummy area function as dummy pixel electrodes. Furthermore, on the substrate, dummy-pixel light-shielding films that cover at least part of opening regions of the dummy pixel electrodes are provided.

Claims (40)

1. An electro-optical device, comprising:

a plurality of pixel electrodes provided above a substrate;

at least one of wires and electronic elements that are used to drive the plurality of pixel electrodes;

an image display area where a first set of pixel electrodes among the plurality of pixel electrodes is located;

a dummy area where a second set of pixel electrodes among the plurality of pixel electrodes is located, the dummy area having a frame-like shape and surrounding the image display area; and

a dummy-pixel light-shielding film that covers at least part of opening regions of the pixel electrodes that function as dummy pixel electrodes being provided on the substrate, the dummy-pixel light-shielding film being formed on a lower layer side of the at least one of wires and electric elements.

2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1 , the dummy-pixel light-shielding film being formed as island-shaped segments in the dummy area.

3. The electro-optical device according to claim 1 , the dummy-pixel light-shielding film being formed over the entire dummy area.

4. The electro-optical device according to claim 1 , the dummy-pixel light-shielding film being formed as stripe-patterned segments in the dummy area.

5. The electro-optical device according to claim 1 , the dummy-pixel light-shielding film having slits.

6. The electro-optical device according to claim 1 , the dummy-pixel light-shielding film being formed on a flat surface of the substrate, directly or via a flat interlayer insulating film.

7. The electro-optical device according to claim 1 ,

the at least one of wires and electronic elements including thin-film transistors that control switching of the plurality of pixel electrodes, and scanning lines and data lines coupled to the thin-film transistors,

the electro-optical device further including a lower light-shielding film that covers at least channel regions of the thin-film transistors from the lower layer side,

and the dummy-pixel light-shielding film being composed of a same film material as the lower light-shielding film.

8. The electro-optical device according to claim 7 , the lower light-shielding film also functioning as at least part of the scanning lines.

9. The electro-optical device according to claim 7 , further comprising capacitor lines that connect storage capacitors to the pixel electrodes, the capacitor lines being provided on the substrate,

the dummy-pixel light-shielding film and the capacitor lines being composed of a same conductive film material.

10. The electro-optical device according to claim 1 , the dummy-pixel light-shielding film being at a floating potential.

11. The electro-optical device according to claim 1 , further comprising an image-signal supplying device that supplies image signals to the plurality of pixel electrodes,

the image-signal supplying device supplying intermediate-level image signals to the pixel electrodes that function as dummy pixel electrodes.

12. The electro-optical device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an opposing substrate disposed opposing the substrate so as to sandwich an electro-optical material; and

a frame-shaped light-shielding film disposed on the opposing substrate in an area opposing the dummy area.

13. An electronic apparatus, comprising the electro-optical device according to claim 1 .

14. An electro-optical device, comprising:

a plurality of pixel electrodes provided above a substrate;

at least one of wires and electronic elements that are used to drive the plurality of pixel electrodes;

an image display area where a first set of pixel electrodes among the plurality of pixel electrodes is located;

a dummy area where a second set of pixel electrodes among the plurality of pixel electrodes is located, the dummy area having a frame-like shape and surrounding the image display area;

a dummy-pixel light-shielding film that covers at least part of opening regions of the pixel electrodes that function as dummy pixel electrodes being provided on the substrate;

an image-signal supplying circuit that supplies image signals to the data lines, the image-signal supplying circuit being disposed on the substrate;

a scanning-signal supplying circuit that supplies scanning signals to the scanning lines, the scanning-signal supplying circuit being disposed on the substrate; and

at least one of the image-signal supplying circuit and the scanning-signal supplying circuit supplying a signal that is output first from an end thereof to a dummy data line or a dummy scanning line that is not connected to a thin film transistor.

15. An electro-optical device, comprising:

a plurality of pixel electrodes provided above a substrate;

at least one of wires and electronic elements that are used to drive the plurality of pixel electrodes;

an image display area where a first set of pixel electrodes among the plurality of pixel electrodes is located;

a dummy area where a second set of pixel electrodes among the plurality of pixel electrodes is located, the dummy area having a frame-like shape and surrounding the image display area;

a dummy-pixel light-shielding film that covers at least part of opening regions of the pixel electrodes that function as dummy pixel electrodes being provided on the substrate, the dummy-pixel light-shielding film being coupled to a constant potential source or a constant potential wire.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2019
From: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: 138 EAST LCD ADVANCEMENTS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 050197/0212 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2004
From: MURADE, MASAO
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015474/0222 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2003-306812 · Aug 29, 2003 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20050078240A1 · Apr 14, 2005