Patent Grant
8432510
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2007-257178 filed in Japan on Oct. 1, 2007. The disclosure of the prior application is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and an electronic apparatus having a backlight unit, and more particularly, a liquid crystal display device and an electronic apparatus, which are capable of reducing the number of various wires associated with a light detector and reducing a wire space, when the light detector for detecting light in a liquid crystal display panel is formed and the brightness of an illumination unit is automatically controlled according to the intensity of the environment light detected by the light detector.
2. Related Art
Recently, a liquid crystal display device has been rapidly applied to an information communication apparatus and a general electric apparatus. Since a liquid crystal display panel itself does not emit light, a transmissive type liquid crystal display device including a backlight unit as an illumination unit is widely used, but, in a portable device, a reflective type liquid crystal display device which does not require a backlight unit is widely used in order to reduce power consumption. However, in the reflective type liquid crystal display device, since environment light is used as an illumination unit, an image is unlikely to be viewed where environment light is suppressed or non-existent. Accordingly, a reflective type liquid crystal display device using a front light unit as an illumination unit or a semi-transmissive-type liquid crystal display device using a transmissive property and a reflective property has been developed.
The reflective liquid crystal display device using the front light unit as the illumination unit can display an image by lighting the front light unit at a dark place and display an image using environment light without lighting the front light unit at a bright place. The semi-transmissive-type liquid crystal display device can display an image using a transmission portion of a pixel area by lighting a backlight unit as the illumination unit at a dark place and display an image using environment in a reflection portion without lighting the backlight unit at a bright place. Accordingly, in the reflective type or semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display device, since the illumination unit, such as the front light unit or the backlight unit, does not need to be always lighted, it is possible to significantly reduce power consumption.
In addition, the transmissive type liquid crystal display device may be an image that can be clearly viewed although the brightness of the backlight unit is decreased at the dark place, but is likely to be viewed when the brightness of the backlight unit is low at the bright place.
As described above, various types of liquid crystal display devices are different from one another in visibility of a liquid crystal display screen by the intensity of environment light. Accordingly, a method of providing a light detector in a liquid crystal display device, detecting the brightness of environment light by the output of the light detector, and controlling the brightness of an illumination unit is known (see JP-A-2002-131719 (claims, paragraphs [0010] to [0013], and FIG. 1), JP-A-2003-215534 (claims, paragraphs [0007] to [0019], FIGS. 1 to 3) and JP-A-2004-007237 (claims, paragraphs [0023] to [0028], FIG. 1).
For example, JP-A-2002-131719 discloses a liquid crystal display device in which a thin-film transistor (TFT) for detecting light is formed on a substrate of a liquid crystal display panel as a light detector and a backlight is automatically turned on/off according to the brightness of surrounding environment light using TFT ambient light photo-sensors for detecting light leakage current of the TFT. JP-A-2003-215534 discloses a liquid crystal display device which uses a photodiode as a light detector and supplies current undergone temperature compensation to a light-emitting diode as a backlight unit according to the brightness of surrounding environment light. JP-A-2004-007237 discloses a portable terminal in which a backlight unit or a light-emitting diode used as an operation display unit of an apparatus is used as a light detector and lighting of the backlight unit is controlled on the basis of an electromotive force of the light-emitting diode according to the brightness of surrounding environment light.
Meanwhile, in the case where the brightness of the illumination unit is controlled by the intensity of environment light as described above, for example, when the light may be temporarily shielded by a hand, it is determined that the environment light weakens by mistake and thus malfunctions may be performed. JP-A-2005-121997 (claims, paragraphs [0036] to [0047], and FIGS. 4 and 5) discloses a backlight illumination method of a liquid crystal display device, in which a plurality of light detectors are provided in the liquid crystal display device and a backlight unit illuminates light only when the outputs of the plurality of light detectors are equally changed. JP-A-2007-094097 (claims, paragraphs [0019] to [0021] and [0029] to [0032], and FIGS. 2 and 3) discloses a liquid crystal display device in which a plurality of light detectors are provided and a backlight unit illuminates light only when majority of the light detectors are changed.
In the inventions disclosed in JP-A-2005-121997 and JP-A-2007-094097, analog output type detectors such as photodiodes or phototransistors are used as the plurality of light detectors, the outputs of the plurality of light detectors are operated, and the backlight unit illuminates light on the basis of the operation result. If the outputs of the analog output type light detectors, output voltage values or output current values are directly related to the intensity of environment light, it is possible to easily determine whether or not the intensity of environment light is equal to or larger than a predetermined value.
In the TFT ambient light photo-sensor employed in JP-A-2002-131719, a time until the output voltage of the TFT ambient light photo-sensor becomes a predetermined voltage value is related to the intensity of environment light. If such a TFT ambient light photo-sensor is used, an original digital operation is necessary for detecting the intensity of environment light. The principle of the TFT ambient light photo-sensor and a general detection circuit will be described with reference to the drawings.
The TFT ambient light photo-sensor has the substantially same configuration as a TFT which is used as a switching element of an active matrix type liquid crystal display panel. Accordingly, it is advantageous that the TFT ambient light photo-sensor can be simultaneously formed when the TFT of the active matrix type liquid crystal display panel is formed. In the TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS, dark current slightly flows in a gate-off area when light is shielded and leakage current is increased according to the intensity (brightness) of light when light reaches a channel portion, as shown in
As shown in
Accordingly, in the TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS, a time until the voltage across the capacitor becomes a predetermined voltage V0 after the switching element S1 is turned off is inversely proportional to the intensity of environment light and the voltage across the capacitor C after the elapse of a predetermined time t0 is inversely proportional to the intensity of environment light. Accordingly, if the time until the voltage across the capacitor becomes the predetermined voltage V0 after the switching element S1 is turned off or the voltage across the capacitor C after the elapse of the predetermined time t0 is measured, the intensity of environment light can be obtained.
In general, the intensity of environment light is converted into an analog output voltage by a sampling hold circuit which is synchronized with the ON/OFF of the switching element S1, the analog output voltage is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter, and the digital signal is operated such that it is determined whether the intensity of environment light is equal to or larger than the predetermined value or not.
In the inventions disclosed in JP-A-2005-121997 and JP-A-2007-094097, although the plurality of light detectors for detecting environment light are provided, the plurality of light detectors cannot be necessarily used in the same environment and the same condition. For example, if such TFT ambient light photo-sensors are used, a reference voltage value for determining the intensity of environment light is required. The reference voltage value may be previously set, but, actually, the reference voltage is detected by shielding some of the TFT ambient light photo-sensors. Since the spectral sensitivity of the TFT ambient light photo-sensor is not necessarily matched to the visibility of human, some of the TFT ambient light photo-sensors are coated with a color filter layer so as to determine environment light, such that the spectral sensitivity of the TFT ambient light photo-sensor is closer to the visibility of human.
However, if a plurality of TFT ambient light photo-sensors having different systems are used, a plurality of wires are used in each system and thus a wire area forming a wire is increased. If the wire area is increased, the wires of the TFT ambient light photo-sensors are formed in a frame area of the liquid crystal display panel and thus the area of the frame area needs to be proportionally increased. However, in a small-sized liquid crystal display device such as a mobile telephone, since the requirement for a narrow frame of a liquid crystal display panel has been increased, the increase in the size of the frame area is not preferable.
An advantage of some aspects of claimed subject matter is that it provides a liquid crystal display device which is capable of suppressing the increase in the size of an area in which various types of wires connected to ambient light photo-sensors are formed, although the liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of ambient light photo-sensors having different systems, and an electronic apparatus including the liquid crystal display device.
According to an aspect of one embodiment, there is provided a liquid crystal display device including: a liquid crystal display panel; a light detector which is mounted on the liquid crystal display panel and has a plurality of TFT ambient light photo-sensors composed of thin-film transistors (TFTs) for detecting external light; an illumination unit which illuminates light on the liquid crystal display panel; a detection circuit connected to the light detector; and a control unit which controls the brightness of the illumination unit on the basis of the output of the detection circuit, wherein the plurality of TFT ambient light photo-sensors include first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors for detecting lights of different systems, and, among source wires or drain wires of the first TFT ambient light photo-sensors and the second TFT ambient light photo-sensors, wires which are not connected to the detection circuit are formed by a single wire.
According to one embodiment, in the light detector for detecting the lights of a plurality of systems, since the wires which are not connected to the detection circuit of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors of different systems are formed by a single routed wire, the routed wires do not need to be provided in every system when detecting the light of the plurality of systems. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the number of routed wires provided in the light detector and reduce a space for providing the routed wires. Accordingly, it is possible to realize a narrow frame of the liquid crystal display panel and provide a liquid crystal display device suitable for a small-sized electronic apparatus.
The first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors may be formed of a plurality of ambient light photo-sensors, and the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor and the second TFT ambient light photo-sensor may be adjacently arranged in parallel.
According to one embodiment since the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors are adjacently provided, a temperature difference between the both TFT ambient light photo-sensors is reduced and the light can be detected under the same environment. Since the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors are adjacently formed, it is possible to form the TFTs having the same characteristics.
Among the source wires or the drain wires of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors arranged in parallel, wires connected to the detection circuit may be routed to the outside of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors arranged in parallel, and the wires which are not connected to the detection circuit may be routed between the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor and the second TFT ambient light photo-sensor.
According to one embodiment, since the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors are provided in parallel and the wires which are not connected to the detection circuit are formed between the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors, it is possible to realize the unification of the wires which are not connected to the detection circuit by a simplest wire structure.
The first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors may be formed of a plurality of ambient light photo-sensors, and the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor and the second TFT ambient light photo-sensor may be alternately arranged on the same row.
Among the source wires or the drain wires of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors which are alternately arranged, wires connected to the detection circuit may be routed to one side of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors, and the wires which are not connected to the detection circuit may be routed to the other side of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors.
According to one embodiment, since the plurality of ambient light photo-sensors configuring the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor and the plurality of ambient light photo-sensors configuring the second TFT ambient light photo-sensor are alternately arranged in a line, the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors can be arranged in a wide range and false recognition is prevented although environment light is partially blocked by an obstacle. In addition, since the ambient light photo-sensors can be arranged in a line, it is possible to reduce the length corresponding to the width direction of the frame area of the light detector. Thus, it is possible to reduce the width of the side of the liquid crystal display panel in which the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors are formed and realize downsizing of the liquid crystal display device.
Among the source wires or the drain wires of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors which are alternately arranged, wires connected to the detection circuit may be composed of first and second wires, the first wire may be routed to one side of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors, the second wire may be routed to the other side of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors, and the wires which are not connected to the detection circuit may be routed in a state of snaking between the ambient light photo-sensors configuring the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors.
According to one embodiment, since the wires which are not connected to the detection circuit are routed between the ambient light photo-sensors arranged in a line, it is possible to provide the wires without overlapping the wires which are not connected to the detection circuit and the first and second wires connected to the detection circuit and detect external light (also called environment light) with higher precision.
At least one of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors may be covered with a light-shielding layer or a color filter layer of predetermined colors.
According to one embodiment, for example, if the second TFT ambient light photo-sensor is covered with the light-shielding layer, the output of the second TFT ambient light photo-sensor can be used as a dark reference voltage. Thus, it is possible to realize high-precision control. For example, if the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor is covered with the color filter layer of the predetermined colors, for example, the color filter layer having a spectral sensitivity characteristic close to a luminosity factor of a user, it is possible to realize easier control.
The plurality of TFT ambient light photo-sensors may be simultaneously formed with a TFT formed as a switching element in a process of manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel.
According to one embodiment, since a separate manufacturing process does not need to be added for forming the ambient light photo-sensor, it is possible to simply manufacture the liquid crystal display device with low cost.
According to another aspect of one embodiment, there is provided an electronic apparatus comprising the above-described liquid crystal display device.
According to one embodiment, since the liquid crystal display device capable of reducing a frame area is included, it is possible to provide an electronic apparatus suitable for a small-sized portable terminal.
One embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.
Exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the following embodiments illustrate a semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display device for embodying the technical idea of the liquid crystal display device and the electronic apparatus claimed, but are not limited to the semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display device and is applicable to other embodiments included in claims, for example, a transmissive type or a reflective type liquid crystal display device.
Embodiment 1
As shown in
The array substrate AR has short sides 2a and 2b facing each other and long sides 2c and 2d facing each other, one short side 2b becomes the extension portion 2A, a semiconductor chip Dr for a source driver and a gate driver is mounted on the extension portion 2A, and a light detector LD1 is provided on the other short side 2a. A backlight unit (not shown) is provided on the rear surface of the array substrate AR as an illumination unit. The backlight unit is controlled by an external control circuit (control unit) (not shown) on the basis of the output of the light detector LD1.
The array substrate, AR includes a plurality of gate wires GW arranged in a row direction (horizontal direction) of
The areas surrounded by the gate wires GW and the source wires SW configure pixels and an area in which the pixels are formed is a display area DA. In the switching elements, for example, thin-film transistors (TFTs) are used.
The gate wires GW and the source wires SW are extended to the outside of the display area DA, that is, a frame area, and are routed on an external peripheral area at the outside of the display area DA so as to be connected to the driver Dr composed of a semiconductor chip such as an LS1. On the array substrate AR, routing wires L1 to L4 from first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors LS1 and LS2 of the light detector LD1 are arranged at one long side 2d so as to be connected to terminals T1 to T4 connected with the external control circuit. The terminals T1 to T4 are connected with the external control unit, a reference voltage and a gate voltage are supplied from the control circuit to the light detector LD1, and the output of the light detector LD1 is transmitted. The routing wire L1 configures a first source wire as a first wire connected to a detection circuit, the routing wire L2 configures a second source wire as a second wire connected to the detection circuit, the routing wire L3 configures a drain wire as a wire which is not connected to the detection circuit, and the routing wire L4 configures a gate wire.
Next, the detailed configuration of each pixel will be described with reference to
In the display area DA on the transparent substrate 2 of the array substrate AR, the gate wires GW are formed in parallel at the same gap and the gate electrodes G of the TFTs configuring the switching elements extend from the gate wires GW. Auxiliary capacitive lines 16 are formed in the central portion between the adjacent gate wires GW in parallel to the gate wires GW and auxiliary capacitive electrodes 17, having a width larger than that of the auxiliary capacitive lines 16, are formed in the auxiliary capacitive lines 16.
A gate insulating film 18 formed of a transparent insulating film such as silicon nitride or silicon oxide is laminated on the entire surface of the transparent substrate 2 so as to cover the gate wires GW, the auxiliary capacitive lines 16, the auxiliary capacitive electrodes 17 and the gate electrodes G. A semiconductor layer 19 formed of a-Si is formed on the gate electrodes G with the gate insulating film 18 interposed therebetween. The plurality of source wires SW are formed on the gate insulating film 18 so as to cross the gate wires GW, the source electrodes S of the TFT extend from the source wires SW so as to contact the semiconductor layer 19, and the drain electrodes D, formed of the same material as the source electrodes SW and the source electrodes S, are provided on the gate insulating film 18 so as to contact the semiconductor layer 19.
Here, the area surrounded by the gate wire GW and the source wire SW corresponds to one pixel. The TFTs which are the switching elements are configured by the gate electrodes G, the gate insulating film 18, the semiconductor layer 19, the source electrodes S and the drain electrodes D. The TFTs are formed in the pixels. In this case, auxiliary capacitors of the pixels are formed by the drain electrodes D and the auxiliary capacitive electrodes 17.
A protective insulating film (also called a passivation film) 20 formed of, for example, an inorganic insulating material, is laminated over the entire surface of the transparent substrate 2 so as to cover the source wires SW, the TFTs and the gate insulating film 18 and an interlayer film (also called a planarization film) 21 formed of acrylic resin including, for example, a negative photosensitive material is laminated on the protective insulating film 20 over the entire transparent substrate 2. The surface of the insulating film 21 has irregularities in a reflection portion 22 and is flat in a transmission portion 23. In
A reflection plate 24 made of, for example aluminum or an aluminum alloy is formed on the surface of the interlayer film 21 of the reflection portion 22 by a sputtering method and a contact hole 25 is formed in the protective insulating film 20, the interlayer film 21 and the reflection plate 24 at a position corresponding to the drain electrode D of the TFT.
In each pixel, a pixel electrode 26 formed of, for example, indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO) is formed on the surface of the reflection plate 24, inside of the contact hole 25 and the surface of the interlayer film 21 of the transmission portion 23 and an alignment film (not shown) is laminated on the pixel electrode 26 so as to cover all pixels.
In the color filter substrate CF, on the surface of the transparent substrate 10 made of a glass substrate, a light-shielding layer (not shown) is formed so as to face the gate wires GW and the source wires SW of the array substrate AR and a color filter layer 27 of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) is provided in correspondence with the pixels surrounded by the light-shielding layer. An overcoat layer 28 is formed on the surface of the color filter layer 27 at a position corresponding to the reflection portion 22 and a common electrode 29 and an alignment film (not shown) are laminated on the surface of the color filter layer 27 and the surface of the overcoat layer 28 at a position corresponding to the transmission portion 23. As the color filter layer 27, a color filter layer of cyan (C), magenta (M) and yellow (Y) may be used. In a monochromic display, the color filter layer may not be provided.
The array substrate AR and the color filter substrate CF having the above-described configurations are adhered via a seal material (not shown) and the liquid crystal 14 is filled in an area surrounded by the both substrates and the seal material, thereby obtaining the semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display device 1A. A backlight unit or a sidelight unit having a known light source, a light guiding plate, and a diffusion sheet (not shown) is provided below the transparent substrate 2.
In this case, if the reflection plate 24 is provided over the lower side of the pixel electrode 26, but, in a reflective type liquid crystal display device using a reflective type liquid crystal display panel, a front side unit is used instead of the backlight light or the sidelight unit.
Next, the configuration of the light detector LD1 will be described in detail with reference to
As shown in
In the circuit configuration of the plurality of ambient light photo-sensors 301 to 306 configuring the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors LS1 and LS2, as shown in
The detected output voltage is used for detecting the intensity of the environment light by a detection circuit (not shown) and the backlight unit is controlled by a control unit (not shown) on the basis of the detected intensity of the environment light. In the detection circuit, the output voltage is converted into an analog output voltage by a known sampling hold circuit synchronized with ON/OFF of the switching elements SW1 and SW2, and the analog output voltage is converted into a digital voltage by an A/D converter and is subjected to a digital operation.
Next, among the ambient light photo-sensors 301 to 306 configuring the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors LS1 and LS2, the wire structures of one ambient light photo-sensor 301 configuring the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor and one ambient light photo-sensor 304 configuring the second TFT ambient light photo-sensor will be described.
First, in the ambient light photo-sensor 301 configuring the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS1, as shown in
The environment light is irradiated on the ambient light photo-sensor 301 via a window portion W in which the overcoat layer (planarization film) 32 made of transparent resin in the opposite area of the color filter substrate CF. The periphery of the window portion W is shield by the light-shielding layer BM. By shielding the periphery of the window portion W by the light-shielding layer BM, it is possible to more accurately receive the environment light without irradiating the light from the periphery onto the semiconductor layer 31.
In the ambient light photo-sensor 304 configuring the second TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS2, as shown in
The ambient light photo-sensor 304 is shielded by the light-shielding layer IBM formed in the area facing the color filter substrate CF. Accordingly, the ambient light photo-sensor 304 hardly receives the environment light and thus the output of the ambient light photo-sensor 304 is used as a dark reference voltage. In addition, as described above, the drain electrode DL4 of the second TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS2 and the drain electrode DL1 of the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS1 are connected to the terminal T4 by the single routed wire L3. However, since the voltage supplied via the routed wire L3 is the voltage from the second reference voltage source Vref, the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors LS1 and LS2 can be normally operated.
In the light detector LD1 having the above-described configuration, a predetermined reverse bias voltage (for example, −10V) which becomes a gate off area is applied from the voltage supply source GV to the gate electrodes GL1 to GL6 of the ambient light photo-sensors 301 to 306 of the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors LS1 and LS2 via the terminal T4 and the routed wire L4 and the capacitors C1 to C6 are connected between the drain electrodes DL1 to DL6 and the source electrodes SL1 to SL6. The first reference voltage source Vs is connected to one end of the drain electrodes DL1 to DL6 and the capacitors C1 to C6 via the switching elements SW1 and SW2, and any one of the switching elements SW1 and SW2 is turned on so as to apply a predetermined voltage (for example, +2V) across the capacitors C1 to C3 or C4 to C6 and the switching element SW1 or SW2 is turned off. After the elapse of time, the charging voltage of the capacitors C1 to C3 or C4 to C6 is output to the output line and is supplied to the detection circuit, thereby detecting the intensity of the environment light.
As described above, according to the semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display device 1A according to Embodiment 1, when the light detector having ambient light photo-sensors of two systems is formed, wires are at least one fewer than those of the related art. The gate wires GW are routed in the frame area of the array substrate AR, and thus the area of the long side 2d in which the wires are formed with high density can be suppressed to small area. Thus, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device suitable for the requirement for a narrow frame.
Embodiment 2
Although, in the semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display device 1A according to Embodiment 1, the light detector LD1 is formed by the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors LS1 and LS2 arranged in two lines, the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors LS1 and LS2 may be arranged in a line. Hereinafter, a semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display device 1B having a light detector LD2 in which the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors LS1 and LS2 are arranged in a line will be described as Embodiment 2
In the light detector LD2 of the semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display device 1B of Embodiment 2, as shown in
The ambient light photo-sensors 401 and 403 of the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS1 has the same structure as the structure shown in
In addition, the ambient light photo-sensors 401 to 404 have drain electrodes DL1 to DL4 connected to the routed wire L3 arranged along the other side of the light detector LD2, that is, the side opposite to the side in which the routed wires L1 and L2 connected to the source electrodes SL1 to SL4. That is, even in the semi-transmissive-type liquid crystal display device 1B of Embodiment 2, the number of routed wires connected to the drain electrodes DL1 to DL4 is one.
In Embodiment 2, although the light detector LD2 is formed by arranging the plurality of ambient light photo-sensors 401 to 404 in a line, the wires are at least one fewer than those of the related art. Accordingly, the width of the frame area of the short side 2a of the array substrate AR can be reduced. If the ambient light photo-sensors of the same number as Embodiment 1 are used, the ambient light photo-sensors can be arranged in a wider range than that of Embodiment 1. Thus, although the environment light is partially shielded by an obstacle, it is possible to maintain stable detection.
Embodiment 3
While the frame area is reduced by arranging the ambient light photo-sensors 401 to 404 in a line in Embodiment 2, an area (an OR portion of
In the light detector LD3 of the semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display device 1C of Embodiment 3, as shown in
The ambient light photo-sensors 501 and 503 of the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS1 has the same structure as the structure shown in
In the light sources 501 to 504, a gap is formed between adjacent ambient light photo-sensors and drain electrodes DL1 to DL4 are connected to the routed wire L3 arranged in a snaking state along the gap. If the routed wire L3 connected to the drain electrodes DL1 to DL4 is formed in a snaking state along the gap of the light sources 501 to 504, the overlapping portion does not occur between the routed wires L1 to L3. Even in the semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display device 1C of Embodiment 3, the number of routed wires connected to DL1 to DL4 is one.
As described above, in Embodiment 3, although the light detector LD3 is formed by arranging the plurality of ambient light photo-sensors 501 to 504 in a line, the wires are at least one fewer than those of the related art and the overlapping portion does not occur between the routed wires L1 to L3. Accordingly, the ambient light photo-sensors 501 to 504 can be operated under the same condition. Thus, the width of the frame area of the short side 2a of the array substrate AR can be reduced and the environment light can be accurately detected.
Although, in the semi-transmissive type liquid crystal display devices 1A to 1C of Embodiments 1 to 3, the drain electrodes DL1 to DL6 (DL4) are connected to the second reference voltage source Vref and the source electrodes SL1 to SL6 (SL4) are connected to the output line and the first reference voltage source Vs, the terms “drain electrodes” and the “source electrodes” described herein are only used for description and the source electrodes SL1 to SL6 (SL4) may be connected to the second reference voltage source Vref and the drain electrodes DL1 to DL6 (DL4) may be connected to the output line and the first reference voltage source Vs.
Although, in Embodiments 1 to 3, the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS1 directly receives the environment light, the second TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS2 is shielded by the light-shielding layer BM so as to output the dark reference voltage as the first and second TFT ambient light photo-sensors LS1 and LS2 of two different systems, the invention is not limited thereto. In more detail, if for example, a structure in which a color filter layer is formed in the window portion W as the first TFT ambient light photo-sensor LS1 is employed, it is possible to detect the environment light with spectral sensitivity in a luminosity factor.
Since the ambient light photo-sensors 301 to 306, 401 to 404 and 501 to 504 of the light detectors LD1 to LD3 of Embodiments 1 to 3 are formed by the same TFT as the TFT formed as the switching element in the display area DA, the ambient light photo-sensors can be simultaneously formed with the TFT as the switching element and a separate manufacturing process does not need to be added.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-257178 | Oct 2007 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20020158997 | Fukami et al. | Oct 2002 | A1 |
| 20070188441 | Tanaka et al. | Aug 2007 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| A-2002-131719 | May 2002 | JP |
| A-2003-215534 | Jul 2003 | JP |
| A-2004-007237 | Jan 2004 | JP |
| A-2005-121997 | May 2005 | JP |
| A-2007-094097 | Apr 2007 | JP |
| A-2007-163628 | Jun 2007 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20090086137 A1 | Apr 2009 | US |
