Last updated: February 19, 2026
This report details the patent landscape surrounding South Korean patent KR20140116927, focusing on its scope, specific claims, and the competitive environment.
What is the Core Technology Protected by KR20140116927?
Patent KR20140116927, titled "Method for preparing a liquid crystal display device and liquid crystal display device manufactured by the same," protects a specific method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. The invention aims to improve the performance and quality of LCD panels by addressing issues related to their manufacturing process. Specifically, it details a method that enhances the uniformity and stability of the liquid crystal layer, leading to improved display characteristics. The patent was filed on September 13, 2013, and granted on October 10, 2014. The applicant is LG Display Co., Ltd. [1].
What are the Key Claims of KR20140116927?
The patent includes multiple claims that define the boundaries of the protected technology. The primary claims are directed towards the manufacturing method itself and the resulting display device.
Claim 1 is a representative independent claim for the method. It describes a process involving:
- Forming a gate line on a substrate.
- Forming a data line on the substrate, intersecting the gate line.
- Forming a thin-film transistor (TFT) including a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, and a source electrode and a drain electrode connected to the data line and the gate electrode.
- Forming a protective film on the TFT.
- Forming a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode.
- Forming a common electrode on an opposing substrate.
- Forming a sealant on at least one of the substrates to define an area for the liquid crystal.
- Injecting liquid crystal into the defined area.
- The key innovation lies in the specific formation of the protective film and its interaction with subsequent layers, particularly in how it manages stress or contamination during the process. The patent emphasizes a method where the protective film is formed in a manner that prevents defects associated with the pixel electrode formation and alignment layer formation steps [1].
Dependent claims elaborate on specific materials, dimensions, and process parameters. For instance, claims may specify the type of material used for the protective film (e.g., inorganic material like silicon nitride or oxide), its thickness range, and the method of deposition. Other dependent claims may detail the structure of the TFT or the configuration of the electrodes.
Claim 14 is an example of a dependent claim specifying the material of the protective film. It states that the protective film is made of an inorganic insulating material. This narrows the scope by excluding organic protective films [1].
Claims 15 onwards often pertain to the resulting display device manufactured by the claimed method. These claims would describe the physical structure of the LCD panel that exhibits the improved characteristics resulting from the patented manufacturing process. This could include specific layer thicknesses, material compositions, or dimensional relationships between components that are a direct consequence of employing the patented method.
What is the Prior Art Landscape for This Technology?
The prior art for KR20140116927 would typically encompass existing patents and publications related to LCD manufacturing methods, TFT structures, and liquid crystal alignment techniques. Prior art searches for this patent would have identified technologies that predated its filing date of September 13, 2013.
Key areas of prior art would include:
- TFT Manufacturing: Patents detailing methods for forming gate lines, data lines, and transistors on glass substrates. This includes various deposition techniques (e.g., CVD, sputtering), lithography, and etching processes.
- Protective Film Applications: Existing technologies that use protective or passivation layers in semiconductor or display manufacturing to shield underlying layers from subsequent processing steps or environmental factors.
- Liquid Crystal Alignment: Methods for orienting liquid crystal molecules, including rubbing techniques, photo-alignment, and the use of alignment layers.
- Display Device Structures: Patents describing the general architecture of LCD panels, including electrode configurations, substrate types, and sealing methods.
The patent office's examination process for KR20140116927 would have assessed its novelty and inventive step against this prior art. The granted claims represent the aspects of the invention deemed unique and non-obvious at the time of filing. For example, prior art might have disclosed protective films, but not specifically in the context of preventing defects during pixel electrode formation in a particular manner that leads to improved display uniformity as claimed in KR20140116927 [1].
What is the Current Patent Status and Geographic Coverage?
Patent KR20140116927 is a national patent granted by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Its validity and enforceability are limited to the territory of South Korea.
- Grant Date: October 10, 2014
- Publication Date: October 10, 2014
- Expiration Date: September 13, 2033 (based on a 20-year term from the filing date, subject to maintenance fees)
- Jurisdiction: South Korea
The patent is currently active, assuming all required maintenance fees have been paid. Active status means that the patent owner can seek to enforce their rights against infringers within South Korea. Competitors manufacturing or selling LCD devices in South Korea that utilize the patented method without a license could face legal action for patent infringement.
There is no indication from the patent number itself that international patent applications were filed based on this Korean application (e.g., PCT application or direct foreign filings in other countries). However, the applicant, LG Display Co., Ltd., being a global company, likely has a broader patent portfolio covering its technologies in other key markets. A comprehensive landscape analysis would require examining patent filings in jurisdictions such as the United States, Europe, China, and Japan, which would likely be related to LG Display's core LCD technologies.
Who are the Key Players in This Patent Landscape?
The primary entity associated with patent KR20140116927 is LG Display Co., Ltd. [1]. This company is a leading global manufacturer of display panels, including LCD and OLED technologies. As the assignee, LG Display holds the rights to this patent and is expected to leverage it to protect its manufacturing processes and products.
The broader patent landscape for LCD manufacturing technologies involves several major display manufacturers. Key competitors and potential licensors or licensees in this space include:
- Samsung Display Co., Ltd.: A direct competitor to LG Display, also a major player in the global display market with extensive patent filings in display technologies.
- BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. (China): A rapidly growing display manufacturer with a significant patent portfolio, particularly in China.
- China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) (China): Another prominent Chinese display maker with increasing patent activity.
- Sharp Corporation (Japan): Historically a significant innovator in LCD technology.
While KR20140116927 specifically names LG Display as the applicant, the competitive landscape means that other companies are likely developing and patenting similar or alternative methods for manufacturing LCDs. This could lead to cross-licensing agreements or patent disputes. Understanding the patent portfolios of these competitors in South Korea and globally is crucial for assessing the strategic implications of KR20140116927.
What are the Potential Infringement Risks for Competitors?
Competitors manufacturing or intending to manufacture and sell LCD panels in South Korea face potential infringement risks if their manufacturing processes fall within the scope of the claims of KR20140116927.
The specific infringement risk depends on:
- Process Similarity: Whether a competitor's method for forming the protective film, pixel electrode, and alignment layers substantially replicates the steps and configurations protected by Claim 1 and its dependent claims. This includes the materials used, the order of operations, and the functional outcome achieved.
- Product Integration: Whether LCD panels manufactured using a potentially infringing method are imported into or sold within South Korea.
- Knowledge of the Patent: While not always a direct element of infringement in civil cases, awareness of the patent can influence strategy and potentially lead to higher damages if infringement is found to be willful.
Given that LG Display is a major LCD manufacturer, it is likely to actively monitor the market for potential infringers of its intellectual property. Companies utilizing advanced LCD manufacturing techniques that aim for enhanced uniformity and defect reduction would be particularly scrutinized.
Example Scenarios of Potential Infringement:
- A competitor adopts a manufacturing process that includes forming a silicon nitride protective layer of similar thickness and deposition method as described implicitly in the dependent claims, followed by pixel electrode formation that experiences similar stress or contamination issues as those the patent aims to solve.
- A South Korean competitor's internal R&D discovers a method that closely mirrors the sequence of deposition and patterning steps outlined in KR20140116927 for creating specific layer interfaces, aiming for improved display performance.
Risk mitigation for competitors would involve:
- Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analysis: Conducting thorough FTO analyses in South Korea for their specific LCD manufacturing processes to identify potential conflicts with KR20140116927 and other relevant patents.
- Design Around: Modifying manufacturing processes to clearly avoid the claimed elements of KR20140116927.
- Licensing: Seeking a license from LG Display if the patented technology is critical and cannot be easily avoided.
How Might This Patent Impact Future R&D in the Display Industry?
The existence of patent KR20140116927, and patents like it, can shape future research and development efforts in several ways:
- Incentive for Innovation: It encourages competitors to innovate and develop alternative methods that circumvent the patented technology while achieving similar or superior results. This drives the development of new materials, processes, and device architectures.
- Focus on Specific Problem Areas: The patent highlights specific challenges in LCD manufacturing, such as controlling stress, preventing contamination during electrode formation, and achieving uniform liquid crystal alignment. Future R&D may target novel solutions to these particular problems.
- Exploration of Different Technologies: As LCD technology matures, companies may increasingly focus R&D on next-generation display technologies (e.g., OLED, MicroLED) to escape the crowded and highly patented LCD landscape. However, foundational process innovations in LCDs can still have relevance.
- Advancements in Materials Science: The claims regarding specific materials or deposition techniques for protective layers could spur research into new or improved materials with better insulating properties, stress-buffering capabilities, or compatibility with subsequent process steps.
- Process Optimization: R&D efforts may focus on optimizing processes to achieve the benefits claimed in KR20140116927 through entirely different technological approaches, rather than direct replication.
The patent’s existence serves as a reference point, defining a specific technological zone that has been claimed. Future R&D will likely aim to operate outside this zone or to improve upon the existing innovation in ways that can themselves be patented.
Key Takeaways
- Patent KR20140116927, owned by LG Display Co., Ltd., protects a specific method for manufacturing liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, focusing on enhancing performance through improved manufacturing processes.
- The patent's core innovation lies in the formation of protective films and their impact on subsequent electrode and alignment layer formations, aiming to reduce defects and improve uniformity.
- The patent is currently active and geographically limited to South Korea, expiring in September 2033.
- Competitors manufacturing or selling LCDs in South Korea risk infringement if their processes fall within the patent's claims.
- The patent landscape for LCD manufacturing is highly competitive, with major players like Samsung Display, BOE, and CSOT actively filing patents.
- KR20140116927 can influence future R&D by highlighting specific manufacturing challenges and incentivizing the development of alternative technologies or process improvements.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the expiration date of patent KR20140116927?
The patent is expected to expire on September 13, 2033, twenty years from its filing date.
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Does this patent cover OLED display manufacturing?
No, patent KR20140116927 specifically pertains to the manufacturing method for liquid crystal display (LCD) devices.
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Can this patent be enforced in countries outside of South Korea?
No, patent KR20140116927 is a national patent and can only be enforced within the territory of South Korea.
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What are the implications if a company uses a similar but not identical manufacturing process?
Infringement can still occur if the competitor's process falls under the "doctrine of equivalents," meaning it performs substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve substantially the same result, even if not identical. A detailed analysis is required.
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What is the main objective of the technology described in the patent?
The primary objective is to improve the performance and quality of LCD panels by enhancing the uniformity and stability of the liquid crystal layer through a refined manufacturing process that reduces defects during electrode formation.
Citations
[1] Korean Intellectual Property Office. (2014). Patent KR20140116927. LG Display Co., Ltd.
