Patents by Inventor Masatoshi Yonekubo

Masatoshi Yonekubo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10282906
    Abstract: A virtual image display device including an image generator for generating a picture light beam modulated based on a video signal, and an optical element including a plane of incidence to which the picture light beam emitted from the image generator is input, and an exit surface emitting the picture light beam after a cross-sectional area of the picture light beam input to the plane of incidence has been enlarged. The optical element includes a first light guide and a second light guide connecting the plane of incidence and the exit surface and guiding the picture light beam. A first light branching layer is disposed between the first and second light guides, and partially reflects and partially transmits the picture light beam. The picture light beam emitted from the image generator obliquely enters the first light branching layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masatoshi Yonekubo
  • Publication number: 20190094451
    Abstract: A light-guiding device used in a display device includes a plurality of first half mirrors between a first light-guiding body and a second light-guiding body. Each of the first half mirrors is formed on a first surface extending along a first direction of the first surface and a second surface extending along a second direction in the first light-guiding body. The first light-guiding body includes a third surface overlapping the second surface in a direction along a third direction in which two first surfaces located on both sides of the second surface do not overlap each other between the first surface and the second surface. The third surface extends in a direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shohei YOSHIDA, Atsushi SAITO, Hiroyuki TATSUGI, Masatoshi YONEKUBO
  • Patent number: 10241336
    Abstract: In a retinal scanning display device, a scanning section scans a light beam emitted from a light source to form a scanned image. The light beam emitted from the scanning section is expanded in beam width of the light beam in a first direction by a first beam width expander. The first beam width expander includes alternately stacked first partially reflective layers and first light-transmissive layers disposed between a pair of first reflection faces that face each other in the first direction. The plural partially reflective layers include a partially reflective layer having a transmittance exceeding 50%. This enables the light intensity distribution to be appropriately adjusted in the first direction for a light beam expanded in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsutaka Ide, Masatoshi Yonekubo
  • Publication number: 20190049735
    Abstract: An image display device with which it is possible to visually recognize an image while securing the see-through property regardless of eye movements and changes in interpupillary distance, with which it is possible to display a large-size image with high quality, and which is small, has excellent wearability, and has an excellent external appearance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu YOKOYAMA, Masatoshi YONEKUBO, Takashi TAKEDA, Daisuke ISHIDA, Mitsutaka IDE, Hidemitsu SORIMACHI
  • Publication number: 20190041650
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes an image forming device, first and second light guide members that respectively have first and second light incidence portions and first and second light emission portions, a first diffractive optical element provided in the first light emission portion, a second diffractive optical element provided in the second light emission portion, and a first external light noise reduction element provided over the second light guide member. The first external light noise reduction element overlaps the first and second light emission portions. The first light incidence portion overlaps the second light incidence portion. Image light from the image forming device is incident on the first light incidence portion. A part of the image light is guided in the first light guide member. Another part of the image light is incident on the second light incidence portion and is guided in the second light guide member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Fumika Yamada, Masatoshi Yonekubo, Osamu Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 10139630
    Abstract: An image display device with which it is possible to visually recognize an image while securing the see-through property regardless of eye movements and changes in interpupillary distance, with which it is possible to display a large-size image with high quality, and which is small, has excellent wearability, and has an excellent external appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Yokoyama, Masatoshi Yonekubo, Takashi Takeda, Daisuke Ishida, Mitsutaka Ide, Hidemitsu Sorimachi
  • Publication number: 20180267316
    Abstract: A display device includes a first diffraction element configured to diffract image light and a second diffraction element disposed on as optical path between a light source and the first diffraction element. The first and the second diffraction element emit light beams that have highest diffraction efficiencies in one direction when a single wave light enters from directions of normals. If the sum of the number of reflections of light and the number of times of intermediate image generation between the second diffraction element and the first diffraction element is an even number, in the first and the second diffraction element, the directions of the diffraction light having the highest diffraction efficiencies are output when light enters from the directions of the normals are the same with respect to the directions of the normals to the incident planes. If the sum is an odd number, the directions are opposite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki NOGUCHI, Masatoshi YONEKUBO
  • Patent number: 10025009
    Abstract: An optical device includes a light-conducting member, having a first panel surface disposed facing an image forming unit, that conducts image light incident on a light entry plane formed at an end of the first panel surface to a light exit plane formed in front of the viewer's eye; a first diffractive optics element, provided on the light entry plane, that diffracts the image light incident on the light entry plane in a predetermined direction and transmits that light into the light-conducting member; a second diffractive optics element, provided on the light exit plane, that diffracts the image light exiting from the light exit plane in a predetermined direction and transmits that light to the front of the viewer's eye; and one or more reflective planes disposed within a waveguide for the image light diffracted by the first diffractive optics element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Fumika Yamada, Masatoshi Yonekubo, Osamu Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 10001651
    Abstract: A display device includes a first diffraction element configured to diffract image light and a second diffraction element disposed on an optical path between a light source and the first diffraction element. The first and the second diffraction element emit light beams that have highest diffraction efficiencies in one direction when a single wave light enters from directions of normals. If the sum of the number of reflections of light and the number of times of intermediate image generation between the second diffraction element and the first diffraction element is an even number, in the first and the second diffraction element, the directions of the diffraction light having the highest diffraction efficiencies are output when light enters from the directions of the normals are the same with respect to the directions of the normals to the incident planes. If the sum is an odd number, the directions are opposite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Noguchi, Masatoshi Yonekubo
  • Patent number: 9958679
    Abstract: An electro-optical device includes: a light source which generates a light beams having various angle components; and a first optical element includes a plurality of light guiding materials are bonded to each other via a half mirror layer. The first optical element includes a first surface and a second surface, an incident surface is formed so as to intersect the first surface at a first angle, an emitting surface is formed so as to intersect the first surface at a second angle. A first part of the light is a light reflected by the second surface, and is incident on the emitting surface. The first optical element is formed so that the first part of the light is reflected by the emitting surface, with angles of the first angle and the second angle, and with a refractive index of the plurality of light guiding materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsutaka Ide, Masatoshi Yonekubo, Takashi Takeda
  • Publication number: 20180088341
    Abstract: In a retinal scanning display device, a scanning section scans a light beam emitted from a light source to form a scanned image. The light beam emitted from the scanning section is expanded in beam width of the light beam in a first direction by a first beam width expander. The first beam width expander includes alternately stacked first partially reflective layers and first light-transmissive layers disposed between a pair of first reflection faces that face each other in the first direction. The plural partially reflective layers include a partially reflective layer having a transmittance exceeding 50%. This enables the light intensity distribution to be appropriately adjusted in the first direction for a light beam expanded in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsutaka IDE, Masatoshi YONEKUBO
  • Publication number: 20180067325
    Abstract: The image display device includes an image generating unit that emits first image light, a pupil expanding element that expands a diameter of a light flux included in the first image light from the image generating unit to obtain second image light, a first light condensing optical system that condenses the second image light and forms an intermediate image, and a second light condensing optical system that condenses light from the intermediate image and generates a virtual image on eye of a viewer, in a plane including at least the image generating unit, the pupil expanding element, and the eye of the viewer, a maximum emission angle of the first image light is smaller than a maximum viewing angle of the virtual image, and the diameter of the light flux included in the second image light is greater than that of a light flux included in the virtual image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi YONEKUBO, Osamu YOKOYAMA, Takashi TAKEDA, Mitsutaka IDE, Daisuke ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20180067326
    Abstract: An image display device is capable of easily adjusting a diopter scale with respect to a virtual image. The image display device includes an image generating unit that emits image light including image information, a first optical system that forms an intermediate image by condensing the image light, a second optical system that guides a virtual image to eyes of a viewer by deflecting the light from the intermediate image, and guides the light to the eyes of the viewer by transmitting external light, and an intermediate image position changing device that adjusts a position of the virtual image in depth direction by changing a position of the intermediate image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi YONEKUBO, Mitsutaka IDE
  • Patent number: 9885877
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an image light generator that generates video light modulated based on a video signal, a light diffracting section (first diffractive optical element) that diffracts the video light outputted from the image light generator, a light sweeper (optical scanner) that spatially scans the video light, and a reflector including a light diffracting section (second diffractive optical element) that diffracts the video light scanned by the light sweeper, and the light diffracting section (first diffractive optical element) is provided on an optical path between the image light generator and the light sweeper. The light diffracting section (first diffractive optical element) preferably has a fixed interval between interference fringes, and the light diffracting section (second diffractive optical element) preferably has portions where intervals between interference fringes differ from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yonekubo, Daisuke Ishida
  • Patent number: 9874751
    Abstract: A light-transmissive layer and a partially reflective layer are mutually laminated in a luminous flux diameter enlargement element. When manufacturing the luminous flux diameter enlargement element, a light-transmissive first substrate, on which a first reflective layer is formed on a first surface, a light-transmissive second substrate, on which a first partially reflective layer is formed on a first surface, and which is formed so as to have equivalent thickness to the first substrate, and a third substrate, on which a second reflective layer is formed on a first surface, are laminated toward the same direction as a lamination direction of the respective first surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsutaka Ide, Masatoshi Yonekubo
  • Publication number: 20170261751
    Abstract: A display device includes a first diffraction element configured to diffract image light and a second diffraction element disposed on an optical path between a light source and the first diffraction element. The first and the second diffraction element emit light beams that have highest diffraction efficiencies in one direction when a single wave light enters from directions of normals. If the sum of the number of reflections of light and the number of times of intermediate image generation between the second diffraction element and the first diffraction element is an even number, in the first and the second diffraction element, the directions of the diffraction light having the highest diffraction efficiencies are output when light enters from the directions of the normals are the same with respect to the directions of the normals to the incident planes. If the sum is an odd number, the directions are opposite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki NOGUCHI, Masatoshi YONEKUBO
  • Publication number: 20170242252
    Abstract: A display device of the embodiment includes an image generating unit which emits a light including an image information, and a light guide optical system which generates an image from the light which is emitted from the image generating unit at a position of an exit pupil, in which the light guide optical system is provided with a first mirror (a first deflection unit) which deflects the light which is emitted from the image generating unit, and a second mirror (a second deflection unit) which further deflects the light which is deflected by the first mirror to guide the light to the position of the exit pupil and transmits a portion of external light, and in which an optical axis of the light which propagates from the first mirror toward the second mirror and an optical axis of the exit pupil form an acute angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsutaka IDE, Masatoshi YONEKUBO
  • Publication number: 20170227776
    Abstract: An image display device with which it is possible to visually recognize an image while securing the see-through property regardless of eye movements and changes in interpupillary distance, with which it is possible to display a large-size image with high quality, and which is small, has excellent wearability, and has an excellent external appearance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu YOKOYAMA, Masatoshi YONEKUBO, Takashi TAKEDA, Daisuke ISHIDA, Mitsutaka IDE, Hidemitsu SORIMACHI
  • Publication number: 20170200422
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes light sources that output red light, green light, and blue light, a light modulation part, in which the red light, green light, and blue light are entered, that can respectively independently modulate the red light, green light, and blue light, a lens that condenses the red light, green light, and blue light modulated by the light modulation part, and a light scanning part that performs scanning with the red light, green light, and blue light condensed by the lens, wherein a center axis of the green light passes closer to a center side of the lens than center axes of the red light and the blue light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Junichi OKAMOTO, Masatoshi YONEKUBO
  • Patent number: 9618766
    Abstract: An optical device which is disposed between a light source section of a display apparatus and a projection target member, includes a first luminous flux diameter enlargement element in which a first light-transmissive layer and a first partially reflective layer are alternately laminated in a first direction, and a second luminous flux diameter enlargement element in which a second light-transmissive layer and a second partially reflective layer are alternately laminated in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The first partially reflective layer and the second partially reflective layer are formed from dielectric multilayered films that have the same film configuration. In addition, the optical device includes a retardation element that is formed from a ½? retardation plate between a first emission surface of the first luminous flux diameter enlargement element and a second incidence surface of the second luminous flux diameter enlargement element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsutaka Ide, Masatoshi Yonekubo, Kunihiko Yano