Patents by Inventor Tohru Kawakami

Tohru Kawakami 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: 10180575
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a projection unit configured to project an image and a plurality of concave reflectors in which contact surfaces with optical axes of the concave reflectors with respect to the optical axis of the projection unit are disposed at different angles from one another. A first concave reflector of the plurality of concave reflectors reflects at least a portion of an image projected by the projection unit to form a first image based on the image. A second concave reflector of the plurality of concave reflectors transmits a portion of an image projected by the projection unit and reflects a portion of the image to form a second image based on the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignees: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tohru Kawakami, Mutsumi Sasai, Yoshito Suzuki, Toshiyuki Araki, Masaru Ohira
  • Patent number: 9939127
    Abstract: A lighting device (100) includes: a surface light source (1); a first lens (L1) having a first focal point (F1), the first lens being provided on the light exit surface side of the surface light source; and a second lens (L2) having a second focal point (F2), the second lens being provided on a light exit surface side of the first lens, the surface light source, the first lens, and the second lens being configured such that a first virtual image (I1) is formed by the first lens and a second virtual image (I2) is formed by the second lens, wherein the first virtual image (I1) is formed between the second focal point (F2) and the first lens, and the second focal point (F2) is on a side opposite to the light source side relative to a predetermined focal position f?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Takahiro Ishinabe, Katsunori Ehara, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Toshiki Matsuoka, Kozo Nakamura, Yasuhisa Itoh, Yoshitaka Yamamoto, Yutaka Ishii, David Montgomery
  • Publication number: 20170123212
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a projection unit configured to project an image and a plurality of concave reflectors in which contact surfaces with optical axes of the concave reflectors with respect to the optical axis of the projection unit are disposed at different angles from one another. A first concave reflector of the plurality of concave reflectors reflects at least a portion of an image projected by the projection unit to form a first image based on the image. A second concave reflector of the plurality of concave reflectors transmits a portion of an image projected by the projection unit and reflects a portion of the image to form a second image based on the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicants: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tohru Kawakami, Mutsumi Sasai, Yoshito Suzuki, Toshiyuki Araki, Masaru Ohira
  • Patent number: 9507197
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a light guide plate; a light source; and a light modulation element disposed on a surface of or in the inside of the light guide plate, and adhered to the light guide plate. The light modulation element has a pair of transparent substrates, a first electrode provided on a surface of one of the transparent substrates, a second electrode provided on a surface of the other of the transparent substrates, and a light modulation layer, provided in a gap between the transparent substrates, exhibiting a light-scattering property or a light-transmitting property concerning light from the light source depending on intensity of an electric field. One or both of the first and second electrodes include partial electrodes. First partial electrodes of the partial electrodes are adjacent to second partial electrodes of the partial electrodes, and have irregular shapes on edges adjacent to the second partial electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Takahiro Ishinabe, Tohru Kawakami, Kentaro Okuyama, Mamoru Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9310619
    Abstract: To provide a thin optical sheet having improved efficiency for light utilization, an optical sheet (5) of one mode of the present invention includes, in sequence from a light entry side to a light emission side, a plurality of first prisms (13), a ¼ wavelength plate (11), and a polarized-light separating element (12), the plurality of first prisms (13) each having (i) a first surface (13a) through which light enters the first prism and (ii) a second surface (13b) that reflects the light, having entered the first prism, toward the light emission side, the optical film further including, between the plurality of first prisms in an in-plane direction of the optical film, a second prism (14) that reflects light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Kazuo Sekiya, Masahiro Nishizawa, Takahiro Ishinabe, Katsunori Ehara, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Yasuhisa Itoh, Yoshitaka Yamamoto, Yutaka Ishii
  • Patent number: 9217552
    Abstract: A lighting device (100) includes: a surface light source (1); a first lens (L1) having a first focal point (F1), the first lens being provided on the light exit surface side of the surface light source; and a second lens (L2) having a second focal point (F2), the second lens being provided on a light exit surface side of the first lens, the surface light source, the first lens, and the second lens being configured such that a first virtual image (I1) is formed by the first lens and a second virtual image (I2) is formed by the second lens, wherein the first virtual image (I1) is formed between the second focal point (F2) and the first lens, the second focal point (F2) is on a side opposite to the light source side relative to a predetermined focal position f?, and at least either of a light entry surface or a light exit surface of the first lens or the second lens includes a non-revolution surface (SO) as a lens surface, and a plurality of boundary lines (B1-B4) whose curvatures vary discontinuously are provid
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Takahiro Ishinabe, Katsunori Ehara, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Toshiki Matsuoka, Kozo Nakamura, Yasuhisa Itoh, Yoshitaka Yamamoto, Yutaka Ishii
  • Patent number: 9122097
    Abstract: A backlight system (30) includes a light emitting section (31) and an imaging optical system. The imaging optical system includes a first microlens array (MLA1) and a second microlens array (MLA2). The lenses (1A) separates the beams of light emitted from the light emitting section (31) by RGB, and causes them to be converged at a pitch same as a pitch at which the picture elements are arrayed. The lenses (2A) are provided in one-to-one correspondence to the picture elements such that the lenses (2A) have their respective focal points at positions onto which beams of light having passed through the lenses (1A) are converged. The lenses (2A) thus deflect the beams of light which have passed through the lenses (1A) in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the display surface of the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Kazuo Sekiya, Masahiro Nishizawa, Takahiro Ishinabe, Baku Katagiri, Katsunori Ehara, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Shoichi Ishihara, Shuichi Kozaki, Yutaka Ishii
  • Publication number: 20150211709
    Abstract: A lighting device (100) includes: a surface light source (1); a first lens (L1) having a first focal point (F1), the first lens being provided on the light exit surface side of the surface light source; and a second lens (L2) having a second focal point (F2), the second lens being provided on a light exit surface side of the first lens, the surface light source, the first lens, and the second lens being configured such that a first virtual image (I1) is formed by the first lens and a second virtual image (I2) is formed by the second lens, wherein the first virtual image (I1) is formed between the second focal point (F2) and the first lens, and the second focal point (F2) is on a side opposite to the light source side relative to a predetermined focal position f?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicants: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Takahiro Ishinabe, Katsunori Ehara, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Toshiki Matsuoka, Kozo Nakamura, Yasuhisa Itoh, Yoshitaka Yamamoto, Yutaka Ishii, David Montgomery
  • Publication number: 20150167924
    Abstract: A lighting device (100) includes: a surface light source (1); a first lens (L1) having a first focal point (F1), the first lens being provided on the light exit surface side of the surface light source; and a second lens (L2) having a second focal point (F2), the second lens being provided on a light exit surface side of the first lens, the surface light source, the first lens, and the second lens being configured such that a first virtual image (I1) is formed by the first lens and a second virtual image (I2) is formed by the second lens, wherein the first virtual image (I1) is formed between the second focal point (F2) and the first lens, the second focal point (F2) is on a side opposite to the light source side relative to a predetermined focal position f?, and at least either of a light entry surface or a light exit surface of the first lens or the second lens includes a non-revolution surface (SO) as a lens surface, and a plurality of boundary lines (B1-B4) whose curvatures vary discontinuously are provid
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Takahiro Ishinabe, Katsunori Ehara, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Toshiki Matsuoka, Kozo Nakamura, Yasuhisa Itoh, Yoshitaka Yamamoto, Yutaka Ishii
  • Publication number: 20150036215
    Abstract: To provide a thin optical sheet having improved efficiency for light utilization, an optical sheet (5) of one mode of the present invention includes, in sequence from a light entry side to a light emission side, a plurality of first prisms (13), a ¼ wavelength plate (11), and a polarized-light separating element (12), the plurality of first prisms (13) each having (i) a first surface (13a) through which light enters the first prism and (ii) a second surface (13b) that reflects the light, having entered the first prism, toward the light emission side, the optical film further including, between the plurality of first prisms in an in-plane direction of the optical film, a second prism (14) that reflects light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Kazuo Sekiya, Masahiro Nishizawa, Takahiro Ishinabe, Katsunori Ehara, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Yasuhisa Itoh, Yoshitaka Yamamoto, Yutaka Ishii
  • Publication number: 20150015456
    Abstract: A multi-display device (101) of the present invention includes fry-eye lens arrays (3), located between a plurality of liquid crystal modules (11) arranged in parallel and in a tiling manner and a diffusing element (12), which cause rays of light emitted from light source sections (2) and transmitted through the liquid crystal modules (11) to be condensed on the diffusing element (12) at a pitch that is wider than a pixel pitch of the liquid crystal modules (11). This makes it possible with a simple configuration to make seams between image modulation elements less conspicuous and give a satisfactory feeling of resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: TOUOKU UNIVERISTY
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Kazuo Sekiya, Masahiro Nishizawa, Takahiro Ishinabe, Katsunori Ehara, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Yasuhisa Itoh, Yoshitaka Yamamoto, Yutaka Ishii
  • Patent number: 8922735
    Abstract: A backlight system includes: a light-emitting section (1) having a plurality of light sources that emit beams of light at different dominant wavelengths from one another; and an imaging optical system (3) including a plurality of microlenses (3a) that focus beams of light emitted from the light-emitting section (1), the backlight system irradiating a liquid crystal panel with beams of light having passed through the imaging optical system (3), the liquid crystal panel including a plurality of pixels arrayed at a predetermined pitch from each other, on the assumption that the pitch at which the pixels are arrayed is denoted as P and the imaging optical system (3) has an imaging magnification of (1/n), the light sources (1) being arrayed at a pitch (P1) given as P1=n×P, the microlenses (3a) being arrayed at a pitch (P2) given as P2=(n/(n+1))×P.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Kazuo Sekiya, Masahiro Nishizawa, Takahiro Ishinabe, Baku Katagiri, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Shoichi Ishihara, Shuichi Kozaki, Yutaka Ishii
  • Patent number: 8810752
    Abstract: A thin backlight system includes: a light emitting section emitting lights that have different dominant wavelengths; and a plurality of light transmitting portions, the thin backlight system deflecting the lights and then converging the lights on the plurality of light transmitting portions. The thin backlight system further includes: an imaging optical system provided to face surfaces, of the plurality of light transmitting portions, on which the lights are converged. The imaging optical system including a plurality of identical lenses arranged in a vertical and/or a horizontal direction at a pitch determined by multiplying a pitch at which the plurality of light transmitting portions are arranged in a vertical and/or a horizontal direction by the number of types of the different dominant wavelengths and being configured to converge the lights from the light emitting section on light transmitting portions to which the different dominant wavelengths of the lights correspond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Kazuo Sekiya, Takahiro Ishinabe, Baku Katagiri, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Shoichi Ishihara, Shuichi Kozaki, Yutaka Ishii
  • Publication number: 20130201424
    Abstract: A backlight system (30) includes a light emitting section (31) and an imaging optical system. The imaging optical system includes a first microlens array (MLA1) and a second microlens array (MLA2). The lenses (1A) separates the beams of light emitted from the light emitting section (31) by RGB, and causes them to be converged at a pitch same as a pitch at which the picture elements are arrayed. The lenses (2A) are provided in one-to-one correspondence to the picture elements such that the lenses (2A) have their respective focal points at positions onto which beams of light having passed through the lenses (1A) are converged. The lenses (2A) thus deflect the beams of light which have passed through the lenses (1A) in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the display surface of the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Kazuo Sekiya, Masahiro Nishizawa, Takahiro Ishinabe, Baku Katagiri, Katsunori Ehara, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Shoichi Ishihara, Shuichi Kozaki, Yutaka Ishii
  • Patent number: 8493526
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a light guide plate; a light source disposed on a side face of the light guide plate; and a light modulation element disposed on a surface or in the inside of the light guide plate and adhered to the light guide plate. The light modulation element has a pair of transparent substrates disposed separately and oppositely, a pair of electrodes provided on respective surfaces of the pair of transparent substrates, and a light modulation layer provided in a gap between the pair of transparent substrates. The light modulation layer includes a first region, having optical anisotropy, responsive to an electric field, and a second region, having optical anisotropy, unresponsive to an electric field. The second region has a striped structure with average striped texture size of 0.05 ?m to 10 ?m both inclusive in a short axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Takahiro Ishinabe, Tohru Kawakami, Tomoaki Suzuki, Kentaro Okuyama, Akira Ebisui, Harumi Sato, Mamoru Mizuno, Masahiro Ikeda, Shogo Shinkai
  • Patent number: 8330709
    Abstract: An illuminating device capable of improving display luminance while decreasing light leakage in a range with a large view angle and a display unit are provided. In a light modulation device bonded to a light guide plate, a light modulation layer containing a bulk and microparticles is provided. Both the bulk and the microparticles have optical anisotropy, and each response speed to an electric field is different from each other. Thereby, by controlling the electric field, each optical axis orientation of the bulk and the microparticles is able to correspond with each other, or is able to be different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Takahiro Ishinabe, Tohru Kawakami, Kentaro Okuyama, Harumi Sato
  • Patent number: 8259384
    Abstract: An illumination device is provided and includes: a light guide member; a light source provided on one or more side faces of the light guide member; and a light modulating element including a pair of transparent substrates disposed to oppose each other with a gap therebetween, a first electrode provided on a surface of one of the transparent substrates, a second electrode provided on a surface of the other of the transparent substrates, and a light modulation layer provided in the gap and expressing a scattering property or a transparency to light from the light source in accordance with a magnitude of an electric field. The first electrode, the second electrode, or both thereof is patterned, and a density of pattern of the first electrode, the second electrode, or both thereof to which the patterning is applied is varied depending on a distance from the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Takahiro Ishinabe, Tohru Kawakami, Kentaro Okuyama, Shinpei Nagatani, Akira Ebisui, Masahiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8199278
    Abstract: Surface light source device includes: point light sources (13); light guide plate (1) having (i) two end parts in length direction, one of which serves as incident surface (2), and (ii) two end parts in thickness direction which serve as exit surface (7) and back surface (8), light guide plate (1) directing light, emitted from point light sources (13), incident on incident surface (2), so as to cause light to exit from substantially entire area of exit surface (7); and reflector (14) which reflects, toward incident surface (2), part of light which is emitted from point light sources (13) and is then reflected from incident surface (2). Incident surface (2) has elliptic arc (10) which is concave part having surface shape along elliptic arc identical to elliptic arc which is part of ellipse (31) having two focal points corresponding to point light sources (13) and reflector (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Takahiro Ishinabe, Baku Katagiri, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Shoichi Ishihara, Shuichi Kozaki, Yutaka Ishii
  • Publication number: 20120127398
    Abstract: A backlight system includes: a light-emitting section (1) having a plurality of light sources that emit beams of light at different dominant wavelengths from one another; and an imaging optical system (3) including a plurality of microlenses (3a) that focus beams of light emitted from the light-emitting section (1), the backlight system irradiating a liquid crystal panel with beams of light having passed through the imaging optical system (3), the liquid crystal panel including a plurality of pixels arrayed at a predetermined pitch from each other, on the assumption that the pitch at which the pixels are arrayed is denoted as P and the imaging optical system (3) has an imaging magnification of (1/n), the light sources (1) being arrayed at a pitch (P1) given as P1=n×P, the microlenses (3a) being arrayed at a pitch (P2) given as P2=(n/(n+1))×P.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicants: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Kazuo Sekiya, Masahiro Nishizawa, Takahiro Ishinabe, Baku Katagiri, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Shoichi Ishihara, Shuichi Kozaki, Yutaka Ishii
  • Publication number: 20110310330
    Abstract: According to a conventional backlight device for use in a thin full-color display device in which pixels are subjected to a color separation by colored lights, a large chromatic aberration occurs, thereby causing a deterioration in image quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicants: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Kazuo Sekiya, Takahiro Ishinabe, Baku Katagiri, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Shoichi Ishihara, Shuichi Kozaki, Yutaka Ishii