Patents by Inventor Tomio Sonehara

Tomio Sonehara 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: 7713598
    Abstract: Disclosed is a recording medium with a lenticular lens for ink jet recording. The recording medium includes: a lenticular lens layer having a convex part surface, on which a plurality of semicylindrical or arcuate and elongated convexes are arranged in parallel, and a backside surface; and an ink absorptive layer provided on the backside surface of the lenticular lens layer. In the recording medium, an ink permeable layer for avoiding the stay of ink droplets on a recorded face after printing, or an adhesive layer for rendering the recording medium easily fixable to a wall, a mount and the like, or a temporarily applicable part is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhito Suzuki, Tomio Sonehara, Jun Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7635187
    Abstract: An image display device includes an illumination system including a light source that emits light; a polarization separating system which polarizes and separates the light emitted from the illumination system; plural color separation systems which are provided in relation to the illumination system, and each of which separates each of lights generated by the polarization separating system into plural basic color lights; plural spatial light modulators which are provided correspondingly to the color separation systems, and each of which light-modulates the plural basic color lights generated by the color separation system respectively according to image signals; plural color synthesizing systems which are provided correspondingly to the color separation systems, and each of which synthesizes the basic color lights modulated by the spatial light modulator; a polarization synthesizing system which synthesizes the lights generated respectively by the plural color synthesizing systems; and a projection system whic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomio Sonehara
  • Patent number: 7625093
    Abstract: An image display device includes a plurality of projection units, each of which having a light source section emitting one of basic-color lights, a spatial light modulation section modulating the basic-color light emitted from the light source section according to an image signal, and a projection system projecting an image based on the basic-color light modulated by the spatial light modulation section onto a screen. The projection units are arranged in an array, and the images, each of which is projected by each of the projection units, are combined on the screen to form a composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomio Sonehara
  • Patent number: 7607779
    Abstract: A stereoscopic image display device includes: a first display section emitting right-eye images composed of first-screen right-eye images and second-screen right-eye images; a second display section emitting left-eye images composed of first-screen left-eye images and second-screen left-eye images; a first reflecting section reflecting the first-screen right-eye images and the first-screen left-eye images; a second reflecting section reflecting the second-screen right-eye images and the second-screen left-eye images; a first screen onto which the first-screen right-eye images and the first-screen left-eye images, and on which parallax images are formed; a second screen onto which the second-screen right-eye images and the second-screen left-eye images, and on which parallax images are formed; and a parallax image selection section having a right-eye transmission section and a left-eye transmission section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomio Sonehara
  • Publication number: 20070206084
    Abstract: A lens sheet has an external shape of a rectangle or a square defined by four sheet ends in a vertical direction thereto. The lens sheet includes: a first surface, on which a plurality of lenses extending in a direction inclined to one of the sheet ends are arranged in parallel with each other; and a second surface opposite to the first surface, on which a printing is to be performed or to which a printed medium is to be stuck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhito Suzuki, Tomio Sonehara
  • Publication number: 20070148375
    Abstract: Disclosed is a recording medium with a lenticular lens for ink jet recording. The recording medium includes: a lenticular lens layer having a convex part surface, on which a plurality of semicylindrical or arcuate and elongated convexes are arranged in parallel, and a backside surface; and an ink absorptive layer provided on the backside surface of the lenticular lens layer. In the recording medium, an ink permeable layer for avoiding the stay of ink droplets on a recorded face after printing, or an adhesive layer for rendering the recording medium easily fixable to a wall, a mount and the like, or a temporarily applicable part is further provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Katsuhito Suzuki, Tomio Sonehara, Jun Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7233441
    Abstract: The invention provides a stereoscopic display to display a high-quality three-dimensional video which can be viewed without using polarizing glasses. A stereoscopic display according to the present invention includes an electronically-formed, multi-viewpoint light beam group and an image-forming device to reproduce a conjugate image of the multi-viewpoint light beams. The stereoscopic display further includes a cylindrical, or partially cylindrical parallax barrier and a rotating light-emitting array as a multi-viewpoint-light-beam forming device. In addition, the stereoscopic display further includes a polarizing element and a polarization separation device to increase the display contrast. The numerical aperture of the rearmost optical element is preferably increased in order to increase the viewing area, and a reflective optical element with a large aperture is used as the image-forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomio Sonehara
  • Publication number: 20060221303
    Abstract: An image display device includes a plurality of projection units, each of which having a light source section emitting one of basic-color lights, a spatial light modulation section modulating the basic-color light emitted from the light source section according to an image signal, and a projection system projecting an image based on the basic-color light modulated by the spatial light modulation section onto a screen. The projection units are arranged in an array, and the images, each of which is projected by each of the projection units, are combined on the screen to form a composite image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomio Sonehara
  • Publication number: 20060215118
    Abstract: An image display device includes an illumination system including a light source that emits light; a polarization separating system which polarizes and separates the light emitted from the illumination system; plural color separation systems which are provided in relation to the illumination system, and each of which separates each of lights generated by the polarization separating system into plural basic color lights; plural spatial light modulators which are provided correspondingly to the color separation systems, and each of which light-modulates the plural basic color lights generated by the color separation system respectively according to image signals; plural color synthesizing systems which are provided correspondingly to the color separation systems, and each of which synthesizes the basic color lights modulated by the spatial light modulator; a polarization synthesizing system which synthesizes the lights generated respectively by the plural color synthesizing systems; and a projection system whic
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomio Sonehara
  • Publication number: 20060214875
    Abstract: A stereoscopic image display device includes: a first display section emitting right-eye images composed of first-screen right-eye images and second-screen right-eye images; a second display section emitting left-eye images composed of first-screen left-eye images and second-screen left-eye images; a first reflecting section reflecting the first-screen right-eye images and the first-screen left-eye images; a second reflecting section reflecting the second-screen right-eye images and the second-screen left-eye images; a first screen onto which the first-screen right-eye images and the first-screen left-eye images, and on which parallax images are formed; a second screen onto which the second-screen right-eye images and the second-screen left-eye images, and on which parallax images are formed; and a parallax image selection section having a right-eye transmission section and a left-eye transmission section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomio Sonehara
  • Publication number: 20060061652
    Abstract: A stereoscopic image display system includes: an image display unit that displays a parallax image composed of a right eye image and a left eye image; glasses having a transmission portion for a right eye transmitting only the right eye image of the parallax image and a transmission portion for a left eye transmitting only the left eye image of the parallax image; an inclination detection unit that detects an inclination of the glasses; a parallax image generation unit that generates the parallax image in accordance with a detection result from the inclination detection unit; and a display unit that displays the parallax image generated by the parallax image generation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigemi Sato, Akira Kubota, Tomio Sonehara
  • Patent number: 6635850
    Abstract: A laser machining method and apparatus performs high-speed and high-precision machining on a thin film and a liquid crystal panel. The apparatus includes: a plurality of pulse laser generators, drivers for alternately driving a plurality of pulse laser generators to generate laser beams delayed in phase between each other; collimators for making the generated laser beams equal in quality; a wave plate for converting the laser beams into elliptically polarized laser beams; and a phase grating for dividing each laser beam emitted by each of the plurality of laser beam generators into a plurality of laser beams; such that an object to be processed is selectively illuminated with the plurality of laser beams produced by the phase grating. The phase grating has structure on its surface for dividing each of the laser beams into equal intensity beams. Open grooves are formed having uniform shape and quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Amako, Masami Murai, Tsutomu Ota, Tomio Sonehara
  • Patent number: 6606138
    Abstract: A reflecting film is formed on one substrate, and ¼ wavelength layer is arranged on this reflecting film. A liquid crystal layer comprises liquid crystal molecule, a polymer and dichroic dye, the polymer particles being dispersed in liquid crystal molecules. Using this configuration, a liquid crystal apparatus free from parallax is available. Because the dichroic dye is mixed in the liquid crystal layer, a light entering the liquid crystal layer upon non-application of voltage is absorbed by the dichroic dye, thus giving a light absorbing state. Upon application of voltage, there is available a light scattering state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomio Sonehara
  • Publication number: 20030086167
    Abstract: The invention provides a stereoscopic display to display a high-quality three-dimensional video which can be viewed without using polarizing glasses. A stereoscopic display according to the present invention includes an electronically-formed, multi-viewpoint light beam group and an image-forming device to reproduce a conjugate image of the multi-viewpoint light beams. The stereoscopic display further includes a cylindrical, or partially cylindrical parallax barrier and a rotating light-emitting array as a multi-viewpoint-light-beam forming device. In addition, the stereoscopic display further includes a polarizing element and a polarization separation device to increase the display contrast. The numerical aperture of the rearmost optical element is preferably increased in order to increase the viewing area, and a reflective optical element with a large aperture is used as the image-forming device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomio Sonehara
  • Publication number: 20030020879
    Abstract: The invention provides a stereoscopic display capable of achieving three-dimensional images with excellent display quality and without using polarized glasses or the like. A stereoscopic display according to the present invention includes a device to electronically form composite stereoscopic images, an image forming device to reproduce real images of the composite stereoscopic images, and a focal device to substantially align the real images with a focal point position of eyes of an observer. In order to further enhance display performance, there are provided a Z-direction scanning device, a rotationally scanning device, and a matrix-type display that forms the composite stereoscopic images. On the other hand, there is provided a composite stereoscopic image-forming device including a projection device and a scanning-type scattering screen. In order to enhance display contrast, there are provided a polarization element and a polarized light separating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomio Sonehara
  • Publication number: 20020139786
    Abstract: A laser machining method and apparatus for performing high- speed and high-precision machining on a thin film deposited on a substrate, as well as a liquid crystal panel having an electrode structure patterned using the laser machining apparatus and according to this method are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: Jun Amako, Masami Murai, Tsutomu Ota, Tomio Sonehara
  • Patent number: 6388697
    Abstract: An image forming device for forming optically inputted two-dimensional images. A light valve, including a bistable electrooptic medium and a photoconductive material, acts as an image recording device which records an image inputted from an image inputting device. When the light valve is irradiated by the light from the image inputting device, the electrooptic medium makes a state transition by photoelectric converting action of the photoconductive material. The state of the electrooptic medium is dependent on the threshold voltage across the light valve and on the threshold intensity of the input light. The recorded image can be outputted to film or any type of visual display apparatus. The image inputting device can be a modulated scanned light beam, as from a laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomio Sonehara, Hidekazu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6376799
    Abstract: A laser machining apparatus for performing high-precision machining on a thin film deposited on a substrate, such as a liquid crystal panel. The apparatus includes a pulse laser generator for emitting a laser beam, a driver for driving the pulse laser generator, a phase grating for dividing the laser beam; a rotary stage for rotating the phase grating to control the direction of the beams illuminating an object, and a spatial filter (element 2101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Amako, Masami Murai, Tsutomu Ota, Tomio Sonehara
  • Publication number: 20020005930
    Abstract: A reflecting film is formed on one of the substrates, and a ¼ wavelength layer is arranged on this reflecting film. A liquid crystal layer comprises liquid crystal molecule, a polymer and dichroic dye, the polymer particles being dispersed in liquid crystal molecules. Using this configuration, a liquid crystal apparatus free from parallax is available.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 1998
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Inventor: TOMIO SONEHARA
  • Patent number: 6201584
    Abstract: There is provided a novel structure in which in a liquid-crystal display device including active devices a sufficient writing operation is ensured and a decrease in voltage applied to liquid crystal is prevented by a method different from a method for improving the device characteristics of active devices such as MIM devices. MIM devices 13 are connected to scanning lines 11, and pixel electrodes 15 are connected to the MIM devices 13. One electrode of an electrostatic capacitor CS is connected to a point at which the MIM device 13 and the pixel electrode 15 are connected, and another electrode of the electrostatic capacitor CS is connected to stable potential VS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomio Sonehara, Tetsuhiko Takeuchi, Hidehito Iisaka