Patents by Inventor Yasuo Katano

Yasuo Katano 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: 11960096
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device includes an image display unit (300a, 300b) configured to emit image light, a light guide member (100a, 100b) configured to guide the image light and emit the image light to eyes of a wearer who wears the head-mounted display device, and a relay optical system (201a, 201b) arranged between the image display unit and the light guide member, and configured to relay the image light from the image display unit to the light guide member, and form an intermediate image at least once before the image light enters the light guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shigenobu Hirano, Yasuo Katano, Kenji Kameyama, Norikazu Igarashi, Satomi Tanaka, Naoki Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20230280592
    Abstract: A light guide member (300) includes a boundary surface (304) configured to reflect image light guided to the boundary surface (304) and emit the image light outside the light guide member (300), an opposing surface (306) parallel to the boundary surface (304), the opposing surface (306) facing the boundary surface (304), a first inclined surface (305) having an inclination in which a distance between the first inclined surface (305) and the boundary surface (304) decreases in a guiding direction of the image light, and a second inclined surface (307) between the opposing surface (306) and the first inclined surface (305), the second inclined surface (307) inclined at a different angle with the first inclined surface (305) in the guiding direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Naoki NAKAMURA, Masahiro ITOH, Susumu MOMMA, Shigenobu HIRANO, Yoshifumi SUDOH, Shun OKAZAKI, Yasuo KATANO, Kenji KAMEYAMA, Norikazu IGARASHI, Masamichi YAMADA, Aino HASEGAWA, Takashi MAKI
  • Patent number: 11656461
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device includes a display element to display an image; a light guide member to emit the image displayed on the display element to an eye of a wearer; a housing including an optical system to guide image light of the image displayed on the display element to the light guide member; and an adjustment member provided on a side of the light guide member opposite to the optical system, and to bend the housing on a side opposite to a face of the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Aino Hasegawa, Shigenobu Hirano, Yasuo Katano, Kenji Kameyama, Norikazu Igarashi, Naoki Nakamura, Yoshifumi Sudoh, Masahiro Itoh, Shun Okazaki, Susumu Momma
  • Publication number: 20230039870
    Abstract: A light guide includes: a light guide board configured to allow light incident on an optical entrance to propagate through the light guide board, the light guide board including: the optical entrance; a first face; and at least one partial reflection layer within the light guide board and tilted to the first face. The at least one partial reflection layer is configured to reflect a part of light incident on the at least one partial reflection layer at an incident angle of greater than or equal to a critical angle ?r to allow the reflected light to exit the light guide board through the first surface while transmitting therethrough a remainder of the light incident on the at least one partial reflection layer. Formula below is satisfied: ?r=sin?1(n2/n1) where ?r is the critical angle; n1 is a refractive index of the light guide board; and n2 is a refractive index of the at least one partial reflection layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Susumu MOMMA, Naoki NAKAMURA, Masahiro ITOH, Yoshifumi SUDOH, Shigenobu HIRANO, Yasuo KATANO
  • Publication number: 20230003931
    Abstract: A light guide includes light guiding members including first and second light guiding members, an optical entrance having a plane on which the light is incident, a light guiding unit to guide the light incident on the optical entrance with repeated reflection, a light beam ejection unit to eject the light to an outside of the light guide, and an extraction unit to reflect the light guided by the light guiding unit toward the light beam ejection unit. The light guiding members guide and eject a light, and the second light guiding member is bonded to, at least, the light guiding unit of the first light guiding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Naoki NAKAMURA, Masahiro ITOH, Yoshifumi SUDOH, Susumu MOMMA, Shun OKAZAKI, Shigenobu HIRANO, Yasuo KATANO, Kenji KAMEYAMA, Norikazu IGARASHI, Aino HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20220252838
    Abstract: A lens unit includes: a lens group including: an object-side lens closest to an object side in the lens group; an image-side lens closest to an image side in the lens group; and an intermediate lens between the object-side lens and the image-side lens, the object-side lens, the image-side lens, and the intermediate lens being arranged along an optical axis; a first holder holding an edge surface of the object-side lens and an edge surface of the intermediate lens; and a second holder separate from the first holder, the second holder holding the edge surface of the intermediate lens and an edge surface of the image-side lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Yoshifumi SUDOH, Yasuo KATANO, Shigenobu HIRANO, Masahiro ITOH, Naoki NAKAMURA, Susumu MOMMA, Shun OKAZAKI, Masamichi YAMADA, Kenji KAMEYAMA, Norikazu IGARASHI, Aino HASEGAWA, Takashi MAKI
  • Publication number: 20220057640
    Abstract: A virtual image display device includes: an image display element that displays an image to be displayed as a virtual image; a propagation optical system that propagates light from the image display element; and a light guide member that guides the light propagated by the propagation optical system. The light guide member includes: a light beam incident part that introduces light including image information from the propagation optical system into the light guide member; an image extractor that extracts the light including image information from an inside of the light guide member; and an image emitter that emits the light including image information to an outside of the light guide member. The propagation optical system includes one or more optical members each having a curved surface shape that is non-rotationally symmetric with respect to an optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Naoki NAKAMURA, Shiori OHSUGI, Shigenobu HIRANO, Yasuo KATANO, Kenji KAMEYAMA, Norikazu IGARASHI, Aino HASEGAWA, Satomi TANAKA, Masahiro ITOH, Yoshifumi SUDOH, Susumu MOMMA, Shun OKAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20220026716
    Abstract: A propagation optical system includes: a first optical system; an intermediate optical element; and a second optical system. The first optical system, the intermediate optical element, and the second optical system being sequentially arranged in a direction from the image display element toward the light guide member along an optical axis. The intermediate optical element has a non-rotationally symmetric curved surface, of which shape is non-rotationally symmetric about the optical axis. A cross-sectional shape, of the non-rotationally symmetric curved surface, in a first plane including the optical axis is non-arc shape. The first plane is a plane in which the non-rotationally symmetric surface has a strongest positive power among planes including the optical axis. The propagation optical system is configured to form, between the first optical system and the second optical system, an intermediate image corresponding to an image displayed on the image display element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Yoshifumi SUDOH, Naoki NAKAMURA, Masahiro ITOH, Susumu MOMMA, Shun OKAZAKI, Shigenobu HIRANO, Yasuo KATANO, Kenji KAMEYAMA, Norikazu IGARASHI, Aino HASEGAWA, Takashi MAKI, Masamichi YAMADA, Takemasa TSUTSUI
  • Patent number: 11143870
    Abstract: A display apparatus that enhances a response speed while suppressing reduction in durability even when the transmittance control is performed. The display apparatus includes a display, a plurality of light adjustment devices, and a controller. The display is configured to be attached to a head of a user to display information to the user. Each of the plurality of light adjustment devices is configured to change a transmittance to adjust an intensity of light incident from outside. The controller is configured to independently control the transmittances of the plurality of light adjustment devices separately from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Norikazu Igarashi, Shigenobu Hirano, Yasuo Katano, Kenji Kameyama, Takashi Maki, Yuuto Gotoh, Satomi Tanaka, Shiroh Ikegami, Ikue Kawashima, Qing Liang
  • Publication number: 20210165221
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device includes a display element to display an image; a light guide member to emit the image displayed on the display element to an eye of a wearer; a housing including an optical system to guide image light of the image displayed on the display element to the light guide member; and an adjustment member provided on a side of the light guide member opposite to the optical system, and to bend the housing on a side opposite to a face of the wearer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Aino HASEGAWA, Shigenobu HIRANO, Yasuo KATANO, Kenji KAMEYAMA, Norikazu IGARASHI, Naoki NAKAMURA, Yoshifumi SUDOH, Masahiro ITOH, Shun OKAZAKI, Susumu MOMMA
  • Patent number: 10942354
    Abstract: A monocular image display device includes a virtual image former to display an image in front of one eye of a user and a primary light amount adjuster being in front of another eye of the user. The primary light amount adjuster is disposed closer to the one eye of the user than an optical axis of the another eye of the user is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Katano, Shigenobu Hirano, Ikue Kawashima, Kenji Kameyama, Takashi Maki, Yuuto Gotoh, Shiroh Ikegami, Qing Liang
  • Publication number: 20200400954
    Abstract: An image display system includes a wearable display device configured to display an image to a person wearing the wearable display device, the wearable display device mountable on a head of the person; an image capture unit configured to capture an image of a face of the person wearing the wearable display device; and circuitry configured to extract one or more facial feature points of the person based on the image captured by the image capture unit; calculate a position of the head of the person and a posture of the person based on the one or more extracted facial feature points to generate position-posture information; and generate an image to be displayed at the wearable display device based on the position-posture information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Satomi Tanaka, Shigenobu Hirano, Yasuo Katano, Kenji Kameyama, Norikazu Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20200400962
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device includes an image display unit (300a, 300b) configured to emit image light, a light guide member (100a, 100b) configured to guide the image light and emit the image light to eyes of a wearer who wears the head-mounted display device, and a relay optical system (201a, 201b) arranged between the image display unit and the light guide member, and configured to relay the image light from the image display unit to the light guide member, and form an intermediate image at least once before the image light enters the light guide member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2018
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Shigenobu HIRANO, Yasuo KATANO, Kenji KAMEYAMA, Norikazu IGARASHI, Satomi TANAKA, Naoki NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 10670421
    Abstract: A management server communicable with a plurality of terminal devices, including a first terminal device, includes: a receiver to receive, from the first terminal device, shared information to be shared between the plurality of terminal devices, the shared information including first location information indicating a current location of the first terminal device, direction information indicating a direction that the first terminal device faces, and distance information indicating a distance from the first terminal device to a target destination; circuitry to generate target destination information including second location information indicating a location of the target destination based on the shared information received from the first terminal device; and a transmitter to transmit the target destination information to the plurality of terminal devices for display at the plurality of terminal devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuto Gotoh, Shigenobu Hirano, Ikue Kawashima, Yasuo Katano, Takashi Maki, Kenji Kameyama, Shiroh Ikegami, Qing Liang, Kiyohiko Shinomiya, Norikazu Igarashi, Satomi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10657366
    Abstract: In order to reduce limitations on an arrangement of a posture visualization system as a whole, a posture recognition unit recognizes, based on image data of a real space captured by an image capture unit from a predetermined viewpoint, a posture of an object in the image data of the real space. A posture visualization viewpoint setting unit sets a viewpoint different from the predetermined viewpoint. A posture visualization unit visualizes a mirror image of the posture of the object viewed from the viewpoint set by the posture visualization viewpoint setting unit based on the posture recognized by the posture recognition unit. A space display unit displays the mirror image of the posture of the object generated by the posture visualization unit and a mirror image of the real space at once.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mahoro Anabuki, Yasuo Katano, Masakazu Matsugu, Masahiro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20190353908
    Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to provide a display apparatus (1) that enhances the response speed while suppressing the reduction in durability even when the transmittance control is performed. A display apparatus (1) includes a display unit (10), a plurality of light adjustment devices (140), and a controller (9). The display unit (10) is configured to be attached to a head of a user (A) to display information to the user (A). Each of the plurality of light adjustment devices (140) is configured to change a transmittance to adjust an intensity of light (L?) incident from outside. The controller (9) is configured to independently control the transmittances of the plurality of light adjustment devices (140) separately from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Norikazu IGARASHI, Shigenobu HIRANO, Yasuo KATANO, Kenji KAMEYAMA, Takashi MAKI, Yuuto GOTOH, Satomi TANAKA, Shiroh IKEGAMI, lkue KAWASHIMA, Qing LIANG
  • Publication number: 20190220659
    Abstract: In order to reduce limitations on an arrangement of a posture visualization system as a whole, a posture recognition unit recognizes, based on image data of a real space captured by an image capture unit from a predetermined viewpoint, a posture of an object in the image data of the real space. A posture visualization viewpoint setting unit sets a viewpoint different from the predetermined viewpoint. A posture visualization unit visualizes a mirror image of the posture of the object viewed from the viewpoint set by the posture visualization viewpoint setting unit based on the posture recognized by the posture recognition unit. A space display unit displays the mirror image of the posture of the object generated by the posture visualization unit and a mirror image of the real space at once.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Mahoro Anabuki, Yasuo Katano, Masakazu Matsugu, Masahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10339896
    Abstract: A head-mounted display apparatus (1) includes an image display part (10) configured to display an image, an optical unit (20, 30, 50) configured to lead the image to an eye of a wearer of the display apparatus (1), a light intensity detector (60) configured to detect light intensity (A) of external light, a dimmer filter (40) configured to vary transmittance to adjust the intensity (B) of the external light reaching the eye of the wearer, and a controller (70) configured to adjust the transmittance of the dimmer filter (40) and the light intensity (C) of a light source of the image display part (10) based on the light intensity (A) of the external light obtained by the light intensity detector (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuma Usui, Shigenobu Hirano, Ikue Kawashima, Yasuo Katano, Aino Hasegawa, Atsushi Ohshima
  • Patent number: 10281793
    Abstract: An electrochromic dimming device is provided. The electrochromic dimming device includes an electrochromic element, a color development power source, a color discharge powder source, and a variable resistance. The color development power source supplies electric power to the electrochromic element when the electrochromic element develops color. The color discharge powder source supplies electric power to the electrochromic element when the electrochromic element discharges color. The variable resistance is disposed on a first current path without being disposed on a second current path. The first current path is formed from the color development power source through a ground via the electrochromic element, and the second current path is formed from the color discharge power source to the ground via the electrochromic element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ohshima, Shigenobu Hirano, Keiichiroh Yutani, Takahiko Matsumoto, Hidekazu Yaginuma, Kazuaki Tsuji, Sukchan Kim, Yasuo Katano, Kohji Takeuchi, Shun Goto, Tohru Hasegawa, Hiroaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10262199
    Abstract: In order to reduce limitations on an arrangement of a posture visualization system as a whole, a posture recognition unit recognizes, based on image data of a real space captured by an image capture unit from a predetermined viewpoint, a posture of an object in the image data of the real space. A posture visualization viewpoint setting unit sets a viewpoint different from the predetermined viewpoint. A posture visualization unit visualizes a mirror image of the posture of the object viewed from the viewpoint set by the posture visualization viewpoint setting unit based on the posture recognized by the posture recognition unit. A space display unit displays the mirror image of the posture of the object generated by the posture visualization unit and a mirror image of the real space at once.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mahoro Anabuki, Yasuo Katano, Masakazu Matsugu, Masahiro Suzuki