Plural Projection Paths With Single Light Source Patents (Class 353/82)
  • Patent number: 9946146
    Abstract: A position acquiring unit acquires position information for identifying a position of a projection surface on which a first projecting unit projects an image. A projection information acquiring unit acquires projection information related to the projection performed by a second projecting unit. The controlling unit controls the first projecting unit to project an image on the projection surface based on the position information and the projection information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiko Yushiya
  • Patent number: 9841178
    Abstract: A projector includes a power receiving terminal, a light source that emits light based on electric power supplied to the power receiving terminal, a light diffuser that adjusts the degree of diffusion of the light from the light source, a specifying section that alternately specifies one of illumination projection and image projection every time electric power supply to the power receiving terminal is started, and a light diffusion controller that controls the light diffuser so that when the specifying section specifies the illumination projection, the light diffuser diffuses the light from the light source, whereas when the specifying section specifies the image projection, the light diffuser transmits the light without substantially diffusing the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shinha, Koichi Miyasaka, Hirofumi Kasuga, Tadashi Kinebuchi, Shuji Narimatsu, Kaoru Yamaguchi, Hidehito Iisaka
  • Patent number: 9442355
    Abstract: A projector includes a power receiving terminal, a light source that emits light based on electric power supplied to the power receiving terminal, a light diffuser that adjusts the degree of diffusion of the light from the light source, a specifying section that alternately specifies one of illumination projection and image projection every time electric power supply to the power receiving terminal is started, and a light diffusion controller that controls the light diffuser so that when the specifying section specifies the illumination projection, the light diffuser diffuses the light from the light source, whereas when the specifying section specifies the image projection, the light diffuser transmits the light without substantially diffusing the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shinha, Koichi Miyasaka, Hirofumi Kasuga, Tadashi Kinebuchi, Shuji Narimatsu, Kaoru Yamaguchi, Hidehito Iisaka
  • Patent number: 9319652
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for ensuring consistency in the appearance of video data displayed on displays having different capabilities than a target display. Some embodiments comprising modifying at least one pixel of input video data such that the modified pixel represents the appearance of the at least one pixel when displayed by a target display. In some embodiments, modifying the at least one pixel comprises replacing an original pixel value of the at least one pixel with a replacement pixel value representing a modeled display of the original pixel value by the target display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Atkins, Chun C. Wan, Anne Webster
  • Patent number: 9247222
    Abstract: A projection display with an imaging system is described, which is implemented to generate individual images in a distribution, such as a two-dimensional distribution, of sub-areas of an imaging plane of the imaging system, and a multi-channel optics that is configured to map one allocated individual image or one allocated sub-area of the imaging system each per channel, such that the mapping of the individual images is at least partly superimposed to an overall image in a projection surface, wherein the projection surface is a non-planar free-form surface, such as a curved surface, and/or tilted with respect to the imaging plane, and the imaging system is implemented such that constellations of points in the sub-images, each superimposed in a respective common point in the overall image by the multi-channel optics, differ depending on what distance the respective common point in the overall image has to the multi-channel optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Marcel Sieler, Peter Schreiber
  • Patent number: 9105573
    Abstract: Methods and structures provide an electrostatic discharge (ESD) indicator including an electric field sensitive material configured to undergo a specific color change in response to an electric field. An exposure of the structure to an ESD can be visually determined via the specific color change of the ESD indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen P. Ayotte, David J. Hill, John T. Kinnear, Jr., Glen E. Richard, Timothy M. Sullivan, Heather M. Truax
  • Publication number: 20150138509
    Abstract: A light distribution system with a blue laser and colour conversion is provided. The system comprises: a blue laser light source; a plurality of optical fibers; a light distribution system configured to receive blue laser light from the blue laser light source and distribute the blue laser light to the plurality of optical fibers; a plurality of colour conversion systems, each configured to: receive the blue laser light from at least one of the plurality of optical fibers; and convert the blue laser light to at least one other colour of light different from the blue laser light; and, a plurality of projectors configured to receive the at least one other colour of light, from the plurality of colour conversion systems, for use in projecting images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Christie Digital Systems Canada Inc.
    Inventor: John DOMM
  • Patent number: 9033518
    Abstract: An illumination system includes a first light source, a first rotation wheel, a first phosphor element, and a light combining element. The first light source is capable of emitting a first color beam. The first rotation wheel is disposed on a transmission path of the first color beam and includes a first transmissive region and a first reflective region. The first transmissive region is capable of allowing the first color beam to pass through so as to form a first color transmissive beam. The first reflective region is capable of reflecting the first color beam to form a first color reflective beam. One of the first color transmissive and reflective beams excites the first phosphor element to form a second color beam. The light combining element combines the second color beam and a beam originating from the other one of the first color transmissive and reflective beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Young Optics Inc.
    Inventors: Haw-Woei Pan, Chao-Shun Chen, Hung-Chih Chou, Hsin-Hung Lin, Yu-Yun Chang
  • Patent number: 8979274
    Abstract: A display device includes: a light source section; an optical modulator modulating light from the light source section based on a picture signal, to emit modulated light as picture light; a direct-view display section performing direct-view display based on the picture light; a projection optical system performing projection display on a projection screen based on the picture light; an optical member allowing the picture light from the optical modulator to travel toward at least one of the direct-view display section and the projection optical system; and a switching section performing control of traveling direction of the picture light on the optical member, to switch between two or more display modes which are selected, to include a two-way display mode, from a group consisting of a direct-view display mode, a projection display mode, and the two-way display mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takakiyo Kanazawa
  • Publication number: 20150022783
    Abstract: Disclosed is a display apparatus. The display apparatus includes a light source unit configured to output a visible light, a scanner configured to output a first projection image and a second projection image based on the visible light by implementing first direction scanning and second direction scanning, and a light path splitter configured to separate light paths of the first projection image and the second projection image from each other, so as to output the first projection image and the second projection image toward a first display area and a second display area respectively. The display apparatus is capable of projecting different images onto display areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaekwang LEE, Sangkeun LEE, Chanyoung YOON
  • Patent number: 8752965
    Abstract: A stereoscopic display apparatus includes an image projection module, a plurality of projection lenses and an optical path switching module. The optical path switching module is disposed between the image projection module and the projection lenses. The optical path switching module has a light-incident surface and different light-emitting surfaces. An image signal generated by the image projection module enters the optical path switching module through the light-incident surface. The optical path switching module includes a plurality of polarization beam splitters and a polarization adjusting module. The polarization adjusting module is disposed between the polarization beam splitters. The optical path switching module is used for switching the polarization adjusting module time-sequentially for guiding the image signal to those different light-emitting surfaces respectively, and accordingly a plurality of image formation beams are formed from the light-emitting surfaces though the projection lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: June-Jei Huang
  • Patent number: 8662677
    Abstract: A projection apparatus, an illumination module and a brightness adjusting method for the projection apparatus are provided. The projection apparatus comprises the illumination module and the actuator. The illumination module comprises a luminous element. First, the actuator drives the luminous element to move from the first position to the second position to detect the first brightness and second brightness generated by the luminous element. When the first brightness is higher than the second brightness, the actuator is adapted to drive the luminous element to the first position. Thereby, the brightness of a projection image generated by the projection apparatus can be adjusted to an optimal value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Chia-Jui Lin
  • Patent number: 8651669
    Abstract: A projection apparatus that provides flicker reduction according to the cause of flicker, to thereby properly reduce flicker without unnecessarily bringing about characteristic degradation is disclosed. Light for projecting a projection image onto a projection surface is output from a light source, and separated into light beams of a plurality of colors. Images corresponding to the light beams of the plurality of colors are formed on display units. The light beams of the plurality of colors having passed through the display units are synthesized and projected onto the projection surface. Fluctuations in the light quantity of the light beams of the plurality of colors having passed through the display units and yet to be input to the color synthesis unit are detected. Detection results are analyzed, and it is determined whether flicker caused by the display units or flicker caused by the light source is occurring in the projection image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaya Yagi
  • Patent number: 8636365
    Abstract: A projection display device includes first to third display panels configured to realize first to third color images and a fourth display panel configured to realize a white image. The first to third color images and the white image may be combined and projected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chan-Young Park, Hye-Dong Kim
  • Patent number: 8632224
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes: a first light emission element which emits a first light; a second light emission element which emits a second light; a first reflection surface which reflects the first light; and a second reflection surface which reflects the second light, wherein the first light emission element and the second light emission element are laminated in a first direction and disposed in such positions that the emission direction of the first light and the emission direction of the second light become parallel with each other and that the first light emission element and the second light emission element do not overlap with each other as viewed in the first direction, and the traveling direction of the first light reflected by the first reflection surface and the traveling direction of the second light reflected by the second reflection surface become parallel with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kaseya
  • Publication number: 20140016104
    Abstract: A portable electronic device with multiple projecting functions is provided. The portable electronic device includes a main body, a projecting module, and a switching mechanism. The projecting module is disposed within the main body for generating an image beam. The switching mechanism is movably disposed on the main body. When the switching mechanism is located at a first position, the image beam is projected along a first projecting path, and the portable electronic device is in a first operating mode. When the switching mechanism is located at a second position, the image beam is projected along a second projecting path, and the portable electronic device is in a second operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: LITE-ON IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei-Chih Lin, Chih-Chieh Yu
  • Patent number: 8591039
    Abstract: An image projecting method comprises determining the position of a projection surface within a projection zone of at least one projector based on at least one image of the projection surface, the projection zone being sized to encompass multiple surface positions and modifying video image data output to the at least one projector so that the projected image corresponds generally to the projection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: SMART Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Gerald D. Morrison, Paul Anthony Auger, Mark Andrew Fletcher, Gregory Gordon Forrest, Holly Pekau
  • Patent number: 8556431
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of reducing speckle in projection of images is provided that includes the elements or features of producing a first image and displacing the first image to produce a second image that will reduce speckle relating to the first image when the first image and the second image are displayed on a display medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Terry Alan Bartlett, John David Jackson
  • Patent number: 8558937
    Abstract: Provided is a dual display device for a camera apparatus having a projector therein, which includes a rotary mirror module configured to project light of the projector to a front side of the camera apparatus body to display the light to the outside or to a rear side of the camera apparatus body while being rotated by driving of a drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joong-Wan Park, Byung-Duck Cho, Jung-Kee Lee
  • Patent number: 8553311
    Abstract: A method of accomplishing high-speed intensity variation of a polarized output laser beam includes securing an angle of light incidence sensitive optical element to a galvanometer system that provides high-speed transitioning of the angle of light incidence sensitive optical element between different angular positions. The high-speed transitioning provided by the galvanometer system varies an angle of incidence between an input laser beam and the angle of light incidence sensitive optical element to thereby provide high-speed variation of an intensity of a polarized output laser beam produced by the angle of light incidence sensitive optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Jan Kleinert
  • Patent number: 8511837
    Abstract: A projection optical system configured to project an image onto a projection surface includes a first optical system including at least one dioptric system and having positive power as a whole; a second optical system including a reflection region and a transmission region; and a third optical system including at least one reflecting surface having power, and having positive power as a whole, wherein light entering the projection optical system passes through the first optical system to have a path thereof bent by the reflection region of the second optical system to be incident on the third optical system, and the light incident on the third optical system has the path thereof bent by the third optical system to pass through the transmission region of the second optical system to be incident on the projection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Takahashi, Kazuhiro Fujita, Issei Abe
  • Patent number: 8465154
    Abstract: The present invention relates, generally, to a vehicle dashboard using rear projection system. A vehicle dashboard using rear projection system of the present invention preferably includes: a screen that provides a visual image; a printed circuit board (PCB) that controls the provision of a graphic image to the screen; and an projection system projection system that is controlled by the printed circuit board, and is installed at a rear side of the printed circuit board and irradiates a light to the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Ju Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 8439508
    Abstract: A projector that projects an image on a screen, includes: plural image generating units that generate an image lights representing the image; a main body housing that houses the plural image generating units; and plural projection optical units that are provided in the main body housing to respectively correspond to the plural image generating units and project the image lights generated by the image generating units on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuji Matsuo, Takeshi Ishikawa, Hirofumi Kasuga, Hiroshi Midorikawa, Masahiko Nunokawa
  • Patent number: 8408720
    Abstract: A projector divides and projects a single image onto two different projection surfaces and performs virtual user interface through one projection surface. The projector projects a VUI screen image on a desk and projects a main projected screen image on a wall. The projector includes a light receiving element, which is installed at a position that receives light emitted to the desk (the projection surface of the VUI screen image) and reflected (or scattered) by an object in the vicinity of the desk. The projector calculates a position of the object based on a light detection timing of the light-receiving element and a scanning position of light at each time and changes a projected image based on the calculated position. The projector displays a designated region of the VUI screen image to be brightened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nishigaki, Atsuya Hirano, Atsuhiko Chikaoka, Ken Nishioka
  • Patent number: 8373692
    Abstract: A first linearly polarized bundle of rays of incident rays is converted by optical modulation with an input video signal into a second linearly polarized bundle of rays orthogonal to the first rays in polarization. The first rays pass through a polarizer before optically modulated. A second linearly polarized bundle of rays originally involved in the incident rays is reflected by the polarizer in a first direction. The second rays obtained by the optical modulation are reflected by the polarizer in a second direction. The second rays reflected in the second direction pass through another polarizer. A first linearly polarized bundle of rays involved in the reflected second rays is reflected by the other polarizer. The reflected first rays is detected by an optical sensor that is positioned outside an optical path of the second rays originally involved in the incident rays and reflected in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Uchiyama, Masato Furuya, Tatsuru Kobayashi, Ryo Nishima, Motoshi Tohda, Yoshio Fukuzaki, Takeshi Makabe, Yasuo Ishizaka, Akihiro Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8297755
    Abstract: A projector with a laser light source projects an image. In order to reduce the risk for a person to be exposed to harmful levels of laser light, the projector also projects a time-variant alerting image into an alerting region. Alerting region is arranged outside of the projection region. The alerting image is of a wave length visible to the human eye, and of an intensity of eye-safe level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Arnd Ritz
  • Patent number: 8297758
    Abstract: A multimedia player for providing two projection images is provided. The multimedia player for displaying two projection images includes: a first projection unit displaying a first projection image; and a second projection unit displaying a second projection image. The first projection unit includes: a first driving unit controlling an operation of the first projection unit and providing an image signal on the first projection image to be displayed; a first light source unit; a first light modulation device outputting the first projection image by modulating light provided from the light source in response to the image signal of the first projection image; and a first projection lens unit magnifying and projecting an image that is output from the first light modulation device. The structure of the first projection unit is the same as that of the second projection unit. The multimedia player further includes a screen sensing unit sensing a color of an area in which an image is to be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Byeong-Dae Choi, Dae-Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 8262228
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards a multimedia system comprising a multimedia reader. The multimedia reader may be configured to read multimedia content and to extract light surround content. The light surround content may represent a light surround control signal. The light surround content may be extracted from the multimedia content. The multimedia reader may also be configured to output the light surround control signal. Further, the multimedia system may also include one or more light emitting devices. Each light emitting device may be in communication with the multimedia reader. Each light emitting device may be configured to receive the light surround control signal and to control a light characteristic based upon, at least in part the light surround control signal. Numerous other embodiments are also within the scope of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dominique Picard, Charles Arnaud, Philippe Gregoire, Alexandre Van Gent
  • Patent number: 8246172
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image display device which detects projection region suitable for performing a display of an image and displays an image on the detected projection region. The present invention provides an image display device which displays an image on a projection surface by projecting light on the projection surface. The image display device includes an aptitude detection part which detects an aptitude as the projection surface, and a projection control part which controls projection light such that the an image to be displayed on the projection surface falls within a predetermined projection region in response to a detection result by the aptitude detection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Amano
  • Publication number: 20120206697
    Abstract: A bidirectional projector, which may project slides onto two screens at the same time, includes a light source emitting red beam, green beam, and blue beam; at least an imaging device receiving the red beam, the green beam, and the blue beam from the light source and reflecting predetermined parts of the red beam, the green beam, and the blue beam to form an image beam according to image signals; and an optical lens, wherein the image beam emits to the optical lens and a part of the image beam passes through the optical lens to form a first projecting beam, and a part of the image beam is reflected by the optical lens to form a second projecting beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: ASIA OPTICAL CO., INC
    Inventor: Chun-Yen Lee
  • Patent number: 8186831
    Abstract: A wide color gamut projector having a plurality of dichroic prisms configured to split a light beam into six primary color components and direct each of the six primary color components to separate digital micromirror devices is disclosed. The projector further comprises a translucent rotatable drum having different polarization sections, wherein the light beam is capable of being passed orthogonally through a wall of the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Youngshik Yoon
  • Publication number: 20120092628
    Abstract: A projection optical system configured to project an image onto a projection surface includes a first optical system including at least one dioptric system and having positive power as a whole; a second optical system including a reflection region and a transmission region; and a third optical system including at least one reflecting surface having power, and having positive power as a whole, wherein light entering the projection optical system passes through the first optical system to have a path thereof bent by the reflection region of the second optical system to be incident on the third optical system, and the light incident on the third optical system has the path thereof bent by the third optical system to pass through the transmission region of the second optical system to be incident on the projection surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya TAKAHASHI, Kazuhiro Fujita, Issei Abe
  • Patent number: 8152309
    Abstract: An image display apparatus which displays an image as a transmitted projection image includes: a tread-board of a step which has a first projection surface and transmits a projection image projected on the first projection surface; and a cross-board of the step which has a second projection surface and transmits a projection image projected on the second projection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8142030
    Abstract: A display system for a center stack of a vehicle is disclosed including a translucent material and a projection system. Dynamic graphical content derived from an input by a passenger of the vehicle via at least one of simulated controls and hard-tooled switches is projected onto the material by the projection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Upton Beall Bowden, Royce Duchante' Channey, Henry Lee Pope
  • Patent number: 8109641
    Abstract: A safety interlock system for a projector system is provided. The projector system has a lamp, a controller and ballast for powering the lamp upon receipt of a lamp enable signal from the controller. The projector system further has a safety inter-lock system for deactivating the lamp in the event the lamp is not properly installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc.
    Inventors: George Tsintzouras, Mike Perkins
  • Patent number: 8066380
    Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a projector which includes several optical elements, reflective devices and beam splitters, arranged to reduce back reflection effects. At least one exemplary embodiment includes a mirror, two beam splitters, three reflection devices, and two optical elements affecting polarization of incident light upon the optical elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Inoko
  • Patent number: 8035758
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a polarization conversion element which converts second color light of unpolarized light emitted from a light source into a first linear polarized light, and a light path separation element which separates the second color light emitted from the first and third color light; and performs image display by illuminating a first, a second and a third liquid crystal display elements with the first, second and third color light that pass through the light path separation element, wherein the light path separation element leads a first linear polarized light component of the second color light to the second liquid crystal display element, and wherein the light path separation element leads a second linear polarized light component whose direction of polarization is orthogonal to the first linear polarized light component of the second color light, in a direction different from any of the liquid crystal display elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yu Yamauchi, Hiroyuki Kodama
  • Patent number: 8002413
    Abstract: There is provided a light source unit which includes a luminescent light source which receives excitation light so as to emit light of a predetermined wavelength band, excitation light sources which shine excitation light on to the luminescent light source, a reflection space having the luminescent light source in an interior thereof and an emission space which emits luminescent light source light emitted from the reflection space from an emission port whose area is made smaller than the area of the luminescent light source and a projector which employs the light source unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuro Narikawa
  • Patent number: 8004761
    Abstract: A stereo projection optical system includes a polarization converter, a 2-way wheel, a retarder, and an image engine. The polarization converter is configured for converting an incident light into a polarized light which have single polarization. The 2-way wheel includes a reflective region and a transmissive region. The reflective region is configured for reflecting the polarized light and the transmissive region is configured for transmitting the polarized light. The retarder is positioned to receive an emergent light from one of the reflective region and the transmissive region. The image engine is positioned to receive light output of the 2-way wheel and the retarder and configured for emitting the light output comprising spatial information. The stereo projection optical systems provide viewers three-dimensional images formed by two alternative polarized light beams whose polarizations are perpendicular to each other utilizing the 2-way wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: I-Pen Chien, Yuan-Yu Lin
  • Patent number: 7993015
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a projector that can be loaded with lamps of a plurality of kinds, each of a plurality of the lamps loadable into the projector being given a lamp serial code formed by arranging lamp information on the lamp and a check sum in predetermined order, the projector including: a control circuit for performing a clocking operation of a lamp timer for managing a use time of the lamp loaded in the projector; and a memory for storing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Shirasu, Hirobumi Nagumo
  • Patent number: 7984994
    Abstract: A projection optical system including a projection lens, a first mirror that reflects a light from the projection lens, and a second mirror that widens an angle of a light from the first mirror by reflecting the light projects a light modulated according to an image signal from an optical engine unit. A third mirror reflects a light from the projection optical system. A screen transmits a light from the third mirror. An optical axis of the projection lens substantially matches an optical axis of the second mirror, and the light from the optical engine unit is shifted to a specific side from the optical axis of the projection lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Morikuni, Masatoshi Yonekubo, Toshihiko Sakai, Shunji Kamijima
  • Patent number: 7972020
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of reducing speckle in projection of images is provided that includes the elements or features of producing a first image and displacing the first image to produce a second image that will reduce speckle relating to the first image when the first image and the second image are displayed on a display medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Terry Alan Bartlett, John David Jackson
  • Patent number: 7972001
    Abstract: A method for compensating for a shift in color in a light source and a system of color illumination for a projection visual display (PVD) system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven M. Penn, Harold E. Bellis, II, Gregory J. Hewlett, Dana F. Segler, Jr., Gregory S. Pettitt
  • Patent number: 7959299
    Abstract: A projector including a lighting device for emitting light including first, second and third colored light beams. A first dichroic mirror separates the light into the first colored light beam by reflecting the light in a certain wavelength range and transmitting the light in another wavelength range and transmitting the light in another wavelength range. A second dichroic mirror separates the other colored light beams into the second and third colored light beams by reflecting the light in a certain wavelength range and transmitting the light in another wavelength range. The second dichroic mirror separates the light from the lighting device into the colored light beams. The projector including a first color combining optical system for combining the colored light beams to emit a first image light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasunaga Miyazawa
  • Publication number: 20110116055
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first projector that scans light on a first display section to thereby display an image; a second projector that scans the light on a second display section, which is set in a position different from a position of the first display section, to thereby display an image; and a switching section that switches plural states including a first state in which the first projector displays the image on the first display section and a second state in which the second projector displays an image on the second display section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makiko NAKAMURA, Akihiro MURATA, Yasushi MIZOGUCHI, Takuya NAKAJIMA
  • Patent number: 7916932
    Abstract: A 3D depth imaging method and system are disclosed. The 3D depth imaging method involves radiating light at a measurement target object using a projection means and imaging the light using an image receiving means, and includes the steps of assigning a unique transmitting side address to a signal corresponding to each pixel of the projection means to encode the signal; projecting multiple light patterns at the projection means to transmit the signal; receiving the encoded signal at the image receiving means; separating the received signal to restore the address; and determining a pixel position of the object using the transmitting side address and the restored address. With the 3D depth imaging method and system, it is possible to exactly separate signals received by the image receiving means even when the signals are overlap and the geometrical structure of the object varies, and it is also possible to obtain a depth image that is robust against ambient environmental noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: IN-G Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suk-Han Lee, Jong-Moo Choi, Dae-Sik Kim, Seung-Sub Oh
  • Patent number: 7901084
    Abstract: A portable video projector includes facility to direct a projected image field along an axis in an alignment corresponding to the state of an optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Willey, Randall B. Sprague, Thomas W. Montague, Christopher A. Wiklof, Maarten Niesten, Mark Freeman, Bruce Rothaar, V. G. Veeraraghavan, John R. Lewis
  • Patent number: 7891821
    Abstract: An original laser-radiation beam having a symmetrical M2 but poor beam quality is sliced in one transverse axis, by a fanned-out stack of parallel transparent plates, into a plurality of beam slices. The beam-slices are also spread by the stack of plates in another transverse axis perpendicular to the first axis. A fanned-out stack of glass blocks aligns the spread beam-slices in the first axis to form what is effectively a single beam having an asymmetric M2, with beam quality improved in one axis and degraded in the other compared with the original beam. The effective single beam is projected into a line of radiation by a cylindrical lens, or by a homogenizing projector including spaced apart cylindrical lens arrays followed by a spherical condenser lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: H. Yang Pang, Murray K. Reed, Alexander O. W. Wiessner, R. Russel Austin
  • Patent number: 7862182
    Abstract: Optical system for a projector, comprising: at least a first polarizing beam splitter for splitting a source illumination beam into a first illumination beam linearly polarized along a first direction and a second illumination beam polarized perpendicular to the first direction; at least one color wheel intersecting the polarized illumination beams in two different regions and producing a first color beam linearly polarized along the first direction and a perpendicularly polarized second color beam; and two imagers illuminated by the first and second polarized color beams respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Julien Thollot, Khaled Sarayeddine, Pascal Benoit
  • Publication number: 20100315603
    Abstract: A projection system configured in an elevator shaft is designed to project a same image at a same time on elevator shaft doors of different stories with a single projector. Each of the shaft doors functions as a projection screen, persons in the lobby before the elevator shaft door can watch the image or images displayed on the shaft door during the time waiting for the elevator car.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventor: Shie-Chang Jeng