Particular Focusing Or Defocusing Characteristic Patents (Class 359/626)
  • Patent number: 11861966
    Abstract: An optical device includes an array of lenses and a plurality of first and second segments disposed under the array of lenses. At a first viewing angle, the array of lenses presents a first image for viewing without presenting the second image for viewing, and at a second viewing angle different from the first viewing angle, the array of lenses presents for viewing the second image without presenting the first image for viewing. In some examples, individual ones of the first and second segments can comprise specular reflecting, transparent, diffusely reflecting, and/or diffusely transmissive features. In some examples, individual ones of the first and second segments can comprise transparent and non-transparent regions. Some examples can incorporate more than one region producing an optical effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: WAVEFRONT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Chapman Rich, Joel Mikael Petersen, Roger Winston Phillips, John Michael Tamkin
  • Patent number: 11632603
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state image pickup apparatus, a correction method, and an electronic apparatus, enabled to suppress an apparent uncomfortable feeling of an image output from a solid-state image pickup apparatus in which pixels of different OCL shapes are mounted mixedly. A solid-state image pickup apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a pixel array in which a first pixel in which an OCL (On Chip Lens) of a standard size is formed and a second pixel in which an OCL of a size different from the standard size is formed are present mixedly, and a correction section that corrects a pixel value of the first pixel that is positioned in the vicinity of the second pixel among the first pixels on the pixel array. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a CMOS image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeru Tsuzuki, Katsumi Nishikori
  • Patent number: 11595603
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state image pickup apparatus, a correction method, and an electronic apparatus, enabled to suppress an apparent uncomfortable feeling of an image output from a solid-state image pickup apparatus in which pixels of different OCL shapes are mounted mixedly. A solid-state image pickup apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a pixel array in which a first pixel in which an OCL (On Chip Lens) of a standard size is formed and a second pixel in which an OCL of a size different from the standard size is formed are present mixedly, and a correction section that corrects a pixel value of the first pixel that is positioned in the vicinity of the second pixel among the first pixels on the pixel array. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a CMOS image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeru Tsuzuki, Katsumi Nishikori
  • Patent number: 11485229
    Abstract: In order to provide a head-up display that is capable of reliably displaying a display image, the present invention is provided with: a display device that projects display light; a field lens that adjusts the direction of the display light; a thin-plate screen that has a rear surface for receiving the light emitted from the field lens and a front surface on which a display image is displayed; a screen holder that holds the screen; and a main holder that accommodates the field lens and the screen held by the screen holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: NIPPON SEIKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Furusawa, Kazuaki Mizuta
  • Patent number: 11392008
    Abstract: A liquid lens may include a first plate which accommodates a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid, has an opening formed therein and having a predetermined inclined surface, and is formed from silicon; a first electrode disposed on the first plate; a second electrode disposed under the first plate; a second plate disposed on the first electrode; a third plate disposed under the second electrode; and a light blocking layer disposed between the first plate and the third plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kyu Tae Lee
  • Patent number: 11269062
    Abstract: A laser illumination device includes a light source component, a micro-element lens, and a meniscus lens. The light source component emits a laser beam. The micro-element lens spreads out the laser beam. The meniscus lens has an incident face on which the laser beam from the micro-element lens is incident, and a light emission face that is provided on the opposite side from the incident surface and includes a convex shape, and the meniscus lens has a negative power for spreading out the incident laser beam from the micro-element lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11130404
    Abstract: A head-up display apparatus 200 includes: a projection optical system 30 that projects a virtual image; an environment monitor portion 72 as an object detection part that detects an object present in a detection region and detects a distance from the projection optical system 30 to the object as a target distance; an arrangement change apparatus 462 as a projection distance change part that periodically changes a projection distance of a virtual image from the projection optical system 30; and a main control apparatus 90 and a display control portion 18 as an image addition part that adds a related-information image as a virtual image by the projection optical system 30 to the detected object at timing when the target distance substantially matches the projection distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Norihide Yamada, Junji Hashimura, Osamu Tannai, Toshiyuki Kojima, Kazuhiro Sugawara
  • Patent number: 11113919
    Abstract: An optical device includes an array of lenses and a plurality of first and second segments disposed under the array of lenses. At a first viewing angle, the array of lenses presents a first image for viewing without presenting the second image for viewing, and at a second viewing angle different from the first viewing angle, the array of lenses presents for viewing the second image without presenting the first image for viewing. In some examples, individual ones of the first and second segments can comprise specular reflecting, transparent, diffusely reflecting, and/or diffusely transmissive features. In some examples, individual ones of the first and second segments can comprise transparent and non-transparent regions. Some examples can incorporate more than one region producing an optical effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: WAVEFRONT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Chapman Rich, Joel Mikael Petersen, Roger Winston Phillips, John Michael Tamkin
  • Patent number: 11093910
    Abstract: A method of a transfer of the digital currency encryption keys through the process of issuance, validation and devaluation of physical medium with multi-factor authorization is disclosed. The medium is distributed on the market as blank and to which belongs a second authorization factor safely stored with the manufacturer or integrated into the medium in form of a tamper-evident box, is loaded by an issuer using a SW application for the medium issuance and based on a first authorization factor generated by the issuer, an identifier of the medium and other data an address is derived and passed to the issuer to which he sends the balance of the digital currency in an amount equivalent to the denomination of the medium. A physical medium of encryption keys for the digital currency is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventor: Petr Sobotka
  • Patent number: 10996322
    Abstract: A lidar sensor, especially for motor vehicles, having a light source, a movable deflection mirror for producing a scanning beam that sweeps across a monitored space by deflecting a light beam emitted by the light source, and having an optical receiver for detecting light reflected by an object hit by the scanning beam in the monitored space. The light source and the deflection mirror are adapted for using the deflected light beam to scan an array of micro-optical elements, each of which, in response to being impinged upon by this light beam, widens it into a divergent beam; and, configured at a distance from the array of micro-optical elements, is a light-concentrating element that transforms the divergent beam into a beam which forms the scanning beam and whose beam diameter is larger than that of the deflected beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Buettner, Hans-Jochen Schwarz, Klaus Stoppel, Reiner Schnitzer
  • Patent number: 10957730
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of imaging pixels. Each imaging pixel may have a photosensitive area that is covered by a respective multipart diffractive lens to focus light onto the photosensitive area. The multipart diffractive lenses may have multiple portions with different indices of refraction. The portions of the diffractive lenses closer to the center of the diffractive lenses may have higher indices of refraction to focus light. Alternatively, the portions of the diffractive lenses closer to the center of the diffractive lenses may have lower indices of refraction to defocus light. The multipart diffractive lenses may have stacked layers with the same refractive indices but different widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Byounghee Lee
  • Patent number: 10931936
    Abstract: A system and method for generating multiple images with rich color acquisition using a plenoptic camera having a main lens disposed in front of a micro array of lenses, a mosaic color filter array and an image sensor, characterized in that it comprises: capturing a first set of images using an ordinary state of an electrically controllable birefringent medium being disposed between said main lens and said micro array of lenses, said ordinary state providing an ordinary ray to each pixel; capturing a second set of images using an extraordinary state of said electrically controllable birefringent medium, said extraordinary state splitting the light from said main lens into an ordinary ray and a extraordinary ray respectively impinging on two adjacent pixels of different colors, said extraordinary ray being shifted by distance of one pixel on said image sensor; performing a weighted subtraction of information about said second set of images from information about said first set of images; and generating a final
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS
    Inventors: Valter Drazic, Arno Schubert, Nicolas Le Scouarnec
  • Patent number: 10921544
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a rotator configured to rotate around the optical axis direction when contacting the vibrator, a biasing member configured to bias the vibrator from a first side to a second side in the optical axis direction so as to compressively bring the vibrator into contact with the rotator, and a driving ring configured to receive a rotation of the rotator, to rotate around the optical axis direction relative to the fixed lens barrel, and to move the lens unit in the optical axis direction. The fixed lens barrel includes a receiver configured to receive the biasing force of the biasing member transmitted to the driving ring via the rotator. The receiver is provided inside the vibrator and the rotator in the radial direction and on the first side of the end of the driving ring on the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 10884691
    Abstract: Various display control methods and apparatuses are provided. A method comprises inclining at least one display unit relative to an initial normal thereof to change a ratio of pixels distributed along two directions in each effective display region of the at least one display unit of a display system, wherein light emitted by each pixel in the effective display region of each display unit in the at least one display unit is transmitted to a visual angle range by a lens corresponding to the display unit in the display system, and the two directions comprise a first direction and a second direction parallel with the display unit and orthogonal with each other; and displaying a content to be displayed by the changed display system. Accordingly, differentiated display of visual angle information of two mutually orthogonal different directions can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING ZHIGU RUI TUO TECH CO., LTD
    Inventor: Lin Du
  • Patent number: 10859851
    Abstract: An optical product can be configured to be an anti-counterfeit feature such as a patch, a window, or a thread on a banknote. The optical product can be configured, when illuminated, to reproduce by reflected or refracted light, a 3D image of at least a part of a 3D object. The optical product can include a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface can include a plurality of portions. Each portion can correspond to a point on a surface of the 3D object. Each portion can include features corresponding to non-holographic elements on the optical product. A gradient in the features can correlate to an inclination of the surface of the 3D object at the corresponding point. An orientation of the features can correlate to an orientation of the surface of the 3D object at the corresponding point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: WAVEFRONT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Chapman Rich, Phillip Christopher Harvey, Joel Mikael Petersen
  • Patent number: 10816632
    Abstract: To accomplish 360-degree 6-DoF LED-based visual tracking, a tracked object has to be covered with sufficient number of LEDs so that when observed at any angle from an optical sensor, there are enough features to estimate the 6-DoF pose. Depending on the algorithm, typically, at least 4 feature points need to be seen in order to calculate the 6 DoF pose accurately. However, that would require many LEDs to be placed on the device for 360-degree visual coverage. As the number of LEDs increase, the device size increases because the LEDs need to be spaced out so that they will not fuse together into connected/overlapped blobs when seen from the optical sensor. Uniquely designed Lambertian Diffusers significantly reduce the number of LEDs required for 360 degree-6 DoF tracking and hence enable tracking with small form factor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: NOD, INC.
    Inventors: Harsh Menon, Kim Ng, Alexander Weiss, Anush Elangovan, Aashik Ramachandrappa
  • Patent number: 10793003
    Abstract: Light emitting devices are aligned along one alignment direction. A first diffusion plate diffuses the illumination light from each of the light emitting devices. A condensing unit exerts a condensing action on the illumination light diffused with the first diffusion plate in a vertical direction perpendicular to the alignment direction. An image forming unit has an illumination target surface illuminated with the illumination light, which is condensed with the condensing unit, and allows a part of the illumination light incident on the illumination target surface to pass therethrough to form the image and to emit display light of the image as a light flux. A second diffusion plate is located on an optical path between the condensing unit and the image forming unit to again diffuse the illumination light condensed with the condensing unit and to cause the diffused illumination light to incident on the illumination target surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Nambara, Mami Shiomi
  • Patent number: 10761243
    Abstract: An optical device is provided, including: a plurality of lens units, each of the plurality of lens units including a light incident side and a light exiting side, each light emitting side including a microstructured surface, and at least two of the microstructured surfaces of the plurality of lens units are arranged in a high and low configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: JUTE INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shih-Chieh Wei
  • Patent number: 10708576
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application disclose a light field display control method and apparatus and a light field display device. The light field display control method comprises: determining a partial depth distribution sub-region of content according to at least depth distribution information of the content; and adjusting a focal length of a first lenslet according to at least a display depth of field (DoF) range of a light field display device and the depth distribution sub-region, wherein the first lenslet is a lenslet that is in a lenslet array of the light field display device and affects display of a first object, and the first object is a part, which is located in the depth distribution sub-region, of the content. The present application can improve display quality of an object which is located in a partial depth distribution sub-region of content to be displayed or content being displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: BEIJING ZHIGU RIU TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lin Du, Liang Zhou
  • Patent number: 10672813
    Abstract: Image plane phase difference pixels that can handle incident light at two or more chief ray angles are realized. A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel, the pixel including a microlens that condenses light from a subject, a photoelectric conversion unit that receives the subject light condensed by the microlens to generate an electrical signal according to an amount of received light, and a light shielding portion provided between the photoelectric conversion unit and the microlens. The light shielding portion includes an edge portion formed across over a light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion unit, and the edge portion includes a first edge portion and a second edge portion at positions different from each other both in a first direction corresponding to an up and down direction of an output image and a second direction corresponding to a left and right direction of the output image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichiro Noudo
  • Patent number: 10582193
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application disclose a light field display control method and apparatus and a light field display device. The light field display control method comprises: determining at least one depth distribution sub-region of content according to a display depth of field (DoF) range of a light field display device and depth distribution information of the content, wherein each depth distribution sub-region of the at least one depth distribution sub-region is located outside the display DoF range; and tilting a first lenslet with respect to an original plane of a lenslet array of the light field display device according to at least the display DoF range of the light field display device and the depth distribution sub-region, wherein the first lenslet is a lenslet that is in the lenslet array of the light field display device and affects display of a first object, and the first object is a part, which is located in the depth distribution sub-region, of the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: BEIJING ZHIGU RUI TUO TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lin Du, Liang Zhou
  • Patent number: 10444505
    Abstract: A head mounted display device comprising: a light emitting source, an optical waveguide adapted to collect light emitted from the light emitting source and to guide the collected light to the eye of a wearer when the head mounted display device is being worn by the wearer, a controller device adapted to control the emitted spectrum and/or radiance and/or light level emitted by the light emitting source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Essilor International
    Inventors: Denis Rousseau, Denis Cohen Tannoudji, Thierry Villette, Coralie Barrau
  • Patent number: 10429651
    Abstract: The embodiments provide a head up display device comprising: at least one light source for emitting light; a first optical member for changing the path of light emitted from the light source; an optical sheet for transferring light emitted from the first optical member to a second optical member described below; and the second optical member for changing the path of light transferred from the optical sheet, and including a first surface in the direction of the optical sheet and a second surface in the direction of an image panel described below, wherein the first surface and the second surface are both curved surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seong Ha Jang
  • Patent number: 10371347
    Abstract: A vehicle light comprising a container body that houses at least one light source that emits a plurality of light rays (Ri). A lenticular body is at least partially crossed by the light beam produced by the light source. A diffuser body faces at least one light source, so as to receive the light beam from the diffuser body and extends along a main transverse extension (T-T) perpendicular to a main direction of propagation (L-L) of the light beam. The diffuser body comprises a first group of first optical elements defining cylindrical or spherical optics which scatter the light rays (Ri) towards the light output wall and emit an opalescent light beam. The first optical elements of the first group form a single body, and the first optical elements are separated from the light source and the lenticular body by air gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING ITALIA S.p.A.
    Inventors: Sara Paroni, Marco Svettini
  • Patent number: 10368049
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application disclose a light field display control method and apparatus and a light field display device. The light field display control method comprises: determining at least one depth distribution sub-region of content according to a display depth of field (DoF) range of a light field display device and depth distribution information of the content, wherein each depth distribution sub-region of the at least one depth distribution sub-region is located outside the display DoF range; and adjusting a focal length of a first lenslet according to at least the display DoF range and the depth distribution sub-region, wherein the first lenslet is a lenslet that is in a lenslet array of the light field display device and affects display of a first object, and the first object is a part, which is located in the depth distribution sub-region, of the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: BEIJING ZHIGU RUI TUO TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lin Du, Liang Zhou
  • Patent number: 10288878
    Abstract: An illumination unit includes a plurality of sets of illumination modules each having a light source placed at a conjugate position and a plurality of stages of condenser lenses that collect light from the light source toward a display device, a magnifying optical system being between the conjugate position and a viewing area. Each illumination module set includes an initial stage lens as a condenser lens closest to the light source and a final stage lens as a condenser lens farthest from the light source. In each illumination module set, assuming a composite focal point of a composite lens combined from all stages of condenser lenses, a gap between a principal plane of the initial stage lens and the light source is set to be equal to or less than a gap between the principal plane and the composite focal point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Nambara
  • Patent number: 10235584
    Abstract: A system for determining the authenticity of an object including a reference-image acquisition module for acquiring a reference-image. The reference-image acquisition module includes a light-source, an imager including an imaging-sensor, and a database coupled with the imager for storing the reference-image. The light-source directs circumferential-light toward an authentication-region on the object. The circumferential-light is at least one of collimated and telecentric. The circumferential-light impinges on the authentication-region from a plurality of different azimuthal directions and at a predetermined oblique angle relative to the normal of a plane defined by said object. A portion of the circumferential-light is reflected from the authentication-region toward a specular reflection region and another portion is scattered from the authentication-region. The imager is focused on the authentication-region and acquires a reference-image. The reference-image is a focused image of the scattered light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: ELBIT SYSTEMS LAND AND C4I LTD.
    Inventor: Ilya Leizerson
  • Patent number: 10215992
    Abstract: A security element, a security device including a security element and a method of manufacturing a security device. The element having focusing elements and image elements, the image elements are located in an object plane such that each image element is associated with one of the focusing elements, wherein the object plane includes at least first and second distinct subregions, and an image element within the first subregion is phase-displaced by a phase-displacement distance with respect to an image element within the second subregion, and wherein the first and second subregions produce first and second optically variable images or part-images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: CCL Secure Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Karlo Ivan Jolic
  • Patent number: 10180570
    Abstract: An illumination unit includes a plurality of sets of illumination modules each having a light source placed at a conjugate position and a plurality of stages of condenser lenses that collect light from the light source toward a display device, a magnifying optical system being between the conjugate position and a viewing area. Each illumination module set includes an initial stage lens as a condenser lens closest to the light source and a final stage lens as a condenser lens farthest from the light source. In each illumination module set, assuming a composite focal point of a composite lens combined from all stages of condenser lenses, a gap between a principal plane of the initial stage lens and the light source is set to be equal to or less than a gap between the principal plane and the composite focal point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Nambara
  • Patent number: 10137717
    Abstract: A laser printing apparatus and method for a color dynamic image are provided. The laser printing apparatus includes an optical system and a recording material; the recording material includes a refraction layer formed by multiple microspheres or microlenses, and a shading layer formed on a focal plane of the multiple microshperes or microlenses; the optical system includes a laser and an graph generator, a laser light emitted by the laser irradiates onto the recording material after being processed by the image generator, the laser light irradiating onto the recording material is focused on the shading layer via the refraction layer, and a focus point is formed on the shading layer when energy of the focused laser light is greater than an evaporation threshold value of the shading layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignees: SVG OPTRONICS CO., LTD., SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Guojun Wei, Linsen Chen, Pengfei Zhu, Donglin Pu, Zhifei Zhu, Heng Li
  • Patent number: 10031341
    Abstract: A head-up display device includes: a cover having a light-transmissive light exit part; a first case mating with the cover and having a light entry part for entry of display light and a housing part housing a reflecting member; a light source unit outside the housing part; and a second case covering the light source unit and fastened to the first case. The device has a heat radiator of higher rigidity than the second case, having a wall part that externally projects from the housing part through the intervening light entry part, the light source unit affixed to the wall part to diffuse the heat from the light source unit; and includes a mating part in which the second case and the wall part mate together, the second case fastened to the heat radiator at locations to either side of the mating part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON SEIKI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Azuma
  • Patent number: 9834030
    Abstract: The invention relates to a security element (1). The security element (1) has a viewing side and a back side that is opposite the latter. The security element comprises at least one luminous layer (2) that can emit light (20), and at least one mask layer (4) that, when the security element (1) is viewed from the viewing side, is arranged in front of the at least one luminous layer (2). The at least one mask layer (4) has at least one opaque region (5) and at least two transparent openings (41, 42). The at least two transparent openings (41, 42) has a substantially higher transmittance than the at least one opaque region (5) in respect of light (20) emitted by the at least one luminous layer (2), preferably a transmittance that is at least 20% higher, particularly preferably a transmittance that is at least 50% higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: OVD KINEGRAM AG, BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH
    Inventors: Wayne Robert Tompkin, Harald Walter, Olga Kulikovska, Jorg Fischer, Andre Leopold
  • Patent number: 9796204
    Abstract: The invention relates to a security element (1). The security element (1) has a viewing side and a back side that is opposite the latter. The security element comprises at least one luminous layer (2) that can provide light (20), and at least one mask layer (4) that, when the security element (1) is viewed from the viewing side, is arranged in front of the at least one luminous layer (2). The at least one mask layer (4) has at least one opaque region (5) and at least two transparent openings (41, 42). The at least two transparent openings (41, 42) has a substantially higher transmittance than the at least one opaque region (5) in respect of light (20) provided by the at least one luminous layer (2), preferably a transmittance that is at least 20% higher, particularly preferably a transmittance that is at least 50% higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: OVD KINEGRAM AG
    Inventors: Wayne Robert Tompkin, Harald Walter, Olga Kulikovska, Jorg Fischer, Andre Leopold
  • Patent number: 9766446
    Abstract: An illumination system and method for operating the same is disclosed. The illumination system includes a spatial light modulator (SLM), first and second optical systems, a controller and a mask. The SLM is positioned to receive an incident light beam. The first optical system images light leaving the SLM onto the mask that blocks part of the light. The second optical system images light leaving the mask onto a sample to be illuminated. The controller causes the SLM to display an SLM pattern that generates an illumination beam and a spurious light beam from the incident light beam, the illumination beam passing through the mask, wherein the mask includes a fixed part having a plurality of openings and a moveable part that moves in relation to the fixed part and that includes an opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Manuel Moertelmaier
  • Patent number: 9691211
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image acquiring unit that reads the front surface of a medium irradiated with first light to acquire a first image, and reads the front surface of the medium irradiated with second light including ultraviolet rays to acquire a second image, by driving an image sensor, a first corrected-image generating unit that generates a first corrected image by decreasing brightness of the first image, a second corrected-image generating unit that generates a second corrected image by increasing contrast of the second image, and a synthetic image generating unit that generates a synthetic image by synthesizing the first corrected image and the second corrected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamamoto, Morimichi Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9678417
    Abstract: A projector includes a light source unit comprising a microlens array having a first area and a second area having a wider interval than that of the first area, a first light source configured to emit light to be incident on the first area, and a second light source configured to emit light to be incident on the first area and the second area, wherein the microlens array diffuses the lights emitted from the first light source and the second light source by microlenses thereof, a collective lens collecting diffuse lights diffused by the microlens array, a display device on which the diffuse lights collected by the collective lens are shone to produce projected light, a projection optical system guiding the projected light produced by the display device, and a control unit controlling the display device and the light source unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Kurosaki
  • Patent number: 9547181
    Abstract: Disclosed are a diffractive optical element, a design method thereof and the application thereof in a solar cell. The design method for a design modulation thickness of a sampling point of the diffractive optical element comprises: calculating the modulation thickness of the current sampling point for each wavelength component; obtaining a series of alternative modulation thicknesses which are mutually equivalent for each modulation thickness, wherein a difference between the corresponding modulation phases is an integral multiple of 2?; and selecting one modulation thickness from the alternative modulation thicknesses of each wavelength to determine the design modulation thickness of the current sampling point. In an embodiment, the design method introduces a thickness optimization algorithm into a Yang-Gu algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Guozhen Yang, Bizhen Dong, Yan Zhang, Jiasheng Ye, Qingbo Meng, Qingli Huang, Jinze Wang
  • Patent number: 9467633
    Abstract: Image sensors may include an array of photodiodes arranged in groups of adjacent photodiodes that generate charge in response to same-colored light. The image sensor may generate high-dynamic-range (HDR) images. To establish an effective exposure ratio between sets of photodiodes on the array for generating HDR images, microlenses may be formed over some photodiodes in a checkerboard pattern and may have portions that extend over other photodiodes in the array. Control circuitry may control photodiodes in each group to perform pulsed integration in which charge transfer control signals are intermittently pulsed for those photodiodes. A substantially opaque element may be formed over photodiodes in each of the groups such that the corresponding photodiodes generate signals in response to crosstalk. In this way, different effective exposures may be established across the array, allowing for HDR images to be generated without motion artifacts and with super-pixel resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Scott Johnson, Robert M. Gravelle, Jr., Brian W. Keelan, Christopher D. Silsby
  • Patent number: 9366876
    Abstract: A lens component 10 comprises K unit lenses 11, each extending in the X direction and having a common structure, arranged in parallel at a minimum period PL in the Y direction. Each unit lens 11 includes two partial lenses 121, 122 sectioned within the minimum period PL in the Y direction and a flat part 13 disposed between the partial lenses 121, 122. The partial lenses 121, 122 have respective optical axes different from each other but parallel to the Z direction and form images of a common point on an object surface onto an image surface A at respective positions different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Fine Polymer, Inc.
    Inventors: Michiko Takushima, Tomomi Sano, Jun Yorita, Masaya Nishi
  • Patent number: 9289962
    Abstract: Laser-personalizable security articles include a multi-layer security document and an optically transparent processing tape. The multi-layer security document includes an optically transparent cover layer, a composite image and an imagable layer adjacent to the cover layer. The first surface of the cover layer is at least partially a microstructured surface, where the microstructured surface forms microlenses or a lenticular surface. The composite image is made by a collection of complete or partial images viewed through the microstructured surface of the cover layer. The composite image is located on or within the second surface of the cover layer. The imagable layer is a laser. The optically transparent processing tape sufficiently wets out on the misconstructured surface to render the microstructured surface invisible to a writing laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kui Chen-Ho, Christopher K. Haas, Douglas S. Dunn, Duane D. Fansler, Jianhui Xia, Dong-Wei Zhu, Timothy D. Filiatrault, Barbara J. Filiatrault, David B. Olson, Randy A. Larson, Jun-Ying Zhang, Encai Hao
  • Patent number: 9273241
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-resolution imaging system for recording images of the same scene, that are sampled in a complementary manner. To this end, an image filter (2) is arranged in an intermediate focusing plane (PI), and a matrix (3) of microlenses is arranged at a distance from the image filter, with each microlens that is associated with an opening (O2) of the image filter. An image detection matrix (9) is then optically conjugated with the microlens matrix. The system also comprises a device for moving an intermediate image in relation to the image filter (2). Such an imaging system is especially suitable for recording high-resolution infrared images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: SAGEM DEFENSE SÉcuritÉ
    Inventors: Christian Chomont, Francoise Cau, Michel Pealat, Vincent Duriaud
  • Patent number: 9264698
    Abstract: An image generation apparatus to generate an image includes an acquisition unit, an input unit, and a generation unit. The acquisition unit acquires image data. The input unit inputs brightness information with respect to the image data and lens characteristics of a lenticular lens. The generation unit generates a plurality of pieces of image data which is varied in brightness for being synthesized to the lenticular lens based on the brightness information and the lens characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9209050
    Abstract: A laser crystallization system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the laser crystallization system includes i) a mother substrate including first, second, and third display regions sequentially arranged in a first direction and ii) a stage for supporting the mother substrate and moving in the first direction and in a second direction. The system also includes i) a first laser irradiation unit for irradiating a first laser beam having a width greater than or identical to a width of a side of one of the display regions in the first direction and ii) a second laser irradiation unit spaced apart from the first laser irradiation unit and irradiating a second laser beam having a width greater than or identical to the width of the side in the first direction. Furthermore, the first and second laser beams may correspond to widths of sides of the first and third display regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Hwan Oh, Jae-Beom Choi, Won-Kyu Lee, Young-Jin Chang, Seong-Hyun Jin
  • Patent number: 9126396
    Abstract: Disclosed is a printing device comprising a collimation layer disposed between a display screen and a sheet of instant film. The printing device quickly and compactly prints the display screen contents to the instant film, using a collimation layer that may be embedded in an opaque ribbon and drawn across the instant film. The collimation layer blocks any light not parallel to the normal vector of the display screen, thereby eliminating the need for traditional lenses to focus light. This in turn allows the printing device to yield high resolution photos with very short printing timeframes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Pacific Opal LLC
    Inventors: Ismail Degani, Isaac Degani
  • Patent number: 9025251
    Abstract: An optically variable device (“OVD”) with an integral image system that includes a focusing element and an array of micro-objects which, when viewed through the focusing element, changes in appearance depending on the relative location from which the OVD is observed. A security device including the OVD and methods for creating the OVD are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Opsec Security Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Dunn, Robert Edward Renton, Donald William Tomkins
  • Patent number: 9020641
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an obstacle sensing module and a cleaning robot including the same. The cleaning robot includes a body, a driver to drive the body, an obstacle sensing module to sense an obstacle present around the body, and a control unit to control the driver, based on sensed results of the obstacle sensing module. The obstacle sensing module includes at least one light emitter including a light source, and a wide-angle lens to refract or reflect light from the light source so as to diffuse the incident light in the form of planar light, and a light receiver including a reflection mirror to again reflect reflection light reflected by the obstacle so as to generate reflection light, an optical lens spaced from the reflection mirror by a predetermined distance, to allow the reflection light to pass through the optical lens, and an image sensor, and an image processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeon Kyu Jeong, Dong Won Kim, Jea Yun So, Sang Sik Yoon, Gwang Jin Jung, Joon Hyung Kwon
  • Patent number: 9019614
    Abstract: An optical system is provided with a transparent element having a proximal surface on one side and a distal surface on an opposite side. A plurality of light-scattering structures is formed in the distal surface. A positionally-corresponding plurality of surface lenses is provided on the proximal surface. The light-scattering structures and the surface lenses may be arranged in a slightly angled or offset square array relative to a side surface of the transparent element. A rastering, collimated light source, directs a beam of light roughly in the plane of the transparent element towards individual light-scattering structures. The light-scattering structures scatter at least a portion of the light towards the corresponding surface lenses, which may collect and collimate the light towards a viewing location. The optical system may be incorporated into a head-mounted display (HMD).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Wayne DeVaul
  • Patent number: 9007691
    Abstract: An object is to provide an image display sheet capable of realizing a smooth pseudo moving image and observing the image with reduced in discomfort. A configuration is provided in which a lenticular sheet composed of an arrangement of a plurality of cylindrical lenses 1a and an image forming layer 3 are laminated, and the image display sheet is formed capable of observing an image formed on the image forming layer 3 from the convex shape side of the cylindrical lenses 1a of the lenticular sheet, as a virtual image with movement, or movement and deformation. The image forming layer 3 is formed repeatedly with a plurality of images 3 for displaying virtual images in association with the cylindrical lenses 1a so as to correspond to the cylindrical lenses 1a, respectively, one-on-one, and difference between an arrangement pitch length A of the cylindrical lenses 1a and a pitch length B of the repeatedly formed images 3a formed on the image forming layer 3 is in a range of 0% to 10%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Grapac Japan Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Yumoto, Kazushi Omori
  • Publication number: 20150070770
    Abstract: An optical element includes a microlens array on which plural microlenses are arranged. The microlens array includes plural areas whose microlenses have different curvature radii per area. The plural areas are configured so that the farther the area exists from the center of the microlens array, the smaller the curvature radius of the microlenses arranged on the area is.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Nomoto, Ikuya Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20150053844
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a rod lens array, which has a deep depth of focus and a small depth of focus spot. The present invention provides a rod lens array that is equipped with at least one line of rod lenses between two substrates, said line of rod lenses having a plurality of columnar rod lenses wherein the refractive index decreases toward the outer periphery from the center, said rod lenses being arranged in such a manner that the center axes of the rod lenses are substantially parallel to each other. The rod lens array is characterized in that the average value (DOFave) of the depth of focus (DOF) is at least 0.9 mm, and the depth of focus spot (DOFcv) in the scanning direction of the line of rod lenses is not more than 12%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Masafumi Kitamura, Kikue Irie, Yasushi Kawaharada