Patents Examined by Christopher Lamb
  • Patent number: 10473929
    Abstract: A head-up display includes a display device and a projection optical system. The projection optical system has a lens group including at least one lens element and projects onto a reflecting member an image displayed on the display device. The lens group includes a drive lens that shifts along an optical path to change its distance from the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kuzuhara, Hiroaki Okayama, Toshiya Mori
  • Patent number: 10477166
    Abstract: A wavelength conversion device includes a main body, a first reflective layer, a second reflective layer, a first wavelength conversion layer and a second wavelength conversion layer. The main body has at least two sections. The first and second reflective layers are disposed on the main body and aligned to the sections respectively. Materials of the first and second reflective layers are different. The first and second wavelength conversion layers are disposed on the main body and aligned to the first and second reflective layers respectively. The first wavelength conversion layer is adapted to convert an excitation light beam into a first excited light beam having a first wavelength. The second wavelength conversion layer is adapted to convert the excitation light beam into a second excited light beam having a second wavelength. The first and second wavelengths are different. Besides, a projector using the wavelength conversion device is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventor: I-Hua Chen
  • Patent number: 10474023
    Abstract: A light source apparatus, an illuminator, and a projector that output a reduced light beam flux in a direction roughly the same as the direction of the optical axis of an incident light beam flux. The light source apparatus includes a light source unit that outputs a light beam flux and a reduction system that includes a plurality of optical elements and reduces the cross section of the light beam flux. The optical elements each have first and second surfaces and first and second reflection surfaces and allow a corresponding light beam of the light beam flux to pass through the first surface, to be incident on the first reflection surface, to be sequentially reflected off the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface, and then to exit through the second surface to shift the optical path of the light beam in a first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Akiyama, Takayuki Matsubara
  • Patent number: 10466496
    Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-color light source device including a first light source configured to emit light of a first color, a second light source configured to emit light of a second color that is distinct from the first color, and a first geometric phase lens associated with a first focal length for the light of the first color and a second focal length, distinct from the first focal length, for the light of the second color. The first light source is located at a first distance from the first geometric phase lens, and the second light source is located at a second distance, distinct from the first distance, from the geometric phase lens. Also disclosed is a head mounted display system including the multi-color light source device, a light modulator configured for modulating light from the multi-color light source device, and one or more lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Maxwell Parsons
  • Patent number: 10459321
    Abstract: Optical systems having at least one polarization beam splitter (PBS) are operable to receive randomly-polarized light bundles from a projector lens. The PBS is further operable to direct light bundles having a state of polarization (SOP) along a light path and operable to direct other light bundles having a different SOP along different light paths. The light paths have optical path lengths which may differ. Each light path produces an image having a distortion which may differ from the distortion of an image produced by a different light path. A compensation in a light path is operable to convert a non-compensated distortion of an image into a compensated distortion that more closely matches the distortion of images in other light paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: Miller H. Schuck, Douglas J. McKnight
  • Patent number: 10457214
    Abstract: A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, folding in an exterior mirror of a motor vehicle having a door with a rear-mounted hinge. The exterior mirror is folded in when the door is opened and when at least one of the following conditions is met: (1) an obstacle is detected adjacent the door or (2) a speed at which the door is opened is less than a predefined threshold value. A motor vehicle configured to perform the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Knuettel, Robert Spahl, Igor Fischbein, Torsten Gerhardt
  • Patent number: 10451958
    Abstract: A wavelength conversion device includes a rotating device and a base member which is rotated by the rotating device. The base member includes a wavelength conversion portion which is disposed in an annular shape on a first surface of the base member, a first region which is located further inside than the wavelength conversion portion, and a second region which is located further outside than the wavelength conversion portion, and is larger in surface area than the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigekazu Aoki, Akira Egawa, Shunji Kamijima
  • Patent number: 10451959
    Abstract: A light source device includes a light emitting element adapted to emit light having a first polarization direction and a first wavelength, a polarization separation element adapted to transmit either one of the light having the first polarization direction and the first wavelength and light having a second polarization direction and the first wavelength, and reflect the other, and transmit or reflect light having a second wavelength to emit the light having the second wavelength toward a same direction as a direction in which the light having the second polarization direction and the first wavelength is emitted, a wavelength conversion element adapted to convert the light having the first wavelength into the light having the second wavelength, and a diffusion optical system disposed on a light path between the polarization separation element and the wavelength conversion element. The diffusion optical system includes a diffusion section and a light separation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunji Kamijima, Wataru Yasumatsu
  • Patent number: 10444610
    Abstract: Laser safety systems, devices, and methods for use in laser projectors are described. A laser projector includes any number of laser diodes that each emit laser light, a laser diode power source, a current sensor to detect a magnitude of the electric current output by the power source, a photodetector to detect a power/intensity of the laser light, a beam splitter to direct a first portion of the light towards the photodetector and a second portion of the light towards an output on the projector, and first and second laser safety circuits responsive to signals from the photodetector and the current sensor, respectively. The laser safety circuits selectively electrically couples/uncouples the laser diodes from the power source depending on signals from the photodetector and/or the current sensor. Particular applications of the laser safety systems, devices, and methods in a wearable heads-up display are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: North Inc.
    Inventor: Kai Xu
  • Patent number: 10444609
    Abstract: Laser safety systems, devices, and methods for use in laser projectors are described. A laser projector includes any number of laser diodes that each emit laser light, a laser diode power source, a current sensor to detect a magnitude of the electric current output by the power source, a photodetector to detect a power/intensity of the laser light, a beam splitter to direct a first portion of the light towards the photodetector and a second portion of the light towards an output on the projector, and first and second laser safety circuits responsive to signals from the photodetector and the current sensor, respectively. The laser safety circuits selectively electrically couples/uncouples the laser diodes from the power source depending on signals from the photodetector and/or the current sensor. Particular applications of the laser safety systems, devices, and methods in a wearable heads-up display are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: North Inc.
    Inventor: Kai Xu
  • Patent number: 10444608
    Abstract: Laser safety systems, devices, and methods for use in laser projectors are described. A laser projector includes any number of laser diodes that each emit laser light, a laser diode power source, a current sensor to detect a magnitude of the electric current output by the power source, a photodetector to detect a power/intensity of the laser light, a beam splitter to direct a first portion of the light towards the photodetector and a second portion of the light towards an output on the projector, and first and second laser safety circuits responsive to signals from the photodetector and the current sensor, respectively. The laser safety circuits selectively electrically couples/uncouples the laser diodes from the power source depending on signals from the photodetector and/or the current sensor. Particular applications of the laser safety systems, devices, and methods in a wearable heads-up display are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: North Inc.
    Inventor: Kai Xu
  • Patent number: 10409061
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a compact and low-cost head-up display device capable of creating a sense of depth in a virtual image. This head-up display device includes a light-emitting device, a reflecting mirror, and a screen. The reflecting mirror includes two reflecting surfaces that are a first reflecting surface having a flat shape and a second reflecting surface having a curved shape. The screen is composed of a first screen through which the light reflected from the first reflecting surface passes, and a second screen through which the light reflected from the second reflecting surface passes. The first screen and the second screen are disposed so that the length of a first optical path in which the light emitted from the light-emitting device reaches the first screen is different from the length of a second optical path in which the light emitted from the light-emitting device reaches the second screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: NIPPON SEIKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Matsuura, Kazuo Morohashi, Megumi Sato
  • Patent number: 10368029
    Abstract: An electronic device and method include receiving one of a plurality of projection-mode triggers, each projection-mode trigger having associated projection-mode display parameters, based on the received projection-mode trigger, initiating a projection mode at the electronic device, receiving, from an application, content information for display on a display of the electronic device, altering the content information based on the display parameters associated with the received one of the plurality of projection-mode triggers to generate altered content information, and displaying the altered content information on the display of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Neil Patrick Adams
  • Patent number: 10359544
    Abstract: A long-wave infrared anti-reflective laminate includes a silicon substrate and an anti-reflective composite layer. The anti-reflective composite layer is disposed on the silicon substrate and has at least one first anti-reflective membrane. The at least one first anti-reflective membrane includes a first silicon nitride layer and a first silicon dioxide layer. The first silicon nitride layer is disposed between the silicon substrate and the first silicon dioxide layer. The thickness ratio of the first silicon nitride layer to the first silicon dioxide layer ranges from 175 to 225. The anti-reflective composite layer can be applied on the optical instrument to raise the transmitting rate of the silicon substrate. The transmitting rate of the long-wave infrared anti-reflective laminate is over 90% within the wave band from 8 ?m to 12 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Inventor: Tzu-Chiang Chen
  • Patent number: 10362281
    Abstract: A projection apparatus includes a discharge lamp; a control apparatus for controlling a discharge current through the lamp. The apparatus is designed in a first drive mode, to control the discharge current having an amplitude profile; in a second drive mode, to control the discharge current in accordance with the amplitude profile; and to change between the first mode and the second mode. The time difference between two changes is given by a first time interval, and the time difference between the change from the first mode to the second mode and a next instance of leaving the second mode is given by a second time interval. The apparatus further includes a control device to determine a first manipulated variable depending on a control deviation determined by the difference between a target voltage value and a measured voltage value, and to determine the first and/or the second time interval therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: OSRAM GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Heise, Marc Czichy, Bastian Dobler
  • Patent number: 10341624
    Abstract: A projection image display apparatus of the present disclosure is provided with a plurality of light sources, a light combiner combining light rays emitted from the light sources, a light modulation element modulating light emitted from the light combiner, and a projection optical system projecting an image emitted from the light modulation element. The light sources are each controlled by pulse width modulation signals, and duty ratios of the pulse width modulation signals to the light sources differ from each other at least in a part of a set range of an amount of light combined by the light combiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Teruto Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10326961
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a projector, an operating method of an electronic device including a projector, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon instructions for performing the operating method. The electronic device includes a communicator configured to exchange data with an external device, a projector configured to project light; a sensor configured to measure a degree of proximity between the electronic device and an installation surface on which the electronic device is to be installed, and a controller configured to control the communicator and/or the projector based on the degree of proximity measured by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung-Hyung Kim, Hee-kyung Kim, Jung-chul Park, Se-jun Song, Sung-kwang Yang, Yoon-gi Lee
  • Patent number: 10205917
    Abstract: An image projection image for projecting an image on a screen includes a light source, a scanning mirror and a prism. The light source includes laser diodes for emitting beams of different wavelengths. The scanning mirror reflects the beams radiated from the light source and projects the reflected beams. The prism is disposed at the rear of the scanning mirror to decenter the beams via the scanning mirror based on the wavelengths. In the image projection apparatus, the laser diodes are fixed to be vertically spaced apart from a reference height, corresponding to the wavelengths of the beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaehyuk Lim, Jideok Kim, Jaewook Kwon, Chanyoung Yoon
  • Patent number: 10197788
    Abstract: A projector includes a color wheel module and an optical engine. The color wheel module includes a rotation device, a mount, a color wheel, and an optical sensor. The color wheel is fixed on a rotary part of the rotation device. The rotation device and the optical sensor are fixed on the mount. The mount has an anti-dust structure includes a curved surface that is opposite to a rotary surface of the rotary part and extends in a rotation direction of the rotary part. The curved surface and the optical sensor are arranged sequentially in the rotation direction. Either by shortening a distance between the curved surface and the rotary surface or by a guiding slot that is disposed beside or lower than the curved surface, dust deposited on the optical sensor can be reduced effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignees: Qisda Optronics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., Qisda Corporation
    Inventors: Li-Yen Hsu, Tsung-Hsun Wu, Ying-Fang Lin, Wen-Chung Ho, Chi-Hung Hsiao
  • Patent number: 10175497
    Abstract: An illumination device includes an irradiation device, a diffusing element, a first lens array, a second lens array and a deflecting element, which are arranged in this order along the light path. Diffused light that has entered a particular region on the diffusing element and has been diffused by the diffusing element, and diffused light that has entered a region, which differs from the particular region, on the diffusing element and has been diffused by the diffusing element, travel to regions which at least partly overlap each other. The diffusion angle of diffused light exiting the diffusing element is not more than the acceptable angle formed between two line segments LS extending from the principal point of a second unit lens of the second lens array to both ends of a first unit lens of the first lens array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Ishida, Makio Kurashige