Patents Examined by Christopher Mahoney
  • Patent number: 9977320
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a display system comprising a retro-reflective screen having retro-reflective screen elements that reflect incident light. Each of the retro-reflective screen elements can include three intersecting planes. At least one of the three intersecting planes intersects an adjacent plane at an angle that is 90° with an offset greater than 0°. The display system can further include at least one projector that projects the light onto the retro-reflective, which light characterizes an image or video. The retro-reflective screen having the retro-reflective screen elements can reflect the light at a cross-talk that is decreased by at least 10% and/or an intensity that is increased by at least 5%, as compared to a retro-reflective screen with retro-reflective screen elements having planes that each intersects an adjacent plane at an angle of 90° without the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: MIRRAVIZ, INC.
    Inventor: Michael W. Wang
  • Patent number: 9977322
    Abstract: To provide a film or sheet and a screen excellent in visibility of a projected image, in see-through properties when an image is not projected and in bending resistance. A single-layer film or sheet comprising a fluororesin, a light-scattering agent and a light absorbing agent, characterized in that the light-scattering agent is at least one light-scattering agent selected from the group consisting of a titanium oxide-containing pigment, a zinc oxide-containing pigment and a cerium oxide-containing pigment, and the content thereof is from 0.01 to 0.175 g/m2, and the light absorbing agent is at least one light absorbing agent selected from the group consisting of carbon black, a black interference aluminum pigment, black iron oxide and titanium black, and the content thereof is from 0.0005 to 0.035 g/m2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Higuchi, Seigo Kotera
  • Patent number: 9976718
    Abstract: A daylighting device (10) according to an aspect of the present invention includes a first substrate (1) which has optical transparency and to which external light is incident; a second substrate (2) which has optical transparency and is disposed facing the first substrate (1); a light diffusion layer (3) which is disposed between the first substrate (1) and the second substrate (2); and a daylighting layer (4) which is disposed between the first substrate (1) and the second substrate (2) and is formed by including a plurality of daylighting portions (42) having optical transparency and a void portion (43) which is provided between the plurality of daylighting portions (42) in one surface facing the light diffusion layer (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shun Ueki, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Tomoko Ueki, Shumpei Nishinaka, Toru Kanno, Hideomi Yui, Daisuke Shinozaki
  • Patent number: 9970613
    Abstract: There is provided a lighting film according to one aspect of the invention including: a first substrate having optical transparency; a plurality of lighting units formed of a plurality of polygonal prism-shaped structures having optical transparency provided on a first surface of the first substrate; and gaps provided between the plurality of lighting units, in which the lighting unit is a polygon which has five vertexes in a sectional shape orthogonal to a longitudinal direction and has all of internal angles smaller than 180°, the lighting unit includes a first side which is one side of the polygon corresponding to a surface contacted with the first substrate, and a plurality of vertexes including a first vertex and a second vertex which are vertexes corresponding to both ends of the first side and a third vertex which is not positioned on the first side, a length of a perpendicular line of the first side passing the third vertex is longer than a length of a perpendicular line of the first side passing a ve
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideomi Yui, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Tomoko Nango
  • Patent number: 9970614
    Abstract: Transfer tapes and methods of making transfer tapes are described. In one aspect, the transfer tape comprises a template layer having a structured surface; a backfill layer disposed on at least a portion of the template layer, the backfill layer having a microstructured surface opposite the structured surface; and a layer disposed adjacent the microstructured surface, wherein the layer disposed adjacent the microstructured surface has a refractive index that differs from the backfill layer. The microstructured surface together with the adjacent layer functions as a diffusive layer, or in other words a diffusive interface. Also described are microoptical glazing and methods of making microoptical glazing as well as insulated glazing units and methods of making insulated glazing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Justin P. Meyer, Martin B. Wolk, Thomas R. Hoffend, Jr., Steven J. McMan, Daniel W. Hennen, Evan L. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 9964269
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods in which reflective slats are configured to redirect light received from various sun positions are provided. The slats or mirrored array could be coupled to a base of the redirector, such that an adjustment of an angle of the base relative to the horizontal adjusts an angle of each slat relative to the horizontal. In some aspects, an algorithm can be used to determine the angle of tilt that maximizes the transmission efficiency for the mirror array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: The University of British Columbia
    Inventors: Allen Upward, Lorne Whitehead
  • Patent number: 9964844
    Abstract: Screen vibration systems are provided that can vibrate theater screens using acoustical, electromagnetic, or another type of energy while reducing the presence of image artifacts that may otherwise be visible as result of vibrating the screen. In one example of a screen vibration system, the system includes a screen, a permanent magnet mounted to the screen, and a magnetic source positioned with respect to the permanent magnet and uncoupled from the screen. The screen is moveable in response to a changing magnetic field from the magnetic source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: IMAX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hamed Herati, Denis Gilles Tremblay, Oliver Nicholas Komarnycky
  • Patent number: 9958700
    Abstract: An optical modulator (12) for speckle suppression in a laser projection system includes a first planar transparent conductor (20); a second optionally transparent planar conductor (26); a diffusing element (22) disposed between the first and second conductor; and an alternating voltage applied across the first and second conductors creates in-plane movement or distortion in the diffusing element to reduce laser speckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Kevin D. Lofftus, Paul James Kane, James Henry Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9958768
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a display device, which is applied to rear projection system. The device includes a screen, which is curved with incident rays penetrating into a concave side of the screen, and then being transmitted by the screen, to form parallel rays to be emitted out from the convex side of the screen. The device also includes a projecting unit, configured to project rays of an image to the screen, the image including a valid area and an invalid area. The device yet further includes a covering plank, located between the screen and the projecting unit, and configured to cover the invalid area of the image for getting the light of the valid area of the image emitted by the projecting unit to project to the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: YUTOU TECHNOLOGY (HANGZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongjun Zhou, Da Wei
  • Patent number: 9954202
    Abstract: A plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix each include an EL element, a transistor, and a transistor. The EL element includes a cathode to which a first voltage is applied. The transistor includes a gate connected to a gate signal line, a source connected to an anode of the EL element, and a drain to which a second voltage having a potential higher than a potential of the first voltage is applied. A method for manufacturing the EL display device includes: applying the second voltage to the anode of the EL element via the transistor, by applying an ON voltage to the gate signal line; and detecting light emission by the EL element, using an optical detector, in a state in which the ON voltage is being applied to the gate signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: JOLED INC.
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Ishizu
  • Patent number: 9945525
    Abstract: Solar light redirecting glazing units include light redirecting and light diffusing constructions. The solar light redirecting glazing units may include a glazing substrate, a visible light diffusing layer, and a light redirecting layer oriented such that incoming solar light contacts the visible light diffusing layer before contacting the light redirecting layer. The solar light redirecting glazing units may include a glazing substrate, a patterned visible light diffusing layer, and a light redirecting layer. The solar light redirecting glazing units may include two glazing substrates separated by an intervening space with a solar light redirecting layer disposed on one glazing substrate, and a visible light diffusing layer disposed on the other glazing substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Raghunath Padiyath, Bing Hao, Charles A. Marttila
  • Patent number: 9939639
    Abstract: A retroreflective screen including a first film having a surface including a plurality of microrecesses, each microrecess having a bottom substantially parallel to the mean plane of the screen and first and second lateral walls substantially orthogonal to each other and substantially orthogonal to the bottom, the first and second lateral walls and the bottom of the microrecess joining at a same point and forming a trihedron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives
    Inventor: Christophe Martinez
  • Patent number: 9939722
    Abstract: A projection screen system includes a housing defining a channel, a screen and motor assembly including a projection screen and a tubular motor, and first and second opposed mounting features configured to hold the screen and motor assembly in the channel of the housing. The housing is configured to be installed recessed in a ceiling and the screen and motor assembly is configured to be mounted in the housing of the installed housing such that the installation of the housing and the mounting of the screen and motor assembly are performed independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: WirePath Home Systems, LLC
    Inventors: William Jacob Kozlowski, Jr., Christopher Glenn Franck, Matthew R. Shute
  • Patent number: 9936177
    Abstract: A tile and tiled display system having at least two adjacent tiles each having a display screen with display pixels which are picture elements, whereby for colored displays each pixel is comprised of a plurality light emitting or light modulating elements. Each of the tiles has at least one first substrate of a first material and at least one first layer of a second material fixed to the first substrate where the thickness of the at least one first layer is less than the thickness of the first substrate; the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first substrate is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the at least one first layer and the distance between the at least two tiles is less than the size of a pixel on the display screen. The first substrates of adjacent tiles can be brought in mechanical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignees: BARCO N.V., BARCO CONTROL ROOMS GMBH
    Inventor: Peter Hickl
  • Patent number: 9933696
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a display system comprising a retro-reflective screen having retro-reflective screen elements that reflect incident light. Each of the retro-reflective screen elements can include three intersecting planes. At least one of the three intersecting planes intersects an adjacent plane at an angle that is 90° with an offset greater than 0°. The display system can further include at least one projector that projects the light onto the retro-reflective, which light characterizes an image or video. The retro-reflective screen having the retro-reflective screen elements can reflect the light at a cross-talk that is decreased by at least 10% and/or an intensity that is increased by at least 5%, as compared to a retro-reflective screen with retro-reflective screen elements having planes that each intersects an adjacent plane at an angle of 90° without the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: MIRRAVIZ, INC.
    Inventor: Michael W. Wang
  • Patent number: 9926739
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a light-directing system, comprising a textile sheet material, which can be positioned in a light incidence region in front of a space and has a weft-thread layer composed of a plurality of weft threads, wherein the weft threads are extended substantially linearly and bound mesh openings of the sheet material. According to this disclosure, some or all weft threads have a non-circular thread cross-section bounded by a plurality of individual side parts and are arranged parallel to each other, the orientation of the side parts of the weft threads being uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ettlin Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Frauke Susanne Hänsch
  • Patent number: 9927690
    Abstract: A projection screen, adapted to receive an image beam, includes a transparent substrate, optical pillar structures, a light-scattering layer, Fresnel structures and a light-absorption layer. The transparent substrate has first surface and second surface opposing to each other. The optical pillar structures are located at the first surface, and between the light-scattering layer and the transparent substrate. Each optical pillar structure is arranged along the first direction. The Fresnel structures are located at the second surface, and disposed between the transparent substrate and the light-absorption layer. Each Fresnel structure has a reflective surface and a transmissive surface connected to the reflective surface. The image beam sequentially passes through the light-scattering layer, the optical pillar structures, the transparent substrate and travels to the reflective surfaces, and the image beam is reflected by the reflective surfaces and outputs from the projection screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Fang-Hsuan Su, Hung-Ta Chien, Fu-Chiang Hsu, Fu-Ming Chuang, Chi-Tang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9927497
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus having at least one magnet core, on at least one carrier surface, which encompasses at least one soft magnetic material and for which a respective longitudinal center plane, which is oriented perpendicularly to the carrier surface and divides the respective magnet core into two halves having an identical mass, is definable, at least one coil being on, around, and/or adjacent to the at least one magnet core, the at least one magnet core having in its interior sub-regions by which an initiation of a magnetization reversal of the respective magnet core is targetedly locally controllable since a drive energy to be applied for propagation of a magnetic domain wall is elevated. Also described is a manufacturing method for a sensor apparatus having at least one magnet core, and a method for ascertaining a field strength of a magnetic field in at least one spatial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Reichenbach, Sevki Gencol, Rainer Eckstein, Christian Patak, Achim Breitling, Arne Dannenberg, Frank Schatz
  • Patent number: 9921416
    Abstract: A speckle damping system for dampening speckle on a projection screen for a projection display system employing coherent or partially coherent light sources (e.g., lasers, LEDs) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a rotatably coupled system is disclosed, comprising: a set of actuators; a set of rotatably coupled mounts, each of said set of rotatably coupled mount capable of mounting at least one said actuator; and wherein said at least one actuator mounted on said rotatably coupled mount is in moveable mechanical communication with said projection screen. In another embodiment, a linearly coupled system is disclosed comprising: a set of actuators; a set of linearly coupled mounts, each of said set of linearly coupled mount capable of mounting at least one said actuator; and wherein said at least one actuator mounted on said linearly coupled mount is in moveable mechanical communication with said projection screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Brad Basler, Trevor Davies, Douglas J. Gorny, Wilson Allen
  • Patent number: 9910192
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to light management constructions comprising microstructured prismatic elements useful in the preparation of room-facing light redirecting films having reduced glare.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Bing Hao, Manoj Nirmal, Charles A. Marttila, Raghunath Padiyath, Jonathan F. Mansheim, Erik A. Aho, Scott M. Tapio, Owen M. Anderson, Eileen M. F. Haus, John F. Reed