Patents Examined by Jerry Brooks
  • Patent number: 8371700
    Abstract: A heat dissipation module includes a heat-absorbing unit, a first heat pipe, a second heat pipe, and a heat-dissipating unit. The heat-absorbing unit is adapted to contact the heat source thermally. The first heat pipe has a first heat-absorbing section being connected to the heat-absorbing unit and a first heat-dissipating section. The second heat pipe has a second heat-absorbing section being connected to the heat-absorbing unit and a second heat-dissipating section. The heat-dissipating unit includes a first fin assembly and a second fin assembly. The first heat-dissipating section is connected to the first fin assembly along a first extending direction, the second heat-dissipating section is connected to the second fin assembly along a second extending direction, the first extending direction and second extending direction are oblique to each other, and a part of the first fin assembly and a part of the second fin assembly are inset to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Young Optics Inc.
    Inventors: Tai-Wei Lin, Jia-Bin Huang, Chi-Chui Yun
  • Patent number: 8366281
    Abstract: In a coherent light projection system including an image forming system, a relay system, a speckle reduction element, and a projection subsystem, the relay system can have a first f-number, and the projection subsystem can have a second f-number less than the first f-number. The relay system can have a first working distance, and the projection subsystem can have a second working distance less than the first working distance. The image forming system can project an initial image having a first size, and an intermediate image can have a second size greater than or equal to the first size. The speckle reduction element can have a curved surface through which the intermediate image is transferred. The speckle reduction element can include a lenslet arrangement formed on a surface thereof. The speckle reduction element can be moved in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the speckle reduction element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, Gary E. Nothhard, Joseph R. Bietry, Robert Metzger, Andrew F. Kurtz
  • Patent number: 8348438
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide illumination optics that enables improvement in brightness and reestablishment of an irradiation state which is provided with illumination light and which corresponds with a display area, and is to provide illumination optics including a first fly-eye lens and a second fly-eye lens where emission light from the first fly-eye lens enter, wherein at least one of lens elements configuring the second fly-eye lens covers an irradiation area smaller than an irradiation area provided by the second fly-eye lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Takauchi, Masahiko Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8342690
    Abstract: A light modulation assembly for a digital projection apparatus comprising: a solid-state light source that provides an illumination beam; a spatial light modulator having a plurality of tiltable micro-mirrors, each micro-mirror being actuable to tilt with respect to a tilt axis between a first tilt position that provides on-state light and a second tilt position that provides off state light, and wherein the micro-mirrors deflect the illumination beam along an arced path defining a deflection plane as they are tilted between the first tilt position and the second tilt position; and a light baffle disposed alongside the optical axis and in the path of the off state light from the micro-mirrors, the light baffle having a light-trapping surface adapted to absorb the off-state light from the micro-mirrors on the spatial light modulator, the light-trapping surface having a plurality of protruding fins that extend outward from the light-trapping surface at an oblique angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jesse J. Coleman, James Mazzarella, James R. Kircher
  • Patent number: 8317338
    Abstract: An image display apparatus and method constantly maintain a desired image formation state on a retina. The apparatus includes a laser light source for emitting laser light, a focus position adjustment section for adjusting a focus position of the laser light, and a scanning section for scanning an area by using the adjusted laser light as scanning light. The apparatus also includes a light deflection section for leading the scanning light to a user's cornea, a light detection section having an optically conjugate relation with the cornea surface through the light deflection section, for detecting a part the scanning light reflected on the cornea surface and generating a detection signal, and a control section. The control section controls the focus position adjustment section to adjust the focus position of the laser light such that the detection signal agrees with an initial setting signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Itoh, Kenichi Kasazumi
  • Patent number: 8272746
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus for displaying an image on a projection plane by projection, includes: an image capturing unit capturing an image; an angle calculator calculating an angle of the projection plane relative to the projection display apparatus; a straight line detector detecting a straight line in the captured image corresponding to a line perpendicular to a predetermined reference plane and a straight line in the captured image corresponding to a line parallel to the predetermined reference plane on the basis of the calculated angle; and a keystone corrector correcting a keystone distortion of an image to be displayed on the projection plane on the basis of the detection result in the straight line detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiki Furui
  • Patent number: 8267522
    Abstract: An optical element includes a mirror surface configured to transmit certain part of incident light and to reflect the other part of the incident light. The mirror surface has a first region and a second region. The first region includes a first polarization conversion layer configured to convert a polarization direction of incident light incident on the first region from one linear polarization into a different linear polarization. A region of the optical element from which light transmitted through the first region is emitted includes a second polarization conversion layer configured to convert a polarization direction of the light transmitted through the first region from the different linear polarization into the one linear polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Maeda
  • Patent number: 8262233
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, a light control device includes a light blocking module to block a luminous flux passing through the light control device in a direction parallel to a system optical axis. The light blocking module includes a first and a second light blocking member. The first light blocking member includes a cutout portion at an end near a system optical axis, the first light blocking member configured so as to change a size of an area blocking the luminous flux in accordance with an opening and closing operation of the light blocking module. The second light blocking member is disposed in proximity to the first light blocking member and configured so as to increasingly block the luminous flux from passing through the cutout portion of the first light blocking member in accordance with the closing operation of the light blocking module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hirotaka Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 8251523
    Abstract: A computer system includes a host, a bracket and a projector. The host includes a holding portion, and the holding portion defines a first space. The bracket is secured to the host and defines a second space. The projector is electrically connected to the host, and rotatable relative to the first space and the second space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Choon-Tyng Lau
  • Patent number: 8240856
    Abstract: A compact projector includes a main control board, an optical engine positioned on the main control board, a heat dissipation assembly, a light source control board, and a digital-micromirror-device control board. The optical engine includes a light-shading member and a projection lens module. The light-shading member includes a first plate and a second plate. The first plate and the projection lens module are approximately perpendicular to the second plate to form a U-shape. The heat dissipation assembly is positioned adjacent to the first plate. The light source control board is positioned on one side of the main control board adjacent to the second plate. The digital-micromirror-device control board is positioned on one side of the main control board perpendicular to the light source control board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shu-Chen Yang
  • Patent number: 8235536
    Abstract: Image projectors with increased light intensity and methods for providing brighter images are provided. Image projectors, described herein, can provide the brightness while still providing any or all of compactness, low power consumption, and long lifetime. To increase brightness, sectional mirrors are used to respectively compress the light from two light sources into a single pupil (e.g. an aperture) of an imaging device. The compression can be accomplished by regions (e.g. sections) of the mirror having different angles with respect to the pupil. Relatively little light may be lost in the compression since minima for a light intensity pattern from a light source may occur between the regions that reflect the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: projectiondesign as
    Inventors: Odd Ragnar Andersen, Kjell Einar Olsen, Sverre Lefsaker
  • Patent number: 8235532
    Abstract: A system comprises two or more light sources comprising a first light source and a second light source, each light source of the two or more light sources configured to provide light of a particular wavelength, wherein a first wavelength of a first light provided by the first light source differs from a second wavelength of a second light provided by the second light source, and wherein the first light has a first radiant energy that experiences roll-off. The system further comprises a controller configured to modulate an attribute of each light source to compensate for the roll-off, the modulation comprising modulating an attribute of the first light source, and the modulation further comprising modulating an attribute of the second light source, the modulation of the second attribute being different from the modulation of the first attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Walter Marvin Duncan, Benjamin Lowell Lee
  • Patent number: 8205993
    Abstract: A projection-type image displaying apparatus takes in outside air through an air inlet formed in a housing unit to cool at least one of an optical modulator and an optical element that are accommodated in the housing unit, the optical modulator forming an optical image and the optical element being disposed between the optical modulator and a light source. The projection-type image displaying apparatus includes a cooling fan, a first dustproof filter disposed at the air inlet of the housing unit, a second dustproof filter disposed in a flow path that guides the outside air toward the optical modulator or the optical element after the outside air passes through the first dustproof filter and the cooling fan, and a holder for holding the optical modulator or the optical element, the holder having an outside-air introducing portion, wherein the second dustproof filter is attachable to the outside-air introducing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Miura
  • Patent number: 8197070
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of systems and methods for identifying features using color information in an image. The image may be formed from one or more display images comprising color information and features or feature components. Because color information may be used to identify features, more than one feature or feature component may be displayed in a display image. Because a plurality of features may be identified in a calibration image, an image system, such as a projector-camera system, can reduce the number of display images needed to calibrate the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kar-Han Tan, Jing Xiao, Anoop K. Bhattacharjya
  • Patent number: 8192029
    Abstract: An image display device includes: a laser light source having a plurality of emitting sections arrayed in a predetermined direction; and a light modulation device that includes an illumination region extending in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, and that modulates the laser lights emitted from the laser light source in accordance with an image signal. In the image display device, the predetermined direction in which the emitting sections are arrayed coincides with the longitudinal direction of the illumination region of the light modulation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Takeda, Daisuke Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 8192031
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection type display apparatus for displaying an image by which reduction of contrast is suppressed, including: a light source; a first lens array and a second lens array having a plurality of lens cell areas; a collecting lens; a display element; a projection lens; and a light shielding unit which light-shields the light fluxes from the first lens array to the second lens array, wherein the light shielding unit light-shields at least parts of all the lens cell areas except for the lens cell area in contact with an optical axis among a plurality of rectangular lens cell areas of the second lens array, and a light shielding area in the lens cell area in contact with the optical axis is smaller than that in any of the lens cell areas except for the lens cell area in contact with the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 8162487
    Abstract: A video projector includes a display device which receives an image signal and generates image light projected onto a projection surface. A scaling processor scales the input image signal. An OSD processor generates and corrects an adjustment pattern image in accordance with a correction instruction on the projection surface. An image signal synthesizer combines the image signal processed by the scaling processor with an OSD image signal generated and corrected by the OSD processor to generate a combined image signal. A trapezoidal distortion corrector performs trapezoidal distortion correction on the combined image signal from the image signal synthesizer based on the correction of the adjustment pattern image on the projection surface. The adjustment pattern image generated by the OSD processor includes a reference quadrangle pattern and downsized quadrangle patterns, which are reduced in size from the reference quadrangle pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ofune, Naoki Kaise
  • Patent number: 8162489
    Abstract: A roll bar for protecting a projection mirror is attached so as to avoid exerting an external force to the projection mirror portion, direct thereto upon a turnover the projection apparatus. Further, in the case of no attachment of the roll bar for protecting the projection mirror portion, the projector apparatus is prevented from being started. Further, when the projector apparatus is carried away, the roller bar for protecting the projection mirror serves as a handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Saito
  • Patent number: 8157388
    Abstract: A system and method for using an optical lightguide in a projection display system. A plurality of light sources provides a plurality of colored light to a lightguide. The lightguide may include alternating layers of a relatively high refractive index material and a relatively low refractive index material. In an embodiment, the layers of the lightguide are tapered. In another embodiment, the lightguide includes a light pipe having a lenticular array on the entrance face of the light pipe. Optionally, the light pipe may be tapered. The lightguide provides a line of light to a scanning element, which in turn redirects the light to a spatial light modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Terry Alan Bartlett, Patrick Rene Destain
  • Patent number: 8142031
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: a plurality of laser beam sources which emit different color light beams; a plurality of light modulators which modulate the light beams emitted from the laser beam sources; and a projection element which projects the light beams modulated by the light modulators, wherein the light modulators are disposed such that the light beams are incident from different directions, and the laser beam sources are concentrated in a single position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masatoshi Yonekubo