Patents Examined by Russell Adams
  • Patent number: 6843570
    Abstract: Provided are a micro mirror device capable of realizing color images without a color wheel by selectively reflecting color beams using a plurality of micro mirrors whose driving axes are positioned in different directions, and a projector employing the same. The micro mirror device can individually control a plurality of micro mirrors, the micro mirror device comprising a plurality of micro mirror units having micro mirrors whose driving axes are positioned at predetermined different angles, the micro mirror units for reflecting light incident in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyung-jae Shin
  • Patent number: 6840633
    Abstract: A lamp assembly having a reflector holding a lamp element, or burner. A reflector extension is designed to mate to the reflector. The reflector extension has a first open end toward the reflector. The first open end typically is in contact with the reflector to form a seal around the perimeter preventing glass shards from escaping between the reflector and reflector extension. The second end of the reflector extension also is open to allow the light from the arc to exit the reflector extension. A transparent plate placed across this second open end prevents glass from leaving the reflector extension. The transparent plate typically is glass, and may have an antireflective coating applied to the plate to limit the light reflected by the plate. Ventilation ports in the reflector extension allow cooling airflow into the cavity around the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael T. Davis, Chris A. Triska, John T. McKinley
  • Patent number: 6835009
    Abstract: Disclosed are shutter apparatus provided with a shutter base plate having a shutter aperture, a first arm member which rotates around a center of rotation at a first axis, relative to the shutter base plate, a second arm member which rotates around a center of rotation at a second axis, relative to the shutter base plate, and a plurality of shutter blades, wherein each of the plurality of shutter blades is coupled to the first and second arm members, wherein the first and second arm members rotate around their respective axes whereby the plurality of shutter blades run over the shutter aperture, wherein each shutter blade has a blade main body portion extending in a direction perpendicular to a running direction thereof, and wherein a first shutter blade with a smallest running travel comprises a light shielding portion projecting in the running direction on the coupling portion side to the first and second arm members and arranged to effect light shielding of the shutter aperture, and also disclosed are shut
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Toyoda
  • Patent number: 6834968
    Abstract: A teleprompter configured to project an image to a viewer at a viewer location comprises a single-beam teleprompter projector, configured to project an image to a focal plane, and a directional screen, disposed at the focal plane. The directional screen is configured to direct the image to a focal point at the viewer location, and diffuse the image within a limited viewing region surrounding the focal point, such that the apparent brightness of the image to the viewer at the viewer location is increased, and the visibility of the image to persons other than the viewer is reduced. Because the device concentrates the light at the viewer, it can be made much larger than conventional video monitors typically used in speech-prompter settings, while still maintaining very high brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Brigham Young University
    Inventors: Justin Peatross, Michael Ware, Robert H. Todd
  • Patent number: 6836618
    Abstract: In a distance-measuring device that measures individual distances to plural distance-measured regions, a selection circuit selects at least one first measured distance value by excluding second measured distance values that are not smaller than a predetermined distance value from the individually measured distance values to the plural distance measured regions. An auto-focusing data value is computed in accordance with the selected first measured distance values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Egawa
  • Patent number: 6830340
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image-rendering device for an image projector. The image-rendering device includes a body having an image receiver adapted to alternatively receive a first interchangeable data transfer device and a second interchangeable data transfer device. Each interchangeable data transfer device is adapted to enable transfer of an image to the image-rendering device. The body may further include a projector connector adapted to operably couple the image-rendering device to the image projector and a processor configured to automatically transmit the image from the image receiver to the image projector for display. In some embodiments, the image-rendering device includes a peripheral device connector configured to enable at least one peripheral device to be operably linked to the image-rendering device. The peripheral device connector may be configured to transmit an image from the at least one peripheral device to the image projector, or vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: InFocus Corporation
    Inventors: Jorell A. Olson, Robin Hoeye, Jason Lewis
  • Patent number: 6827451
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed comprising a lamp which produces a first light which may be a white light; a first light valve, a second light valve, a first color separator, and a first aperture device. The first color separator receives the white light from the lamp, and separates the white light into a first color light and a first residual light. The first aperture device receives the first color light and the first aperture device can be controlled to modify a frequency of the first color light to the first light valve. The second light valve receives at least a portion of the first residual light. The first aperture device could also be controlled to substantially block at least a portion of the first color light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Inventor: Richard S. Belliveau
  • Patent number: 6827454
    Abstract: As an imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, there is employed a method for projecting infrared light to a viewer/audience direction from at least one or more infrared light projector devices. According to the method, infrared light may be directly incident into an imaging apparatus of a person conducting an unauthorized copying act so as to adversely affect the unauthorized copying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Kimura, Shinya Kataoka, Norifumi Zushi, Yuko Kudo
  • Patent number: 6826364
    Abstract: A zoom flash includes a light emitter, a zoom driver which moves the light emitter along an axis to vary an illumination angle, a detecting device which detects a zoom position of the light emitter, a calculation device which calculates a pre-flash emission level according to the detected zoom position so that illuminance on an object at a predetermined distance is substantially constant regardless of a variation of the illumination angle, and a control device which activates the light emitter to emit a preliminary flash emission, before a main flash emission, by supplying a voltage corresponding to the pre-flash emission level for the light emitter. A flash photography system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawasaki, Osamu Sato, Shigeru Iwamoto, Tadahisa Ohkura, Kazuhito Taneoka
  • Patent number: 6820984
    Abstract: In a projection display device which can be controlled by a remote controller, the remote controller includes a power supply switch button for turning on/off a power supply at a body of the projection display device, a zoom adjuster button for adjusting the zooming of a projection lens, and a focus adjuster button for adjusting the focusing of the projection lens. The projection display device body includes a restricting system which can restrict the adjusting functions of these buttons, so that inadvertent operation of any of these buttons does not affect the projection display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Mutsuya Furuhata
  • Patent number: 6811264
    Abstract: An apparatus for projecting an output image on a display surface includes a processing unit. The processing unit includes a microprocessor, a memory and an I/O interface connected by buses. A projector sub-system coupled to the processing unit is for display output images on the display surface. A camera sub-system couple to the processing unit is for acquiring input images reflecting a geometry of the display surface. The camera sub-system is in a fixed physical relationship to the projector sub-system. Internal sensors coupled to the processing unit are for determining an orientation of the projector sub-system and the camera sub-system with respect to the display surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh Raskar, Jeroen van Baar, Paul A. Beardsley
  • Patent number: 6813074
    Abstract: The present invention provides an immersive rear projection display capable or providing aspect ratios of 2.66:1 or 4:1, or even greater. This allows viewers to be “immersed” in the images being displayed because the images can encompass both the direct and the peripheral views of a viewer. In one implementation, the immersive rear projection display includes two or more electronic projectors (e.g., three) that are positioned behind a curved translucent display screen. The electronic projectors project respective display images adjacent each other onto the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Gary K. Starkweather
  • Patent number: 6811330
    Abstract: Each of the CCD cameras 10A, 10B for making a film of a vehicle forward road environment is mounted on the both ends of a chassis 16 with a high stiffness. A mounting seat member 17 is formed at a center of the chassis 16. The CCD cameras 10A, 10B are mounted onto a vehicle body through fixing the mounting seat member 17 onto the vehicle body. Portions other than the mounting seat member 17 of the chassis 16 are disposed apart from the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshio Tozawa
  • Patent number: 6809802
    Abstract: A substrate attracting and holding method includes steps of supporting a substrate by use of a protrusion provided on a holding table for holding the substrate and reducing pressure between the holding table and the substrate to attract and hold the substrate. The protrusion is disposed to be placed in a predetermined positional relation, with respect to a direction along the surface of the substrate, with (i) a position of an alignment mark to be used for processing the substrate or (ii) a position to with respect to which an alignment mark is to be produced. The method also includes attracting and holding the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Izumi Tsukamoto, Itaru Fujita, Hideki Nogawa, Yukio Takabayashi
  • Patent number: 6808271
    Abstract: In order to achieve a great improvement in light utilizing efficiency, a projection type display apparatus for obliquely projecting an original image onto a screen includes a first projection optical system for projecting light from an original picture and forming an intermediate image having trapezoid distortion caused therein, a second projection optical system for obliquely projecting the light from the intermediate image onto a surface for projection so as to cause converse trapezoid distortion, and re-imaging it, and a light deflecting element for deflecting the optical axis of the first projection optical system so that the optical axis of the first projection optical system deflected by the light deflecting element is made to substantially coincide with the optical axis of the second projection optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsumi Kurematsu
  • Patent number: 6808268
    Abstract: An aerial projection system and method having a housing for positioning low cost optical elements capable of generating a three dimensional aerial images at video rates without reflected artifacts or visible display of the display screen. A method for generating the display images is based on a set of rules that eliminate boundary transgressions and maximizes the illusion of a three dimensional aerial image. An optional second display is a transparent imaging panel that acts selectively as a light valve, as a display platform for special effects or for providing the appearance of linear motion towards or away from the observer. An optional third display, also a transparent imaging panel, may be used as a background display device for displaying video rate images that are not projected aerial images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Provision Entertainment, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff L. Vrachan, Curtis L. Thornton, Csaba Rakosy
  • Patent number: 6803988
    Abstract: A field flattener having a function of flattening a bent image surface on which an image is formed through an optical system, is composed of a material of which a refractive index is equal to or larger than 2. A sectional configuration of the field flattener cut in an optical-axis direction containing the optical axis is formed to take a stepped shape toward its peripheral edge from the optical axis. An axial height of the stepped portion configuring the surface in the optical-axis direction in this stepped shape is set so as to equal to or larger than twice a wavelength of beams to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakano, Yasuhisa Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 6802614
    Abstract: A system for front projection of a continuous image onto at least two non-coplanar viewing surfaces includes a light source, an image source and a projection lens assembly. The light source, image source and projection lens assembly are disposed within a housing to project an image on a first viewing surface and at least one other viewing surface. An image continuity component has a first oblique projection compensator, at least one other oblique projection compensator and the oblique projection compensators are coordinated to project complimentary image portions in a continuous image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Inventor: Robert C. Haldiman
  • Patent number: 6803995
    Abstract: A process for controlling focus parameters in a lithographic process used in manufacture of microelectronic circuits. The process comprises initially providing a lithographic mask having a target mask portion containing a measurable dimension sensitive to defocus, projecting an energy beam through the target mask portion onto a first location of a substrate at a first focus setting, and lithographically forming a first target on the substrate corresponding to the first focus setting, the first target containing a measurable dimension sensitive to defocus. The process then includes projecting an energy beam through the target mask portion onto a second location of the substrate at a second focus setting, lithographically forming a second target on the substrate corresponding to the second focus setting, the second target containing a measurable dimension sensitive to defocus, and measuring the defocus sensitive dimension for each of the first and second targets on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ausschnitt
  • Patent number: 6802612
    Abstract: An optical projection system that produces an image by use of a lenticular array and one or more lightvalves together with different lens filters in a variety of configurations and lenticule shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul M. Hubel, Robert W. G. Hunt