Patents Examined by Ryan Howard
  • Patent number: 9989778
    Abstract: An image display device includes a light source, a scanner, a screen, a virtual image optical system and a screen incident angle correcting optical system. The light source emits laser light. The scanner scans the laser light. An image is formed on the screen by the scanned laser light. The virtual image optical system generates a virtual image of the image by the laser light having transmitted through the screen. The screen incident angle correcting optical system orients the scanned laser light toward the screen. The scanner performs at least first scanning and second scanning that has a scanning direction different from a scanning direction of the first scanning. The screen includes a lenticular lens having a lens pitch in a direction parallel to the first scanning. The lens pitch of the lenticular lens is larger than a beam diameter of the laser light near a light receiving surface of the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Furuya
  • Patent number: 9992463
    Abstract: A projection system capable of projection alignment includes a projector, a shaped projection screen, an image sensor, and a processing unit. The projector is configured to project a series of alignment content to the shaped projection screen. The image sensor is configured to capture a series of projected alignment content. The processing unit is electronically coupled to the image sensor and configured to receive the series of captured alignment content and determine at least part of general boundary of the shaped projection screen based on the series of captured alignment content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: John C Schultz, Eric C Lobner, Glenn E Casner, Rolf W Biernath, Quinn D Sanford
  • Patent number: 9983468
    Abstract: To provide a light source unit which can be formed compact in size while contributing to enhancement in luminance and a projector including this light source unit, there is provided a light source unit including a first light source which emits light in a range of first wavelengths, and a second light source which emits light in a range of second wavelengths which is different from the range of first wavelengths, wherein the first light source and the second light source each include a long wavelength light emitting portion and a short wavelength light emitting portion, the long wavelength light emitting portion emitting, of lights of different wavelengths which exist in a range of light wavelengths producing light of similar colors, light of a long wavelength, the short wavelength light emitting portion emitting light of a short wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ogino
  • Patent number: 9983470
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light source device including a solid-state light source, a collimator lens which a light beam emitted from the solid-state light source enters, an afocal optical system which includes a light collecting optical system and a collimating optical system and which the light beam having been transmitted through the collimator lens enters, a lens integrator which the light beam having been transmitted through the afocal optical system enters, a polarization splitting element which the light beam having been transmitted through the lens integrator enters, and a wavelength conversion element which a first polarization component split by the polarization splitting element from the light beam enters. At least one of the light collection optical system and the collimating optical system includes a lens formed of quartz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Akiyama, Akira Egawa
  • Patent number: 9977321
    Abstract: A three-dimensional screen structure is a three-dimensional screen structure on which image light projected from an image light source is incident. The three-dimensional screen structure includes particles and a bind unit. The particles are three-dimensionally disposed and capable of transmitting or reflecting the image light. The bind unit binds the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomomasa Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9979939
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a light source assembly and a laser projector. An embodiment of the disclosure provides a light source assembly including a laser light emitter in at least one color, and a light guiding element arranged in a light path over which a light beam of the laser light emitter is transmitted; the light guiding element is configured to be moved to change the emergent angle of laser light beam being transmitted, thus adjusting the light path conveniently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignees: HISENSE CO., LTD., HISENSE USA CORPORATION, HISENSE INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youliang Tian, Wei Li, Xianrong Liu
  • Patent number: 9977317
    Abstract: An illumination system and a projection device are disclosed. The illumination system includes laser light sources, a color wheel element and light combiners. The laser light sources provide laser lights of different colors. One of the laser light sources is disposed on an optical axis. The color wheel element is disposed on the optical axis and on a transmission path of the laser lights, and adjusts wavelengths of the laser lights. The light combiners are disposed on the optical axis and between the laser light source and the color wheel element. The light combiners are pervious to the laser lights or reflect the laser lights to combine the laser lights on the optical axis. The illumination system uses the laser light sources to provide lights of different colors, and in collaboration with a configuration structure of the optical elements thereof, the laser lights with a wider color gamut are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Hsun Wang, Chang-Hsuan Chen, Hsuan-I Wu, Ko-Shun Chen
  • Patent number: 9971151
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for mountable clear displays and projection systems. In one embodiment, a system may include a mirror surface and a transparent display sheet adhered to the mirror surface. The transparent display sheet may include a blue phosphor layer that absorbs light having the first wavelength and emits light having a fourth wavelength of about 460 nm, a green phosphor layer that absorbs light having the second wavelength and emits light having a fifth wavelength of about 530 nm, a red phosphor layer that absorbs light having the third wavelength and emits light having a sixth wavelength of about 625 nm, and a blue light blocking layer attached to the red phosphor layer of the transparent display sheet, the blue light blocking layer configured to absorb blue light passing through the transparent display sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Gifford Marason, Robert Arthur Sprague, Suchit Shreyas Shah, Omar Sze Leung, Miguel Virgen
  • Patent number: 9964733
    Abstract: A holding structure holds a reflecting mirror. The holding structure includes a reflecting mirror bracket holding the reflecting mirror; a protrusion disposed on the reflecting mirror; a protrusion supporting part disposed on the reflecting mirror bracket and supporting the protrusion; and a spacer disposed between the protrusion supporting part and the reflecting mirror bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Fujioka, Akihisa Mikawa, Hideo Kanai, Yasunari Mikutsu, Satoshi Tsuchiya, Takahiro Hiramatsu, Yukimi Nishi, Jun Mashimo, Yoshito Saito
  • Patent number: 9961333
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for projecting a light field. One light field projection system includes a screen and a projection unit. On the screen, there is a plurality of convex reflective elements arranged in a two-dimensional array. The projection unit has a light source. The projection unit also has a modulator to modulate light from the light source. The projection unit further has one or more movable mirrored elements to reflect light from the light source toward the screen to sequentially scan the plurality of convex reflective elements. The projection unit also has a control system that determines a light modulation scheme used by the modulator. The light modulation scheme provides that the light reflected from the light source toward the screen to sequentially scan the plurality of convex reflective elements forms a light field that is concurrently viewable from a plurality of perspectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Brian Adolf, Richard DeVaul
  • Patent number: 9961318
    Abstract: A projector includes a projection lens, a first imaging section adapted to take an image of the projection surface, and a second imaging section adapted to take an image of the projection surface with a field angle wider than a field angle of the first imaging section. The first imaging section is disposed at a first distance from an optical axis of the projection lens in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and the second imaging section is disposed at a second distance longer than the first distance from the optical axis of the projection lens in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ichieda, Kenichi Asami, Kanji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9952443
    Abstract: Projection subsystems are described. More, particularly, projection subsystems that include a light source and a polarizing beam splitter are described. The polarizing beam splitters of the presently described projection subsystems are capable of avoiding performance degradation even after exposure to large doses of incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephen J. Willett, Craig R. Schardt, David J. W. Aastuen
  • Patent number: 9952491
    Abstract: A phosphor includes a sintered body of a ceramic material. The sintered body contains Ce:Y3Al5O12 as a main phase and a ceramic material as a subphase. The ceramic material has a refractive index different from that of the main phase. The sintered body has a crystal grain boundary and a void at the crystal grain boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Ikesue, Takashi Endo
  • Patent number: 9955149
    Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a method for projecting a 3-D viewable image onto a display surface, comprising the steps of, providing two or more projection systems; arranging the two or more projection systems into a first group and second group, wherein the first group and second group each comprise one or more projection systems; arranging the first and second group of projection systems such that each group of project systems can project an image on a display surface, wherein the first group of projection systems is arranged such that the first group of projection systems can project an image to a first position on the display surface and the second group of projection systems is arranged such that the second group of projection systems can project an image to a second position on the display surface, wherein the first and second positions are off-set from one another; configuring the first and second group of projection systems such that the first and second group of projection sys
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lucio Kilcher, Nicolas Abele
  • Patent number: 9946142
    Abstract: A light source device includes light sources having semiconductor lasers, a condensing lens, an optical component between the light sources and the condensing lens, and a phosphor wheel. The optical component has an inclined optical surface, and the inclined optical surface has different inclination angles for each of the light sources. Some of the semiconductor lasers are first semiconductor lasers having a short axis of the shape of its condensing spot aligned in a first direction and some of them are second semiconductor lasers having a short axis in a second direction that is different from the first direction. A light diffusing layer is disposed in the optical path of the emitting light of either the first semiconductor laser or the second semiconductor laser. A light scattering layer is disposed in the optical path of the emitting light of either the first semiconductor laser or the second semiconductor laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadaaki Miyata
  • Patent number: 9939717
    Abstract: A projector which configured to project a horizontally long image and a vertically long image, includes a cooling unit configured to cool a discharge lamp according to an installation attitude of the projector, a detection unit configured to detect the installation attitude, and a controller configured to control a discharge lamp driving unit and the cooling unit, in which the installation attitude includes a first attitude for projecting the horizontally long image and a second attitude for projecting the vertically long image, and in which the controller is configured to put out the discharge lamp in a case where the installation attitude detected by the detection unit is a third attitude which is different from both of the first attitude and the second attitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoya Mizutani, Takaaki Ozawa
  • Patent number: 9936174
    Abstract: In a case where an image forming panel is disposed to be shifted with respect to an optical axis of a projection lens having a lens barrel holding the lens, in the lens barrel, the increase in temperature in a first part on a side to which the image forming panel is shifted is larger than that in a second part on an opposite side. A temperature adjustment section includes a cooling duct, a heating duct, a connecting duct, and blowers 27 and. Air, which is suctioned from an inlet of the cooling duct, is passed through the first part, a light source, and the second part, sequentially by the blowers. The air cools down the first part, and heats the second part. Thereby, the temperature distribution in the circumferential direction of the lens barrel becomes uniform, and deterioration of the projected image is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuto Kuroda
  • Patent number: 9927610
    Abstract: This display device is provided with a display unit, a beam splitter, and a first mirror. The display unit emits a first image and a second image. The beam splitter has, incident thereon, the first image and the second image which are emitted from the display unit. The beam splitter transmits the incident first image and reflects the incident second image to project the first image and the second image on a display medium. The first mirror has, incident thereon, the first image which has been transmitted through the beam splitter. The first mirror reflects the incident first image to project the first image on the display medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Kasazumi, Toshiya Mori
  • Patent number: 9924144
    Abstract: The invention provides a light field illuminating method, device and system. The method includes: determining, based on position and angle of rays emitted from a projector and focal length of a lens, position and angle of projection rays obtained after the emitted rays being transmitted through a lens array; determining, based on position and angle of projection rays and light probe array of sampled scene, brightness value of projection rays; converting, based on brightness transfer function of projector, brightness value of projection rays into pixel value of projection input image, generating projection input image based on pixel value of projected input image; and performing light field illumination on target object with projection input image. A projector and a lens array are adopted to achieve light field illumination, so that pixel-level accurate lighting control can be achieved, and various complicated light field environments can be simulated vividly in practical scenario.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: BEIHANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Qinping Zhao, Zhong Zhou, Tao Yu, Chang Xing
  • Patent number: 9921462
    Abstract: A light source optical system includes a micro lens array, a condenser lens unit, and a dichroic surface. In a direction orthogonal to an optical axis in a cross section parallel to a normal of the dichroic surface and the optical axis of the condenser lens unit, a width of the dichroic surface is narrower than a width of the condenser lens unit. A light source optical system satisfies a predetermined conditional expression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takehito Kawasumi