Patents by Inventor Akifumi Ogiwara

Akifumi Ogiwara has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7525531
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to provide, for example, a lighting device and an image display, with which higher luminance and others can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akifumi Ogiwara, Kazunori Komori, Junko Asayama, Yasunori Kuratomi
  • Patent number: 7133019
    Abstract: The invention provides an image display apparatus (1) comprising a lighting system (100); a LCD element (304); and an actuating means for varying the transmittance of the LCD element (304) according to image signals, wherein the LCD element (304) is designed such that when the angle of view with respect to a specified direction of a screen varies provided that the entire LCD element (304) is in a white display mode, transmittance varies such that it has peak values at viewing angles other than viewing angles in the vicinity of 0 degree, and wherein the lighting system (100) is designed such that the intensities of light beams emitted in the directions of the viewing angles in the vicinity of 0 degree are higher than the intensities of light beams emitted in the directions of the viewing angles at which the transmittance has a peak value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akifumi Ogiwara, Yasunori Kuratomi, Junko Asayama, Kazunori Komori
  • Patent number: 6791566
    Abstract: In a display device according to a first aspect of the invention, luminance is not made substantially uniform over the entire display screen but rather imparted a luminance gradient such that luminance substantially monotonously decreases from the center of the screen towards the peripheral portion using a luminance gradient forming means, whereby power consumption is reduced compared to cases in which the entire screen shows substantially uniform luminance. In a second aspect of the invention, by optimizing gray level characteristics and thereby improving a viewer's impression of brightness, luminance gradient is made even less perceivable without increasing power consumption. These configurations provide large screen, low power consumption display devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunori Kuratomi, Junko Asayama, Akifumi Ogiwara, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Kazunori Komori
  • Publication number: 20030210222
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to provide, for example, a lighting device and an image display, with which higher luminance and others can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventors: Akifumi Ogiwara, Kazunori Komorl, Junko Asayama, Yasunori Kuratomi
  • Publication number: 20030184690
    Abstract: The invention provides an image display apparatus (1) comprising a lighting system (100); a LCD element (304); and an actuating means for varying the transmittance of the LCD element (304) according to image signals, wherein the LCD element (304) is designed such that when the angle of view with respect to a specified direction of a screen varies provided that the entire LCD element (304) is in a white display mode, transmittance varies such that it has peak values at viewing angles other than viewing angles in the vicinity of 0 degree, and wherein the lighting system (100) is designed such that the intensities of light beams emitted in the directions of the viewing angles in the vicinity of 0 degree are higher than the intensities of light beams emitted in the directions of the viewing angles at which the transmittance has a peak valu
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Akifumi Ogiwara, Yasunori Kuratomi, Junko Asayama, Kazunori Komori
  • Patent number: 6057878
    Abstract: A three-dimensional picture image pickup apparatus picks up a plurality of two-dimensional picture images of the objective naturally from different directions sequentially at a predetermined time interval regardless of a depth of the objective or the light source etc. The picture images are reproduced sequentially at the predetermined time interval by a picture image reproducing device and deflected into a plurality of directions by a picture image deflection device to display a three-dimensional picture images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akifumi Ogiwara, Yukio Tanaka, Koji Akiyama, Hisahito Ogawa, Hiroshi Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 5731797
    Abstract: A driving method for a spatial light modulator can provide bright image, images of high contrast and resolution with no persistence and instability, and can be used in a projection display system. The spatial light modulator is prepared by sandwiching a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer between a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate is prepared by sequentially laminating a transparent conductive electrode and a photoconductive layer with rectifying properties on a glass substrate. On the photoconductive layer, a reflective layer and an alignment layer for aligning a liquid crystal layer are then laminated. The second substrate is prepared by laminating a transparent conductive electrode and an alignment layer on a glass substrate. Alternating current voltage having a waveform of inconsistent cycles is applied to a section between the transparent conductive electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Akiyama, Akifumi Ogiwara, Hiroshi Tsutsui, Hisahito Ogawa, Yukio Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5583676
    Abstract: A spatial light modulator including a pair of transparent insulating substrates each having a transparent conducting electrode, the substrates forming a top layer and a bottom layer, a photoconductive layer, a liquid crystal layer and a reflection layer being present between the top and bottom layers, wherein the photoconductive layer comprises a first amorphous semiconductor layer and a second amorphous semiconductor layer disposed in order on the bottom layer, and the first amorphous semiconductor layer and the second amorphous semiconductor layer have different refractive indices from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Akiyama, Akifumi Ogiwara, Hisahito Ogawa