Patents by Inventor Gouo Kurata

Gouo Kurata 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).

  • Publication number: 20240131997
    Abstract: A display switching device (1) includes: a lens array (40); a display part (10), comprising pixel regions (31) disposed to include regions in which light in which respective light emitted from light sources (50) is condensed by respective lenses (41) of the lens array (40) passes through. A transmittance of each pixel region (31) is set corresponding to a predetermined stationary pattern. Display of the display part (10) performed through irradiation of the light of the light sources (50) exhibits directivity, and a first averaged oriented direction (D1) averaging, among the light sources (50), oriented directions as directions of the directivity is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a normal direction of a display surface (11) of the display part (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki SHINOHARA, Yuto MORI, Gouo KURATA, Masao MISHINA, Yutaka OKAYASU
  • Publication number: 20240123823
    Abstract: A display system includes an image display part displaying an image indicating a mode selected in a driving device of a vehicle having a plurality of modes. The image display part displays all images indicating each of the plurality of modes, and displays the image indicating the selected mode to be different in at least one of color, brightness, character format, and size from an image indicating a non-selected mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki SHINOHARA, Yutaka OKAYASU, Gouo KURATA, Yuto MORI, Masao MISHINA, Norikazu KITAMURA
  • Patent number: 11947133
    Abstract: A lens array included in a display switching device according to one or more embodiments may include a portion having a greater average of curvature radii of microlenses at a greater distance from a predetermined lens reference position on a surface of the lens array including the microlenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara, Yuto Mori, Gouo Kurata, Tsuyoshi Arai, Hayato Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11940114
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a light guide plate having a group of optical-path deflectors configured to change the optical path of light from a first light source to form an image in the space within a first angle range, and change the optical path of light from a second light source to form an image in the space within a second angle range, wherein the first angle range and the second angle range are separated from each other or adjoining each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Takagi, Masayuki Shinohara, Yasuhiro Tanoue, Gouo Kurata, Norikazu Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20230109081
    Abstract: A display switching device according to one or more embodiments may include a lens array including an array of a plurality of lenses and a display unit. Light from each of the plurality of light source positions transmits through a different position on the display unit and is focused by a corresponding lens. A transmittance on the display unit through which the light transmits differs depending on a position on the display unit. The transmittance at a position of a plurality of positions on the display unit is a transmittance of one of three or more types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki SHINOHARA, Gouo KURATA, Yuto MORI, Masao MISHINA, Yutaka OKAYASU, Yasuhito UETSUJI, Hayato YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20220291425
    Abstract: A lens array included in a display switching device according to one or more embodiments may include a portion having a greater average of curvature radii of microlenses at a greater distance from a predetermined lens reference position on a surface of the lens array including the microlenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki SHINOHARA, Yuto MORI, Gouo KURATA, Tsuyoshi ARAI, Hayato YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20220291521
    Abstract: A light guide according to one or more embodiments may include an incident surface that receives light from a light source, a first reflective surface that reflects incident light, a second reflective surface that reflects light reflected by the first reflection surface to be parallel light, and an emission surface that may allow parallel light reflected by the second reflective surface to be emitted. The first reflective surface reflects light at a reflection angle nonuniform across the first reflective surface. The second reflective surface has a saw-toothed cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki SHINOHARA, Gouo KURATA, Yasuhiro TANOUE, Masafumi DANNO, Yuto MORI
  • Publication number: 20220291424
    Abstract: A display switching device according to one or more embodiments is disclosed. In a display switching device according to one or more embodiments, at least one of the pixel regions receives light from a plurality of light sources included in a predetermined light source group, and the light from each of the plurality of light sources is focused by a different lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki SHINOHARA, Yuto MORI, Gouo KURATA, Hayato YOSHIDA, Masao MISHINA
  • Patent number: 11412596
    Abstract: A display switching device (10) is provided, which switches a display image (P) by switching irradiation of lights from positions of a plurality of light sources (7). The display switching device includes: a lens array (6) in which a plurality of lenses are arranged; and a display part (45) including a plurality of pixel regions (45a) arranged to include a region through which a light, which is formed by condensing each of the lights emitted from the positions of the plurality of light sources (7) with each of the lenses of the lens array (6), passes. A transmittance in each of the pixel regions (45a) is set corresponding to a predetermined stationary pattern. A total area of the pixel regions (45a) in the display part (45) is 60% or less of a total area of a sum of the pixel regions (45a) and the pixel surrounding regions (45b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara, Yuto Mori, Yoshihiko Takagi, Gouo Kurata, Tsuyoshi Arai, Yasuhiro Tanoue
  • Publication number: 20220196893
    Abstract: A display switching device according to one or more embodiments may display images by switching light illumination from multiple light source positions. The device may include a lens array including multiple lenses that allow passage of light from the light source positions, a display layer including pixel regions that allow passage of light collected on the lenses included in the lens array, and a diffusion layer located opposite to the light source positions with the lens array in between to diffuse passing light. The diffusion layer optically adheres to a layer adjacent to a surface of the diffusion layer nearer the light source positions, or the diffusion layer and the layer adjacent the surface of the diffusion layer nearer the light source positions include the same material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yuto MORI, Masayuki SHINOHARA, Gouo KURATA, Hayato YOSHIDA, Masao MISHINA
  • Patent number: 11155208
    Abstract: In order to achieve an image display unit having excellent degree of freedom in designing the position of a display image, an image display unit (1A) is provided with: an imaging unit (10) configured to capture an image of a space to be viewed; an image display device (11) configured to display an image captured by the imaging unit (10) in a display area in real time; and an image forming unit configured to form an image in a space where there is no screen by projecting the image displayed by the image display device (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara, Yasuhiro Tanoue, Gouo Kurata, Norikazu Kitamura, Tsuyoshi Arai, Yuto Mori
  • Patent number: 11125928
    Abstract: To make a displayed image clear. A display device emits image light reflected by a plurality of prisms (141) provided in a light guide plate (14) from a light exit surface (14c). The prism (141) has a reflective surface (141a) that reflects and emits the image light. The reflective surface (141a) is formed in a curved shape in a thickness direction of the light guide plate (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara, Gouo Kurata, Tsuyoshi Arai, Norikazu Kitamura, Yuto Mori
  • Patent number: 11067826
    Abstract: An optical device includes a light guide plate configured to guide light entering therein, and cause said light to exit from an emission surface thereof and thereby form an image in a space; a group of narrow-view optical-path deflectors configured to form an image in a space within a narrow view direction taken as greater than or equal to 0° and less than a first angle relative to a reference plane that is orthogonal to the emission surface and parallel to a side surface of the light guide plate; and a group of wide-view optical-path deflectors configured to form an image in a space within a wide view direction taken as greater than or equal to the first angle and less than 90° relative to the reference plane. The group of narrow-view optical-path deflectors and the group of wide-view optical-path deflectors have different image forming conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara, Yasuhiro Tanoue, Gouo Kurata, Norikazu Kitamura, Kazuyuki Okada
  • Publication number: 20210078495
    Abstract: In order to achieve an image display unit having excellent degree of freedom in designing the position of a display image, an image display unit (1A) is provided with: an imaging unit (10) configured to capture an image of a space to be viewed; an image display device (11) configured to display an image captured by the imaging unit (10) in a display area in real time; and an image forming unit configured to form an image in a space where there is no screen by projecting the image displayed by the image display device (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara, Yasuhiro Tanoue, Gouo Kurata, Norikazu Kitamura, Tsuyoshi Arai, Yuto Mori
  • Patent number: 10895759
    Abstract: An optical device includes a planar-image forming unit configured to emit light that forms a planar image of a predetermined shape in a space, and an outline-image forming unit configured to emit light that forms an outline image with a light intensity different from the light intensity of the planar image at the outer-edge region of the planar image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara, Yasuhiro Tanoue, Gouo Kurata, Yoshihiko Takagi, Tsuyoshi Arai, Norikazu Kitamura, Mitsuru Okuda, Takahiro Morichi
  • Publication number: 20200371377
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a light guide plate having a group of optical-path deflectors configured to change the optical path of light from a first light source to form an image in the space within a first angle range, and change the optical path of light from a second light source to form an image in the space within a second angle range, wherein the first angle range and the second angle range are separated from each other or adjoining each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko TAKAGI, Masayuki SHINOHARA, Yasuhiro TANOUE, Gouo KURATA, Norikazu KITAMURA
  • Publication number: 20200359484
    Abstract: A display switching device (10) is provided, which switches a display image (P) by switching irradiation of lights from positions of a plurality of light sources (7). The display switching device includes: a lens array (6) in which a plurality of lenses are arranged; and a display part (45) including a plurality of pixel regions (45a) arranged to include a region through which a light, which is formed by condensing each of the lights emitted from the positions of the plurality of light sources (7) with each of the lenses of the lens array (6), passes. A transmittance in each of the pixel regions (45a) is set corresponding to a predetermined stationary pattern. A total area of the pixel regions (45a) in the display part (45) is 60% or less of a total area of a sum of the pixel regions (45a) and the pixel surrounding regions (45b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki SHINOHARA, Yuto MORI, Yoshihiko TAKAGI, Gouo KURATA, Tsuyoshi ARAI, Yasuhiro TANOUE
  • Patent number: 10816714
    Abstract: A light guide element includes: an incidence surface wherefrom light enters from a light source; a first reflection surface configured to totally reflect at least a portion of the light entering from the incidence surface; a second reflection surface configured to totally reflect at least a portion of the light totally reflected by the first reflection surface as parallel light; and an emission surface configured to emit the parallel light totally reflected by the second reflection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Yuto Mori, Gouo Kurata, Norikazu Kitamura
  • Patent number: 10670795
    Abstract: An optical structure, a light guide, and a display device can reduce an influence of diffraction and improve optical performance more than conventionally possible. A reflective pattern (10A) is an optical structure that changes a traveling direction of light and emits the light, the optical structure including: a reflective surface (20) formed of a flat surface and configured to change a traveling direction of light; and a both-end curved surface (30) formed adjacent to the reflective surface (20) and having a surface in a curved shape corresponding to a side surface of a cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara, Gouo Kurata, Tsuyoshi Arai, Norikazu Kitamura, Yuto Mori
  • Patent number: 10613265
    Abstract: Provided is a display device that prevents generation of stray light and has excellent visibility. In a display device (1) that makes an image light ray enter from an end face of a light guide plate (14) and emits the image light ray, reflected or refracted by each of a plurality of emission structures (prisms 141) provided on the light guide plate, from a light exit surface (14c) of the light guide plate, a light reflection layer or a light absorption layer is formed on at least one optical surface among optical surfaces provided on the emission structure (the prism 141) except for an optical surface that reflects or refracts the image light ray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara, Gouo Kurata, Norikazu Kitamura, Tsuyoshi Arai, Yuto Mori