Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Mukawa

Hiroshi Mukawa 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: 8928984
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an image forming device, a collimating optical system, and an optical device. The optical device includes a light guide plate, a first deflecting member that deflects light incident on the light guide plate, and a second deflecting member that deflects the light, which propagates in the light guide plate by total reflection, a plurality of times. The first and second deflecting members are provided in the light guide plate. Light having one wavelength emitted from at least one pixel satisfies the following condition: 2t·sin ??2?WY?2t·sin ?+2 where an axial direction of the light guide plate is the Y-direction, WY prepresents the width in the Y-direction of the light incident on the light guide plate, t represents the thickness of the light guide plate, and ? represents the total reflection angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Patent number: 8912981
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: an image forming device; an optical system converting light emitted from the image forming device into parallel light; and an optical device to which the light beams converted into the parallel light by the optical system enter, in which the light beams are guided, and from which the light beams are emitted, wherein a central light beam emitted from the center of the image forming device, passing through the nodal point of the optical system and entering the optical device at an optical device center point intersects an XY plane defined by an X axis that passes through the optical device center point, and is parallel to the axis direction of the optical device and a Y axis that passes through the optical device center point, and coincides with the normal axis of the optical device at angles other than 0 degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Publication number: 20140334010
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes: a glass-type frame mounted to a head of an observer; and two image displaying devices for the left and right eyes that are attached to the frame. Each of the image displaying devices includes an image forming device, an optical system making light from the image forming device to be parallel light, and an optical device to which the light from the optical system is incident, and in which the light is guided so as to be output, at least one of the image displaying devices further includes a movement device relatively moving optical axes of the image forming device and the optical system in a horizontal direction, and a convergence angle is adjusted by relatively moving the optical axes of the image forming device and the optical system in the horizontal direction using the movement device depending on an observation position of an observer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Patent number: 8885259
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an image forming device having pixels; a collimating optical system collimating light from the image forming device; and an optical device receiving, guiding, and outputting the collimated light as directional rays in different directions. The optical device includes a light-guiding plate; a first optical member reflecting or diffracting the light so as to totally reflect the light inside the light-guiding plate; and a second optical member causing the propagated light to emerge from the light-guiding plate. When a light ray emitted from a pixel located farthest from the center of the image forming device and a light ray emitted from a pixel located at the center of the image forming device pass through a front nodal point of the collimating optical system and are respectively incident on the collimating optical system and the light-guiding plate at angles ?1 and ?2, ?2>?1 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Patent number: 8861090
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes: a glass-type frame mounted to a head of an observer; and two image displaying devices for the left and right eyes that are attached to the frame. Each of the image displaying devices includes an image forming device, an optical system making light from the image forming device to be parallel light, and an optical device to which the light from the optical system is incident, and in which the light is guided so as to be output, at least one of the image displaying devices further includes a movement device relatively moving optical axes of the image forming device and the optical system in a horizontal direction, and a convergence angle is adjusted by relatively moving the optical axes of the image forming device and the optical system in the horizontal direction using the movement device depending on an observation position of an observer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Publication number: 20140293389
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a light guide plate receiving, for each of N types of wavelength bands, a plurality of parallel light beams with different incident angles each corresponding to view angles, and guiding the received parallel light beams; a first and a second volume hologram gratings of reflection type having a diffraction configuration which includes N types of interference fringes each corresponding to the N types of wavelength bands, and diffracting/reflecting the parallel light beams. The optical device satisfies for each wavelength band, a relationship of ‘P>L’, where ‘L’ represents a central diffraction wavelength in the first and second volume hologram gratings, defined for a parallel light beam corresponding to a central view angle, and ‘P’ represents a peak wavelength of the parallel light beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Akutsu, Satoshi Nakano, Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Patent number: 8810878
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a light guide plate receiving, for each of N types of wavelength bands, a plurality of parallel light beams with different incident angles each corresponding to view angles, and guiding the received parallel light beams; a first and a second volume hologram gratings of reflection type having a diffraction configuration which includes N types of interference fringes each corresponding to the N types of wavelength bands, and diffracting/reflecting the parallel light beams. The optical device satisfies for each wavelength band, a relationship of ‘P>L’, where ‘L’ represents a central diffraction wavelength in the first and second volume hologram gratings, defined for a parallel light beam corresponding to a central view angle, and ‘P’ represents a peak wavelength of the parallel light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Akutsu, Satoshi Nakano, Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Publication number: 20140218779
    Abstract: An image display device includes an image forming device, collimating optical system, and optical device, with the optical device including a light guide plate, first diffraction grating member and second diffraction grating member which are made up of a volume hologram diffraction grating, and with central light emitted from the pixel of the center of the image forming device and passed through the center of the collimating optical system being input to the light guide plate from the near side of the second diffraction grating member with a certain angle. Thus, the image display device capable of preventing occurrence of color irregularities, despite the simple configuration, can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Patent number: 8743442
    Abstract: An image display device includes an image forming device, collimating optical system, and optical device, with the optical device including a light guide plate, first diffraction grating member and second diffraction grating member which are made up of a volume hologram diffraction grating, and with central light emitted from the pixel of the center of the image forming device and passed through the center of the collimating optical system being input to the light guide plate from the near side of the second diffraction grating member with a certain angle. Thus, the image display device capable of preventing occurrence of color irregularities, despite the simple configuration, can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Publication number: 20140132631
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is A head mounted display including: (A) an eyeglasses frame-like frame to be mounted to an observer's head; (B) an image display device; (C) an image sensing device mounted to the frame; and (D) a correction section, wherein the image display device includes (B-1) an image generating device, and (B-2) see-through type light guide section which is mounted to the image generating device, on which beams emitted from the image generating device are incident, through which the beams are guided, and from which the beams are emitted toward an observer's pupil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Komori, Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Publication number: 20140125558
    Abstract: An image display device which is used by being mounted on the head or face of a user includes a display unit which displays an image; an information maintaining unit which maintains user information of the user; a region specifying unit which specifies an attention region from a field of vision of the user based on the user information; an image processing unit which performs image processing with respect to the attention region; and a display control unit which displays the attention region after being subjected to the image processing on the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Miyajima, Yoichiro Sako, Motoyuki Takai, Hiroshi Mukawa, Tatsuya Narahara, Masashi Takeda, Hiroaki Ogawa, Seiji Wada, Ichigo Hayakawa, Akira Tange, Takao Tanikame, Kazuhide Kemmochi
  • Publication number: 20140126782
    Abstract: An image display apparatus used while it is mounted on a user's head or facial area includes a display unit configured to display an inside image viewable from the user; an input unit configured to input an identification pattern from the user; a checking unit configured to check the identification pattern; and a control unit configured to control the image display apparatus on the basis of a result of the checking by the checking unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motoyuki Takai, Yoichiro Sako, Yasushi Miyajima, Hiroshi Mukawa, Tatsuya Narahara, Masashi Takeda, Hiroaki Ogawa, Seiji Wada, Ichigo Hayakawa, Akira Tange, Takao Tanikame, Kazuhide Kemmochi
  • Publication number: 20140078591
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an image forming device, a collimating optical system, and an optical device. The optical device includes a light guide plate, a first deflecting member that deflects light incident on the light guide plate, and a second deflecting member that deflects the light, which propagates in the light guide plate by total reflection, a plurality of times. The first and second deflecting members are provided in the light guide plate. Light having one wavelength emitted from at least one pixel satisfies the following condition: 2t·sin ??2?WY?2t·sin ?+2 where an axial direction of the light guide plate is the Y-direction, WY prepresents the width in the Y-direction of the light incident on the light guide plate, t represents the thickness of the light guide plate, and ? represents the total reflection angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Patent number: 8638499
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an image forming device, a collimating optical system, and an optical device. The optical device includes a light guide plate, a first deflecting member that deflects light incident on the light guide plate, and a second deflecting member that deflects the light, which propagates in the light guide plate by total reflection, a plurality of times. The first and second deflecting members are provided in the light guide plate. Light having one wavelength emitted from at least one pixel satisfies the following condition: 2t·sin ??2?WY?2t·sin ?+2 where an axial direction of the light guide plate is the Y-direction, WY represents the width in the Y-direction of the light incident on the light guide plate, t represents the thickness of the light guide plate, and ? represents the total reflection angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Publication number: 20130342914
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: (A) an image forming device; (B) an optical system that converts light emitted from the image forming device into parallel light; (C) an optical device to which the light beams converted into the parallel light by the optical system enter, in which the light beams are guided, and from which the light beams are emitted; and (D) a supporting member that pivotally supports at least the image forming device with respect to the optical device, wherein an assembly of at least the image forming device and the supporting member has the center of gravity at a position apart from the pivoting central axis of the supporting member, and at least the image forming device is pivoted with respect to the optical device by gravity, whereby the image forming device is horizontally held.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Publication number: 20130328748
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: an image forming device; an optical system converting light emitted from the image forming device into parallel light; and an optical device to which the light beams converted into the parallel light by the optical system enter, in which the light beams are guided, and from which the light beams are emitted, wherein a central light beam emitted from the center of the image forming device, passing through the nodal point of the optical system and entering the optical device at an optical device center point intersects an XY plane defined by an X axis that passes through the optical device center point, and is parallel to the axis direction of the optical device and a Y axis that passes through the optical device center point, and coincides with the normal axis of the optical device at angles other than 0 degree.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Publication number: 20130300766
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device including an image display apparatus configured to display a captured image of a portion of an environment viewable through the head-mounted display device; and a dimmer configured to, while the captured image is displayed, allow a portion of ambient light from the environment to pass through the dimmer. Also, a method of displaying information on a head-mounted display device. The method may include displaying a captured image of a portion of an environment viewable through the display device; and dimming ambient light received through the head-mounted display device from the environment while displaying the captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Patent number: 8570244
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: an image forming device; an optical system converting light emitted from the image forming device into parallel light; and an optical device to which the light beams converted into the parallel light by the optical system enter, in which the light beams are guided, and from which the light beams are emitted, wherein a central light beam emitted from the center of the image forming device, passing through the nodal point of the optical system and entering the optical device at an optical device center point intersects an XY plane defined by an X axis that passes through the optical device center point, and is parallel to the axis direction of the optical device and a Y axis that passes through the optical device center point, and coincides with the normal axis of the optical device at angles other than 0 degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Patent number: 8570243
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: (A) an image forming device; (B) an optical system that converts light emitted from the image forming device into parallel light; (C) an optical device to which the light beams converted into the parallel light by the optical system enter, in which the light beams are guided, and from which the light beams are emitted; and (D) a supporting member that pivotally supports at least the image forming device with respect to the optical device, wherein an assembly of at least the image forming device and the supporting member has the center of gravity at a position apart from the pivoting central axis of the supporting member, and at least the image forming device is pivoted with respect to the optical device by gravity, whereby the image forming device is horizontally held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mukawa
  • Patent number: RE45148
    Abstract: An image display apparatus for a viewer to view a two-dimensional image demonstrated on an image display device as an enlarged virtual image by a virtual-image optical system. The image display apparatus includes a prism and a reflective transmitting surface for reflecting or transmitting image light incident from an incident optical surface. The image display apparatus also includes a reflective optical component for reflecting image light reflected from the reflective transmitting surface and radiated from a first planar optical surface towards the reflective transmitting surface as a collimated light beam and a phase difference optical component arranged on a light path between the first planar optical surface and the reflective optical component to the state of polarization of the image light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mukawa, Yasuyuki Sugano