Patents by Inventor Keiichi Nito
Keiichi Nito 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).
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Patent number: 7110155Abstract: Disclosed are a light modulation apparatus including a liquid crystal device; and a polarizing plate disposed in an optical path of light made incident on said liquid crystal device; wherein said liquid crystal device is of a guest-host type using a negative type liquid crystal as a host material, an image pickup apparatus using the light modulation apparatus, and methods of driving the light modulation apparatus and image pickup apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2004Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Keiichi Nito, Toru Udaka
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Patent number: 7057683Abstract: A light control device and an imaging device suitable for the effective and stabilized driving of a Guest-Host type liquid crystal element. A light control device which is provided with a light controlling GH cell and a UV cut filter provided on the light incident side of the GH cell and which is therefore reduced significantly in the quantity of ultraviolet ray applied to the GH cell, thereby preventing the photodecomposition or photodegradation of materials constituting a liquid crystal layer in the GH cell; and an imaging device such as a CCD camera having this light control device disposed on the optical path thereof.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2004Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Toru Udaka, Keiichi Nito, Toshiharu Yanagida, Masaru Kawabata
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Publication number: 20050078265Abstract: A light control device and an imaging device suitable for the effective and stabilized driving of a Guest-Host type liquid crystal element. A light control device which is provided with a light controlling GH cell and a UV cut filter provided on the light incident side of the GH cell and which is therefore reduced significantly in the quantity of ultraviolet ray applied to the GH cell, thereby preventing the photodecomposition or photodegradation of materials constituting a liquid crystal layer in the GH cell; and an imaging device such as a CCD camera having this light control device disposed on the optical path thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2004Publication date: April 14, 2005Inventors: Toru Udaka, Keiichi Nito, Toshiharu Yanagida, Masaru Kawabata
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Patent number: 6876412Abstract: A light control device and an imaging device suitable for the effective and stabilized driving of a Guest-Host type liquid crystal element. A light control device (23) which is provided with a light controlling GH cell (12) and a UV cut filter (65) provided on the light incident side of the GH cell (12), and which is therefore reduced significantly in the quantity of ultraviolet ray applied to the GH cell (12), thereby preventing the photodecompositon or photodegradation of materials constituting a liquid crystal layer in the GH cell (12); and an imaging device such as a CCD camera (50) having this light control device disposed on the optical path thereof.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2002Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Toru Udaka, Keiichi Nito, Toshiharu Yanagida, Masaru Kawabata
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Patent number: 6804037Abstract: Disclosed are a light modulation apparatus including a liquid crystal device; and a polarizing plate disposed in an optical path of light made incident on said liquid crystal device; wherein said liquid crystal device is of a guest-host type using a negative type liquid crystal as a host material, an image pickup apparatus using the light modulation apparatus, and methods of driving the light modulation apparatus and image pickup apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2000Date of Patent: October 12, 2004Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Keiichi Nito, Toru Udaka
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Publication number: 20040196523Abstract: Disclosed are a light modulation apparatus including a liquid crystal device; and a polarizing plate disposed in an optical path of light made incident on said liquid crystal device; wherein said liquid crystal device is of a guest-host type using a negative type liquid crystal as a host material, an image pickup apparatus using the light modulation apparatus, and methods of driving the light modulation apparatus and image pickup apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2004Publication date: October 7, 2004Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Keiichi Nito, Toru Udaka
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Publication number: 20040012753Abstract: A light control device and an imaging device suitable for the effective and stabilized driving of a Guest-Host type liquid crystal element. A light control device (23) which is provided with a light controlling GH cell (12) and a UV cut filter (65) provided on the light incident side of the GH cell (12), and which is therefore reduced significantly in the quantity of ultraviolet ray applied to the GH cell (12), thereby preventing the photodecompositon or photodegradation of materials constituting a liquid crystal layer in the GH cell (12); and an imaging device such as a CCD camera (50) having this light control device disposed on the optical path thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2003Publication date: January 22, 2004Inventors: Toru Udaka, Keiichi Nito, Toshiharu Yanagida, Masaru Kawabata
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Patent number: 6556266Abstract: A liquid crystal projector providing an image having a high luminance and excellent contrast, including a polarization plate which is arranged at an incident side of a liquid crystal panel and transmits a first polarized beam therethrough, a polarization plate which is arranged at an exit side of the liquid crystal panel and transmits an optically modulated second polarized beam therethrough and outputs the same to a projection lens, and a phase difference film having one of a phase delay axis or a phase forward axis which is orthogonal to the polarization axis of the polarization plate and arranged inclined at a predetermined angle about an axis of rotation comprising an axis parallel to the polarization axis of the polarization plate in the plane in which said phase delay axis or phase forward axis is formed.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2000Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiki Shirochi, Keiichi Nito, Yoshio Suzuki
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Patent number: 6436490Abstract: A monostable ferroelectric liquid crystal display in which a stable monostable mode is realized to achieve sufficient analog gradation and contrast. A pair of substrates, processed with uniaxial orientation, are placed so that the directions of orientation processing will be substantially parallel to each other. Into the gap between the two substrates is charged a ferroelectric liquid crystal material. The component of projection on the substrates of the axial direction of a cone drawn by the liquid crystal molecules of the ferroelectric liquid crystal material and that of the axial direction of the liquid crystal molecules themselves are substantially coincident with the direction of the processing for orientation of the substrates. Monostability is achieved with this state as an initial state.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2000Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Teiichiro Nishimura, Keiichi Nito, Tadaaki Isozaki, Eiji Okabe, Ryushi Shundo, Hideo Saito
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Patent number: 6392624Abstract: Method of driving a liquid crystal display such as a ferroelectric liquid crystal display by multiplex addressing. The display has a pair of bases. A transparent electrode layer and an orientation film are formed in this order on each base. The two bases are placed opposite to each other with a certain gap between them. A ferroelectric liquid crystal material is inserted in the gap. Let Vthlow be the voltage applied when the transmittivity of the liquid crystal material begins to change. Let Vthhigh be the voltage applied when the transmittivity of the liquid crystal material substantially assumes its maximum value. First and second select pulses of opposite polarities are applied to the liquid crystal material. Let Vs1 be the voltage of the first select pulse. Let Vs2 be the voltage of the second select voltage. This method is characterized in that Vs1=±(Vthlow−&Dgr;V), where &Dgr;V>0, and that Vs2=∓(Vthhigh+&Dgr;V), where &Dgr;V>0.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 1995Date of Patent: May 21, 2002Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Ying Bao Yang, Keiichi Nito, Akio Yasuda
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Patent number: 6384887Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal provided between the paired substrates wherein domains whose threshold voltages are different from one another are finely distributed throughout the liquid crystal. In particular, the respective substrates each has a transparent electrode and an alignment film formed thereon in this order and the substrates are assembled to establish a given space therebetween, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal being injected into the given space wherein domains are finely distributed as set out above, thereby providing a a liquid crystal display device. The fine distribution is such that when a transmittance through inverted domains is 25%, the number of domains (microdomains) having a size of larger than 2 &mgr;m&phgr; in a field of 1 mm2 is not smaller than 300, preferably not smaller than 600, and the width of the threshold voltage within the domains is not smaller than 2 volts within a transmittance range of from 10 to 90%.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 1999Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akio Yasuda, Keiichi Nito, Eriko Matsui, Hidehiko Takanashi, Ying-Bao Yang
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Patent number: 6339411Abstract: A display device has a line scan driving circuit disposed in a horizontal direction of a display region and a pixel driving circuit (dot scan driving circuit) disposed in a vertical direction of the display for performing image display with pixel groups each forming one line in the vertical direction being scanned in the horizontal direction. Vertical-horizontal converting circuitry is provided for converting an image data stream supplied with n pixels in a horizontal direction and m horizontal lines in a vertical scanning direction into an image data stream with m pixels in a vertical direction and n vertical lines in a horizontal scanning direction, and the vertical-horizontal converted data is supplied to the display device by a display controlling circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1998Date of Patent: January 15, 2002Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kazumasa Miyazaki, Masami Toriduka, Yoshiki Shirochi, Takao Takahashi, Keiichi Nito
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Patent number: 6335775Abstract: In a liquid crystal device in which a pair of substrates each having an electrode and a liquid crystal orientation control layer are disposed opposite to each other leaving a predetermined gap therebetween and liquid crystal is disposed in the gap, a plurality of grooves are formed on each of the inner surface contacting the liquid crystal, the section of the inner surfaces in a direction along the grooves has such a shape that repetitive asymmetrical projections are formed and the radius of curvature of the grooves in a direction intersecting the grooves is set to 0.1 &mgr;m or more.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 1996Date of Patent: January 1, 2002Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takashi Iwamura, Nobuhiro Kihara, Takeshi Yamasaki, Katsuya Shirai, Keiichi Nito, Masanobu Yamamoto, Akio Yasuda
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Patent number: 6317111Abstract: A method of driving a liquid crystal device, which comprises matrix-addressed driving a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal, particularly a ferroelectric liquid crystal, disposed between a pair of substrates and comprising finely distributed domains differing in threshold voltage for use in switching said liquid crystal, said method being a pulse modulation method comprising modulating at least one of pulse voltage and pulse width, a pixel electrode division method, or a time integration method. Also claimed is a liquid crystal device driven by any of said methods. The liquid crystal device provides a further improved analog multiple gray-scale level display, realizes a large-area display at a low cost, and enables drive at full color video rate.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1999Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Keiichi Nito, Akio Yasuda, Hidehiko Takanashi, Ying Bao Yang
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Publication number: 20010011967Abstract: A display device has displaying means for by having a line scan driving circuit disposed in a horizontal direction of a display region and a pixel driving circuit (dot scan driving circuit) disposed in a vertical direction of the display region performing image display with pixel groups each forming one line in the vertical direction being scanned in the horizontal direction. Vertical-horizontal converting means is provided for converting an image data stream supplied presupposing n pixels in a horizontal direction and m horizontal lines in a vertical scanning direction into an image data stream for m pixels in a vertical direction and n vertical lines in a horizontal scanning direction, and the vertical-horizontal converted data is supplied to the displaying means by display controlling circuit means.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 1998Publication date: August 9, 2001Inventors: KAZUMASA MIYAZAKI, MASAMI TORIDUKA, YOSHIKI SHIROCHI, TAKAO TAKAHASHI, KEIICHI NITO
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Patent number: 6040884Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal provided between the paired substrates wherein domains whose threshold voltages are different from one another are finely distributed throughout the liquid crystal. In particular, the respective substrates each has a transparent electrode and an alignment film formed thereon in this order and the substrates are assembled to establish a given space therebetween, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal being injected into the given space wherein domains are finely distributed as set out above, thereby providing a a liquid crystal display device. The fine distribution is such that when a transmittance through inverted domains is 25%, the number of domains (microdomains) having a size of larger than 2 .mu.m.phi. in a field of 1 mm.sup.2 is not smaller than 300, preferably not smaller than 600, and the width of the threshold voltage within the domains is not smaller than 2 volts within a transmittance range of from 10 to 90%.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1997Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akio Yasuda, Keiichi Nito, Eriko Matsui, Hidehiko Takanashi, Yang Ying Bao
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Patent number: 6016133Abstract: A method of driving a liquid crystal device, which comprises matrix-addressed driving a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal, particularly a ferroelectric liquid crystal, disposed between a pair of substrates and comprising finely distributed domains differing in threshold voltage for use in switching said liquid crystal, said method being a pulse modulation method comprising modulating at least one of pulse voltage and pulse width, a pixel electrode division method, or a time integration method. Also claimed is a liquid crystal device driven by any of said methods. The liquid crystal device provides a further improved analog multiple gray-scale level display, realizes a large-area display at a low cost, and enables drive at full color video rate.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 1994Date of Patent: January 18, 2000Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Keiichi Nito, Akio Yasuda, Hidehiko Takanashi, Ying Bao Yang
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Patent number: 5993971Abstract: There is disclosed an optical information record medium having an optical information record layer on a transparent substrate, in which the transparent substrate is made of a resin material mainly consisting of a polycarbonate resin that contains no more than 4 wt % of low molecular weight fractions having a weight average measured with respect to a polystyrene molecular weight of no more than 3500, in order to avoid a double refraction of an optical information record medium resulting in an improved signal to noise ratio and having superior thermal-transformation resistance and impact resistance.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 1993Date of Patent: November 30, 1999Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Keiichi Nito, Tohru Nagai, Tsutomu Noguchi, Mayumi Miyashita, Junetsu Seto, Katsumi Kohno
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Patent number: 5659411Abstract: An optical device according to this invention includes a phase modulating optical unit comprising a plurality of optically transparent base members each of which includes an optically transparent electrode and an alignment film formed in this order, and an optically transparent birefringent medium, wherein the optically transparent base members are spaced from one another at predetermined intervals so that the electrode and the alignment film of a base member is confronted to the electrode and the alignment film of another base member, and at least one kind of liquid crystal selected from the group consisting of ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC), antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) and smectic liquid crystal having an electro clinic effect (SmA) (or mixed liquid crystals thereof) is injected into gaps between the base members.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 1994Date of Patent: August 19, 1997Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Keiichi Nito, Akio Yasuda, Nobue Kataoka, Hidehiko Takanashi, Eriko Matsui, Yang Ying Bao, Fumitomo Hide
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Patent number: 5654784Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal provided between the paired substrates wherein domains whose threshold voltages are different from one another are finely distributed throughout the liquid crystal. In particular, the respective substrates each has a transparent electrode and an alignment film formed thereon in this order and the substrates are assembled to establish a given space therebetween, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal being injected into the given space wherein domains are finely distributed as set out above, thereby providing a a liquid crystal display device. The fine distribution is such that when a transmittance through inverted domains is 25%, the number of domains (microdomains) having a size of larger than 2 .mu.m.phi. in a field of 1 mm.sup.2 is not smaller than 300, preferably not smaller than 600, and the width of the threshold voltage within the domains is not smaller than 2 volts within a transmittance range of from 10 to 90%.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 1993Date of Patent: August 5, 1997Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akio Yasuda, Keiichi Nito, Eriko Matsui, Hidehiko Takanashi, Yang Ying Bao