Patents by Inventor Koji Hirata

Koji Hirata 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: 20150234230
    Abstract: In order to improve a characteristic of an optical element, an optical element (polarizing filter) including a substrate 1S having a wire-grid region 1A and a peripheral region 2A positioned on an outer periphery thereof is made to have the following configuration. A wire-grid in which a plurality of line-shaped wires P10 made of Al and extending in a y direction are arranged at spaces S in an x direction is provided in the wire-grid region 1A of the substrate 1S, and a pattern (repetitive pattern) in which a plurality of protruding portions P20 made of Al are arranged is provided in the peripheral region 2A. This pattern is, for example, a checkerboard pattern. According to the above-mentioned configuration, the plurality of wires P10 can be arranged so that their respective ends are spaced apart from an end of the substrate 1S, so that the wires P10 can be prevented from being deformed and nicked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Hiroyuki Minemura, Yumiko Anzai, Tetsuya Nishida, Jiro Yamamoto, Naoyuki Kofuji, Hidehiro Ikeda, Nobuyuki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20150226896
    Abstract: Provided are an optical element and an optical device using the optical element to which a manufacturing process for manufacturing a wire-grid structure can be basically applied, and besides, in which a higher polarization contrast ratio than that of a wire-grid element can be obtained. A wobbled wire element in an embodiment has a feature that a periodic structure having a period equal to or larger than a wavelength of an incident light wave is formed in a y direction. In this manner, in a wobbled wire element in a first embodiment, a polarization contrast ratio can be significantly improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Hiroyuki Minemura, Yumiko Anzai, Tetsuya Nishida, Jiro Yamamoto, Naoyuki Kofuji, Hidehiro Ikeda, Nobuyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 9097778
    Abstract: In the diffusion spectroscopic imaging, in which intensity of molecular diffusion is imaged with separating chemical substances, with suppressing artifacts resulting from object motion of an object, spatial resolution, spectral band and SNR are maintained, and measurement accuracy is enhanced. A measurement for acquiring diffusion SI data is repeated a plurality of times with changing acquisition timing, phase variation of each measurement result is corrected, and a diffusion SI image is reconstructed from the corrected measurement results. In addition, the phase variation is calculated for every point in the space from the diffusion SI data acquired by each measurement or navigation data obtained by each measurement. The phase correction is independently performed for every point in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Bito, Satoshi Hirata, Hisaaki Ochi, Koji Hirata, Toru Shirai, Yosuke Otake
  • Patent number: 9069237
    Abstract: A projection type display apparatus including a light source, a display element, an illumination optical system and a projection lens to project a magnified image of the optical image. The illumination optical system includes a first array lens and a second array lens, each includes a plurality of lens elements arranged in a matrix, each of the lens elements having a rectangular opening, and a polarization conversion element having polarization conversion function by use of a plurality of polarized beam splitters and a plurality of half-wave phase plates, arranged in an array and opposing to the lens elements of the second array lens, to emit predetermined polarized light. The light source includes a light emitting plane of a rectangle or an ellipse shape, a longitudinal direction of the light emitting plane being parallel to a longitudinal direction of each opening of the polarization conversion element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Nobuyuki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20150153551
    Abstract: Two pieces of elliptic semi-sphere surfaces, each forming a pinhole at the zenith thereof and also forming a reflection mirror on an inside thereof are stuck onto each other, with facing the interior surfaces thereof, respectively. A light ray entering therein from one of the pinholes, after being reflected between the elliptic semi-sphere surfaces facing to each other, emits from the pinhole on opposite side at an angle plane symmetric to the incident angle. Disposing the elliptic semi-sphere surfaces facing to each other, aligning on a plane, by plural numbers thereof, there is built up a pinhole array. Plural numbers of light rays reflecting on and/or emitting from a display object, which is disposed on one side of the pinhole array, after passing through the plural numbers of pinholes of the pinhole array, form an image at a position plane symmetric thereto, on the opposite side of the pinhole array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoki Kobori, Yoshiho Seo, Koji Hirata, Hidehiro Ikeda, Satoshi Ouchi
  • Patent number: 9041868
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a projection image display device in which all of the multiple light sources to be used are positioned optimally, regardless of the mode of installation of the device. This projection image display device has two illumination optical systems (1, 2) that are each provided with a light source (111, 211), a color separator for separating into three colors of light, a liquid crystal panel (150, 250) for forming an optical image, and a color synthesis prism (160, 260) for color-synthesizing. A polarization beam splitter (3) for synthesis synthesizes an optical image formed by the illumination optical system (1, 2), and projects the same from a projection lens (4). The optical axis (101, 201) of each light source (111, 211) is positioned within the same plane as the optical axis (401) of the projection lens (4), and so as to orthogonally intersect the optical axis (401) of the projection lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Takashi Kakuda, Nobuyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 9022581
    Abstract: A projection display system includes a projection display unit and a member in a form of one of a windable screen, a white board and a notice board. The projection display unit projects an image light onto a projection plane of the member to display an image thereon. The projection display unit includes a light source, an image display element, a lighting optical system irradiating a beam of light from the light source on the image display element, and a projection optical system projecting the image light from the image display element toward the member. The projection optical system includes, in order toward the member from the image display element, a front lens group, and a reflecting mirror shaped to be axial-asymmetrical with respect to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Takanori Hisada, Masayuki Ohki
  • Publication number: 20150034883
    Abstract: While a water reaction system containing silver ions is irradiated with ultrasonic waves to cause cavitation therein, a reducing agent containing solution, which contains an aldehyde as a reducing agent, is mixed with the water reaction system to deposit silver particles, the solid-liquid separation of which is carried out, and thereafter, the separated silver particles are washed and dried to produce a spherical silver powder which has a closed cavity in each particle thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Noriaki Nogami
  • Publication number: 20150002829
    Abstract: Provided is a projection-type image display device which by means of a projection lens (2) magnifies and projects an optical image formed by a light source and an image display element, wherein an error indicator (5) for indicating anomalies in the device is disposed on the rear surface opposite the front surface of a device housing (1) to which the projection lens (2) is attached. The projection-type image display device further includes an AC voltage monitor unit (12) for monitoring voltage waveforms supplied form an external power source and retaining voltage waveform data during the latest prescribed period in a memory, and reads out the voltage waveform data from the external power source retained in the memory and displays the voltage waveform data on the error indicator (5) as said anomalies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Miyuki Ikeda, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Hiroyuki Shinji
  • Publication number: 20140333590
    Abstract: A digital pen includes a light emitting element configured to emit a light ray of a specific wavelength region; a pen tip configured to emit the light ray on a writing surface; a sensor configured to output information indicative of whether the pen tip contacts the writing surface; a controller configured to detect if the pen tip contacts the writing surface based on the information from the sensor; and a holding mechanism configured to hold pressure applied onto the sensor to be constant, through an elastic force of an elastic body. The controller determines that the pen tip contacts the writing surface when the sensor is free from the pressure, thereby dissolving a problem of an uncomfortable feeling for a user, which is caused by the fact that the track written by the digital pen is not immediately reflected on a screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Tsuneo Fujikura, Shuji Kato, Miyuki Ikeda, Yoshiho Seo, Takashi Kanbara, Toshiyuki Kimoto
  • Patent number: 8803526
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for maintaining a function for effectively blocking common mode noise with a simple configuration, even in the case where unbalance occurs in characteristic impedance of a coaxial cable in an MRI apparatus, and improving the performance of an RF coil. In a circuit where a balun is established by parallel connection with the coaxial cable, multiple serial resonance circuits having different resonance frequencies are connected in parallel. A value of each constitutional element of each of the serial resonance circuits is adjusted in such a manner that the frequency for blocking the common mode noise of the entire balun falls into a range between the resonance frequencies of these serial resonance circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Otake, Yoshihisa Soutome, Yukio Kaneko, Yoshitaka Bito, Hisaaki Ochi, Koji Hirata
  • Publication number: 20140152962
    Abstract: A projection type display apparatus including a light source, a display element, an illumination optical system and a projection lens to project a magnified image of the optical image. The illumination optical system includes a first array lens and a second array lens, each includes a plurality of lens elements arranged in a matrix, each of the lens elements having a rectangular opening, and a polarization conversion element having polarization conversion function by use of a plurality of polarized beam splitters and a plurality of half-wave phase plates, arranged in an array and opposing to the lens elements of the second array lens, to emit predetermined polarized light. The light source includes a light emitting plane of a rectangle or an ellipse shape, a longitudinal direction of the light emitting plane being parallel to a longitudinal direction of each opening of the polarization conversion element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Nobuyuki KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20140146294
    Abstract: A projection type display apparatus including an oblique projection optical system having a plurality of lenses is disclosed. A lens nearest to a projection screen has a vertical effective image area through which a light flux passes. The lens is arranged at a position not including an optical axis shared by the largest number of lenses among the plurality of lenses. A flat mirror for returning the optical path is arranged between the particular lens and the projection screen at a predetermined angle to the optical axis. An enlarged image obtained by the light flux returned by the flat mirror is formed toward a display screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Naoyuki OGURA
  • Publication number: 20140146293
    Abstract: A solid-state light source device, enabling to build up with using solid-state elements, and having the structure suitable to be applied as a light source for a projection-type display apparatus, comprises a solid-state light source unit 10 for emitting excitation light therefrom, a reflection mirror (or reflector) 130 made of a parabolic surface, for condensing the excitation light from the solid-state light source to be point-like, and a disc-like (or wheel) member 140, repeating reflection/scattering or transmission/scattering of the excitation light and conversion of the excitation light, alternately, in vicinity of a focus point of the excitation light, which is condensed to be point-like by the reflection mirror (or reflector), wherein the excitation light (B-color) reflected/or scattered by that disc-like (or wheel) member and fluorescence light (Y-color), wavelength of which is converted, is taken on a same optical path, by means of the reflection mirror (or reflector) 130 or a second reflection mirro
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Hidehiro IKEDA, Nobuyuki KIMURA
  • Patent number: 8733953
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a light source which is configured to emit a light, a first light modulation unit which is configured modulate the light emitted from said light source, a first drive unit which is configured to drive said first light modulation unit, a projection unit, which is configured to project the light from said first light modulation unit enlargedly, a second light modulation unit, which is configured to modulate the light emitted from said projection unit so as to be emitted to an observer side, a second drive unit which is configured to drive said second light modulation unit, and an optical direction conversion unit, which is configured to convert the light from said projection unit so that the light is incident upon an incident surface of said second light modulation unit in a direction approximately perpendicular thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Takanori Hisada, Hidehiro Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20140126033
    Abstract: An image display device having a scanning characteristic excellent in the linearity without being upsized is provided. The image display device includes: an optical scanning unit that scans a light emitted from a light source in a first direction and a second direction of an image plane due to a rotational movement of reciprocation of a reflecting surface of the light; and an optical system enlarges a scanning angle of the scanned light, in which the optical system has a free curved surface lens on an optical scanning unit side, and has a free curved surface mirror on an image plane side. The free curved surface mirror may be arranged so that the first direction is substantially parallel to a first plane defined by an incident optical beam and a reflected light in the free curved surface mirror when the optical scanning unit remains static in the center of the scanning range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu
  • Publication number: 20140126032
    Abstract: An image display device having a scanning characteristic excellent in the linearity without being upsized is provided. The image display device includes: an optical scanning unit that scans a light emitted from a light source in a first direction and a second direction of an image plane due to a rotational movement of reciprocation of a reflecting surface of the light; and an optical system enlarges a scanning angle of the scanned light, in which the optical system has a free-form-surface lens on an optical scanning unit side, and has a free-form-surface mirror on an image plane side. The free-form-surface mirror may be arranged so that the first direction is substantially parallel to a first plane defined by an incident optical beam and a reflected light in the free-form-surface mirror when the optical scanning unit remains static in the center of the scanning area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Inventors: Masahiko Yatsu, Koji Hirata
  • Patent number: 8690349
    Abstract: A projection type display apparatus including an oblique projection optical system having a plurality of lenses is disclosed. A lens nearest to a projection screen has a vertical effective image area through which a light flux passes. The lens is arranged at a position not including an optical axis shared by the largest number of lenses among the plurality of lenses. A flat mirror for returning the optical path is arranged between the particular lens and the projection screen at a predetermined angle to the optical axis. An enlarged image obtained by the light flux returned by the flat mirror is formed toward a display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Naoyuki Ogura
  • Patent number: 8690345
    Abstract: There is provided a projection image display apparatus which is excellent in quality of a display screen image even if a projection lens using a plastic lens having an asymmetrical shape with respect to an optical axis is used. The apparatus includes a projection lens which obliquely projects video light on a screen, an integrator which aligns a polarization direction of light from a light source, and an image display element (P, PL) which modulates light having the aligned polarization direction by an image signal. The projection lens includes multiple plastic lenses, and each of the multiple plastic lenses is arrayed, respectively, by shifting a gate direction to each other by 180 degrees. When the projection lens includes n sheets (n is a natural number) of plastic lenses, each of the multiple plastic lenses may be arrayed, respectively, by shifting a gate direction to each other by (360/n) degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Naoyuki Ogura, Hidehiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8678595
    Abstract: A projection type display apparatus including a light source, a display element, an illumination optical system and a projection lens to project a magnified image of the optical image. The illumination optical system includes a first array lens and a second array lens, each includes a plurality of lens elements arranged in a matrix, each of the lens elements having a rectangular opening, and a polarization conversion element having polarization conversion function by use of a plurality of polarized beam splitters and a plurality of half-wave phase plates, arranged in an array and opposing to the lens elements of the second array lens, to emit predetermined polarized light. The light source includes a light emitting plane of a rectangle or an ellipse shape, a longitudinal direction of the light emitting plane being parallel to a longitudinal direction of each opening of the polarization conversion element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Nobuyuki Kimura