Patents by Inventor Masahiko Tomikawa

Masahiko Tomikawa 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: 7675681
    Abstract: A display device includes a lens array unit, a display unit which is configured such that a first substrate is attached to a second substrate that is disposed between the first substrate and the lens array unit, the display unit having a display area composed of matrix-arrayed pixels, a gap control layer which forms a predetermined gap between the display unit and the lens array unit, and a support member which fixes the display unit and the lens array unit on an outside of the display area of the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Tomikawa, Ryoichi Watanabe, Takashi Sasabayashi
  • Publication number: 20090116116
    Abstract: A display device includes a lens array unit including a lens array layer, and a display unit configured such that a first substrate and a second substrate, which is disposed between the first substrate and the lens array unit, are attached, the display unit including a display area and an alignment mark outside the display area, wherein the lens array unit includes a window portion formed at a position on the lens array layer, which corresponds to the alignment mark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Masahiko TOMIKAWA, Takashi Sasabayashi, Keiichi Moriyama, Ryoichi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20080186572
    Abstract: A display device includes a lens array unit, a display unit which is configured such that a first substrate is attached to a second substrate that is disposed between the first substrate and the lens array unit, the display unit having a display area composed of matrix-arrayed pixels, a gap control layer which forms a predetermined gap between the display unit and the lens array unit, and a support member which fixes the display unit and the lens array unit on an outside of the display area of the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: Masahiko TOMIKAWA, Ryoichi Watanabe, Takashi Sasabayashi
  • Publication number: 20080080048
    Abstract: A lens array includes a glass substrate, a lens array layer, and a flat layer. The lens array layer and the flat layer are made of a resin material thinner than the glass substrate and have generally the same thickness. The lens array layer and the flat layer are adhered to the two sides of the glass substrate through adhesive layers to oppose each other through the glass substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Tatsuo Saishu, Kazuki Taira, Yoshiharu Momonoi, Ryoichi Watanabe, Takashi Sasabayashi, Masahiko Tomikawa, Masaki Obi
  • Patent number: 7151580
    Abstract: The reflective display device of the invention includes: a display layer; an optical element placed on an observer side of the display layer; and a reflection element placed on a side of the display layer opposite to the observer side. The optical element has a principal plane including a plurality of tilt faces tilted with respect to the display plane. Light incident on the display layer through the optical element and reflected by the reflection element is allowed to outgo in a direction roughly normal to the display plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shun Ueki, Kiyoshi Minoura, Masahiko Tomikawa
  • Patent number: 7019801
    Abstract: The reflective display device of the invention includes: a display layer; an optical element placed on an observer side of the display layer; and a reflection element placed on a side of the display layer opposite to the observer side. The optical element has a principal plane including a plurality of tilt faces tilted with respect to the display plane. Light incident on the display layer through the optical element and reflected by the reflection element is allowed to outgo in a direction roughly normal to the display plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shun Ueki, Kiyoshi Minoura, Masahiko Tomikawa
  • Publication number: 20050213001
    Abstract: The reflective display device of the invention includes: a display layer; an optical element placed on an observer side of the display layer; and a reflection element placed on a side of the display layer opposite to the observer side. The optical element has a principal plane including a plurality of tilt faces tilted with respect to the display plane. Light incident on the display layer through the optical element and reflected by the reflection element is allowed to outgo in a direction roughly normal to the display plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shun Ueki, Kiyoshi Minoura, Masahiko Tomikawa
  • Patent number: 6898018
    Abstract: In a luminous display element, a retro-reflector is provided on the back side of an organic EL layer which includes an emission layer whose state changes between an emission state and a non-emission state. The retro-reflector includes a corner cube array, and reflects incident light in the same direction as an incident direction. A unit structure of the corner cube array is a form of a triangular pyramid which is made up of rectangular equilateral triangles having three faces, and a light shielding process is performed on the periphery of a base angle of the rectangular equilateral triangle. Thus, it is possible to prevent an image from being reflected, so that it is possible to provide the luminous display element whose contrast ratio and the utilization efficiency of emission are high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Shun Ueki, Masahiko Tomikawa
  • Patent number: 6844956
    Abstract: A reflective display device includes a switching layer, placed between substrates, for switching between a transmissive state for allowing transmission of incident light and a scattering state for scattering the incident light, and a retro-reflector for reflecting an incident ray from the liquid crystal layer so that an outgoing ray of the reflected light is parallel to the incident ray. A pitch of smallest unit structures of the retro-reflector is set to be larger than 0 mm and not more than 5 mm. The retro-reflector is preferably in a form of a corner cube array and has light absorbing surface portions at borders of the smallest unit structures. With this reflective display device, brightness of white state and contrast ratio can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Shun Ueki, Masahiko Tomikawa, Teiyu Sako, Masayuki Okamoto, Seiichi Mitsui
  • Publication number: 20050006999
    Abstract: In a luminous display element, a retro-reflector is provided on the back side of an organic EL layer which includes an emission layer whose state changes between an emission state and a non-emission state. The retro-reflector includes a corner cube array, and reflects incident light in the same direction as an incident direction. A unit structure of the corner cube array is a form of a triangular pyramid which is made up of rectangular equilateral triangles having three faces, and a light shielding process is performed on the periphery of a base angle of the rectangular equilateral triangle. Thus, it is possible to prevent an image from being reflected, so that it is possible to provide the luminous display element whose contrast ratio and the utilization efficiency of emission are high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Shun Ueki, Masahiko Tomikawa
  • Patent number: 6819507
    Abstract: An optical element includes first and second members. The first member has a first surface including a first concave portion. The second member has a second surface including a second concave portion and transmits incoming light therethrough. The first and second members are disposed so that the first and second surfaces are opposed to each other. First and second reflective regions have been formed on the first and second concave portions, respectively. At least part of the incoming light that has been transmitted through the second member is reflected from at least one of the first and second reflective regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Shun Ueki, Masahiko Tomikawa
  • Patent number: 6787976
    Abstract: In a luminous display element, a retro-reflector is provided on the back side of an organic EL layer which includes an emission layer whose state changes between an emission state and a non-emission state. The retro-reflector includes a corner cube array, and reflects incident light in the same direction as an incident direction. A unit structure of the corner cube array is a form of a triangular pyramid which is made up of rectangular equilateral triangles having three faces, and a light shielding process is performed on the periphery of a base angle of the rectangular equilateral triangle. Thus, it is possible to prevent an image from being reflected, so that it is possible to provide the luminous display element whose contrast ratio and the utilization efficiency of emission are high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Shun Ueki, Masahiko Tomikawa
  • Patent number: 6744465
    Abstract: The invention provides a digital camera comprising a disk drive device 1, control circuit 2, flash memory 7, flag processing circuit 8 and memory 9. Power can be supplied to the flag processing circuit 8 and the memory 9 at all times. The control circuit 2 reads image management data from a disk, writes the read data to the flash memory 7, and thereafter gives a flag rewrite command to the flag processing circuit 8. The circuit 8 changes a flag in the memory 9 to “1” in response to the command, and changes the flag to “0” when withdrawal of the disk from the drive device 1 is thereafter detected. The control circuit 2 reads and writes the image management data only when the power source of main body of the camera is turned on, with the flag set to “0”, whereby the power consumption of the camera can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiko Tomikawa
  • Publication number: 20040085611
    Abstract: A reflective display device includes a switching layer, placed between substrates, for switching between a transmissive state for allowing transmission of incident light and a scattering state for scattering the incident light, and a retro-reflector for reflecting an incident ray from the liquid crystal layer so that an outgoing ray of the reflected light is parallel to the incident ray. A pitch of smallest unit structures of the retro-reflector is set to be larger than 0 mm and not more than 5 mm. The retro-reflector is preferably in a form of a corner cube array and has light absorbing surface portions at borders of the smallest unit structures. With this reflective display device, brightness of white state and contrast ratio can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Shun Ueki, Masahiko Tomikawa, Teiyu Sako, Masayuki Okamoto, Seiichi Mitsui
  • Publication number: 20040076093
    Abstract: An objective of the present invention is reading out information correctly from a defective area when a recording medium having a plurality of defective management areas is used. If information is read out correctly from two or more defective recording areas of the recording medium, that information is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Kouichi Kawakami, Hiromi Hamano, Masahiko Tomikawa
  • Patent number: 6704079
    Abstract: A display device includes a reflector in which a plurality of elements, each including a number of reflective regions, is arranged. In the reflector, the reflective regions of each said element are disposed so that at least part of incoming light, which has been incident on the element, is reflected by each one of the reflective regions after another and then allowed to go out of the element. At least one of the reflective regions of each said element includes: a light reflective plane; and a light modulating layer that is formed on one side of the light reflective plane so as to face the incoming light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Shun Ueki, Masahiko Tomikawa, Eiji Satoh, Tomoko Teranishi, Yasuhisa Itoh
  • Patent number: 6657766
    Abstract: A reflective display device includes a switching layer, placed between substrates, for switching between a transmissive state for allowing transmission of incident light and a scattering state for scattering the incident light, and a retro-reflector for reflecting an incident ray from the liquid crystal layer so that an outgoing ray of the reflected light is parallel to the incident ray. A pitch of smallest unit structures of the retro-reflector is set to be larger than 0 mm and not more than 5 mm. The retro-reflector is preferably in a form of a corner cube array and has light absorbing surface portions at borders of the smallest unit structures. With this reflective display device, brightness of white state and contrast ratio can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Shun Ueki, Masahiko Tomikawa, Teiyu Sako, Masayuki Okamoto, Seiichi Mitsui
  • Patent number: 6480253
    Abstract: To manufacture at a good yield a large-screen display having low resistivity of wires and excelling in flatness of substrates, a metal material, a transparent electrode material, and a conductive resin are used for forming either scanning electrodes or signal electrodes, or both of the same. Not less than two materials are used as the metal material, while amorphus ITO is used as the transparent electrode material. An electrode substrate has electrode structures in each of which a metal wire made of the foregoing metal material, a transparent electrode made of the foregoing transparent electrode material, and a conductive resin layer are laminated in this order on a transparent substrate. Conductivity is imparted to the conductive resin layers by conductive particles electrodeposited by the micell electrolytic method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Shigeta, Hideki Uchida, Masahiko Tomikawa, Hisashi Akiyama, Nobuyuki Itoh, Shuji Miyoshi
  • Publication number: 20020154408
    Abstract: An optical element includes first and second members. The first member has a first surface including a first concave portion. The second member has a second surface including a second concave portion and transmits incoming light therethrough. The first and second members are disposed so that the first and second surfaces are opposed to each other. First and second reflective regions have been formed on the first and second concave portions, respectively. At least part of the incoming light that has been transmitted through the second member is reflected from at least one of the first and second reflective regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Shun Ueki, Masahiko Tomikawa
  • Publication number: 20020149721
    Abstract: A display device includes a reflector in which a plurality of elements, each including a number of reflective regions, is arranged. In the reflector, the reflective regions of each said element are disposed so that at least part of incoming light, which has been incident on the element, is reflected by each one of the reflective regions after another and then allowed to go out of the element. At least one of the reflective regions of each said element includes: a light reflective plane; and a light modulating layer that is formed on one side of the light reflective plane so as to face the incoming light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Shun Ueki, Masahiko Tomikawa, Eiji Satoh, Tomoko Teranishi, Yasuhisa Itoh