Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display includes a display module and a backlight module configured to irradiate light on the display module. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, a first light source, a reflective plate, and a second light source. The light guide plate has a light output face at a position corresponding to a first small area on the display module. The first light source is configured to irradiate light toward the light guide plate from a side of the light guide plate in such a manner that the irradiated light reaches the first small area. The reflective plate is facing to the light guide plate, and the reflective plate has a reflective face configured to reflect light toward a second small area different from the first small area. The second light source is configured to irradiate light toward the reflective plate from a side of the reflective plate in such a manner that the irradiated light reaches the second small area.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet type determination apparatus includes a tray, light source, detection unit, database, and operation unit. The tray is configured to hold a sheet bundle formed by stacked sheets. The light source emits illumination light to a first region. The detection unit detects a light intensity distribution of transmitted light emerging from a second region. The transmitted light is generated as the illumination light passes through the sheet bundle, and the second region is different from the first region. The database stores a table describing a relation between reference attenuation rates and types. The operation unit is configured to calculate an attenuation rate of the transmitted light based on the light intensity distribution, and determine a type of the sheets by comparing the attenuation rate with the reference attenuation rates.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical information recording apparatus includes a spatial light modulator, an optical mechanism, a driving module, and a controller. The spatial light modulator converts an irradiation beam emitted from a light source to plural partial information beams that carry information by causing the irradiation beam to pass through plural modulation areas. The optical mechanism collects the partial information beams onto an optical information recording medium and applies a reference beam onto the recording medium such that the reference beam and the partial information beams intersect with each other on an information recording layer. The driving module drives the recording medium or the optical mechanism. The controller performs angle multiplex recording of information on the information recording layer by controlling the driving module and causing the light source to emit the irradiation beam while switchingly supplying the modulation areas with the information.

Abstract: A recording media deciding apparatus has: a light radiating portion which radiates light having a uniform light amount on a range corresponding to an image capturing range of a first surface of a bundle of recording media; a light detecting portion which captures an image of light emitted from a second surface different from the first surface of the bundle of the recording media; and a controller which decides on a type of the recording media based on an output of the light detecting portion.

Abstract: A light guide plate comprising a flat-plate member provided with a first surface including a flat surface portion and a recessed portion in a conic-like solid shape and a second surface opposed to the first surface, the flat-plate member configured to receive light from the recessed portion, to propagate the light inside the flat-plate member while diffusing the light, and to radiate the diffused light from the second surface, wherein an angle between an inclined surface of the recessed portion and a normal line to the flat surface portion is smaller than a value obtained by calculation in which twice a critical angle where the light is totally reflected by the second surface inside the flat-plate member is subtracted from 90°.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, illumination apparatus including, first light source module which includes light-emitting module that emits light, light-emitting module having line shape, and first reflection member which includes first reflection surface that reflects light emitted from light-emitting module of first light source module for predetermined range, wherein first reflection surface has cross section that has zigzag line shape including plurality of line segments running along standard oval, which has major axis that forms predetermined angle with direction perpendicular to predetermined range, in direction perpendicular to longitudinal direction of light-emitting module of first light source module.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display includes a display module and a backlight module configured to irradiate light on the display module. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, a first light source, a reflective plate, and a second light source. The light guide plate has a light output face at a position corresponding to a first small area on the display module. The first light source is configured to irradiate light toward the light guide plate from a side of the light guide plate in such a manner that the irradiated light reaches the first small area. The reflective plate is facing to the light guide plate, and the reflective plate has a reflective face configured to reflect light toward a second small area different from the first small area. The second light source is configured to irradiate light toward the reflective plate from a side of the reflective plate in such a manner that the irradiated light reaches the second small area.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a light guide body includes a light guide plate and a prism array unit. The light guide plate has a major surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface on an opposite side to the first side surface. The prism array unit is provided on the major surface to be in contact with the major surface. The prism array unit includes a plurality of prism bodies. Each of the prism bodies extends along a first direction from the first side surface to the second side surface. The prism bodies are disposed to align along a second direction parallel to the major surface and perpendicular to the first direction. A vertex angle of the prism bodies is a substantially right angle. A refractive index of the prism bodies is higher than a refractive index of the light guide plate.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a surface lighting apparatus includes surface light source units stacked, and a control unit. Each surface light source unit includes a light guide plate and light-emitting units. The light guide plate includes a light incident surface for introducing light emitted by the light-emitting units, and a light-outputting region configured to output light through a front surface. The front surface is provided with a light transmission control part to prevent light from diffusing in a direction of arranging the light-emitting units. The light-emitting units are linearly arranged opposite to the light incident surface. The control unit controls a light intensity for each of the light-emitting units. A light guide plate of each surface light source unit other than a lowermost surface light source unit further includes a window region configured to transmit light output from one or more lower surface light source units.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet type determination apparatus includes a tray, light source, detection unit, database, and operation unit. The tray is configured to hold a sheet bundle formed by stacked sheets. The light source emits illumination light to a first region. The detection unit detects a light intensity distribution of transmitted light emerging from a second region. The transmitted light is generated as the illumination light passes through the sheet bundle, and the second region is different from the first region. The database stores a table describing a relation between reference attenuation rates and types. The operation unit is configured to calculate an attenuation rate of the transmitted light based on the light intensity distribution, and determine a type of the sheets by comparing the attenuation rate with the reference attenuation rates.

Abstract: In an automatic focus adjusting mechanism, a test sample having a patterned surface is mounted on a mount table, and an light beam passing through a slit formed in a field stop is applied to the patterned surface of the test sample. The light beam reflected from the test sample is split into two segment light beams. Focus adjusting aperture stops having respective apertures formed rhomboid are provided across the optical paths of the segment light beams. The amounts of the segment light beams passing through the rhomboid apertures are detected by light receiving units. Based on the difference between the detected light amounts, the position of the mount table is controlled by the focus adjusting unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical information recording apparatus includes a spatial light modulator, an optical mechanism, a driving module, and a controller. The spatial light modulator converts an irradiation beam emitted from a light source to plural partial information beams that carry information by causing the irradiation beam to pass through plural modulation areas. The optical mechanism collects the partial information beams onto an optical information recording medium and applies a reference beam onto the recording medium such that the reference beam and the partial information beams intersect with each other on an information recording layer. The driving module drives the recording medium or the optical mechanism. The controller performs angle multiplex recording of information on the information recording layer by controlling the driving module and causing the light source to emit the irradiation beam while switchingly supplying the modulation areas with the information.

Abstract: In an automatic focus adjusting mechanism, a test sample having a patterned surface is mounted on a mount table, and an light beam passing through a slit formed in a field stop is applied to the patterned surface of the test sample. The light beam reflected from the test sample is split into two segment light beams. Focus adjusting aperture stops having respective apertures formed rhomboid are provided across the optical paths of the segment light beams. The amounts of the segment light beams passing through the rhomboid apertures are detected by light receiving units. Based on the difference between the detected light amounts, the position of the mount table is controlled by the focus adjusting unit.

Abstract: In a discriminating apparatus, a substrate portion of printed matter is irradiated with a light beam emitted from a light source, and the intensity of the light beam reflected from the substrate is detected by a photodetector. The discrimination as to whether the printed matter is the original or a reproduction is performed by a discriminating unit based on the contrast value in the intensity of the reflected light detected by the photodetector. Thus, the discriminating apparatus discriminates whether the printed matter is the original or a reproduction at high speed and also permits lowering the possibility of an erroneous discrimination.

Abstract: An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus includes a spatial light modulator that converts an irradiation beam emitted from a light source to a single information beam that carries information; an optical system that causes the single information beam to be collected on an optical-information recording medium including an information recording layer capable of recording the information as hologram by using interference fringes produced due to interference between the single information beam and a plurality of reference beams, and causes each of the reference beams to be irradiated to the optical-information recording medium from mutually different directions so as to intersect with the single information beam in the information recording layer; and a controller that controls to cause the light source to emit the irradiation beam and performs angular multiplexing recording of the information in the information recording layer while controlling to drive either one of the optical-information recordi

Abstract: A sheet thickness measuring device includes: an illumination unit that outputs a light that is illuminated into a stack of sheets from a first area defined on one of faces including a top face, a bottom face, and side faces of the stack of sheets; a detection unit that detects a light amount distribution of light entered into the stack of sheets and propagated to a second area through the stack of sheets, the second area defined on one of the side faces of the stack of sheets; and a calculation unit that calculates a thickness of a sheet in the stack of sheets based on the light amount distribution detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: A lighting system includes a first light source emitting first light rays; a second light source emitting second light rays, a first lens side which refracts the first and second light rays and collimates the refracted light rays; a second lens side which includes a plurality of first lenticules and refracts the first and second light rays; and a third lens side which includes a plurality of second lenticules and refracts the first and second light rays refracted by the second lens side.

Abstract: In a Fresnel lens which is made of a lens material whose refraction index is n, and focuses light beam from a light source at a specified radiation view angle ?, and has plural N pieces of circular lens surfaces arranged concentrically around a common optical axis, and plural circular rise surfaces arranged adjacent alternately between these lens surfaces, and two lens surfaces adjacent via at least one of the rise surfaces are concave surfaces, and tangent lines and at the intersecting point with the rise surfaces of the shape of a cross section passing through the optical axis of those lens surfaces intersect at the outside with respect to the optical axis, and when the angle formed between these tangent lines is defined as ?, a relational equation ???/(2 n N) stands.

Abstract: A sheet thickness measuring device includes: an illumination unit that outputs a light that is illuminated into a stack of sheets from a first area defined on one of faces including a top face, a bottom face, and side faces of the stack of sheets; a detection unit that detects a light amount distribution of light entered into the stack of sheets and propagated to a second area through the stack of sheets, the second area defined on one of the side faces of the stack of sheets; and a calculation unit that calculates a thickness of a sheet in the stack of sheets based on the light amount distribution detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: A lighting system includes a first light source emitting first light rays; a second light source emitting second light rays, a first lens side which refracts the first and second light rays and collimates the refracted light rays; a second lens side which includes a plurality of first lenticules and refracts the first and second light rays; and a third lens side which includes a plurality of second lenticules and refracts the first and second light rays refracted by the second lens side.