Patents by Inventor Masato Hatanaka

Masato Hatanaka 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: 7667787
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a transmission type liquid crystal display apparatus using a backlight device for delivering rays of display light which have been emitted from a large number of light emitting diodes to a transmission type display panel, wherein an optical sheet block (10) is provided between a liquid crystal panel (5) and a light source unit (7) including a large number of LEDs (12), the transmission type liquid crystal display apparatus comprising a light diffusion plate (15), consisting of resin, having light transmitting characteristic, which is adapted control incidence of rays of display light which have been emitted from the respective LEDs (12). At the light diffusion plate (15), light adjustment patterns (18) facing the respective LEDs (12) and adapted to take a shape which has dimensions including outer shape thereof and is longitudinally elongated are formed by light reflection ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Mahama, Masato Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 7604362
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a backlight apparatus and a liquid crystal display apparatus, capable of realizing a backlight apparatus having high color reproductivity without color irregularities in a backlight apparatus having a LED device as its light source. In the optical unit 61, there are disposed the dichroic mirror B which transmits green light Lg and red light Lr and reflects blue light Lb, the dichroic mirror G which transmits the light Lb and the light Lr and reflects the light Lg, and the dichroic mirror R which transmits the light Lb and the light Lg and reflects the light Lr, and they transmit or reflect the light emitted from the LED devices 11B, 11G and 11R to mix to form the white light Lw. The light Lw formed by the dichroic mirrors B, G and R is entered to the light guiding plate 62 by the mirror performing a total reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Kazuhiro Yokota, Haruaki Wada, Takashi Oku
  • Patent number: 7476015
    Abstract: A low-profile edge-lit backlight apparatus includes a light guiding plate which guides light introduced from a side by utilizing total reflection on a light emitting surface as one principal surface and a light reflecting surface as the other principal surface and emits light from the light emitting surface based on surface emitting, and a plurality of white light emission units that emit white light incident on the light guiding plate. The white light emission section includes a light source group of a first light emitting diode to emit first primary color light, a second light emitting diode to emit second primary color light, and a third light emitting diode to emit third primary color light which are arranged in a row, and a color mixing section that generates white light by mixing the first primary color light, the second primary color light, and the third primary color light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Arai, Masato Hatanaka
  • Publication number: 20080316770
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a backlight and a light guide plate, a method of manufacturing a diffuser and the light guide plate, and to a liquid crystal display apparatus, all enabling a cost reduction by reducing the parts count and curtailing unnecessary manufacturing processing. A diffuser 261 has a light distribution layer 181 including a prismatic surface wherein stripe grooves or asperities are arrayed in parallel with each other, a diffusion layer 182 containing diffusion elements 191 for diffusing incident light, and a light incidence control layer 271 including a prismatic surface wherein stripe grooves or asperities are arrayed in parallel on a side of fluorescent tubes 131. The diffusion layer 182 is formed from the same resin, and only the diffusion elements 191 are formed from a different resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Takashi Oku, Masato Hatanaka, Yoshinari Kawashima, Akira Koshimura, Kazuhiro Shiratori
  • Publication number: 20080284942
    Abstract: A transmission liquid crystal display device using a backlight device for supplying display light emitted from a large number of light emission diodes to a transmission display panel. The transmission liquid crystal display device has an optical sheet block (10) between a liquid crystal panel (5) and a light source unit (7) having a large number of LEDs (12) and has a light diffusion plate (15), which has light transmission properties and is made of resin, for controlling the incidence of display light emitted from each of the LEDs (12). On the light diffusion plate (15) are formed vertically long light modulation patterns (18) by using light reflective ink. Each pattern (18) faces each LED (12) and has a size equal to the size of each LED (12) including its external shape. The light modulation patterns (18) uniformize the light emitted from the LEDs (12) and realize an image display of high brightness where color irregularity and horizontal stripes are suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Mahama, Masato Hatanaka
  • Publication number: 20080198570
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a backlight apparatus and a liquid crystal display apparatus, capable of realizing a backlight apparatus having high color reproductivity without color irregularities in a backlight apparatus having a LED device as its light source. In the optical unit 61, there are disposed the dichroic mirror B which transmits green light Lg and red light Lr and reflects blue light Lb, the dichroic mirror G which transmits the light Lb and the light Lr and reflects the light Lg, and the dichroic mirror R which transmits the light Lb and the light Lg and reflects the light Lr, and they transmit or reflect the light emitted from the LED devices 11B, 11G and 11R to mix to form the white light Lw. The light Lw formed by the dichroic mirrors B, G and R is entered to the light guiding plate 62 by the mirror performing a total reflection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Kazuhiro Yokota, Haruaki Wada, Takashi Oku
  • Patent number: 7413331
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a backlight apparatus and a liquid crystal display apparatus, capable of realizing a backlight apparatus having high color reproductivity without color irregularities in a backlight apparatus having a LED device as its light source. In the optical unit 61, there are disposed the dichroic mirror B which transmits green light Lg and red light Lr and reflects blue light Lb, the dichroic mirror G which transmits the light Lb and the light Lr and reflects the light Lg, and the dichroic mirror R which transmits the light Lb and the light Lg and reflects the light Lr, and they transmit or reflect the light emitted from the LED devices 11B, 11G and 11R to mix to form the white light Lw. The light Lw formed by the dichroic mirrors B, G and R is entered to the light guiding plate 62 by the mirror performing a total reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Kazuhiro Yokota, Haruaki Wada, Takashi Oku
  • Publication number: 20080068836
    Abstract: Disclosed is an illuminating device which, as a light source for a backlight device, mixes the colors of light rays of three prime colors radiated by light emitting diodes to emit white light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Takeo Arai
  • Patent number: 7344291
    Abstract: Disclosed is an illuminating device which, as a light source for a backlight device, mixes the colors of light rays of three prime colors radiated by light emitting diodes to emit white light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Takeo Arai
  • Patent number: 7318664
    Abstract: A light dimming dot pattern is provided for an LCD in which the diameter of dots is changed in a range from approximately 0.16 mm to approximately 0.65 mm depending on the distance of the dots from a fluorescent tube (13) in such a manner that the volume of the shielded light is increased and decreased at a location close to a position overlying the fluorescent tube (13) and at a location remote from the fluorescent tube (13), respectively. In this manner, a light dimming dot pattern with a transmittance for all light rays of approximately 62% (roughly in the vicinity of 62%), higher than the transmittance for all light rays in the conventional technique not higher than 50%, is produced. Consequently, the light of uniform high luminance may be produced without raising the luminance of the fluorescent tube (13), and hence an LCD of high luminance may be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Kazuhiro Yokota, Takashi Oku, Shinsuke Kito, Yuichiro Maruyama, Sinobu Yamada, Kouji Iida, Seiji Miyamura
  • Publication number: 20070086181
    Abstract: A light dimming dot pattern is provided for an LCD in which the diameter of dots is changed in a range from approximately 0.16 mm to approximately 0.65 mm depending on the distance of the dots from a fluorescent tube (13) in such a manner that the volume of the shielded light is increased and decreased at a location close to a position overlying the fluorescent tube (13) and at a location remote from the fluorescent tube (13), respectively. In this manner, a light dimming dot pattern with a transmittance for all light rays of approximately 62% (roughly in the vicinity of 62%), higher than the transmittance for all light rays in the conventional technique not higher than 50%, is produced. Consequently, the light of uniform high luminance may be produced without raising the luminance of the fluorescent tube (13), and hence an LCD of high luminance may be realized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Kazuhiro Yokota, Takashi Oku, Shinsuke Kito, Yuichiro Maruyama, Sinobu Yamada, Kouji Iida, Seiji Miyamura
  • Publication number: 20070064445
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a backlight apparatus and a liquid crystal display apparatus, capable of realizing a backlight apparatus having high color reproductivity without color irregularities in a backlight apparatus having a LED device as its light source. In the optical unit 61, there are disposed the dichroic mirror B which transmits green light Lg and red light Lr and reflects blue light Lb, the dichroic mirror G which transmits the light Lb and the light Lr and reflects the light Lg, and the dichroic mirror R which transmits the light Lb and the light Lg and reflects the light Lr, and they transmit or reflect the light emitted from the LED devices 11B, 11G and 11R to mix to form the white light Lw. The light Lw formed by the dichroic mirrors B, G and R is entered to the light guiding plate 62 by the mirror performing a total reflection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Kazuhiro Yokota, Haruaki Wada, Takashi Oku
  • Publication number: 20070064417
    Abstract: Disclosed is an illuminating device which, as a light source for a backlight device, mixes the colors of light rays of three prime colors radiated by light emitting diodes to emit white light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Takeo Arai
  • Patent number: 7185995
    Abstract: A light dimming dot pattern is provided for an LCD in which the diameter of dots is changed in a range from approximately 0.16 mm to approximately 0.65 mm depending on the distance of the dots from a fluorescent tube (13) in such a manner that the volume of the shielded light is increased and decreased at a location close to a position overlying the fluorescent tube (13) and at a location remote from the fluorescent tube (13), respectively. In this manner, a light dimming dot pattern with a transmittance for all light rays of approximately 62% (roughly in the vicinity of 62%), higher than the transmittance for all light rays in the conventional technique not higher than 50%, is produced. Consequently, the light of uniform high luminance may be produced without raising the luminance of the fluorescent tube (13), and hence an LCD of high luminance may be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Kazuhiro Yokota, Takashi Oku, Shinsuke Kito, Yuichiro Maruyama, Sinobu Yamada, Kouji Iida, Seiji Miyamura
  • Publication number: 20060268568
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a backlight and a light guide plate, a method of manufacturing a diffuser and the light guide plate, and to a liquid crystal display apparatus, all enabling a cost reduction by reducing the parts count and curtailing unnecessary manufacturing processing. A diffuser 261 has a light distribution layer 181 including a prismatic surface wherein stripe grooves or asperities are arrayed in parallel with each other, a diffusion layer 182 containing diffusion elements 191 for diffusing incident light, and a light incidence control layer 271 including a prismatic surface wherein stripe grooves or asperities are arrayed in parallel on a side of fluorescent tubes 131. The diffusion layer 182 is formed from the same resin, and only the diffusion elements 191 are formed from a different resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Takashi Oku, Masato Hatanaka, Yoshinari Kawashima, Akira Koshimura, Kazuhiro Shiratori
  • Publication number: 20060215386
    Abstract: A light dimming dot pattern is provided for an LCD in which the diameter of dots is changed in a range from approximately 0.16 mm to approximately 0.65 mm depending on the distance of the dots from a fluorescent tube (13) in such a manner that the volume of the shielded light is increased and decreased at a location close to a position overlying the fluorescent tube (13) and at a location remote from the fluorescent tube (13), respectively. In this manner, a light dimming dot pattern with a transmittance for all light rays of approximately 62% (roughly in the vicinity of 62%), higher than the transmittance for all light rays in the conventional technique not higher than 50%, is produced. Consequently, the light of uniform high luminance may be produced without raising the luminance of the fluorescent tube (13), and hence an LCD of high luminance may be realized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Kazuhiro Yokota, Takashi Oku, Shinsuke Kito, Yuichiro Maruyama, Sinobu Yamada, Kouji Iida, Sejii Miyamura
  • Publication number: 20050259441
    Abstract: There is provided a low-profile edge-lit backlight apparatus to emit white light having high color purity and sufficient brightness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2005
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Inventors: Takeo Arai, Masato Hatanaka
  • Publication number: 20020001131
    Abstract: Disclosed is a projection display for projecting an image displayed on an image display element on a screen using light rays generated by a light source, wherein sheet-type polarized light separating mirrors each having a plane tilted at an angle of 10 to 30° with respect to an optical axis of the light source are disposed between the image display element and the light source, whereby the projection display can be miniaturized with the reduced cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Inventors: MASATO HATANAKA, YUSAKU TAGAWA, HIDEKI KATSURAGAWA
  • Patent number: 6095654
    Abstract: A projection type display apparatus which allows a reduction in size and which enables images to be clearly projected. In a projection type display apparatus 1 in which an image displayed by an image display device 53 is projected onto a screen by using light from a light source 3, the light from the light source 3 is transmitted through an optical element as illuminating light and guided along a first optical axis OP1 before it is reflected by a first reflecting mirror; and the illuminating light is reflected by a second reflecting mirror and guided toward the image display device 53 along a second optical axis OP2. The first optical axis OP1 and the second optical axis OP2 are arranged at different positions and parallel to each other. Arranged in the first optical axis OP1 is an optical element for concentrating the intensity distribution of the illuminating light, and the optical element is formed by two-dimensionally arranging a plurality of unit lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Yusaku Tagawa, Hideki Katsuragawa
  • Patent number: 5917561
    Abstract: The image processing apparatus includes a lamp, fly eye lenses, an R reflective dichroic mirror, an R liquid-crystal light valve, a G reflective dichroic mirror, a G liquid-crystal light valve, a B dichroic light valve, a dichroic prism, and a projection lens for projecting a synthesized color image. In addition, a color-impurity correcting filter is provided typically between the R reflective dichroic mirror and the mirror to form an inclination angle of 10 degrees with a normal axis Y perpendicular to the incident-light axis X in the clockwise rotational direction around a normal axis Z. As a result, the color purity of the image displayed on the screen is improved and the luminance distribution of the displayed image can also be made uniform as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Hatanaka