Patents by Inventor Nobuhiro Fujinawa

Nobuhiro Fujinawa 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: 20110013146
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus provided with a light source 4, a polarization splitter 6 disposed facing the light source at about 45 degrees with respect to its light emission direction, a first reflector 8 reflecting and condensing one of the polarization light components polarized and split by the polarization splitter, a quarter wave plate 20 disposed between the polarization splitter and the first reflector, a second reflector 10 reflecting and condensing the other of the polarization light components polarized and split by the polarization splitter, a third reflector 12 disposed around the light source and reflecting the other polarization light reflected by the second reflector and the polarization splitter and proceeding in the light source direction, and a quarter wave plate 22 disposed between the polarization splitter and the third reflector and around the light source, the light reflected at the first reflector and reflected at the polarization splitter being used to illuminate a predetermined surface
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Patent number: 7865280
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus mounted on a vehicle and imaging a vicinity of the vehicle, includes a photographic lens, an image pickup device, an accident detection sensor, an image processing section, and a recording section. The image pickup device generates an image signal by performing photoelectric conversion of an object image based on a light flux from the photographic lens. The accident detection sensor detects an accident occurrence based on a shock to the vehicle. The image processing section generates first accident image data and second accident image data which photograph the same accident situation at an accident occurrence, based on the image signal. The recording section records the first accident image data and the second accident image data in different states of security levels regarding data credibility, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Hirotake Nozaki, Setsu Mitsuhashi
  • Patent number: 7845800
    Abstract: A polarization converting element includes: a main body that is made from a transparent member; an incident section that is provided to the main body, and upon which light generated from a light source is incident; an annular reflecting section that is formed on the periphery of the incident section; and a polarization splitting section that is formed opposite to the annular reflecting section on the emission side of light incident upon the incident section. One polarized light component of the incident light passes through the main body and is emitted from the polarization splitting section. Another polarized light component of the incident light is reflected towards the annular reflecting section by the polarization splitting section, and is emitted from the polarization splitting section after having again been reflected by the annular reflecting section and having been converted into light of a same polarization component as the light of the one polarized light component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Publication number: 20100290008
    Abstract: A projector includes: a solid-state light emitting element that emits light; a projection image forming unit that includes an effective area in order to form a projection image; and a reflecting member disposed between the solid-state light emitting element and the projection image forming unit, wherein: the reflecting member reflects part of the light emitted from the solid-state light emitting element and thus redirects the part of the light to travel back to the solid-state light emitting element, the part of the light not entering the effective area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Akinobu Suga, Takayuki Uchiyama, Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Patent number: 7819530
    Abstract: An cradle 100 equipped with a projector commands the power supply to an electronic camera 200 that is mounted on the cradle 100 to be turned on and the display of a main liquid crystal display 201 to be turned off in response to an on signal from a projection switch 101. A CPU 131 (FIG. 2) is provided in the cradle 100, and the CPU 131 (FIG. 2) performs expansion processing on the image data transmitted to the cradle 100 from the electronic camera 200 if the image data is compressed. The CPU 131 (FIG. 2) of the cradle 100 performs resizing processing on the image data having been expanded according to a projection resolution of the projector unit and records the resized data in a memory card. The CPU 131 reads out the resized image data from the memory card and performs replay processing to project the image data via the projector unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Publication number: 20100259471
    Abstract: It is possible to provide a technique for accurately performing an operation desired by a user. A user's head operation is identified according to information detected by a head motion detection unit. A process desired by the user is executed according to an angular velocity of the head motion. Moreover, the technique uses a control unit which can accurately execute an operation by the user's head operation without reflecting the return motion of the user's head in the process. The control unit executes a process for a start and an end of each process corresponding to the detected angular velocity according to a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Takano, Masaki Otsuki, Akinobu Suga, Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Hidenori Kuribayashi
  • Publication number: 20100253864
    Abstract: A digital photo frame enabling video to be viewed not only in a stationary state but also when carried in the hand of the viewer, that is, a digital photo frame having a display for displaying an image, a detector detecting if the frame is carried on a cradle or is detached from the cradle, and an output controller setting different output modes of the video in accordance with the results of detection of the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Seiji Takano, Kazue Minagawa
  • Patent number: 7798656
    Abstract: A projector device, includes: a projector unit, including a light source and a projection lens whose focal position is variable, that projects an image upon a projection surface with a light flux outputted from the light source that passes through the projection lens; an image-capturing unit, including a photographic lens whose focal position is variable, that captures an image of a subject with a light flux from the exterior that passes through the photographic lens; and a single drive source that generates drive force for changing both the focal position of the projection lens and the focal position of the photographic lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Patent number: 7796179
    Abstract: A display device includes: a transmission-type optical image forming element that forms an image based upon image signals; an illuminating device that illuminates the optical image forming element; and a light adjustment device that allows illuminating light emitted from the illuminating device to the optical image forming element to have a specific light quantity distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Akira Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20100100276
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus mounted on a vehicle and imaging a vicinity of the vehicle, includes a photographic lens, an image pickup device, an accident detection sensor, an image processing section, and a recording section. The image pickup device generates an image signal by performing photoelectric conversion of an object image based on a light flux from the photographic lens. The accident detection sensor detects an accident occurrence based on a shock to the vehicle. The image processing section generates first accident image data and second accident image data which photograph the same accident situation at an accident occurrence, based on the image signal. The recording section records the first accident image data and the second accident image data in different states of security levels regarding data credibility, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Hirotake Nozaki, Setsu Mitsuhashi
  • Publication number: 20100091118
    Abstract: An illuminating device includes: a solid-state light emitting element that includes a light source and a phosphor and emits light from the light source and phosphorescent light emitted from the phosphor excited with the light from the light source toward an optical system; and a reflective portion that reflects part of the light emitted from the solid-state light emitting element, which does not enter the optical system, back to the solid-state light emitting element so that the reflected light having originated from the light source is used to excite the phosphor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Publication number: 20100039624
    Abstract: A projector module adopts a structure having an optical image forming block and an optical block integrated via a locking member. The optical image forming block adopts a structure achieved by disposing an aluminum substrate at which an LED is mounted and a liquid crystal panel in a casing constituted with a plastic material having low thermal conductivity. The locking member is formed by bending a metal sheet through a sheet metal bending process and the locking member is set in surface contact with the substrate. The optical block adopts a structure achieved by disposing a PBS and a reflecting member at the casing constituted with a plastic material having low thermal conductivity with a quarter-wave plate disposed at the boundary of the two members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro FUJINAWA, Hirotake Nozaki
  • Patent number: 7653304
    Abstract: A digital camera equipped with a projector, includes a photographing device; a projector device that projects an optical image; a mode switching operation member that outputs a switching operation signal indicating a changeover to one of a photographing operation mode in which image data photographed by the photographing device are saved as a photographic image file in a recording medium and a projection operation mode in which a reproduced image is projected by the projector device; a top surface operation member disposed at an upper surface of a casing; and a projection control device that controls the projector device based upon an operation signal provided by the top surface operation member upon receiving a switching operation signal indicating a changeover to the projection operation mode from the mode switching operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Akira Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20100014056
    Abstract: A projection system includes: a projection device mounted at a member that moves through space and projects an optical image; a detection device that detects relative position assumed in the space by a projection target surface onto which the optical image is projected and the projection device; and a control device that controls projection by the projection device in correspondence to the relative position detected by the detection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Setsu Mitsuhashi, Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Publication number: 20100002123
    Abstract: A digital camera equipped with a projector, includes a photographing device; a projector device that projects an optical image; a mode switching operation member that outputs a switching operation signal indicating a changeover to one of a photographing operation mode in which image data photographed by the photographing device are saved as a photographic image file in a recording medium and a projection operation mode in which a reproduced image is projected by the projector device; a top surface operation member disposed at an upper surface of a casing; and a projection control device that controls the projector device based upon an operation signal provided by the top surface operation member upon receiving a switching operation signal indicating a changeover to the projection operation mode from the mode switching operation member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Akira Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20090310091
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a moving part; a projector device provided to the moving part; and a projection control unit that starts projection of an image by the projector device according to the state of the moving part, and the projection control unit starts projection of an image when a first time period has elapsed with the moving part in a predetermined state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Akira Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20090303352
    Abstract: A digital still camera includes an image-capturing device, a recording device that records a subject image captured by the image-capturing device into an image recording medium, a first monitor device and a second monitor device. The images repeatedly captured by the image-capturing device are displayed in real time at the first monitor device and, at the same time, a photographic support image having been captured by the image-capturing device is displayed at the second monitor device. A single image or a plurality of images recorded in the image recording medium, for instance, may be displayed at the second monitor device as the photographic support image. Alternatively, an image obtained by partially enlarging the image displayed at the first monitor device may be displayed at the second monitor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Patent number: 7625091
    Abstract: A projector module adopts a structure having an optical image forming block and an optical block integrated via a locking member. The optical image forming block adopts a structure achieved by disposing an aluminum substrate at which an LED is mounted and a liquid crystal panel in a casing constituted with a plastic material having low thermal conductivity. The locking member is formed by bending a metal sheet through a sheet metal bending process and the locking member is set in surface contact with the substrate. The optical block adopts a structure achieved by disposing a PBS and a reflecting member at the casing constituted with a plastic material having low thermal conductivity with a quarter-wave plate disposed at the boundary of the two members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Hirotake Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20090251622
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a first image reproduction unit that reproduces an image; a second image reproduction unit that reproduces an image at a resolution different from that of the first image reproduction unit; a reproduction data generation unit that generates reproduction data at a resolution according to an image reproduction unit by using image data; and a control unit that instructs one of the first image reproduction unit and the second image reproduction unit alternatively image reproduction in response to a switching instruction, and that controls the reproduction data generation unit to generate reproduction data according to a resolution of an image reproduction unit that is instructed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Setsu Mitsuhashi, Hirotake Nozaki, Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Akira Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20090244459
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel including a plurality of rectangular pixels in parallel, the liquid crystal panel includes: a liquid crystal containing liquid crystal molecules; a color filter that transmits a light having a predetermined color from among lights that have been transmitted through the liquid crystal; a plurality of pixel electrodes that applies electric fields to the liquid crystal; a common electrode opposite to the plurality of the pixel electrodes through the liquid crystal; a first rubbing member that aligns the liquid crystal molecules in a first direction at an interface of the liquid crystal on the side of the pixel electrode; and a second rubbing member that aligns the liquid crystal molecules in a second direction at an interface of the liquid crystal on the side of the common electrode, wherein the first direction is a shorter direction of the rectangular pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Hiroyuki Koishi