Patents by Inventor Osamu Okumura

Osamu Okumura 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: 11508874
    Abstract: A light emitting apparatus including a substrate, a first and a second light emitter, a first mirror that reflects light from first light emitter, a second mirror that reflects light from second light emitter, and a support member that has a first and second hole and supports the first and second mirror. The first and second light emitter each include a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer having conductivity type different from the conductivity type of first semiconductor layer, and a light emitting layer provided between the first and second semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer forms a plurality of columnar sections. The plurality of columnar sections of the first light emitter and the second light emitter are disposed in the first and second hole respectively. The first mirror and second mirror are provided at the side surface of support member that defines the first and second hole respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Patent number: 11333961
    Abstract: A wavelength converter according to the present disclosure includes a wavelength conversion layer that has a first surface and a second surface, converts first light that belongs to a first wavelength band into second light that belongs to a second wavelength band, and emits the second light via the first surface, a transparent member having a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface so provided as to face the first surface of the wavelength conversion layer, and a plurality of nano-antennas provided on the fourth surface of the transparent member. The wavelength conversion layer contains light scatterers, and the plurality of nano-antennas selectively emit third light that belongs to a specific wavelength band out of the second wavelength band along the direction of a normal to the fourth surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Patent number: 11215747
    Abstract: A light source device according to the present disclosure includes a light-emitting body configured to emit first wavelength range light, a wavelength converter that includes an incident surface on which the first wavelength range light is incident, and an emission surface configured to convert the first wavelength range light to second wavelength range light and subsequently emit, and for which the incident surface is set to be larger than the emission surface, a light collector including a light input part configured to enter the second wavelength range light, and a scattering part disposed on the emission surface of the wavelength converter or on a side closer to the light collector than the emission surface, wherein the light collector includes a reflective layer configured to reflect the second wavelength range light entered by the light input part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Publication number: 20210167247
    Abstract: A light emitting apparatus including a substrate, a first and a second light emitter, a first mirror that reflects light from first light emitter, a second mirror that reflects light from second light emitter, and a support member that has a first and second hole and supports the first and second mirror. The first and second light emitter each include a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer having conductivity type different from the conductivity type of first semiconductor layer, and a light emitting layer provided between the first and second semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer forms a plurality of columnar sections. The plurality of columnar sections of the first light emitter and the second light emitter are disposed in the first and second hole respectively. The first mirror and second mirror are provided at the side surface of support member that defines the first and second hole respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu OKUMURA
  • Publication number: 20210132483
    Abstract: A wavelength converter according to the present disclosure includes a wavelength conversion layer that has a first surface and a second surface, converts first light that belongs to a first wavelength band into second light that belongs to a second wavelength band, and emits the second light via the first surface, a transparent member having a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface so provided as to face the first surface of the wavelength conversion layer, and a plurality of nano-antennas provided on the fourth surface of the transparent member. The wavelength conversion layer contains light scatterers, and the plurality of nano-antennas selectively emit third light that belongs to a specific wavelength band out of the second wavelength band along the direction of a normal to the fourth surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu OKUMURA
  • Publication number: 20200174177
    Abstract: A light source device according to the present disclosure includes a light-emitting body configured to emit first wavelength range light, a wavelength converter that includes an incident surface on which the first wavelength range light is incident, and an emission surface configured to convert the first wavelength range light to second wavelength range light and subsequently emit, and for which the incident surface is set to be larger than the emission surface, a light collector including a light input part configured to enter the second wavelength range light, and a scattering part disposed on the emission surface of the wavelength converter or on a side closer to the light collector than the emission surface, wherein the light collector includes a reflective layer configured to reflect the second wavelength range light entered by the light input part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 10620520
    Abstract: A wavelength conversion element includes a phosphor layer that emits fluorescence when excitation light is incident on the phosphor layer, a base having a reflection layer, and a filter provided on a side of the phosphor layer that is the side opposite the reflection layer. The filter is so configured that the reflectance of light that belongs to a wavelength region from the wavelength of the excitation light to the wavelength of the fluorescence and is incident on the filter at right angles is minimized at a first wavelength, and the first wavelength is located between the peak wavelength of the excitation light and the peak wavelength of the fluorescence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Publication number: 20190064644
    Abstract: A wavelength conversion element includes a phosphor layer that emits fluorescence when excitation light is incident on the phosphor layer, a base having a reflection layer, and a filter provided on a side of the phosphor layer that is the side opposite the reflection layer. The filter is so configured that the reflectance of light that belongs to a wavelength region from the wavelength of the excitation light to the wavelength of the fluorescence and is incident on the filter at right angles is minimized at a first wavelength, and the first wavelength is located between the peak wavelength of the excitation light and the peak wavelength of the fluorescence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 9568771
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal panel including a pair of substrates that sandwiches a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules exhibiting a parallel alignment in an initial alignment state, and a polarizing plate disposed on either side of the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal molecules are inclined at a pretilt angle and aligned in a predetermined direction in planes of the substrates. The liquid crystal panel emits light entering through one of the polarizing plates toward the other. The liquid crystal panel emits light having the maximum intensity in a direction different from a direction normal to the substrates. The azimuth of the maximum-light-intensity direction projected onto the planes of the substrates is substantially parallel to the predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Patent number: 9229273
    Abstract: A reflection type liquid crystal device has: a liquid crystal cell held between a pair of substrates and an optical compensation plate disposed outside the pair of substrates. The optical compensation plate has a first optical axis along the thickness direction thereof. The liquid crystal cell has a pretilt at which a second optical axis of a liquid crystal molecule of the liquid crystal cell is inclined with respect to a plate surface of the liquid crystal cell. The optical compensation plate is tiltable in a first direction in which a standard angle becomes larger, wherein the standard angle is defined as an acute angle between the first optical axis and the second optical axis when the optical compensation plate is located parallel to the plate surface of the liquid crystal cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihide Haruyama, Osamu Okumura
  • Publication number: 20150212356
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal panel including a pair of substrates that sandwiches a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules exhibiting a parallel alignment in an initial alignment state, and a polarizing plate disposed on either side of the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal molecules are inclined at a pretilt angle and aligned in a predetermined direction in planes of the substrates. The liquid crystal panel emits light entering through one of the polarizing plates toward the other. The liquid crystal panel emits light having the maximum intensity in a direction different from a direction normal to the substrates. The azimuth of the maximum-light-intensity direction projected onto the planes of the substrates is substantially parallel to the predetermined direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventor: Osamu OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 9013657
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal panel including a pair of substrates that sandwiches a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules exhibiting a parallel alignment in an initial alignment state, and a polarizing plate disposed on either side of the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal molecules are inclined at a pretilt angle and aligned in a predetermined direction in planes of the substrates. The liquid crystal panel emits light entering through one of the polarizing plates toward the other. The liquid crystal panel emits light having the maximum intensity in a direction different from a direction normal to the substrates. The azimuth of the maximum-light-intensity direction projected onto the planes of the substrates is substantially parallel to the predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Publication number: 20140253820
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal panel including a pair of substrates that sandwiches a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules exhibiting a parallel alignment in an initial alignment state, and a polarizing plate disposed on either side of the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal molecules are inclined at a pretilt angle and aligned in a predetermined direction in planes of the substrates. The liquid crystal panel emits light entering through one of the polarizing plates toward the other. The liquid crystal panel emits light having the maximum intensity in a direction different from a direction normal to the substrates. The azimuth of the maximum-light-intensity direction projected onto the planes of the substrates is substantially parallel to the predetermined direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 8773621
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal panel including a pair of substrates that sandwiches a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules exhibiting a parallel alignment in an initial alignment state, and a polarizing plate disposed on either side of the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal molecules are inclined at a pretilt angle and aligned in a predetermined direction in planes of the substrates. The liquid crystal panel emits light entering through one of the polarizing plates toward the other. The liquid crystal panel emits light having the maximum intensity in a direction different from a direction normal to the substrates. The azimuth of the maximum-light-intensity direction projected onto the planes of the substrates is substantially parallel to the predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Patent number: 8690338
    Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal projector according to the aspect of the invention includes a light source, a reflective liquid crystal panel, and a wire grid polarization beam splitter element. The wire grid polarization beam splitter element is provided with a polarization beam split surface that reflects a first polarized light component and transmits a second polarized light component. The reflective liquid crystal projector also includes a projection optical system that projects the first polarized light component, and an aperture stop that is disposed on an optical path of the light beam emitted from the light source. The aperture stop limits the amount of first light more than that of second light. The first light is divergent from the reflective liquid crystal panel to the polarization beam split surface. The second light is divergent from the reflective liquid crystal panel to the polarization beam split surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Patent number: 8537289
    Abstract: A projector includes an illumination optical system capable of emitting first light and second light of a wavelength longer than that of the first light; a first liquid crystal panel constituted so as to include a first liquid crystal layer and capable of modulating the first light emitted from the illumination optical system; a second liquid crystal panel constituted so as to include a second liquid crystal layer having a transition temperature from a liquid crystal phase to an isotropic phase higher than that of the first liquid crystal layer and capable of modulating the second light emitted from the illumination optical system; a projection optical system projecting the first light modulated by the first liquid crystal panel and the second light modulated by the second liquid crystal panel; and a cooling mechanism for cooling the first liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Publication number: 20120229715
    Abstract: A projector includes an illumination optical system capable of emitting first light and second light of a wavelength longer than that of the first light; a first liquid crystal panel constituted so as to include a first liquid crystal layer and capable of modulating the first light emitted from the illumination optical system; a second liquid crystal panel constituted so as to include a second liquid crystal layer having a transition temperature from a liquid crystal phase to an isotropic phase higher than that of the first liquid crystal layer and capable of modulating the second light emitted from the illumination optical system; a projection optical system projecting the first light modulated by the first liquid crystal panel and the second light modulated by the second liquid crystal panel; and a cooling mechanism for cooling the first liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Sieko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Patent number: 8130344
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes: a liquid crystal layer which is sandwiched between a pair of substrates; a color filter layer has a first coloration layer for transmitting a first light and a second coloration layer for transmitting a second light; first electrodes has a first pixel electrode disposed on a first sub-pixel region corresponding to a planar region of the first coloration layer and a second pixel electrode disposed on a second sub-pixel region corresponding to a planar region of the second coloration layer; and second electrodes each of which faces each first electrode. Any one electrode of each first electrode and each second electrode has a plurality of band-like portions which are arranged at predetermined intervals. A layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer, a width of each band-like portion, and the predetermined intervals within the first sub-pixel region are smaller than they within the second sub-pixel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Tomo Ikebe, Osamu Okumura
  • Publication number: 20110194057
    Abstract: A reflection type liquid crystal device has: a liquid crystal cell held between a pair of substrates and an optical compensation plate disposed outside the pair of substrates. The optical compensation plate has a first optical axis along the thickness direction thereof. The liquid crystal cell has a pretilt at which a second optical axis of a liquid crystal molecule of the liquid crystal cell is inclined with respect to a plate surface of the liquid crystal cell. The optical compensation plate is tiltable in a first direction in which a standard angle becomes larger, wherein the standard angle is defined as an acute angle between the first optical axis and the second optical axis when the optical compensation plate is located parallel to the plate surface of the liquid crystal cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihide HARUYAMA, Osamu OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 7995163
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer between the pair of substrates. In addition, the device includes a plurality of dots capable of independently applying voltage to the liquid crystal layer, each dot having a dot area that includes a first section and a second section. A color filter is arranged in the first section of at least one of the dots. A substantially transparent area is arranged in the at least one of the dots in the second section where the color filter is not arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Okumura, Eiji Okamoto, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Toshiharu Matsushima