Patents by Inventor Toshinori Sugiyama

Toshinori Sugiyama 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: 20240319497
    Abstract: An information display apparatus that displays image information on a vehicle includes a HUD apparatus projecting a large-scale virtual image onto a distant position and serving as a first information display apparatus arranged between a windshield glass of the vehicle and an instrument panel, and effectively displays a plurality of pieces of the image information by making coordination with a second information display apparatus close to the windshield glass, the second information display apparatus causing a transparent dispersion sheet in the windshield glass to directly reflect a screen of a large-10 scale high-resolution image display panel so that the screen is observed by the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Applicant: Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Koji FUJITA, Eiji TAKAGI, Toshinori SUGIYAMA
  • Patent number: 12071065
    Abstract: An image projection apparatus that can be attached to a vehicle and can be effectively utilized for acquisition of road surface condition information, detection of a hidden vehicle, and the like is provided. The image projection apparatus that projects an image includes: an acquisition unit that acquires information related to a vehicle; an image projection unit that projects an image based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit; and imaging means that acquires an image outside the vehicle, the image projection unit projects light in a wavelength band centered on a wavelength of 1.4 ?m and the imaging means provides the information related to the vehicle by imaging an image projected based on the light in the wavelength band centered on the wavelength of 1.4 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kunii, Toshinori Sugiyama, Takuya Shimizu
  • Patent number: 12055716
    Abstract: A HUD system and light source apparatus can be manufactured with miniaturization at low cost. A head-up display apparatus includes: an image display apparatus generating image light to be projected; an optical system performing predetermined correction to the image light emitted from the image display apparatus; and a concave mirror reflecting the image light corrected by the optical system to project it onto a windshield or combiner. The image display apparatus includes: a solid light source; a collimating optical system converting, into parallel light, the light from the solid light source; a lighting optical system configured by an optical member that polarizes a direction of a light beam generated by the collimating optical system and simultaneously expands a width of the light beam; and a display apparatus, the image display apparatus being configured to be arranged across and opposite the optical system on an optical axis of the concave mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshinori Sugiyama, Koji Hirata, Yasuhiko Kunii, Masahiko Yatsu
  • Publication number: 20240255773
    Abstract: A compact air floating video display apparatus having a large floating amount is provided. The air floating video display apparatus includes: a liquid crystal display panel serving as a video source; a light source supplying light of a specific polarization directionality to the video source; a retroreflection optical member provided with a waveplate; a polarization splitter; and an optical element arranged near an opening portion (transparent member), video light of one polarization wave emitted from the video source is transmitted through or reflected by the polarization splitter, and is converted in terms of light polarization by the retroreflection optical member, and is transmitted through the optical element, based on the video light, so that an air floating video as an enlarged image is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Koji FUJITA, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Masahiko YATSU
  • Patent number: 12050317
    Abstract: A light source device which is miniaturized, can be manufactured at low cost, and is suitable as an illumination light source of a display device of an electronic device such as an HUD and an aerial floating image display apparatus is provided. The light source device includes: a light source configured to generate white light by irradiating a phosphor with light emitted from a solid-state light source; a collimating optical system (15) configured to convert a divergent light flux of the white light emitted from the light source into parallel light; a light guide configured to cause the light emitted from the collimating optical system (15) to be incident as incident light and emit the incident light in a direction different from an incident direction; and a filter configured to reflect light in a blue region of the parallel light to irradiate the phosphor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Toshinori Sugiyama, Yasuhiko Kunii
  • Patent number: 12038580
    Abstract: An information display apparatus that displays image information on a vehicle includes a HUD apparatus projecting a large-scale virtual image onto a distant position and serving as a first information display apparatus 100 arranged between a windshield glass 6 of the vehicle and an instrument panel, and effectively displays a plurality of pieces of the image information by making coordination with a second information display apparatus 48 close to the windshield glass 6, the second information display apparatus causing a transparent dispersion sheet in the windshield glass to directly reflect a screen of a large-scale high-resolution image display panel so that the screen is observed by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Koji Fujita, Eiji Takagi, Toshinori Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 12038644
    Abstract: A light source apparatus configured to supply light in a specific polarization direction to an image display apparatus includes a point or surface light source, an optical unit configured to reduce a divergence angle of light from the light source, and a light guide body having a reflection surface configured to reflect the light from the light source and propagate it to the image display apparatus, the reflection surface of the light guide body is arranged so as to face the image display apparatus, and a reflection type polarization plate and a retardation plate are arranged in order from a side closer to the image display apparatus between the image display apparatus and the reflection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Toshinori Sugiyama, Koji Fujita, Eiji Takagi
  • Publication number: 20240219718
    Abstract: The information display apparatus configured to display video information of a virtual image on a reflecting surface of conveyance includes: a display configured to display the video information; and a virtual image optical system configured to display a virtual image at a front of the conveyance by reflecting light emitted from the display by means of the reflecting surface. The virtual image optical system includes a concave mirror and an optical element. The optical element is arranged between the display and the concave mirror, and is configured to correct distortion of the virtual image obtained so as to correspond to a viewpoint position of a driver on a basis of a shape of the concave mirror and a shape of the optical element. The information display apparatus further includes a virtual image double image conversion reducer configured to reduce double image conversion of the virtual image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2024
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Kazuomi KANEKO
  • Publication number: 20240184108
    Abstract: A light source device which is miniaturized, can be manufactured at low cost, and is suitable as an illumination light source of a display device of an electronic device such as an HUD and an aerial floating image display apparatus is provided. The light source device includes: a light source configured to generate white light by irradiating a phosphor with light emitted from a solid-state light source; a collimating optical system (15) configured to convert a divergent light flux of the white light emitted from the light source into parallel light; a light guide configured to cause the light emitted from the collimating optical system (15) to be incident as incident light and emit the incident light in a direction different from an incident direction; and a filter configured to reflect light in a blue region of the parallel light to irradiate the phosphor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Yasuhiko KUNII
  • Publication number: 20240176139
    Abstract: The information display apparatus has a housing with an opening and a transparent cover formed on the opening, the housing includes image-light generating means configured to generate image light that displays the image information and an optical system configured to allow a driver of the vehicle to recognize image information based on the image light from the image-light generating means as a virtual image in front of the windshield. When S-polarized light on the windshield is assumed to be a first polarized wave while polarized light that orthogonally crosses the S-polarized light in a polarizing direction is assumed to be a second polarized wave, the image-light generating means is configured to generate the image light made of the first polarized wave, and a transmittance/reflectance control means blocks a part of the first polarized wave and the second polarized wave of incident external light entering the housing from the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2024
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Tomoki YAMAMOTO, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU
  • Publication number: 20240103351
    Abstract: An information display system having acute-angled diffusion characteristics configured to display an image to inside or outside of a space via a transparent projected member, the information display system including an image projection apparatus, a transparent sheet provided on an inner surface of a display region set on a part of the projected member; and a light direction changing unit that directs a direction of image light toward the transparent sheet of the display region, the image projection apparatus including an image light characteristic converting unit, and an image light control film that restricts an emission direction of the image light being provided on an upper surface of the image projection apparatus, so that the image light is not directly delivered to an observer and the image light reflected by the transparent sheet is recognized by the observer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Koji FUJITA, Eiji TAKAGI
  • Patent number: 11933980
    Abstract: The information display apparatus configured to display video information of a virtual image on a reflecting surface of conveyance includes: a display configured to display the video information; and a virtual image optical system configured to display a virtual image at a front of the conveyance by reflecting light emitted from the display by means of the reflecting surface. The virtual image optical system includes a concave mirror and an optical element. The optical element is arranged between the display and the concave mirror, and is configured to correct distortion of the virtual image obtained so as to correspond to a viewpoint position of a driver on a basis of a shape of the concave mirror and a shape of the optical element. The information display apparatus further includes a virtual image double image conversion reducer configured to reduce double image conversion of the virtual image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignees: MAXELL, LTD., HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Toshinori Sugiyama, Kazuomi Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20240085733
    Abstract: A display device includes a backlight, a display element, a plate for holding at least a portion of an emission surface, from which an image light is emitted, provided on the display element, and a heat dissipation portion that dissipates heat generated from the display element. The display element is connected to the heat dissipation portion via the plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji KAWAWA, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Tomoki YAMAMOTO, Tatsuya NAKAZAWA, Keisuke SAWADA, Akio MISAWA, Nozomu SHIMODA
  • Patent number: 11921287
    Abstract: The information display apparatus has a housing with an opening and a transparent cover formed on the opening, the housing includes image-light generating means configured to generate image light that displays the image information and an optical system configured to allow a driver of the vehicle to recognize image information based on the image light from the image-light generating means as a virtual image in front of the windshield. When S-polarized light on the windshield is assumed to be a first polarized wave while polarized light that orthogonally crosses the S-polarized light in a polarizing direction is assumed to be a second polarized wave, the image-light generating means is configured to generate the image light made of the first polarized wave, and a transmittance/reflectance control means blocks a part of the first polarized wave and the second polarized wave of incident external light entering the housing from the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoki Yamamoto, Toshinori Sugiyama, Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu
  • Publication number: 20240069341
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a head-up display apparatus further reduced in size, the head-up display apparatus having: an image display apparatus including a light source and a display element; and a virtual image optical system in which light emitted from the image display apparatus is reflected by a windshield or a combiner of the vehicle so that a virtual image is displayed in front of the vehicle, wherein the virtual image optical system has a concave mirror and a distortion correcting lens, and the distortion correcting lens is disposed between the image display apparatus and the concave mirror, the concave mirror is disposed in a housing including an outer case along a shape of an effective light path area of the image light from the image display apparatus, and the image display apparatus is attached to part of an outer periphery of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Akio MISAWA, Nozomu SHIMODA, Kazuomi KANEKO, Koji HIRATA, Toshinori SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240061240
    Abstract: A compact air floating video display apparatus providing a highly visually recognized air floating video less susceptible to external light and having fewer ghosts is provided. The air floating video display apparatus includes: an opening portion having a transparent member configured to transmit video light of a specific polarization wave therethrough; a display panel serving as a video source; a light source configured to supply light having specific polarization directionality to the video source; a retroreflection optical member having a retroreflection surface provided with a waveplate; one or more reflection mirrors; a polarization splitter arranged in a space connecting the video source and the retroreflection optical member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Koji FUJITA, Toshinori SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240054964
    Abstract: Provided is a head-up display apparatus capable of preventing damage due to sunlight and ensuring user convenience. A reflection mirror M1 reflects an image created by a display panel and projects it onto a display region. A solar radiation sensor detects a sunlight intensity when a position of sun exists within a predetermined detection range. A blocking mechanism forms a projected light path of an image between the display region and the display panel when being turned off, and blocks the projected light path of the image and an incident light path of the sunlight which is direction opposite thereto when being turned on. A protection processor controls ON/OFF of the blocking mechanism based on an estimated temperature of the display panel, which is estimated by using a sunlight intensity from the solar radiation sensor, luminance of a light source, and an ambient temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Tomoki YAMAMOTO, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Akio MISAWA, Nobutaka AMADA, Nagayasu TSUTSUMI, Yuji FUJITA, Souta SATO
  • Publication number: 20240045227
    Abstract: A compact and portable air floating video display apparatus includes a housing that can be installed in a bottle holder in a vehicle. A video display apparatus, a beam splitter, a retroreflector, a retardation plate, and a plane mirror are provided in the housing. In the air floating video display apparatus, a video light of a specific polarized wave from the video display apparatus is reflected by the plane mirror, transmitted through the beam splitter, and subjected to polarization conversion by being reflected by the retroreflector and passing through the retardation plate. Then, the video light is reflected by the beam splitter and transmitted through the window, thereby displaying an air floating video outside the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Koji HIRATA, Koji FUJITA, Toshinori SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240036634
    Abstract: A technique suitable when an air floating video is used as a non-contact user interface is provided. An air floating video display apparatus includes: a sensor for detecting a state of operation including a position of a hand finger of a user with respect to an air region including a plane of the air floating video or an object displayed on the plane; and a fingertip tactile sense generator which generates texture of a sense of touch on the hand finger by forming, based on information detected by the sensor, sound pressure based on an ultrasonic wave in vicinity of a position of the hand finger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Koji HIRATA, Koji FUJITA, Toshinori SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240036313
    Abstract: A head-up display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image, and a reflecting mirror configured to reflect light from the display panel. An optical distance between the reflecting mirror and the display panel is changed to continuously change a display position of a virtual image from a distant place to an adjacent position such that a virtual image obtained by being reflected at an upper portion of a windshield is formed farther than a virtual image obtained by being reflected at a lower portion of the windshield when viewed from a viewpoint position of a driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Kazuomi KANEKO, Shigeki HOSHINO