Abstract: In an embodiment, an off-axis hologram is provided. The off-axis hologram creates two, conjugate images which are on either side (off-axis) of the 0-order beam. A Multiple Beam Grating (MBG) is used to both duplicate the conjugate images and to redirect the images along the axis. The 0-order beam is blocked before or at the MBG. The MBG projects the images onto a 3D surface, such as a person's face.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an optical projector is provided with a laser array. Each laser is either collimated or focused to a fixed distance. At least one multiple beam grating (MBG) is placed in front of the laser array. The light pattern from the laser array is duplicated by the MBG, and cast on an object to be measured. The pattern on the object is changed by rotating the MBG. As a result, the number of patterns of structured dots that can be projected on the object is nearly unlimited. The optical projector can be used to provide depth perception to motion detection systems, to vehicle self-driving systems, and for many other uses.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an off-axis hologram is provided. The off-axis hologram creates two, conjugate images which are on either side (off-axis) of the 0-order beam. A Multiple Beam Grating (MBG) is used to both duplicate the conjugate images and to redirect the images along the axis. The 0-order beam is blocked before or at the MBG. The MBG projects the images onto a 3D surface, such as a person's face.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the light from a single laser is used to illuminate a pattern-generating optical element to generate a pattern. The pattern-generating optical element in various embodiments can be, for example, a holographic diffractive optical element (DOE) or an array of micro-lenses. A multiple beam grating (MBG) duplicates the pattern multiple times to provide a multiple pattern image. A lens is used to project the patterns onto an object. In one embodiment, the lens is located between the pattern-generating optical element and the multiple beam grating (MBG).

Abstract: Apparatus for projecting a pattern includes a laser source, a collimating lens and a diffractive optical element (DOE) to diffract the collimated laser beam into a specific dot pattern for sensing the depth of a three dimensional (3D) surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for projecting a pattern includes a laser source, a collimating lens and a diffractive optical element (DOE) to diffract the collimated laser beam into a specific dot pattern for sensing the depth of a three dimensional (3D) surface.

Abstract: A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus comprises a display device for displaying an image and a diffractive optical element. The diffractive optical element is disposed on a light emitting side of the display device. The diffractive optical element comprises first grating regions. Each of the first grating regions has first diffraction gratings having a constant cycle space and the same azimuth angle. An area of the first grating regions occupies 17.5%˜94% of an area of the diffractive optical element.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel module, a backlight module and a liquid crystal display (LCD) are provided. The liquid crystal panel module includes a liquid crystal panel and a diffraction grating layer. The liquid crystal panel has a plurality of pixels. The diffraction grating layer is disposed on the liquid crystal panel, and a maximum period of a grating of the diffraction grating layer is smaller than 1/10 of a size of the pixels. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, a light emitting element and a diffraction grating film. A light provided by the light emitting element emits from a light emitting surface of the light guide plate and is bended towards the light emitting element after passing through the diffraction grating film. The liquid crystal panel module and the backlight module can be applied to the LCD together or individually.

Abstract: Techniques and devices are disclosed to enhance or increase the viewing angle of liquid crystal display (LCD) device through the use of one or more types of optical films. Such optical films can include arrays of prism structures and/or diffractive elements that redirect light that has passed through an LCD panel. The prism structures and/or diffractive elements can be spaced on an optical film to enable at least a portion of the light travelling through the LCD panel to pass through the optical film without being redirected. Various types of prism structures and/or diffractive elements can be used, and they can be configured on the optical film differently to enable different functionality.

Abstract: Techniques and devices are disclosed to enhance or increase the viewing angle of liquid crystal display (LCD) device through the use of one or more types of optical films. Such optical films can include arrays of prism structures and/or diffractive elements that redirect light that has passed through an LCD panel. The prism structures and/or diffractive elements can be spaced on an optical film to enable at least a portion of the light travelling through the LCD panel to pass through the optical film without being redirected. Various types of prism structures and/or diffractive elements can be used, and they can be configured on the optical film differently to enable different functionality.

Abstract: A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus comprises a display device for displaying an image and a diffractive optical element. The diffractive optical element is disposed on a light emitting side of the display device. The diffractive optical element comprises first grating regions. Each of the first grating regions has first diffraction gratings having a constant cycle space and the same azimuth angle. An area of the first grating regions occupies 17.5%˜94% of an area of the diffractive optical element.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel module, a backlight module and a liquid crystal display (LCD) are provided. The liquid crystal panel module includes a liquid crystal panel and a diffraction grating layer. The liquid crystal panel has a plurality of pixels. The diffraction grating layer is disposed on the liquid crystal panel, and a maximum period of a grating of the diffraction grating layer is smaller than 1/10 of a size of the pixels. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, a light emitting element and a diffraction grating film. A light provided by the light emitting element emits from a light emitting surface of the light guide plate and is bended towards the light emitting element after passing through the diffraction grating film. The liquid crystal panel module and the backlight module can be applied to the LCD together or individually.

Abstract: An assembly structure and method for an integrated laser/detector device with a mirror at an angle to redirect the laser beam to a medium. The mirror is not attached to the circuit board with the laser/detector as in the prior art, but rather is mounted separately in the housing immediately above the circuit board. This allows the circuit board to be moved laterally toward and away from the mirror during assembly to adjust the reflected beam along a first direction so that it contacts the photodetector. A hologram lens is mounted above the mirror, and can be rotated to adjust the reflected beam to hit the photodetector along a second, orthogonal direction. In one embodiment, two laser beams are generated, and two hologram lenses are used to separately adjust the two beams.

Abstract: A back light module where one of the top and bottom surfaces of the light guide contain a micro Fresnel lens array which is off-axis so that a portion of the light won't initially escape from the back light module. The light is reflected down the length of the light guide, spreading the light across the back light module. In one embodiment, the Fresnel lens array is designed to have its efficiency vary across the back light. A smaller percentage of the light is directed out of the module near the light source, with most of the light being directed down the light guide. In an LED embodiment, the LED is mounted on the top or bottom edge of the light guide with a diffraction structure on the opposite side to diffract the light down the light guide.

Abstract: A back light module which uses first diffractive optics to couple light into a light guide and uses second diffractive optics to extract light from the light guide such that the light emerging from the back light module is uniform. This is accomplished by having an input grating adjacent the light sources at the bottom, or back of the light guide, with the output grating at the top, or front of the light guide. In one embodiment, the portion of the top surface directly opposite the light sources has a less dense arrangement of diffractive couplers, so that less of the initial light from the light sources exits upon the first contact with the top surface. Alternately, a modular light guide with angled light guide surfaces is used to couple in light from the light source, instead of the diffractive in-couplers.

Abstract: A diffractive unit which can reduce the effect of the nonlinearity of the photo-resist recording material to produce a diffractive device with brilliant color, and describes a method for recording. A cross grating device recorded using the method of this present invention is also described. A diffractive pattern is provided with multiple units, and the period of the diffraction within at least one of the units is spatially varying. It has been discovered that a spatially varying period can offset other effects, such nonlinear characteristics of the material or inter-unit gaps, to reduce the harmonics and improve the color.

Abstract: A Fresnel lens of the prior art is split into two Fresnel lenses to allow easier control of the horizontal and vertical viewing angles. In a second embodiment, the Fresnel lens is entirely eliminated. Instead, the diffuser contains elliptical microstructures so that the diffusing cones in orthogonal directions are different, eliminating the need for a Fresnel lens to perform this function. To compensate for the absence of the light collimation provided by the Fresnel lens, a diffuser with spatially varying diffusing angles is used.

Abstract: An improvement to prism films for displays that reduces the Moiré pattern effect, and also provides a light diffusion function. A prism film with many small prism units is used. The pattern of the prism film is varied, ideally with a random or pseudo random variation. The variation can be in any, some or all aspects of the prism structure. In particular, the thickness and position of the prism elements can be varied.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which uses the edge emitting characteristics of the LED bare chip to form a backlight with uniform illumination. This allows a reduced separation between the diffuser plate and the LED array. In one embodiment, the LED chip(s) is mounted over a prism structure, which redirects the side emitted light outwards.

Abstract: A Fresnel lens of the prior art is split into two Fresnel lenses to allow easier control of the horizontal and vertical viewing angles. In a second embodiment, the Fresnel lens is entirely eliminated. Instead, the diffuser contains elliptical microstructures so that the diffusing cones in orthogonal directions are different, eliminating the need for a Fresnel lens to perform this function. To compensate for the absence of the light collimation provided by the Fresnel lens, a diffuser with spatially varying diffusing angles is used.