Abstract: A light guide plate according to one or more embodiments may include a first optical deflector that guides light to be emitted within a first angle range to display a stereoscopic image in a space, and a second optical deflector that guides light to be emitted within a second angle range to display a stereoscopic image at a same position as the stereoscopic image. Across a boundary between the first angle range and the second angle range, a discrete change occurs between luminance of a portion of the stereoscopic image and luminance of a portion of the stereoscopic image corresponding to the portion of the stereoscopic image.

Abstract: A light guide plate according to one or more embodiments may include an incident surface that receives light and an optical path changer on a back surface perpendicular to the incident surface. Light reflected by the optical path changer forms a stereoscopic image including a near formed image at an imaging position within a predetermined distance from the back surface and a distant formed image at another imaging position. The near formed image includes an image formation area with a larger total area than an image formation area of the distant formed image.

Abstract: A minimum display unit forming a pattern, displayable by a light guide plate of a display device, has first and second prisms with reflective surfaces in a curved surface shape that is convex relative to an incident surface of the light guide plate. The first and second prisms are configured such that a ratio of light quantities from first and second light sources having different emission colors into the light guide plate, reflected by the reflective surface of the first prism, and directed to a predetermined direction is a first ratio; a ratio of light quantities from second and third light sources having different emission colors into the light guide plate, reflected by the reflective surface of the second prism, and directed to the predetermined direction is a second ratio. The first and second ratios are set such that the minimum display unit is displayed in a predetermined display color.

Abstract: A light guide plate according to one or more embodiments may include an incident surface that receives light, and an optical path changer on a back surface perpendicular to the incident surface. The optical path changer may reflect light to be emitted through an emission surface parallel to the back surface. The light emitted through the emission surface may form a formed image including a plane image representing a surface. The plane image may include a near imaging portion and a distant imaging portion. The plane image may have two ends included in the near imaging portion in a cross section perpendicular to the back surface and an optical axis of a light source.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a light guide plate having a group of optical-path deflectors configured to change the optical path of light from a first light source to form an image in the space within a first angle range, and change the optical path of light from a second light source to form an image in the space within a second angle range, wherein the first angle range and the second angle range are separated from each other or adjoining each other.

Abstract: When an optical element is transparent, an observer is enabled to visually recognize a stereoscopic image having a stereoscopic effect. A display method for a stereoscopic image, using a display device provided with a transparent light guide plate, includes: emitting light to be recognized by the observer as a stereoscopic image (I1) from an optical element; and displaying the stereoscopic image (I1) on a stereoscopic image forming plane (P1) not parallel to an outgoing surface (21) of the optical element. In the display method, the observer is able to visually recognize a rear surface side of the display device through the optical element.

Abstract: A light guide plate according to one or more embodiments may include a plurality of optical path deflectors arranged in a matrix. Each of the plurality of optical path deflectors may include a plurality of optical path deflector sets. The plurality of optical path deflectors may include a first cell and a second cell located periodically. The first cell may include a first deflector that deflects light within a first angle range. The first cell may be free of a second deflector that deflects light within a second angle range adjacent to the first angle range. The second cell may be free of the first deflector and may include the second deflector.

Abstract: A display switching device (10) is provided, which switches a display image (P) by switching irradiation of lights from positions of a plurality of light sources (7). The display switching device includes: a lens array (6) in which a plurality of lenses are arranged; and a display part (45) including a plurality of pixel regions (45a) arranged to include a region through which a light, which is formed by condensing each of the lights emitted from the positions of the plurality of light sources (7) with each of the lenses of the lens array (6), passes. A transmittance in each of the pixel regions (45a) is set corresponding to a predetermined stationary pattern. A total area of the pixel regions (45a) in the display part (45) is 60% or less of a total area of a sum of the pixel regions (45a) and the pixel surrounding regions (45b).

Abstract: A first stereoscopic image display device includes a light guide plate having a plurality of reflectors and causes an observer to recognize an undistorted stereoscopic image even when the observer views a stereoscopic image from a high angle with respect to a direction normal to the front surface of the light guide plate. In a plan view from a direction vertical to an outgoing surface, when four quadrants are specified for each of the reflectors, the four quadrants taking a position of each of the reflectors as an origin, the four quadrants being divided by two straight lines orthogonal to each other and inclined 45° with respect to a direction in which the incident light is incident on each of the reflectors, light changed in the optical path by each of the reflectors is emitted to a quadrant adjacent to a quadrant on which incident light is incident.

Abstract: A first stereoscopic image display device (2) is provided with a light guide plate (20) including a plurality of reflectors (31a, 31b, 31c), the first stereoscopic image display device (2) causing an observer to recognize an undistorted stereoscopic image even when the observer views a stereoscopic image from an angle being a high angle with respect to a direction normal to the front surface of the light guide plate.

Abstract: In order to achieve an image display unit having excellent degree of freedom in designing the position of a display image, an image display unit (1A) is provided with: an imaging unit (10) configured to capture an image of a space to be viewed; an image display device (11) configured to display an image captured by the imaging unit (10) in a display area in real time; and an image forming unit configured to form an image in a space where there is no screen by projecting the image displayed by the image display device (11).

Abstract: An optical device includes a light guide plate configured to guide light entering therein, and cause said light to exit from an emission surface thereof and thereby form an image in a space; a group of narrow-view optical-path deflectors configured to form an image in a space within a narrow view direction taken as greater than or equal to 0° and less than a first angle relative to a reference plane that is orthogonal to the emission surface and parallel to a side surface of the light guide plate; and a group of wide-view optical-path deflectors configured to form an image in a space within a wide view direction taken as greater than or equal to the first angle and less than 90° relative to the reference plane. The group of narrow-view optical-path deflectors and the group of wide-view optical-path deflectors have different image forming conditions.

Abstract: When an optical element is transparent, an observer is enabled to visually recognize a stereoscopic image having a stereoscopic effect. A display method for a stereoscopic image, using a display device provided with a transparent light guide plate, includes: emitting light to be recognized by the observer as a stereoscopic image (I1) from an optical element; and displaying the stereoscopic image (I1) on a stereoscopic image forming plane (P1) not parallel to an outgoing surface (21) of the optical element. In the display method, the observer is able to visually recognize a rear surface side of the display device through the optical element.

Abstract: In order to achieve an image display unit having excellent degree of freedom in designing the position of a display image, an image display unit (1A) is provided with: an imaging unit (10) configured to capture an image of a space to be viewed; an image display device (11) configured to display an image captured by the imaging unit (10) in a display area in real time; and an image forming unit configured to form an image in a space where there is no screen by projecting the image displayed by the image display device (11).

Abstract: An optical device includes a planar-image forming unit configured to emit light that forms a planar image of a predetermined shape in a space, and an outline-image forming unit configured to emit light that forms an outline image with a light intensity different from the light intensity of the planar image at the outer-edge region of the planar image.

Abstract: An optical device has a light guide plate configured to guide light within a plane parallel to an emission surface thereof, and a plurality of optical deflectors arranged two-dimensionally within a plane parallel to the emission surface. Each of the optical deflectors deflects light propagating through the light guide plate, and causes the emission surface to output light forming an image in a space. Each of the optical deflectors is configured to spread the light incident thereon that has an intensity distribution corresponding to an image in a direction orthogonal to the light guide direction of the light guide plate in a plane parallel to the emission surface, and cause the emission surface to output the light which groups the light from the plurality of optical deflectors arranged along a direction orthogonal to the light guide direction, such that light radiating from the image is formed.

Abstract: A display device for head-up display forms an image with a view of an object from above in a vertical direction in a space outside the display device for an image which presents an object with a vertical direction. The object includes a reference surface that is a reference of the vertical direction. The display device forms the image so that an observer has a view from the upper part of the reference surface.

Abstract: A light source device includes a light source configured to emit illumination light and a flat plate shaped transparent lightguide element. The lightguide element includes: an incident surface facing the light source; a reflecting surface formed in one of side surfaces of the lightguide element to reflect the illumination light incident into the lightguide element from the incident surface; and an exit surface formed in a side surface of the lightguide element on an opposite side to the reflecting surface, the illumination light reflected by the reflecting surface exiting from the exit surface. The reflecting surface is formed into a curved surface, the curved surface collimating the illumination light reflected by the reflecting surface in a surface including a lengthwise direction of the reflecting surface, and the reflecting surface is formed into a concave mirror in a surface including a short direction of the reflecting surface.

Abstract: An optical device has a light guide plate that guides light in a plane parallel to an emission surface thereof, an optical deflection surface that deflects light entering the light guide plate from a light source that faces a plane parallel to at least the emission surface or the surface opposite the emission surface, so that the light travels along the light guide direction of the light guide plate, and a plurality of light focusing portions. Each of the light focusing portions includes an optical surface whereon the light deflected by the optical deflection surface and guided by the light guide plate is incident, and which causes the emission surface to output emission light that converges substantially on a convergence point or convergence line in a space, or that radiates substantially from a convergence point or convergence line in a space.

Abstract: A display device configured for use as a backlight for a display panel that effects presentation via liquid crystals that produce a monochrome image. The display device includes a light guide plate; and a first and a second light source arranged at an edge of the light guide plate. The light guide plate includes: an emission surface; a cluster of first reflective structures configured to reflect light incident thereon from the first light source thereby changing the optical path of the light and causing the light to exit from the emission surface to serve as the backlight; and a cluster of second reflective structures configured to reflect light incident thereon from a second light source thereby changing the optical path of the light and causing the light to exit from the emission surface to effect a predetermined display.