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: 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: 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 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.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a light guide plate; a first light emission part provided in a first region of the light guide plate, the first light emission part having optical surfaces that cause the light incident thereon to exit from a first emission surface and a second emission surface opposite the first emission surface; and a second light emission part provided in a second region of the light guide plate, the second light emission part having optical surfaces that cause the light incident thereon to exit from the first emission surface and the second emission surface. The optical device configured to control the luminous flux from the first and second emission surfaces via the optical surfaces in the first and second light emission parts to thereby control how leaked light is perceived by an observer on the opposite side of the emission surface of the light guide plate.

Abstract: An optical device includes a light-guiding plate and light sources that each emit light to the light-guiding plate. The light-guiding plate has light convergence portions, the light substantially converges at or scatters from a convergence point or line, and an image is formed by a collection of the convergence points or lines, and a light convergence portion causes light to be emitted in directions in which the light substantially converges in or scatters from a range including a point located a first distance apart from the emission surface, and a second light convergence portion causes light to be emitted in directions in which the light substantially converges in or scatters from a range including a point located a second distance, which is longer than the first distance, apart from the emission surface, and the number of first light convergence portions is higher than the number of second light convergence portions.

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 (11) from an optical element; and displaying the stereoscopic image (11) 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 vehicle light emitting device provided to a vehicle and configured to emit light toward outside the vehicle includes a light source; a light guide plate including a light emitting surface and configured to direct light entering from the light source so that the light exits from the light emitting surface and forms an image in a space; and a lighting controller configured to control the emissions state of the light source in accordance with an operation of the vehicle.

Abstract: An input device includes: a movement detector that detects a user movement; and an image projector that forms a zone image in a space to present a region where the movement detector detects movement; and the image projector includes a first light source; and a first light guide plate which includes a light emitting surface and directs light entering from the first light source so that the light exits from the light emitting surface and forms an image in a space.

Abstract: An optical device includes one or more light sources and a light-guiding plate that guides light emitted from the light sources in a plane parallel to an emission surface that emits light. The light-guiding plate has light convergence portions that receive guided light and each have optical surfaces that cause light to be emitted from the emission surface in directions in which the light substantially converges at or scatters from one convergence point. The convergence points for the light convergence portions are different from each other. An image is formed on an emission surface side by a collection of the convergence points. First light convergence portions positioned differently from each other along a light-guiding direction of the light-guiding plate cause light to be emitted from the emission surface in different directions in which the light substantially converges at or scatters from the same first convergence point among the convergence points.

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: An optical device includes a light-guiding plate that guides light in a plane parallel to an emission surface that emits light, and a sensor for detecting an object located on an emission surface side using light that passes through a back surface opposite to the emission surface and through the emission surface. The light-guiding plate has light convergence portions that receive light guided by the light-guiding plate and each have optical surfaces that cause light to be emitted from the emission surface in directions in which the light substantially converges at or scatters from one convergence point or one convergence line in a space, and the convergence points or the convergence lines for the light convergence portions are different from each other, and an image is formed in the space on the emission surface side by a collection of the convergence points or the convergence lines.