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: 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-guiding plate of an optical device has first light convergence portions and second light convergence portions. The light convergence portions each have optical surfaces that cause light to be emitted from an emission surface in directions in which the light substantially converges at or scatters from one convergence point or one convergence line, the convergence points or lines for the light convergence portions are different from each other, first and second images are formed by a collection of the convergence points or lines of the first and second light convergence portions, respectively, and in a case where an image is projected to a plane perpendicular to the emission surface and parallel to a light-guiding direction of the light-guiding plate, the first and second light convergence portions cause light to be emitted from the emission surface at a first angle and at a second angle, respectively.

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 alert display system includes a first stereoscopic image display unit, a second stereoscopic image display unit, and a third stereoscopic image display unit that each stereoscopically display, in response to detection of an object near the vehicle by corner sensors and an approaching vehicle detector, a positional relationship between the object and the vehicle. The positional relationship between the vehicle and the object near the vehicle in the stereoscopic image displayed by each of the first stereoscopic image display unit, the second stereoscopic image display unit, and the third stereoscopic image display unit is the same as an actual positional relationship between the object and 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: 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 recognizes that a user is placing a finger or another object toward an image formed in a space and notifies the user of the recognition. An input device includes a light guide plate that guides light received from a light source and emit the light through a light emission surface to form an image in a space, a position detection sensor that detects a pointer in a space including an imaging position at which the image is formed, and a notification controller that performs control to sense a user input in response to detection of the pointer by the position detection sensor and change a method of notification to the user in accordance with a distance between the imaging position and the pointer.

Abstract: An optical device includes a light guide plate configured to guide light within a plane parallel to an emission surface, and a plurality of light focusing portions to which the light guide plate guides directional light. Each of the plurality of light focusing portions is provided with an optical surface configured to create from the directional light incident thereon emission light in a direction substantially converging on a single convergence point or convergence line in a space or to create emission light that substantially diverges from a single convergence point of convergence line in a space and exits from the emission surface. The plurality of light focusing portions are provided near the emission surface of the light guide plate, and each of the plurality of light focusing portions is formed along a predetermined line within a plane parallel to the emission surface.

Abstract: An optical device includes a light guiding plate which guides lights within the surface parallel to an emission surface, and light converging sections onto which the lights guided by the light guiding plate are incident, each of the light converging sections having an optical surface which allows an emitted light to be emitted from the emission surface in a direction where the emitted light is to be substantially converged on one convergence point or convergence line in space or to be substantially diverged from one convergence point or convergence line in space. The light converging sections are formed respectively along a predetermined line within the surface parallel to the emission surface, and the convergence points or the convergence lines are different from each other among the light converging sections, and an image is formed in space by an aggregation of the convergence points or the convergence lines.

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; 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 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: 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 light-guiding plate of an optical device has first light convergence portions and second light convergence portions. The light convergence portions each have optical surfaces that cause light to be emitted from an emission surface in directions in which the light substantially converges at or scatters from one convergence point or one convergence line, the convergence points or lines for the light convergence portions are different from each other, first and second images are formed by a collection of the convergence points or lines of the first and second light convergence portions, respectively, and in a case where an image is projected to a plane perpendicular to the emission surface and parallel to a light-guiding direction of the light-guiding plate, the first and second light convergence portions cause light to be emitted from the emission surface at a first angle and at a second angle, respectively.

Abstract: An optical device includes a light guide plate configured to guide light within a plane parallel to an emission surface, and a plurality of light focusing portions to which the light guide plate guides directional light. Each of the plurality of light focusing portions is provided with an optical surface configured to create from the directional light incident thereon emission light in a direction substantially converging on a single convergence point or convergence line in a space or to create emission light that substantially diverges from a single convergence point of convergence line in a space and exits from the emission surface. The plurality of light focusing portions are provided near the emission surface of the light guide plate, and each of the plurality of light focusing portions is formed along a predetermined line within a plane parallel to the emission surface.

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: 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.

Abstract: A display device has a liquid crystal panel that switches between a transparent state and an opaque state, a first light source, a light guide plate arranged on a back surface of the liquid crystal panel and made of a transparent material, the light guide plate having an incident surface facing the first light source and an outgoing surface facing the back surface of the liquid crystal panel, propagating light emitted from the first light source and incident through the incident surface, and outputting the light toward the liquid crystal panel from the outgoing surface, and a second light source configured to illuminate an object arranged on an opposite side to the liquid crystal panel with the light guide plate interposed therebetween.

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.