Patents by Inventor Yoshiaki Horikawa

Yoshiaki Horikawa 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).

  • Patent number: 7826126
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection apparatus comprising: a light source, a light source control unit for controlling the output of the light source; at least one spatial light modulator for modulating the illumination light from the light source by multiple pixel elements; and an optical system for projecting, onto a screen, the illumination light deflected by the spatial light modulator, wherein: the light source control unit 1) modulates the output of the illumination light from the light source during a modulation period of the spatial light modulator, and 2) non-linearly controls the gray scale of an image projected onto the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignees: Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha, Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Nishino, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Akira Shiral, Fusao Ishii
  • Patent number: 7826128
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection apparatus, comprising: a light source for emitting illumination light; at least one spatial light modulator with a plurality of movable mirrors corresponding to pixels to be displayed, for performing a modulation of the illumination light through operation of the movable mirrors; a light source control unit performing a modulation control of the light source; and a spatial light modulator control unit generating, from an input image signal, a control signal for driving the spatial light modulator, wherein: the light source control unit adjusts a pulse emission frequency of an emission pulse of the illumination light emitted from the light source while corresponding to an oscillation frequency of the movable mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignees: Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha, Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shirai, Hirokazu Nishino, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Fusao Ishii
  • Patent number: 7787172
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection apparatus, that includes: a light source; a light source control unit for controlling the output of the light source; at least one spatial light modulator for modulating the illumination light from the light source by a plurality of pixel elements; and an optical system for projecting, onto a screen, the illumination light deflected by the spatial light modulator, wherein: the light source control unit performs a gamma (?) correction on input image data by a modulation control of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignees: Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha, Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shirai, Hirokazu Nishino, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Fusao Ishii
  • Publication number: 20100128225
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection apparatus comprising: a light source; a light source control unit for controlling output of the light source; at least one spatial light modulator for modulating illumination light from the light source by a plurality of pixel elements; and an optical system for projecting, to a screen, the illumination light deflected by the spatial light modulator, wherein: the light source control unit modulates output of the illumination light from the light source during a modulation period of the spatial light modulator, and non-linearly controls gray scale of a projected image projected to the screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventors: Hirokazu Nishino, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Akira Shirai, Fusao Ishii
  • Patent number: 7706048
    Abstract: A projection apparatus comprising a light source for projecting an illumination light through an illumination optical system to a spatial light modulator (SLM) for modulating the illumination light for generating and transmitting an image projection light to an image projection surface through a projection optical system to display an image. The projection apparatus further includes an image process unit for receiving and analyzing an input image data; and the image process unit applies a conversion process to a signal related to the input image data to generate different control patterns for a plurality of adjacent pixel elements included in the SLM for a predetermined period during at least one frame period to reproduce a gradation of the pixel whereby each of the plurality of adjacent pixel elements has a gradation of approximately a same level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignees: Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha, Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Horikawa, Hirotoshi Ichikawa, Fusao Ishii
  • Publication number: 20090231669
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection apparatus, comprising: a light source for emitting illumination light; at least one spatial light modulator with a plurality of movable mirrors corresponding to pixels to be displayed, for performing a modulation of the illumination light through operation of the movable mirrors; a light source control unit performing a modulation control of the light source; and a spatial light modulator control unit generating, from an input image signal, a control signal for driving the spatial light modulator, wherein: the light source control unit adjusts a pulse emission frequency of an emission pulse of the illumination light emitted from the light source while corresponding to an oscillation frequency of the movable mirrors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Akira Shirai, Hirokazu Nishino, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Fusao Ishii
  • Publication number: 20090161223
    Abstract: A micromirror device includes a particle-containing anti-reflection layer that covers at least a portion of the device or its package other than a mirror surface. The size of the particle may be smaller than or equal to the wavelength of light incident on the micromirror device, or smaller than or equal to 800 nm, preferably at least 380 nm but smaller than or equal to 800 nm. The particles may be metal particles, preferably TiN particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Hirotoschi Ichikawa, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Fusao Ishii
  • Patent number: 7542197
    Abstract: A spatial light modulator supported on a device substrate includes a plurality of light modulation elements to modulate a light emitted from a light source. The spatial light modulator and the device substrate further comprises a cyclic structure on a surface of the spatial light modulator and/or the device substrate for preventing a reflection of the incident light from the cyclic structure. In an exemplary embodiment the cyclic structure includes cyclic structural elements having a distance between two cyclic elements shorter than the wavelength of an incident light for preventing a reflection of the incident light from the cyclic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignees: Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha, Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Fusao Ishii, Yoshihiro Maeda, Hirotoshi Ichikawa, Kazuhiro Watanabe, Yoshiaki Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20090115917
    Abstract: A projection apparatus comprising a light source for projecting an illumination light through an illumination optical system to a spatial light modulator (SLM) for modulating the illumination light for generating and transmitting an image projection light to an image projection surface through a projection optical system to display an image. The projection apparatus further includes an image process unit for receiving and analyzing an input image data; and the image process unit applies a conversion process to a signal related to the input image data to generate different control patterns for a plurality of adjacent pixel elements included in the SLM for a predetermined period during at least one frame period to reproduce a gradation of the pixel whereby each of the plurality of adjacent pixel elements has a gradation of approximately a same level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Horikawa, Hirotoshi Ichikawa, Fusao Ishii
  • Publication number: 20090109405
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a plurality of video image data are converted into individual spatial frequency information using Fourier transformation. The individual spatial frequency information is provided to a plurality of information display unit corresponding to the individual spatial frequency information. The spatial frequency information corresponding to the plurality of video image data is displayed on the plurality of information display unit, light is irradiated onto the plurality of information display unit using a plurality of light sources corresponding to the plurality of information display unit. The spatial frequency information that is displayed by the plurality of information display unit is projected by using diffraction light, and a plurality of video images are synthesized on projection surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiaki HORIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20090103151
    Abstract: According to the present invention, video image data is converted into spatial frequency information using Fourier transformation. The spatial frequency information is provided to information display unit. The spatial frequency information as a phase distribution is displayed on the information display unit, light is irradiated onto the information display unit using a light source, the amount of light that is irradiated by the light source is adjusted based on the video image data. And diffraction light, which is irradiated by the light source and modulated as the spatial frequency information by the information display unit is projected onto projecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiaki HORIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20090091713
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection apparatus, comprising: a light source; at least one spatial light modulator for modulating illumination light from the light source by a plurality of pixel elements by using different modulation states; a light source control unit performing a modulation control of the light source; and a spatial light modulator control unit generating, from an input image signal, a control signal for driving the spatial light modulator, wherein: the light source control unit has a function of receiving data corresponding to the control signal generated by the spatial light modulator control unit, controlling a parameter of an emission pulse of the illumination light emitted from the light source, and thereby adjusting an emission intensity of the illumination light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Akira Shirai, Hirokazu Nishino, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Fusao Ishii
  • Publication number: 20090009851
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a projection apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting illumination light; a mirror device comprising a plurality of mirrors for generating an image by reflecting the illumination light toward a projecting direction by means of a deflecting operation; and a projection optical system which is placed in the optical axis of reflection light in the projecting direction of the illumination light incident to the mirror device and which projects the reflection light, wherein the optical axis of the illumination light incident to the mirror device and the optical axis of the reflection light in the projecting direction forms an angle that is larger than the expansion angle ? of the flux of the illumination light that satisfies NA=n*sin ?, where NA is the numerical aperture of the flux of the illumination light, and n is the reflectance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Taro Endo, Yoshihiro Maeda, Hirotoshi Ichikawa, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Fusao Ishii
  • Publication number: 20090009850
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection apparatus, that includes: a light source; a light source control unit for controlling the output of the light source; at least one spatial light modulator for modulating the illumination light from the light source by a plurality of pixel elements; and an optical system for projecting, onto a screen, the illumination light deflected by the spatial light modulator, wherein: the light source control unit performs a gamma (?) correction on input image data by a modulation control of the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Akira Shirai, Hirokazu Nishino, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Fusao Ishii
  • Publication number: 20080123168
    Abstract: A display system includes a light source for projecting a linearly polarized illumination light. The display system further includes a deflectable mirror device having a plurality of mirror pixels. The display system further includes a polarized light separation plane that separates reflected light from the illumination light, a wave plate disposed near the deflectable mirror device, and a projection lens that projects the reflected light from the deflectable mirror device. In this system, the optical axes of the illumination light and an ON reflected light reflected from the deflectable mirror device are substantially perpendicular to the deflectable mirror device, and the optical axis of an OFF reflected light is inclined to the optical axis of the image display projection light path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Maeda, Fusao Ishii, Hirotoshi Ichikawa, Yoshiaki Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20080013157
    Abstract: A spatial light modulator supported on a device substrate includes a plurality of light modulation elements to modulate a light emitted from a light source. The spatial light modulator and the device substrate further comprises a cyclic structure on a surface of the spatial light modulator and/or the device substrate for preventing a reflection of the incident light from the cyclic structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: Fusao Ishii, Yoshihiro Maeda, Hirotoshi Ichikawa, Kazuhiro Watanabe, Yoshiaki Horikawa
  • Patent number: 6980294
    Abstract: A biomolecule analyzer of the present invention analyzes dynamic behaviors of biomolecules, and comprises image obtaining means for obtaining an image corresponding to at least one observation area of a biological sample containing biomolecules held in a measurable state, designation means for designating an arbitrary point on the image obtained by the image obtaining means, arrangement means for arranging a measuring point in a point position on the sample corresponding to the point designated by the designation means so that the measuring point may continuously coincide with the point position, measurement means for measuring a signal derived from dynamic information of an object to be measured from the measuring point arranged by the arrangement means, and analysis means for analyzing measuring results of the measurement means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Namba, Kiyochika Ishibashi, Yoshiaki Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20050213090
    Abstract: A biomolecule analyzer of the present invention analyzes dynamic behaviors of biomolecules, and comprises image obtaining means for obtaining an image corresponding to at least one observation area of a biological sample containing biomolecules held in a measurable state, designation means for designating an arbitrary point on the image obtained by the image obtaining means, arrangement means for arranging a measuring point in a point position on the sample corresponding to the point designated by the designation means so that the measuring point may continuously coincide with the point position, measurement means for measuring a signal derived from dynamic information of an object to be measured from the measuring point arranged by the arrangement means, and analysis means for analyzing measuring results of the measurement means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Namba, Kiyochika Ishibashi, Yoshiaki Horikawa
  • Patent number: 5533083
    Abstract: A vacuum optical system has a vacuum chamber for housing an optical system used In a vacuum. The vacuum chamber is equipped with a member, on which the optical system is at least mounted, supported by such parts that when a pressure in the vacuum chamber changes to deform the vacuum chamber, the amount of displacement transmitted to the optical system is smaller than a predetermined tolerance depending on an accuracy necessary for the optical system. Thus, the vacuum optical system can be obtained which does away with the need for readjustment of optical alignment and is compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Komei Nagai, Yoshinori Iketaki, Yoshiaki Horikawa
  • Patent number: 5528646
    Abstract: A sample vessel for X-ray microscopes comprising a first silicon base plate having an entrance window covered with a thin film of silicon nitride, and a second silicon base plate which has an exit window covered with a thin film of silicon nitride and matched with the entrance window. The second silicon base plate being connected the first base plate by way of a spacer so as to form a sealed space capable of accommodating samples to be observed. Disposed in the space is a mesh member made of a wire material having an angle of contact with water smaller than 90.degree. at a location adjacent to the thin film of silicon nitride covering the entrance window or a thin film of aluminium is evaporation-coated over the thin film of silicon nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Iketaki, Shoichiro Mochimaru, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Komei Nagai