Patents Issued in October 24, 2017
  • Patent number: 9798110
    Abstract: A photographic lens includes, in a sequence from an object to an image plane, a first lens having positive refractive power; a second lens having negative refractive power; a third lens having positive refractive power; a fourth lens having positive refractive power; and a fifth lens having negative refractive power, where the photographic lens satisfies the following condition: 75°<FOV<85° where FOV is a field of view of the photographic lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: KOLEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong Jin Lee, Chan Goo Kang
  • Patent number: 9798111
    Abstract: An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens, wherein at least one lens among the first to the fifth lenses has positive refractive force, wherein the fifth lens can have negative refractive force, wherein both surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one surface thereof has an inflection point and wherein the first to the fifth lenses in the optical image capturing system have refractive power whereby the optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: ABILITY OPTO-ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yao-Wei Liu, Nai-Yuan Tang, Yeong-Ming Chang
  • Patent number: 9798112
    Abstract: A photographing optical lens assembly includes, in order from object side to image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element, a sixth lens element and a seventh lens element. The first lens element has positive refractive power. The second, third, fourth and fifth lens elements have refractive power. The sixth lens element with refractive power has an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region, wherein an object-side surface and the image-side surface of the sixth lens element are both aspheric, and the image-side surface has at least one inflection point. The seventh lens element with refractive power has an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region, wherein an object-side surface and the image-side surface of the seventh lens element are both aspheric, and the image-side surface has at least one inflection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: LARGAN PRECISION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hsin-Hsuan Huang
  • Patent number: 9798113
    Abstract: An imaging lens includes a first lens having positive refractive power; a second lens; a third lens; a fourth lens; a fifth lens; and a sixth lens having negative refractive power, arranged from an object side to an image plane side. The first lens has an object-side surface and an image plane-side surface having positive curvature radii. The third lens has an object-side surface and an image plane-side surface having positive curvature radii. The fourth lens has an object-side surface and an image plane-side surface having negative curvature radii. The sixth lens is formed so that at least one of an object-side surface and an image plane-side surface is an aspherical surface and has at least one inflexion point. The first lens and the second lens have a specific composite focal length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignees: OPTICAL LOGIC INC., KANTATSU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoji Kubota, Kenichi Kubota, Hitoshi Hirano, Yoshio Ise, Sayuri Noda
  • Patent number: 9798114
    Abstract: Wafer-level optical elements and the concave spacer-wafer apertures in which they are formed are disclosed. The wafer-level optical elements include a spacer wafer comprising a plurality of apertures. Each aperture has a concave shape in a planar cross-section of the spacer wafer and an overflow region intersecting the planar cross-section. The wafer-level optical elements also include an array of optical elements, each optical element of the array being formed of cured flowable material within a respective one of the plurality of apertures. A portion of the cured flowable material forming each optical element extends into the overflow region of the respective aperture of the plurality of apertures. The spacer wafer includes a plurality of apertures, each of the plurality of apertures having a concave shape in a planar cross-section of the spacer wafer. Each of the plurality of apertures includes an overflow region intersecting the planar cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Nabighian, Alan Martin
  • Patent number: 9798115
    Abstract: A compact three-surface wafer-level lens system for imaging a scene onto an image plane includes a one-sided wafer-level lens and a two-sided wafer-level lens disposed between the one-sided wafer-level lens and the image plane. The total track length of the wafer-level lens system is no more than 2.2 millimeters. The maximum transverse extent (in dimensions transverse to the optical axis) of the lens system and associated light propagating therethrough is no greater than 1.8 millimeters. The field of view angle of the lens system is at least 100 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chuen-Yi Yin, Jau-Jan Deng
  • Patent number: 9798116
    Abstract: A compact low-profile low-cost imaging lens with an F-value of 2.4 or less which offers a wide field of view and corrects aberrations properly. It includes elements arranged from an object side: a first positive lens having a convex surface on the object side as a first optical element; a second negative lens having a concave surface on an image side as a second optical element; a third positive lens as a third optical element; a fourth negative lens as a double-sided aspheric lens having a convex surface on the image side as a fourth optical element; and a fifth lens as a double-sided aspheric lens having a concave surface on the image side as a fifth optical element. As a sixth optical element, one aberration correction optical element as a double-sided aspheric element with virtually no refractive power is located between the first lens and the image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: KANTATSU., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaya Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9798117
    Abstract: An image capture system including two imaging systems of the same structure each having a wide-angle lens, which includes a front group, a reflection surface, and a rear group arranged in order from an object side, has a field angle larger than 180 degrees, and bends an optical axis of the front group toward the rear group by the reflection surface, and an imaging sensor, obtains an image in a solid angle of 4? radian by combining images imaged by the imaging systems. Each of the two wide-angle lenses includes the reflection surface between the front group and the rear group, the reflection surfaces are made to be common to the two imaging systems. This reduces an interval between lenses nearest to the object side in the front groups of the two wide-angle lenses, thereby reducing a distance between maximum field angles of the two wide-angle lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Satoh, Noriyuki Terao, Yoshiaki Irino, Tomonori Tanaka, Nozomi Imae, Toru Harada, Hirokazu Takenaka, Hideaki Yamamoto, Kensuke Masuda, Satoshi Sawaguchi, Daisuke Bessho, Makoto Shohara, Yoichi Ito, Shusaku Takasu
  • Patent number: 9798118
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus includes a light source module, an optical engine module and a projection lens module. The optical engine module includes a prism and a light valve. The projection lens module includes a first lens group and a second lens group. The first lens group is disposed between the screen end and the imaging end. The first lens group includes a first lens, a second lens and a third lens, which are sequentially disposed from the screen end to the imaging end and have negative, negative and positive refractive powers, respectively. The second lens group is disposed between the first lens group and the imaging end and has a positive refractive power. The second lens group includes a fourth lens, a fifth lens and a sixth lens, which are sequentially disposed from the screen end to the imaging end and have negative, positive and positive refractive powers, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Tao-Hung Kuo, Yi-Chin Chen, Ching-Chuan Wei, Chuan-Te Cheng
  • Patent number: 9798119
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes in order from an object side, a zoom lens unit that moves during zooming, and an aperture stop; and a relay lens unit that does not move for zooming, and the relay lens unit includes an extender lens unit changing a focal length range of the zoom lens by entering into and leaving from an optical path of the zoom lens, and that unit includes front, middle, and rear lens sub-units each including one positive lens and one negative lens. The following expressions are satisfied: 0.250<Nn?Np; |fbp/fb|<0.200; and |fbn/fb|<0.200, where Np and fbp denote a refractive index and a focal length of the positive lens, Nn and fbn denote a refractive index and a focal length of the negative lens, and fb denotes a focal length of the middle lens sub-unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoya Yamada
  • Patent number: 9798120
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having a negative refractive power, and includes an aperture stop which is disposed between the second lens unit and the fourth lens unit, and the first lens unit includes a negative lens and a plurality of positive lenses, and at the time of zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit widens, a distance between the second lens unit and the third lens unit narrows, and a distance between the third lens unit and the fourth lens unit changes, and the zoom lens satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Mimura, Masahiro Imamura, Takahiro Amanai
  • Patent number: 9798121
    Abstract: A finder is a reverse Galileo type finder comprising, in order from the object side to the eye point side: an objective lens group having a negative refractive power; and an eyepiece lens group having a positive refractive power. The distance between the objective lens group and the eyepiece lens group is the longest distance from among distances between lenses, as an air converted length, in an observation optical system from the objective lens group to the eyepiece lens group. The eyepiece lens group consists of, in order from the object side to the eye point side: a first lens having a negative refractive power; a second lens having a positive refractive power; and a third lens having a negative refractive power. The first lens and the third lens are fixed while the second lens moves in the direction of the optical axis during diopter adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Saito
  • Patent number: 9798122
    Abstract: A zoom lens system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, in that order from the object side, and a positive nth lens group provided closest to the image side. During zooming from the short to long focal length extremities, the first lens group and the nth lens group remain stationary and the second lens group moves. A positive mth lens group is provided between the second and nth lens groups. The following conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied: 1.23<f1/fn<1.50??(1), and 1.20<fn/fm<1.60??(2), wherein f1, fn and fm designate the focal lengths of the first, nth and mth lens groups, respectively, wherein n is a positive integer of 4 or greater, and m is a positive integer of 3 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Masakazu Saori
  • Patent number: 9798123
    Abstract: A zoom lens system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group, a negative fourth lens group, and a positive fifth lens group, in that order from the object side. Upon zooming from the short to long focal length extremities, at least the first, third and fifth lens groups move in the optical axis direction. The second lens group includes at least four lens elements. Each of the third, fourth and fifth lens groups includes a plurality of lens elements. The following conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied: 1.60<f1/f5<2.46 ??(1), and ?2.46<f4/f3<?1.80 ??(2), wherein f1, f3, f4 and f5 designate the focal lengths of the first, third, fourth and fifth lens groups, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuyuki Onozaki
  • Patent number: 9798124
    Abstract: The image display apparatus includes an optical system causing a light flux entering from an original image by being transmitted through a fifth surface to reflect at a fourth surface, a third surface, a first surface and a second surface and then cause the light flux to be transmitted through the first surface and exit toward an exit pupil, causing the light flux to form an intermediate image and causing optical paths to intersect with each other. The optical system satisfies 0.62?L12/f?5.00 and 1.80?L45/L12?5.00. When a distance between hit points of a central-view-angle principal ray on the surfaces is referred to as a hit point distance, L45 represents a hit point distance between the fourth and fifth surfaces, L12 represents a hit point distance between the first and second surfaces, and f represents a focal length of the optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryoji Kondo
  • Patent number: 9798125
    Abstract: To provide a projection optical system that can cover a wide range of magnification changes with a focus lens group in which the number of constituted lenses is decreased, and a projector including the projection optical system. A 1-2nd lens group as the focus lens group includes an F1 lens group configured of one positive lens, an F2 lens group configured of one positive lens and one negative lens, and an F3 lens group configured of one negative lens. At least the F2 lens group is caused to move when focusing is performed in response to a magnification change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobutaka Minefuji
  • Patent number: 9798126
    Abstract: A modular illumination system is capable of producing a light beam having a wide field of view—e.g., in excess of ninety degrees—while maintaining a high collection efficiency as well as a high degree of beam homogeneity. The illumination system comprises an elementary unit having a linear array of light sources. Light from the light sources is collimated using a corresponding array of catadioptric lenses, and the collimated light is homogenized in the tangential plane using two cylindrical lens arrays set in tandem to one another. The homogenized light is then collimated in the sagittal plane using a cylindrical lens that is set perpendicular to the lenses of the two cylindrical lens arrays to yield a wide linear beam. To produce an area beam, the linear array of light sources can be replaced with a two-dimensional array, and the cylindrical lenses can be replaced with spherical lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael M. Tilleman
  • Patent number: 9798127
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tube for a surgical microscope. The tube has a base part, an intermediate part, which is pivotable about a rotational axis on the base part, and an ocular part which is pivotable about a rotational axis on the intermediate part. The imaging beam path is guided through the base part, the intermediate part and the pivotable ocular part. The tube has a tube lens system which transfers a parallel imaging beam paths into an intermediate image. The parallel imaging beam path enters via an opening in a connecting piece of the base part. The tube has a first displaceable mirror element which can be moved about the rotational axis on the base part. The tube lens system is a telesystem which has a lens unit having positive refractive power and a lens unit having negative refractive power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Christian Luecke, Hartmut Gaertner, Andre Mueller, Martin Schneider, Alfons Abele, Nadine Kolster, Dirk Holzmann, Wolfgang Robra, Bernd Rudisile, Michael Czerwinski
  • Patent number: 9798128
    Abstract: A scanning microscope includes a scanner, an objective irradiates a sample with illumination light deflected by the scanner, and a beam splitter that is arranged between the objective and an exit pupil position, and that reflects one of the illumination light and observation light from the sample and transmits the other. The objective has the exit pupil position outside the objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuya Miyazono
  • Patent number: 9798129
    Abstract: A microscope system for stitching element images to generate a stitched image includes an element image obtaining unit configured to obtain the element image; a user image obtaining unit configured to capture a plurality of user-specified areas being an area of a sample specified by a user to obtain a plurality of user images; a rectangle area deciding unit configured to decide a rectangle area including the plurality of user-specified areas; a candidate area deciding unit configured to decide, as a candidate area, each of a plurality of areas having a size of a field of view of the element image obtaining unit arranged in a grid-like manner in the rectangle area so as to fill the rectangle area; and an element area selecting unit configured to select an element area to obtain the element image, from the plurality of candidate areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Furuhata
  • Patent number: 9798130
    Abstract: Generating a composite image of a non-flat surface includes: acquiring, using a microscope, multiple images of different areas of the non-flat surface, where each image includes a region of overlap with at least one adjacent image, the microscope having sufficient resolution to image in three dimensions a microstructure on the non-flat surface having a lateral dimension of 10 microns or less and a height of 10 nm or less; determining, for each of the images, a set of rigid body parameters relating a position and orientation of the test object in the image to a common coordinate system, where the set of rigid body parameters is determined by fitting the resolved microstructure in the overlap region in the image with the corresponding microstructure in the overlap region of the adjacent image; and combining the images based on the sets of rigid body parameters to generate a composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Dresel, Jan Liesener, Peter J. de Groot
  • Patent number: 9798131
    Abstract: Rotatable, oblique-viewing stereoendoscope including a dual-pupil aperture divided to a first pupil and a second pupil, a proximal objective assembly positioned proximally to the dual-pupil aperture, a first image sensor configured to detect a first image focused by the proximal objective assembly and a second image sensor configured to detect a second image focused by the proximal objective assembly, a relay system positioned distally to the dual-pupil aperture and a front optical system positioned distally to the relay system, the front optical system including a folding prism, wherein the front optical system is configured to reimage the dual-pupil aperture at a distal end thereof, thereby producing an image of the first pupil and an image of the second pupil at a distal pupil plane and wherein the stereoendoscope does not include a negative power lens positioned distally to the folding prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Visionsense Ltd.
    Inventor: Mark Shechterman
  • Patent number: 9798132
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and more particularly to membrane structures comprising pixels for use in, e.g., display devices. In embodiments, a membrane structure comprises a monocrystalline silicon membrane above a cavity formed over a silicon substrate. The membrane structure can comprise a light interference structure that, depending upon a variable distance between the membrane and the substrate, transmits or reflects different wavelengths of light. Related devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Roland Meier, Klemens Pruegl, Bernhard Winkler, Thomas Popp, Raimund Foerg
  • Patent number: 9798133
    Abstract: An electrowetting element comprising a first subpixel with a first color filter, a second subpixel with a second color filter, and a first white filter positioned between the first color filter and the second color filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Petrus Maria De Greef, Gor Manukyan
  • Patent number: 9798134
    Abstract: One or more excitation energy sources emit light in an excitation spectrum and direct the emitted light as an excitation beam to the emitting surface of a wavelength conversion element directly or via reflection. Distinct areas of the emitting surface are coated with one or more distinct fluorescent phosphors. The phosphor-coated areas receive the excitation beam and generate a sequence of fluoresced light beams at a light output, each fluoresced beam of a narrow spectrum determined by the type of phosphor and the excitation spectrum. The fluoresced beams travel parallel to an emitting axis at a non-zero angle to axes associated with the excitation beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Vikrant R. Bhakta, Michael T. Davis
  • Patent number: 9798135
    Abstract: A scanning device includes a base containing one or more rotational bearings disposed along a gimbal axis. A gimbal includes a shaft that fits into the rotational bearings so that the gimbal rotates about the gimbal axis relative to the base. A mirror assembly includes a semiconductor substrate, which has been etched and coated to define a support, which is fixed to the gimbal, at least one mirror, contained within the support, and a connecting member connecting the at least one mirror to the support and defining at least one mirror axis, about which the at least one mirror rotates relative to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Raviv Erlich, Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 9798136
    Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a method of controlling the position of a MEMS mirror in a MEMS device, wherein the MEMS device comprises, a MEMS mirror, a magnet which provides a magnetic field (B), an actuating means which operatively cooperates with the MEMS mirror so that it can apply a force to the MEMS mirror which can tilt the MEMS mirror about at least one rotational axis when the actuating means is provided with a drive signal, wherein the magnitude force applied by the actuating means to the MEMS mirror is dependent on the amplitude of the drive signal, and a detection coil which is mounted on the MEMS mirror, the method comprising the steps of, detecting a change in the resistance (R) of the detection coil so as to detect a change in temperature of the MEMS mirror; determining the drive signal amplitude required to maintain the MEMS mirror at a predefined angular position (?); providing the actuating means with a drive signal which has an amplitude which is equal to the determi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin Lemaire, Thierry Barras, Nicolas Abele
  • Patent number: 9798137
    Abstract: A laser operation device includes an elongated catheter, a light irradiator configured to irradiate a laser in front of a tip of the catheter, a lens disposed at a front of the light irradiator and allowing the laser to pass therethrough, a wire configured to steering the lens by pulling one side of the lens, and an elastic body configured to give an elastic force to restore the lens against a tension of the wire, wherein when the lens is steered, the laser passes through the lens and is refracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Keri Kim, Seong Il Kwon, Heechul Kim
  • Patent number: 9798138
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a deflector for deflecting a light beam to optically scan a scanned region on a scanned surface in a main scanning direction, and an imaging optical system for guiding the light beam deflected by the deflector, to the scanned surface. The imaging optical system includes an imaging optical element in which, in the main scanning direction, a distance to an optical axis from one effective end portion through which a light beam that enters one end portion of the scanned region passes is longer than a distance to the optical axis from another effective end portion through which a light beam that enters another end portion of the scanned region passes. In the imaging optical element, a thickness in an optical axis direction of the one effective end portion is thinner than a thickness in the optical axis direction of the other effective end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Genichiro Kudo, Akihiro Hibino, Tomoyuki Kawano
  • Patent number: 9798139
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device and a display method are described. The wearable electronic device includes a fix unit, by which the wearable electronic device can maintain a position relationship with respect to a first part of a user body; a detection unit, configured to detect a posture of the first part of the user body, and to acquire a detection result; a posture determination unit, configured to determine whether the detection result meets a predetermined acquisition condition; a first acquisition unit, configured to acquire weather information when the posture determination unit determines that the detection result meets a predetermined acquisition condition; an image generation unit, configured to generate a weather image corresponding to the weather information; and a display unit, configured to display the weather information and/or the weather image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignees: BEIJING LENOVO SOFTWARE LTD., LENOVO (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shifeng Peng, Xinru Hou
  • Patent number: 9798140
    Abstract: An image display device includes a light source, an imaging element to form an image with a light beam from the light source, and a lens array illuminated with the light beam forming the image for image display, in which lenses are arranged closely to each other. In which in the lens array a curvature radius of a surface of a border of neighboring lenses is set to be smaller than a wavelength of the light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Inamoto, Kenichiroh Saisho, Yasuhiro Satoh, Jun Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9798141
    Abstract: Disclosed is a head-up display capable of achieving reduction in size while securing an optical path length from an image display element to an image reflecting surface. In a head-up display, a reflection optical system has at least three or more mirrors including an l-th mirror, an m-th mirror, and an n-th mirror sequentially in this order from the image display element side along a light beam emitted from the image display element D, the n-th mirror has a refractive power and is arranged closest to the image reflecting surface side among all mirrors, the light beam emitted from the image display element D is reflected from the l-th mirror, the m-th mirror, and the n-th mirror in this order, the light beam emitted from the n-th mirror passes between the l-th mirror and the m-th mirror and reaches the image reflecting surface, and predetermined conditional expressions are further satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Keisuke Harada
  • Patent number: 9798142
    Abstract: A display element includes a projection screen for a head-up display and a pivot apparatus for adjusting an inclination of the projection screen about a horizontal inclination axis. The pivot apparatus includes an eccentric unit for adjusting the inclination. The eccentric unit is mechanically coupled directly to the projection screen. The eccentric unit includes a first gearwheel and an eccentric element which is formed eccentrically with respect to the first gearwheel and is fastened on the first gearwheel. The eccentric element is in the form of a disk and an area of a narrow side of the disk-shaped eccentric element is arranged eccentrically with respect to the first gearwheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerhard Pitz
  • Patent number: 9798143
    Abstract: A transmission type head mounted display includes an image display unit that displays an image and through which external scenery is transmitted, a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the head mounted display, a determination information acquisition unit that acquires determination information used to determine whether or not an image to be displayed on the image display unit will be displayed, an information transmission and reception unit that receives display information which is correlated with the acquired position information and includes determination information correspondence information, and a display image control unit that displays an image as the determination information correspondence information which is correlated with the acquired determination information and is included in the received display information on the image display unit in a case where the determination information is acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yutaka Fujimaki, Masahide Takano
  • Patent number: 9798144
    Abstract: Provided is an image display device used by being mounted to a head or a face of a user, including a first display unit that displays an internal image seen from a side of the user, a second display unit that displays an external image seen from outside the image display device, and a control unit that controls display of the internal image and the external image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichiro Sako, Yasushi Miyajima, Hiroshi Mukawa, Tatsuya Narahara, Motoyuki Takai, Masashi Takeda, Hiroaki Ogawa, Seiji Wada, Ichigo Hayakawa, Akira Tange, Takao Tanikame, Kazuhide Kemmochi
  • Patent number: 9798145
    Abstract: Some aspects of the present application include a wearable, see-through display device. The device includes a source of video information and a micro-display configured to receive video information from the source of video information and to project light forming an image based on the video information. The device also includes a lens system comprising one or more lenses, the lens system configured to receive and collimate light from the micro-display and to propagate the light from the micro-display to an image guide and the image guide positioned to receive light from the lens system and direct the received light to a partial reflector. The device also includes a partial reflector configured to reflect the light received from the image guide out of the display device towards a place where an eye of a user wearing the see-through display device may be positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Vijay Subramaniam, Siva Kiran Chapalamadugu, Andrew Michael Marschner, Sherman Sebastian Antao
  • Patent number: 9798146
    Abstract: A head-mounted display apparatus includes a display unit including a plurality of emissive areas which displays images and a plurality of transmissive areas disposed between the emissive areas and which transmits light from external light sources, a first optical element which receives and converges light emitted from the display unit onto a predetermined area, and a second optical element disposed opposite to the first optical element with respect to the display unit and which receives and diverges light incident toward the display unit from an outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sumin Yang
  • Patent number: 9798147
    Abstract: A near-eye display includes a light source, an optical system, and a phase map. The light source emits illumination light. The optical system is configured to receive the illumination light from the light source and output the illumination light as an in-phase wavefront. The phase map is configured to adjust a phase of the in-phase wavefront to form an image in response to being illuminated by the in-phase wavefront. The phase map is pre-recorded with a phase pattern that generates the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC
    Inventors: Sohyun Park, Igor Landau
  • Patent number: 9798148
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for providing high quality display images in see-through head-worn optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Osterhout Group, Inc.
    Inventors: John N. Border, Joseph Bietry, John D. Haddick
  • Patent number: 9798149
    Abstract: Devices and methods are described herein to measure optical power in scanning laser projectors. In general, the devices and methods utilize a filter component and photodiode to measure optical power being generated by at least one laser light source, with the filter component configured to at least partially compensate for the non-uniform electric current response of the photodiode. Such a configuration facilitates accurate optical power measurement using only one photodiode, and thus can facilitate accurate optical power measurement in a relatively compact device and with relatively low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthieu Saracco, James Michael Hansen
  • Patent number: 9798150
    Abstract: A system for distributing auto-stereoscopic images, a parallax blocking mask and methods for producing a parallax blocking mask. A parallax blocking mask is provided as an “add-on” for an existing image display device having a flat panel type display screen. The mask is tailored to the needs of the existing device and delivered to a remote user of the display device. The user mounts the mask to the display device so that the mask overlies the display screen. 3D content in the form of composite stereoscopic images derived from one or more stereoscopic image pairs, and application software, are downloaded to the display device over the Internet, and the application software interleaves the composite stereoscopic images for display on the display screen while the mask is in place. Use of a parallax blocking mask having variable edge transitions, a duty cycle less than fifty percent, or both, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Broadcast 3DTV, Inc.
    Inventors: Sidney Kassouf, John M. Tamkin
  • Patent number: 9798151
    Abstract: An autostereoscopic display device comprises a display arrangement such as an emissive display arrangement or an reflective display arrangement, with an array of spaced pixels. A light guiding arrangement has an array of light guide columns, with one column over each display pixel or over a group (such as a column) of pixels. The light guide columns comprise aside wall which tapers outwardly to define a funnel shape with the pixel at the smaller base of the funnel. The funnel provides collimation to reduce cross talk in the display, which is particularly problematic for 3D autostereoscopic displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Mark Thomas Johnson, Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn, Bart Kroon, Philip Steven Newton, Adrianus Sempel, Siebe Tjerk De Zwart
  • Patent number: 9798152
    Abstract: There are disclosed a liquid crystal panel and method for the manufacture thereof, and a 3D display apparatus, for enabling left-eye and right-eye images to be separated directly by means of a liquid crystal cell and the manufacturing process of a naked-eye 3D mode liquid crystal cell to be simplified. The liquid crystal panel comprises an upper substrate, a lower substrate and a liquid crystal cell formed of liquid crystal molecules located between the upper and lower substrates. The liquid crystal cell comprises a display layer and a grating layer, the grating layer being arranged in proximity to the upper substrate, the grating layer comprising a light shielding region and a light transmitting region, the light shielding region comprising light shielding liquid crystal molecules, the light transmitting region comprising light transmitting liquid crystal molecules, the light shielding region and the light transmitting region being arranged alternately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wei Yan
  • Patent number: 9798153
    Abstract: Provided is a projection apparatus for projecting an image which can be seen stereoscopically, wherein the apparatus is made smaller and the definition of the projected image is higher than would be the case if the present configuration were not employed. The projection apparatus is an apparatus for projecting an image which can be seen stereoscopically, by scanning with one set of at least red, green, and blue laser beams, and includes a light source section that emits the laser beams, a scan section that scans a projection region two-dimensionally with the laser beams, and a microlens array that includes microlenses on which the laser beams from the scan section are incident and that changes emission angles of the laser beams in accordance with incident positions of the laser beams on the microlenses to create a light ray field in which light rays whose positions and directions are controlled are emitted from each point on surfaces of the microlenses in accordance with an image to be projected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masafumi Ide
  • Patent number: 9798154
    Abstract: Polarization state in retro-reflective arrays may be controlled throughout the optical path of a retro-reflective retro-imaging setup to enhance system efficiency. A polarization beam splitter layer and a retarder layer placed in front of the retro-reflector array may be oriented such that polarized light is used as source, source input light is efficiently reflected at the polarization beam splitter layer toward the retro-reflective layer, and polarization is converted to circular upon first pass through retarder layer. The polarization may also be oriented at or near 45° with respect to input polarization state, light may be retro-reflected and reconverged at the retro-reflective layer, and converted to linear polarization state. The light may then be rotated about 90° with respect to input linear state, and/or passed through the polarization beam splitter layer upon second pass to form the reconvergent image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Karlton Powell, Tim Large, Yutaka Tokuda
  • Patent number: 9798155
    Abstract: There is provided an imaging element that photographs multiple viewing point images corresponding to images observed from different viewing points and an image processing unit separates an output signal of the imaging element, acquires the plurality of viewing point images corresponding to the images observed from the different viewing points, and generates a left eye image and a right eye image for three-dimensional image display, on the basis of the plurality of acquired viewing point images. The image processing unit generates parallax information on the basis of the plurality of viewing point images obtained from the imaging element and generates a left eye image and a right eye image for three-dimensional image display by 2D3D conversion processing using the generated parallax information. By this configuration, a plurality of viewing point images are acquired on the basis of one photographed image and images for three-dimensional image display are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Kobayashi, Atsushi Ito
  • Patent number: 9798156
    Abstract: The sight includes a main body, a regulating bolt movably joined to the main body, a securing bolt fixed to the regulating bolt, a regulating cover covering the regulating bolt and movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the regulating bolt, a first magnet disposed on the regulating cover, and a second magnet disposed on the regulating bolt and corresponding to the first magnet. The regulating cover is movable with respect to the regulating bolt when the regulating cover moves away from the second position. The regulating cover abuts the securing bolt and is rotatable with respect to the regulating bolt when the regulating cover moves to the first position. The regulating cover engages the regulating bolt when the regulating cover moves to the second position. The regulating cover is maintained in the second position through attraction of the first magnet and the second magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignees: SINTAI OPTICAL (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD., ASIA OPTICAL INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventor: Chia-Kan Chang
  • Patent number: 9798157
    Abstract: An image stabilizing apparatus includes a movable member holding a lens, a moving unit configured to move the movable member in a predetermined plane, a tilting unit configured to tilt the movable member relative to predetermined plane, a detection unit configured to detect shake, and a control unit configured to control the moving unit and the tilting unit based on shake information obtained from the detection unit. The control unit sets a tilt target value of the tilting unit in accordance with a displacement target value of the moving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromu Yasuda
  • Patent number: 9798158
    Abstract: An optical apparatus that is capable of improving impact resistance thereof. A holding member holding the optical element is movably attached to a first member so that the optical element is movable between an entering position where the optical element enters into an optical path and a retracted position where the optical element is retracted from the optical path. The first member is movably attached to a second member. A driving member engages with the holding member and drives the holding member. A regulation member regulates a moving amount of the first member with respect to the second member. The regulation member is arranged so that a distance from an engagement position of the holding member and the driving member at the entering position to the regulation member is longer than a distance from the engagement position at the retracted position to the regulation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Terada
  • Patent number: 9798159
    Abstract: A lens drive apparatus that displaces a lens holder in a direction of an optical axis and a direction orthogonal to the optical axis comprises: an assembly that is formed by assembling the lens holder together with a magnet disposed around the lens holder; a coil that is disposed at a position facing the magnet in a housing that houses the assembly and displaces the assembly in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis in collaboration with the magnet; and a base that serves as a bottom of the housing, and has an aperture having a size greater than a displacement range of the optical axis resulting from displacement of the assembly in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electronics CO., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Moriya, Masayoshi Sugawara