Polarizer Or Interference Filter Patents (Class 353/20)
  • Patent number: 10884244
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes an image forming device, first and second light guide members that respectively have first and second light incidence portions and first and second light emission portions, a first diffractive optical element provided in the first light emission portion, a second diffractive optical element provided in the second light emission portion, and a first external light noise reduction element provided over the second light guide member. The first external light noise reduction element overlaps the first and second light emission portions. The first light incidence portion overlaps the second light incidence portion. Image light from the image forming device is incident on the first light incidence portion. A part of the image light is guided in the first light guide member. Another part of the image light is incident on the second light incidence portion and is guided in the second light guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumika Yamada, Masatoshi Yonekubo, Osamu Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 10859754
    Abstract: Provided is a compact light source device that can be manufactured at a low cost and is suitable as an illumination light source for a display device of an electronic device such as an HUD or an ultra-compact projector. This light source device includes a solid-state light source, a collimating optical system that converts light having exited the solid-state light source into a substantially collimated light; and a light guide that allows the light having exited the collimating optical system to enter and allows this light to exit in a direction that differs from a direction of entry. The light source device further includes a polarization converting element that aligns polarization directions of the light exiting the light guide into one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshinori Sugiyama, Koji Hirata, Yasuhiko Kunii
  • Patent number: 10838289
    Abstract: A first light source device includes: a solid-state light source; a condenser element that collects light from the solid-state light source; a retardation plate that converts linearly polarized light into circularly polarized light; and a reflection plate, wherein the retardation plate is disposed at a point of incidence of collected light and divergent light between the condenser element and the reflection plate. A second light source device includes: a solid-state light source; a retardation plate that changes a polarization direction of light from the solid-state light source to make a ratio of polarization and s-polarization components of the light constant under control; and a dichroic mirror that separates the light from the retardation according to the polarization direction, wherein the retardation plate is disposed at a point of incidence of one of collected light and divergent light between the solid-state light source and the dichroic mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Tanaka, Manabu Okuno
  • Patent number: 10831089
    Abstract: A light source device according to the present disclosure includes a light-emitting body configured to emit first wavelength range light, a dichroic film configured to be able to selectively transmit the first wavelength range light, a wavelength converter that includes an incident surface on which the first wavelength range light is incident, and an emission surface configured to convert the first wavelength range light to second wavelength range light and subsequently emit, and for which the incident surface is set to be larger than the emission surface, and a light collector including a light collecting part configured to collect the second wavelength range light, wherein the light-emitting body, the dichroic film, and the wavelength converter are subjected to direct bonding, in a state of being stacked in this order, in an emission direction of the first wavelength range light from the light-emitting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masatoshi Yonekubo
  • Patent number: 10834369
    Abstract: A new projector design combines one spatial light modulator that affects only the phase of the illumination, and one spatial light modulator that only affects its amplitude (intensity). The phase-only modulator curves the wavefront of light and acts as a pre-modulator for a conventional amplitude modulator. This approach works with both white light and laser illumination, generating a coarse image representation efficiently, thus enabling, within a single image frame, significantly elevated highlights as well as darker black levels while reducing the overall light source power requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: MTT Innovation Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerwin Damberg, James Gregson, Wolfgang Heidrich
  • Patent number: 10809540
    Abstract: The invention relates to a projector (1) and to a projection optics (30) for a projector (1). In order to be able to operate the projector (1) as energy-efficiently as possible, it is provided, according to the invention, that the projector (1) comprises a beam splitter device (6, 6?) having a polarization beam splitter (7, 15), wherein the polarization beam splitter (7) is arranged at an object-side end (39) of the projection optics (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Jabil Optics Germany GmbH
    Inventor: Eberhard Piehler
  • Patent number: 10791306
    Abstract: The control unit of a projector drives modulators for the range of brightness of the image data with a first resolution of NN levels, wherein NN is an integer greater than one. The control unit applies a predefined brightness change to the brightness value in accordance with the image data for the image point such that a changed brightness value having a second resolution, which is greater than the first resolution, is calculated, and converts the changed brightness value into the increased brightness value such that it has the first resolution and is greater than a notional comparison value having the first resolution that arises if the predefined brightness change is applied to the brightness value in accordance with the image data, with the result that the control unit drives one of the modulators for a pixel to be boosted with the increased brightness value having the first resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Nieten, Enrico Geissler, Bryce Anton Moffat, Carsten Wehe
  • Patent number: 10775606
    Abstract: A light source module including a phosphor wheel having a phosphor layer to emit fluorescence when excited with light emitted from a light source; and a drive section disposed on a phosphor-layer side of the phosphor wheel, the drive section configured to rotate the phosphor wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Jun Mashimo
  • Patent number: 10775538
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inorganic polarizing plate that exhibits improved heat resistance while suppressing an increase in lead time resulting from addition of process steps and an increase in costs. An inorganic polarizing plate 1 includes: a substrate (11) transparent to light having a wavelength within a used band; a plurality of linear reflective film layers (12) arranged on the substrate (11) at pitches smaller than the wavelength of the light within the used band; a plurality of dielectric film layers (13) arranged on the corresponding reflective film layers (12); and a plurality of absorptive film layers (14) arranged on the corresponding dielectric film layers (13). Each of the absorptive film layers (14) includes: a property-oriented layer (15); and a heat-resistance-oriented layer (16) made of the same material as the property-oriented layer (15) and having an extinction coefficient greater than an extinction coefficient of the property-oriented layer (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Dexerials Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Oowada
  • Patent number: 10766637
    Abstract: An airfield light, components thereof, and associated methods. The airfield light can include a baffle including a baffle body and one or more baffle members secured to the baffle body. The baffle members are configured to cover portions of a baffle window. At least one light source is mounted in association with the baffle and emits light out of the baffle window. The baffle members cover portions of the baffle window for blocking light transmission therethrough. A method of assembling an airfield light includes arranging a baffle to shroud a light assembly and removing a baffle member to permit light from the light assembly to emit through a portion of a baffle window opened by removing the baffle member. A baffle for an airfield light is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventor: Vivian L. Hunter
  • Patent number: 10755630
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a mobile terminal, which is adopted to improve the accuracy of detecting ambient light. The mobile terminal includes a display panel, a first phase retarder, a light splitting element, and at least one light sensor. The first phase retarder is located between the display panel and the light splitting element; and the at least one light sensor is arranged opposite to the light splitting element, and to receive ambient light and light emitted by the display panel. The ambient light passing through the display panel and the light emitted by the display panel sequentially pass through the first phase retarder and the light splitting element. According to the technical solution of the present disclosure, the accuracy of detecting ambient light may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei Chen, Lei Yu
  • Patent number: 10705313
    Abstract: A system and related method and assembly are disclosed. The system comprises one or more optical fibers configured to propagate one or more optical signals. The system further comprises at least a first cylindrical lens element fixedly connected with the one or more optical fibers and configured to expand the one or more optical signals along a predefined dimension. The system further comprises at least a second cylindrical lens element optically coupled with the first cylindrical lens element and configured to condense the expanded one or more optical signals along the predefined dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vipulkumar Patel, Sean P. Anderson, Weizhuo Li
  • Patent number: 10690595
    Abstract: Various embodiments may provide an optical sensing device based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The optical sensing device may include an optical arrangement configured to provide a first polarization light beam and a second polarization light beam, and a first optical member including a sensing surface, the first optical member configured to receive the first and second polarization light beams and reflect the first and second polarization light beams at the sensing surface. The optical sensing device may further include a second optical member arranged to receive the reflected first and second polarization light beams from the first optical member and configured to separate the reflected first and second polarization light beams in a first direction and a second direction, respectively. The optical device may additionally include a detector arrangement configured to detect the reflected first and second polarization light beams from the second optical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Chi Lok Wong, Malini Olivo
  • Patent number: 10670953
    Abstract: A light source device is provided with a blue laser emitting element, a red laser emitting element, a phosphor, a polarization split element having a polarization split function with respect to blue light and red light, and a diffusion element. The blue light emitted from the blue laser emitting element enters the polarization split element to be split into a first blue polarization component and a second blue polarization component. The first blue polarization component enters the diffusion element to turn to blue diffused light. The phosphor is excited by the second blue polarization component to emit fluorescence, and the red light emitted from the red laser emitting element enters the diffusion element to be diffusely transmitted to turn to red diffused light. The blue diffused light, the red diffused light and a part of the fluorescence are combined with each other, and then emitted from the polarization split element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shoichi Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 10649321
    Abstract: A light source device is provided with a blue laser emitting element, a red laser emitting element, a light combining element, a diffusely reflecting element, a phosphor, a polarization splitting/combining element having a polarization split function, and a first wave plate. The polarization splitting/combining element guides a blue first polarization component obtained by performing polarization split on the light from the blue laser emitting element, and the light from the red laser emitting element to the diffusely reflecting element, and guides a blue second polarization component obtained by performing polarization split on the light from the blue laser emitting element to the phosphor. Then, the polarization splitting/combining element emits red diffused light, blue diffused light, a red polarization split component, and a principal fluorescence component obtained by removing the first red fluorescence component from fluorescence in one direction to thereby generate illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 10634983
    Abstract: A light source apparatus includes a plurality of semiconductor lasers arranged on a substrate along a first direction, a rod integrator on which the plurality of light beams from the plurality of semiconductor lasers are incident, and a cylindrical lens so provided between the plurality of semiconductor lasers and the light incident end surface of the rod integrator as to cover the optical paths of the plurality of light beams. The plurality of semiconductor lasers include a first, second and third semiconductor laser. The center axis of each of the plurality of light beams intersects the first direction. A light emitting region of each of the semiconductor lasers has a lengthwise direction. The generatrix of the cylindrical lens is parallel to the lengthwise direction. First to third color light beams are combined with one another by the rod integrator, and the combined light exits out of the rod integrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 10627559
    Abstract: An artifact mitigation system includes a projector assembly, a set of imaging optics optically coupled to the projector assembly, and an eyepiece optically coupled to the set of imaging optics. The eyepiece includes an incoupling interface. The artifact mitigation system also includes an artifact prevention element disposed between the set of imaging optics and the eyepiece. The artifact prevention element includes a linear polarizer, a first quarter waveplate disposed adjacent the linear polarizer, and a color select component disposed adjacent the first quarter waveplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Curtis, Hui-Chuan Cheng, Paul M. Greco, William Hudson Welch, Eric C. Browy, Miller Schuck, Bradley Jay Sissom
  • Patent number: 10627710
    Abstract: A light source apparatus includes a blue laser light emitter, a red laser light emitter, a phosphor that produces yellow fluorescence, a first optical element that combines the yellow fluorescence with a second component of the blue laser light to produce first combined light containing a red component, a green component, and a blue component, a second optical element that reflects the red laser light, transmits a first polarized component in the red component, reflects a second polarized component in the red component, transmits the green component and the blue component, and combines the red laser light, the first polarized component, the green component, and the blue component with one another to produce second combined light, a retardation film provided at a downstream side of the second optical element, and a third optical element that combines part of third combined light with the second polarized component to produce illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 10620518
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a light source device including a blue laser emitting element configured to emit a blue laser beam, a red laser emitting element configured to emit a red laser beam, a phosphor excited by the blue laser beam to generate yellow fluorescence, a combiner configured to combine the yellow fluorescence and a part of the blue laser beam with each other to generate composite light, a polarization conversion element disposed in a posterior stage of the combiner, and a mirror disposed at a light emission side of the polarization conversion element to reflect the red laser beam, wherein the mirror is located at a position failing to overlap the composite light emitted from the polarization conversion element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 10591742
    Abstract: Polarizing beam splitters and systems incorporating such beam splitters are described. More specifically, polarizing beam splitters and systems with such beam splitters that incorporate multilayer optical films and reflect imaged light towards a viewer or viewing screen with high effective resolution are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Joseph C. Carls, Seong Taek Lee, Yeow Leng Teo, Kin Sheng Chan, Xiaohui Cheng
  • Patent number: 10594976
    Abstract: Systems and methods for wide field of view (FOV) image projection using a spatial light modulator (SLM) and a fast steering mirror (FSM) cooperatively managed by a projection sequence controller. The computer-implemented process determines projection regions within the FOV, creates sub-images of an input target image for each of the regions, and operates the SLM and FSM to time-division multiplex sequential projections of each of the sub-images and to direct each projection to a respective region in the FOV within an observer frame rate. The projection sequence controller determines the number projection regions within the FOV based on a projection frame time of the SLM (including a frame read-in time and a modulation time), a mirror steering time of the FSM, and the observer frame rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventor: Joshua Lentz
  • Patent number: 10578780
    Abstract: A transparent panel is provided. The transparent panel includes a polarization plate, a transparent diffusion plate which is disposed on one side of the polarization plate and is configured to transmit light incident from a side of the polarization plate and to reflect and diffuse a light incident from an opposite side of the polarization plate, a ¼ wavelength plate which is disposed on one side of the transparent diffusion plate and is configured to convert a polarization direction of an incident light, and a lens part which is disposed on one side of the ¼ wavelength plate. The lens part includes a lens array comprising a birefringent material having different refractive indexes according to a polarization direction of an incident light, and a refractive index alignment member configured to transmit or refract the light according to a polarization direction of a light that penetrates the lens array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Seoul National University R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Young-yoon Lee, Jonghyun Kim, Byoungho Lee, Jong-Young Hong, Seokil Moon, Chanhyung Yoo
  • Patent number: 10571790
    Abstract: An illumination device includes: an excitation light source that emits excitation light having a first wavelength; and a fluorescent member that includes a fluorescent substance that, when it is irradiated with the excitation light, emits light having a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength, transmits a part of the excitation light and reflects another part of the excitation light, and a first reflective film provided at a side of the fluorescent substance, which is opposite to an excitation light incidence side, the fluorescent member emitting multiplexed light including an excitation light component reflected from the fluorescent substance and the first reflective film and a light component emitted from the fluorescent substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Kita
  • Patent number: 10569282
    Abstract: A light source module for microparticles sorting performed in a light-induced dielectrophoresis chip is provided, which includes a light emitting element, a control unit and a light converting unit. The light emitting element is configured to generate and emit light. The control unit is configured to generate a driving signal based on image data. The Light converting unit is coupled to the control unit, and is configured to convert the light into a light pattern based on the driving signal. A luminous exitance of the light converting unit is between 9×104 lux and 1.2×105 lux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: TECHTRON TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hung-Wei Wu, Cheng-Yuan Hung, Chang-Sin Ye
  • Patent number: 10571090
    Abstract: An automotive headlight includes: a light source for emitting light; a polarization beam splitter for receiving a light flux from the light source, and dividing the light flux into a first polarization and a second polarization; a liquid crystal element disposed to receive the first polarization and the second polarization, divided by the polarization beam splitter; a phase shifter disposed on optical axis of one of the first polarization and the second polarization, and aligning polarization axis directions of the first polarization and the second polarization; and an output side polarizer disposed on output side of the liquid crystal element, wherein illumination regions corresponding to respective control electrodes in the liquid crystal element can be controlled to shield light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Toko, Ryotaro Owada, Yoshifumi Takao
  • Patent number: 10571692
    Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) includes a field curvature corrected (FC) display to mitigate field curvature in an image that is output to a user's eyes. The FC display includes elements that generate the image light and elements to mitigate field curvature from the image light. The FC display may include a display panel with lenses, a display panel with a reflective polarizer and reflective surface, or other optical elements. The FC display may include a pancake lens configuration including a polarized display with a quarter wave plate, a reflective mirror, and a polarization reflective mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Jacques Gollier, Stephen James McNally, Brett Joseph Bryars, Scott Charles McEldowney
  • Patent number: 10558066
    Abstract: A vehicular sun visor includes a light shielding unit having a plurality of liquid crystal panels each of which enables a transmittance to be changed, and a sensor unit. The sensor unit includes a housing having a front wall part and a rear wall part, a pinhole formed on the front wall part, and a plurality of light receiving elements that are provided on the rear wall part and adapted to receive light passing through the pinhole. The plurality of liquid crystal panels are adapted to change a light transmittance based on light-receiving states of the plurality of light receiving elements each of which is associated with each of the liquid crystal panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keita Ishizaka
  • Patent number: 10542241
    Abstract: A polarization separation element that separates a light emitted from a first light emitting device into a light having first polarization in a first wavelength range and a light having second polarization in the first wavelength range, a wavelength conversion element converts the light into a light in a second wavelength range, a first light modulation device modulates the entering light according to image information, an optical element that separates the light in the second wavelength range into a light in a third wavelength range and a light in a fourth wavelength range, a second light modulation device that modulates the light according to the image information, a third light modulation device that modulates the light according to the image information, and a projection system that projects an image light are provided, wherein the wavelength conversion element has a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryuta Koizumi
  • Patent number: 10533845
    Abstract: A measuring device for measuring an object includes a controller, a projector, an imaging unit, and a processor, the controller controls the projector and the imaging unit to start projection and imaging in a second condition after starting projection and imaging in a first condition, and to start imaging in the second condition with a time interval of an integer multiple of a period of intensity of light other than a pattern of light from an imaging start time in the first condition, and the processor obtains intersection point positions of gradation values between image data obtained at the same imaging time in each condition among image data obtained at each imaging time in the first condition and image data obtained at each imaging time in the second condition, and calculates the shape information based on the obtained intersection point positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Seki
  • Patent number: 10520727
    Abstract: A holographic display apparatus includes a spatial light modulator configured to generate hologram patterns to modulate light; an illuminator configured to emit the light to the spatial light modulator; and a controller configured to control operations of the spatial light modulator and the illuminator, the spatial light modulator being configured to generate, from among the hologram patterns, a first hologram pattern and a second hologram pattern according to the control operations of the controller, the first hologram pattern and the second hologram pattern being configured to form a first hologram image and a second hologram image having different viewpoints, and the controller being configured to set a first phase modulation value of the first hologram pattern and a second phase modulation value of the second hologram pattern to be different from each other such that hologram images having different viewpoints are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jungkwuen An, Geeyoung Sung, Sunil Kim, Hongseok Lee, Chilsung Choi
  • Patent number: 10502970
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a display device comprises a light modulating element which transmits or reflects incident light, a display unit which emits display light toward the light modulating element, and a retroreflective element which retroreflects the display light reflected from the light modulating element, the light modulating element including an inner surface on a side opposed to the display unit and the retroreflective element, and an outer surface on a side opposite to the inner surface, the light modulating element includes a first mode of transmitting light incident from the outer surface at a first transmittance, and a second mode of transmitting the light incident from the outer surface at a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Takeo Koito, Yudai Numata
  • Patent number: 10497137
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method of compensating temperature shifts of a structured light pattern for a depth imaging system. In some embodiments, a depth imaging device includes a light source, an imaging sensor and a processor. The light source emits light corresponding to a pattern. A temperature drift of the light source can cause a shift of the pattern. The imaging sensor receives the light reflected by environment in front of the depth imaging device and generates a depth map including a plurality of pixel values corresponding to depths of the environment relative to the depth imaging device. The processor estimates the shift of the pattern based on a polynomial model depending on the temperature drift of the light source. The processor further adjusts the depth map based on the shift of the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jian Zhao, Raymond Kirk Price, Michael Bleyer, Denis Demandolx
  • Patent number: 10481311
    Abstract: Provided are a transparent film that allows scenery to be observed without color unevenness in a state where light is not irradiated, a transparent screen and an image display system including the transparent film, and a transparent poster. The transparent film includes: a support; a dot array that is formed on one surface of the support and in which dots obtained by immobilizing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase are two-dimensionally arranged; and an overcoat layer that covers the dots and is laminated on the support, in which areas of the dots and distances between the dots are made to be irregular. As a result, the object is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Yanai, Michio Nagai, Akira Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10481473
    Abstract: An image projection apparatus includes a first light modulation element configured to modulate first light from a light source and to generate second light, a second light modulation element configured to modulate second light, an imaging optical system configured to image the second light on the second light modulation element and disposed on an optical path from the first light modulation element to the second light modulation element. The image projection apparatus is configured to project an image formed by light from the second light modulation element onto a projection surface and satisfies a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 10474022
    Abstract: An illuminator includes a light source apparatus that outputs first light containing a first polarized light component, an afocal system that includes a first lens and a second lens so arranged that optical axis directions thereof coincide with each other and reduces the light flux diameter of the first light, a polarization adjusting element that converts the first light, while transmitting the first light, into second light containing the first polarized light component and a second polarized light component the polarization direction of which is perpendicular to the polarization direction of the first polarized light component, and a polarization separation element that separates the second light into light formed of the first polarized light component and light formed of the second polarized light component. The polarization adjusting element is located between the first lens and the second lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 10466395
    Abstract: A system such as a vehicle system, building, or electrical equipment may be provided with one or more optical components. The optical components may include a near-infrared camera or other components that operate at near-infrared wavelengths. A visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer may overlap the optical component. This overlapping layer may have first and second index-matched layers and an interposed textured layer. The textured layer may be a thin-film interference filter or other coating that is configured to reflect visible light while transmitting infrared light. The transmitted infrared light may pass to the optical component with minimal wavefront distortion due to the index matching of the first and second layers. The texture of the textured layer may cause visible light to reflect diffusely and thereby provide the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer with a matte appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Malcolm J. Northcott, Matthew E. Last, Irene Perali, Bradford J. Zercoe
  • Patent number: 10466184
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of providing image data for constructing an image of at least a region of a target object, comprising the steps of simultaneously recording, at a detector, a plurality of separable diffraction patterns formed by a respective portion of radiation scattered by the target object; and providing the image data via an iterative process responsive to the detected intensity of radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: PHASE FOCUS LIMITED
    Inventor: Andrew Maiden
  • Patent number: 10459329
    Abstract: A projection-type display apparatus includes a light source unit, reflection-type light modulation elements, a color combining unit, a color separation unit, and a filter. The light source unit is capable of emitting first color light, second color light, third color light, and near infrared light. A first polarization separation unit receives the first color light, and a second polarization separation unit receives the second color light and the third color light. The color separation unit guides near infrared light to the first polarization separation unit, and the color combining unit guides the near infrared light from the first polarization separation unit to color combining unit. The projection-type display apparatus can be switched between a first mode in which a first region of the filter unit is inserted into the light path and a second mode in which a second region of the filter unit is inserted to the light path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shun Miura, Yuuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 10459240
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a time-multiplexed stereoscopic 3d projection system wherein the image-beam from a digital cinema projector is separated by a polarization beam-splitting element into one primary image-beam possessing a first state of polarization and at least one secondary image-beam possessing a second state of polarization. Polarization modulators are provided in order to modulate the polarization state for each of said primary and secondary image-beams thereof and arranged so that all left-eye images possess a first modulated state of polarization and all right-eye images possess a second modulated state of polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Volfoni R&D
    Inventor: Stephen Palmer
  • Patent number: 10452138
    Abstract: An eye tracker characterization system comprising a scanning retinal imaging unit and a controller. The scanning retinal imaging unit characterizes eye tracking information determined by an eye tracking unit under test. The scanning retinal imaging unit includes a scanning optics assembly and a detector. The scanning optics assembly scans light in a first band across a retinal region of an eye of a user. The detector detects the scanned light reflected from the retinal region. The controller selects eye tracking information received from the eye tracking unit under test and corresponding eye tracking parameters received from the scanning retinal imaging unit. The controller calculates differences between the selected eye tracking information and the corresponding selected eye tracking parameters, and characterizes the selected eye tracking information based on the calculated differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Sharma, Nicholas Daniel Trail, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 10444525
    Abstract: A method for producing an optical wedge or prism assembly, including identifying a first prism wedge and a second prism wedge, wherein the first prism wedge includes at least one wedge surface and wherein the second prism wedge includes a wedge surface; indexing the first prism wedge and the second prism wedge such that wedge surfaces of the first prism wedge and the second prism wedge are adjacent to one another; applying an adhesive to adjacent wedge surfaces of the aligned prism wedges; manipulating at least one of the prism wedges relative to the other prism wedge to obtain a desired angle between the outer surfaces of the prism wedges; and allowing the adhesive to cure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Inventor: John L. Baker
  • Patent number: 10425516
    Abstract: An iPhone LED projector device that projects a large image from an iPhone onto a nearby wall or screen, where the LED projector is built into a housing for the iPhone, where the iPhone is attached via a lightning connector, where the LED projector device is about the same size as an iPhone and encloses the iPhone in a case, where the LED projector has a removable rechargeable lithium ion battery, an A/C power unit, wherein the LED projector includes external controls on one or more outer surfaces of the housing, wherein the LED projector is able to project an image approximately 100? in size diagonal dimension, and wherein the LED projector includes an audio Bluetooth connection for connecting to an external audio unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Inventor: Yonatan Zike Zenebe
  • Patent number: 10403180
    Abstract: The examples relate to implementations of an apparatus and a luminaire that use isolated display and lighting portions and optical passages for backlit general illumination through the display. The apparatus includes a general illumination light source, an optical coupling, and an optical array. A luminaire includes the apparatus and a display light board. The display light board may include display light emitters and transparent regions. The transparent regions enable general illumination light to pass through the display light board. The general illumination light source outputs general illumination light that is directed by the optical coupling toward the optical array. The optical array has optical passages and optical array supports. The optical array supports frame the display light emitters and the optical passages channel the directed general illumination light from the optical coupling around display light emitters framed near the optical array supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Ravi Kumar Komanduri, An Mao
  • Patent number: 10386557
    Abstract: An optical element includes a substrate, a plurality of reflection layers disposed on one side of the substrate, an absorbing layer disposed on a side of the reflection layers that is opposite to the substrate, and an oxide film that covers the absorbing layer and portions between any two adjacent reflection layers. The reflection layers are arranged in a striped manner in plan view. The oxide film is made of an oxide of a material contained in the absorbing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitomo Kumai
  • Patent number: 10345610
    Abstract: Polarizing beam splitters and systems incorporating such beam splitters are described. More specifically, polarizing beam splitters and systems with such beam splitters that incorporate multilayer optical films and reflect imaged light towards a viewer or viewing screen with high effective resolution are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Joseph C. Carls, Seong Taek Lee, Yeow Leng Teo, Kin Sheng Chan, Xiaohui Cheng
  • Patent number: 10321108
    Abstract: A projector which modulates light emitted from a solid light source by an optical modulator and projects an image includes, a division unit which divides first light beams forming the image, a diffusion plate which diffuses one of the first light beams divided by the division unit, a first sensor which receives the light beams diffused by the diffusion plate, a second sensor which receives second light beams having a full width at the half maximum of a spectrum different from the first light beams and forming the image, an adjustment unit which adjusts a ratio of the first light beams to the second light beams according to a detection result of the first sensor and a detection result of the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Iguchi, Takashi Toyooka
  • Patent number: 10278458
    Abstract: A display position of an image is moved in accordance with positional information of a display device having a curved display surface. Displacement of a display device is sensed by a camera portion and an acceleration sensor, and the display position is determined in accordance with the displacement, so that the image is displayed in the display position. In the case where the display device rotates and the like, a desired piece of information can be displayed automatically in a display region that can be easily seen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Tamaki, Tadaaki Maekoya
  • Patent number: 10247945
    Abstract: In a projection system, providing a stop that forms an opening that is symmetric with respect to a first flat plane including the projection system optical axis and a first axis that extends in parallel to the first direction and intersects the projection system optical axis but asymmetric with respect to a second flat surface including the projection system optical axis and a second axis that extends in parallel to the second direction and intersects the projection system optical axis allows appropriate light adjustment at the stop even when pencils of light from the points in a video device exit at different angles along a second direction, whereby high-quality video images can be provided with the size of an optical system further reduced and therefore the size of an overall virtual image display apparatus reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Takagi, Takahiro Totani, Takashi Takeda, Akira Komatsu, Toshiaki Miyao
  • Patent number: 10229482
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of projecting a portion of an image, which is to be projected on to a display area, with improved brightness, comprising the steps of, configuring a projector such that it projects over a portion of the display area, modifying a signal which defines the pixels of the image, to provide a signal which defines pixels of a portion of the image. The present invention further relates to a corresponding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: North Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas Abele, Lucio Kilcher
  • Patent number: 10175566
    Abstract: A light source device, an illumination device, and a projector which are capable of thinning a bundle of light beams while being low in a focal magnification ratio, and are small in size are to be provided. The light source device includes a first light source unit adapted to emit a first light beam, a second light source unit adapted to emit a bundle of light beams including a second light beam and a third light beam, a reduction optical system adapted to reduce the bundle of light beams, and a combining optical system adapted to combine the first light beam and the reduced bundle of light beams with each other. The combining optical system is provided with a light transmitting area and a light reflecting area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Matsubara, Koichi Akiyama, Noriyuki Hirano