Polarizer Or Interference Filter Patents (Class 353/20)
  • Publication number: 20140293231
    Abstract: There are disclosed a laser projector configured to project an image to a back side of a screen and to detect a touch input, comprising a light source configured to irradiate at least one of red, green and blue lights, an infrared light emitting device configured to emit an infrared light to the screen, a light synthesis system configured to synthesize image information comprising color information for each pixel with the light irradiated from the light source so as to emit the synthesized light, a scanner configured to project the synthesized light toward the screen for each pixel, a detector configured to detect an infrared light reflected by an object approaching the screen, and a controller configured to control operations of the light source, the infrared light emitting device and the scanner and to recognize touch input based on the information detected by the detector, such that the laser projector that may perform the projection of the image to the screen and the touch recognition simultaneously may b
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Chanyoung YOON, Jaewook KWON
  • Publication number: 20140293232
    Abstract: A light source device includes a light source, a first dichroic mirror, and a light emitting member. The light source is configured to emit blue light substantially polarized in a first direction. The first dichroic mirror is configured to reflect not less than 80% and not more than 90% of the blue light polarized in the first direction, and to transmit more than 10% and less than 20% of the blue light polarized in the first direction, in a wavelength band of blue light. The light emitting member is configured to emit light upon being excited by the blue light reflected by the first dichroic mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takaaki TANAKA
  • Patent number: 8845106
    Abstract: In addition to reflective light modulation devices, reflective polarization plates, a color combining optical device, and support bodies, a projector is provided with connection members fixed to the color combining optical device and for supporting the support bodies. Support positions of the support body by the connection members are disposed on the opposite side to the disposition position of the reflective light modulation device with respect to a plane including a polarization split surface of the reflective polarization plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Saegusa, Osamu Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 8840253
    Abstract: A light source apparatus includes: an excitation light source including a laser light source; a first wheel that is controlled to rotate, and includes, in a part of a surface thereof to be illuminated by excitation light emitted from the excitation light source, a phosphor layer to be excited by the excitation light; a dichroic mirror that guides fluorescence emitted from the phosphor layer of the first wheel and the excitation light to an illumination optical system; and a second wheel that is controlled to rotate, and includes a dichroic filter that transmits light having a desired wavelength component of each of the fluorescence and the excitation light output from the dichroic mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kitano
  • Publication number: 20140268063
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a light source that emits a first light flux of a first wavelength band, a fluorescence light emitting element including a phosphor layer which produces, when excited by light of the first wavelength band, light of a second wavelength band, a polarization separation element that has a polarization separation function for light of the first wavelength band and transmits or reflects light of the second wavelength band, a retardation film disposed in an optical path between the polarization separation element and the phosphor layer, a first reflector disposed in an optical path between the retardation film and the phosphor layer, and a second reflector that reflects the light produced by the phosphor layer. The first reflector reflects part of the first light flux toward the polarization separation element, and transmits the other part of the first light flux toward the phosphor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi AKIYAMA, Kiyoshi KUROI
  • Patent number: 8833944
    Abstract: A red image is displayed on liquid crystal panel (111) by lighting red light source (101) for a predetermined period. A green image is displayed on liquid crystal panel (112) by lighting green light source (102) for the predetermined period. A green image is displayed on liquid crystal panel (113) by lighting green light source (103) for the first of first and second periods provided by dividing the predetermined period with a predetermined ratio. A blue image is displayed on liquid crystal panel (113) by lighting blue light source (104) for the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Katou
  • Publication number: 20140253849
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to beamsplitters useful in color combiners, and in particular color combiners useful in small size format projectors such as pocket projectors. The disclosed beamsplitters and color combiners include a tilted dichroic reflective polarizer plate having at least two dichroic reflective polarizers tilted at different angles relative to incident light beams, with light collection optics to combine at least two colors of light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Yarn Chee Poon, Andrew J. Ouderkirk, Philip E. Watson, Xiaohui Cheng, Kim Leong Tan, Stephen J. Willett
  • Publication number: 20140253881
    Abstract: An excitation light synthesizing unit includes a polarization splitter film, first and second ¼ wavelength plates, and a reflection member. The polarization splitter film transmits excitation light that is P-polarized light while reflecting excitation light that is S-polarized light. First and second ¼ wavelength plates are arranged on the path along which first excitation light, which is directed toward the polarization splitter film, travels. The reflection member disposed between first and second ¼ wavelength plates. The reflection member reflects second excitation light incident via the polarization splitter film toward the polarization splitter film. The reflection member includes a hole formed to pass the first excitation light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventor: Akihiro Osaka
  • Patent number: 8827457
    Abstract: A projector includes: a plurality of reflection-type light modulation device which modulate a plurality of color light fluxes according to image information; a plurality of reflection-type polarizing plate; a color combining device; a projection lens that projects the combined color light from the color combining device; and a light-transmissive member that transmits a color light flux incident thereon, wherein the light-transmissive member is disposed only in an optical path between a first reflection-type polarizing plate, which is one of the plurality of reflection-type polarizing plate, and the color combining device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Yokoyama, Shinichi Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 8827459
    Abstract: An optical unit includes a light source that emits light to be projected onto a screen, one or a plurality of optical elements that controls a spread of a beam of light from the light source to the screen, a combining element that combines the light emitted from the light source, and a scanning element. The light source outputs an optical beam that will generate an elliptically shaped beam spot on the screen, the beam spot having a major axis substantially perpendicular to a scanning direction, and the light source is driven with pulse width modulation (PWM) so that one driven pulse corresponds to one beam spot on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mayumi Nagayoshi, Satoshi Ouchi, Tadayoshi Kosaka, Tomoki Kobori, Yoshiho Seo
  • Patent number: 8820968
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a wavelength conversion element can control a formation process of a polarization inversion structure with single crystalline magnesium-doped lithium niobate having a congruent composition, and can stably manufacture wavelength conversion elements having high conversion efficiency. The method involves forming periodic electrodes on the +z face of an MgLN substrate and forming an opposite electrode on the ?z face of the MgLN substrate; heat-treating the substrate after forming the periodic electrodes and the opposite electrode; and applying a pulsed electric field between the periodic electrodes and the opposite electrode while holding the MgLN substrate at a temperature of 100° C. or higher. The wavelength conversion element has a polarization inversion structure formed by applying an electric field to a heat-treated MgLN substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Furuya
  • Patent number: 8820937
    Abstract: An optical polarization state modulator assembly for use in a stereoscopic three-dimensional image projection system includes a spatial light modulator, a light source emitting multiple wavelength components of light for incidence on the spatial light modulator, and a projection lens. A polarization converter system cooperates with the spatial light modulator to produce in alternating sequence polarized light carrying first and second perspective view images of a scene in different ones of first and second subframes. A polarization modulator, in response to first and second drive signals, imparts to, respectively, the image-carrying polarized light a first output polarization state during the first subframe and to the image-carrying polarized light a second output polarization state during the second subframe. The image-carrying polarized light in the first and second output polarization states propagates through the projection lens for transmission to an observer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: LC-TEC Displays AB
    Inventors: Jesper Osterman, Terry J. Scheffer
  • Publication number: 20140240676
    Abstract: A method and system are presented directed to a light valve projector with a laser-phosphor light converter. The phosphor converter converts excitation light in order to provide light to a light valve projector. The phosphor converter reduces the étendue of laser-phosphor light sources using a light pipe integrator system. The light pipe integrator system includes a light pipe integrator configured to mix the excitation light and reduce the spot size of excitation light entering the system from, e.g., a laser array. The excitation light is imaged onto a phosphor as it exits the light pipe integrator. The phosphor emits fluorescent light, in response to being illuminated by the excitation light, that enters the light pipe integrator. The light pipe integrator reduces the emission angles of the fluorescent light while maintaining the étendue of the fluorescent light. The system and method may include a reflective polarizer to polarize the fluorescent light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: BARCO N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk L.A. Maes, Rik Defever, Bart Henri Johanna Maximus
  • Patent number: 8807755
    Abstract: The polarization beam splitting element is configured to reflect or transmit an entering beam according to its polarization direction. The element includes, in order from a beam entrance side, a base member having a light transmissive property, a first one-dimensional grating structure formed of a dielectric material and having, in a first direction, a first grating period smaller than a wavelength of the entering beam, and a second one-dimensional grating structure formed of a metal and having, in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a second grating period smaller than the wavelength of the entering beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Rie Ishimatsu
  • Patent number: 8807758
    Abstract: A light source unit is provided which includes a first light source which shines excitation light of a predetermined wavelength band; an optical path switching device which switches in a time-sharing fashion the light shone from the first light source into first light which is shone in a first direction and second light which is shone in a second direction; a light emitting plate on which a luminescent material layer is formed which emits luminescent light of a wavelength band which is different from that of the excitation light when receiving the second light; and a light guiding optical system which guides the first light and the luminescent light to the same optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20140226132
    Abstract: An illumination optical system is capable of changing a light beam diameter in one of first and second cross sections orthogonal to each other that include an optical axis, and includes a light source, a condenser lens that concentrates light from the light source, a first fly-eye lens including a first lens cell on which light concentrated by the condenser lens is incident, a second fly-eye lens including a second lens cell, a polarization conversion element that performs polarization conversion on light from the second fly-eye lens, and an image display element that displays an image based on light from the polarization conversion element, and widths of the image display element and a light emitting surface of the light source, widths of the first and second fly-eye lens, and change rates ? and ? of the light beam diameters are set within appropriate ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takehito KAWASUMI
  • Patent number: 8794764
    Abstract: Projection systems and methods for providing stereoscopic images viewed through passive polarizing eyewear. The systems relate to projectors that create left and right eye images simultaneously and often as side-by-side images on the image modulator. The systems act to superimpose the spatially separated images on a projection screen with alternate polarization states. The embodiments are best suited to liquid crystal polarization based projection systems and use advanced polarization control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: Miller H. Schuck, Michael G. Robinson, Douglas J. McKnight, Gary D. Sharp
  • Patent number: 8783873
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic image display and control system comprising in various embodiments a microdisplay video projector that projects a high quality color image from a non-CRT image source onto a diffused but transmissive optical projection screen that is optically coupled with and viewable through a biocular adapted to this purpose. Systems are disclosed that are adapted to be mechanically coupled with a user to prevent relative movement between the biocular and the user, for instance in tactical applications. Closed-loop control electronics are provided for automatically controlling the brightness and chromaticity of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Palomar Display Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Weinold, Richard O'Hara, Gary L. Timmerman, Jeffrey A. Kovell
  • Patent number: 8783875
    Abstract: A light compensation scheme, an optical machine device, a display system and a method for light compensation are disclosed herein. The light compensation scheme includes a detector for inspecting a data related to a luminous flux of each of different color beams, and a controller for selectively adjusting anytime a luminosity of at least one of a plurality of pointolites and/or the transmittances of at least one part of liquid crystals disposed within a liquid crystal display panel, based on the inspected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Genesys Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Nei-Chiung Perng, Chih-nan Wei, Po-Yao Chuang
  • Patent number: 8777416
    Abstract: The polarization beam splitting element splits an entering beam according to polarization directions. The element includes, in order from a beam entrance side, an entrance side multi-layered film layer constituted by laminated multiple dielectric films, and a one-dimensional grating structure having a grating period smaller than a wavelength of the entering beam and formed of a metal. When a medium existing on the beam entrance side further than the entrance side multi-layered film layer is referred to as an entrance medium, the multiple dielectric films constituting the entrance side multi-layered film layer include at least one dielectric film having a higher refractive index than that of the entrance medium and at least one dielectric film having a lower refractive index than that of the entrance medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Rie Ishimatsu
  • Publication number: 20140192329
    Abstract: An apparatus for projecting a spatial image in which the spatial image with a background is projected into a space through a projection unit is discussed. The apparatus according to an embodiment includes a receiving unit to receive a spatial image and a background image, a display unit to display the spatial image and the background image and to project light, a control unit to control the display unit to display the spatial image and the background image, and a spatial image projection unit to project the spatial image and the background image by transmitting or reflecting the light. Thus, a spatial image may be viewed from every direction, and the spatial image may be projected to different positions according to images and a background image may be displayed at the same time. In addition, a user may perform interaction such as reaching of hands into the projected image, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicants: Kwangwoon University Industry-Academic Collaboration Foundation, LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sungchul SHIN, Eunsoo KIM, Seungcheol KIM, Bolam KIM
  • Patent number: 8773336
    Abstract: Illumination devices and related systems and methods are closed that can be used for LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) backlights, LED lamps, or other applications. The illumination devices can include a photo detector, such as a photodiode or an LED or other light detecting device, and one or more LEDs of different colors. A related method can be implemented using these illumination devices to maintain precise color produced by the blended emissions from such LEDs. One application for the illumination devices is backlighting for FSC (Field Sequential Color) LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays). FSC LCDs temporally mix the colors in an image by sequentially loading the red, green, and blue pixel data of an image in the panel and flashing the different colors of an RGB backlight. Precise and uniform color temperature across such a display can be advantageously maintained by continually monitoring ratios of photodiode currents induced by the different colored LEDs in each illumination device as each color is flashed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ketra, Inc.
    Inventor: David J. Knapp
  • Patent number: 8770760
    Abstract: The rotation axis of each mirror of a DMD (4) defines an angle of 45° with respect to long and short sides of a rectangular image display area. A polarization conversion optical system (24) makes a polarization direction of light from a light source (1) arranged in one direction and projects the arranged light, and after total reflection from the critical surface (31b) of a TIR prism (3), the light is guided to the DMD (4). When the incident surface of the critical surface (31b) and the mirror incident surface of the DMD (4) are in parallel with each other, a PBS prism array of the polarization conversion optical system (24) carries out the polarization and separation of the light from the light source (1) in a direction corresponding to the long side direction of the image display area of the DMD (4) in the case of the separation of the light from the light source (1) into two linear polarizations having different polarization directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventor: Yasumasa Sawai
  • Patent number: 8764198
    Abstract: A projection system including an illumination unit, a polarization conversion unit, a light valve, a projection lens, and a polarizing beam split (PBS) element is provided. The polarization conversion unit includes a V-shaped PBS element, a wave plate, and two reflective surfaces. The V-shaped PBS element includes a first PBS portion and a second PBS portion. The first PBS portion is adapted to be passed through by a first partial beam with a first polarization direction and reflect a second partial beam with a second polarization direction. The second PBS portion is adapted to be passed through by a third partial beam with the first polarization direction and reflect a fourth partial beam with the second polarization direction. The wave plate is disposed in the transmission paths of the first partial beam and the third partial beam. The reflective surfaces are located at opposite sides of the V-shaped PBS element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignees: Himax Display, Inc., Himax Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Chun-Min Chen, Ho-Chi Huang, Teng-Kuei Wu
  • Patent number: 8764197
    Abstract: In a polarization conversion element including a plurality of light transmitting substrates and an optical element that includes polarization splitting films and reflective films that are alternately disposed between the light transmitting substrates, and a laminated wave plate that is arranged on the light outgoing face of the optical element and rotates the polarization plane of light emitted from the optical element by ?, a laminated wave plate is acquired by stacking a first wave plate of a phase difference ?1 for light of a wavelength ? and a second wave plate of a phase difference of ?2 such that the optical axes thereof intersect each other, the relationship is “|?1??2|=180 (degrees), and the azimuth of the optical axis of the first wave plate and the azimuth of the optical axis of the second wave plate are perpendicular to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shuho Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20140176818
    Abstract: Polarizing beam splitters and systems incorporating such beam splitters are described. More specifically, hybrid polarizing beam splitters and systems with such beam splitters that incorporate polymeric reflective polarizers aligned with MacNeille or wire grid reflective polarizers are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Philip E. Watson, Yarn Chee Poon, Andrew J. Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 8757806
    Abstract: Proposed are various embodiments of projection systems that generally provide stereoscopic images. The projection systems act to split a spatially separated image in a stereoscopic image frame and superimpose the left- and right-eye images on a projection screen with orthogonal polarization states. The embodiments are generally well suited to liquid crystal polarization based projection systems and may use advanced polarization control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: Miller H. Schuck, Michael G. Robinson, Douglas J. McKnight, Gary D. Sharp
  • Publication number: 20140168493
    Abstract: A camera device includes a lens module and a birefringent sapphire lens. The sapphire lens is coupled to the lens module as a light window to protect the lens module. The sapphire lens has a crystal structure and a crystal axis. The crystal structure is a single-crystal structure and the crystal axis is one of c-axis (0001), a-axis [including (1 210), (11 20), (2 110), ( 1120), ( 2110) and ( 12 10)], m-axis [including ( 1010), ( 1100), (01 10), (10 10), (1 100), and (0 110)], and r-axis [including (10 11), ( 101 1), (01 11), (0 111), (1 10 1) and r-axis ( 1101)].
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: TERA XTAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei-Hsiang Wang, Chen-Hui Wu
  • Patent number: 8746890
    Abstract: The polarization beam splitting element includes a one-dimensional grating structure having a grating period smaller than a wavelength of an entering beam and including a metal grating portion, and two light-transmissive members each having a refractive index higher than that of air. The one-dimensional grating structure is disposed between the two light-transmissive members. The grating period of the one-dimensional grating structure is 120 nm or less, a thickness of the one-dimensional grating structure is 100 nm or less and an inter-grating portion of the one-dimensional grating structure is formed as a vacuum space or formed of air or a dielectric material. The grating period ? [nm], a filling factor FF that is a ratio w/? of a width w [nm] of the grating portion to the grating period, a refractive index na of the inter-grating portion and a wavelength ?g of 550 [nm] satisfy (1.4na?2.9)?/?g?0.57na+1.32?FF?(1.4na?2.9)?/?g?0.57na+1.39 and 0.152np?1.375(?/?g)+0.5?FF?0.152np?1.375(?/?g)+0.6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Rie Ishimatsu
  • Patent number: 8746899
    Abstract: A light emitting apparatus includes a first rod integrator and a second rod integrator supported by a support substrate and a light emitting device disposed between the first rod integrator and the second rod integrator. The light emitting device emits a plurality of light beams to be incident on the first rod integrator and a plurality of light beams to be incident on the second rod integrator. Each of the rod integrators has a light incident surface on which the plurality of light beams are incident, a bent portion that changes the propagating direction of the plurality of incident light beams, and a light exiting surface through which the plurality of light beams mixed with each other exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kaseya
  • Publication number: 20140152962
    Abstract: A projection type display apparatus including a light source, a display element, an illumination optical system and a projection lens to project a magnified image of the optical image. The illumination optical system includes a first array lens and a second array lens, each includes a plurality of lens elements arranged in a matrix, each of the lens elements having a rectangular opening, and a polarization conversion element having polarization conversion function by use of a plurality of polarized beam splitters and a plurality of half-wave phase plates, arranged in an array and opposing to the lens elements of the second array lens, to emit predetermined polarized light. The light source includes a light emitting plane of a rectangle or an ellipse shape, a longitudinal direction of the light emitting plane being parallel to a longitudinal direction of each opening of the polarization conversion element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Nobuyuki KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20140152961
    Abstract: A laser module includes a first laser light source, a second laser light source, and a third laser light source. Laser beams of the laser light sources are combinable into an overall laser beam. The laser beam of the first laser light source and the laser beam of the second laser light source have a first polarization, and the laser beam of the third laser light source has a second polarization. The laser beams of the first and the third laser light sources are coupled into the overall laser beam with the aid of mirror devices. The laser beam of the second laser light source is split, the polarization of the laser beam of the second laser light source being changed from the first polarization to the second polarization in a splitting path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Gael PILARD
  • Patent number: 8740388
    Abstract: A light source apparatus includes: a light source that emits blue component light; a polarization adjuster that adjusts a polarization state of the blue component light emitted from the light source; a separation optical element that separates the blue component light emitted from the light source into a first optical path and a second optical path according to the polarization state adjusted by the polarization adjuster, the first optical path being for using the blue component light as excitation light, the second optical path being for using the blue component light as reference image light; a luminous body provided on the first optical path and that emits reference image light in response to the excitation light; and a combine optical element that combines the first optical path and the second optical path into a single optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiro Okuda, Shinya Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8733940
    Abstract: A light source device has: a light source unit including solid-state light sources emitting blue-color light and a condensing lens; a dichroic mirror polarization separating color light into first and second polarization components; a fluorescence emission plate excited with the first polarization component, emitting fluorescence of green and red components to enter the dichroic mirror; a first retardation plate converting the second polarization component to a circularly polarized light; and a reflection plate reflecting a light passed through the first retardation plate to reenter the same. The color lights from the fluorescence emission plate and the first retardation plate are combined at the dichroic mirror. A second retardation plate converts the polarization direction of the light from the light source unit, so as to control the ratio of p-polarization and s-polarization components. Lights from solid-state light sources are condensed efficiently and a high spectrum-utilization factor is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Tanaka, Hiroshi Kitano
  • Patent number: 8733953
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a light source which is configured to emit a light, a first light modulation unit which is configured modulate the light emitted from said light source, a first drive unit which is configured to drive said first light modulation unit, a projection unit, which is configured to project the light from said first light modulation unit enlargedly, a second light modulation unit, which is configured to modulate the light emitted from said projection unit so as to be emitted to an observer side, a second drive unit which is configured to drive said second light modulation unit, and an optical direction conversion unit, which is configured to convert the light from said projection unit so that the light is incident upon an incident surface of said second light modulation unit in a direction approximately perpendicular thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Takanori Hisada, Hidehiro Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20140139808
    Abstract: A projection device for increasing light-transmitting efficiency includes a light-emitting unit, a light-guiding unit, an image display module and an image projection unit. The light-emitting unit includes a first light-emitting module for generating a first predetermined light source, a second light-emitting module for generating a second predetermined light source, and a third light-emitting module for generating a third predetermined light source. The light-guiding unit includes at least one photonic crystal fiber structure having a first light input terminal for receiving the first predetermined light source, a second light input terminal for receiving the second predetermined light source, a third light input terminal for receiving the third predetermined light source, and a light output terminal. The image display module is corresponding and adjacent to the light output terminal. The image projection unit includes at least one projection lens corresponding and adjacent to the image display module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: AZUREWAVE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: CHENG-JUNG CHUNG, SHENG-CHUN HSU, CHUN-HSIANG WANG, LU-HSING LIAO
  • Publication number: 20140139809
    Abstract: An optical element that can reduce the etendue of emitted light emitted from the optical element without having depend on the etendue of light-emitting elements is provided with a plasmon-excitation layer that is interposed between two layers having dielectric properties wherein, taking the plasmon-excitation layer as a border, the effective dielectric constant of the emission-side portion that is the emission layer side is higher than the effective dielectric constant of the incident-side portion that is the side of a carrier-generating layer, and the dielectric constant between the plasmon-excitation layer and the carrier-generating layer is higher than the dielectric constant between the carrier-generating layer and the light-incident surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Masanao Natsumeda, Masao Imai, Naofumi Suzuki, Mizuho Tomiyama, Shin Tominaga, Yuji Ohno
  • Patent number: 8727536
    Abstract: A polarization conversion system separates light from an unpolarized image source into a first state of polarization (SOP) and an orthogonal second SOP, and directs the polarized light on first and second light paths. The SOP of light on only one of the light paths is transformed to an orthogonal state such that both light paths have the same SOP. A polarization modulator temporally modulates the light on the first and second light paths to first and second output states of polarization. First and second projection lenses direct light on the first and second light paths toward a projection screen to form substantially overlapping polarization encoded images. The polarization modulator may be located before or after the projection lenses. The polarization-encoded images may be viewed using eyewear with appropriate polarization filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: Miller H. Schuck, Michael G. Robinson, Gary D. Sharp
  • Patent number: 8727537
    Abstract: An image projection apparatus guides light from a light source to a first and a second image modulation elements and projects light modulated by the first and second image modulation elements towards an image plane. A first color separation element reflects first linearly polarized light of a first color light so as to guide the first linearly polarized light to the first image modulation element side, transmits second linearly polarized light of the first color light so as to guide the second linearly polarized light to the second image modulation element side, and reflects or transmits both of the first and second linearly polarized light of a second color light so as to guide both of the first and second linearly polarized light of the second color light to the second image modulation element side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuuki Maeda, Yu Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 8721083
    Abstract: A stereoscopic projection system includes an optical engine, a relay lens group, a polarization conversion system and two identical projection lenses. The optical engine is used for outputting a non-polarized image light. The non-polarized image light is imaged into the polarization conversion system through the relay lens group to produce an intermediate image. The polarization conversion system includes a polarization beam splitter, a polarization rotating element and a polarization switch. The polarization beam splitter is used for splitting the non-polarized image light into a first-state first polarized beam and a second-state second polarized beam, which have the same total optical length. By the polarization switch, the first output polarized beam and the second output polarized beam are alternately switched between the first state and the second state. The projection lenses are located in the first optical path and the second optical path for projecting the intermediate image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: June-Jei Huang
  • Patent number: 8714745
    Abstract: A color splitter and combiner system includes a first transparent member located on an optical path between a first polarization beam splitter and an optical path combiner, and a second transparent member located on an optical path between a second polarization beam splitter and an optical path combiner. 0.05 (mm)<|t1/?1?t2/?2|<1.00 (mm) is met, where t1 is a thickness of the first transparent member, t2 is a thickness of the second transparent member, ?1 is an Abbe number of a material of the first transparent member, and ?2 is an Abbe number of a material of the second transparent member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Inoko
  • Patent number: 8708500
    Abstract: A projection device capable of effectively performing the light utilization is disclosed, particularly comprising polarized beam components and reflective components regarded for controlling polarizing of light, reducing light missing during light transferring from a light source to a projection lens set, increase light utilization efficiency, wherein the polarizing beam components are regarded for separating the light into two orthogonal polarization waves; the present invention further comprises two modulated diaphragms regarded for controlling the strength of said two orthogonal polarization waves, equaling brightness of the polarization waves at final vision, keeping a good quality in final vision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Cheng-Huan Chen, Sheng-Hsun Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8708499
    Abstract: An illuminating device includes: light source (101); light guiding means (102) where light from light (101) is supplied to one end surface, and light incident from the one end surface is propagated inside to exit from the other end surface; illuminating optical systems (103 to 107) that form an optical image formed on the other end surface of light guiding means (102) on display element (22); reflective polarizing plate (109) that is located between illuminating optical systems (103 to 107) and display element (12), and transmits first polarized light while reflecting second polarized light whose polarized state is different from the first polarized light toward illuminating optical systems (103 to 107); phase plate (108) located between light guiding means (102) and reflective polarizing plate (109); and reflecting means (21) that is located on a side opposite the one end surface of light guiding means (102), and reflects, among lights by reflective polarizing plate (109), light incident via phase plate (108
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Katou
  • Publication number: 20140104578
    Abstract: A laser projection system including one or more pluralities of laser sources, each plurality of laser sources emitting light having substantially a different predetermined wavelength in the visible range, a fiber optic laser beam combiner combining outputs of at least one of the pluralities of laser sources into one optical fiber, a fiber-optic delivery component coupled to the one optical fiber and one or more spatial light modulators, and one or more homogenizing optical elements, and one or more optical lens system for projecting the associated images on a screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: Nicholas Madamopoulos, Fotini Papageorgiou
  • Patent number: 8696134
    Abstract: A depolarization element includes high depolarization for light beams having coherence and plural wavelengths and also provides a projection type display device capable of reducing speckle noise. Unit regions, each formed of m regions (m?4) having different phase differences generated for incident light, are disposed, and two regions extracted from the m regions have at least one combination of regions being different in area. When plural light beams having different wavelengths are incident, the composition of the Stokes vectors of the light beams emitted from the respective m regions is made nearly zero by setting the areas of the respective m regions and the generated phase differences, whereby the light beams having coherence and plural wavelengths can be converted so as to have the polarization state of natural light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Murakawa, Atsushi Koyanagi
  • Patent number: 8696129
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for producing a color-corrected stereoscopic film for three-dimensional (3D) projection. Based on color measurements performed with different optical configurations of a projection system, at least one dye density adjustment can be determined for reducing discoloration in projected stereoscopic images that arises from one or more optical components in the projection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Joshua Pines, William Gibbens Redmann, Mark J Huber
  • Patent number: 8696165
    Abstract: A dynamic mask adapted to an illumination system is provided. The illumination system includes at least one light source capable of emitting an illumination beam. The dynamic mask includes a board disposed in a transmission path of the illumination beam for adjusting a luminous flux of the illumination beam. The board has at least one strip-shaped opening. The strip-shaped opening has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The strip-shaped opening is mirror-symmetric with respect to a symmetrical axis, and the symmetrical axis is a straight line extending from the first end to the second end. A width of the strip-shaped opening increases from the first end to the second end, and the board is capable of moving along a direction parallel to the symmetrical axis. An illumination system using the dynamic mask is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Chuan-Te Cheng, Hui-Chen Lin
  • Patent number: 8696135
    Abstract: A projector has at least four primary color components controlled to produce a metameric effect image which is not perceptible to the human optical system and is perceptible to a video recording device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Youngshik Yoon, Pascal Bourdon, Laurent Blondé, Didier Doyen
  • Patent number: 8696131
    Abstract: A polarization element includes: a substrate; and a plurality of grid sections arranged on the substrate, wherein the grid sections each have protruding sections and recessed sections alternately arranged in a longitudinal direction of the grid sections at a pitch shorter than a wavelength of incident light, in the plurality of grid sections, the arrangement pitch P of the protruding sections is the same, and a proportion (D=L/P) of a length L of the protruding section to the arrangement pitch P of the protruding sections is the same, and a height of the protruding sections is different between the grid sections adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Sawaki
  • Patent number: 8696132
    Abstract: An image display system includes: display unit (13) for spatially combining a first polarized image generated by first polarized light and a second polarized image generated by second polarized light having a polarized light component different from that of the first polarized light and displaying a combined polarized image; display control unit (1) for causing display unit (13) to multiplex-display a plurality of different images in a time division manner concerning each of the first and second polarized images; and optical shutter (14) that selectively transmits only a polarized image corresponding to a selected image arbitrarily selected from among the plurality of different images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Imai, Junichirou Ishii, Fujio Okumura