Convertible To Developed Image Projector Or Viewer Patents (Class 396/430)
  • Patent number: 9557634
    Abstract: A single-lens two-channel reflector provides the capability to switch between two-dimensional and three-dimensional imaging. The reflector includes displaceable outward reflectors and displaceable inward reflectors that can simultaneously provide left and right images of a scene to an imager, and controllers for controlling relative distance between the outward and the inward reflectors, and for controlling deflection angle of the inward reflectors, so as to enable the adjustment of disparity and convergence angle. Imaging systems and methods utilize the single-lens two-channel reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: AMCHAEL VISUAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kai Michael Cheng
  • Patent number: 8620151
    Abstract: This invention provides compact photographic and projection modules and electronic systems having the photographic and projection modules, which not only can project image data but also can capture image with good image quality high zoom ratio. Additionally, the photographic and projection modules are reliable and able to be made with low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Ability Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Yi Lu, Chao-Han Pao, Hsiang-Ho Chou
  • Patent number: 8498532
    Abstract: A digital camera equipped with a projector, includes a photographing device; a projector device that projects an optical image; a mode switching operation member that outputs a switching operation signal indicating a changeover to one of a photographing operation mode in which image data photographed by the photographing device are saved as a photographic image file in a recording medium and a projection operation mode in which a reproduced image is projected by the projector device; a top surface operation member disposed at an upper surface of a casing; and a projection control device that controls the projector device based upon an operation signal provided by the top surface operation member upon receiving a switching operation signal indicating a changeover to the projection operation mode from the mode switching operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Akira Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20120251093
    Abstract: A camera with a built-in projector includes: a camera unit equipped with photographing components including an optical system; and a projector module equipped with a projecting optical system, with an optical axis extending along a longer side of the projector module running substantially parallel to an optical axis of the camera unit extending along a longer side of the camera unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Takao GOTO, Nobuaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8213789
    Abstract: A camera with a built-in projector includes: a camera unit equipped with photographing components including an optical system; and a projector module equipped with a projecting optical system, with an optical axis extending along a longer side of the projector module running substantially parallel to an optical axis of the camera unit extending along a longer side of the camera unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Goto, Nobuaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8125558
    Abstract: An integrated system comprises a light valve and an image sensor for image display and image capture. The image sensor and the light valve share a common dual-function lens by positioning the light valve and image sensor at locations offset from the optical axis of the dual-function lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Michael T. Davis
  • Patent number: 8123363
    Abstract: A projector device that generates a projection image, photographs this projection image and performs various adjustments to the projection image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Tadashi Ohta, Setsu Mitsuhashi, Keiichi Nitta, Akira Ohmura, Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Publication number: 20110176797
    Abstract: A photographic and projection device includes an image sensor, a lens assembly, a movable reflective mirror, and a display panel. The movable mirror has a reflective surface, and the movable mirror is disposed between the lens assembly and the image sensor. The display panel is located towards the reflective surface of the movable reflective mirror. When the movable mirror is located in a first position an external image can be formed on the image sensor by the lens assembly, and when the movable mirror is located in a second position the image of the display panel can be projected to the outside by the movable mirror and the lens assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: ABILITY ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: TSUNG-YI LU
  • Patent number: 7881605
    Abstract: A camera with a built-in projector includes: a camera unit equipped with photographing components including an optical system; and a projector module equipped with a projecting optical system, with an optical axis extending along a longer side of the projector module running substantially parallel to an optical axis of the camera unit extending along a longer side of the camera unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Goto, Nobuaki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20100316370
    Abstract: A camera with a built-in projector includes: a camera unit equipped with photographing components including an optical system; and a projector module equipped with a projecting optical system, with an optical axis extending along a longer side of the projector module running substantially parallel to an optical axis of the camera unit extending along a longer side of the camera unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Takao Goto, Nobuaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7697841
    Abstract: A camera includes: a photographic optical system that comprises a plurality of lenses; an image sensor that captures an image of a photographic subject formed through the photographic optical system; a projection lens unit that projects an image for projection via a projection lens unit, with at least one lens being common to the plurality of lenses of the photographic optical system and to the projection lens unit; and a shift mechanism that sets the at least one common lens to one of a first position upon an optical axis of the photographic optical system and a second position upon an optical axis of the projection lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Kosuke Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 7653304
    Abstract: A digital camera equipped with a projector, includes a photographing device; a projector device that projects an optical image; a mode switching operation member that outputs a switching operation signal indicating a changeover to one of a photographing operation mode in which image data photographed by the photographing device are saved as a photographic image file in a recording medium and a projection operation mode in which a reproduced image is projected by the projector device; a top surface operation member disposed at an upper surface of a casing; and a projection control device that controls the projector device based upon an operation signal provided by the top surface operation member upon receiving a switching operation signal indicating a changeover to the projection operation mode from the mode switching operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Nobuhiro Fujinawa, Akira Ohmura
  • Patent number: 7648246
    Abstract: A projector includes: an imaging structure that photographs an image projected on a projection object to take a photographed image; an imaging control module that performs exposure adjustment in the imaging structure to attain a preset target exposure; a control module that sets the target exposure in the imaging ctrl module; an angle information acquisition module that obtains angle information representing an inclination of the projector to the projection object; and a storage unit that stores a map representing a variation in target exposure against the angle information. The control module controls the angle information acquisition module to obtain the angle information, refers to the map stored in the storage unit to specify a target exposure corresponding to the obtained angle information, and sets the specified target exposure in the imaging control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Noriaki Miyasaka
  • Patent number: 7609958
    Abstract: Imaging systems and methods for calibrating imaging systems are provided. The imaging system has a body, a scene image capture system that captures images using a taking lens system that can be set to a plurality of different focus distances, and a rangefinder that is capable of determining a distance between the imaging system and at least one portion of a field of view of the taking lens system. The method comprises: automatically capturing a first calibration image of a first field of view through the taking lens system with the taking lens system set to a first focus distance setting; identifying a portion of the first calibration image having a predetermined degree of focus; using the rangefinder to determine a first calibration distance from the imaging device to the identified portion. A focus correlation is determined based upon the first calibration distance and the first focus distance setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John N. Border, Dan Harel, Russell J. Palum, John D. Griffith, Scott C. Cahall, Bruce H. Pillman
  • Patent number: 7519290
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes: an image sensor that captures an image of a subject and outputs image data; a projection device that projects an image based upon image data; a single mode switching operation member operated to select a mode; and a control device that selects a photographing operation mode in which image data output by the image sensor are saved into a recording medium or a projection operation mode in which an image is projected by the projection device based upon image data read out from the recording medium in correspondence to a position to which the single mode switching operation member is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Hirotake Nozaki
  • Patent number: 7493039
    Abstract: A camera that is able to capture images of moving subjects as video images, that has a large depth of field and is thus able to capture images of thick objects, and that is able to capture images of living cells and tissues as well as tissues in water. One example includes an image pickup element and an objective lens disposed between the image pickup element and a subject. A photosensitive surface of the image pickup element has elements sensitive to light in the red, green, and blue spectral regions. Using chromatic aberration of the objective lens to form an image, the respective elements sensitive to light from the red, green and blue spectral region, collect light from respective surface segments XR, XG, and XB that lie at different heights in the subject. The images taken by the respective elements are imaged individually and produced on a monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Scalar Corporation
    Inventor: Masao Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20080292305
    Abstract: Disclosed is a projection type image display apparatus including a projection section to output a projection light in which an image is attached through a projector lens and a photographing section to photograph a projected image projected by the projection section through a photographing lens, and the projected image which is projected on a screen by the projection section is obtained by the photographing section and a focus of the projected image is adjusted based on a photographing result of the image obtained by the photographing section, and the projector lens and the photographing lens are movable in a direction to change the focus of the projected image or a focus of the photographed image by a same drive section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichi HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20080292304
    Abstract: Disclosed is a projection type image display apparatus including a projection section, a photographing section, a zoom changing section, a projection position changing section and a control section, and when an image is projected on the screen which includes a projection region of a predetermined size and which has a first mark image at a portion of the projection region, the control section controls the projection section so as to project an image which includes a second mark image matching with the first mark image when the projected image is displayed by being matched with the projection region, the control section controls the photographing section so as to photograph the first mark image and the second mark image which is in the projected image, and the control section adjusts the size and the projection position of the projected image based on the first mark image and the second mark image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichi HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20080212957
    Abstract: A camera with a built-in projector includes: a camera unit equipped with photographing components including an optical system; and a projector module equipped with a projecting optical system, with an optical axis extending along a longer side of the projector module running substantially parallel to an optical axis of the camera unit extending along a longer side of the camera unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Goto, Nobuaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7367723
    Abstract: A camera aperture includes a first polarizer and a second polarizer with a polarization 90° with respect to the first polarizer. The second polarizer has a through hole at a center. A polarizing rotator is disposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer. A size of the aperture is changed when a voltage is applied selectively to the polarizing rotator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Wojciech Matusik, William S. Yerazunis
  • Patent number: 7245441
    Abstract: A document camera is used to show image of an object on a display. In the document camera, a first image data of the object obtained by a video-capturing device is derived into a second image data and a third image data by an image processor in response to a zoom operation, wherein the second image data results in a zoomed image of the object and the third image data results in a scaled image of the object. In response to the zoom operation, there is also a mark frame data generated by a position information controller, which results in a mark frame. The zoomed image, scaled image and mark frame are then synthesized into a combined image by an image synthesizer, and the mark frame superimposes the scaled image to indicate a result of the zoom operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Avermedia Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiun-Shin Wu, Jung-Yu Chen, Yung-Hsi Wu, Po-Chih Hung
  • Patent number: 7154529
    Abstract: A personal optical viewer enables a person to view images of how the person looks wearing an accessory and compare images of how the customer looks wearing different accessories. A seller provides an accessory to a person. A capturing device captures a photograph or a video of the person and stores the image in a memory device. The personal optical viewer displays each image to the person and the person chooses which images to keep, reject, delete, or compare. The personal optical viewer replaces rejected images with other images stored in the memory device, and when the stored images have been exhausted the personal optical viewer automatically enlarges the remaining displayed images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Inventors: Donald G. Hoke, Richard N. Martin
  • Patent number: 6767101
    Abstract: A film scanning device using the same CCD light sensor for pictures of strip film and for a slide mount also comprises a body having a strip film transport path disposed there through. The transport path has a first opening in the body for inserting a developed strip film, a second opening in the body through which the developed strip film exits the body, and a third opening for inserting and pulling out a slide mount juxtaposed vertically relative to the strip film transport path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Inventors: Pony Huang, Kevin Tseng
  • Patent number: 6041190
    Abstract: An image display apparatus for displaying an image recorded on a film, includes a spatial light modulation device which can maintain a recorded image in a non-energization state, an illumination device for illuminating the spatial light modulation device with light, a switching mechanism for switching between a first state in which the film is located between the spatial light modulation device and the illumination device and a second state in which the film is not located between the spatial light modulation device and the illumination device, and a control circuit for activating the spatial light modulation device and the illumination device in the first state when an image recorded on the film is to be recorded on the spatial light modulation device, and activating the illumination device in the second state when the spatial light modulation device on which the image is recorded is to be observed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kikuchi, Takayuki Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 6028658
    Abstract: A lamp house holds a light source, which is attached to a bottom plate. A film feed unit is arranged above the light source. A cartridge chamber is provided at the right of the unit body, and a film takeup chamber is formed at the left of the unit body. The takeup chamber is provided with a takeup spool. A film feed motor is built in the takeup spool, and the rotational force of the motor is transmitted to a spool driving shaft of the cartridge chamber via a driving force transmission mechanism. A film feed unit body to be incorporated into a camera is also used as a film feed unit body including the cartridge chamber, the takeup chamber and the driving force transmission mechanism. In order to observe the frame images on the film, the developed film is pulled out of a film cartridge mounted in the cartridge chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Hamada, Tokuji Sato
  • Patent number: 5903337
    Abstract: A lamp house holds a light source, which is attached to a bottom plate. A film feed unit is arranged above the light source. A cartridge chamber is provided at the right of the unit body, and a film takeup chamber is formed at the left of the unit body. The takeup chamber is provided with a takeup spool. A film feed motor is built in the takeup spool, and the rotational force of the motor is transmitted to a spool driving shaft of the cartridge chamber via a driving force transmission mechanism. A film feed unit body to be incorporated into a camera is also used as a film feed unit body including the cartridge chamber, the takeup chamber and the driving force transmission mechanism. In order to observe the frame images on the film, the developed film is pulled out of a film cartridge mounted in the cartridge chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Hamada, Tokuji Sato
  • Patent number: 5781346
    Abstract: Magnification correction for small field scanning of large blanks is provided by adding magnification adjusting elements (lenses) to a double pass Wynne-Dyson lens or other type of one-to-one projection lens. The magnification adjusting optical elements includes two pairs of low power lenses, one associated with each of the input and output prisms of a Wynne-Dyson lens. Movement of the magnification adjusting optics provides positive or negative magnification as needed to correct for any expansion or compaction of the blank relative to the reticle (mask) and hence maintain alignment. Further magnification correction is provided by a small velocity relative movement between the reticle and the blank by means of a secondary stage in the scan direction. This corrects for any alignment error in the scan direction and may be used independently of the optical correction technique with any type of projection lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Etec System, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul C. Allen, Ronald D. Voisin