IP Library Granted Patent US 7,551,340
Granted Patent B2
US 7,551,340 · App. 11/461,959 · Granted Jun 23, 2009

Optical element, optical device, mobile information terminal, and manufacturing method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,551,340
App. No.
11/461,959
Granted
Jun 23, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A microlouver has, as a basic unit, a light-controlling layer in which a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer are laminated together, and a plurality of basic units L and S comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling layers having different layer thicknesses or optical constants, disposed in the direction of the layer thickness of the basic units. The array mode of the basic units L and S is determined based on a random number or a sequence-generating rule. For this reason, the microlouver has a large number of frequency components in terms of spatial frequency, and moire fringes that have a specific period and are normally caused by the interference with other optical elements are therefore prevented from occurring.

Claims (62)

1. An optical element, comprising:

a light-controlling layer in which a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer are laminated together as a basic unit;

a plurality of basic units comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling layers having different layer thicknesses or optical constants, disposed in the direction of the layer thickness; and

front and back surfaces disposed in the direction orthogonal to said layer thickness direction and used as light incident and excident planes, wherein

said plurality of basic units, to which a number is assigned, are arrayed based on a sequence, whereby basic units having different thicknesses or optical constants are arranged in a non-periodic manner.

2. An optical element, comprising:

a light-controlling layer in which a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer are laminated together as a basic unit;

a plurality of basic units comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling layers having different layer thicknesses or optical constants, disposed in the direction of the layer thickness; and

front and back surfaces disposed in the direction orthogonal to said layer thickness direction and used as light incident and excident planes, wherein

said plurality of basic units, to which a number is assigned, are arrayed based on a random number, whereby basic units having different thicknesses or optical constants are arranged in a non-periodic manner.

3. An optical element, comprising:

a light-controlling portion comprising a two-dimensional shape composed of a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer as a basic unit;

a plurality of basic units comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling portions having different sizes or optical constants, arranged on a flat surface orthogonal to said two-dimensional shape on the basis of a non-periodic two-dimensional filler algorithm; and

front and back surfaces disposed in the direction parallel to said flat surface and used as light incident and excident planes.

4. An optical device, in which the optical element according to claim 1 and an optical element having a periodic light-controlling layer or light-controlling portion are laminated.

5. An optical device, in which the optical element according to claim 3 and an optical element having a periodic light-controlling layer or light-controlling portion are laminated.

6. An optical device, comprising:

an optical element including:

a light-controlling layer in which a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer are laminated together as a basic unit;

a plurality of basic units comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling layers having different layer thicknesses or optical constants, disposed in the direction of the layer thickness;

front and back surfaces disposed in the direction orthogonal to said layer thickness direction and used as light incident and excident planes, wherein an array mode of said plurality of basic units is determined based on a sequence-generating rule; and

a spatial optical modulator having a periodic pixel structure in which the optical elements are laminated together.

7. An optical device, comprising:

the optical element according to claim 3 and,

a spatial optical modulator having a periodic pixel structure in which the optical elements are laminated together.

8. An optical device, comprising:

an optical screen comprising the optical elements according to claim 1 and,

a spatial optical modulator having a periodic pixel structure in which the emitted light thereof is projected on the optical screen.

9. An optical device, comprising:

an optical screen comprising the optical elements according to claim 3 and,

a spatial optical modulator having a periodic pixel structure in which the emitted light thereof is projected on the optical screen.

10. An optical device comprising:

a transparent/scattering switching element inserted between a microlouver of an optical element, the optical element including:

a light-controlling layer in which a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer are laminated together as a basic unit:

a plurality of basic units comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling layers having different layer thicknesses or optical constants, disposed in the direction of the layer thickness; and

front and back surfaces disposed in the direction orthogonal to said layer thickness direction and used as light incident and excident planes, wherein an array mode of said plurality of basic units is determined based on a sequence-generating rule; and

a spatial light modulator having a periodic pixel structure.

11. An optical device, wherein a transparent/scattering switching element is inserted between the microlouver of the optical element according to claim 3 and a spatial light modulator having a periodic pixel structure.

12. An information terminal comprising:

an optical device in which a first optical element and a second optical element having, a periodic light-controlling layer or lioht-controlling portion are laminated, the optical device beings mounted in the information terminal, the first optical element including:

a light-controlling layer in which a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer are laminated together as a basic unit;

a plurality of basic units comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling layers having different layer thicknesses or optical constants, disposed in the direction of the layer thickness; and

front and back surfaces disposed in the direction orthogonal to said layer thickness direction and used as light incident and excident planes, wherein an array mode of said plurality of basic units is determined based on a sequence-generating rule.

13. An information terminal, wherein the optical device according to claim 5 is mounted in the mobile information terminal.

14. An information terminal, wherein the optical device according to claim 6 is mounted in the mobile information terminal.

15. An information terminal, wherein the optical device according to claim 7 is mounted in the mobile information terminal.

16. An information terminal comprising:

an optical device having an optical screen comprising optical elements and a spatial optical modulator having a periodic pixel structure in which the emitted light thereof is projected on the optical screen, the optical device being mounted in the information terminal, the optical elements comprising:

a light-controlling layer in which a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer are laminated together as a basic unit:

a plurality of basic units comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling layers having different layer thicknesses or optical constants, disposed in the direction of the layer thickness; and

front and back surfaces disposed in the direction orthogonal to said layer thickness direction and used as light incident and excident planes, wherein an array mode of said plurality of basic units is determined based on a sequence-generating rule.

17. An information terminal, wherein the optical device according to claim 9 is mounted in the mobile information terminal.

18. An information terminal, wherein the optical device according to claim 10 is mounted in the mobile information terminal.

19. An information terminal, wherein the optical device according to claim 11 is mounted in the mobile information terminal.

20. A method of manufacturing a microlouver, comprising:

forming, as a basic unit, a light-controlling layer in which a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer are laminated together;

laminating a plurality of basic units, each comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling layers that have different layer thicknesses, in an array mode determined based on a sequence-generating rule in the layer thickness direction thereof to form a block body; and

making the film thinner by slicing the block body in the direction orthogonal to said layer thickness direction.

21. A method of manufacturing a microlouver, comprising:

forming, as a basic unit, a light-controlling layer in which a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer are laminated together;

laminating a plurality of basic units, each comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling layers that have different layer thicknesses, in an array mode determined based on a random number in the layer thickness direction thereof to form a block body; and

making the film thinner by slicing the block body in the direction orthogonal to said layer thickness direction.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2022
From: VISTA PEAK VENTURES, LLC
To: GETNER FOUNDATION LLC
Reel/Frame 060654/0430 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2018
From: GETNER FOUNDATION LLC
To: VISTA PEAK VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 045469/0023 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2011
From: NEC CORPORATION
To: GETNER FOUNDATION LLC
Reel/Frame 026254/0381 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 7, 2010
From: NEC LCD TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
To: NEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024494/0980 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2006
From: SUMIYOSHI, KEN; MIMURA, KOJI
To: NEC CORPORATION; NEC LCD TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 018139/0090 →