# US 10,502,938 B2 · Light outputting apparatus and image display system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,938 B2 - Document ID: US10502938B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/923,106 - Filed: 2018-03-16 - Published: 2018-10-04 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-28 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Makoto Otani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502938B2 ## CPC - G02B 19/0014: {at least one surface having optical power} - G02B 19/0047: {for use with a light source (G02B19/009, G02B19/0095 take precedence; details of lighting devices in general F21V; non-semiconductor lasers having optical devices external to the laser cavity H01S3/005)} - G02B 19/009: {for use with infrared radiation} - G02B 27/0927: {Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat} - G02B 27/0961: {Lens arrays (lens arrays per se G02B3/0006)} - G02B 27/286: {for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another (G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34)} - G02B 27/30: Collimators - G03B 21/2013: {Plural light sources} - G03B 21/208: {Homogenising, shaping of the illumination light} - G06F 3/0425: {using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected (tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386)} - G02B 5/045: {Prism arrays} - G03B 17/54: with projector - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A light outputting apparatus includes a light outputting section that outputs light, and the light outputting section includes a light source that emits light, a collimator lens for parallelizing the light emitted from the light source, and an optical element including a plurality of lenslets that widen the light having passed through the collimator lens in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the light source and corresponding to a first direction that is one of first and second directions perpendicular to each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light outputting apparatus comprising a light outputting section that outputs light, wherein the light outputting section includes a light source that emits light, a collimator lens for parallelizing the light emitted from the light source, and an optical element including a plurality of lenslets that widen the light having passed through the collimator lens in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the light source and corresponding to a first direction that is one of first and second directions perpendicular to each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light outputting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source has a light emitting portion larger in the first direction than in the second direction, and the optical element widens the light incident thereon only in the direction corresponding to the first direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light outputting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light outputting section is formed of a first light outputting section and a second light outputting section that are so disposed with respect to an imaginary central plane along the second direction that light outputted from each of the light outputting sections travels gradually away from the imaginary central plane, the first light outputting section outputs light having a center axis extending in a first inclination direction inclining toward one side with respect to the imaginary central plane, the second light outputting section outputs light having a center axis extending in a second inclination direction inclining toward another side with respect to the imaginary central plane, and the first light outputting section and the second light outputting section are so disposed that part of the light outputted by the first light outputting section and part of the light outputted by the second light outputting section overlap with each other on both sides of the imaginary central plane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The light outputting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of lenslets each have a center axis extending along the second direction, the plurality of lenslets in the first light outputting section are each formed asymmetrically with respect to a first lens central plane that contains the center axis and extends along the first inclination direction, the plurality of lenslets in the second light outputting section are each formed asymmetrically with respect to a second lens central plane that contains the center axis and extends along the second inclination direction, the first light outputting section outputs light in such a way that intensity of light traveling in a direction inclining toward the imaginary central plane with respect to the first inclination direction is lower than intensity of light traveling in a direction inclining toward a side opposite the imaginary central plane with respect to the first inclination direction, and the second light outputting section outputs light in such a way that intensity of light traveling in a direction inclining toward the imaginary central plane with respect to the second inclination direction is lower than intensity of light traveling in a direction inclining toward a side opposite the imaginary central plane with respect to the second inclination direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The light outputting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the optical element in the first light outputting section and the optical element in the second light outputting section are integrated with each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The light outputting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light incident on the optical element is P-polarized light. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The light outputting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collimator lens is so configured that curvature of a lens surface in the first direction differs from curvature of a lens surface in the second direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An image display system comprising: the light outputting apparatus according to claim 1; a detection apparatus that detects a position where light outputted from the light outputting apparatus is reflected; and a projection apparatus that projects an image according to a result of the detection performed by the detection apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) An image display system comprising: the light outputting apparatus according to claim 2; a detection apparatus that detects a position where light outputted from the light outputting apparatus is reflected; and a projection apparatus that projects an image according to a result of the detection performed by the detection apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) An image display system comprising: the light outputting apparatus according to claim 3; a detection apparatus that detects a position where light outputted from the light outputting apparatus is reflected; and a projection apparatus that projects an image according to a result of the detection performed by the detection apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) An image display system comprising: the light outputting apparatus according to claim 4; a detection apparatus that detects a position where light outputted from the light outputting apparatus is reflected; and a projection apparatus that projects an image according to a result of the detection performed by the detection apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) An image display system comprising: the light outputting apparatus according to claim 5; a detection apparatus that detects a position where light outputted from the light outputting apparatus is reflected; and a projection apparatus that projects an image according to a result of the detection performed by the detection apparatus. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) An image display system comprising: the light outputting apparatus according to claim 6; a detection apparatus that detects a position where light outputted from the light outputting apparatus is reflected; and a projection apparatus that projects an image according to a result of the detection performed by the detection apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) An image display system comprising: the light outputting apparatus according to claim 7; a detection apparatus that detects a position where light outputted from the light outputting apparatus is reflected; and a projection apparatus that projects an image according to a result of the detection performed by the detection apparatus.