# US 12,111,686 B2 · Optical unit, illumination apparatus, display, and optical communication apparatus

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- Number: US 12,111,686 B2
- Document ID: US12111686B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/911,615
- Filed: 2020-06-25
- Published: 2021-02-11
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-06-25
- Assignees: Saturn Licensing LLC
- Applicants: Saturn Licensing LLC
- Inventors: Norimasa Furukawa; Kenichi Nakaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111686B2

## CPC

- G02B 19/0061: {the light source comprising a LED}
- G06F 1/1609: {to support filters or lenses}
- G02B 3/005: {arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets (G02B3/0043 takes precedence)}
- G02B 3/0056: {arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085)}
- G02B 19/0014: {at least one surface having optical power}
- G02F 1/133606: {including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members}
- G02B 19/009: {for use with infrared radiation}
- G02B 2003/0093: {characterised by the shape}
- G02F 1/133607: {the light controlling member including light directing or refracting elements, e.g. prisms or lenses}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS

## Abstract

An optical unit includes a ball lens and a light source. The ball lens condenses light and outputs the condensed light. The light source has a light emitting surface and the light source outputs light toward the ball lens. The light emitting surface is located closer to the ball lens than a focal position of the ball lens.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical unit, comprising:
a first plurality of ball lenses and a first plurality of first light sources, the first plurality of ball lenses comprising ball lenses of a first type, the first light sources are the same; and
a second plurality of ball lenses and a second plurality of second light sources, the second plurality of ball lenses comprising ball lenses of a second type in which the first type is different than the second type, the second light sources are the same,
wherein the ball lenses of the first plurality and the second plurality of ball lenses are configured to:
receive light from the respective light sources and condense the received light; and
output the condensed light;
each light source of the respective light sources having a light emitting surface, wherein
each light source of the respective light sources is configured to emit the light toward each ball lens of the respective ball lenses via the respective light emitting surface, and
the respective light emitting surface is located closer to the respective ball lens than a focal position of the respective ball lens; and
an optical sheet configured to:
pass a first portion of the output light that is output from the first plurality and second plurality of ball lenses; and
reflect a second portion of the output light to return to the first plurality and second plurality of ball lenses,
wherein the first plurality and second plurality of ball lenses include a material having a uniform refractive index.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein ΔL/D is one of 3.5% or less than 3.5%, where
D represents a lens diameter of each ball lens of the first or second plurality of ball lenses, and
ΔL represents a distance between the light emitting surface of the corresponding light source and the corresponding ball lens.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein Φ/D is one of 38% or less than 38%, where
D represents a lens diameter of each ball lens of the first or second plurality of ball lenses, and
Φ represents a light source diameter, wherein the light source diameter is a circle-equivalent diameter of the light emitting surface of the corresponding light source.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The optical unit according to claim 1, further comprising a wall corresponding to each ball lens of the first or second plurality of ball lenses having an inner surface configured to function as a reflection surface, wherein the wall is around the corresponding ball lens, and
the wall is configured to reflect the light from the corresponding light source toward the corresponding ball lens.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The optical unit according to claim 1, further comprising an optical box including at least one light source of the first or second plurality of light sources, at least one ball lens of the corresponding plurality of ball lenses, and the optical sheet, wherein the optical sheet is on a light-outputting surface side of the corresponding plurality of ball lenses.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of ball lenses of the first or second plurality of ball lenses is arrayed and integrated with each other.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein each of the light sources of the first or second plurality of light sources has a Lambertian light distribution characteristic.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein the ball lenses of the first or second plurality of ball lenses are further configured to output collimated light.

### Claim 9

An illumination apparatus, comprising:
a first plurality of ball lenses and a first plurality of first light sources, the first plurality of ball lenses comprising ball lenses of a first type, the first light sources are the same; and
a second plurality of ball lenses and a second plurality of second light sources, the second plurality of ball lenses comprising ball lenses of a second type in which the first type is different than the second type, the second light sources are the same,
wherein the ball lenses of the first plurality and the second plurality of ball lenses are configured to:
receive light from the respective light sources and condense the received light; and
output the condensed light as illumination light;
each light source of the respective light sources having a light emitting surface, wherein
each light source of the respective light sources is configured to emit the light toward each ball lens of the respective ball lenses via the respective light emitting surface, and
the respective light emitting surface is located closer to the respective ball lens than a focal position of the respective ball lens; and
an optical sheet configured to:
pass a first portion of the output light that is output from the first plurality and second plurality of ball lenses; and
reflect a second portion of the output light to return to the first plurality and second plurality of ball lenses.

### Claim 10

A display, comprising:
a first plurality of ball lenses corresponding to a first plurality of first light sources, the first plurality of ball lenses comprising ball lenses of a first type, the first light sources are the same; and
a second plurality of ball lenses corresponding to a second plurality of second light sources, the second plurality of ball lenses comprising ball lenses of a second type in which the first type is different than the second type, the second light sources are the same,
wherein the ball lenses of the first plurality and the second plurality of ball lenses are configured to:
receive light from the respective light sources and condense the received light; and
output the condensed light;
wherein
each of the first and second plurality of light sources has a light emitting surface,
each of the first and second plurality of light sources is configured to output the light toward of the respective ball lens via respective light emitting surface, and
the respective light emitting surface of each of the first and second plurality of light sources is located closer to the respective ball lens than a focal position of the respective ball lens; and
an optical sheet configured to:
pass a first portion of the output light that is output from the first and second plurality of ball lenses; and
reflect a second portion of the output light to return to the first and second plurality of ball lenses.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The display according to claim 10, further comprising an optical modulator configured to modulate light outputted from the first and second plurality of ball lenses.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The display according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of ball lenses of the first or second plurality of ball lenses forms one pixel.

### Claim 13

An optical communication apparatus comprising:
an optical transmitter, wherein the optical transmitter includes:
a first plurality of ball lenses and a first plurality of first light sources, the first plurality of ball lenses comprising ball lenses of a first type, the first light sources are the same; and
a second plurality of ball lenses and a second plurality of second light sources, the second plurality of ball lenses comprising ball lenses of a second type in which the first type is different than the second type, the second light sources are the same,
wherein the ball lenses of the first plurality and the second plurality of ball lenses are configured to:
receive light from the respective light sources and condense the received light; and
output the condensed light;
each light source of the respective light sources having a light emitting surface,
each light source of the respective light sources is configured to emit the light toward the respective ball lens via the respective light emitting surface, and
the respective light emitting surface is located closer to the respective ball lens than a focal position of the respective ball lens; and
an optical sheet configured to:
pass a first portion of the output light that is output from the respective ball lens; and
reflect a second portion of the output light to return to the respective ball lens.