US 11,988,932 B2
Imaging device with a liquid crystal panel in front of an image element
Hirondo Nakatogawa, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Japan Display Inc., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Japan Display Inc., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Aug. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/889,446.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-134015 (JP), filed on Aug. 19, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0058518 A1, Feb. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. G02F 1/137 (2006.01); A61B 1/045 (2006.01); A61B 1/06 (2006.01); G02F 1/133 (2006.01); G02F 1/1333 (2006.01); G02F 1/1343 (2006.01); H04N 13/254 (2018.01); H04N 13/296 (2018.01)
CPC G02F 1/137 (2013.01) [A61B 1/045 (2013.01); A61B 1/0655 (2022.02); G02F 1/13306 (2013.01); G02F 1/133308 (2013.01); G02F 1/134309 (2013.01); H04N 13/254 (2018.05); H04N 13/296 (2018.05)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An imaging device, comprising:
a housing having a cylindrical shape that includes a central axis, and an emission port and an incident port that are opened in one end surface in a direction along the central axis;
an illumination device that is accommodated in the housing, and that faces the emission port and illuminates a front side of the one end surface through the emission port;
an optical system that is accommodated in the housing, and that faces the incident port and has at least one lens;
a liquid crystal panel that is located closer to the outside of the housing than the optical system, and that has an incident light control area and covers each of the entire incident port and the entire optical system when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the one end surface; and
an imaging element that is accommodated in the housing, that constitutes a camera together with the optical system, and that acquires information about light falling incident from outside the housing through the incident port, the incident light control area of the liquid crystal panel, and the optical system,
wherein
the incident light control area has a first region, a second region located so as to be shifted from the first region, and a third region other than the first region and the second region,
the liquid crystal panel alternately switches the incident light control area between a first light control pattern and a second light control pattern,
when switching to the first light control pattern, the liquid crystal panel sets the first region to a non-transmissive state, and sets each of the second region and the third region to a transmissive state, and
when switching to the second light control pattern, the liquid crystal panel sets the second region to a non-transmissive state, and sets each of the first region and the third region to a transmissive state.