Market Context — Why This Technology, Why Now

The increasing complexity and miniaturization of optical systems across industries, from multi-camera smartphones to advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), necessitate unprecedented levels of precision in lens manufacturing. Simultaneously, rising labor costs and a scarcity of specialized optical engineers are pressuring manufacturers to adopt automation. This technology directly supports this shift, enabling companies to meet stringent quality standards while optimizing operational expenditures and scaling production efficiently.

Key Competitive Advantages
01

Reduces measurement setup time by up to 90% by eliminating manual initial adjustments from skilled technicians through automated optical path length tuning.

02

Achieves sub-micron precision measurement by matching optical path lengths from the light source to the object via the half-mirror and from the lens's first principal point to the object via the half-mirror, minimizing imaging pattern variations.

03

Ensures long-term stability with a robust patent foundation, validated against six prior art documents during examination. Protected until 2041, offering sustained competitive advantage and business development.

Market Opportunity
Smartphone and Tablet Optics
$1.5B–$2.5B globally (AI est.)
Increasing competition for high-resolution imaging and multi-camera systems drives critical demand for lens distortion measurement. This creates a high need for fast, high-precision inspection on production lines.
Major smartphone camera module manufacturers Tablet display and camera integrators Optical component suppliers for mobile devices
Autonomous Driving and Automotive Cameras
$1B–$1.5B globally (AI est.)
Strict control over wide-angle lens distortion in automotive cameras is essential for ensuring safety in autonomous driving systems. Both reliability and efficiency are critical requirements.
Automotive camera system suppliers ADAS component manufacturers Tier 1 automotive electronics integrators
VR/AR and Wearable Devices
$0.5B–$1B globally (AI est.)
To enhance immersion and visual experience, minimizing lens distortion is paramount, making high-precision calibration technology indispensable for VR/AR and wearable devices.
VR/AR headset manufacturers Wearable display and optics developers Specialized optical component providers for immersive tech
IP Defensibility — Why Competitors Can't Replicate This
What This Patent Covers

This patent establishes robust protection for a calibration pattern light projection apparatus, specifically covering its core components: a pattern light generation unit, a half-mirror, and an optical path length matching mechanism. Its patentability was affirmed without rejection against six prior art documents, indicating a strong, stable right with low invalidation risk, enabling clear competitive advantage until 2041.

Competitive White Space

This patent focuses on the optical path adjustment for distortion measurement. White space could include integrating AI for defect classification, developing adaptive optics for real-time in-situ correction during manufacturing, or extending the system to measure other optical aberrations beyond distortion.

Economic Impact
~$150K/year estimated economic impact per facility (est.)
estimated ROI · USD · AI analysis
ROI Calculation Logic

Implementing this technology could reduce initial lens distortion measurement time by approximately 90%. For a factory with two skilled operators working 250 days annually, shortening a 30-minute measurement to 5 minutes could reduce annual labor costs of ~$100K (AI est.) (assuming ~$50K per operator (AI est.)) by about 83%, leading to ~$100K (AI est.) in direct cost savings. Additionally, increased measurement throughput could boost production volume, adding ~$50K (AI est.), totaling an estimated annual economic impact of ~$150K (AI est.) per facility.

Speed to Market
6× faster than in-house development
This technology's core mechanism for pattern light projection and optical path length adjustment in lens distortion measurement is well-established and proven in principle. It eliminates the need for complex optical design or fundamental control algorithm development. This allows licensees to significantly reduce development time compared to greenfield R&D, potentially cutting ~2.5 years from the market entry timeline. Integration into existing optical measurement systems is relatively straightforward, requiring minimal new foundational research or component development.
Competitive Positioning

X: Measurement Efficiency
Y: Measurement Accuracy

Business Models & Applications
📷 Equipment Sales & Licensing
A business model focused on selling high-precision lens distortion calibration equipment incorporating this technology to optical and camera manufacturers, or generating revenue through technology licensing.
💡 Inspection Service Provision
A model for offering high-precision lens inspection services utilizing this technology in-house, generating revenue as a contract measurement business for optical component and camera module manufacturers.
🧩 Module Supply
A model for supplying the core pattern light projection module of this technology as a general-purpose component, facilitating its integration into customers' existing inspection systems and production lines.
Adjacent Application Opportunities
🏥 Medical & Healthcare
High-Precision Endoscope Lens Calibration
This technology could automatically calibrate distortion in medical endoscope and microscope lenses with high precision before surgery or examination. This has the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce procedural errors, contributing to enhanced patient safety by preventing oversight of minute anomalies.
🚀 Aerospace & Defense
Precision Calibration for Satellite Cameras/Telescopes
This technology is transferable for extremely high-precision ground-based calibration of lenses in satellite-mounted cameras and telescopes used in space or harsh environments. It could enhance the reliability of observational data and reconnaissance images from space, contributing to higher mission success rates.
🤖 Factory Automation & Robotics
Real-time Correction for Robot Arm Vision Systems
By measuring and correcting lens distortion in real-time for vision cameras mounted on robot arms in factories, this technology could improve the accuracy of picking and assembly tasks. This is expected to contribute to reducing defect rates and enhancing overall productivity.
Integration Roadmap — Estimated 18-Month Deployment
Phase 1: Technology Evaluation & Requirements
Duration: 3 months
Conduct a technical compatibility assessment to integrate the core module into existing optical inspection lines and define specific on-site measurement requirements. Develop a Proof of Concept (PoC) plan.
Phase 2: Prototype Development & Validation
Duration: 6 months
Develop a prototype device incorporating this technology based on defined requirements. Conduct validation experiments in an environment similar to an actual production line to verify performance and effectiveness.
Phase 3: Production Deployment & Optimization
Duration: 9 months
Optimize the device based on validation results and deploy it to the production line. Conduct further tuning for efficiency and accuracy improvements based on operational data to fully integrate the system.
Technical Feasibility
This technology is based on physical optics principles for pattern light projection and optical path length adjustment, realized with a relatively simple configuration of a light source, half-mirror, and movable unit. The patent claims clearly define these components, indicating high compatibility for modular integration into existing optical measurement systems. It is highly feasible to introduce this technology into current inspection processes with minimal complex software modifications or large-scale capital investment.
Success Scenario
Implementing this technology could reduce initial setup time for lens distortion measurement by up to 90%. This may significantly decrease the preparation workload for skilled operators, potentially doubling daily measurement throughput. Consequently, production line bottlenecks could be resolved, and annual production volume is estimated to expand by 1.5 times without additional capital investment.
Patent Record
APPLICATION NO.
特願2021-064624
REGISTRATION NO.
7618487
FILING DATE
2021/04/06
GRANT DATE
2025/01/10
EXPIRATION DATE
2041/04/06
PATENT HOLDER
日本放送協会
Examination History
2024年03月01日
出願審査請求書
2024年12月13日
特許査定