US5061052A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Television picture enhancement device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-07-27
•
Granted: 1991-10-29
•
Expires: 2010-07-27
Abstract
Abstract An optical system is provided for magnifying the image on a television receiver to viewers in a room. The system is comprised of a plano-convex lens disposed in front of the viewing screen of a television set and a fresnel lens interposed between the viewing screen and the plano-convex lens. The fresnel lens has a smooth surface and an opposite surface configured with a pattern of concentric dioptric ridges facing the plano-convex lens. The magnification achieved by the combination of lenses allows viewers within the room to view a magnified image on the television receiver. Preferably, the planar surface of the plano-convex lens and the smooth surface of said fresnel lens are both disposed to face the television screen so that the television screen can be viewed without significant aberrations or distortion from a wide range of viewing distances.
Inventors
- 👤 Ben L. DeJesus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:15
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B25/00; G02B25/002; G02B3/00; G02B3/02; G02B3/08; H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/72
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
In a television set having a viewing screen the improvement comprising a plano-convex lens having a planar surface and a convex surface disposed in front of said viewing screen, and a Fresnel lens having a smooth surface and an opposite surface configured with a pattern of dioptric ridges thereon interposed between said viewing screen and said plano-convex lens.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
58 words
In a television set having a viewing screen the improvement comprising a plano-convex lens having a planar surface and a convex surface disposed in front of said viewing screen, and a Fresnel lens having a smooth surface and an opposite surface configured with a pattern of dioptric ridges thereon interposed between said viewing screen and said plano-convex lens.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
An improved television set according to claim 1 further characterized in that said planar surface of said plano-convex lens is disposed to face said viewing screen and said smooth surface of said Fresnel lens is disposed to face said viewing screen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
An improved television set according to claim 2 further characterized in that said smooth surface of said Fresnel lens is located between about one-quarter inch and about eight and one-half inches from said viewing screen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
An improved television set according to claim 3 further characterized in that said smooth surface of said Fresnel lens is located about four and one-half inches from said viewing screen and said plano-convex lens has a thickness of about three and one-half inches.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
An improved television set according to claim 4 wherein said Fresnel lens has a thickness of about one-eighth of an inch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
An improved television set according to claim 4 wherein said Fresnel lens has a thickness of between about one-eighth and about one-quarter of an inch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
An improved television set according to claim 3 wherein said planar surface of said plano-convex lens is located between about zero and one and three quarters inches from said opposite surface of said Fresnel lens.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
An improved television set according to claim 7 wherein said Fresnel lens is formed with mutually parallel top and bottom edges and mutually parallel side edges extending between said top and bottom edges and is curved such that said side edges are spaced from said planar surface of said plano-convex lens a greater distance than the centers of said top and bottom edges thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
An improved television set according to claim 3 wherein said plano-convex lens has a maximum thickness of between about one-half inch and about six inches and said convex surface of said plano-convex lens is curved at a radius of curvature of about twelve and one-half inches.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
An improved television set according to claim 9 further characterized in that said plano-convex lens has a focal length of between about two inches and about four inches.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
An improved television set according to claim 1 further characterized in that said convex surface of said plano convex lens is disposed to face said viewing screen and said smooth surface of said Fresnel lens is disposed to face said viewing screen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
An improved television set according to claim 1 further characterized in that said convex surface of said plano-convex lens is disposed to face said viewing screen and said opposite surface of said Fresnel lens configured with said pattern of dioptric ridges thereon is disposed to face said viewing screen.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
An improved television set according to claim 1 further characterized in that said planar surface of said plano-convex lens is disposed to face said viewing screen and said opposite surface of said Fresnel lens having said pattern of dioptric ridges thereon is disposed to face said viewing screen.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
64 words
An improvement for a television set having a viewing screen comprising: a plano-convex lens having a first convex surface and an opposite second planar surface disposed in front of said viewing screen and a Fresnel lens having a first surface with a pattern of dioptric, concentric annular ridges thereon and a second smooth surface is disposed between said viewing screen and said plano-convex lens.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
An improvement for a television set having a viewing screen comprising: a plano-convex lens having a first convex surface and an opposite second planar surface disposed in front of said viewing screen and a Fresnel lens having a first surface with a pattern of dioptric, concentric annular ridges thereon and a second smooth surface is disposed between said viewing screen and said plano-convex lens.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
An improvement according to claim 14 wherein said first surface of said Fresnel lens faces said second planar surface of said plano-convex lens and said second surface of said Fresnel lens faces said viewing screen.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
An improvement according to claim 15 wherein the minimum distance from said second planar surface of said plano-convex lens to said first surface of said Fresnel lens is no greater than about one and three quarters inches.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
An improvement according to claim 15 wherein said Fresnel lens has upright parallel lateral edges and transverse top and bottom edges extending therebetween and said first surface of said Fresnel lens is curved about an axis parallel to said second planar surface of said plano-convex lens such that said lateral edges of said Fresnel lens are equidistant and further from said second planar surface of said plano-convex lens than are said top and bottom edges therebetween.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
An improved television set according to claim 15 further characterized in that said plano-convex lens has a focal length of between about two inches and four inches.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
An improvement according to claim 14 further characterized in that said second smooth surface of said Fresnel lens is located between about one-quarter inch and about eight and one-half inches from said viewing screen.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
An improvement according to claim 19 further characterzed in that said second smooth surface of said Fresnel lens is located about four and one-half inches from said viewing screen and said plano-convex lens has a thickness of about three and one-half inches.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
An improvement according to claim 20 wherein said Fresnel lens has a thickness of about one-eighth of an inch.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
An improvement according to claim 20 wherein said plano-convex lens has a maximum thickness of about three and one-half inches and said first convex surface of said plano-convex lens is curved at a radius of curvature of about twelve and one-half inches.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus for enlarging an image from a television screen comprising in combination a plano-convex lens having a planar surface and an opposite convex surface disposed in front of said television screen, and a Fresnel lens interposed between said plano-convex lens and said television screen and having a smooth surface and an opposite surface having concentric annular prismatic zones thereon.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus for enlarging an image from a television screen comprising in combination a plano-convex lens having a planar surface and an opposite convex surface disposed in front of said television screen, and a Fresnel lens interposed between said plano-convex lens and said television screen and having a smooth surface and an opposite surface having concentric annular prismatic zones thereon.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said planar surface of said plano-convex lens faces said television set and said smooth surface of said Fresnel lens faces said television screen.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 24 further comprising a framework holding such plano-convex lens and said Fresnel lens in fixed disposition relative to each other.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said framework is adapted to encase said television set.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 24 further comprising means for holding said Fresnel lens such that said smooth surface thereof resides at a distance from said television screen of between about one-quarter of an inch and about eight and one-half inches.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said convex surface of said plano-convex lens faces said television screen and said smooth surface of said Fresnel lens faces said television screen.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said planar surface of said plano-convex lens faces said television screen and said surface of said Fresnel lens having concentric annular prismatic zones thereon faces said television screen.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said convex surface of said plano-convex lens faces said television screen and said surface of said Fresnel lens having concentric annular prismatic zones thereon faces said television screen.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-10-28 | 1995-04-29 | 1995-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-10-28 | 1999-04-29 | 1999-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-10-28 | 2003-04-29 | 2003-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |