Projector and control method

• US 10,140,080 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Khoo, Stacy
• Application Number:
  US14/761,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20150339092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 13, 345 21- 22, 709223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1415 with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/40 Privacy aspects, i.e. devices showing different images to different viewers, the images not being viewpoints of the same scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor

Abstract

A projector includes a plurality of transmitters each of which transmits a signal, a receiver that receives signals transmitted from another projector, and a control unit that achieves synchronization of the signals between the projector and the another projector based on the signals transmitted from the another projector and received by the receiver. The control unit includes a state judgment portion that judges whether or not the synchronization with the another projector is stable and a number determination portion that determines the number of transmitters to be used among the plurality of transmitters based on the judgment result made by the state judgment portion.

Claims

1. A projector comprising:

a plurality of transmitters each of which transmits a first signal to a first light emitting pen;

an imager that captures an image of light emitted from the first light emitting pen, the light being emitted from the first light emitting pen in response to a reception of the first signal;

a receiver that receives an infrared light transmitted from another projector to a second light emitting pen; and

a processor configured to act as a control unit that achieves, when the receiver receives the infrared light, synchronization of the timing of the first signal and the infrared light between the projector and the another projector such that the first signal and the infrared light are transmitted at a same time, wherein

the control unit includes

a detection section that detects, based on the image captured by the imager, a position where the first light emitting pen has emitted light,

a state judgment portion that judges whether or not the synchronization with the another projector is stable, and

a number determination portion that determines a number of transmitters to be used among the plurality of transmitters based on a judgment result made by the state judgment portion.

2. The projector according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit further includes

a synchronization judgment portion that judges whether or not the projector is synchronized with the another projector, and

a timing determination portion that determines a timing at which each of the transmitters transmits the first signal based on the judgment result made by the synchronization judgment portion.

3. The projector according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit further includes

a mode determination portion that determines a mode of the projector to be one of the following modes based on the judgment result made by the state judgment portion:

a primary mode in which the another projector is synchronized with the projector; and

a secondary mode in which the projector is synchronized with the another projector.

4. The projector according to claim 3, wherein when the state judgment portion judges that the synchronization between the projector and the another projector is not stable, the number determination portion determines to increase or decrease the number of transmitters to be used among the plurality of transmitters.

6. The projector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmitters each transmit an infrared signal.

7. The projector according to claim 1, wherein the state judgment portion judges whether or not the synchronization with the another projector is stable based on whether a result representing that the synchronization is achieved is received within a predetermined time period and at a frequency higher than or equal to a predetermined value.

5. A method for controlling a projector comprising:

a first process of causing a plurality of transmitters to each transmit a first signal to a first light emitting pen;

a second process of capturing an image of light emitted from the first light emitting pen, the light being emitted from the first light emitting pen in response to a reception of the first signal;

a third process of detecting, based on the captured image, a position where the first light emitting pen has emitted the light;

a fourth process of receiving an infrared light transmitted to a second light emitting pen from another projector;

a fifth process of achieving, when the infrared light is received in the fourth process, synchronization of the timing of the first signal and the infrared light between the projector and the another projector such that the first signal and the infrared light are transmitted at a same time;

a sixth process of judging whether or not the synchronization with the another projector is stable; and

a seventh process of determining a number of transmitters to be used among the plurality of transmitters based on a judgment result made in the fourth process.