Projector

• US 10,203,594 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Takano, Seiji, Kuribayashi, Hidenori
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Samantha (Yuehan)
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/251,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20120098865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,689 Days
• Field of Search: 345660, 345156
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3179 Video signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

A projector is provided with a projection unit that projects onto a projection surface a projected image that is based on image data; a detection unit that detects the direction of approach of an indication member or of the shadow of the indication member that has approached a detection region which includes the projected image; an icon memory unit that stores the image data of a plurality of icons; a decision unit that decides at least one of the display sizes of the icons, the display gaps between the icons, and the display positions of the icons, on the basis of the projection direction of the projected image and the direction of approach detected by the detection unit; and a projection control unit that projects the icons onto the display positions decided by the decision unit at the display sizes and display gaps decided by the decision unit.

Claims

1. A projector, comprising:

a projection unit comprising a light source that projects a plurality of icons that is an image for indicating an operation displayed;

an imaging sensor that photographs a region in which the icons are projected by the projection unit;

a detection unit that detects the direction of approach of an indication member or of the shadow of the indication member based on an image of the region photographed by the imaging sensor; and

a controller that controls the projection unit to project by changing positions to project icons in the region based on a projection direction of the projection unit and the direction of approach of the indication member or of the shadow of the indication member detected by the detection unit,

wherein the controller controls the projection unit to project by changing sizes of the icons projected respectively in the region based on distance from the projection unit.

2. The projector according to claim 1,

wherein in response to determining the direction of approach detected by the detection unit belongs to the direction along the projection direction, the decision unit makes the display sizes of the icons when the icons are projected along the projection direction of the projection unit smaller than the display sizes of the icons when the icons are projected along the direction orthogonal to the projection direction of the projection unit, and the display gaps between the icons when the icons are projected along the projection direction of the projection unit wider than the display gaps between the icons when the icons are projected along a direction crossing the projection direction.

3. The projector according to claim 1, wherein a first region, in which the detection unit detects the direction of approach, is larger than a second region, in which the projection unit projects the icons.

4. The projector according to claim 3,

wherein a width of the first region grows wider as the distance from the projection unit decreases.

5. The projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a shape recognition unit that recognizes the shape of the indication member or the shape of the shadow of the indication member; and

an alteration unit that alters at least one of the display sizes of the icons, the display gaps between the icons, and the display positions of the icons, on the basis of the shape of the indication member or of the shape of the shadow of the indication member.

6. The projector according to claim 1,

wherein the sizes of the icons when the icons are projected along the projection direction are smaller than the sizes of the icons when the icons are projected along a direction which is different from the projection direction.

7. The projector according to claim 1, wherein the sizes of the icons grow larger as the distance from the projection unit increases.

8. The projector according to claim 1, wherein gaps between the icons change based on the distance from the projection unit.

9. The projector according to claim 8,

wherein the gaps between the icons when the icons are projected along the projection direction are wider than the gaps between the icons when the icons are projected along a direction which is different from the projection direction.

10. The projector according to claim 1, wherein the projection unit projects an image and superimposes the icons onto the image.

11. The projector according to claim 10, wherein the decision unit:

measures the distance of the normal direction from the projection surface to the indication member; and

alters the given display sizes of the icons when the distance of the normal direction is a given distance or less when the indication member is located above the display position of a given icon.

12. The projector according to claim 10, wherein the controller changes the sizes of all the icons.

13. The projector according to claim 1, wherein the projection unit projects an image and projects the icons onto a region different from the image.

14. The projector according to claim 1,

wherein the controller projects the icons along the projection direction when the projection direction and the direction of approach is different.

15. A projector, comprising:

a projection unit comprising a light source that projects a plurality of icons that is an image for indicating an operation displayed;

an imaging sensor that photographs a region in which the icons are projected by the projection unit;

a detection unit that detects the direction of approach of an indication member or of the shadow of the indication member based on an image of the region photographed by the imaging sensor; and

a controller that controls the projection unit to project by changing positions to project icons in the region based on a projection direction of the projection unit and the direction of approach of the indication member or of the shadow of the indication member detected by the detection unit,

wherein display sizes of the icons grow larger or get smaller as distance from the projection unit increases.

16. The projector according to claim 15,

wherein gaps between the icons when the icons are projected along the projection direction are wider than the gaps between the icons when the icons are projected along a direction which is different from the projection direction.

17. The projector according to claim 15,

wherein a first region, in which the detection unit detects the direction of approach, is larger than a second region, in which the projection unit projects the icons, and

wherein a width of the first region grows wider as the distance from the projection unit decreases.

18. The projector according to claim 15,

wherein the controller controls the projection unit to project the icons along the projection direction when the projection direction and the direction of approach is different.