Projector control system and control method

• US 20030126326A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nomizo, Tomohiro, Akaiwa, Shoichi, Karasawa, Toru
• Granted Patent: US 6,829,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

A controller and a plurality of projectors are connected in a mutually communication enabled state by a network, etc., and thus projection information and control information are sent from the control unit to each of the projectors simultaneously or individually. Also, the control unit obtains operation information, etc. of each of the projectors, and monitors the projectors.

Claims

1. A projector control system comprising:

one or more projectors;

a control unit for controlling the projector; and

a communication line for connecting the projector and the control unit by two-way communications.

2. A projector control system according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit includes:

a control information sending/receiving part which sends/receives control information to/from the projector;

a projector management part which registers and manages a projector connected to the communication line; and

a monitoring/control supervising part which sends control information to the projector through the control information sending/receiving part, receives operation information of the projector through the control information sending/receiving part, and monitors/controls the projector.

3. A projector control system according to claim 2,

wherein the control unit includes:

a projection information storage part for holding projection information; and

a projection information sending part for sending projection information to the projector.

4. A projector control system according to claim 2,

wherein the projector includes:

a control information sending/receiving part which sends/receives control information to/from the control unit; and

a projection control part which controls the projector based on the control information from the control unit.

5. A projector control system according to claim 3,

wherein the projector includes:

a control information sending/receiving part which sends/receives control information to/from the control unit;

a projection information receiving part which receives projection information from the control unit; and

a projection control part which is controlled based on the control information from the control unit, and analyzes and projects projection information from the control unit.

6. A projector control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising synchronous control means by which the control unit and each of the projectors are synchronized with respect to projection.

7. A projector control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

wherein the control unit includes a group management part which registers and manages the projectors in groups.

8. A projector control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

wherein the control unit and each projector are connected to a network.

9. A projector control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

wherein the control unit and each projector are connected via a USB connection.

10. A projector control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9,

wherein the control unit includes an information input part which inputs information into the control unit.

11. A projector control system according to any one of claims 1 to 10,

wherein the control unit includes projector detection means which detects a projector connected to the communication line.

12. A method of controlling a projector, in which a system comprising a control unit connected to one or more projectors through a communication line is used, the method comprising:

a step for making a state capable of communication between the control unit and the projector;

a step for sending control information of the projector from the control unit to the projector; and

a step for disconnecting the state capable of communication between the control unit and the projector.

13. method of controlling a projector according to claim 12, further comprising:

a step for obtaining operation information of the projector, which the control unit is in the state capable of communication with, from the projector by the control unit.

14. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the control unit sends control information and/or projection information to all the projectors simultaneously.

15. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 12 or claim 13,

wherein the control unit sends control information and/or projection information to a specific projector among the projectors.

16. A method of controlling a projector according to any one of claims 12 to 15, further comprising

a synchronous control step for synchronizing projections between the control unit and each of the projectors when projecting on more than one projector simultaneously.

17. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 16,

wherein the synchronous control step includes:

a step for sending control information from the control unit to the projector;

a step for returning a processing status for the control information from the projector, which has received the control information, to the control unit; and

a step for adjusting projection timing of the projector by the control unit based on the processing status of the projector.

18. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 16,

wherein the synchronous control step includes:

a step for sending control information from the control unit to the projector;

a step for returning a processing status for the control information by the projector which has received the control information to the control unit; and

a step for excluding the projector, which has not completed the processing for the control information in a predetermined time period, from the object of projectors to perform the simultaneous projection, by the control unit.

19. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 12 or claim 13, further comprising:

a step for specifying a specific projector as a host projector out of the projectors by the control unit; and

a step for sending control information and projection information to the other projectors by the specified host projector.

20. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 19,

wherein synchronous control processing is performed between the host projector and the other projectors.

21. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 12, further comprising:

a step for registering a projector which is connected to the control unit via a network into the control unit, by entering a projector name and an IP address of each projector from outside of the system.

22. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 12, further comprising:

a step for registering a projector which is connected to the control unit through a communication line into the control unit, by automatically detecting each projector.

23. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 12, further comprising:

a step for registering a projector which is connected to the control unit through a network, by a projector name.

24. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 23, further comprising;

a step for sending control information by broadcast from the control unit to the projectors, a step for returning a projector name and an IP address from each projector to the control unit so that the control unit obtains them, and a step for comparing a registered projector name with the obtained set of the projection name and the IP address to identify the projector.

25. A method of controlling a projector according to claim 21 or claim 22,

wherein registration of a projector into the control unit is performed using a projector name, a connection method between the control unit and the projector, and a projector identification code.