Methods and systems for displaying video on an adjustable screen

• US 20070024763A1
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optoma Technology Incorporated (Optoma Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Optoma Technology Incorporated (Optoma Corporation)
• Inventors: Chung, Yau
• Granted Patent: US 8,089,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/745
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/142 Adjusting of projection optics
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0122 the input and the output signals having different aspect ratios

Abstract

The dimensions of a viewing screen are altered to fit the aspect ratio of video being displayed on the viewing screen. A viewing screen includes screen covers which may be displaced horizontally along the viewing screen. If a different aspect ratio video is being displayed, the screen covers are moved horizontally to increase or decrease the viewing area of the viewing screen. The video is then optically resized and shifted to fit the height or width of the screen.

Claims

1. A method of displaying video, comprising:

projecting the video onto a viewing screen;

determining if an aspect ratio of the video matches dimensions of the viewing screen;

altering at least one dimension of the viewing screen;

optically resizing the video to match at least one dimension of the viewing screen;

shifting the video to align the video with the viewing screen; and

storing a position of the video in a non-volatile memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein shifting the video comprises moving a lens in a projector projecting the video.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein altering at least one dimension of the viewing screen comprises horizontally displacing at least one screen cover located in front of the viewing screen.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein horizontally displacing the viewing screen comprises electrically displacing the viewing screen.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein horizontally displacing the viewing screen comprises manually displacing the viewing screen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the position of the video in a non-volatile memory device, comprises storing a position of a lens in a projector projecting the video in the non-volatile memory.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing the at least one altered dimension of the viewing screen in a non-volatile memory.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein altering at least one dimension of the viewing screen comprises vertically displacing the viewing screen.

9. A system for displaying video, comprising:

a video source device for generating a video signal;

a video projection device coupled to the video source device for generating a video based on the video signal, the video projection device comprising a lens capable of shifting video generated by the video projection device and a non-volatile memory for storing a position of the lens; and

a video display screen for displaying video generated by the video projection device, the video display screen comprising at least one screen cover position in front of a portion of a viewing area of the video display screen,

wherein the at least one screen cover enables at least one dimensions of the viewing area of the video display screen to be altered.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the video display screen includes a non-volatile memory for storing a position of the at least one screen cover.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the video source device and the video projection device are contained in a single housing.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the video source device is a digital video player and the video projection device is a DLP video projector.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the video source device and the video projection device are contained in a single housing.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the video display screen comprises a retracting device for moving the video display screen vertically.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the retracting device comprises a memory for storing a vertical position of the video display screen.

16. A system for displaying video, comprising:

means for projecting the video onto a viewing screen, the projecting means comprsing;

means for optically resizing the video to match at least one dimension of the viewing screen, and

means for shifting the video to align the video with the viewing screen;

means for altering at least one dimension of the viewing screen; and

means for storing a position of the video.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for storing altered dimensions of the viewing screen.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the altering means comprises means for altering the vertical dimensions of the viewing screen.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the altering means comprises means for altering the horizontal dimensions of the viewing screen.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the projecting means further comprises means for reading a video source.