Apparatus and method to display images from projection device mounted in vertical position

• US 20070058141A1
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ozaki, Art, Guillou, Jean-Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 7,431,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/98
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/02 Catoptric systems, e.g. image erecting and reversing system
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

A video projection system has an image deflection device to provide additional mounting options for a projector. The deflection device selectively positions a mirror in front of the projection lens to deflect the video image away from the optical axis of the lens, thereby allowing the projector to be mounted without the lens facing the projection surface. The projector includes an image processor for selectively flipping the video image to accommodate a first mounting configuration in which the projector rests on a horizontal surface with the lens facing the projection surface, a second mounting configuration in which the projector is upside down and attached to a ceiling with the lens facing the projection surface, and a third mounting configuration in which the projector is attached to a vertical surface with the image deflection device mirror positioned in front of the lens to deflect the optical image toward the projection surface.

Claims

1. A video projection system, comprising:

a projector having a lens for projecting a video image in a first direction for viewing on a projection surface; and

an image deflection device having a reflecting device selectively positioned in front of said lens for deflecting the video image into a second direction for viewing on the projection surface, thereby allowing the projector to be mounted in an orientation in which the lens does not face the projection surface.

2. The video projection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reflecting device is a mirror.

3. The video projection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reflecting device is a prism.

4. The video projection system according to claim 1, wherein said projector comprises an image processing means for selectively flipping the video image to accommodate a first condition in which the mirror of the image deflection device is positioned in front of the lens and a second condition in which the mirror is not positioned in front of the lens.

5. The video projection system according to claim 1, wherein said projector comprises a first mounting configuration in which a mounting side of the projector faces downwardly for resting on a horizontal surface with the lens facing the projection surface, a second mounting configuration in which the mounting side of the projector faces upwardly for attaching to a ceiling with the lens facing the projection surface, and a third mounting configuration in which the mounting side of the projector faces a vertical surface for attaching to the vertical surface and the image deflection device is positioned in front of the lens to deflect the image onto the projection surface.

6. The video projection system according to claim 5, wherein said projector comprises an image processing means for selectively flipping the image to accommodate said first, second and third mounting configurations.

7. The video projection system according to claim 5, wherein an optical axis of the lens in said third mounting configuration extends generally parallel to the vertical surface on which the projector is attached.

8. The video projection system according to claim 7, wherein the optical axis of the lens in said third mounting configuration extends substantially vertically.

9. The video projection system according to claim 8, wherein said projector has a housing with ventilation apertures arranged therein on a side opposite from the lens for ventilating heat away from the housing.

10. The video projection system according to claim 9, wherein said third mounting configuration for the projector has the lens facing downward, and said ventilation apertures are on an opposite side of the housing from the lens for ventilating heat upwardly away from the housing.

11. The video projection system according to claim 1, wherein said image deflection device comprises a first threaded component for mating with a second threaded component which is coaxial with the lens of the projector, thereby providing a removable coupling between the image deflection device and the projector.

12. The video projection system according to claim 1, wherein said image deflection device comprises an annular-shaped inlet for receiving a projected light image from the lens of the projector and an annular-shaped outlet for projecting light therefrom, said outlet being oriented approximately at a right angle relative to said inlet.

13. A video projection device, comprising:

an image processing engine for correcting image distortion and orientation in a digitized image signal to accommodate different placement options for the video projection device;

a light engine comprising a light source and a display device for creating an optical image from the digitized image signal;

a projection lens for projecting said optical image in a first direction for viewing on a projection surface; and

an image deflection device having a mirror selectively positioned in front of said projection lens for deflecting the optical image into a second direction for viewing on the projection surface, thereby allowing the video projection device to be mounted in an orientation in which the projection lens does not face the projection surface.

14. The video projection device according to claim 13, wherein said image processing engine comprises a means for selectively flipping the optical image horizontally and vertically.

15. The video projection device according to claim 14, wherein said means for selectively flipping the optical image has a first setting to accommodate a mounting configuration in which the video projection device rests on a horizontal surface with the lens facing the projection surface, a second setting to accommodate a mounting configuration in which the video projection device is upside down and attached to a ceiling with the lens facing the projection surface, and a third setting to accommodate a mounting configuration in which the video projection device is attached to a vertical surface with an optical axis of the lens substantially parallel with the vertical surface and the image deflection device positioned in front of the lens to deflect the optical image toward the projection surface.

16. The video projection device according to claim 15, wherein the optical axis of the lens extends substantially vertically downwardly in the mounting configuration accommodated by the third setting of the means for selectively flipping the optical image.

17. The video projection device according to claim 13, wherein said image processing engine comprises a means for correcting vertical trapezoidal distortion of the optical image to accommodate mounting the projector at an elevation above or below a center of the projection surface.

18. The video projection device according to claim 13, wherein said image processing engine comprises a means for correcting horizontal trapezoidal distortion of the optical image to accommodate mounting the projector right or left of a center of the projection surface.

19. The video projection device according to claim 13 wherein said image processing engine comprises an optical means for correcting horizontal al trapezoidal distortion.

20. The video projection device according to claim 13 wherein said image processing engine comprising a lens shift for correcting horizontal trapezoidal distortion.

21. The video projection device according to claim 13, wherein said video projection device comprises a projector housing, and said image deflection device comprises a first threaded component for mating with a second threaded component on said projector housing which is coaxial with said projection lens, thereby providing a removable coupling between the image deflection device and the projector housing.

22. The video projection device according to claim 13, wherein said video projection device comprises a projector housing, and said image deflection device comprises a first component for slidably mating with a second component.

23. The video projection device according to claim 22, wherein said first component and said second component are structurally sized for a telescoping connection.

24. The video projection device according to claim 22 wherein said first component and said second component are connected by a bayonet connection.

25. The video projection device according to claim 13 wherein said image deflection device comprises an annular-shaped inlet for receiving the optical image from the projection lens and an annular-shaped outlet for projecting the optical image therefrom, said outlet being oriented approximately at a right angle relative to said inlet.

27. The method of mounting a video projector according to claim 19, wherein said step of mounting the video projector comprises mounting the video projector on a vertical wall facing the projection surface with the optical axis of the projection lens facing downwardly, and wherein said step of setting the image processor comprises setting the image processor to flip the optical image about a vertical axis relative to a setting of the image processor used when the projector rests on a horizontal surface with the lens facing the projection surface without passing the optical image through the image deflection device.

26. A method of mounting a video projector on a vertical surface, comprising the steps of:

providing a video projector having an image processor, a light source and a projection lens;

positioning an image deflection device having a mirror in front of the projection lens to deflect an optical image projected along an optical axis of the projection lens into an optical path different from said optical axis;

mounting the video projector on a vertical surface with the optical axis of the projection lens substantially parallel with the vertical surface and the optical path leading from the image deflection device directed toward a projection surface on which the optical image is to be displayed; and

setting said image processor to flip the optical image to adjust for having the mirror positioned in front of the projection lens.