SCANNING LASER PROJECTION DISPLAY FOR SMALL HANDHELD DEVICES

• US 20090316116A1
• Filed: 05/19/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Washington
• Original Assignee: University of Washington
• Inventors: Seibel, Eric J., Schowengerdt, Brian T., Johnston, Richard S., Lee, Cameron M., Melville, Charles D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,757,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/31
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0008 characterised by distal tip features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00172 with means for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0062 Arrangements for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/103 having movable or deformable optical fibres, light guides or waveguides as scanning elements light guides per se G02B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/262 Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/00 Projectors or projection-type viewers; Accessories therefor devices for changing pictures G03B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/20 Lamp housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3135 Driving therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability

Abstract

Image projection devices, high-speed fiber scanned displays and related methods for projecting an image onto a surface and interfacing with the projected image are provided. A method for projecting one or more images and obtaining feedback with an optical input-output assembly is provided. The input-output assembly comprising a light-scanning optical fiber and a sensor. The method includes generating a sequence of light in response to one or more image representations and a scan pattern of the optical fiber, articulating the optical fiber in the scan pattern, projecting the sequence of light from the articulated optical fiber, and generating a feedback signal with the sensor in response to reflections of the sequence of light.

Claims

1. An improved method for projecting one or more images onto a surface with a projection device comprising a light-scanning optical fiber, the method comprising:

generating a sequence of light in response to one or more image representations and a scan pattern of the optical fiber;

articulating the optical fiber in the scan pattern; and

projecting the sequence of light from the articulated optical fiber to form the one or more images on the surface, wherein the fiber is scanned within a Q factor of a resonant frequency of the optical fiber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scan pattern comprises at least one of a spiral pattern, an expanding ellipse pattern, or a Lissajous pattern.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the scan pattern in a single frame comprises a first portion providing a first resolution and a second portion providing a second resolution that is different from the first resolution.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating a sequence of light comprises varying an amount of light in the sequence of light in response to a positional rate of change of the optical fiber in the scan pattern.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein varying the amount of light comprises at least one of varying an intensity of light in the sequence of light or varying a light pulse duration in the sequence of light.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

articulating the optical fiber in a second scan pattern in a second frame, the second scan pattern having a different throw angle than the first scan pattern in a first frame;

generating a second sequence of light in response to a second one or more image representations and the second scan pattern; and

projecting the second sequence of light from the articulated optical fiber to form the second one or more images on the surface.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

articulating the optical fiber in a second scan pattern in a second frame, the second scan pattern providing a different resolution than the first scan pattern in a first frame;

generating a second sequence of light in response to a second one or more image representations and the second scan pattern; and

projecting the second sequence of light from the articulated optical fiber to form the second one or more images on the surface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the sequence of light comprises buffering an image representation in a memory device and reading the buffered image representation according to the scan pattern.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the images include video images; and

the method further comprises adjusting the number of settling cycles to match the video frame rate.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an orientation of the projection device; and

modifying the projected light output based on the determined projection device orientation.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the projected one or more images comprise a first portion and a second portion;

the first portion corresponding to the one or more image representations; and

the second portion is projected by a portion of the scan pattern that is not used to project the first portion, the second portion including additional image content.

12. A method for projecting one or more images onto a surface and obtaining feedback with an optical input-output assembly, the input-output assembly comprising a light-scanning optical fiber and a sensor, the method comprising:

generating a sequence of light in response to one or more image representations and a scan pattern of the optical fiber;

articulating the optical fiber in the scan pattern;

projecting the sequence of light from the articulated optical fiber to form the one or more images on the surface; and

generating a feedback signal with the sensor in response to reflections of the sequence of light.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the sequence of light comprises a non-visible wavelength; and

the feedback signal comprises a signal generated in response to reflections of the non-visible wavelength.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the non-visible wavelength comprises an infrared wavelength.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating an input signal to an electronic device in response to the feedback signal.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the input signal is generated in response to a position of the projected light in the scan pattern corresponding to a user input.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the scan pattern comprises at least one of a spiral pattern, an expanding ellipse pattern, or a Lissajous pattern.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein a formed image in a single frame comprises a first portion comprising a first image resolution and a second portion comprising a second image resolution that is different from the first resolution.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the sequence of light comprises varying an amount of light in the sequence of light in response to a positional rate of change of the optical fiber in the scan pattern.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

articulating the optical fiber in a second scan pattern, the second scan pattern having a different throw angle than the first scan pattern;

generating a second sequence of light in response to a second one or more image representations and the second scan pattern;

projecting the second sequence of light from the articulated optical fiber to form the second one or more images on the surface; and

generating a feedback signal with the sensor in response to reflections of the second sequence of light.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

articulating the optical fiber in a second scan pattern, the second scan pattern providing a different image resolution than the first scan pattern;

generating a second sequence of light in response to a second one or more image representations and the second scan pattern;

projecting the second sequence of light from the articulated optical fiber to form the second one or more images on the surface; and

generating a feedback signal with the sensor in response to reflections of the second sequence of light.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining at least one of an orientation of the surface or a distance to the surface in response to the feedback signal;

generating a second sequence of light based on the determined at least one of an orientation of the surface or a distance to the surface, the second sequence of light adapted to compensate for the determined at least one of an orientation of the surface or a distance to the surface; and

projecting the second sequence of light from the light-scanning optical fiber to form the second one or more images on the surface.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the projecting the second sequence of light is accomplished using a different throw angle so as to maintain a desired projected image size.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining at least one of an orientation of the surface or a distance to the surface comprises comparing reflected light intensities with corresponding projected light intensities.

25. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining an orientation of the input-output assembly; and

modifying the projected light output based on the determined input-output assembly orientation.

26. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the one or more images comprises video images; and

the method further comprises adjusting the number of settling cycles to match the video frame rate.

27. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the projected one or more images comprise a first portion and a second portion;

the first portion corresponding to the one or more image representations; and

the second portion is projected by a portion of the scan pattern that is not used to project the first portion, the second portion including at least one of additional image content or user feedback features.

28. A system for projecting one or more images onto a surface, the system comprising:

a projection device comprising a light-scanning optical fiber, the projection device operable to project a sequence of light from the light-scanning fiber onto a surface according to a scan pattern;

a laser assembly coupled with the light-scanning optical fiber and operable to generate the sequence of light; and

a processor coupled with the light-scanning assembly and the laser assembly, the processor comprising a tangible medium, the tangible medium comprising instructions that when executed cause the processor to;

generate the sequence of light in response to one or more image representations and the scan pattern, and

provide control signals to the laser assembly and the light-scanning assembly to project the sequence of light according to the scan pattern to form the one or more images on the surface.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the laser assembly comprises:

at least one of a red laser, a green laser, and a blue laser; and

a combiner to combine output from the at least one of a red laser, a green laser, and a blue laser, wherein the combined output is projected from the light scanning fiber.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein at least one of the red laser, the green laser, or the blue laser are remotely located relative to the combiner and coupled with the combiner via a separate optical path.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein a formed image comprises a first portion comprising a first image resolution and a second portion comprising a second image resolution that is different from the first resolution.

32. The system of claim 28, further comprising a memory buffer to store an image representation, and wherein the processor reads the buffered image representation according to the scan pattern.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the processor generates the sequence of light by varying an amount of light in the sequence of light in response to a positional rate of change of the optical fiber in the scan pattern.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the processor can vary the scanning of the light-scanning fiber so as to provide different throw angles.

35. The system of claim 28, wherein the processor can vary the scanning of the light-scanning fiber so as to provide different image resolutions.

36. The system of claim 28, wherein the processor can vary the scanning of the light-scanning fiber so as to match a video frame rate.

37. A system for projecting one or more images on a surface and obtaining feedback, the system comprising:

a projection assembly comprising a light-scanning optical fiber, the projection assembly operable to project a sequence of light from the light-scanning optical fiber onto a surface according to a scan pattern;

a sensor operable to measure reflections from light projected on the surface by the light-scanning optical fiber and generate a feedback signal corresponding thereto;

a laser assembly coupled with the light-scanning optical fiber and operable to generate the sequence of light; and

a processor coupled with the light-scanning assembly, the sensor, and the laser assembly, the processor comprising a tangible medium, the tangible medium comprising instructions that when executed cause the processor to;

determine the sequence of light in response to one or more image representations and the scan pattern,

provide control signals to the laser assembly and the light-scanning assembly to project the sequence of light from the light-scanning optical fiber according to the scan pattern to form the one or more images on the surface, and

receive a feedback signal generated by the sensor in response to reflections of the sequence of light.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein:

the sequence of light comprises a non-visible wavelength; and

the feedback signal comprises a signal generated in response to reflections of the non-visible wavelength.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the processor generates an input signal to an electronic device in response to the feedback signal.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the input signal is generated in response to a position of the projected light in the scan pattern corresponding to a user input.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein a formed image comprises a first portion comprising a first image resolution and a second portion comprising a second image resolution that is different from the first resolution.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein generating the sequence of light comprises varying an amount of light in the sequence of light in response to a positional rate of change of the optical fiber in the scan pattern.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein:

the optical fiber is articulated in a second scan pattern, the second scan pattern having a different throw angle than the first scan pattern;

the processor generates a second sequence of light in response to a second one or more image representations and the second scan pattern;

the second sequence of light is projected from the articulated optical fiber to form the second one or more images on the surface; and

the sensor generates a feedback signal in response to reflections of the second sequence of light.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein:

the optical fiber is articulated in a second scan pattern, the second scan pattern providing a different image resolution than the first scan pattern;

the processor generates a second sequence of light in response to a second one or more image representations and the second scan pattern;

the second sequence of light is projected from the articulated optical fiber to form the second one or more images on the surface; and

the sensor generates a feedback signal in response to reflections of the second sequence of light.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein:

the processor determines an orientation of the surface in response to the sequence of light, the feedback signal, and the scan pattern;

the processor generates a second sequence of light in response to;

a second one more image representations,

a second scan pattern, and

the orientation of the surface; and

the second sequence of light is projected from the light-scanning optical fiber according to the second scan pattern to form the second one or more images on the surface so that the second one or more images are not substantially distorted by the orientation of the surface.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the determining an orientation of the surface comprises comparing reflected light intensities with corresponding projected light intensities.

47. The system of claim 37, wherein:

the one or more images comprises video images; and

the processor adjusts the number of settling cycles to match the video frame rate.