CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PROJECTOR APPARATUS

• US 20100171930A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,702,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image

Abstract

A control apparatus for controlling a projector apparatus projecting an image in provided. The apparatus includes an input unit for inputting layout information relating to a layout of the images projected by a plurality of projector apparatuses, an obtaining unit for obtaining respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses, a determination unit for determining a correction amount of the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the layout information input by the input unit and the projection areas obtained by the obtaining unit, and a notifying unit for notifying the plurality of projector apparatuses of the correction amount determined by the determination unit.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for controlling a projector apparatus projecting an image, comprising:

an input unit for inputting layout information relating to a layout of the images projected by a plurality of projector apparatuses;

an obtaining unit for obtaining respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses;

a determination unit for determining a correction amount of the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the layout information input by the input unit and the projection areas obtained by the obtaining unit; and

a notifying unit for notifying the plurality of projector apparatuses of the correction amount determined by the determination unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a command unit for commanding the plurality of projector apparatuses such that the plurality of projector apparatuses project the image at a different time, wherein the obtaining unit obtains the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the time when the image is projected in response to the command.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a command unit for commanding the plurality of projector apparatuses such that the plurality of projector apparatuses project different images from each other, wherein the obtaining unit obtains the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the images projected in response to the command.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the obtaining unit obtains the luminance of images projected by the plurality of projector apparatuses,

the determination unit determines a correction amount of the luminance of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the luminance of the images projected by the plurality of projector apparatuses and obtained by the obtaining unit, and

the notifying unit notifies the plurality of projector apparatuses of the correction amount of the luminance determined by the determination unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit for setting a priority of the projection area of the image based on the layout information input by the input unit, wherein

the obtaining unit obtains the respective resolutions of the plurality of projector apparatuses, and

the determination unit determines that when the setting unit has set a first priority to a first area and a second priority lower than the first priority to a second area based on the layout information input by the input unit, a first projector apparatus having a first resolution will be used to project images on the first area and a second projector apparatus having a second resolution lower than the first resolution will be used to project images on the second area, and

the determination unit further determines the first projection area based on the layout information input by the input unit and the correction amount of the projection area projected by the first projector apparatus based on the projection area of the first projector apparatus obtained by the obtaining unit, the second projection area based on the layout information input by the input unit and the correction amount of the projection area projected by the second projector apparatus based on the projection area of the second projector apparatus obtained by the obtaining unit.

6. A method of controlling a projector apparatus for projecting an image by a control apparatus, comprising steps of:

inputting layout information relating to a layout of the image projected by a plurality of projector apparatuses;

obtaining respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses;

determining a correction amount of the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the layout information input at the inputting step and the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses obtained at the obtaining step; and

notifying the plurality of projector apparatuses of the correction amount determined at the determining step.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising a step of commanding the respective projector apparatuses such that the plurality of projector apparatuses project images at a different time, wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the time when the images are projected in response to the command.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising a step of commanding the respective projector apparatuses such that each projects images different from each other, wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the images projected in response to the command.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein

the obtaining step includes obtaining the luminance of images projected by the plurality of projector apparatuses,

the determining step includes determining a correction amount of the luminance of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the luminance of the images projected by the respective projector apparatus, and

the notifying step includes notifying the plurality of projector apparatus of the corrected amount of the luminance determined at the determining step.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising a step of setting a priority of the projection area of the image based on the layout information input by the inputting step, wherein

the obtaining step includes obtaining respective resolutions of the plurality of projector apparatuses,

the determining step includes determining that when a first priority to a first area and a second priority lower than the first priority to a second area have been set at the setting step based on the layout information input at the inputting step, a first projector apparatus having a first resolution will be used to project images on the first area and a second projector apparatus having a second resolution lower than the first resolution will be used to project images on the second area, and

the determining step further includes determining the first projection area based on the layout information input at the inputting step and the correction amount of the projection area projected by the first projector apparatus based on the projection area of the first projector apparatus obtained at the obtaining step, the second projection area based on the layout information input at the inputting step and the correction amount of the projection area projected by the second projector apparatus based on the projection area of the second projector apparatus obtained at the obtaining step.

11. A storage medium for storing a computer program executed by a computer for performing control of a projector apparatus to project an image, the computer program comprising steps of:

inputting layout information relating to a layout of the image projected by a plurality of projector apparatuses;

obtaining respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses;

determining a correction amount of the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the layout information input at the inputting step and the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses obtained at the obtaining step; and

notifying the plurality of projector apparatuses of the correction amount determined at the determining step.

12. The storage medium according to claim 11, the computer program further comprising a step of commanding the respective projector apparatuses such that the plurality of projector apparatuses project images at a different time, wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the time when the images are projected in response to the command.

13. The storage medium according to claim 11, the computer program further comprising a step of commanding the respective projector apparatuses such that each projects images different from each other, wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining the respective projection areas of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the images projected in response to the command.

14. The storage medium according claim 11, wherein

the obtaining step includes obtaining the luminance of images projected by the plurality of projector apparatuses,

the determining step includes determining a correction amount of the luminance of the plurality of projector apparatuses based on the luminance of the images projected by the respective projector apparatus, and

the notifying step includes notifying the plurality of projector apparatus of the corrected amount of the luminance determined at the determining step.

15. The storage medium according to claim 11, the computer program further comprising a step of setting a priority of the projection area of the image based on the layout information input by the inputting step, wherein

the obtaining step includes obtaining respective resolutions of the plurality of projector apparatuses,

the determining step includes determining that when a first priority to a first area and a second priority lower than the first priority to a second area have been set at the setting step based on the layout information input at the inputting step, a first projector apparatus having a first resolution will be used to project images on the first area and a second projector apparatus having a second resolution lower than the first resolution will be used to project images on the second area, and

the determining step further includes determining the first projection area based on the layout information input at the inputting step and the correction amount of the projection area projected by the first projector apparatus based on the projection area of the first projector apparatus obtained at the obtaining step, the second projection area based on the layout information input at the inputting step and the correction amount of the projection area projected by the second projector apparatus based on the projection area of the second projector apparatus obtained at the obtaining step.