DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING AN IMAGE

• US 20100253618A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: HIRANO, Atsuya, NISHIGAKI, Hiroshi, CHIKAOKA, Atsuhiko, NISHIOKA, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 8,690,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0423 using sweeping light beams, e.g. using rotating or vibrating mirror
• 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 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

A projector producing an imaginary input plane with high operability is provided. A projector according to an embodiment projects a VUI screen picture onto a desk, and projects a main projection screen picture to a wall. The projector includes a light receiving element. The light receiving element is arranged in a position where light emitted toward the desk (VUI screen picture) and reflected (or scattered) by an object near the desk enters. The projector calculates a position of the object based on light sensing timing by the light receiving element and light scan positions at various points in time. The projector changes a projected screen picture when it determines that object is simultaneously in contact with a plurality of portions of the VUI screen picture and at least one of contact positions moves.

Claims

1. An image display device for emitting laser light to display first and second images on first and second projection target planes, respectively, comprising:

a laser light source for emitting the laser light;

a scanning unit configured to scan said laser light on a frame-by-frame basis;

a light splitting element for splitting said laser light scanned by said scanning unit into first laser light directed to said first projection target plane and second laser light directed to said second projection target plane;

a photosensor for sensing said second laser light reflected by an external object on said second projection target plane; and

a controller configured to control the operation of said image display device, wherein

said controller is configured;

to operate said scanning unit with a predetermined scan frequency,

to control timing of emission of said laser light by said laser light source based on image data corresponding to said image and said scan frequency,

to calculate a position of said external object based on a scan position of said laser light according to light sensing timing of said light sensor, and

to produce an instruction for changing said image data when a plurality of said positions are calculated according to said light sensing timing included in a scan period of a predetermined number of said frames and at least one of said positions moves.

2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein

said controller is configured to produce said instruction when a first calculated position is in a predetermined region and a second calculated position moves.

3. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

said predetermined region is a display region of an icon.

4. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

said controller is configured to produce said instruction when said second position moves longer than a threshold distance.

5. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein

said controller is configured to produce said instruction when said two instruction positions move relatively to each other within a predetermined period.

6. The image display device according to claim 5, wherein

said controller is configured to determine said instruction to be produced, based on a kind of relative movement of said two instruction positions.

7. The image display device according to claim 6, wherein

said controller is configured to determine said instruction to be produced, based on a direction of movement of said two instruction positions.

8. The image display device according to claim 6, wherein

said controller is configured to determine said instruction to be produced, based on increase or decrease in distance between said two instruction positions.

9. The image display device according to claim 6, wherein

said controller is configured to produce said instruction when movement distances of said two instruction positions exceed a threshold.

10. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an interface being capable of connecting said image display device to an electronic device, wherein

said controller is configured to control output of said laser light based on said image data transmitted to said image display device from said electronic device connected to said image display device, and

said interface is configured to transmit said instruction to said electronic device.

11. An image display device for emitting laser light to display first and second images on first and second projection target planes, respectively, comprising:

a laser light source for emitting the laser light,

said laser light source including;

two-color laser for emitting red laser light and blue laser light, and

a green laser for emitting green laser light;

a resonance MEMS (Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems) mirror for scanning said laser light on a frame-by-frame basis;

a beam splitter for splitting said laser light scanned by said resonance MEMS mirror into first laser light directed to said first projection target plane and second laser light directed to said second projection target plane;

a photodiode for sensing said second laser light reflected by an external object on said second projection target plane; and

a controller for controlling the operation of said image display device, wherein said controller is configured;

to operate said resonance MEMS mirror with a predetermined scan frequency,

to control emission of said laser light by said laser light source based on image data corresponding to said image and said scan frequency,

to calculate a position of said external object based on a scan position of said laser light according to light sensing timing of said photodiode, and

to produce an instruction for changing said image data when a plurality of said positions are calculated according to said light sensing timing during a period of scanning of a predetermined number of frames by said resonance MEMS mirror and at least said position moves.

12. The image display device according to claim 11, further comprising:

an interface being capable of connecting said image display device to an electronic device, wherein

said controller is configured to control output of said laser light based on said image data transmitted to said image display device from said electronic device connected to said image display device, and

said interface is configured to transmit said instruction to said electronic device.

13. A method for displaying an image comprising the steps of:

emitting laser light by a laser light source;

scanning said laser light by a scanning unit on a frame-by-frame basis;

splitting said scanned laser light into first laser light directed to a first projection target plane and second laser light directed to a second projection target plane;

sensing said second laser light reflected by an external object on said second projection target plane;

operating said scanning unit with a predetermined scan frequency;

controlling timing of emission of said laser light by said laser light source based on image data corresponding to said image and said scan frequency;

calculating a position of said external object based on a scan position of said laser light according to timing of sensing of said second laser light; and

producing an instruction for changing said image data based on the facts that a plurality of said positions are calculated according to timing included in a scan period of a predetermined number of frames and that at least one of said positions moves.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein

said step of producing said instruction includes a step of producing said instruction when a calculated first position is in a predetermined region and a second position moves.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein

said predetermined region includes a display region of an icon.