IMAGE PROJECTING APPARATUS

• US 20120182531A1
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Ueno, Yasuhiro, Kitamura, Yasushi, Yoshikawa, Jouji
• Granted Patent: US 8,876,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/85
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/08 for controlling the direction of light in light guides G02B6/35
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0977 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/00 Projectors or projection-type viewers; Accessories therefor devices for changing pictures G03B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/005 Projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/142 Adjusting of projection optics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0272 for a projector or beamer module assembly constructional features of projectors per se G03B21/00; constructional details of projectors using electronic spatial light modulators per se H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/54 including functional features of a projector or beamer module assembly
• 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 9/317 Convergence or focusing systems electronic adjustment of convergence H04N9/3185; convergence or focusing arrangements for cathode ray tubes H04N9/28; means for automatic focusing of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3197 using light modulating optical valves

Abstract

According to an aspect, an image projecting apparatus that projects an image includes a light source, a light emitting port, an emitting unit, and a control unit. The emitting unit causes the light emitted from the light source to be emitted from the light emitting port in such a manner that an emission direction of the light emitted from the light source can be varied. The control unit controls the light source and the emitting unit to switch between a first projection mode and a second projection mode. When the image projecting apparatus is placed on a horizontal plane, the emission direction is a front direction of the light emitting port or obliquely upward with respect to the horizontal plane in the first projection mode, and the emission direction is obliquely downward with respect to the horizontal plane in the second projection mode.

Claims

1. An image projecting apparatus that projects an image, comprising:

a light source for outputting light to form the image;

a light emitting port;

an emitting unit for causing the light emitted from the light source to be emitted from the light emitting port in such a manner that an emission direction of the light emitted from the light source can be varied; and

a control unit for controlling the light source and the emitting unit to

switch between

a first projection mode in which the emission direction of the light emitted from the light emitting port, when the image projecting apparatus is placed on a horizontal plane, is a front direction of the light emitting port or obliquely upward with respect to the horizontal plane and

a second projection mode in which the emission direction of the light emitted from the light emitting port, when the image projecting apparatus is placed on the horizontal plane, is obliquely downward with respect to the horizontal plane.

2. An image projecting apparatus that projects an image, comprising:

a light source for outputting laser light to form the image;

a light emitting port;

an emitting unit that for causing the laser light emitted from the light source to be emitted from the light emitting port in such a manner that an emission direction of the laser light emitted from the light source can be varied; and

a control unit for controlling the light source and the emitting unit to

switch between

a first projection mode in which the emission direction of the laser light emitted from the light emitting port, when the image projecting apparatus is placed on a horizontal plane, is a direction facing the light emitting port or obliquely upward with respect to the horizontal plane and

a second projection mode in which the emission direction of the laser light emitted from the light emitting port, when the image projecting apparatus is placed on the horizontal plane, is obliquely downward with respect to the horizontal plane.

3. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when executing the second projection mode,

the control unit executes control for adjusting so that a shape of a laser light, which is formed on a virtual plane orthogonal to the emission direction of the laser light emitted from the light emitting port when the laser light emitted from the light emitting port is projected to the virtual plane, is a laterally long shape whose length in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to a lateral direction is shorter than a length thereof in the lateral direction parallel to the horizontal plane.

4. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit executes the control for the adjustment when the image projecting apparatus is placed on the horizontal plane.

5. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit executes the control for the adjustment when a length of the image in a direction parallel to a virtual optical axis, which is orthogonal to an emission plane of the light emitting port, is longer than a length in a direction orthogonal to the virtual optical axis.

6. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit adjusts a first light and a second light emitted to a side nearer the light emitting port than the first light, of a plurality of lights emitted to form the image in the second projection mode, in such a manner that a shape of the first light is laterally longer than a shape of the second light in a case where the shapes on the respective virtual plane are compared each other.

7. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control for the adjustment is implemented by changing a height-to-width ratio of the light emitting port.

8. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit changes the emission direction of light emitted from the light source so that a plurality of pixels that constitute the image formed by the laser light emitted from the light emitting port are arranged with distances between adjacent pixels in a first direction equal to each other and with distances between adjacent pixels in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction equal to each other.

9. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit increases the output of the laser light output from the light source as an emission position of the laser light emitted from the light emitting port is farther away from the light emitting port.

10. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a distance measuring unit for measuring a distance from the image projecting apparatus to an image projection target, wherein

the control unit inclines the emission direction of the laser light emitted from the light emitting port toward a side of the light emitting port with an increase in the distance so that a location to which the image is projected is substantially fixed.

13. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit switches between the first projection mode and the second projection mode when the image projecting apparatus is turned upside down.

14. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a operation unit for detecting an operation, wherein

the control unit switches display operation of the image projected in the second projection mode in accordance with the operation detected by the operation unit.

11. An image projecting apparatus that projects an image, comprising:

a light source for outputting light to form an image;

a light emitting port;

an emitting unit for causing the light emitted from the light source can be emitted from the light emitting port in such a manner that an emission direction of the light emitted from the light source can be varied; and

a control unit for controlling the light source and the emitting unit to control a projection state of an image to be projected, wherein,

when a projection mode, in which an emission direction of light emitted from the light emitting port is obliquely downward with respect to a horizontal plane if the image projecting apparatus is place on the horizontal plane, is executed,

the control unit changes the emission direction of the light emitted from the light source so that distances in a first direction between a plurality of pixels constituting an image formed by the light emitted from the light emitting port are equal to each other and distances between the plurality of pixels in a direction orthogonal to the first direction are equal to each other.

12. The image projecting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the control unit executes control for adjusting so that a shape of a laser light, which is formed on a virtual plane orthogonal to the emission direction of the light emitted from the light emitting port when the light emitted from the light emitting port is projected to the virtual plane, is a laterally long shape whose length in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to a lateral direction is shorter than a length thereof in the lateral direction parallel to the horizontal plane.

15. An image projecting apparatus that projects an image, comprising:

a light source for outputting light to form the image;

an optical system for varying a direction of the light output from the light source; and

a control unit for controlling the optical system to switch between a first projection mode in which the image is projected on a first plane and a second projection mode in which the image is projected on a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane, without changing an attitude of the image projecting apparatus.