PORTABLE PROJECTION CAPTURE DEVICE

• US 20140176735A1
• Filed: 09/29/2011
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Short, David Bradley, Mayne, Geoffrey C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,521,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/54 with projector
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0567 Solid-state light source, e.g. LED, laser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00267 with a viewing or projecting apparatus, e.g. for reading image information from a film H04N1/00262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00493 Particular location of the interface or console
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00496 Constructional details of the interface or console not otherwise provided for, e.g. rotating or tilting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00562 Supporting the apparatus as a whole, e.g. stands
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02815 Means for illuminating the original, not specific to a particular type of pick-up head
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19594 using a television camera or a still video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

In one example, a portable projection capture device includes a digital camera and a projector mounted below the camera. The camera defines a capture area on a work surface within which the camera is configured to capture still and video images. The projector defines a display area on the work surface overlapping the capture area. The projector is configured to project into the capture area both images captured by the camera and white light for illuminating real objects in the capture area for camera image capture.

Claims

1. A portable projection capture device, comprising:

a digital camera defining, when the device is deployed for use with a work surface, a capture area on the work surface within which the camera is configured to capture still and video images; and

a projector mounted below the camera and defining, when the device is deployed for use with a work surface, a display area on the work surface overlapping the capture area and into which the projector is configured to project;

images captured by the camera; and

white light for illuminating real objects in the capture area for camera image capture.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the projector is configured to project white light of at least 200 lumens into the capture area with red, green and blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) synchronized with a video frame rate of the camera.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein a refresh rate of the projector and a refresh period of each LED sub-frame is an integral number of an exposure time of the camera for each captured frame.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein, when the device is deployed for use with a work surface:

the projector is positioned below the camera outside a volume bounded in two dimensions by the display area; and

the camera is positioned over the capture area at a location offset from a center of the capture area.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein, when the device is deployed for use with a horizontal work surface, the projector is configured to project light into the display area along a light path that is longer than a height of the camera above the work surface.

6. A portable projection capture device, comprising;

a digital camera to capture still and video images of objects in a capture space; and

a projector housed together with the camera to illuminate objects in the capture space and to project images captured by the camera into a display space overlapping the capture space.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a controller housed together with the camera and the projector, the camera and the projector operatively connected to one another through the controller to:

with the projector, illuminate objects in the capture space;

with the camera, capture images of objects in the capture space illuminated by the projector; and

with the projector, project images captured by the camera into the display space.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the camera and the projector are operatively connected to one another through the controller to project a graphical user interface into the display space.

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising an electronic display housed together with the controller, the projector and the camera, the display operatively connected to the controller to display an image captured by the camera.

10. The device of claim 7, further comprising a user input device operatively connected to the controller and configured to enable a user to interact with the device in the display space.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the user input device includes an infrared digital stylus and an infrared camera housed together with the controller, the projector, and the camera for capturing infrared light emitted by the stylus in a capture space of the infrared camera that is coincident with the display space.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the infrared camera is integrated into the light path of the projector light such that a field-of-view of the projector and a field-of-view of the infrared camera are coincident.

13. An interactive portable projection capture device for use with a three dimensional workspace having a horizontal work surface, the device comprising:

a base having a flat part for supporting the device on a flat, horizontal work surface;

a digital camera supported by the base at a position over the work surface when the device is deployed for use on the work surface, the camera defining a three dimensional capture space bounded in two dimensions by a capture area on the work surface;

a projector supported by the base below the camera, the projector defining a three dimensional display space bounded in two dimensions by a display area on the work surface overlapping at least part of the capture area; and

a controller supported by the base and configured to;

with the projector, illuminate objects in the capture space;

with the camera, capture images of objects in the capture space illuminated by the projector; and

, with the projector, project images captured by the camera into the display space.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising a housing having a first part housing the camera over the base and a second part housing the projector and the controller on the base.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising a mirror housed together with the camera in the first part of the housing, the projector and the mirror positioned with respect to one another such that light from the projector reflected off the mirror illuminates the capture space.