Projector and Electronic Device Having Projector Function

• US 20140300544A1
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: CHIKAOKA, Atsuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 9,606,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1673 Arrangements for projecting a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0423 using sweeping light beams, e.g. using rotating or vibrating mirror
• 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 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 9/3155 for controlling the light source light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3161 using laser light sources using laser beams scanning the display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3164 using multiple light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

A projector includes a laser beam scanning portion, a light detecting portion, and a control portion performing control of predicting a prediction region where a detection object exists on the basis of detection of the detection object, changing a modulation pattern of a laser beam when the laser beam is scanned on the prediction region, acquiring the position of the detection object on the basis of reflected light of the laser beam emitted in a detection object detection pattern, and setting the position of the detection object to an indication position.

Claims

1. A projector comprising:

a laser beam scanning portion scanning a laser beam having an image formation pattern for forming an image on a projection surface;

a light detecting portion receiving reflected light of the laser beam scanned by the laser beam scanning portion, reflected by a detection object; and

a control portion performing control of predicting a prediction region where the detection object exists on the basis of detection of the detection object, changing a modulation pattern of the laser beam to a detection object detection pattern when the laser beam is scanned on the prediction region, acquiring a position of the detection object on the basis of the reflected light of the laser beam emitted in the detection object detection pattern, and setting the position of the detection object to an indication position indicated by the detection object.

2. The projector according to claim 1, wherein

the control portion is configured to detect the detection object in a state where the modulation pattern of the laser beam is set to an image formation pattern and change the modulation pattern of the laser beam to the detection object detection pattern when the laser beam is scanned on the prediction region on the basis of the detection of the detection object.

3. The projector according to claim 1, wherein

the control portion is configured to acquire a centerline passing through a substantially central portion of a region where the detection object exists on the basis of the reflected light of the laser beam emitted in the detection object detection pattern and set the position of the detection object acquired on the basis of the centerline to the indication position indicated by the detection object.

4. The projector according to claim 3, wherein

the control portion is configured to set an intersection between the centerline and a first scanning line in which the detection object is detected to the indication position indicated by the detection object.

5. The projector according to claim 3, wherein

the control portion is configured to acquire the centerline on the basis of the reflected light of the laser beam emitted in the detection object detection pattern in each of a plurality of scanning lines.

6. The projector according to claim 1, wherein

the control portion is configured to set a pattern change section in which the modulation pattern of the laser beam is changed to the detection object detection pattern in the prediction region in a scanning line scanned subsequent to a prescribed scanning line on the basis of the detection of the detection object in the prescribed scanning line.

7. The projector according to claim 6, wherein

the control portion is configured to control the modulation pattern to emit the laser beam of a single color as the detection object detection pattern to the pattern change section.

8. The projector according to claim 7, wherein

the control portion is configured to control the modulation pattern to emit the laser beam of a white or red color as the detection object detection pattern.

9. The projector according to claim 7, further comprising red, green, and blue laser beam sources emitting laser beams of colors different from each other to the laser beam scanning portion, wherein

the control portion is configured to control the red, green, and blue laser beam sources to change the modulation pattern of the laser beams emitted from the red, green, and blue laser beam sources to the detection object detection pattern of the single color when the laser beams are scanned on the prediction region.

10. The projector according to claim 6, wherein

the control portion is configured to set the pattern change section in correspondence to a detection position of the detection object in at least a single scanning line immediately prior to a scanning line in which the pattern change section is set.

11. The projector according to claim 10, wherein

the control portion is configured to set the pattern change section in correspondence to detection positions of the detection object in a plurality of scanning lines including an immediately prior single scanning line.

12. The projector according to claim 6, wherein

the control portion is configured to perform control of setting a width of the pattern change section to be smaller than a width of the prediction region of the detection object in a scanning direction of the scanning line.

13. The projector according to claim 12, wherein

the pattern change section includes a detection section in which the modulation pattern of the laser beam is changed to the detection object detection pattern, and

the control portion is configured to perform control of emitting the laser beam having a modulation range more restricted than the modulation pattern of an image region where the image is formed to adjustment sections located on both sides of the detection section in the prediction region of the detection object.

14. The projector according to claim 13, wherein

the control portion is configured to restrict a gradation value of the laser beam emitted to regions of the adjustment sections closer to the detection section to be smaller.

15. The projector according to claim 13, wherein

the adjustment sections located on both sides of the detection section have widths substantially equal to each other in the scanning direction of the scanning line.

16. The projector according to claim 6, wherein

the control portion is configured to change the modulation pattern of the laser beam emitted to the pattern change section to the detection object detection pattern during a period until a frame subsequent to a frame in which the detection object is detected is displayed after the detection object is detected.

17. The projector according to claim 6, wherein

the control portion is configured to set the pattern change section on the basis of acquired information of the detection object in a frame prior to a frame in which the detection object is detected when the indication position indicated by the detection object is acquired in the frame prior to the frame in which the detection object is detected.

18. The projector according to claim 13, wherein

the control portion is configured to acquire the centerline passing through the substantially central portion of the region where the detection object exists on the basis of data of a detection position of the detection object in a case where a difference between the detection position of the detection object and a position of a center point of the detection section in the scanning direction of the scanning line is not more than a prescribed value.

19. The projector according to claim 6, wherein

the control portion is configured to perform control of acquiring a width of the detection object in the scanning direction and setting a width of the pattern change section to be smaller than a width of the detection object in a direction along the scanning direction.

20. An electronic device having a projector function, comprising:

a laser beam scanning portion scanning a laser beam having an image formation pattern for forming an image on a projection surface;

a light detecting portion receiving reflected light of the laser beam scanned by the laser beam scanning portion, reflected by a detection object; and

a control portion performing control of predicting a prediction region where the detection object exists on the basis of detection of the detection object, changing a modulation pattern of the laser beam to a detection object detection pattern when the laser beam is scanned on the prediction region, acquiring a position of the detection object on the basis of the reflected light of the laser beam emitted in the detection object detection pattern, and setting the position of the detection object to an indication position indicated by the detection object.