INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS

• US 20160103498A1
• Filed: 10/01/2015
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Takuya, Nakatsu, Haruhiko
• Granted Patent: US 10,013,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• 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: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a projection unit that projects an image, a projection mirror that reflects an image projected by the projection unit towards a projection surface, an image capturing unit that captures an image of a subject placed on the projection surface, and an image capturing mirror that is arranged in an image capturing optical path from the subject to the image capturing unit in order to capture an image of the subject placed on the projection surface. The projection unit and the image capturing unit are arranged below the projection mirror and the image capturing mirror.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a projection unit configured to project an image;

a projection mirror configured to reflect an image projected by the projection unit towards a projection surface;

an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of a subject placed on the projection surface; and

an image capturing mirror configured to be arranged in an image capturing optical path from the subject to the image capturing unit in order to capture an image of the subject placed on the projection surface using the image capturing unit,

wherein the projection unit and the image capturing unit are arranged below the projection mirror and the image capturing mirror.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a sum of an optical path length of a light beam, which travels along an optical axis of the image capturing unit, from the image capturing unit to the projection surface is longer than a sum of an optical path length of a light beam, which travels along an optical axis of the projection unit, from the projection unit to the projection surface.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection mirror and the image capturing mirror are the same reflection mirror.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect motion of a detection target in a vicinity of the projection surface via the reflection mirror,

wherein letting a direction that an optical axis of the image capturing unit faces when the optical axis is projected onto the projection surface is a first direction, and a direction that is orthogonal to the first direction be a second direction,

the detection unit, when viewed in the second direction, is arranged in a virtual triangle that is formed by joining an optical path on an image capturing unit side of luminous flux from the projection unit, an optical path on a projection unit side of luminous flux from the image capturing unit, and the projection surface.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect motion of a detection target in a vicinity of the projection surface via the reflection mirror,

wherein letting a direction that an optical axis of the image capturing unit faces when the optical axis is projected onto the projection surface is a first direction, and a direction that is orthogonal to the first direction be a second direction,

an area of the reflection mirror to be used by the detection unit, when viewed in the second direction, is contained between a point on a side near the projection surface and a point on a side far from the projection surface of a region of the reflection mirror used by the image capturing unit an area of the reflection mirror used by the projection unit.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the projection unit is arranged at a position nearer to the projection surface than the projection unit is.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the reflection mirror is arranged in an upper portion of the information processing apparatus, and

the projection unit and the image capturing unit are arranged at a position that is below the reflection mirror relative to the information processing apparatus.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein an optical axis of the projection unit and an optical axis of the image capturing unit are directed toward the reflection mirror, and

light that travels along the optical axis of the projection unit and the optical axis of the image capturing unit are reflected by the reflection mirror so as to be directed downward.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the projection surface is arranged below the information processing apparatus.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, comprising a frame configured to support the projection unit,

wherein the image capturing unit and the projection unit are provided on opposite sides of the frame.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, comprising a frame configured to support the projection unit,

wherein the detection unit and the projection unit are provided on opposite sides of the frame.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the detection unit emits infrared light and detects motion of the detection target by receiving infrared light reflected by the detection target.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an area of the reflection mirror used by the projection unit and an area of the reflection mirror used by the image capturing unit at least partially overlap.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein the reflection mirror is arranged in an upper portion of the information processing apparatus, and

the projection unit and the image capturing unit are arranged at a position that is below the reflection mirror relative to the information processing apparatus.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein an optical axis of the projection unit and an optical axis of the image capturing unit are directed toward the reflection mirror, and

the optical axis of the projection unit and the optical axis of the image capturing unit are reflected by the reflection mirror so as to be directed downward.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the projection surface is arranged below the information processing apparatus.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, comprising a frame configured to support the projection unit,

wherein the image capturing unit and the projection unit are provided on opposite sides of the frame.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the image capturing unit also serves as a detection unit that detects motion of a detection subject in a vicinity of the projection surface via the reflection mirror.