PROJECTION DEVICE, PROJECTION CONTROL SYSTEM, AND PROJECTION CONTROL METHOD

• US 20180033357A1
• Filed: 01/28/2016
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Appotronics Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Appotronics China Corporation (Appotronics Corporation Limited)
• Inventors: LI, Yi, WANG, Zeqin
• Granted Patent: US 10,134,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/08 Sequential recording or projection G03B33/02, G03B33/04, G03B33/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0235 Field-sequential colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0237 Switching ON and OFF the backlight within one frame
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0238 Improving the black level
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0252 Improving the response speed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0414 Vertical resolution change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0421 Horizontal resolution change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/007 Use of pixel shift techniques, e.g. by mechanical shift of the physical pixels or by optical shift of the perceived pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/31 Projection devices for colour picture display , e.g. using electronic spatial light modulators [ESLM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3114 by using a sequential colour filter producing one colour at a time
• 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 9/3158 for controlling the spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3188 Scale or resolution adjustment scaling in general G06T3/40; resolution modifying circuits for displays in general G09G5/391
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

Provided is a projection device, comprising a light-emitting apparatus, a spatial light modulator, a pixel shifting apparatus, a projection lens, and a control processor; the light-emitting apparatus comprises an excitation light source, a colored-light generating apparatus, and a drive apparatus; the control processor is separately connected to the drive apparatus, the light source, the spatial light modulator, and the pixel shifting apparatus, and is used for: controlling the frequency of periodic motion of the drive apparatus; while the drive apparatus moves the conversion area of the colored-light generating apparatus to pass across the position illuminated by the excitation light, shutting off the light source or controlling the spatial light modulator to enter a non-projecting state. No light passes through the pixel shifting apparatus when it is changing states, thus it is prevented from affecting the contrast. Also provided are a projection control system and a projection control method.

Claims

1. A projection device, comprising:

an image light generating device, for generating an image light for forming a projected image;

a pixel shifting device, disposed on a transmission path of the image light generated by the image light generating device, the pixel shifting device being configured to switch its state between a first state and a second state, wherein a first projected image formed after the image light passes through the pixel shifting device when the pixel shifting device is in the first state and a second projected image formed after the image light passes through the pixel shifting device when the pixel shifting device is in the second state are shifted with respect to each other; and

a control processor, respectively coupled to the image light generating device and the pixel shifting device, wherein the control processor controls the pixel shifting device to perform a switching of state, and during a time interval when the pixel shifting device performs the switching of state, controls the image light generating device to generate no image light.

2. The projection device of claim 1, wherein the image light generating device comprises:

a light generating device for generating a projection light; and

a spatial light modulator, for receiving the projection light generated by the light generating device, and modulating the projection light based on input image signal to output the image light,

wherein the control processor controls the spatial light modulator based on the input image signal to modulate the projection light.

3. The projection device of claim 2, wherein the spatial light modulator is a digital micromirror device or a Liquid Crystal On Silicon device.

4. The projection device of claim 2, wherein during the time interval when the pixel shifting device performs the switching of state, the control processor controls the spatial light modulator to be in a non-projecting state, or controls the light generating device to generate no light, whereby the image light generating device generates no image light.

5. The projection device of claim 4, wherein the light generating device comprises:

a light source for generating a light;

a color light generating device, including a plurality of color segments and a transition segment, wherein each color segment generates a projection light of a corresponding color when illuminated by the light generated by the light source; and

a drive device, coupled to the color light generating device, for driving the light generating device to move periodically relative to an illumination position of the light generated by the light source formed on the color light generating device, wherein the color segments and the transition segment of the color light generating device are sequentially moved to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source according to a predefined order;

wherein the control processor is respectively coupled to the drive device, the spatial light modulator and the pixel shifting device, for controlling a frequency of the periodic movement of the drive device, and for controlling the pixel shifting device to perform the switching of state during a time interval when the drive device drives the transition segment to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source.

6. The projection device of claim 5, wherein an operation of the drive device driving the transition segment to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source and an operation of the pixel shifting device switching its state are performed during a same time interval or during time intervals close to each other.

7. The projection device of claim 6, wherein the color light generating device further includes a sensing device, for generating a shifting feedback signal when the transition segment is illuminated by the light generated by the light source, and transmitting the shifting feedback signal to the control processor, wherein based on the shifting feedback signal, the control processor controls the pixel shifting device to perform the switching of state and controls the image light generating device to generate no image light on the pixel shifting device.

8. The projection device of claim 5,

wherein during the time interval when the drive device drives the transition segment to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source, the control processor controls the spatial light modulator to be in a non-projecting state, and during a time interval when the drive device drives the color segments to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source, the control processor controls the spatial light modulator to be in a projecting state;

or wherein the control processor is further coupled to the light source, and wherein during the time interval when the drive device drives the transition segment to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source, the control processor controls the light source to be off, and during a time interval when the drive device drives the color segments to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source, the control processor controls light source to be on;

or wherein the transition segment of the color light generating device includes an opaque material.

9. The projection device of claim 1, further comprising projection lenses for receiving the image light after it passes through the pixel shifting device and projecting the image light onto a screen to form an image.

10. A control system for a projection device, wherein the projection device comprises:

an image light generating device, for generating an image light for forming a projected image;

a pixel shifting device, disposed on a transmission path of the image light generated by the image light generating device, the pixel shifting device being configured to switch its state between a first state and a second state, wherein a first projected image formed after the image light passes through the pixel shifting device when the pixel shifting device is in the first state and a second projected image formed after the image light passes through the pixel shifting device when the pixel shifting device is in the second state are shifted with respect to each other;

the control system comprising;

a first unit for controlling the pixel shifting device to perform a switching of state, and controlling the image light generating device to generate no image light during a time interval when the pixel shifting device performs the switching of state.

11. The system of claim 10,

wherein the image light generating device comprises:

a light generating device for generating a projection light; and

a spatial light modulator, for receiving the projection light generated by the light generating device, and modulates the projection light based on input image signal to output the image light,

wherein the control system further comprises;

a second unit, for controlling the spatial light modulator based on the input image signal to modulate the projection light;

wherein during the time interval when the pixel shifting device performs the switching of state, the first unit controls the spatial light modulator to be in a non-projecting state, or controls the light generating device to generate no light, whereby the image light generating device generates no image light.

12. The system device of claim 11,

wherein the light generating device comprises:

a light source for generating a light;

a color light generating device, including a plurality of color segments and a transition segment, wherein each color segment generates a projection light of a corresponding color when illuminated by the light generated by the light source; and

a drive device, coupled to the color light generating device, for driving the light generating device to move periodically relative to an illumination position of the light generated by the light source illuminating on the color light generating device, wherein the color segments and the transition segment of the color light generating device are sequentially moved to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source according to a predefined order;

wherein the control system further comprises;

a third unit, for determining a frequency of the periodic movement of the drive device based on a frame rate of the display image, and for controlling the drive device to move periodically based on the frequency;

wherein the first unit further controls the pixel shifting device to perform the switching of state during a time interval when the drive device drives the transition segment to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein an operation of the drive device driving the transition segment to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source and an operation of the pixel shifting device switching its state are performed during a same time interval or during time intervals close to each other.

14. The system device of claim 12,

wherein during the time interval when the drive device drives the transition segment to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source, the first unit controls the spatial light modulator to be in a non-projecting state, and during a time interval when the drive device drives the color segments to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source, the first unit controls the spatial light modulator to be in a projecting state;

or wherein during the time interval when the drive device drives the transition segment to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source, the first unit controls the light source to be off, and during a time interval when the drive device drives the color segments to move to pass the illumination position of the light generated by the light source, the first unit controls light source to be on.

15. A projection control method, comprising:

controlling a spatial light modulator based on input image signal to modulate an input light and output an image light;

passing the image light through a pixel shifting device to generate a projection light; and

controlling the pixel shifting device to switch its state between a first state and a second state, wherein a first projected image formed after the image light passes through the pixel shifting device when the pixel shifting device is in the first state and a second projected image formed after the image light passes through the pixel shifting device when the pixel shifting device is in the second state are shifted with respect to each other, and preventing the image light from passing through the pixel shifting device during a time interval when the pixel shifting device performs the switching of state.

16. The method of claim 15,

wherein preventing the image light from passing through the pixel shifting device includes:

controlling the spatial light modulator to be in a non-projecting state;

or controlling the input light to turn off.