Image projection system and a method of controlling a projected pointer

• US 5,782,548 A
• Filed: 12/15/1995
• Issued: 07/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Miyashita, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): DOWLING, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US08/573,520
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 353/142, 353/122, 345/169, 345/158, 359/142, 359/143, 359/146
• US Class Current: 353/42
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7441 the modulator being an array of liquid crystal cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image projection system whereby a display position of a pointer on a projected image can be easily controlled from a location separated from the main control means. The system comprises a liquid crystal projector, a personal computer for controlling the liquid crystal projector to display a pointer on a projected image in accordance with an operation signal from a main operating section and a predetermined program, and a remote controller for the liquid crystal projector. The remote controller comprises a pointing device and a light emitting portion for wirelessly transmitting an operation signal. The liquid crystal projector comprises a light receiving portion for receiving wirelessly transmitted signals. The personal computer controls the liquid crystal projector to transfer the received signals to the personal computer and further controls the display position of the painter according to the transferred pointing device operation signals.

Claims

1. An image projection system comprising:

a projecting means for projecting an image onto a desired display area;

a main operating section including a main pointing device;

a main control means for controlling the projecting means to display a pointer on a projected image in accordance with an operation signal from said main operating section and a predetermined control program; and

a remote controller for said projecting means; and

said remote controller including a pointing device and a wireless transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting an operation signal;

said projecting means including a wireless receiving means for receiving said operation signal from said remote controller; and

said main control means including;

means for controlling said projecting means to transfer a received signal from said projecting means to said main control means; and

a first detecting means for detecting an operation signal from said main pointing device of said main operating section and an operation signal from said pointing device of said remote controller via said projection means; and

wherein said main control means gives priority to an operation signal from said main operating section when operation signals from different portions are received to control a position of said pointer.

2. The image projection system according to claim 1 wherein said main control means, in which an application program for controlling said projecting means is installed, controls said projecting means in accordance with said application program and an operation signal from said operating section.

3. The image projection system according to claim 1,

wherein said remote controller further comprises operation keys to which operations of said main operation section are assigned, and

wherein said main control means further comprises means for assigning operations of said main operation section to said operation keys and controls said projecting means in accordance with a signal transmitted by operating said operation keys.

4. The image projection system according to claim 2,

wherein said remote controller further comprises operation keys to which operations of said main operation section are assigned, and

wherein said main control means further comprises means for assigning operations of said main operation section to said operation keys and controls said projecting means in accordance with a signal transmitted by operating said operation keys.

5. The image projection system according to claim 3,

wherein said main control means further comprises a second detecting means for detecting an operation signal from said remote controller and an operation signal from said main operation sections and gives priority to an operation signal from said main operating section when operation signals from different portions are received to control said projecting means.

6. The image projection system according to claim 4,

wherein said main control means further comprises a second detecting means for detecting an operation signal from said remote controller and an operation signal from said main operation section, and gives priority to an operation signal from said main operating section when operation signals from different portions are received to control said projecting means.

7. The image projection system according to claim 1,

wherein said main control means further comprises a display and is formed as a personal computer with an application program;

and

wherein said main operating section further comprises a keyboard and a pointing device connected to said personal computer; and

wherein said projecting means is controlled by said personal computer to project an image transmitted from said personal computer or image reproducing means.

8. A method of controlling a projected pointer of an image projection system which comprises a projecting means for projecting an image onto a desired display area, a main operating section including a main pointing device, main control means for controlling said projecting means to display a pointer on the image projected by said projecting means in accordance with an operation signal from said main operating section and a predetermined control program, and a remote controller for wirelessly transmitting a remote control signal to said projecting means, comprising the steps of:

wirelessly transmitting an operating signal from a pointing device of said remote controller to said projecting means;

transferring said operating signal from said pointing device of said remote controller received by said projecting means to said main control means;

detecting an operation signal from said main pointing device and an operation signal from said pointing device of said remote controller; and

giving priority to an operation signal from said main pointing device when operation signals from different portions are received to control a position of said pointer.

9. An image projection system comprising:

a projecting means for projecting an image including a pointer onto a desired display area;

a remote controller having an operating portion including a pointing device for controlling a display position of said pointer, a lighting key and operation keys, and

a main control means for controlling said projecting means according to an operation signal from said operating portion and a predetermined control program, and for controlling a display position of said pointer in accordance with an operation signal from said pointing device, and

wherein said remote controller comprises an illuminating portion for illuminating said operating portion in accordance with operation of said lighting keys, and a lighting control portion for forcibly putting said illuminating portion off during operation of said pointing device.

10. The image projection system according to claim 9, wherein said lighting control portion goes into a sleep mode to accept no instructions from said lighting key when said pointing device of said remote controller is inactive for a predetermined period.

11. An image projection system comprising:

a projecting means for projecting an image including a pointer onto a desired display area,

a remote controller having an operating portion including a pointing device for controlling a display position of said pointer and operation keys; and

a main control means for controlling said projecting means according to an operation signal from said operating portion and a predetermined control program, and for controlling a display position of said pointer in accordance with an operation signal from said pointing device, and

wherein said remote controller transmits a signal for adjusting said projecting means by combining operations of said pointing device and said keys.

12. The image projection system according to claim 11, wherein said pointing device and keys for combination operation are disposed closely for convenience on said operation portion.

13. The image projection system according to claim 12, wherein said pointing device and keys for combination operation disposed on said operation portion have the same color.

14. An image projection system comprising:

projecting means for projecting an image onto a desired display area, and a remote controller for said projecting means;

wherein said remote controller includes wireless transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting an operation signal,

said projecting means includes a plurality of wireless receiving means for receiving said operational signal which may be transmitted from different directions, and

one of the plurality of wireless receiving means is disposed in a front direction defining a direction of projection of the image and another of the plurality of wireless receiving means is disposed in a rear direction opposite to the front direction.

15. An image projection system comprising:

a projecting means for projecting an image including a pointer onto a desired display area;

a remote controller having an operating portion including a pointing device for controlling a display position of said pointer and operation keys; and

a main control means for controlling said projecting means according to an operation signal from said operating portion and a predetermined control program, and for controlling a display position of said pointer in accordance with an operation signal from said pointing device, and

wherein said remote controller goes into a sleep mode to stop power supply to said pointing device, when said pointing device is inactive for a predetermined period.