Image-rendering device

• US 7,055,956 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: InFocus Corporation (Lap-Shun Hui, MBA)
• Inventors: Olson, Jorell A., Hoeye, Robin, Lewis, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): KOVAL, MELISSA J
• Application Number:
  US10/916,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 353/30, 353/31, 353/122, 353/19, 348/744, 348/211, 348/212, 348/213, 709/204
• US Class Current: 353/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

The present invention provides an image-rendering device for an image projector. The image-rendering device includes a body having an image receiver adapted to alternatively receive a first interchangeable data transfer device and a second interchangeable data transfer device. Each interchangeable data transfer device is adapted to enable transfer of an image to the image-rendering device. The body may further include a projector connector adapted to operably couple the image-rendering device to the image projector and a processor configured to automatically transmit the image from the image receiver to the image projector for display. In some embodiments, the image-rendering device includes a peripheral device connector configured to enable at least one peripheral device to be operably linked to the image-rendering device. The peripheral device connector may be configured to transmit an image from the at least one peripheral device to the image projector, or vice versa.

Claims

1. A portable image-rendering device for an image projector, the device comprising:

a means for linking the image-rendering device to a wireless network, the means for linking comprising an integral wireless network card adapted to receive an image from any one of a plurality of computers linked to the wireless network;

a means for coupling the image-rendering device to an image projector; and

a means for transmitting the image from the image-rendering device to the image projector for display.

2. The portable image-rendering device of claim 1, wherein the means for coupling includes a video plug adapted to directly couple the device to a projector.

3. The portable image-rendering device of claim 1, wherein the means for coupling includes a cable.

4. A portable image-rendering device for an image projector, the device comprising:

a wireless receiver configured to establish a wireless network that enables communication between the image-rendering device and independent sources, wherein the wireless receiver includes an integral wireless network card; and

a cable configured to operably couple the image-rendering device to the image projector.

5. The portable image-rendering device of claim 4, further comprising a video plug.

6. The portable image-rendering device of claim 5, wherein the video plug is configured to engage with a plurality of types of image projectors.

7. An image-rendering device to convert how images are transmitted to an image projector, the image-rendering device comprising:

a body without a graphical interface configured to be removably attached to an image projector; and

a wireless receiver integrated in the body and adapted to link the image-rendering device to a wireless network, the wireless receiver further adapted to receive an image from any one of a plurality of computers linked to the wireless network.

8. The image-rendering device of claim 7, further comprising a projector connector adapted to directly couple the device to a projector.

9. The image-rendering device of claim 8, wherein the projector connector includes a cable.

10. The image-rendering device of claim 8, wherein the projector connector includes a video plug.

11. An image-rendering device to convert how images are transmitted to an image projector the image-rendering device comprising:

a body configured to be removably attached to an image projector; and

a wireless receiver integrated in the body and adapted to link the image-rendering device to a wireless network, the wireless receiver further adapted to receive an image from any one of a plurality of computers linked to the wireless network wherein the wireless receiver includes a wireless network card.

12. An image display system comprising:

a projector means for displaying an image; and

an image-rendering means for receiving an image from an independent source via a wireless network, wherein the image-rendering means is further configured to automatically render the image from the independent source and to transfer the image to the projector means, and wherein the image-rendering means includes a wireless network card.

13. The image display system of claim 12, further comprising a connector means for coupling the image-rendering means and the projector means.

14. The image display system of claim 13, wherein the connector means includes a cable.

15. The image display system of claim 13, wherein the connector means includes a plug.

16. The image display system of claim 15, wherein the plug is configured to engage with several types of projector means.