Projector type display apparatus

• US 7,090,352 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kobori, Tomoki, Haruna, Fumio, Nozawa, Tsuneyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W. B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cruz, Magda
• Application Number:
  US11/218,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20060001836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 353/30, 353/69, 353/25, 353/122, 382/203, 382291-292, 382/181, 382/190, 345/2.2, 345/156
• US Class Current: 353/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

There is provided a safe image display apparatus for projecting an image on a screen that can minimize a stimulus to eyes, retinae and optic nerves from projected light entering into the eyes directly. By comparing a displayed image captured by a camera with an input image signal, a changed area is detected as a difference area and, then, a projected image signal is generated wherein a picture area image signal in the input image signal that corresponds to this difference area is masked by a black signal. The obtained projected image signal is projected onto the screen.

Claims

1. A projector type display apparatus for applying light from a light source to a picture display device and projecting outgoing light from said picture display device onto a screen in an enlarged manner comprising:

a video processor which generates a display picture information;

a camera interface which takes in a captured image captured by a camera and outputs as captured image information;

an image size controller which outputs an area determined as a projected image as a displayed area extraction image;

an image comparator which generates disagreement information at least in a part of a person area by comparing the image information of said displayed area extraction image with the information of projected combined image;

a difference area generator which generates differential area information based on said disagreement information;

a mask image generator which generates masked image information based on said differential area information; and

an image signal combining unit which superposes said masked image information on said displayed image information and outputs the displayed image information as a newly projected combined image information.

2. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image size controller controls and changes said captured image information into a predetermined image size.

3. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image size controller performs trapezoidal correction.

4. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image comparator generates said disagreement information in the entire area of said person area.

5. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image comparator generates said disagreement information in a face area of said person area.

6. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image comparator generates said disagreement information in an eye area of said person area.

7. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image comparator generates the disagreement information in a particular shape area of said person area.

8. A projector type display apparatus for applying light from a light source to a picture display device and projecting outgoing light from said picture display device onto a screen in an enlarged manner comprising:

a video processor which generates a display picture information;

a camera which captures an image projected onto the screen;

a camera interface which takes in a captured image captured by a camera and outputs as captured image information;

an image size controller which outputs an area determined as a projected image as a displayed area extraction image;

an image comparator which generates a disagreement information at least in a part of a person area by comparing an image information of said displayed area extraction image with an image information of projected combined image;

a difference area generator which generates differential area information based on said disagreement information;

a mask image generator which generates a masked image information based on said differential area information; and

an image signal combining unit which superposes said masked image information on said display picture information and outputs said display picture information as a newly projected combined image information.

9. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 8, further comprises a capture timing controller which controls a capture timing of said camera and controls said picture display device based on a displayed video signal input at least during a period when said camera captures a image projected onto said screen.

10. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said image comparator generates said disagreement information in the entire area of said person area.

11. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said image comparator generates said disagreement information in a face area of said person area.

12. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said image comparator generates said disagreement information in an eye area of said person area.

13. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said image comparator generates said disagreement information in a particular shape area of said person area.

14. A projector type display apparatus for applying light from a light source to a picture display device and projecting outgoing light from said picture display device onto a screen in an enlarged manner comprising:

a detector which detects an area projected on said screen;

an image size controller which takes in a captured image from a camera and outputs a displayed area extraction image in a first predetermined image size, based on detection results from said detector;

a video processor which generates a display picture information from a video signal input so that said display picture information conforms to display format of said picture display device;

an image signal combining unit which superposes an area corresponding to at least a part of a person area included in said displayed area extraction image, as being a masked image area, on said display picture information.

15. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image size controller changes said captured image into a second predetermined image size and generates said displayed area extraction image from said captured image of said second predetermined image size.

16. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image size controller performs trapezoidal correction against said captured image and generates said displayed area extraction image from said captured image being performed said trapezoidal correction.

17. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image signal combining unit extracts the entire area of said person area as said masked image area.

18. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image signal combining unit extracts a face area of said person area as said masked image area.

19. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image signal combining unit extracts an eye area of said person area as said masked image area.

20. The projector type display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image signal combining unit extracts a particular shape area of said person area as said masked image area.