Projection display apparatus, display method for same and image display apparatus

• US 7,187,391 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Itoh, Takafumi, Akaiwa, Shoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung; Kee M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHMJOO, MANUCHEHR
• Application Number:
  US10/895,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20050219265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 345/629, 345/620, 345/622, 345/624, 345/634
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/02 Handling of images in compressed format, e.g. JPEG, MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/34 by control of light from an independent source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/39 Control of the bit-mapped memory
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/397 Arrangements specially adapted for transferring the contents of two or more bit-mapped memories to the screen simultaneously, e.g. for mixing or overlay G09G5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor

Abstract

The present invention provides a technology that enables related portions of multiple pages of images to be displayed simultaneously. A projection display apparatus comprises: an image extraction section that extracts at least a portion of given first image data as an extraction image; an extraction image memory for storing extraction image data representing the extraction image; an image overlay section that generates overlaid image data by superimposing the extraction image on an original image represented by given second image data; a light modulation unit that is driven responsive to the overlaid image data pixel by pixel; and an optical system for projecting onto the screen the overlaid image obtained by the light modulation unit. A projection display apparatus can display related portions of multiple pages of images simultaneously.

Claims

1. A projection display apparatus that projects images onto a screen responsive to given image data, comprising:

an image extraction section that extracts at least a portion of given first image data as an extraction image;

an extraction image memory that stores extraction image data representing the extraction image;

an image overlay section that generates overlaid image data by superimposing the extraction image on original image represented by given second image data and provides the overlaid image data as an electrical signal at an image overlay section output;

a light modulation unit that is connected to the image overlay section output and driven pixel by pixel in response to the overlaid image data contained in the electrical signal received from the image overlay section output; and

an optical system for projecting onto the screen the overlaid image obtained by the light modulation unit, wherein

the extraction image memory stores a plurality of extraction image data representing a plurality of extraction images, and the image overlay section superimposes at least one extraction image selected among the plurality of extraction images at each specified position on the original image,

wherein the image overlay section comprises,

a synthesizer section that generates the overlaid image data by synthesizing the given second image data and the extraction image data read out from the extraction image memory, and

a frame memory that stores the overlaid image data, the frame memory having at least a memory area corresponding to all the pixels of the light modulation unit, the overlaid image data read out of the frame memory being supplied to the light modulation unit, and

wherein the synthesizer section comprises,

a multiplier section that multiplies the second image data and the extraction image data by respective coefficients on a pixel by pixel basis, and

an adder section that adds the multiplied second image data and the extraction image data on a pixel by pixel basis.

2. A projection display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image extraction section can arbitrarily set the portion to be extracted from the first image data.

3. A projection display apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the image overlay section superimposes the extraction image at a desired position on the original image.

4. A projection display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the synthesizer section comprises a data selector that selects one of the second image data and the extraction image data pixel by pixel, to produce the overlaid image data.

6. A projection display apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 5, wherein the synthesizer section comprises a coefficient setting section that controls the coefficients in the multiplier section to change a synthesis ratio between the second image data and the extraction image data, thereby adjusting a degree of transparency of the extraction image superimposed on the original image.

7. An projection display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the coefficient setting section changes the coefficients in the multiplier section with time to change the synthesis ratio between the second image data and the extraction image data, thereby changing the degree of transparency of the extraction image superimposed on the original image with time.

5. A projection display apparatus that projects images onto a screen responsive to given image data, comprising:

an image extraction section that extracts at least a portion of given first image data as an extraction image;

an extraction image memory that stores extraction image data representing the extraction image;

an image overlay section that generates overlaid image data by superimposing the extraction image on original image represented by given second image data and provides the overlaid image data as an electrical signal at an image overlay section output;

a light modulation unit that is connected to the image overlay section output and driven pixel by pixel in response to the overlaid image data contained in the electrical signal received from the image overlay section output; and

an optical system for projecting onto the screen the overlaid image obtained by the light modulation unit, wherein

the extraction image memory stores a plurality of extraction image data representing a plurality of extraction images, and the image overlay section superimposes at least one extraction image selected among the plurality of extraction images at each specified position on the original image,

wherein the image overlay section comprises,

a frame memory that stores the given second image data, the frame memory having at least a memory area corresponding to all the pixels of the light modulation unit, and

a synthesizer section that generates the overlaid image data by synthesizing the second image data read out from the frame memory and the extraction image data read out from the extraction image memory, the overlaid image data synthesized by the synthesizer section being supplied to the light modulation unit, and

wherein the synthesizer section comprises,

a multiplier section that multiplies the second image data and the extraction image data by respective coefficients on a pixel by pixel basis, and

an adder section that adds the multiplied second image data and the extraction image data on a pixel by pixel basis.

8. A method of displaying images using a projection display apparatus having a light modulation unit to display an image based on image data given to the projection display apparatus by projecting the image on a screen, comprising the steps of:

extracting at least a portion of given first image data as an extraction image;

preparing extraction image data representing the extraction image;

generating overlaid image data by superimposing the extraction image on an original image represented by given second image data and providing the overlaid image data as an overlaid image electrical signal;

driving a light modulation unit responsive to the overlaid image electrical signal on a pixel by pixel basis; and

projecting overlaid images obtained by the light modulation unit onto a screen, wherein

an extraction image memory is provided to store a plurality of extraction image data representing a plurality of extraction images, and the step of generating overlaid image data by superimposing the extraction image on an original image is performed by superimposing at least one extraction image selected among the plurality of extraction images at each specified position on the original image,

wherein the step of generating overlaid image data comprises,

generating the overlaid image data by synthesizing the given second image data and the extraction image data read out from the extraction image memory, and

storing the overlaid image data in a frame memory, the frame memory having at least a memory area corresponding to all the pixels of the light modulation unit, the overlaid image data read out of the frame memory being supplied to the light modulation unit, and

wherein the step of generating the overlaid image data by synthesizing the given second image data and the extraction image data read out from the extraction image memory comprises,

multiplying the second image data and the extraction image data by respective coefficients on a pixel by pixel basis, and

adding the multiplied second image data and the extraction image data on a pixel by pixel basis.