Interactive projection system and method

• US 7,273,280 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Frankenberger, James Stephen, Smoot, Lanny, McArdle, William Joseph, Tanaka, Arthur Jun, Knowles, Kenneth L., Kurth, Deborah Susan, Kravitz, Don, Ayala, Alfredo Medina
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling; William C.
• Application Number:
  US11/243,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20060072076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 353/122, 353/79, 353/46, 353/42, 353/29, 353/101, 353/30, 353/94, 382/154, 382/100, 472/57, 472/71, 715/700, 345/633, 345/419, 405/41, 539/450
• US Class Current: 353/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/10 using back-projection, i.e. blending artificial background with real foreground
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor

Abstract

A method and system of selectively projecting images is disclosed. An illuminated area is created on a projection surface by directing a light source to the projection surface. The illuminated area is detected with a camera. Electrical signals are transmitted from the camera to the projector, the electrical signals being indicative of the position of the illuminated area in relation to the projection surface. Based on the received electrical signals, an image and a second image are projected on the projection surface. The image is projected on the illuminated area of the projection surface. The second image is projected on an area of the projection surface that is not illuminated by the light source. Applications of this method and system include the projection of background and foreground images creating the illusion of an x-ray beam, the projection of a normal image and an overblown image creating the illusion of a magnifying light beam.

Claims

1. A system of selectively projecting images, comprising:

a light source configured to emit light toward a projection surface to define an illuminated area on the projection surface;

a camera directed toward the projection surface configured to detect the illuminated area on the projection surface;

a processing unit coupled to the camera configured to receive signals from the camera indicative of the position of the illuminated area in relation to the projection surface, the processing unit configured to utilize the signals received from the camera to create a first image and a second image to be projected on the projection surface; and

a projector separate from the light source and coupled to the processing unit configured to project the first image on the illuminated area of the projection surface, and a second image on an area of the projection surface that is not illuminated by the light source.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit utilizes input data from a first video generator to create the first image, and wherein a keyer utilizes input data from a second video generator to create the second image.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first image and the second image are three-dimensional images.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the projection surface is translucent.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the projection surface is non-translucent.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the illuminated area of the projection surface is also projected with the second image.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first image is a moving video image.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first image is synchronized with an audio output.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the moving video image is triggered to commence upon the light from the light source impinging on a target area of the projection surface.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second image is a moving video image.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second image is synchronized with an audio output.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the audio output is triggered to commence upon light from the light source impinging on the projection surface.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first image and the second image are projected from the same side of the projection surface in relation to the light from the light source.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first image and the second image are projected from the opposite side of the projection surface in relation to the light from the light source.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is a flashlight.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted to a pair of wearable eyeglasses.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted on a wearable helmet.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted on a ring.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light beams.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the light from the light source is an infrared light and the camera is sensitive to infrared light.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the light from the light source is of a specific wavelength and the camera is sensitive to the specific wavelength.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the light source can be identified based on the wavelength of the light from the light source.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the first image is an image representing the present appearance of an object and the second image is an image representing the appearance of an object at a different time than the present.

24. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second projection surface upon which the first image is projected.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computing device that constructs a final image to be projected on the projection surface, the final image including the first image and the second image.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and the second images are projected on one side of the projection surface.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the projection surface encompasses the surface of a three-dimensional object, the first and the second images being projected on multiple sides of the projection surface.

28. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second light source configured to emit light that defines a second illuminated area on the projection surface, and wherein the projector is configured to project a third image on the second illuminated area of the projection surface.

29. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second projector that receives electrical signals from the camera indicative of the position of the illuminated area in relation to the projection surface, wherein the projector projects the first image on the illuminated area of the projection surface, wherein the second projector projects the second image on an area of the projection surface that is not illuminated by the light from the light source.

30. A method of selectively projecting images, the method comprising:

creating an illuminated area on a projection surface by directing light from a light source towards the projection surface;

detecting a position of the illuminated area relative to the projection surface with a camera;

transmitting signals from the camera to a processing unit, the signals being indicative of the position of the illuminated area relative to the projection surface;

utilizing at the processing unit the signals received from the camera to create an image to be projected on the projection surface; and

projecting the image on the projection surface, the image being projected on the illuminated area of the projection surface by a projector separate from the light source.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising projecting a separate complementary image on an area of the projection surface that is not illuminated by light from the light source.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the processing unit utilizes input data from a first video generator to create the image, and wherein the processing unit utilizes input data from a second video generator to create the complementary image.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein projecting the image and the complementary image on the projection surface includes utilizing a computing device to construct a final image to be projected on the projection surface, the final image including the image and the complementary image.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising projecting a third image on a second illuminated area of the projection surface, wherein the second illuminated area is created by light from a second light source.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein transmitting signals from the camera further includes transmitting the signals to a second projector, and wherein the second projector projects the complementary image on an area of the projection surface that is not illuminated by the light from the light source.

36. A system of selectively projecting images, comprising:

a light source configured to emit light toward a projection surface to define an illuminated area on the projection surface;

a camera directed toward the projection surface configured to detect the illuminated area on the projection surface;

a processing unit coupled to the camera configured to receive signals from the camera indicative of the position of the illuminated area relative to the projection surface, the processing unit utilizing the signals received from the camera to establish a position on the projection surface at which an image is to be projected; and

a projector coupled to the processing unit and separate from the light source configured to project the image onto the position on the projection surface established by the processing unit.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the projector projects a separate complementary image on an area of the projection surface that is not illuminated by the light from the light source.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the processing unit utilizes input data from a first video generator to create the image, and wherein a keyer utilizes input data from a second video generator to create the complementary image.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the image and the complementary image are three-dimensional images.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein the projection surface is translucent.

41. The system of claim 36, wherein the projection surface is non-translucent.

42. A system for selectively projecting images onto a projection surface, comprising:

a pointing device having a magnetic energy source, the magnetic source configured to generate directional magnetic energy in the vicinity of a projection surface;

a magnetic receiver in the vicinity of the projection surface, the magnetic receiver configured to detect a position of the magnetic energy relative to the projection surface and direction of the magnetic energy from the magnetic source;

a processing unit configured to receive signals from the magnetic receiver and indicate the position and pointing direction of the magnetic energy from the magnetic source in relation to the projection surface, wherein the processing unit utilizes the signals received from the magnetic receiver to determine a location coordinate on the projection surface to which a user is pointing the pointing device, wherein the processing unit creates a first image to be projected at the location coordinate on the projection surface, wherein the processing unit creates a second image to be projected on the projection surface at a location on the surface that is not the location coordinate on the projection surface; and

a projector coupled to the processing unit configured to project the first image and the second image onto the projection surface.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the processing unit utilizes input data from a first video generator to create the first image, and wherein a keyer utilizes input data from a second video generator to create the second image.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the first image is a three-dimensional image.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the first image and the second image are three-dimensional images.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein the projection surface is translucent.

47. The system of claim 42, wherein the projection surface is non-translucent.