Image display system

• US 7,483,015 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aruze Corp. (Universal Entertainment Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US11/054,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345 7- 9, 345/87, 359630-631
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

It is disclosed the image display system having a projecting device 30 for projecting a first image; a transparent screen device 10 on a rear plane of which the first image projected by the projecting device 30 is focused and on a front plane of which a second image near the first image indicated by an indication portion P is reflected; an image taking device 40 for taking a rear plane image of the screen device 10 and outputting image data thereof including the second image of the indication portion P; and a position detection device 50 for detecting a position indicated by the indication portion P based on the rear plane image included in the image data.

Claims

1. An image display system comprising:

a projector for projecting a first image;

a transparent screen on a rear plane of which the first image projected by the projector is focused, and on a front plane of which a second image formed by and indication portion indicating the first image is reflected;

an image taking device for taking a rear plane image of the second image and outputting image data thereof; and

a position detector for detecting a position indicated by the indication portion based on the image data,

wherein the second image comprises a complete shadow portion and a half shadow portion, and

wherein the complete shadow portion and the half shadow portion are formed by a reflection of the indication portion.

2. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein the position detected by the position detector is accepted as an input information from a user.

3. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein the position detector conducts a binarization process of the image data and detects the position indicated by the indication portion based on the image data after the binarization process is done.

4. The image display system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light source for emitting white light to the indication portion and the front plane of the transparent screen.

5. The image display system according to claim 4, wherein the light source is arranged to create the second image, and

wherein the second image comprises a shadow of the indication portion.

6. The image display system according to claim 5, wherein the indication portion is located between the light source and the transparent screen such that the shadow of the indication portion is reflected on the front plane.

7. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein the image taking device takes the rear plane image of the transparent screen and a circumference portion of the transparent screen, and wherein the circumference portion is colored in a dark color.

8. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein the second image comprises a shadow of the indication portion reflected on the front plane.

9. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein the complete shadow portion is formed by the reflection of a top portion of the indication portion positioned closer to the transparent screen.

10. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein the position detector detects the position indicated by the indication portion by determining a top portion of the indication portion based on a difference between the complete shadow portion and the half shadow portion.

11. An image display method comprising:

projecting a first image;

focusing the first image projected by the projector on a rear plane of a transparent screen and for reflecting a second image by an indication portion indicating the first image on a front plane of the transparent screen;

taking a rear plane image of the second image and for outputting image data thereof; and

detecting a position indicated by the indication portion based on the image data,

wherein detecting the position indicated by the indication portion comprises detecting a top portion of the indication portion based on a density difference between a complete shadow portion and a half shadow portion formed by a shadow of the indication portion.

12. The image display method of claim 11, wherein said detecting the position indicated by the indication portion further comprises detecting a complete shadow portion and a half shadow portion from the second image.

13. The image display method of claim 12, further comprising:

removing the half shadow portion; and

setting the complete shadow portion as the position indicated by the indication portion.

14. The image display method of claim 12, wherein the complete shadow portion corresponds with a top portion of the indication portion located closer to the transparent screen.