Dual-mode projection apparatus and method for locating a light spot in a projected image

• US 7,862,179 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2007
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnivision Technologies Incorporated (Will Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Shanghai)
• Original Assignee: Omnivision Technologies Incorporated (Will Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Shanghai)
• Inventors: Li, Jin, Shan, Jizhang
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps; Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, SULTAN U.
• Application Number:
  US11/936,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 353/30, 353/42, 353/69, 353/70, 353/46, 353/119, 353/122, 348/180, 348/181, 348/182, 348/183, 348/211.99, 348/211.14, 349/5, 349/7, 349/12, 349/16, 349/58, 349/61, 349/62, 349/63, 349/64, 349/65, 345/156
• US Class Current: 353/42
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/54 with projector

Abstract

A dual-mode projection apparatus has a projection module for projecting an image onto a projection surface. An image sensor module captures images of the projection surface and determines spatial and temporal characteristics of a visible light spot superimposed on the projection surface. A communications module transmits the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot to a remote device for remote control of the device based on the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot.

Claims

1. A dual-mode projection apparatus, comprising:

a projection module for projecting an image onto a projection surface;

an image sensor module for capturing images of the projection surface and determining spatial and temporal characteristics of a visible light spot of constant intensity superimposed on the projection surface; and

a communications module for transmitting the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot to a remote device for remote control of the device based on the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot;

wherein the spatial and temporal characteristics of the constant intensity light spot are interpreted as a plurality of commands.

2. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spatial and temporal characteristics are selected from the list comprising:

a position of the visible light spot on the projection surface;

a velocity of the visible light spot on the projection surface;

an acceleration of the visible light spot on the projection surface; and

a sequence of positions of the visible light spot on the projection surface over a sequence of images projected onto the projection surface.

3. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 2, wherein the remote device is controlled based solely on the position of the visible light spot.

4. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a calibration module for aligning the image sensor module with the projection module.

5. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image sensor module comprises an image sensor.

6. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 5, wherein the image sensor is adapted to sense light only at a given wavelength.

7. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 5, wherein the image sensor module further comprises a processor.

8. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communications module comprises a wireless communications module.

9. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the communications module comprises a receiver for receiving the image from the remote device.

10. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position comprises a displacement position.

11. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 10, wherein the displacement position is determined with reference to a reference point in the projection surface.

12. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 10, wherein the displacement position is determined with reference to a previous position of the visible light spot.

13. The dual-mode projection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote device is selected from the list comprising:

a presentation computer;

a video game player;

a DVD player;

a digital video recorder;

a set-top box;

a cable receiver;

a satellite receiver;

an entertainment unit;

a controller; and

a television.

14. An optical apparatus, comprising:

a light pointer configured for emitting light of constant intensity; and

a projection apparatus for projecting an image onto a projection surface, the projection apparatus comprising;

an image sensor module for capturing images of the projection surface and determining spatial and temporal characteristics of a visible light spot superimposed on the projection surface and generated by the light pointer; and

a communications module for transmitting the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot to a remote device for remote control of the device based on the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot;

wherein the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot are interpreted as a plurality of commands.

15. The optical apparatus of claim 14, wherein the projection apparatus comprises a projection module for projecting the image onto the projection surface.

16. The optical apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a calibration module for aligning the image sensor module with the projection module.

17. The optical apparatus of claim 14, wherein the image sensor module comprises an image sensor.

18. The optical apparatus of claim 17, wherein the image sensor module further comprises a processor.

19. The optical apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image sensor and the processor are mounted on separate chips.

20. The optical apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image sensor and the processor are integrated in a single chip.

21. A method for controlling a remote device with a dual-mode projection apparatus and a light pointer, comprising:

projecting a first image onto a projection surface with a projection module in the dual-mode projection apparatus;

capturing a second image of the projection surface with an image sensor module integrated into the dual-mode projection apparatus;

detecting a visible light spot of constant intensity in the second image with the image sensor module, the constant-intensity visible light spot generated by the light pointer;

determining spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot with the image sensor module;

transmitting the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot to a remote device;

interpreting the spatial and temporal characteristics of the visible light spot as a plurality of commands; and

controlling the remote device based on the commands.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising calibrating the image sensor module with the projection module.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising mapping the position of the visible light spot to a position in the first image.

24. A device, comprising:

a projection module for projecting an image onto a projection surface;

an image sensor module for capturing images of the projection surface and determining spatial and temporal characteristics of a visible light spot of constant intensity superimposed on the projection surface; and

a control module for interpreting the spatial and temporal characteristics of the constant-intensity light spot as a plurality of commands and for controlling the device based on the commands.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the device is selected from the list comprising:

a computer;

a video game player;

a DVD player;

a digital video recorder;

a set-top box;

a cable receiver;

a satellite receiver;

an entertainment unit;

a controller; and

a television.