Projector

• US 7,891,826 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Ohta, Tadashi, Yamamoto, Tetsuya, Fujinawa, Nobuhiro, Nozaki, Hirotake
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling; William C
• Application Number:
  US11/659,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 353/31, 353/94, 353/119, 349 5- 9, 362/231, 362/249.02, 362/349.11, 362/349.13
• US Class Current: 353/119
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/005 Projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/008 using micromirror devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/12 using beam-splitting or beam-combining systems, e.g. dichroic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0272 for a projector or beamer module assembly constructional features of projectors per se G03B21/00; constructional details of projectors using electronic spatial light modulators per se H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/315 Modulator illumination systems general applications of lighting devices F21V; general optical systems G02B; lamp houses for projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/20

Abstract

A projector includes: an image creation unit that projects image information upon a screen, comprising a plurality of picture elements that create an image pattern corresponding to the image information; and an illumination unit in which light emitting members are disposed upon a vertical plane with respect to an optical axis which passes through a center of the image creation unit, at equal distances from the optical axis and moreover in different locations.

Claims

1. A projector, comprising:

an image creation unit that projects image information upon a screen, comprising a plurality of picture elements that create an image pattern corresponding to the image information; and

an illumination unit in which light emitting members are disposed upon a vertical plane in different locations with respect to an optical axis which passes through a center of the image creation unit, at equal distances from the optical axis;

a portable telephone functional portion for performing communication that is external to the projector;

a chassis unit that houses the image creation unit, the illumination unit and the portable telephone functional portion, and that is formed with two chassis components connected together by a hinge construction about which the two chassis components are able to swing;

an angle detector, disposed in the chassis unit, that detects an angle subtended between the two chassis components; and

a controller, disposed in the chassis unit, that controls the image creation unit and the illumination unit so as to project image information indicating receipt of a communication when the portable telephone functional portion has received the communication, while the angle detected by the angle detector is less than a predetermined angle and the projector is set in a projector mode for performing a projection operation.

2. A projector according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the light emitting members emits light of a single individual color.

3. A projector according to claim 2, wherein:

the emitted light of a single color is any one of white colored light, red colored light, green colored light, blue colored light, and yellow colored light.

4. A projector according to claim 1, wherein:

the illumination unit comprises light emitting members all of which emit light of a same color.

5. A projector according to claim 1, wherein:

the illumination unit comprises light emitting members which emit light of two or more colors.

6. A projector according to claim 5, wherein:

in the light emitting members which emit light of two or more colors, only one light emitting member of each color is used.

7. A projector according to claim 5, further comprising:

an illumination control unit that selects and turns on a light emitting member of a predetermined light emitting color from among the light emitting members.

8. A projector according to claim 7, wherein:

the illumination control unit illuminates the selected light emitting member continuously.

9. A projector according to claim 7, wherein:

the illumination control unit illuminates the selected light emitting members in order in time series at predetermined time intervals.

10. A projector according to claim 9, further comprising:

an image control unit that creates a predetermined image upon the image creation unit according to the light emitting members selected by the illumination control unit.

11. A projector according to claim 1, wherein:

a total area of light emitting portions of the light emitting members is made not to be greater than an area of the image creation unit.

12. A projector according to claim 1, wherein:

the light emitting members are light emitting diodes.

13. A projector according to claim 1, wherein:

the image creation unit is a liquid crystal.

14. A projector according to claim 1, wherein:

the image creation unit is a Digital Micromirror Device.

15. A projector according to claim 1, wherein:

the illumination unit is positioned next to the image creation unit.

16. A projector, comprising:

an image creation unit, through which image information is projected upon a screen, that comprises a plurality of picture elements that create an image pattern corresponding to the image information;

a light emitting diode constituting a single light emitting member of an area substantially equal to an area of the image creation unit;

a portable telephone functional portion for performing communication that is external to the projector;

a chassis unit that houses the image creation unit, the light emitting diode and the portable telephone functional portion, and that is formed with two chassis components connected together by a hinge construction about which the two chassis components are able to swing;

an angle detector, disposed in the chassis unit, that detects an angle subtended between the two chassis components; and

a controller, disposed in the chassis unit, that controls the image creation unit and the light emitting diode so as to project image information indicating receipt of a communication when the portable telephone functional portion has received the communication, while the angle detected by the angle detector is less than a predetermined angle and the projector is set in a projector mode for performing a projection operation.

17. A projector according to claim 16, wherein:

the light emitting diode is positioned next to the image creation unit.