Portable presentation system and methods for use therewith

• US 7,948,448 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2006
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Polyvision Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hildebrandt, Peter W., Dunn, Michael H., Hutchinson, Ian G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang; Regina
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sheng; Tom V
• Application Number:
  US11/585,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/2.1, 345/3.1, 345/173, 345/184, 345/2.2, 434/408, 434/411, 434/412, 434/416, 434/428, 715/761, 348/789, 312/7.2, 312/10.1, 353/74, 353/30, 353/31, 353/94, 353/121
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/067 Combinations of audio and projected visual presentation, e.g. film, slides
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/08 providing for individual presentation of information to a plurality of student stations
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3102 using two-dimensional electronic spatial light modulators micromechanical modulators as such G02B26/0833; liquid crystal modulators as such G02F1/13
• 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 9/3147 : Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3197 : using light modulating optical valves

Abstract

A presentation system and method for presenting information to an audience within a space hat includes a plurality of mobile projectors and a master presentation unit that can be moved into a presentation space and associated where the projectors and master unit are quickly linkable via a network and where the master unit expedites the system configuration process to allow the system user to manipulate images presented by all of the projectors.

Claims

1. A method for configuring presentation units for cooperative activities, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a master presentation unit including a display and at least one input device in a conference space;

providing a processor associated with the master presentation unit;

moving a plurality of portable projectors within the conference space;

associating the master presentation unit with at least a subset of the projectors within the conference space wherein the associated subset of projectors includes at least two projectors;

presenting an image via the master presentation unit display;

providing a control interface via the master presentation unit display for designating any one of the projectors from the associated subset that should display the image presented via the master presentation unit; and

when a projector is designated to display the image from the master presentation unit, using the designated projector to project the image from the master presentation unit onto a presentation space within the conference space;

wherein the step of associating the master presentation unit with a subset of the projectors includes presenting a list of the projectors via the master presentation unit display and receiving selections designating the subset of projectors via the master presentation unit input device.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a sensor system for determining which projectors are in the conference space.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein each of the projectors includes an identification tag and wherein the sensor system includes at least a first tag reader for reading the identification tag.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the ID tag is an RF ID tag and the sensor is an RF sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a plurality of projectors in the conference space includes providing projectors that each include a wireless transmitter, the step of associating further includes the step of causing the projectors in the space to transmit unique projector identifiers to the master presentation unit, the step of presenting a list including presenting a list including a separate entry for each of the unique projector identifiers received by the master presentation unit.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving a plurality of projector units into the conference space includes providing each projector unit on a separate projector cart wherein each cart includes wheels to facilitate transport of the projector and moving the carts and projectors into the conference space.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of associating the master presentation unit with a subset of the projectors includes mechanically linking each of the carts to the master presentation unit.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of moving the carts includes arranging the carts in a side-by-side fashion and wherein the step of mechanically linking includes connecting communication cables between the master presentation unit and the projectors.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of mechanically linking further includes connecting power cables between the mater presentation unit and the projectors.

10. The method of claim 6 further including the steps of arranging the carts associated with the associated subset of projectors in a side-by-side fashion and mechanically linking adjacent carts to form a cart chain for transport.

11. A method for configuring presentation units for cooperative activities, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a master presentation unit including a display and at least one input device in a conference space;

providing a processor associated with the master presentation unit;

moving a plurality of portable projectors within the conference space;

associating the master presentation unit with at least a subset of the projectors within the conference space wherein the associated subset of proiectors includes at least two projectors;

presenting an image via the master presentation unit display;

providing a control interface via the master presentation unit display for designating any one of the proiectors from the associated subset that should display the image presented via the master presentation unit; and

when a projector is designated to display the image from the master presentation unit, using the designated projector to project the image from the master presentation unit onto a presentation space within the conference space;

wherein each of the projectors projects at least first and second images onto at least first and second presentation spaces, respectively, and wherein the step of providing a control interface includes providing an interface that facilitates designation of any of the first and second presentation spaces associated with any of the projectors.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of providing a control interface includes providing an interface that enables designation of any of the images presented by any of the projectors to be represented by the master presentation unit via the master presentation unit display.

13. The method of claim 11 further including the step of providing a sensor system for determining which projectors are in the conference space.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein each of the projectors includes an identification tag and wherein the sensor system includes at least a first tag reader for reading the identification tag.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the ID tag is an RF ID tag and the sensor is an RF sensor.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of providing a plurality of projectors in the conference space includes providing projectors that each include a wireless transmitter, the step of associating further includes the step of causing the projectors in the space to transmit unique projector identifiers to the master presentation unit, the step of presenting a list including presenting a list including a separate entry for each of the unique projector identifiers received by the master presentation unit.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of moving a plurality of projector units into the conference space includes providing each projector unit on a separate projector cart wherein each cart includes wheels to facilitate transport of the projector and moving the carts and projectors into the conference space.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of associating the master presentation unit with a subset of the projectors includes mechanically linking each of the carts to the master presentation unit.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of moving the carts includes arranging the carts in a side-by-side fashion and wherein the step of mechanically linking includes connecting communication cables between the master presentation unit and the projectors.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of mechanically linking further includes connecting power cables between the mater presentation unit and the projectors.

21. The method of claim 17 further including the steps of arranging the carts associated with the associated subset of projectors in a side-by-side fashion and mechanically linking adjacent carts to form a cart chain for transport.

22. An image presentation kit system for use with a substantially vertical member that forms a presentation surface and for use in a conference space including a floor member for supporting the carts, the assembly comprising:

a master presentation unit including an input device and a display screen;

a processor associated with the master unit;

at least first and second portable projector carts that include wheels for moving the carts within a conference space, each cart also including a projector juxtaposed to project images onto the presentation surface when the cart is positioned adjacent the presentation surface; and

a network for linking the processor to each of the portable projectors;

wherein the network includes data cables mounted in the floor.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the network is wireless.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the data cables form a plurality of spaced apart data ports in the floor for linking to the carts.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein each of the data ports includes a mechanical connector plug.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein the network includes first data and second data ports mounted to the carts and jumper cables that extend between data ports of adjacent carts.