Scanned proximity detection method and apparatus for a scanned image projection system

• US 8,251,517 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Inventors: Gibson, Gregory T., Hudman, Joshua M., Brown, Margaret K., DeJong, Christian Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling, William C
• Application Number:
  US12/615,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20100053591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 353/85, 353/46, 353/50, 353/69, 353/70, 353/101, 3531961-2263, 356/4.01, 356/4.07, 356/5.01, 356/5.04
• US Class Current: 353/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161

Abstract

A encoded image projection system (100) is configured to determine the proximity of the system to a projection surface (106). The encoded image projection system (100) includes a light encoder (105) that scans a non-visible light beam (115) on the projection surface (106) selectively when scanning visible light to create an image. A detector (118) is then configured to receive reflections of the non-visible light beam (115) from the projection surface (106). A control circuit (120) is configured to determine the distance (124) between the projection surface (106) and the system from, for example, intensity data or location data received from the detector (118). Where the distances (124) are below a threshold, the control circuit (120) can either reduce the output power of the system or turn the system off.

Claims

1. A method of determining a distance between a encoded projection system and a projection surface, the method comprising:

delivering one or more light beams to a encoding device;

delivering a non-visible light beam to the encoding device with the one or more light beams;

scanning, with the encoding device, an image on the projection surface with the one or more light beams and scanning, selectively, a pattern with the non-visible light beam;

receiving a reflected non-visible light beam from the projection surface in response to scanning the pattern;

determining the distance by comparing the non-visible light beam to a threshold;

determining a rate of change in proximity by comparing the non-visible light beam to data corresponding to a previously captured non-visible light beam; and

determining an estimated reflectivity of at least a portion of the projection surface and adjusting the threshold based upon the estimated reflectivity.

2. A method of determining a distance between a encoded projection system and a projection surface, the method comprising:

delivering one or more light beams to a encoding device;

delivering a non-visible light beam to the encoding device with the one or more light beams;

scanning, with the encoding device, an image on the projection surface with the one or more light beams and scanning, selectively, a pattern with the non-visible light beam;

receiving a reflected non-visible light beam from the projection surface in response to scanning the pattern;

determining the distance by comparing the non-visible light beam to a threshold, wherein the determining the distance comprises determining a centroid of at least a portion of the pattern, wherein the determining the distance further comprises comparing the centroid to a location threshold value stored in a memory of the encoded projection system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising one of reducing an output power of the encoded projection system or turning the encoded projection system OFF when the distance is less than a location threshold.

4. A method of determining a distance between a encoded projection system and a projection surface, the method comprising:

delivering one or more light beams to a encoding device;

delivering a non-visible light beam to the encoding device with the one or more light beams;

scanning, with the encoding device, an image on the projection surface with the one or more light beams and scanning, selectively, a pattern with the non-visible light beam;

receiving a reflected non-visible light beam from the projection surface in response to scanning the pattern; and

determining the distance by comparing the non-visible light beam to a threshold, wherein the scanning the pattern of the non-visible light beam comprises scanning the pattern within a region of interest within the image, wherein the region of interest is larger when the projection surface is closer to the encoded projection system than when the projection surface is farther from the encoded projection system.