Display apparatus for projecting overlapping windows with light modulation valves

• US 8,274,531 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yoneno, Kunio
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, JIN CHENG
• Application Number:
  US12/571,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20100097393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 345594-596, 345/698, 345/629
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/14 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3188 Scale or resolution adjustment scaling in general G06T3/40; resolution modifying circuits for displays in general G09G5/391
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

A display apparatus adapted to generate image data for controlling a first light modulation section adapted to project a first window, and image data for controlling a second light modulation section adapted to project a second window smaller than the first window and projected so as to overlap with the first window, includes: a first image conversion section adapted to convert a resolution of input image data in accordance a resolution of the first light modulation section to form the image data for controlling the first light modulation section; and a second image conversion section adapted to extract data included in a range corresponding to a resolution of the second light modulation section among the input image data to form the image data for controlling the second light modulation section.

Claims

1. A display apparatus adapted to generate image data for controlling a first light modulation section adapted to project a first window, and image data for controlling a second light modulation section adapted to project a second window smaller than the first window and projected so as to overlap with the first window, comprising:

a first image conversion section adapted to convert a resolution of input image data in accordance a resolution of the first light modulation section to form the image data for controlling the first light modulation section;

a second image conversion section adapted to extract data included in a range corresponding to a resolution of the second light modulation section among the input image data to form the image data for controlling the second light modulation section;

an observation distance measurement section adapted to measure an observation distance from a projection screen of the first and second windows to an observer;

a window size parameter generation section adapted to generate a window size parameter for designating a size of the second window;

an image quality setting section adapted to set an image quality control parameter for controlling image quality and brightness of the second window based on the window size parameter and the observation distance; and

an image quality control section adapted to execute an image quality control process on the image data for controlling the second light modulation section obtained from the second resolution conversion section in accordance with the image quality control parameter, such that the brightness of the second window varies according to the window size parameter and the observation distance.

2. A display apparatus adapted to generate image data for controlling a first light modulation section adapted to project a first window, and image data for controlling a second light modulation section adapted to project a second window smaller than the first window and projected so as to overlap with the first window, comprising:

a first image conversion section adapted to convert a resolution of input image data in accordance a resolution of the first light modulation section to form the image data for controlling the first light modulation section;

a window size parameter generation section adapted to generate a window size parameter for designating a size of the second window;

an extraction range setting section adapted to set an extraction range parameter for designating a range of data to be extracted among the input image data based on the window size parameter;

a second image conversion section adapted to extract data included in an extraction range designated by the extraction range parameter from the input image data, and to convert a resolution of the extracted data according to needs from a relationship between the extraction range and a resolution of the second light modulation section, thereby forming the image data for controlling the second light modulation section;

an observation distance measurement section adapted to measure an observation distance from a projection screen of the first and second windows to an observer;

an image quality setting section adapted to set an image quality control parameter for controlling image quality and brightness of the second window based on the window size parameter and the observation distance; and

an image quality control section adapted to execute an image quality control process on the image data for controlling the second light modulation section obtained from the second resolution conversion section in accordance with the image quality control parameter, such that the brightness of the second window varies according to the window size parameter and the observation distance.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a zoom ratio setting section adapted to set a zoom ratio of a projection lens disposed on a posterior stage of the second light modulation section based on the window size parameter; and

a zoom control section adapted to control a zoom action of the projection lens in accordance with the zoom ratio set by the zoom ratio setting section.

4. The display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the window size parameter generation section sets the window size parameter so that a size of an image displayed in the second window becomes constant irrespective of the size of the second window.

5. The display apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

wherein the window size parameter generation section generates the window size parameter based on a measurement result of the observation distance by the observation distance measurement section.

6. The display apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

the first light modulation section adapted to project the first window;

the second light modulation section adapted to project the second window; and

the projection lens a zoom action of which is controlled by the zoom control section, and which is disposed on the posterior stage of the second light modulation section.

7. The display apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a blanking control section adapted to perform control so as to inhibit projection of projection light by the first light modulation section in an area where the first window and the second window overlap with each other.

8. The display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the first light modulation section and the second light modulation section have the same resolution.

9. The display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the resolution of the first light modulation section and the second light modulation section is lower than the resolution of the input image data.

10. A display apparatus adapted to generate image data for controlling a first light modulation section adapted to project a first window, and image data for controlling a second light modulation section adapted to project a second window smaller than the first window and projected so as to overlap with the first window, comprising:

a first image conversion section adapted to convert a resolution of input image data in accordance a resolution of the first light modulation section to form the image data for controlling the first light modulation section;

a display position parameter generation section adapted to generate a display position parameter for designating a display position of the second window;

an extraction range setting section adapted to set an extraction range parameter for designating a range of data to be extracted among the input image data;

an observation information determination section adapted to measure an observation distance from a projection screen of the first and second windows to an observer;

a second image conversion section adapted to move a position of the extraction range designated by the extraction range parameter based on the display position parameter, and to extract data included in the extraction range having been moved among the input image data to form the image data for controlling the second light modulation section;

an image quality setting section adapted to set an image quality control parameter for controlling image quality and brightness of the second window based on the window size parameter and the observation distance;

an image quality control section adapted to execute an image quality control process on the image data for controlling the second light modulation section obtained from the second image conversion section in accordance with the image quality control parameter, such that the brightness of the second window varies according to the window size parameter and the observation distance; and

a display position control section adapted to control the display position of the second window based on the display position parameter.

11. The display apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a window size parameter generation section adapted to generate a window size parameter for designating a size of the second window;

a zoom ratio setting section adapted to set a zoom ratio of a projection lens disposed on a posterior stage of the second light modulation section based on the window size parameter; and

a zoom control section adapted to control a zoom action of the projection lens in accordance with the zoom ratio set by the zoom ratio setting section,

wherein the extraction range setting section sets the extraction range parameter based on the window size parameter, and

the second image conversion section converts a resolution of the extracted data according to needs from a relationship between the extraction range designated by the extraction range parameter and the resolution of the second light modulation section, thereby forming the image data for controlling the second light modulation section.

12. The display apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a content analysis section adapted to analyze a characteristic of a content of the input image data; and

an observation information determination section adapted to determine an observation location of an observer based on an analytical result of the characteristic of the content by the content analysis section,

wherein the display position parameter generation section generates the display position parameter for designating the display position of the second window based on the observation location determined by the observation information determination section.

13. The display apparatus according to claim 12,

the observation information determination section determining an observation location of an observer based on the analytical result of the characteristic of the content, the display apparatus further comprising:

a window size parameter generation section adapted to generate a window size parameter for designating the size of the second window based on the observation distance determined by the observation information determination section;

a zoom ratio setting section adapted to set a zoom ratio of a projection lens disposed on a posterior stage of the second light modulation section based on the window size parameter; and

a zoom control section adapted to control a zoom action of the projection lens in accordance with the zoom ratio set by the zoom ratio setting section,

wherein the extraction range setting section sets the extraction range parameter based on the window size parameter, and

the second image conversion section converts a resolution of the extracted data according to needs from a relationship between the extraction range designated by the extraction range parameter and the resolution of the second light modulation section, thereby forming the image data for controlling the second light modulation section.

14. The display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

a blanking control section adapted to perform control so as to inhibit projection of projection light by the first light modulation section in an area where the first window and the second window overlap with each other.

15. The display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the first light modulation section and the second light modulation section have the same resolution.

16. The display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the resolution of the first light modulation section and

the second light modulation section is lower than the resolution of the input image data.

17. The display apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

the first light modulation section adapted to project the first window; and

the second light modulation section adapted to project the second window.