Optical assembly for electronic devices

• US 8,382,295 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, John T., Hebenstreit, Joseph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, SULTAN U.
• Application Number:
  US12/827,061
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 353/30, 353/31, 353/33, 353/34, 353/85, 353/98, 353/99, 353/121, 353/122, 348/563, 348/552, 348/564, 348/567, 348/588, 348/584, 715/851, 715/863, 715/764, 715/810, 345/106, 345/108, 345/212, 345/213, 345/214
• US Class Current: 353/119
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/54 with projector
• 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: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0693 Calibration of display systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/10 Special adaptations of display systems for operation with variable images
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/14 Electronic books and readers
• 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: G09G 3/344 based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/31 Projection devices for colour picture display , e.g. using electronic spatial light modulators [ESLM]

Abstract

A electronic device that includes an optical assembly containing a projector, an imager, or both is described. The optical assembly may be disposed in an accessory such as a cover for the electronic device, or the electronic device itself. The optical assembly may be attached by a flexible connector or articulated arm that, when extended, positions the optical assembly generally above a plane of an electronic display of the device. The optical assembly may project images onto the electronic display, portions of the cover, or other surfaces. An imager in the optical assembly detects user gestures or other visual inputs to initiate commands on the electronic device.

Claims

1. An optical assembly configured to couple to an electronic device having a display, the optical assembly comprising:

a body;

a projector that projects an image;

an imager that gathers image data and provides the image data to the electronic device; and

a deployable arm that physically joins the projector and the imager to the body, wherein;

the deployable arm retracts a housing portion of the deployable arm that encloses the projector and the imager into the body such that lenses of the projector and the imager remain exposed when the deployable arm is stowed within the body; and

the deployable arm extends the projector and the imager away from the body when deployed from the body.

2. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a dedicated electronic book reader.

3. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the imager detects an input, and wherein the electronic device activates a command previously associated with the input at least in response to detection of the input, and alters a presentation of the projected image at least in response to the command.

4. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the imager detects an input, and wherein the electronic device activates a command previously associated with the input at least in response to detection of the input, and alters a presentation of an image on an electronic display of the electronic device at least in response to the command.

5. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the deployable arm comprises a high-yield strength metal, a superelastic material, a polypropylene material, or a shape-memory alloy.

6. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the projector comprises one or more light sources and a digital micromirror device.

7. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the imager comprises one or more charge coupled devices (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors.

8. The optical assembly of claim 7, wherein the one or more lenses of the projector direct light out of the projector, and one or more lenses of the imager direct light into the imager.

9. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a foldable cover for the electronic device.

10. The optical assembly of claim 1, further comprising a reading light proximate to the projector, the imager, or both.

11. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the body is physically and electrically coupled to the electronic device by an electrically-conductive hook.

12. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the projector provides intensity of illumination in proportion to a distance that the deployable arm is deployed from the body.

13. The optical assembly of claim 12, wherein operational parameters of the optical assembly are configurable.

14. A dedicated electronic book reader device comprising:

an imager that gathers image data and provides the image data to the device;

a processor coupled to the imager and configured by instructions stored within a memory of the device to;

determine a gesture present within the image data; and

activate a command previously associated with the gesture; and

a deployable arm physically joining the imager to a body that is a portion of the device or a portion of a cover that at least partially encloses the device, the deployable arm to;

retract the imager into the body such that one or more lenses of the imager remain exposed when the deployable arm is stowed within the body; and

extend the imager away from the body when deployed from the body.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the deployable arm lies approximately flat when stowed within the body.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the gesture comprises one or more of:

an absolute position of an object within a field of view of the imager;

one or more motions of the object within the field of view of the imager;

or

one or more marks upon a surface within the field of view of the imager.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the image data comprises a distance from an imaged object to the imager.

18. The device of claim 14, further comprising a projector disposed proximate to the imager that projects an image.

19. A portable electronic device comprising:

one or more processors that determine graphical output data for rendering into at least a first image and a second image;

one or more image processing units (IPUs) coupled to the one or more processors that generate the graphical output data;

an electronic display coupled to the one or more IPUs that renders the first image; and

an image projector coupled to the one or more IPUs that renders the second image, the first image being rendered by the electronic display independently from a rendering of the second image by the image projector.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the image projector is to project the second image onto at least a portion of the electronic display.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the electronic display comprises an electrophoretic display.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the image projector couples to a body of the portable electronic device by a flexible connector comprising a high-yield strength metal, a superelastic material, a polypropylene material, or a shape-memory alloy.

23. The device of claim 19, further comprising an imager coupled to the processor and configured to accept a user input.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the imager comprises a charge coupled device (CCD) array or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor array.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the user input comprises an obscuration of at least a portion of a command image rendered upon the electronic display.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the user input comprises an obscuration or other distortion of at least a portion of a command image rendered by the image projector.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein the imager couples to a body of the portable electronic device by a flexible connector comprising a high-yield strength metal, a superelastic material, a polypropylene material, or a shape-memory alloy.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein the image projector and the imager are disposed within a common optical assembly.

29. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

determining a first portion of content suitable for rendering via an electronic display and a second portion of content suitable for rendering via a projector; and

presenting, at least in response to the determining, the first portion of content on the electronic display and the second portion of content via the projector as a projected image, the first portion being presented by the electronic display without illumination from the projector.

30. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 29, wherein the presenting upon the electronic display is coordinated with the projection by the projector.

31. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 29, wherein the presenting the second portion of content comprises projecting the at least a portion of the second portion of content onto at least a portion of the electronic display.

32. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 31, wherein the at least a portion of the electronic display is configured to be free of content other than that projected by the projector.

33. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 31, wherein at least a portion of the second portion of content is projected over at least a portion of the first portion of content.

34. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 29, further comprising:

monitoring a designated field of view with an imager;

detecting with the imager a gesture within the designated field of view of the imager; and

activating a command previously associated with the gesture at least in response to the detecting.

35. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 34, further comprising altering a presentation of the first portion of content, the second portion of content, or both in response to the activating of the command.

36. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 35, wherein the altering comprises:

displaying a different page;

pausing a video;

resuming a video;

or

changing a size of the presentation.

37. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 29, further comprising:

presenting a command image associated with the second portion of content via the projector, the command image corresponding to a command;

monitoring at least a portion of the projected image with an imager;

detecting with the imager when the command image is obscured or distorted; and

activating the command at least in response to the detecting.

38. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 37, further comprising altering the presentation of the first portion or the second portion of content in response to the activating of the command.