Photonjet scanner projector

• US 8,430,512 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gerard Dirk Smits
• Original Assignee: Gerard Dirk Smits
• Inventors: Smits, Gerard Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Tony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reilly-Diakun, Jori S
• Application Number:
  US13/605,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20130003081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 236 Days
• Field of Search: 353/30, 353/37, 353/50, 353 85- 87, 353/98, 353/47, 353/94, 359/196.1, 359/197.1, 3592121-2122, 359/213.1, 359/214.1, 359/215.1, 359/220.1, 359/221.1, 372/29.01, 372/29.014
• US Class Current: 353/85
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/147 Optical correction of image distortions, e.g. keystone
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3155 for controlling the light source light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3164 using multiple light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

An image projection device for displaying an image onto a remote surface. The image projection device employs a scanner to project image beams of visible light and tracer beams of light onto a remote surface to form a display of the image. The device also employs a light detector to sense at least the reflections of light from the tracer beam pulses incident on the remote surface. The device employs the sensed tracer beam light pulses to predict the trajectory of subsequent image beam light pulses and tracer beam light pulses that form a display of the image on the remote surface in a pseudo random pattern. The trajectory of the projected image beam light pulses can be predicted so that the image is displayed from a point of view that can be selected by, or automatically adjusted for, a viewer of the displayed image.

Claims

1. A device for projecting and scanning, comprising:

a tracer beam generator that is arranged to project a tracer beam on a surface such that a tracer beam spot is formed on the surface, and such that a position of the tracer beam spot relative to the surface changes over time;

a scanner that is arranged to project a beam on the surface such that an illuminated spot is formed on the surface, such that a position of the illuminated spot relative to the surface changes over time, and such that there is a correlation between the position of the illuminated spot and the position of the tracer beam spot that is constant over time;

detection components that are arranged to detect a location of the tracer beam spot by detecting a reflection of the tracer beam, such that the detected location includes a set of coordinates that define the location of the tracer beam spot relative to the surface, wherein the detection components are further arranged to provide location information based on the detected location at different times, and wherein the detection components are further arranged to receive a portion of light reflected from the illuminated spot, and to measure the color intensity of the illuminated spot at different times; and

a processor that is configured to determine, from the location information, a scan line trajectory of the tracer beam across the surface, and further configured to match the color intensity measurements with positions along the scan line trajectory.