Light projection device

• US 8,446,288 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizushima, Tetsuro, Yamamoto, Kazuhisa, Kurozuka, Akira, Yamamoto, Kakuya, Sugiyama, Keiji, Nakayama, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US12/808,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/691.6
• 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 9/3161 using laser light sources using laser beams scanning the display screen H04N9/3129
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A light projection device, includes a movable projector section which illuminates or display information by projecting light while moving a projection position; a position detecting section which detects a position of a lost article instructed by a user; a view field detecting section which detects a view field of the user, and a controller section which controls said movable projection section based on the lost article detected by the position detecting section and the view field of the user detected by the view field detecting section, and either directly illuminates the lost article or projects guide information for guiding the user to the lost article within a view field of the user.

Claims

1. A light projection device, comprising:

a movable projector section which illuminates or display information by projecting light while moving a projection position;

a position detecting section which detects a position of a lost article instructed by a user;

a view field detecting section which detects a view field of the user, and

a controller section which controls said movable projection section based on the lost article detected by said position detecting section and the view field of the user detected by said view field detecting section, and either directly illuminates the lost article or projects guide information for guiding the user to the lost article within a view field of the user.

2. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said movable projection section includes:

a light source section fixed to said movable projection section, said light source section including at least a laser light source;

a movable section for moving the projection position, said movable section including at least a projection optical system; and

a flexuous light guide member for guiding light from the light source section to the movable section, said flexuous light guide member being provided between the light source section and the movable section.

3. The light projection device as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said light source section includes said laser light source; and

a light modulation section which performs a spatial modulation with respect to the light emitted from said laser light source; and

said light guide member is a fiber bundle which guides the light as spatially modulated by said light modulation section.

4. The light projection device as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said movable section includes a light modulation section which performs a spatial modulation with respect to the light emitted from said light guide member, and said projection optical system which projects the light as spatially modulated by said modulation section.

5. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said movable projection section includes;

a compact light projection unit which illuminates or displays information by projecting light, and

a movable stage stand which detachably holds said compact light projection unit and moves the projection position by moving said compact light projection unit; and

said movable stage stand includes a charger section which charges said compact light projection unit when installed therein, so that said compact light projection unit is operable even when detached from said movable stage stand.

6. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said movable projection section includes a movable mirror which moves the projection position by changing the projection direction of light.

7. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said movable projection section includes a light projection unit which illuminates or displays information by projecting light, and a self-propelled stage stand which moves said light projection unit by self propulsion.

8. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said controller section controls said movable projection section to project an interactive image for controlling an apparatus within a view field of the user,

said light projection device further comprising;

an image sensor which captures an image showing a state the user operates the interactive image; and

said controller section detects a content of the operation with respect to the interactive image based on the captured image by said image sensor, to control the apparatus according to the content of the operation as detected.

9. The light projection device as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

the interactive image projected by said movable projection section is an image formed by projecting thereto a visible light and infrared light; and

said image sensor is an infrared camera.

10. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a complementary color illumination section which performs global illumination using light in complementary color with respect to a color of light projected by said movable projection section.

11. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said controller section controls said movable projection section to guide a line of sight of the user by spatially moving the projection position while the light is being projected, and changes information to be projected over time.

12. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said position detection section includes a plurality of position detection sensors for detecting position indicative information as transmitted from an information transmitting end attached to the lost article.

13. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a voice sensor which identifies the lost article by a voice input of the user.

14. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said controller section controls the movable projection section to illuminate an area of a view field of the user.

15. The light projection device as set forth in claim 14, further comprising:

a diffusion illumination light source which illuminates a room by diffusion light.

16. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said controller section controls the movable projection section to project information as instructed by the user in a view field of the user.

17. The light projection device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an image sensor,

wherein said view field detecting section detects a view field of the user based on the image of the user captured by said image sensor,

said controller section controls the movable projection section based on the position of the lost article detected by the position detecting section, the view field of the user detected by the view field detecting section, an allowance of capturing an image of the lost article by the image sensor, to directly illuminate the lost article or project guide information in the view field of the user, for guiding the user to the lost article.

18. The light projection device as set forth in claim 17,

when the lost article cannot be captured by the image sensor or the lost article does not exist in the view field of the user, the controller section controls the movable projection section to project the guide information in the view field of the user, for guiding the user to the lost article.

19. The light projection device as set forth in claim 17,

when the lost article can be captured by the image sensor and the lost article exists in the view field of the user, the controller section controls the movable projection section to directly illuminate the lost article.

20. A light projection device, comprising:

a movable projector section which illuminates by projecting light or displays information, said movable projector section being capable of moving a projection position; and

a complementary color illumination section which performs global illumination using light in complementary color with respect to a color of light projected by said movable projection section.