Image projection methods and interactive input/projection systems employing the same

• US 8,591,039 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Morrison, Gerald D., Auger, Paul Anthony, Fletcher, Mark Andrew, Forrest, Gregory Gordon, Pekau, Holly
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling, William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOWARD, RYAN D
• Application Number:
  US12/259,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20100103330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 353/69, 353/70, 353/28, 353/48, 353/46, 353/82, 353/122, 348/745
• US Class Current: 353/82
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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

Abstract

An image projecting method comprises determining the position of a projection surface within a projection zone of at least one projector based on at least one image of the projection surface, the projection zone being sized to encompass multiple surface positions and modifying video image data output to the at least one projector so that the projected image corresponds generally to the projection surface.

Claims

1. An image projection method comprising:

capturing at least one image of a moveable display surface and processing the at least one image to detect markers associated with said display surface and to determine the position of the display surface within a projection zone of a projection device based on the position of the detected markers, the projection zone being sized to encompass multiple positions of the moveable display surface;

masking the projection zone based on the display surface location to provide a cropped projection zone;

modifying an image to be projected so that it is positioned within the cropped projection zone; and

projecting the image to be projected generally only on said display surface.

2. An image projecting method according to claim 1 wherein said projection zone is sized to encompass at least one of different vertical positions and different horizontal positions of said projection surface.

3. An image projecting method according to claim 2 wherein said projection zone is sized to encompass substantially all possible positions of said projection surface.

4. An image projecting method according to claim 2 wherein said determining comprises detecting markers associated with said projection surface.

5. An image projecting method according to claim 4 wherein said markers are mounted about the periphery of said projection surface.

6. An image projecting method according to claim 5 wherein said detecting comprises processing marker output to detect the locations of said markers.

7. An image projecting method according to claim 6 wherein said modifying comprises moving said projected image to the detected locations of said markers.