Positioning interfaces for projection display devices

• US 8,641,209 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transpacific Image LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Transpacific Image LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Plut, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US13/726,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20130114047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 353/119, 353/31, 353/100, 353/101, 353/102, 353/122, 353/61, 353/52, 353/121, 348/739, 348/744, 348/750, 348/758, 348/759, 348/771, 348/794, 362/259, 362/553, 362/559, 362/561, 362/554, 345/905
• US Class Current: 353/119
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/005 Projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/16 Cooling; Preventing overheating
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

Described herein are devices that provide projection-type video output in a portable and flexible design. The design includes a projection chamber, a base, and an interface that permits relative positioning between the projection chamber and base. The base maintains the position of the display device. The projection chamber includes components responsible for the production of images based on received video data and components responsible for the projection of those images. Relative pointing between the projection chamber and base allows the projection chamber to be pointed—and an output projected image to be positioned—with minimal effort.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a light source component configured to generate light for projection of an image on a surface external to the device;

an optical modulation component configured to selectively transmit the light according to data included in a signal representative of the image;

a power storage component configured to store power for the generation of the light and the selective transmission of the light, and to store the power independent of an external power supply; and

a power transmission component configured to provide the power to the light source component and the optical modulation component.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the power transmission component is further configured to adjust power consumption of the light source component based on an amount of the power available in the power storage component.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the power storage component is rechargeable.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a port configured to receive external power from the external power supply.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a base component comprising the light source component and the power storage component;

a projection chamber component comprising the optical modulation component; and

a positional interface component coupled to the base component and the projection chamber component, and configured to adjust a position of the projection chamber component relative to the base component,

wherein the power transmission component is further configured to provide the power to the optical modulation component via the positional interface component.

6. A device, comprising:

means for generating light for projection of an image on a surface external to the device;

means for selectively transmitting the light according to data included in a signal representative of the image;

means for storing power for the generation of the light and the selective transmission of the light, wherein the power is stored independent of an external power supply that is external to the device; and

means for providing the power to the means for generating the light and the means for selectively transmitting the light.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising means for adjusting power consumption of the means for generating the light based on an amount of power available in the means for storing the power.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the means for storing the power is rechargeable.

9. The device of claim 6, further comprising means for receiving external power from the external power supply.

10. The device of claim 6, further comprising:

means for adjusting a position of the means for generating the light relative to the means for providing the power,

wherein the means for providing the power provides the power to the means for generating the light via the means for adjusting the position.

11. A method, comprising:

storing, by an image projection device comprising a processor, electrical energy for generation of light for projection of an image on a surface external to the image projection device and for selective transmission of the light according to data included in a signal representative of the image, wherein the electrical energy is stored independent of an external power supply; and

transferring, by the image projection device, the electrical energy to a light source component that generates the light and an optical modulation component that selectively transmits the light according to the data included in the signal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting, by the image projection device, power consumption of the light source component based on an amount of the electrical energy stored by the image projection device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising recharging, by the image projection device, the electrical energy stored by the image projection device in response to a determination that there has been a decrease in the electrical energy.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving, by the image projection device, external electrical energy from the external power supply.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising employing, by the image projection device, the external electrical energy for the recharging.

16. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a device comprising a processor to perform operations comprising:

storing electrical energy for generation of light for a projection of an image on a surface external to the device and for selective transmission of the light according to data included in a signal representative of the image, wherein the electrical energy is stored in a battery independent of an external power supply; and

providing the electrical energy to a light source component that generates the light and to an optical modulation component that selectively transmits the light according to the data included in the signal.

17. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting power consumption of the light source component based on an amount of the electrical energy in the battery.

18. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise recharging the electrical energy in response to determining a decrease has occurred in the electrical energy in the battery.

19. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise receiving external electrical energy from the external power supply.

20. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise employing the external electrical energy for the recharging.