Method, apparatus, and manufacture for a tracking camera or detector with fast asynchronous triggering

• US 8,696,141 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• 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): Epps, Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reilly-Diakun, Jori S
• Application Number:
  US13/858,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20130229669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 353 69- 70, 353/94, 353/122, 250/214.R, 250/214.1, 250/221, 250234-236, 250/559.29, 250/559.32, 250/559.39, 347224-226, 347235-237, 347246-247, 347/250, 347/255, 358/505, 358509-510, 358513-514, 358/443, 345/175, 345/204, 345/207, 345156-157, 345/159, 345/162, 345179-183, 356/3, 356 306- 309, 356/4.01, 356 406- 407, 356 501- 502, 356 505- 508
• US Class Current: 353/69
• 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 method, comprising:

for each of a plurality of positions in an array that is associated with a projection surface, wherein each of the plurality of positions in the array has a corresponding threshold, triggering a hit event when a light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold based on detecting light reflected from the projection surface;

in response to each triggered hit event, providing a signal that includes position information associated with a position at which the hit event occurred and further includes time information associated with a time at which the hit event occurred; and

in response to each triggered hit event, resetting the position at which the triggered hit event occurred such that, after a detection reset cycle for the position, another hit event is triggered at the position when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold again.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the signal is further accomplished such that the signal further includes light level value information associated with the light level at the position when the hit event was triggered.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the signal is accomplished such that the time information includes a reference clock time stamp indicating the time at which the hit event occurred.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the signal is accomplished such that the position information includes a pixel address associated with the position at which the hit occurred.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering the hit event when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold includes:

detecting and measuring a light value reflected from a corresponding position on the projection surface;

comparing the measured light level from each corresponding position on the projection surface with the corresponding threshold; and

triggering the hit event for each corresponding position on the projection surface having a measured light level that has reached the corresponding threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting and measuring the light value reflected from the corresponding position on the projection surface includes projecting two separate dots onto a linear array, such that a first of the two separate dots has a position on the linear array that corresponds to a first coordinate of the corresponding position and a second of the two separate dots has a position on the linear array that corresponds to a second coordinate of the corresponding position.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein triggering the hit event when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold further includes:

projecting a plurality of tracer beam infrared pulse signals toward the projection surface, wherein detecting and measuring the light value reflected from the corresponding position on the projection surface includes measuring and detecting an intensity of infrared light signal intensity reflected from the corresponding position on the projection surface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the signal further includes flight time information associated with the corresponding position on the projection surface, wherein the flight time information includes the time from projection of the tracer beam infrared pulse signal to detection of the reflection of the tracer beam infrared pulse signal from the corresponding location.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting and measuring the light value reflected by the corresponding position on the projection surface is accomplished by employing at least one of a sensor or a tracking camera that includes a detector array of pixels to sense light reflected from the projection surface, including each pixel in the detector array detecting and measuring the light value reflected from a corresponding position on the projection surface, comparing the measured light level from each corresponding position on the projection surface with the corresponding threshold includes comparing the measured light level of each pixel of the detector array with the corresponding threshold, and wherein triggering the hit event for each corresponding position on the projection surface having a measured light level that has reached the corresponding threshold includes triggering the hit event for each pixel having a measured light level that has reached the corresponding threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the detector array of pixels includes a plurality of single row arrays.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the detector array of pixels includes one linear array, and wherein detecting and measuring the light value further includes projecting two separate illuminated dots onto the linear array such that a first of the two separate illuminated dots has a position that corresponds to a first coordinate of the corresponding position and a second of the two separate illuminated dots has a position that corresponds to a second coordinate of the corresponding position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the linear array is at least one of a charge-coupled device (CCD) array or an avalanche photo diode (APD) array.

13. The method of claim 11, where the first coordinate of the corresponding position is an x-coordinate of the corresponding position, and wherein the second coordinate of the corresponding position is a y-coordinate of the corresponding position.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein projecting two separate illuminated dots onto the linear array includes projecting the light reflected from the corresponding position on the linear array for the first of the two separate illuminated dots, and includes splitting the light reflected from the corresponding position, rotating the split light, and recombining the rotated light to project the second of the first of the two separate illuminated dots.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

projecting an image-forming laser onto the projection surface.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting a trajectory based on each triggered hit event; and

controlling projection of light onto the projection surface such that subsequent pixel values are adjusted based on the predicted trajectory.

15. A method, comprising:

for each of a plurality of positions in an array, wherein each of the plurality of positions in the array has a corresponding threshold triggering a hit event when a light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold;

in response to each triggered hit event, providing a signal that includes position information associated with a position at which the hit event occurred and further includes time information associated with a time at which the hit event occurred;

in response to each triggered hit event, resetting the position at which the triggered hit event occurred such that, after a detection reset cycle for the position, another hit event is triggered at the position when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold again; and

dynamically adjusting each of the corresponding thresholds.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein dynamically adjusting each of the corresponding thresholds is accomplished by adjusting each of the corresponding thresholds based on a brightest light value in the array.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein dynamically adjusting each of the corresponding thresholds is accomplished by adjusting each of the corresponding thresholds based on an average light value of an image being displayed.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein triggering the hit event when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold for each of the plurality of positions in the array and resetting the position at which the triggered hit event occurred function together as an effective shutter mechanism for the detector array, whereby the method does not require a shutter.

19. A device, comprising:

a memory component that is configured to store data; and

a processing component that is configured to execute data that enables actions, including;

for each of a plurality of positions in an array that is associated with a projection surface, wherein each of the plurality of positions in the array has a corresponding threshold, triggering a hit event when a light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold based on detecting light reflected from the projection surface;

in response to each triggered hit event, providing a signal that includes position information associated with a position at which the hit event occurred and further includes time information associated with a time at which the hit event occurred; and

in response to each triggered hit event, resetting the position at which the triggered hit event occurred such that, after a detection reset cycle for the position, another hit event is triggered at the position when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold again.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the device is further configured to provide the signal such that the signal further includes light level value information associated with the light level at the position when the hit event was triggered.

21. The device of claim 19, further comprising:

a detector that is configured to detect and measure a light value reflected from a corresponding position on the projection surface, wherein the processing component is configured to trigger the hit event when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold by;

comparing the measured light level from each corresponding position on the projection surface with the corresponding threshold, and triggering the hit event for each corresponding position on the projection surface having a measured light level that has reached the corresponding threshold.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the detector is configured to detect and measure the light value reflected from the corresponding position on the projection surface by projecting two separate dots onto a linear array, such that a first of the two separate dots has a position on the linear array that corresponds to a first coordinate of the corresponding position and a second of the two separate dots has a position on the linear array that corresponds to a second coordinate of the corresponding position.

23. The device of claim 21, further comprising:

a tracer beam generator that is arranged to project a plurality of tracer beam infrared pulse signals toward the projection surface, wherein the detector is arranged to detect and measure the light value reflected from the corresponding position on the projection surface by measuring and detecting an intensity of infrared light signal intensity reflected from the corresponding position on the projection surface.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the detector includes at least one of a sensor or a tracking camera that includes a detector array of pixels that is arranged to detect and measure the light value reflected by the corresponding position on the projection surface by sensing light reflected from a projection surface, including each pixel in the detector array detecting and measuring the light value reflected from a corresponding position on the projection surface, and wherein the processing component is configured to compare the measured light level from each corresponding position on the projection surface with the corresponding threshold by comparing the measured light level of each pixel of the detector array with the corresponding threshold, and wherein the processing component is configured to trigger the hit event for each corresponding position on the projection surface having a measured light level that has reached the corresponding threshold by triggering the hit event for each pixel having a measured light level that has reached the corresponding threshold.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the detector array of pixels includes a plurality of single row arrays.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein the detector array of pixels includes one linear array, and wherein detecting and measuring the light value further includes projecting two separate illuminated dots onto the linear array such that a first of the two separate illuminated dots has a position that corresponds to a first coordinate of the corresponding position and a second of the two separate illuminated dots has a position that corresponds to a second coordinate of the corresponding position.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein the detector array of pixels is at least one of a charge-coupled device (CCD) array or an avalanche photo diode (APD) array.

28. A manufacture, including a tangible processor-readable storage medium having processor-executable code encoded therein, which when executed by one or more processors, enables actions, comprising:

for each of a plurality of positions in an array that is associated with a projection surface, wherein each of the plurality of positions in the array has a corresponding threshold, triggering a hit event when a light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold based on detecting light reflected from the projection surface;

in response to each triggered hit event, providing a signal that includes position information associated with a position at which the hit event occurred and further includes time information associated with a time at which the hit event occurred; and

in response to each triggered hit event, resetting the position at which the triggered hit event occurred such that, after a detection reset cycle for the position, another hit event is triggered at the position when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold again.

29. The manufacture of claim 28, wherein providing the signal is further accomplished such that the signal further includes light level value information associated with the light level at the position when the hit event was triggered.

32. A method, comprising:

for each of a plurality of positions in an array, wherein each of the plurality of positions in the array has a corresponding threshold, triggering a hit event when a light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold;

in response to each triggered hit event, providing a signal that includes position information associated with a position at which the hit event occurred and further includes time information associated with a time at which the hit event occurred; and

in response to each triggered hit event, resetting the position at which the triggered hit event occurred such that, after a detection reset cycle for the position, another hit event is triggered at the position when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold again, wherein triggering the hit event when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold for each of the plurality of positions in the array is accomplished such that the triggering is fully asynchronous.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein triggering the hit event when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold for each of the plurality of positions in the array is accomplished such that multiple hit events are triggered simultaneously when the light level associated with multiple positions in the array reach the associated corresponding threshold simultaneously.

34. A method, comprising:

for each of a plurality of positions in an array, wherein each of the plurality of positions in the array has a corresponding threshold, triggering a hit event when a light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold;

in response to each triggered hit event, providing a signal that includes position information associated with a position at which the hit event occurred and further includes time information associated with a time at which the hit event occurred; and

in response to each triggered hit event, resetting the position at which the triggered hit event occurred such that, after a detection reset cycle for the position, another hit event is triggered at the position when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold again, wherein triggering the hit event when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold for each of the plurality of positions in the array is accomplished such that multiple hit events are triggered simultaneously when the light level associated with multiple positions in the array reach the associated corresponding threshold simultaneously.

35. A device, comprising:

a memory component that is configured to store data; and

a processing component that is configured to execute data that enables actions, including;

for each of a plurality of positions in an array, wherein each of the plurality of positions in the array has a corresponding threshold, triggering a hit event when a light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding;

in response to each triggered hit event, providing a signal that includes position information associated with a position at which the hit event occurred and further includes time information associated with a time at which the hit event occurred; and

in response to each triggered hit event, resetting the position at which the triggered hit event occurred such that, after a detection reset cycle for the position, another hit event is triggered at the position when the light level associated with the position reaches the corresponding threshold again; and

a tracer beam generator that is arranged to project a plurality of tracer beam pulse signals toward the projection surface, wherein the detector is arranged to detect and measure the light value reflected from the corresponding position on the projection surface by measuring and detecting an intensity of tracer beam signal intensity reflected from the corresponding position on the projection surface.