Projector projecting password

• US 8,806,571 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kubota, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Poltorak, Peter
• Application Number:
  US13/587,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20120311668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor

Abstract

A projector system of the present invention includes a projector 10 and a personal computer PC as an information terminal, which communicate with each other via a network connection. The projector 10 generates a password required for establishment of the network connection and projects the password on a screen SC. A user of the personal computer PC inputs the password projected on the screen SC. The password is used for authentication of the network connection between the projector 10 and the personal computer PC and cipher communication therebetween. This arrangement of the present invention enhances the convenience of the projector that is capable of establishing a network connection with the information terminal, while ensuring secrecy of communicating data.

Claims

1. A projector that is capable of establishing a network connection with an information terminal, the projector comprising:

a display controller configured to generate a predetermined image including a password to be input into the information terminal for establishment of the network connection, and to generate an image corresponding to image data supplied by the information terminal; and

a projection optical system configured to project the predetermined image including the password, and to project the image according to the image data supplied from the information terminal, after establishment of the network connection, onto a screen external to the projector.

2. The projector in accordance with claim 1, the projector further comprising:

a password generator configured to generate the password.

3. The projector in accordance with claim 2, wherein the network connection represents a connection via wireless cipher communication, and

the password generator generates the password used for the wireless cipher communication,

the projector further comprising:

a cipher communications controller configured to use the password for the wireless cipher communication with the information terminal.

4. The projector in accordance with claim 3, wherein the password generator updates the password after establishment of the network connection to generate an updated password, and

the cipher communications controller uses the updated password for the wireless cipher communication with the information terminal.

5. The projector in accordance with claim 2, wherein the password generator generates a random password at each time of power supply to the projector.

6. The projector in accordance with claim 2, the projector further comprising:

a generation instruction switch that is operated by a user to give an instruction for generating the password,

wherein the password generator generates the password in response to the instruction.

7. The projector in accordance with claim 2, wherein the display controller and the projection optical system respectively generate and project an image different from the predetermined image after the network connection is established.

8. The projector in accordance with claim 7, wherein the password generator generates a password at each start up of the projector.

9. The projector in accordance with claim 1, the projector further comprising:

a network connector configured to make connection with a network.

10. The projector in accordance with claim 1, the projector further comprising:

a specification input that is operated by a user to specify a projection form of the password.

11. The projector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the projection optical system stops projection of the password substantially at the time the network connection is established.

12. The projector in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the display controller controls an appearance of the password projected by the projection optical system so as to ease the inputting of the password on the information terminal.

13. The projector in accordance with claim 12, wherein the display controller changes a display position of the password.

14. The projector in accordance with claim 12, wherein the display controller changes a character size of the password.

15. The projector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the predetermined image projected by the projection optical system includes setting information corresponding to the network connection.

16. The projector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the projection of the predetermined image including the password is stopped substantially at the time the network connection is established.

17. The projector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the password is displayed in a predetermined section of the predetermined image.

18. The projector in accordance with claim 17, wherein after establishment of the network connection, the password is no longer displayed in the predetermined section of the predetermined image.

19. A method implemented by a projector, the projector being capable of establishing a network connection with an information terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a predetermined image including a password to be input into the information terminal for establishment of the network connection;

(b) projecting, by the projector, the predetermined image including the password, onto a screen external to the projector; and

(c) projecting, by the projector, an image corresponding to image data supplied from the information terminal after establishment of the network connection, onto the screen external to the projector.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

updating the password after establishment of the network connection to generate an updated password; and

communicating with the information terminal by using the updated password.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

accepting an instruction for generating the password; and

generating the password in response to the instruction.

22. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

establishing the network connection with the information terminal; and

stopping projection of the password after the network connection is established.

23. A non-transitory computer readable recording storage medium in which a computer program used for driving a projector is recorded, the projector being capable of establishing a network connection with an information terminal, the computer program causing a computer to attain the functions of:

projecting, by the projector, a password to be input into the information terminal for establishment of the network connection onto a screen external to the projector; and

projecting, by the projector, an image according to image data supplied from the information terminal after establishment of the network connection, onto the screen external to the projector.

24. A projector that is capable of establishing a network connection with an information terminal, the projector comprising:

a generation instruction input that is operated by a user to give an instruction for generating a password to be input into the information terminal for establishment of the network connection;

a projection optical system that projects the password, and that projects an image according to image data supplied from the information terminal after establishment of the network connection, onto a screen external to the projector; and

a password generator that generates the password in response to the instruction.

25. A projector that is capable of establishing a network connection with an information terminal, the projector comprising:

a display controller that generates a predetermined image including a password to be input into the information terminal for establishment of the network connection, and that generates an image corresponding to image data supplied by the information terminal;

a projection optical system that projects the predetermined image including the password, and that projects the image according to the image data supplied from the information terminal after establishment of the network connection, onto a screen external to the projector; and

a password generator that updates the password, in the event that the network connection is established, to generate an updated password.