Projection display device for projecting an input unit image

• US 8,950,870 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kang, Ho Joong, Lee, Seung Gyu, Jeong, Sang Sik, Kweon, Oh Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Thanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chavez, Renee D
• Application Number:
  US14/084,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20140146292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 353/28, 353/31, 345168-178
• US Class Current: 353/28
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/104 for use with scanning systems scanning systems G02B26/10
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/145 having sequential partially reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/134 Projectors combined with typing apparatus or with printing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/142 Adjusting of projection optics

Abstract

A projection display device (100) capable of providing a virtual keyboard function to the user, using a light source of a pico projector, is discussed. According to an embodiment, the projection display device includes a light source unit (110) configured to emit lights; a light combining unit (120) configured to generate a leakage light from the lights emitted by the light source (110) unit and to selectively combine the lights from the light source unit (110); an image projection unit (130) configured to project an image using the combined light from the light combining unit (120); and a virtual input unit (140) configured to project an input unit image (150) using the leakage light from the light combining unit (120).

Claims

1. A projection display device comprising:

a light source unit configured to emit lights;

a light dividing unit configured to divide a first projection light and a second projection light from the lights emitted by the light source unit;

an image projection unit configured to project an image using the first projection light from the light dividing unit; and

a virtual input unit configured to project an input unit image using the second projection light from the light dividing unit,

wherein the path direction of the first projection light is different from the path direction of the second projection light,

wherein the light dividing unit includes;

a first optical element arranged at a position where a first light and a second light from the light source unit cross each other; and

a second optical element arranged at a position where the first light and a third light from the light source unit cross each other,

wherein the first optical element and the second optical element are arranged in the path direction of the first projection light, and

wherein the path direction of the first projection light and the path direction of the second projection light are parallel to each other.

2. The projection display device according to claim 1, wherein the image from the image projection unit is projected in a direction opposite to a projection direction of the input unit image projected from the virtual input unit.

3. The projection display device according to claim 1, wherein a quantity of the first projection light is different from a quantity of the second projection light.

4. The projection display device according to claim 3, wherein the quantity of the first projection light is more than that of the second projection light.

5. The projection display device according to claim 1, wherein the first projection light combines at least two lights from the lights emitted by the light source unit, and

the second projection light is at least one light from the lights emitted by the light source unit.

6. The projection display device according to claim 5, wherein the first projection light combines at least two lights from red, green and blue lights, and

the second projection light is at least one light from red, green and blue lights.

7. The projection display device according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second optical elements is configured to direct a portion of at least one of red, green and blue lights to the virtual input unit as the second projection light, while directing a portion of at least two of the red, green and blue lights to the image projection unit as part of the first projection light.

8. The projection display device according to claim 1,

wherein the first optical element is configured to transmit the first light while reflecting the second light, but also to reflect a portion of the first light or to transmit a portion of the second light such that the portion of the first or second light is sent toward the virtual input unit, and

wherein the second optical element is configured to transmit the first light and the second light while reflecting the third light.

9. The projection display device according to claim 8, wherein the first and second optical elements are a dichroic mirror.

10. The projection display device according to claim 1,

wherein the first optical element is configured to transmit the first light while reflecting the second light, and

wherein the second optical element is configured to transmit the first and second light while reflecting the third light, thereby sending the first to third light toward the image projection unit, the second optical element being further configured to reflect a portion of the first and second light or to transmit a portion of the third light such that the portion of the first and second light or the portion of the third light is sent toward the virtual input unit.

11. The projection display device according to claim 1, further comprising a reflection member configured to reflect the first projection light from the light dividing unit and to send the reflected light to the image projection unit.

12. The projection display device according to claim 11, wherein the first projection light is reflected in a direction parallel to a projection direction of the second projection light from the light dividing unit.

13. The projection display device according to claim 1, further comprising a reflection member configured to reflect the second projection light from the light dividing unit and to send the reflected light to the virtual input unit.

14. The projection display device according to claim 13, wherein the second projection light is reflected in a direction parallel to a projection direction of the image from the image projection unit.

15. The projection display device according to claim 1, further comprising a reflection member configured to reflect the input unit image from the virtual input unit and to send the reflected input unit image to a surface.

16. The projection display device according to claim 15, wherein the input unit image is reflected in a direction parallel to a projection direction of the image from the image projection unit.