Unauthorized use preventing system of projection-type projector

• US 9,185,563 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Asakawa, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Okeke, Izunna
• Application Number:
  US14/089,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20140201818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

An unauthorized use preventing device includes: a first measuring unit that measures a global position thereof and outputs the global position as first position information; and a first transmission unit that wirelessly transmits the first position information to an outside. The security section includes: a second measuring unit that measures a global position thereof and outputs the global position as second position information; a first receiving unit that receives the first position information; a position comparison unit that determines whether an inter-instrument distance calculated based on the first and second position information is less than a threshold distance or equal to or more than the threshold distance, and outputs a result of the determination as a position comparison result signal; and a logical product calculation unit that calculates and outputs a logical product of the position comparison result signal and a power supply turning-on signal.

Claims

1. An unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector, the system comprising:

an unauthorized use preventing device which is separate and remote from said projection-type projector; and

a security section provided in said projection-type projector,

wherein said unauthorized use preventing device includes;

a first GPS receiver that measures a global position thereof and outputs the global position as first position information; and

a first radio transmitter that wirelessly transmits said first position information to an outside,

said security section includes;

a second GPS receiver that measures a global position thereof and outputs the global position as second position information;

a first radio receiver that receives said first position information;

a processor configured to perform a process including;

a position comparison operation that receives said first position information and said second position information, determines whether an inter-instrument distance calculated based on both pieces of said information is less than a threshold distance or equal to or more than said threshold distance, and outputs a result of the determination as a position comparison result signal; and

a logical product calculation operation that receives said position comparison result signal and a power supply turning-on signal indicating whether or not a power supply of said projection-type projector is turned on, and calculates and outputs a logical product of both of said signals, and

an output signal of said logical product calculation operation is decisive of whether or not to light a light source of said projection-type projector, so that unauthorized use of said projection-type projector is prevented.

2. The unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector according to claim 1, wherein

said security section further includes a second radio transmitter that wirelessly transmits power supply turning-on information to the outside, the power supply turning-on information indicating information of said power supply turning-on signal,

said unauthorized use preventing device further includes a second radio receiver that receives said power supply turning-on information, and

said second radio receiver controls said first GPS receiver and said first radio transmitter to operate for a fixed period in a case where said power supply turning-on information is information indicating that the power supply of said projection-type projector is turned on.

3. The unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector according to claim 2, wherein

after the power supply of said projection-type projector is turned on, said second radio receiver controls said first GPS receiver and said first radio transmitter to operate periodically for every fixed period.

4. The unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector according to claim 1, wherein

in said position comparison operation, said threshold distance can be changeable based on a change instruction coming from the outside.

5. The unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector according to claim 4, wherein

said position comparison operation receives feedback of said output signal of said logical product calculation operation, and allows said threshold distance to be changeable only in a case where said output signal of said logical product calculation operation is a signal for lighting said light source of said projection-type projector.

6. The unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first radio base station that receives said first position information transmitted from said first radio transmitter and gives said first position information to a wide area communication network; and

a second radio base station that receives said first position information from said wide area communication network and transmits said first information to said first radio receiver.

7. The unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector according to claim 2, wherein

said second radio transmitter wirelessly transmits said position comparison result signal together with said power supply turning-on information to the outside,

said unauthorized use preventing device further includes a display unit connected to said second radio receiver, and

in a case where said position comparison result signal indicates that said inter-instrument distance is equal to or more than said threshold distance, said second radio receiver causes a warning to be displayed on said display unit.

8. The unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first radio base station that receives said first position information transmitted from said first radio transmitter and gives said first position information to a wide area communication network;

a second radio base station that receives said first position information from said wide area communication network and transmits said first information to said first radio receiver;

a third radio base station that receives said power supply turning-on information transmitted from said second radio transmitter and gives said power supply turning-on information to said wide area communication network; and

a fourth radio base station that receives said power supply turning-on information from said wide area communication network and transmits said power supply turning-on information to said second radio receiver.

9. The unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector according to claim 1, wherein

said unauthorized use preventing device further includes a first identification symbol storage device that stores a first identification symbol, the first identification symbol storage device being connected to said first radio transmitter,

said security section further includes a second identification symbol storage device that stores a second identification symbol, the second identification symbol storage device being connected to said processor,

said first radio transmitter adds said first identification symbol to said first position information and transmits said first position information added with said first identification symbol,

said position comparison operation compares said first identification symbol received by said first radio receiver and said second identification symbol read out from said second identification symbol storage unit with each other, and only in a case where both of said first and second identification symbols are the same, compares said inter-instrument distance and said threshold distance with each other.

10. The unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector according to claim 8, wherein

said second radio transmitter wirelessly transmits said position comparison result signal together with said power supply turning-on information to the outside,

said unauthorized use preventing device further includes a display unit connected to said second receiving unit, and

in a case where said position comparison result signal indicates that said inter-instrument distance is equal to or more than said threshold distance, said second radio receiver causes a warning to be displayed on said display unit.

11. The unauthorized use preventing system of a projection-type projector according to claim 1, wherein

said unauthorized use preventing device is built in a remote operation device that remotely operates said projection-type projector.