Interactive projector

• US 9,430,096 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tada, Masafumi, Murase, Taichi, Matsuda, Takahiro, Osamura, Kazuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling, William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOWARD, RYAN D
• Application Number:
  US14/187,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 353/119
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/54 with projector
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/145 Housing details, e.g. position adjustments thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

An interactive projector includes: a base placed on a projection surface; a leg configured to raise with tilting from the base towards the projection surface; a projecting unit, mounted on the leg on the side of a projection surface, configured to project first image; a reflector, provided at a free-end portion of the leg, configured to reflect the image projected from the projecting unit towards the projection surface; and an image pickup unit, mounted on the reflector, configured to photograph the projection surface and output second image to an electronic device that outputs, to the projecting unit, the first image that is generated based on the second image.

Claims

1. An interactive projector comprising:

a base placed on a projection surface;

a leg configured to be connected with the base at a first connection portion on the projection surface;

a projecting unit, mounted on the leg on the side of a projection surface, configured to project first image;

a reflector, provided at a free-end portion of the leg, configured to reflect the image projected from the projecting unit towards the projection surface; and

an image pickup unit, mounted on the reflector, configured to photograph the projection surface and output second image to an electronic device that outputs, to the projecting unit, the first image that is generated based on the second image,

wherein the leg has an acute angle with the base and the projection surface so that the leg leans toward the base and the projection surface, and an end portion of the reflector on the opposite side to the lea is positioned farther from the first connection portion in a leaning direction than an end portion of the base on the opposite side to the leg.

2. The interactive projector according to claim 1,

wherein a tilt angle of the leg is set so that a center of gravity of a member including the leg, the projecting unit, and the reflector is positioned close to a center of gravity of the base.

3. The interactive projector according to claim 1,

wherein an entire length of the leg is substantially the same as a length from a second connection portion between the leg and the reflector to an end portion of the base, and

wherein a tilt angle of the leg is set so that the base and the leg form a base and an oblique side of an isosceles triangle.

4. The interactive projector according to claim 1,

wherein the image pickup unit includes at least two first image pickups that are disposed apart from each other by a gap and that are disposed parallel to the projection surface, and

wherein the electronic device produces a composite three-dimensional image of a detection object inserted at the projection surface based on parallax of images input from the at least two image pickups.

5. The interactive projector according to claim 4,

wherein the image pickup unit includes a second image pickup that has a resolution that is higher than those of the first image pickups, and

wherein the electronic device detects a position on the projection surface indicated by a hand based on third images from the first image pickups, acquiring image information of the projection surface at a detected position based on fourth image from the second image pickup, and outputs fifth image corresponding to the image information as the second image to the projecting unit.

6. The interactive projector according to claim 1,

wherein a detection object includes a hand of an operator, and

wherein, based on a movement of the hand of the operator, the electronic device detects an operation on the projection surface and generates the second image.

7. The interactive projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mirror, provided at the reflector, configured to reflect the image projected from the projecting unit and include a fine adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a reflection angle.

8. The interactive projector according to claim 7,

wherein the mirror, being rotatable outwardly with respect to the reflector, is configured to project the image from the projecting unit to a plane that is perpendicular to the projection surface.

9. The interactive projector according to claim 1,

wherein the image pickup unit includes a camera including an adjustment mechanism that adjusts a photographic angle.

10. The interactive projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light source, provided on a lower surface of the reflector, configured to illuminate an object placed on the projection surface.

11. The interactive projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotary mechanism provided at a connection portion between the reflector and the leg.

12. The interactive projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

an extendable rod, provided at a portion at an upper side from a mounting portion of the leg on which the projecting unit is mounted.

13. The interactive projector according to claim 12,

wherein the extendable rod is drawn out from the leg, for extending the reflector.

14. The interactive projector according to claim 13,

wherein, when the portion at the upper side from the mounting portion is extended with respect to the base, the projecting unit is also moved upward with respect to the leg.

15. The interactive projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mirror attachment mounted on the end portion of the reflector and including an additional mirror.

16. The interactive projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fall suppressing mechanism provided in the leg and the base and including a stay unit configured to protrude forwardly from the base when a portion of the leg at an upper side from a mounting portion of the leg on which the projecting unit is mounted is extended with respect to the base.

17. The interactive projector according to claim 16,

wherein the fall suppressing mechanism includes:

a rack, provided on both sides of an extendable rod in the leg, configured to move in a opposite direction to a direction in which the extendable rod moves; and

a flexible member whose one end is coupled to an lower end of the rack, wherein

the stay unit includes two stays, coupled to another end of the flexible member, configured to move in and out of the base.

18. The interactive projector according to claim 17,

wherein, when the extendable rod is accommodated in the leg, the stays are accommodated in the base, and

wherein, when the extendable rod moves upward from inside the leg, the stays protrude forwardly from inside the base.

19. The interactive projector according to claim 1,

wherein a bottom surface of the base is provided with a wall hanging mount hole for setting the base on a wall surface.