Laser projection apparatus with bundled fibers

• US 9,438,871 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ide, Masafumi, Fukaya, Shinpei, Suzuki, Masaya
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, BAO-LUAN Q
• Application Number:
  US14/387,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20150036105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/065 with dynamic image improvement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/08 having a moving reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/22 Circuits for controlling dimensions, shape or centering of picture on screen
• 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 9/3132 using one-dimensional electronic spatial light modulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3135 Driving therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3138 using arrays of modulated light sources electroluminescent display devices G09G3/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/317 Convergence or focusing systems electronic adjustment of convergence H04N9/3185; convergence or focusing arrangements for cathode ray tubes H04N9/28; means for automatic focusing of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/53
• 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

Abstract

Provided is a projection apparatus that can enhance the efficiency of utilization of RGB laser lights, eliminate positional displacement in projection point caused by spaced-apart fiber cores emitting the laser lights, and detect additional information while projecting an image with the laser lights. The projection apparatus includes a laser light source emitting infrared and RGB laser lights, a fixing device fixing end portions of an infrared-light fiber and colored-light fibers used to transmit the infrared and RGB laser lights, a scanning unit projecting an image on a projection surface by scanning the projection surface with the RGB laser lights emitted from the end portions of the colored-light fibers, a detection unit detecting reflection of the infrared laser light emitted from the end portion of the infrared-light fiber, and a control unit controlling emission of the RGB laser lights from the light source, based on information detected by the detection unit.

Claims

1. A laser projection apparatus with bundled fibers comprising:

a laser light source which emits infrared laser light, and red, green, and blue laser lights;

a fixing device which fixes an exit end portion of an infrared light radiating fiber used to transmit the infrared laser light and exit end portions of colored light radiating fibers used to transmit the red, green, and blue laser lights, respectively;

a scanning unit which projects an image on a projection surface by scanning the projection surface with the red, green, and blue laser lights emitted from the exit end portions of the colored light radiating fibers without combining the red, green, and blue laser lights with each other;

a detection unit which detects a reflected light of the infrared laser light emitted from the exit end portion of the infrared light radiating fiber; and

a control unit which controls emission of the red, green, and blue laser lights from the laser light source, based on information detected by the detection unit, so as to correct positional displacement occurring between projection points of the red, green, and blue laser lights on the projection surface,

wherein the control unit shifts emission timings of the red, green, and blue laser lights with respect to each other, based on an amount of positional displacement occurring between projection points of the red, green, and blue laser lights on the projection surface due to a positional relationship between the colored light radiating fibers fixed by the fixing device.

2. The laser projection apparatus with bundled fibers according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects depth information which indicates a distance from the exit end portions of the colored light radiating fibers to the projection surface, and the control unit controls the emission based on the depth information.

3. The laser projection apparatus with bundled fibers according to claim 1, wherein the fixing device fixes the exit end portions of the colored light radiating fibers so that projection points of the red, green, and blue laser lights will be aligned along a scanning direction of the scanning unit.

4. The laser projection apparatus with bundled fibers according to claim 1, wherein the fixing device fixes the colored light radiating fibers whose exit end faces are inclined at an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction, and the scanning unit scans the projection surface with the laser lights emitted from the colored light radiating fibers in a direction inclined at an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction.