Interactive system, control method for interactive system, and projector

• US 9,632,616 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Karasawa, Yukihiro, Kobayashi, Yasuyuki, Koyama, Takaaki, Otsuki, Nobuyuki, Horiguchi, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ketema, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US14/423,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20150324054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 345179-183
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• 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: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission

Abstract

An interactive system includes a transmitter (light-emitting pen) configured to transmit an optical signal and a projector. The projector includes a signal-intensity setting unit in which intensity information of a synchronization signal is set, a signal-intensity control unit (light-emission control unit) configured to control the intensity of the synchronization signal on the basis of the setting of the signal-intensity setting unit, a synchronization-signal transmitting unit (infrared-light emitting unit) configured to transmit the synchronization signal, and an image pickup unit configured to pick up an image of the optical signal transmitted from the transmitter. The transmitter includes a receiving unit (pen reception unit) configured to receive the synchronization signal and an optical-signal transmitting unit (pen control unit and a light-emitting diode) configured to transmit the optical signal in synchronization with the synchronization signal received by the receiving unit.

Claims

1. An interactive system comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal; and

a projector,

the projector including;

a memory in which intensity information of a synchronization signal is set, the synchronization signal being for synchronization between the projector and the transmitter;

one or more processors configured to control intensity of the synchronization signal on the basis of the setting of the memory, the one or more processors being programmed to determine whether another projector is present near the projector, and to change the intensity of the synchronization signal in response to a determination that the other projector is present near the projector, in accordance with the setting of the memory;

a first light source configured to transmit the synchronization signal; and

a sensor configured to pick up an image of the optical signal transmitted from the transmitter, and

the transmitter including;

a first signal receiver configured to receive the synchronization signal; and

a second light source configured to transmit the optical signal in synchronization with the synchronization signal received by the first signal receiver.

2. The interactive system according to claim 1, wherein

the projector further includes a second signal receiver configured to receive the synchronization signal, and

when the second signal receiver receives a second synchronization signal from another projector, the first light source transmits the synchronization signal in synchronization with the second synchronization signal.

3. The interactive system according to claim 1, wherein

the first light source includes an infrared-light emitting diode, and

the synchronization signal transmitted by the first light source is an infrared signal.

4. The interactive system according to claim 3, wherein

the first light source includes a plurality of the infrared-light emitting diodes, and

the one or more processors change the number of emitted lights of the plurality of infrared-light emitting diodes to control the intensity of the synchronization signal.

5. The interactive system according to claim 1, wherein the projector further includes:

an input device configured to receive predetermined operation, and

the one or more processors are configured to set, when the input device receives the predetermined operation, intensity information of the synchronization signal based on the predetermined operation in the memory.

6. A control method for an interactive system including a transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal and a projector including a memory in which intensity information of a synchronization signal is set, the synchronization signal being for synchronization between the projector and the transmitter,

the method comprising:

a signal-intensity control step of the projector controlling intensity of the synchronization signal on the basis of the setting of the memory, the signal-intensity control step including determining whether another projector is present near the projector and changing the intensity of the synchronization signal in response to a determination that the other projector is present near the projector, in accordance with the setting of the memory;

a synchronization-signal transmitting step of the projector transmitting the synchronization signal;

an image pickup step of the projector picking up an image of the optical signal transmitted from the transmitter;

a receiving step of the transmitter receiving the synchronization signal; and

an optical-signal transmitting step of the transmitter transmitting the optical signal in synchronization with the synchronization signal received by the receiving step.

7. A projector comprising:

a memory in which intensity information of a synchronization signal is set, the synchronization signal being for synchronization between the projector and a transmitter;

one or more processors configured to control the intensity of the synchronization signal on the basis of the setting of the memory, the one or more processors being programmed to determine whether another projector is present near the projector, and to change the intensity of the synchronization signal in response to a determination that the other projector is present near the projector, in accordance with the setting of the memory; and

a first light source configured to transmit the synchronization signal.