System and method for 3-D projection and enhancements for interactivity
First Claim
1. A method for image projection, comprising:
- providing a screen that includes a retro-reflective surface, wherein the retro-reflective surface is operative to reflect a light beam such that a cone angle of the diffused reflection of the light beam is at least ten times less than 180 degrees;
providing a strobe light beam that scans for the retro-reflective surface, wherein detection of the diffused reflection of the strobe light beam determines when a gaze of a user is directed to the retro-reflective surface, and wherein the strobe light beam is non-visible to the user;
employing at least one head-mounted projector that is mounted on a head of a user to project an image onto the retro-reflective surface when the user'"'"'s gaze is directed to the retro-reflective surface in such that only the user is able to see the image, and wherein the image is at least one of a computer-generated image or a computer-fed image, and wherein two or more fiducial markings that are located on the retro-reflective surface are used to stabilize and scale the projection of the image respective to the user'"'"'s gaze; and
when the user'"'"'s gaze is detected to be undirected to the retro-reflective surface, ceasing the projection of the image by the head-mounted projector and pausing one or more movies when it is included in the image and the user'"'"'s gaze is undirected to the retro-reflective surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system projects a user-viewable, computer-generated or -fed image, wherein a head-mounted projector is used to project an image onto a retro-reflective surface, so only the viewer can see the image. The projector is connected to a computer that contains software to create virtual 2-D and or 3-D images for viewing by the user. Further, one projector each is mounted on either side of the user'"'"'s head, and, by choosing for example a retro angle of less than about 10 degrees, each eye can only see the image of one of the projectors at a give distance up to 3 meters, in this example, from the retro-reflective screen. The retro angle used may be reduced with larger viewing distance desired. These projectors use lasers to avoid the need for focusing, and in some cases there projectors use instead of lasers highly collimated LED light sources to avoid the need for focusing.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for image projection, comprising:
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providing a screen that includes a retro-reflective surface, wherein the retro-reflective surface is operative to reflect a light beam such that a cone angle of the diffused reflection of the light beam is at least ten times less than 180 degrees; providing a strobe light beam that scans for the retro-reflective surface, wherein detection of the diffused reflection of the strobe light beam determines when a gaze of a user is directed to the retro-reflective surface, and wherein the strobe light beam is non-visible to the user; employing at least one head-mounted projector that is mounted on a head of a user to project an image onto the retro-reflective surface when the user'"'"'s gaze is directed to the retro-reflective surface in such that only the user is able to see the image, and wherein the image is at least one of a computer-generated image or a computer-fed image, and wherein two or more fiducial markings that are located on the retro-reflective surface are used to stabilize and scale the projection of the image respective to the user'"'"'s gaze; and when the user'"'"'s gaze is detected to be undirected to the retro-reflective surface, ceasing the projection of the image by the head-mounted projector and pausing one or more movies when it is included in the image and the user'"'"'s gaze is undirected to the retro-reflective surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for image projection, comprising:
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a computing device that is arranged to provide image information; a strobe light beam that scans for a retro-reflective surface, wherein detection of the diffused reflection of the strobe light beam determines when a gaze of a user is directed to the retro-reflective surface on a screen, and wherein the strobe light beam is non-visible to the user; and at least one head-mounted projector that is configured to, based at least in part on the image information, project an image onto a retro-reflective surface such that only the viewer can see the image when the user'"'"'s gaze is directed to the retro-reflective surface, wherein the retro-reflective surface is operative to reflect a light beam such that a cone angle of the diffused reflection of the light beam is at least ten times less than 180 degrees employing the at least one head-mounted projector that is mounted on a head of a user to project an image onto the retro-reflective surface when the user'"'"'s gaze is directed to the retro-reflective surface in such that only the user is able to see the image, and wherein two or more fiducial markings that are located on the retro-reflective surface are used to stabilize and scale the projection of the image respective to the user'"'"'s gaze; and when the user'"'"'s gaze is detected to be undirected to the retro-reflective surface, ceasing the projection of the image by the head-mounted projector and pausing one or more movies when it is included in the image and the user'"'"'s gaze is undirected to the retro-reflective surface. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification