Projector and focus adjustment method

• US 20060285089A1
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Viewtechnology, Ltd.
• Inventors: Higashi, Hideaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,690,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/101
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/53 Means for automatic focusing, e.g. to compensate thermal effects
• 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

A transportable projector includes a focus adjustment unit for moving a focus lens in a projection lens, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration in a direction along an optical axis of the projection lens in the projector, a determination unit for determining whether the projector is in a stationary state or in a moving state in accordance with an output of the acceleration sensor and for respectively determining the direction to which the projector has moved and the distance that the projector has moved in accordance with an output of the acceleration sensor, and a control unit for controlling movement of the focus lens by the focus adjustment unit in accordance with the determined direction and the determined distance of the projector.

Claims

1. A projector comprising:

a projection lens of which a focus lens is movable along an optical axis;

a focus adjustment unit for moving said focus lens;

an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration of a housing in which said projection lens is arranged;

a determination unit for determining whether said housing is in a stationary state or in a moving state in accordance with an output of said acceleration sensor and for determining a direction to which said housing has moved and a distance that said housing has moved, respectively, in accordance with an output of said acceleration sensor when said housing is in the moving state; and

a control unit for determining a direction and a distance that said focus lens is to be moved in accordance with the direction and the distance that said housing has moved, which are supplied from said determination unit and for controlling movement of said focus lens by said focus adjustment unit in accordance with the determined direction and the determined distance of said focus lens.

2. The projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a range sensor that can measure a projection distance from said projection lens to a projection surface on which an image is projected by said projection lens;

wherein said control unit controls movement of said focus lens by said focus adjustment unit in accordance with the projection distance measured by said range sensor when said determination unit determines that said housing is in a stationary state.

3. The projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a keystone distortion correction processing unit for correcting a keystone distortion of an image projected by said projection lens;

wherein said acceleration sensor outputs a signal having a different output level in accordance with an angle between the optical axis of said projection lens and a horizontal surface, wherein said determination unit determines an inclination of the optical axis of said projection lens relative to said horizontal surface in accordance with a difference of output levels of said acceleration sensor before and after said housing moves, and wherein said keystone distortion correction processing unit corrects said keystone distortion in accordance with the inclination determined by said determination unit.

4. A projector system comprising:

a projector having a projection lens in which a focus lens is movable along an optical axis; and

a projection structure body on which an image is projected by said projection lens and which is movable;

wherein said projection structure body comprises an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration of said projection structure body; and

wherein said projector comprises

a focus adjustment unit for moving said focus lens;

a determination unit for determining whether said projection structure body is in a stationary state or in a moving state in accordance with an output of said acceleration sensor and for determining a direction to which said projection structure body has moved and a distance that said projection structure body has moved, respectively, in accordance with an output of said acceleration sensor when said projection structure body is in the moving state; and

a control unit for determining a direction and a distance that said focus lens is to be moved in accordance with the direction and the distance that said projection structure body has moved, which are supplied from said determination unit and for controlling movement of said focus lens by said focus adjustment unit in accordance with the determined direction and the determined distance of said focus lens.

5. The projector system according to claim 4, wherein said projector further comprises a range sensor that can measure a projection distance from said projection lens to said projection structure body, and wherein said control unit controls movement of said focus lens by said focus adjustment unit in accordance with the projection distance measured by said range sensor when said determination unit determines that said projection structure body is in the stationary state.

6. The projector system according to claim 4, wherein said projector further comprises a keystone distortion correction processing unit for correcting a keystone distortion of an image projected by said projection lens, wherein said acceleration sensor outputs a signal having a different output level in accordance with an angle between an axis vertical to a projection surface of said projection structure body and a horizontal surface, wherein said determination unit determines an inclination of said axis vertical to a projection surface relative to said horizontal surface in accordance with the difference of output levels of said acceleration sensor before and after said projection structure body moves, and wherein said keystone distortion correction processing unit corrects said keystone distortion in accordance with the inclination determined by said determination unit.

7. A projector system comprising:

a projector having a projection lens in which a focus lens is movable along an optical axis; and

a projection structure body on which an image is projected by said projection lens and which is movable;

wherein said projection structure body comprises a first acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration of said projection structure body; and

wherein said projector comprises

a focus adjustment unit for moving said focus lens;

a second acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration of a housing in which said projection lens is arranged;

a determination unit for determining whether said projection structure body is in a stationary state or in a moving state in accordance with an output of said first acceleration sensor and for determining a direction to which said projection structure body has moved and a distance that said projection structure body has moved, respectively, in accordance with an output of said first acceleration sensor when said projection structure body is in the moving state, and for determining whether said housing is in a stationary state or in a moving state in accordance with an output of said second acceleration sensor and for determining a direction to which said housing has moved and a distance that said housing has moved, respectively, in accordance with an output of said second acceleration sensor when said housing is in the moving state; and

a control unit for determining a direction and a distance that said focus lens is to be moved in accordance with the direction and the distance that said projection structure body has moved, the direction and the distance that said housing has moved, or each those direction and distance of said projection structure body and said housing, which are supplied from said determination unit and for controlling movement of said focus lens by said focus adjustment unit in accordance with the determined direction and the determined distance of said focus lens.

8. The projector system according to claim 7, wherein said projector further comprises a range sensor that can measure a projection distance from said projection lens to said projection structure body, and wherein said control unit controls movement of said focus lens by said focus adjustment unit in accordance with the projection distance measured by said range sensor when said determination unit determines that both said projection structure body and said housing are in the stationary state.

9. The projector system according to claim 7, wherein said projector further comprises a keystone distortion correction processing unit for correcting a keystone distortion of an image projected by said projection lens, wherein said first acceleration sensor outputs a signal having a different output level in accordance with an angle between an axis vertical to a projection surface of said projection structure body and a horizontal surface, wherein said second acceleration sensor outputs a signal of a different output level in accordance with an angle between the optical axis of said projection lens and said horizontal surface, wherein said determination unit determines a first inclination of the axis vertical to said projection surface relative to said horizontal surface in accordance with a difference of output levels of said first acceleration sensor before and after said projection structure body moves, and determines a second inclination of the optical axis of said projection lens relative to said horizontal surface in accordance with a difference of output levels of said second acceleration sensor before and after said housing moves, and wherein said keystone distortion correction processing unit corrects said keystone distortion in accordance with the inclination determined by said determination unit when at least one of said first and second inclinations is determined in said determination unit.

10. A focus adjustment method for a projector including a projection lens in which a focus lens is movable along an optical axis and an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration of a housing in which said projection lens is arranged, comprising:

determining whether said housing is in a stationary state or in a moving state in accordance with an output of said acceleration sensor;

respectively obtaining a direction to which said housing has moved and a distance that said housing has moved in accordance with an output of said acceleration sensor when said housing is in the moving state;

determining a direction and a distance that said focus lens is to be moved in accordance with the determined direction and the determined distance of said housing; and

moving said focus lens in accordance with the determined direction and the determined distance of said focus lens.

11. The focus adjustment method for the projector according to claim 10, further comprising:

measuring a projection distance from said projection lens to a projection surface on which an image is projected by said projection lens, when said housing is in the stationary state; and

moving said focus lens in accordance with said projection distance, which has been measured.

12. The focus adjustment method for the projector according to claim 10, further comprising:

comparing output levels of said acceleration sensor before and after said housing moves;

determining, when there is a difference of the output levels, an inclination of an axis vertical to said projection surface relative to said horizontal surface in accordance with said difference; and

correcting a keystone distortion in the image projected by said projection lens in accordance with said inclination.

13. A focus adjustment method performed in a projector system including a projector having a projection lens in which a focus lens is movable along an optical axis and an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration of a housing in which said projection lens is arranged, a projection structure body on which an image is projected by said projection lens and which is movable, and another acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration of said projection structure body, comprising:

determining whether said housing is in a stationary state or in a moving state in accordance with an output of said acceleration sensor;

obtaining a direction to which said housing has moved and a distance that said housing has moved in accordance with an output of said acceleration sensor when said housing is in the moving state;

determining a first direction and a first distance that said focus lens is to be moved in accordance with the determined direction and the determined distance of said housing;

moving said focus lens in accordance with the first direction and the first distance of said focus lens, which has been determined;

determining whether said projection structure body is in a stationary state or in a moving state in accordance with an output of said another acceleration sensor;

obtaining a direction to which said projection structure body has moved and a distance that said projection structure body has moved in accordance with an output of said another acceleration sensor when said projection structure body is in the moving state;

determining a second direction and a second distance that said focus lens is to be moved in accordance with the determined direction and the determined distance of said projection structure body; and

moving said focus lens in accordance with the second direction and the second distance of said focus lens, which has been determined.

14. The focus adjustment method for the projector according to claim 13, further comprising:

measuring a projection distance from said projection lens to said projection structure body when both said housing and said projection structure body are in the stationary state; and

moving said focus lens in accordance with said projection distance, which has been measured.

15. The focus adjustment method for the projector according to claim 13, further comprising:

determining a first inclination of an optical axis of said projection lens relative to a horizontal surface in accordance with a difference of output levels of said acceleration sensor before and after said housing moves;

correcting a keystone distortion in an image projected by said projection lens in accordance with said first inclination;

determining a second inclination of an axis vertical to said projection surface in accordance with a difference of output levels of said another acceleration sensor before and after said projection structure body moves; and

correcting the keystone distortion in the image projected by said projection lens in accordance with said second inclination.