Life-size communications systems with front projection

• US 6,783,247 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter Mcduffie White
• Original Assignee: Teleportec, Inc.
• Inventors: White, Peter McDuffie
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEVER, ANDREW T
• Application Number:
  US10/389,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20030174292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 353/31-34, 353/71-73, 353/78, 353/99, 353/15, 353/7, 353/8, 353/10-13, 353/28, 353/37, 353/30, 353/47, 353/50, 353/51, 353/69, 353/70, 353/77, 353/98, 353/122, 348/782-788, 348/794, 349/15, 349/5-9, 359/449, 359/454-460
• US Class Current: 353/79
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/10 using back-projection, i.e. blending artificial background with real foreground
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/10 Projectors with built-in or built-on screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact

Abstract

A communication system for allowing a user (1) located in an observation zone to communicate with a person using a remote system at a remote location is provided. The communication system comprises a projector (6), a front projection screen (7), a two-way mirror (2), and a camera (3). The projector (6) is adapted to output a projected image along an image beam path. The front projection screen (7) has a downward-facing projection surface located in a plane above the projector (6). The image beam path impinges upon and illuminates the downward-facing projection surface of the screen (7) during use of the system. The two-way mirror (2) is located adjacent to and at an angle relative to the projection surface such that when the projected image is displayed on the projection surface, the projected image is reflected to the observation zone. The camera (3) is located behind the two-way mirror (2), such that the two-way mirror (2) is located between the camera (3) and the observation zone.

Claims

1. An image projection system for displaying images to a user located in an observation zone, comprising:

a projector adapted to output a projected image along an image beam path, the image path being directed towards the observation zone during use of the system;

a reflective mirror positioned between the projector and the observation zone, the reflective mirror having an upward-facing reflection surface;

a front projection screen having a downward-facing projection surface located in a plane above the projector, wherein the upward-facing reflection surface of the reflective mirror is positioned so that the image beam path of the projected image from the projector is reflected off of the upward-facing reflection surface and upward toward the downward-facing projection surface of the front projection screen during use of the system, and wherein the image beam path impinges upon and illuminates the downward-facing projection surface of the screen during use of the system; and

a two-way mirror located adjacent to and at an angle relative to the projection surface such that when the image from the projector is displayed on the projection surface of the screen, the image displayed on the screen is reflected to the observation zone, and wherein the image beam path of the projected image does not cross through the two-way mirror as the projected image travels from the projector to the front projection screen during use of the system.

2. The image projection system of claim 1,

wherein the image beam path from the projector is substantially parallel with a horizontal plane.

3. The image projection system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted to be foldable and portable.

4. The image projection system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted to be folded and concealed within furniture.

5. The image projection system of claim 1, wherein the projector uses optical offsetting to correct for keystoning.

6. The image projection system of claim 1, wherein the projector is adapted to digitally distort the image before projection to adjust the image for corrected viewing of the image from the observation zone.

7. The image projection system of claim 1, wherein the surface of the screen is a fresnel patterned reflective surface.

8. The image projection system of claim 1, wherein the two-way mirror comprises plastic material having optical properties of partial reflection and transmission.

9. A communication system for allowing a user located in an observation zone to communicate with a person using a remote system at a remote location, the communication system comprising:

a projector adapted to output a projected image along an image beam path, the image path being directed towards the observation zone during use of the system;

a reflective mirror positioned between the projector and the observation zone, the reflective mirror having an upward-facing reflection surface;

a front projection screen having a downward-facing projection surface located in a plane above the projector, wherein the upward-facing reflection surface of the reflective mirror is positioned so that the image beam path of the projected image from the projector is reflected off of the upward-facing reflection surface and upward toward the downward-facing projection surface of the front projection screen during use of the system, and wherein the image beam path impinges upon and illuminates the downward-facing projection surface of the screen during use of the system;

a two-way mirror located adjacent to and at an angle relative to the projection surface such that when the image from the projector is displayed on the projection surface, the projected image is reflected to the observation zone, and wherein the image beam path of the projected image does not cross through the two-way mirror as the projected image travels from the projector to the front projection screen during use of the system; and

a camera located behind the two-way mirror, such that the two-way mirror is located between the camera and the observation zone.

10. The communication system of claim 9,

wherein the image beam path from the projector is substantially parallel with a horizontal plane.

11. The communication system of claim 9, further comprising:

a microphone adapted to receive sound from the observation zone; and

a speaker adapted to output sound to the observation zone.

12. The communication system of claim 9, wherein, during use of the system, the user has a line of sight aimed at eyes of the remote person'"'"'s image, and the camera being substantially aligned with the line of sight so that when the user looks at the eyes of the remote person'"'"'s image, the user will also be looking into the camera.

13. The communication system of claim 9, further comprising an illuminated three dimensional setting located between the two-way mirror and the camera.

14. The communication system of claim 9, wherein, during use of the system, the remote person'"'"'s image presented to the user located in the observation zone comprises a life-size image of the remote person.

15. The communication system of claim 9, further comprising a network connection communicably coupling he communication system to the remote system at the remote location.

16. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the projector uses optical offsetting to correct for keystoning.

17. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the surface of the screen is a fresnel patterned reflective surface.

18. The communication system of claim 9, further comprising a dark-colored and illuminated three dimensional setting located behind the two-way mirror that is visible from the observation zone.

19. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the projected image comprises a black background behind an object, wherein the object does not extend beyond the borders of the projected image on at least three sides of the projected image so that the borders of the image are not noticeable to the user from the observation zone and so that the object in the projected image appears to be floating within a space behind the two-way mirror.

20. A communication system for displaying images of a remotely-located person to a user located in an observation zone and for allowing the user to visually and audibly communicate with the remotely-located person, comprising:

a counter located adjacent the observation zone;

an image projector located at the counter, the projector being adapted to output a projected image along an image beam path, being directed towards the observation zone during use of the system;

a reflective mirror positioned between the projector and the observation zone, the reflective mirror having an upward-facing reflection surface;

a front projection screen hang a downward-facing projection surface located in a plane above the projector, wherein the upward-facing reflection surface of the reflective mirror is positioned so that the image beam path of the projected image from the projector is reflected off of the upward-facing reflection surface and upward toward the downward-facing projection surface of the front projection screen during use of the system, and wherein the image beam path impinges upon and illuminates the downward-facing projection surface of the screen during use of the system;

a two-way mirror located adjacent to and at an angle relative to the projection surface such that when the image from the projector is displayed on the projection surface of the screen, the image displayed on the screen is reflected to the user in the observation zone, and wherein the image beam path of the projected image does not cross through the two-way mirror as the projected image travels from the projector to the front projection screen during use of the system;

a camera located behind the two-way mirror, such that the two-way mirror is located between the camera and the observation zone, and the camera being adapted to receive an image of the user;

a microphone adapted to receive sound from the observation zone; and

a speaker adapted to output sound to the observation zone.

21. The communication system of claim 20, further comprising a shelving structure located below the counter and opening to the observation zone so that the user may access items from the shelving structure while in the observation zone.

22. The communication system of claim 20, further comprising a product dispensing device adapted to controllably output a product to the user in the observation zone.

23. The communication system of claim 20, further comprising a payment acceptance device adapted to receive payment from the user in the observation zone.

24. A foldable communication system for allowing a user located in an observation zone to communicate with a person using a remote system at a remote location, the system having a closed folded configuration and an operable unfolded configuration, the system comprising:

a base;

an image projector attached to the base, the projector being adapted to output a projected image along an image beam path, the image path being directed towards the observation zone during use of the system;

a reflective mirror attached to the base, the reflective mirror being positioned between the projector and the observation zone during use of the system, and the reflective mirror having an upward-facing reflection surface when in the operable unfolded configuration;

a two-way mirror pivotably coupled to at least one of the base and the projector,

a front projection screen pivotably coupled to at least one of the two-way mirror and the base, the front projection screen having a projection surface;

a camera frame pivotably coupled to the base; and

a camera attached to the camera frame,

wherein in the operable unfolded configuration, the projector, the image beam path, the two-way mirror, the projection surface of the front projection screen, the camera frame, and the camera are positioned relative to each other and relative to the observation zone such that

the front projection screen is located in a plane above the projector,

the projection surface faces generally downward toward the base,

the upward-facing reflection surface of the reflective mirror is positioned so that the image beam path of the projected image from the projector is reflected off of the upward-facing reflection surface and upward toward the downward-facing projection surface of the front projection screen during use of the system,

the image beam path from the projector impinges upon and illuminates the projection surface of the screen during use of the system,

the two-way mirror is positioned at an angle relative to the projection surface of the screen, wherein the image displayed on the downward-facing projection surface of the screen is reflected off of the two-way mirror to the observation zone, and wherein the image beam path of the projected image does not cross through the two-way mirror as the projected image travels from the projector to the front projection screen during use of the system, and

the camera is positioned to receive images of objects in the observation zone through the two-way mirror, and

wherein in the closed folded configuration, the system occupies less space in at least one direction than when the system is the operable unfolded configuration.

25. The communication system of claim 24, wherein the reflective mirror is hinged directly to the base.

26. The communication system of claim 24, further comprising a camera reflective mirror pivotably coupled to at least one of the camera frame and the camera, wherein in the operable unfolded configuration, the camera reflective mirror being positioned at an angle relative to the camera so that the camera receives images from the observation zone via the camera reflective mirror.

27. The communication system of claim 24, wherein the screen is hinged directly to two-way mirror.

28. The communication system of claim 24, wherein the surface of the screen is a fresnel patterned reflective surface.

29. The communication system of claim 24, wherein the system is portable in the closed folded configuration.

30. The communication system of claim 24, wherein the system is adapted to be concealed within furniture when in the closed folded configuration.