Projector and lamp information management method used for the same

• US 6,802,615 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2003
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Viewtechnology, Ltd.
• Inventors: Okada, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahoney, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/436,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20030214638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 362/295, 353/85, 340/458
• US Class Current: 353/85
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/36 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/20 Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection

Abstract

This invention provides a projector capable of correctly informing a user of replacement time of a lamp and significantly improving performance and operation reliability.

A storage circuit is mounted in a detachable lamp unit for accommodating a lamp, and information on the lamp and so on are stored in the storage circuit. If the switch of a projector proper is turned on, a main circuit reads lamp operating time up to the last time from the storage circuit, and compares the read operating time to replacement time of the lamp stored in advance so that the light is emitted from the lamp if the operating time is less, and display for prompting the lamp replacement is performed if the operating time is more, and the light is emitted from the lamp thereafter. If the switch of the projector proper is turned off, the main circuit adds the operating time of this time to the operating time of the lamp up to the last time read from the storage circuit on turning on the switch and writes it to the storage circuit.

Claims

1. A projector comprising:

an optical engine for generating an image utilizing light of a lamp and an electronic device driven by an electrical signal; and

a projection lens for enlarging and projecting the generated image,

a unit having said lamp mounted therein; and

storage in said unit for storing a serial number of said lamp.

2. The projector according to claim 1, wherein said storage further stores a type of said lamp.

3. The projector according to claim 1, wherein said storage further stores an operating time of said lamp.

4. The projector according to claim 1, wherein said storage further stores light emission characteristics of said lamp.

5. A lamp information management method of a projector having an optical engine for generating an image utilizing light of a lamp and an electronic device driven by an electrical signal;

and a projection lens for enlarging and projecting a generated image, said method comprising;

placing a storage in a unit having said lamp mounted therein; and

storing a serial number of said lamp in said storage.

6. The lamp information management method according to claim 5, wherein said storage further stores a type of said lamp.

7. The lamp information management method according to claim 6, further comprising:

reading the type of said lamp from said storage circuit;

comparing the read type of said lamp to a preset type of said lamp;

if the lamp is in compliance as a result of the comparison, emitting light from said lamp; and

if the lamp is not in compliance as a result of the comparison, performing a display for prompting warning and/or caution and emitting no light from said lamp.

8. The lamp information management method according to claim 5, wherein said storage further stores an operating time of said lamp.

9. The lamp information management method according to claim 8, further comprising:

reading an operating time of said lamp from said storage;

comparing the read time to a preset replacement time of said lamp;

if the operating time of said lamp is less than the replacement time of said lamp, emitting light from said lamp;

if the operating time of said lamp is equal to or more than the replacement time of said lamp, performing display for prompting lamp replacement; and

after performing the display, emitting the light from said lamp.

10. The lamp information management method according to claim 5, further comprising:

reading the serial number of said lamp from said storage;

comparing the serial number of said lamp to a preset serial number;

if the lamp is in compliance as a result of the comparison, emitting the light from said lamp; and

if the lamp is not in compliance as a result of the comparison, performing display for prompting warning and/or caution and emitting no light from said lamp.

11. The lamp information management method according to claim 5, wherein said storage further stores light emission characteristics of said lamp.

12. The lamp information management method according to claim 11, further comprising:

reading light emission characteristics of said lamp from said storage; and

correcting coloration of a projected image based on the read light emission characteristics.

13. The lamp information management method according to claim 11, further comprising:

reading light emission characteristics of said lamp from said storage; and

providing an instruction to increase power of said lamp based on brightness information included in the read light emission characteristics.

14. A projector, comprising:

a detachable lamp unit, said lamp unit comprising;

a lamp; and

a storage circuit storing the elapsed usage time of said lamp, emission characteristics of said lamp, and the serial number of said lamp; and

an optical engine for projecting an image with light from said lamp.

15. The projector according to claim 14, further comprising:

adjustment means for adjusting the image projected by said optical engine based on emission characteristics of said lamp read from said storage circuit.

16. The projector according to claim 14, further comprising:

notifying means for prompting a warning if the elapsed usage time of said lamp read from said storage circuit is longer than a predetermined time.

17. The projector according to claim 14, further comprising:

notifying means for prompting a warning if the serial number of said lamp read from said storage circuit is not the same as at least one predetermined serial number.

18. A method of projecting an image, comprising:

providing a projector, comprising;

a lamp unit and an optical engine, wherein said lamp unit comprises a lamp and a storage circuit; and

storing the elapsed usage time of said lamp, emission characteristics of said lamp, and the serial number of said lamp in said storage circuit.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

reading the elapsed usage time of said lamp from said storage circuit;

comparing the elapsed usage time of said lamp to a preset time;

if the elapsed usage time of said lamp is shorter than said preset time, illuminating said lamp; and

if the elapsed usage time of said lamp is longer than or equal to said preset time, prompting a warning.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

providing an optical engine for projecting an image with light emitted from said lamp;

reading the emission characteristics of said lamp from said storage circuit; and

adjusting the image projected by said optical engine based on said emission characteristics.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

reading the serial number of said lamp from said storage circuit;

comparing the serial number of said lamp to at least one predetermined serial number;

if the serial number of said lamp is the same as at least one of said predetermined serial numbers, illuminating said lamp;

if the serial number of said lamp is not the same as at least one of said predetermined serial numbers, prompting a warning.