Projector and exposure adjustment method

• US 7,648,246 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Miyasaka, Noriaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Diane I
• Assistant Examiner(s): REILLY-DIAKUN, JORI S
• Application Number:
  US11/345,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20060176377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 353 69- 70, 396/50, 396/213, 396/227, 396233-234, 396/236, 396/362, 396429-430, 348/231.3, 348/231.9, 348362-366, 345589-590, 345/618
• US Class Current: 353/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3179 Video signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

A projector includes: an imaging structure that photographs an image projected on a projection object to take a photographed image; an imaging control module that performs exposure adjustment in the imaging structure to attain a preset target exposure; a control module that sets the target exposure in the imaging ctrl module; an angle information acquisition module that obtains angle information representing an inclination of the projector to the projection object; and a storage unit that stores a map representing a variation in target exposure against the angle information. The control module controls the angle information acquisition module to obtain the angle information, refers to the map stored in the storage unit to specify a target exposure corresponding to the obtained angle information, and sets the specified target exposure in the imaging control module. Even in the state of elevation projection, this arrangement of the invention enables distinct identification of a maximum brightness position in the photographed image.

Claims

1. A projector that projects an image on a projection object, the projector comprising:

an imaging structure that photographs the image projected on the projection object to take a photographed image;

an imaging control module that performs average luminosity adjustment in the imaging structure to attain a preset target average luminosity;

a control module that sets the target average luminosity in the imaging control module;

an acceleration sensor that obtains angle information representing an inclination of the projector to the projection object;

a storage unit that stores a map representing a variation in target average luminosity against the angle information, wherein the map sets a greater target average luminosity corresponding to a piece of the angle information representing a greater inclination;

an analyzer module that analyzes the photographed image taken by the imaging structure and obtains positional information representing a peak position or a maximum brightness position in the photographed image; and

an image processing module that adjusts the projected image, based on the positional information obtained by the analyzer module,

wherein the control module controls the acceleration sensor to obtain the angle information, refers to the map stored in the storage unit to specify the target average luminosity corresponding to the obtained angle information, and sets the specified target average luminosity in the imaging control module.

2. The projector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the image processing module adjusts the projected image to correct a distortion of the projected image caused by the inclination of the projector to the projection object.

3. An average luminosity adjustment method adopted in a projector, which is equipped with an imaging structure of photographing an image projected on a projection object, to perform average luminosity adjustment in the imaging structure,

the average luminosity adjustment method comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining angle information representing an inclination of the projector to the projection object;

(b) specifying a target average luminosity corresponding to the obtained angle information based on a map which represents a variation in the target average luminosity against the angle information and sets a greater target average luminosity corresponding to a piece of the angle information representing a greater inclination;

(c) performing average luminosity adjustment in the imaging structure to attain the specified target average luminosity;

(d) analyzing the photographed image taken by the imaging structure and obtains positional information representing a peak position or a maximum brightness position in the photographed image; and

(e) adjusting the image projected, based on the positional information obtained by the analyzer module.