Remote control of projection and camera system

• US 9,052,579 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rawles, LLC (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Poulad, Navid, Yuan, Robert A., Cederlof, Colter E., Satoh, Juli A., Quento, Steve A.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, SULTAN U.
• Application Number:
  US13/564,534
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 353/10, 353/28, 353/30, 353/47, 353/46, 353/74, 353/79, 353/85, 353/119, 353/122, 345/156, 345/158, 345/173, 345/175, 348/552, 348743-747
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/10 Projectors with built-in or built-on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/132 Overhead projectors, i.e. capable of projecting hand-writing or drawing during action epidiascopic projectors G03B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/145 Housing details, e.g. position adjustments thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/30 adapted to collapse or fold, e.g. for portability
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/00 Systems for exchange of information between different pieces of apparatus, e.g. for exchanging trimming information, for photo finishing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

A device includes a projection and camera system to create an augmented reality environment in which images are projected onto a scene and user movement within the scene is captured. The projection and camera system have a camera to image scattered IR light from the scene and compute time of flight values used in depth mapping of objects in the room. The system also has a projector to project the images onto the scene. The system controls the camera and projector mounted in a moveable head of a lamp with a motor mounted elsewhere in the lamp. In one implementation, the motor is mounted in the base of a table lamp.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a head structure;

a base structure connected to the head structure by an arm mechanism;

a plurality of components housed in one or more of the head structure, the arm mechanism, or the base structure, the plurality of components comprising;

an illumination component to project light into an environment;

a time-of-flight sensor to receive at least a portion of the light from the illumination component scattered by the environment, the time-of-flight sensor configured to determine time-of-flight information associated with one or more objects illuminated by the illumination component;

a processor to determine distance information of the one or more objects relative to the time of flight sensor, the distance information determined based at least in part on the determined time-of-flight information; and

a drive mechanism to receive instructions from the processor, the instructions for causing the drive mechanism to adjust a position of at least one component of the plurality of components housed in the head structure or to adjust a position of the head structure based at least in part on the distance information associated with at least one of the one or more objects.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a pulley, a motor, a motor controller, and a member operationally connected to the pulley.

3. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the member comprises a cable or a belt.

4. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the pulley and the motor reside in the base structure.

5. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein the motor controls the member via the pulley to adjust the position of the at least one component housed in the head structure or to adjust the position of the head structure.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the head structure couples to the arm mechanism via a connector that permits rotation about at least two different axes.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the head structure couples to the arm mechanism via a connector that permits rotation about a pan axis, a tilt axis, and a roll axis.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism controls rotation of the at least one component housed in the head structure or the head structure about at least one of a pan axis, a tilt axis, or a roll axis.

9. A system comprising:

a first portion and a second portion movably connected to the first portion by a third portion;

a projector residing in the first portion;

a sensor residing in the first portion; and

a drive mechanism residing at least partly in the second portion and configured to adjust at least one of the sensor, the projector, or the first portion.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the first portion comprises a head, the second portion comprises a base, and the third portion comprises a connector structure.

11. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a processor to determine distance information of one or more objects in an environment relative to the first portion.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a pulley system to receive instructions from the processor, the instructions for causing the pulley system to adjust at least one of the sensor, the projector, or the first portion based at least in part on the distance information.

13. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a controller, a sprocket, a motor, and a chain operationally connected to the sprocket.

14. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the system further comprises:

a microphone to capture sound in an environment and generate an audio signal based on the sound; and

a processor to determine whether the audio signal includes a command from a user to adjust a position of at least one of the sensor, the projector, or the first portion.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the audio signal includes the command, and the drive mechanism comprises a pulley system to receive instructions from the processor, the instructions for causing the pulley system to adjust at least one of the sensor, the projector, or the first portion based at least in part on the command.

16. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises a time-of-flight sensor to receive at least a portion of light from an illumination component, the time-of-flight sensor configured to determine time-of-flight information associated with one or more objects illuminated by the illumination component.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the system further comprises a processor to determine distance information of one or more objects relative to the first portion and wherein the distance information is determined based at least in part on the determined time-of-flight information.

18. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the drive mechanism controls rotation of at least one of the projector, the sensor, or the first portion about at least one of a pan axis, a tilt axis, or a roll axis.

19. A device comprising:

a head structure;

a base structure connected to the head structure by an arm mechanism;

a projector housed in the head structure;

an illumination component housed in the head structure to project light into an environment;

a time-of-flight sensor housed in the head structure to receive at least a portion of the light from the illumination component scattered by the environment, the time-of-flight sensor configured to determine time-of-flight information associated with one or more objects illuminated by the illumination component;

a processor, housed in one of the head structure or the base structure, to determine distance information of the one or more objects relative to the time-of-flight sensor, the distance information determined based at least in part on the determined time-of-flight information; and

a drive mechanism, housed in the base structure, to receive instructions from the processor, the instructions for causing the drive mechanism to adjust a position of at least one component of the plurality of components housed in the head structure or to adjust a position of the head structure based at least in part on the distance information associated with at least one of the one or more objects.

20. The device as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

a microphone to capture sound from the environment and generate an audio signal based on the sound; and

the processor being configured to determine whether the audio signal includes a command from a user to adjust a position of at least one of the time-of-flight sensor, the projector, or the first portion.

21. The device as recited in claim 19, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a pulley, a motor, a motor controller, and a member operationally connected to the pulley.

22. The device as recited in claim 21, wherein the member comprises a cable or a belt.

23. The device as recited in claim 21, wherein the pulley and the motor reside in the base structure.

24. The device as recited in claim 23, wherein the motor controls the member via the pulley to adjust the position of the at least one component housed in the head structure or to adjust the position of the head structure.

25. The device as recited in claim 19, wherein the head structure couples to the arm mechanism via a connector that permits rotation about at least two different axes.