With Alignment, Registration Or Focus Patents (Class 348/745)
  • Patent number: 12038620
    Abstract: An image relay device that projects laser light representing an image emitted from a projection device onto the retina is provided. The image relay device includes a projection device, a first optical member, and a second optical member. The projection device includes a light source configured to emit laser light and a scan unit configured to scan the laser light based on image data. The first optical member receives an image light from the projection device and converts the image light which is a parallel light, to light beams of convergent light. The second optical member converts the light beams output from the first optical member into parallel light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: QD Laser, Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Suzuki, Kenji Yasui, Kazutaka Saito
  • Patent number: 11889045
    Abstract: A direct retinal projector system that provides dynamic focusing for virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) is described. A direct retinal projector system scans images, pixel by pixel, directly onto the subject's retinas. This allows individual pixels to be optically affected dynamically as the images are scanned to the subject's retinas. Dynamic focusing components and techniques are described that may be used in a direct retinal projector system to dynamically and correctly focus each pixel in VR images as the images are being scanned to a subject's eyes. This allows objects, surfaces, etc. that are intended to appear at different distances in a scene to be projected to the subject's eyes at the correct depths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander Shpunt
  • Patent number: 11816294
    Abstract: Provided are an output unit configured to output an image or distribution information of evaluation values corresponding to a plurality of regions of the image, an operation unit configured to accept a first action and a second action different from the first action; and a control unit configured to execute, when the output unit outputs a first image, output control such that the output unit outputs a second image if the operation unit accepts the first action, and that the output unit outputs distribution information of the evaluation values corresponding to the first image if the operation unit accepts the second action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Asahi Suzuki, Masaaki Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 11803109
    Abstract: A projection method, which is executed by a projection device, for projecting drawing data for a building onto a projection plane of the building under construction includes: measuring a distance from each of three or more points which are not aligned in a straight line and are on either of two non-parallel straight lines on the projection plane to the projection device using a distance meter included in the projection device; and projecting the drawing data onto a projection position on the projection plane which is determined based on the distance measured and the angle of the distance meter at the time at which the distance is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Nishi, Yuki Hayashi, Keisuke Hara
  • Patent number: 11741584
    Abstract: A method for correcting distorted image and apparatus thereof are provided. In the method, an image device acquires a first pattern image and a controller generates a relationship table between the first pattern image and an original pattern image. The image device acquires a second pattern image. The controller corrects each pixel content of the second pattern image based on the relationship table to create a correction image corresponding to the second pattern image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: GENESYS LOGIC, INC.
    Inventor: Mi-lai Tsai
  • Patent number: 11523094
    Abstract: A display system for displaying a panoramic image and an operation method thereof are provided. The display system for displaying a panoramic image includes N projectors and a controller. The N projectors project N sub-images according to N image data and form a panoramic image. Each sub-image has a sub-image overlapping area, so that two adjacent sub-images of the N sub-images partially overlap, and that a first sub-image and an Nth sub-image of the N sub-images partially overlap. The controller copies a first edge image corresponding to a first edge of an original image and connects the first edge image to a second edge of the original image that is opposite to the first edge, so as to generate an extended image corresponding to the sub-image overlapping area. The controller slices an adjusted image containing the original image and the extended image to generate the N image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Hsun-Cheng Tu, Chien-Chun Peng, Chi-Wei Lin, Chung-Cheng Hsu
  • Patent number: 11505067
    Abstract: A display device includes a display configured to display a video, a concave mirror configured to reflect a video display light of the video displayed on the display toward a reflection part that is formed in a curved shape and that faces a viewer, and a housing in which the display and the concave mirror are assembled, wherein an angle of the concave mirror with respect to the housing is adjustable by rotating the concave mirror on a reference plane of the housing in accordance with a relative positional relationship among the housing, the reflection part, and the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: JVCKENWOOD Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Kambayashi
  • Patent number: 11455739
    Abstract: One variation of method includes: serving setup frames to a projector facing a scene; at a peripheral control module comprising a camera facing the scene, recording a set of images during projection of corresponding setup frames onto the scene by the projector and a baseline image depicting the scene in the field of view of the camera; calculating a pixel correspondence map based on the set of images and the setup frames; transforming the baseline image into a corrected color image—depicting the scene in the field of view of the camera—based on the pixel correspondence map; linking visual assets to discrete regions in the corrected color image; generating augmented reality frames depicting the visual assets aligned with these discrete regions; and serving the augmented reality frames to the projector to cast depictions of the visual assets onto surfaces, in the scene, corresponding to these discrete regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Lightform, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Karsch, Rajinder Sodhi, Brett Jones, Pulkit Budhiraja, Phil Reyneri, Douglas Rieck, Andrew Kilkenny, Ehsan Noursalehi, Derek Nedelman, Laura LaPerche, Brittany Factura
  • Patent number: 11380027
    Abstract: There are provided a medical image processing apparatus and a medical image processing method making it possible to reduce metal artifacts with no loss of a detailed structure in a metallic region. The medical image processing apparatus is configured to reconstruct a tomographic image from projection data of a subject in which metal material is included and includes a projection space correction section which corrects the projection data and thereby generates corrected projection data, an image space correction section which corrects the tomographic image by using the corrected projection data, and a coefficient setting section which sets a projection space coefficient which is used in the projection space correction section and an image space coefficient which is used in the image space correction section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiga Gotou, Fuyuhiko Teramoto
  • Patent number: 11368657
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for calibrating a projector. In one example, the method includes receiving by a processing element light field data corresponding to a calibration image projected by a projector and captured by a light field capturing device, and modeling by a processing element one or more intrinsic properties of the projector using the light field data and the calibration image. The calibration image may be projected by the projector directly into the light field capturing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Anselm Grundhöfer, Daisuke Iwai
  • Patent number: 11323671
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus for projecting and displaying image light onto a projection plane includes an image light generator that generates the image light, a projection optical system including a projection lens that projects the image light onto the projection plane, a focus controller that controls focusing of the projection lens, and a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the projection display apparatus. The focus controller operates to, calculate a plurality of focus deviation amounts which correspond respectively to a plurality of component groups based on first information obtained from the image light generator and second information obtained from the temperature sensor, the plurality of component groups being classified depending on kinds of components constructing the projection optical system, calculate a focus correction amount according to the plurality of focus deviation amounts calculated, and control the focusing based on the focus correction amount calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Natsumi Akaiwa, Nao Morishita, Teruto Tanaka, Kyousuke Nishihata
  • Patent number: 11315352
    Abstract: A machine receives, for a given target in a given image, a plurality of annotations, each annotation indicating a range of pixels corresponding to the given target. The machine computes a number of pixels in an intersection of the plurality of annotations. The machine computes an average pixels on target (APOT) for the given target by computing, for each annotation, a number of pixels that corresponds to the given target and taking a mean of those numbers. The machine computes a precision value of the plurality of annotations as the number of pixels in the intersection divided by the APOT. The machine provides an output representing the precision value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Franklin Tanner, Grayson D. Gunderson, Jeffrey S. Klein
  • Patent number: 11277594
    Abstract: A control method for an image projection system including a plurality of projectors includes a determining step of determining, based on a stack number indicating the number of the projectors, projected images of which are superimposed one another, colors of pattern images projected by the respective projectors equivalent to the stack number and a projecting step of causing the respective projectors equivalent to the stack number to project the pattern images having the colors determined in the determining step. In the determining step, when the pattern images equivalent to the stack number are superimposed, the colors of the pattern images projected by the respective projectors equivalent to the stack number are determined such that the superimposed pattern images equivalent to the stack number have a specific color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Kudo, Hirohiko Kihara
  • Patent number: 11221549
    Abstract: A projector includes a lens, a displacement adjusting unit, an imaging unit, a temperature sensing unit, a storage unit and a processing unit. The displacement adjusting unit is connected to the lens. The temperature sensing unit senses a current temperature. The storage unit stores a plurality of temperature ranges and a plurality of displacement variations corresponding to the temperature ranges. The processing unit receives a current image. The processing unit compares the current temperature with the temperature ranges to determine a current displacement variation corresponding to the current temperature from the displacement variations. The processing unit performs at least one of following steps according to the current displacement variation: controlling the displacement adjusting unit to adjust a displacement of the lens; adjusting a displacement of the current image on the imaging unit; and performing an image adjusting process for the current image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Qisda Corporation.
    Inventors: Jou-Hsuan Wu, Chih-Wei Cho
  • Patent number: 11146767
    Abstract: A projection position detection device includes: a spectroscopic camera receiving light from an image pickup range including a projection image projected onto a projection target, and picking up a plurality of spectral images corresponding to different wavelengths from each other; a spectrum computation unit computing an optical spectrum of each pixel, based on the plurality of spectral images; a feature point detector detecting a feature point in the image pickup range, based on the optical spectrum of the pixel; and a projection position calculator calculating a relative position of the projection image to the feature point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Inventor: Akira Sano
  • Patent number: 11134232
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program capable of reducing a decrease in resolution in overlapping areas of multiple projection in cases where a plurality of projectors is used to perform the multiple projection onto an object. An information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present technology generates, in regard to a plurality of projectors irradiating an object serving as a projection target with projection light rays as superimposing light rays depicting a projection image having pixels, mask information for regulating intensity of the corresponding light ray of each pixel of the projection image. The mask information includes information indicating, in regard to the object having a surface including a predetermined position, that the position is irradiated by a predetermined projector. The present technology can be applied to computers each of which causes a plurality of projectors to project images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohsuke Kaji, Naomasa Takahashi, Tetsuo Ikeda, Tadayoshi Murakami, Kae Nagano, Eisuke Fujinawa
  • Patent number: 11115632
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing device, an image processing method, a program, and a projection system that reduce processing in a case where images based on an equidistant cylindrical image are projected using a plurality of projectors. The image processing device of an aspect of the present technology generates a second equidistant cylindrical image whose center pixel is equal to a center pixel of each of projection regions of a plurality of projectors in a first equidistant cylindrical image and that includes pixels within an angle range including the each of the projection regions, as an image used to generate each of projection images that are projected from the plurality of projectors. The present technology is applicable to a computer that causes the plurality of projectors to project images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoya Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11106041
    Abstract: An augmented reality display system includes a pair of variable focus lens elements that sandwich a waveguide stack. One of the lens elements is positioned between the waveguide stack and a user's eye to correct for refractive errors in the focusing of light projected from the waveguide stack to that eye. The lens elements may also be configured to provide appropriate optical power to place displayed virtual content on a desired depth plane. The other lens element is between the ambient environment and the waveguide stack, and is configured to provide optical power to compensate for aberrations in the transmission of ambient light through the waveguide stack and the lens element closest to the eye. In addition, an eye-tracking system monitors the vergence of the user's eyes and automatically and continuously adjusts the optical powers of the pair of lens elements based on the determined vergence of those eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel A. Miller, Paul M. Greco, Brian T. Schowengerdt
  • Patent number: 11082672
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an image blending method. The method includes projecting a plurality of images onto a projection surface, respectively, wherein an image of the first portion of the first image and an image of the first portion of the second image projected onto the projection surface overlap each other in the first overlapping area on the projection surface; the image parameters of all pixels of the first non-overlapping area and the second non-overlapping area are adjusted according to the position of the first non-overlapping area and the position of the second non-overlapping area, such that the black-level brightness of the first non-overlapping image in the first non-overlapping area of the first image and the black-level brightness of the second non-overlapping image in the second non-overlapping area of the second image are close to the black-level brightness of the first overlapping image in the first overlapping area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Jyun-Lin Cian, Chi-Wei Lin, Yung-Chiao Liu, Chien-Chun Peng
  • Patent number: 11073689
    Abstract: A wearable heads-up display has stored therein two or more distortion models for use in generating distorted source images that when projected by the wearable heads-up display into a target eye space form virtual images are aligned in the target eye space. A method and system for determining the distortion models are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel Thomson Urquhart, Daniel Balzerson, Marius Kintel
  • Patent number: 11067876
    Abstract: The projection display device includes an imaging element, a light valve, and an image-forming optical system that projects an optical image according to light emitted from the light valve onto a magnification side imaging surface and forms an image of light incident from a magnification side on an imaging element. The image-forming optical system includes a first optical system that comprises at least one lens and is used in common in projection and imaging, and a separation member that separates an optical path from the light valve toward the first optical system from an optical path from the first optical system toward the imaging element. An antireflection layer is comprised in at least one of antireflection target surfaces having a significant influence of ghost light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Inoue, Chikara Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11055823
    Abstract: Provided are an image correction device, an image correction method, and a program capable of canceling accumulated error at the time of connection from a wide field-of-view image in which a plurality of partial images are connected. An image correction device includes an image acquisition unit 22 that acquires a combined image including a plurality of partial images obtained by performing division imaging on a rectangular area in a real space using an imaging device 12, an area specifying unit 34 that specifies a correction target area in the combined image corresponding to the rectangular area in the real space, a division unit 36 that divides the correction target area into a plurality of divided areas, and a geometric conversion unit 40 that converts each of the plurality of divided areas into a rectangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Yonaha
  • Patent number: 10992929
    Abstract: A projection system and a projection method thereof are provided. The projection system includes a projection device, a memory, an image capturing device, and a processor. The memory records a corresponding relationship between a plurality of test patterns and a plurality of sets of image capturing parameters. The projection device projects the plurality of test patterns toward a projected area. The processor controls, according to the corresponding relationship recorded in the memory, the image capturing device to shoot the projected area with the plurality of sets of image capturing parameters to obtain a plurality of first reference images corresponding to the plurality of test patterns, and controls, according to the plurality of test patterns and the corresponding plurality of first reference images, the projection device to project a projection image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventor: Yung-Ling Tseng
  • Patent number: 10983424
    Abstract: An image projection apparatus configured to project a projection image on a projected surface via a projection optical system that includes a first optical system capable of adjusting a curvature amount of an image plane and is interchangeably attached to the image projection apparatus includes an acquirer configured to acquire information on a reference position of the first optical system, and a controller configured to move the first optical system to the reference position when detecting an interchange of the projection optical system or when accepting an instruction from a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keisuke Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10979682
    Abstract: A projector includes: a projection unit projecting a projection image onto a projection surface where an object is located, the object defining a projection area where the projection image should be projected; a distortion correction unit correcting a distortion of the projection image; and a projection control unit causing the projection unit to project a guide image showing a range within which a predetermined site of the projection image can move according to the correction of the distortion, the projection control unit thus prompting a user to adjust a positional relation between the object and the range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ichieda
  • Patent number: 10944946
    Abstract: A method for setting up a projector (10) for a passenger cabin (4) of an aeroplane (2), wherein the passenger cabin (4) comprises a projection surface (14) with a known configuration (G) and the projector (10) in the passenger cabin (4) is in a known relative position (RP) with respect to the projection surface (14) in a mounting position (M), geometrical data (16) relating to the configuration (G) and relative position (RP) are received by the projector (10), and predistortion data (22) are determined from the geometrical data (16) according to an imaging rule (18) in order to predistort the images (12) and represent them as rectified images (12?) on the projection surface, and the projector (10) is set up by storing the predistortion data (22) in the projector (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventor: Nicolaus Kangarakis
  • Patent number: 10931850
    Abstract: Embodiments describing an approach to generating, a calibration slide for a presentation. Receiving, a first image of the calibration slide. Receiving, a second image of the calibration slide, wherein the second image of the calibration slide is associated with the projector component. Analyzing, the first image of the calibration slide and the second image of the calibration slide, wherein the analysis comprises: comparing, display attributes between the first and second image of the calibration slide, and identifying, distortions in the second image of the calibration slide. Responsive to the analysis, calibrating, the display attributes of the presentation based on a preset user threshold of acceptance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tamer E. Abuelsaad, Gregory J. Boss, John E. Moore, Jr., Randy A. Rendahl
  • Patent number: 10924715
    Abstract: An optical module includes a light modulator that modulates light and includes a plurality of pixels, and a pixel shift mechanism. The pixels of the light modulator each include a first sub-pixel on which a first color light flux is incident, a second sub-pixel on which a second color light flux is incident, a third sub-pixel on which a third color light flux is incident, and a fourth sub-pixel on which one of the first color light flux, the second color light flux, and third color light flux is incident. The pixel shift mechanism includes a first state, a second state, and a third state. The first color light flux is incident on the fourth sub-pixel in the first state. The second color light flux is incident on the fourth sub-pixel in the second state. The third color light flux is incident on the fourth sub-pixel in the third state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norio Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10924718
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image processing device and method capable of suppressing a reduction in the accuracy of corresponding point detection. A homography transformation is applied to a captured pattern image obtained as a result of an imaging unit capturing an image of a predetermined structured light pattern projected by a projection unit, and using the captured pattern image with the homography transformation applied to detect corresponding points between the projected image projected by the projection unit and the captured image captured by the imaging unit. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an image processing device, an image projection device, a control device, an information processing device, a projection imaging system, an image processing method, a program, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yugo Katsuki, Naoki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10904497
    Abstract: An image projection apparatus includes a light source unit including a plurality of laser light sources, a light modulation element configured to modulate illumination light generated using a laser beam from the light source unit and to generate image light projected onto a projection surface, and a controller configured to control driving of the plurality of laser light sources. The controller controls a luminance of the illumination light by selecting a first laser light source that emits the laser beam and a second laser light source that does not emit the laser beam among the plurality of laser light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yuya Kurata
  • Patent number: 10901308
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus includes a controller provided inside a projection optical system that projects an image on a projection surface and configured to control driving of a focus unit that provides focusing of a projection image on the projection surface, a shifter configured to move the projection optical system on a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the projection optical system, and an acquirer configured to acquire positional information of the shift unit. The controller sets a driving condition of the focus unit using positional information of the shift unit and a relationship between an image height and a depth of field of the projection optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10871705
    Abstract: The invention provides a projection device, comprising an illumination system, a light valve, a light guide element, an optical module and a projection lens. The optical module comprises a fixed portion, a first frame body, at least one first driving element and an optical element. The first frame body is pivoted to the fixed portion and comprises a first side and other three second sides. The first driving element is configured on at least one of the other three second sides and configured to drive the first frame body to oscillate back and forth. A first virtual plane of the projection lens intersects with a second virtual plane of the light valve to form a virtual line segment. The distance between the first side and the virtual line segment is shorter than the distance between the other three second sides and the virtual line segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Hao Chen, Shu-Yu Lin, Chia-Ching Tso
  • Patent number: 10853988
    Abstract: A method of rendering geometry of a 3D scene for display on a non-standard projection display projects geometry of the 3D scene into a 2D projection plane, wherein image regions are defined in the projection plane, maps the geometry from the projection plane into an image space using transformations, wherein a respective transformation is defined for each image region, and renders the geometry in the image space to determine image values of an image to be displayed on the non-standard projection display. The transformations are configured for mapping the geometry into the image space so as to counteract distortion introduced by an optical arrangement of the non-standard projection display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Simon Fenney
  • Patent number: 10846917
    Abstract: The evaluation of multiple virtual camera representations at the same point-of-view within a three-dimensional environment without recalculating a light travel transform that represents how light travels and reflects within the three-dimensional environment. These virtual camera representations may include a light capture transform that represents a transform from camera input to camera output. The virtual camera representation may also include a vision algorithm for interpreting the camera output. Thus, different virtual camera representations at the same point-of-view may be used to obtain a variety of representations of the three-dimensional environment at the same point-of-view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Lingbing Jiang, Emanuel Shalev
  • Patent number: 10814427
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a laser device, a build plate, a first scanning device, and an alignment system. The laser device is configured to generate a laser beam. The build plate has a position relative to the laser device. The first scanning device is configured to selectively direct the laser beam across the build plate. The laser beam generates a melt pool on the build plate. The alignment system includes a fiducial marks projector configured to project a plurality of fiducial marks across the build plate. Each fiducial mark has a location on the build plate. The alignment system also includes an optical detector configured to detect the location of each of the fiducial marks on the build plate. The alignment system is configured to detect the position of the build plate relative to the laser device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Victor Petrovich Ostroverkhov, Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr., Justin John Gambone, Jr., Jason Harris Karp, Kevin George Harding, Scott Michael Miller, William Thomas Carter
  • Patent number: 10816979
    Abstract: A sensor unit used in an ADV includes a sensor interface that can be coupled to cameras mounted on the ADV. The sensor unit further includes a host interface that can be coupled to a host system. The host system is configured to perceive a driving environment surrounding the ADV based on at least image data obtained from the cameras and to plan a path to autonomously drive the ADV. The sensor unit further includes one or more data acquisition modules corresponding to the cameras. Each data acquisition module includes a pixel alignment module and a frame processing module. The pixel alignment module is configured to reformat pixels of image data from an original format associated with the corresponding camera to a predetermined format. The frame processing module is configured to generate an image frame based on the image data and to transmit the image frame to the host system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventors: Manjiang Zhang, Xiangtao You, Tiffany Zhang
  • Patent number: 10799791
    Abstract: A method includes running a computer simulation that is controlled at least in part by a handheld controller, displaying images generated by the computer simulation on a display, and projecting at least one image generated by the computer simulation from an image projector coupled to the handheld controller. A system includes a display, a handheld controller, an image projector coupled to the handheld controller, and a processor based apparatus. Another system includes a display, a handheld controller, an image projector that is housed in a unit configured to be releasably docked to the handheld controller, and a processor based apparatus. Storage mediums storing one or more computer programs are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Takeo Matsukawa
  • Patent number: 10788742
    Abstract: To display easily-seen display information on any display area regardless of an installation location, a display system (1) includes: a projection device (10) that switches and projects emitted light from a spatial light modulator element onto a plurality of display areas; and a control device (20) that controls the projection device to switch a projection direction of projected light from the projection device (10), based on a display condition of display information to be displayed on the display areas. The projection device (10) has: a reflecting mirror that is put in and out of a light path of emitted light from the spatial light modulator element; and a light path switching means that switches the projection direction of projected light by putting the reflecting mirror in and out of the light path of emitted light from the spatial light modulator element in response to control of the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Watanabe, Fujio Okumura
  • Patent number: 10742961
    Abstract: A depth sensing apparatus with self-calibration and a self-calibration method thereof are provided. The depth sensing apparatus includes a projection apparatus, an image capturing apparatus and a calibration module. The projection apparatus projects a calibration pattern and a depth computation pattern to a reference plane based on a predefined calibration pattern and a predefined depth computation pattern. The image capturing apparatus captures an image including the calibration pattern and the depth computation pattern. The calibration module coupled to the image capturing apparatus adjusts apparatus parameters of the depth sensing apparatus to calibrate a depth computation deviation according to the calibration pattern of the image, the predefined calibration pattern and a predefined lookup table corresponding to the predefined calibration pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Te-Mei Wang, Zen-Chung Shih
  • Patent number: 10739668
    Abstract: A projector includes a projection section, a light transmissive member, an illuminator, a diffusion member, and an enclosure, and the enclosure is hung via a support member that supports the enclosure in a plurality of directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsu Nakayama, Yoshitsugu Akutagawa
  • Patent number: 10719002
    Abstract: A projection display device includes a light source module, a switch unit, and micro-scanning mirrors. The light source module provides a light beam. The switch unit receives the light beam and switches a transmission direction of the light beam to the corresponding one of the micro-scanning mirrors during each of periods. The micro-scanning mirrors cause the light beam to scan over projection surfaces to form images. The projection display device can project the images on the projection surfaces without image brightness loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Mega 1 Company Limited
    Inventor: Hang-Chiang Wu
  • Patent number: 10692233
    Abstract: One variation of method includes: serving setup frames to a projector facing a scene; at a peripheral control module comprising a camera facing the scene, recording a set of images during projection of corresponding setup frames onto the scene by the projector and a baseline image depicting the scene in the field of view of the camera; calculating a pixel correspondence map based on the set of images and the setup frames; transforming the baseline image into a corrected color image—depicting the scene in the field of view of the camera—based on the pixel correspondence map; linking visual assets to discrete regions in the corrected color image; generating augmented reality frames depicting the visual assets aligned with these discrete regions; and serving the augmented reality frames to the projector to cast depictions of the visual assets onto surfaces, in the scene, corresponding to these discrete regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Lightform, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Karsch, Rajinder Sodhi, Brett Jones, Pulkit Budhiraja, Phil Reyneri, Douglas Rieck, Andrew Kilkenny, Ehsan Noursalehi, Derek Nedelman, Laura LaPerche, Brittany Factura
  • Patent number: 10681319
    Abstract: Projectors include a first projector that projects a first image and a second projector that projects a second image. The first projector includes a first control section that corrects the first image based on a first captured image produced by capturing an image of the range containing at least part of the first image and part of the second image and with reference to a target area contained in the range over which the first captured image is captured, and the second projector includes a second control section that corrects the second image based on a second captured image produced by capturing an image of the range containing part of the first image and at least part of the second image and with reference to the target area contained in the range over which the second captured image is captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takumi Oike, Takashi Toyooka
  • Patent number: 10681333
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus relating to encoding and decoding stereoscopic (3D) image data, e.g., left and right eye images, are described. Various pre-encoding and post-decoding operations are described in conjunction with difference based encoding and decoding techniques. In some embodiments left and right eye image data is subject to scaling, transform operation(s) and cropping prior to encoding. In addition, in some embodiments decoded left and right eye image data is subject to scaling, transform operations(s) and filling operations prior to being output to a display device. Transform information and/or scaling information may be included in a bitstream communicating encoded left and right eye images. The amount of scaling can be the same for an entire scene and/or program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: NextVR Inc.
    Inventors: David Cole, Alan McKay Moss
  • Patent number: 10665068
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a base configured to be connected to a light socket, a projector supported by the base to project a projection field and a three-dimensional sensor supported by the base to output a three-dimensional field measurement of the projection field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Design Mill Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan L. Greiner, Alexander Jon Schuster, Jane McCleary, Jasmine Nobis-Olson, John Brian Priest
  • Patent number: 10638104
    Abstract: A device, system and method for generating updated camera-projector correspondences from a reduced set of test patterns is provided. When a predetermined correspondences between projector points and camera points in an initial relative position of a projector and a camera have been previously determined, a recalibration therebetween may occur by projecting a single test pattern derived from the predetermined correspondences to estimate movement therebetween. When the movement is too great to be estimated by a single test pattern, another test pattern may be projected to determine an estimation function for the movement and in particular, estimate movement of one or more camera points in the projected images due to relative movement of the projector and the camera from the initial relative position to a current relative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: CHRISTIE DIGITAL SYSTEMS USA, INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Thomas Morris, Colin Bartlett Yardley, Heewoo Ahn, Eliezer Azi Ben-Lavi, Chad Faragher
  • Patent number: 10571552
    Abstract: A scanner and a method for controlling the scanner for a Lidar system are provided. The method comprises: producing a trigger signal by a positional sensor of the scanner; generating a single drive signal comprising a first component at a first frequency and a second component at a second frequency, the first component and the second component are superposed with a fixed phase relationship with aid of the trigger signal; transmitting the single drive signal to the scanner, and the scanner has resonant responses at the first frequency; and actuating the scanner to move in a first periodic motion at the first frequency about a first axis, and move in a second periodic motion at the second frequency about a second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: HESAI PHOTONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongfeng Gao, Shengping Mao, Liangchen Ye, Shaoqing Xiang
  • Patent number: 10564528
    Abstract: An image projection apparatus includes a first light modulation element configured to modulate a first light emitted from a light source and to generate a second light, and a second light modulation element configured to modulate the second light. The first light modulation element is configured to receive the first light onto a modulable pixel area that can modulate the first light, the modulable pixel area including an effective pixel area that can modulate the first light and a peripheral pixel area arranged at the periphery of the effective pixel area. The image projection apparatus further comprises a controller configured to control pixels of the peripheral pixel area such that light from the peripheral pixel area does not reach the second light modulation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kodama, Takehito Kawasumi, Yuuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 10565720
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include methods and systems for utilizing a structured projection pattern to perform depth detection. In some instances, the structured projection pattern forms a dot pattern, which is projected by a projector, wherein the projector includes one or more infrared (IR) light dot pattern illuminators for projecting an IR light dot pattern to a surrounding environment. The IR dot pattern light that is at least partially reflected off one or more objects in the surrounding environment is detected by one or more cameras attached to a head-mounted display (HMD). The HMD, which is physically untethered from the projector, utilizes the captured IR dot pattern light reflections to track movement of the HMD and/or perform depth detection of one or more objects in the environment surrounding the HMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Raymond Kirk Price, Michael Bleyer, Christopher Stephen Messer
  • Patent number: 10511819
    Abstract: An image projection system includes a projector and a pointing element. The projector includes: an image projection unit which projects an image; an image pickup unit; a detection unit which detects a pointed position of the pointing element, based on an image picked up by the image pickup unit; a synchronization signal transmission unit which transmits a synchronization signal to the pointing element; a screen size acquisition unit which acquires a screen size of the image projected from the image projection unit; and a synchronization signal adjustment unit which sets a light emission intensity of the synchronization signal to a first intensity if the acquired screen size is a first size and which sets the light emission intensity of the synchronization signal to a second intensity that is lower than the first intensity if the acquired screen size is a second size that is smaller than the first size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukihiro Karasawa