Distortion Compensation Patents (Class 353/69)
  • Publication number: 20120262680
    Abstract: A projection system (900) includes a scanner (802) and light source (801). The scanner (802) is configured to crate a scan cone (994) for forming images (995). A principal beam (992) defines a traveling direction of the scan cone (994). An optical device (880) having decentered, free-form major faces is disposed at an output of the projection system (900) such that the scan cone (994) passes through the optical device (880). The optical device (880) is configured to redirect the principal beam (992), and accordingly the traveling direction of the scan cone (994), by a predetermined amount and to correct both anamorphic distortion and vertical smile distortion initially present in the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: MICROVISION, INC.
    Inventor: Joshua M. Hudman
  • Patent number: 8289454
    Abstract: A signal conversion device supplies a video signal to each video projection device of plural video projection devices that display a video image by superimposing the projection image. The device includes a characteristic information transmitting unit that transmits, to at least one video projection device of the plural video projection devices, characteristic information representing a light modulation characteristic of a light modulation element provided in the at least one video projection device, and a signal conversion processing unit that performs signal conversion processing corresponding to each of the video projection devices to an input video signal in accordance with the characteristic information transmitted from the characteristic information transmitting unit, and supplies the video signal after the signal conversion processing to each of the video projection devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hasegawa, Toshiki Fujimori
  • Patent number: 8287136
    Abstract: A display apparatus is provided which, when projecting a video onto a curved surface of an object for display, can realize an undistorted display of the video. The measuring means outputs the distance information representing the distance to the object. Based on the distance information produced by the measuring means, the curved surface contour is detected with high precision. According to at least the detected curved surface contour distortions, pixels of the display image are unevenly rearranged to correct the video information before it is output. This arrangement realizes an undistorted display of video when the video is projected onto the curved surface of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoki Kobori, Satoshi Ouchi, Koji Hirata, Hidehiro Ikeda, Kazuo Shikita
  • Publication number: 20120257173
    Abstract: A projection apparatus capable of projecting an image with a user interface screen superimposed thereon includes a detection unit configured to detect a distortion amount of the image, a calculation unit configured to calculate a parameter for correcting the image based on the distortion amount detected by the detection unit, and a determination unit configured to determine a shape of the user interface screen based on the parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Murayama
  • Patent number: 8282219
    Abstract: A projector includes: a projecting portion that projects an image based on input image data; an image data producing portion that produces the image data and then outputs the image data to the projecting portion; an image sensor that captures the projected image and thus produces a captured image; a movement detection sensor that is arranged on a plane parallel to the imaging plane of the image sensor and produces movement information on the basis of the detected movement, the movement detection sensor being arranged at an angle in the direction not equal to the horizontal direction and vertical direction of the imaging plane; a determining portion that determines whether the movement information meets an adjustment condition or not; and a control portion that, when the movement information meets the adjustment condition, controls the image data producing portion so as to adjust the image data on the basis of the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120249977
    Abstract: A display apparatus for displaying medical information in a medical treatment facility includes an image surface to depict information, such that the image surface is configured so that it can be converted by reshaping from an operating condition into a resting condition and vice versa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Omid Abri, Stephan Schrader, Julian Verkin, Thorsten Karge
  • Patent number: 8277053
    Abstract: A projection method and projection device for projecting an overall image to interior walls of an aircraft, in which method or device the boundary regions of several partial images of an overall image to be presented are matched correspondingly, and partial images are pre-distorted in order to, in this way, obtain a large-area non-distorted image presentation even in the case of complex geometric shapes of projection areas, in which image presentation the transition regions of partial images are at least perceptible only to a limited extent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Vogel, Tilo Budinger, Ulrich Kunkel
  • Publication number: 20120242911
    Abstract: An image projection apparatus comprises a light projector (605) which projects an image onto a surface (603) of an object. A focussing processor (609) is arranged to focus the image on an image plane (607) and a controller (611) dynamically varies the position of the image plane (607) relative to the surface (603). The movement may be a predetermined periodic movement and the surface may specifically be a non-planar surface. The movement may result in a blurring effect independent of distance, and may specifically provide a blurring effect that can be pre-compensated by pre-filtering of the image to be projected. The invention may allow improved quality of a projected image, such as e.g. of an image projected on a non-planar or moving surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: Dmitry Nikolaevich Znamenskiy
  • Patent number: 8272746
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus for displaying an image on a projection plane by projection, includes: an image capturing unit capturing an image; an angle calculator calculating an angle of the projection plane relative to the projection display apparatus; a straight line detector detecting a straight line in the captured image corresponding to a line perpendicular to a predetermined reference plane and a straight line in the captured image corresponding to a line parallel to the predetermined reference plane on the basis of the calculated angle; and a keystone corrector correcting a keystone distortion of an image to be displayed on the projection plane on the basis of the detection result in the straight line detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiki Furui
  • Publication number: 20120236266
    Abstract: An image projection apparatus includes: an optical image generating unit to generate an optical image based on image data; a projection surface; a projection optical system including a plurality of optical elements and configured to form an projected image, onto a projection surface, coupled with the optical image generated by the optical image generating unit; a projected image shifting unit to shift the projected image by changing a posture of at least one of the plurality of optical elements included in the projection optical system; a tilt sensor to detect a posture of the optical element of which posture is changed by the projected image shifting unit; and a trapezoidal distortion correction unit to correct the optical image generated by the optical image generating unit so as to prevent the trapezoidal distortion of the projected image from occurring based on the detection result of the tilt sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Tatsuya Takahashi, Kazuhiro Fujita, Issei Abe
  • Patent number: 8267531
    Abstract: A method for correcting a projection from a plurality of digital projectors is provided. The method includes receiving as an input a matrix which maps each pixel to be projected to a captured pixel that includes a row value and a column value and detecting a shift with respect row or column values in the matrix. The method further includes determining attributes of the shift, wherein the attributes include a type for the shift and an overlap length for the shift. A gradient length is determined from the overlap length. A gradient of pixel weightings is generated for each gradient length. The pixel weightings are uniformly sloping and are associated with pixels in the gradient length and neighboring pixels. Intersecting gradients re merged and a list that includes common points and diagonal points is created from the merging process. The method operations may be embodied as code on a computer readable storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Steve Nelson, Victor Ivashin
  • Patent number: 8262235
    Abstract: A laser projector comprises an oscillation device for displacing at least one of a plurality of optical elements, which constitute the projection optical system of the laser projector, periodically along the direction of the optical axis of laser light. The laser projector reduces the speckle of a projection image on an arbitrary screen to such an extent as it cannot be recognized with human eyes, without having a significant effect on the image resolution, by periodically displacing the position of the smallest spot of laser light projected from the projection optical system. An image projection method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenji Konno
  • Publication number: 20120218523
    Abstract: A projecting unit projects a focus adjustment pattern onto a screen. An image capturing unit captures an image of the focus adjustment pattern and obtains the image as a captured image. A captured image analyzing unit calculates contrast data serving as an evaluation value indicating a degree of achievement in focusing the captured image. Based on the calculated contrast data, a control unit adjusts focus of the projecting unit so as to bring projected image light into a focus on the projection surface. The focus adjustment pattern has a first region and a second region different from each other in brightness. The control unit adjusts configurations of the first region and the second region in the focus adjustment pattern such that at least one of resolution of brightness and contrast becomes uniform in the captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fuminori MIZUNO, Naoyuki NIMURA, Masutaka INOUE
  • Patent number: 8251515
    Abstract: A projector includes: a first image projection section adapted to project a first image based on a first image signal, a second image projection section adapted to project a second image based on a second image signal such that pixels of the second image are shifted from pixels of the first image, a correction section adapted to correct the image signal input to the image projection section using a correction filter adapted to correct a difference in optical transfer function between the plurality of image projection sections; and a sharpening section adapted to execute a sharpening process of sharpening an edge portion of the image to be displayed, on the image signal having been corrected by the correction section and to be input to the plurality of image projection sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Saigo
  • Patent number: 8251514
    Abstract: A rear projection image display device according to an aspect of the present invention for projecting an image from a projection device onto a screen from a rear side, includes a plane reflection mirror for changing an optical path of the image from the projection device, fixing members for fixing more than one points on the periphery of the reflection mirror, rod-shaped reinforcement members fastened along the periphery and arranged inside the periphery in the rear side of the reflection mirror, support members being movable in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the reflection mirror, for supporting predetermined points between the fixing members on the periphery of the reflection mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Murakami
  • Publication number: 20120212710
    Abstract: A method of measuring a zoom ratio of a projection optical system adapted to project image light representing an original image on a projection screen, the method includes: (a) projecting and displaying a measuring image including a measurement point on the projection screen so that the measurement point is displayed at a position with an offset from an optical axis of the projection optical system; (b) detecting a projected measurement point, which is the measurement point projected and displayed on the projection screen, from a measurement point detection position having a fixed position relative to the projection optical system; and (c) determining the zoom ratio using position information of the detected projected measurement point and correspondence between the position information and the zoom ratio, the correspondence being prepared previously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiki Furui
  • Patent number: 8246173
    Abstract: An image adjusting device and method for image projection in an aircraft, in which vibration-induced excursions between a projection device and an associated projection surface are offset via the corresponding acquisition of position-time states in such a way that an image displayed on a display surface remains essentially unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Carsten Vogel
  • Patent number: 8246172
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image display device which detects projection region suitable for performing a display of an image and displays an image on the detected projection region. The present invention provides an image display device which displays an image on a projection surface by projecting light on the projection surface. The image display device includes an aptitude detection part which detects an aptitude as the projection surface, and a projection control part which controls projection light such that the an image to be displayed on the projection surface falls within a predetermined projection region in response to a detection result by the aptitude detection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Amano
  • Patent number: 8246179
    Abstract: A projector includes a projector body, a lens module with a lens, and a gear module. The lens module and the gear module are arranged in the projector body. The gear module is operable to adjust a height of the lens and keep an angle of the lens, in response to the gear module being rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Chih Hsieh, Tsung-Hsi Li, Yau-Leung Chan
  • Publication number: 20120206696
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus displays a test pattern image including three or more intersections configured by three or more line segments. The projection display apparatus calculates a positional relationship between the projection display apparatus and the projection plane based on the three or more intersections included in the test pattern image. The test pattern image is included within a display frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD
    Inventors: Masahiro HARAGUCHI, Yoshinao HIRANUMA, Masutaka INOUE
  • Patent number: 8235533
    Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a scanned beam display may utilize one or more post-scan optics while at least partially maintaining an infinite focus, or nearly infinite focus, property of the display. The display may comprise a light source to generate a light beam, a scanning platform to generate a raster scan from the light beam projected as a projected image, one or more post-scan optics to at least partially adjust the projected image, and one or more collimating optics to focus the light beam from the light source, the one or more collimating optics having a selected focal length to at least partially provide infinite, or nearly infinite focus, of the projected image at or beyond a selected distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua M. Hudman, Maarten Niesten, Richard A. James
  • Patent number: 8235534
    Abstract: A projector has: light source (1R, 1G, 1B); a light modulation unit (6) that modulates a light emitted from the light source based on image signals; a display control unit (41) that outputs the image signals including main cyclic image signals to the light modulation unit, and controls the display thereof; a projection unit (7) that projects the image based on the light modulated by the light modulation unit; and an imaging unit (40) that captures an image to be displayed based on the light projected from the projection unit, and the display control unit inserts a correction image signal for projecting a correction image, which is visually recognized as a uniform white or gray screen when time integration is performed, between the cyclic main image signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nakayama, Tatsuo Itoh, Hiroyuki Furuya, Shinichi Kadowaki, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8228445
    Abstract: A rear projection imaging system with an image warping distortion correction system using a camera and processing unit to generate a warping map that corrects for image distortion. The warping map is generated in an iterative process by displaying a known pattern on a viewing screen and, through the use of a camera, having a microprocessor determine the location and shape of the pattern on the screen. The microprocessor then compares the displayed image to the original reference image, calculates the distortion effects present in the projection optics, and generates a warping map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Fakespace Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian E. McDowall, Mark T. Bolas
  • Publication number: 20120182416
    Abstract: An image projection system outputs an image from a lens and projects it onto a projection plane, and if resolution of the image projected onto the projection plane in each region is not uniform among respective regions, will correct resolutions of the respective regions of the image based on an inverse characteristic of the lens optical characteristic and will project the image onto the projection plane. Moreover, when the resolution of one region of the image falls lower than the resolutions of other regions by projecting the image onto the projection plane so that a shape of the image may not be distorted, the system projects an image whose resolution is deteriorated so that the resolutions of the other regions become substantially the same as the resolution of the one region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventor: Hirofumi KAWAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20120170005
    Abstract: A projection type display device includes: optical modulation elements, an illumination optical system that includes light sources for emitting light from light emitting units, and condensing optical systems; and vibrator. The optical modulation elements have optical modulation surfaces for modulating incident light based on image information. The condensing optical systems condense the light from the light sources to form images on the optical modulation surfaces. A vibrator vibrates components of the illumination optical system to move areas on the optical modulation surfaces that are irradiated with the light away from the illumination optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Saitou
  • Patent number: 8212945
    Abstract: A calibration image including dots and scale points is projected at first and second display surfaces. A location of a scale point may be modified. A location for a registration point is determined and the registration point is added to the calibration image. The projected calibration image is captured. A location of the captured registration point and locations captured scale points are identified. Captured dots that are projected onto the first display surface and their locations are identified. Each of the captured dots identified as being projected onto the first display surface are mapped to a corresponding dot of the calibration image. Dots of the calibration image that are not projected onto the first display surface are identified, locations of each of the identified dots are determined, and a synthetic dot is added to the captured image for each identified dot. The captured image may be provided as input to a process for determining one or more inverse offsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Doug McFadyen, George Lyons, Tatiana Pavlovna Kadantseva
  • Patent number: 8210693
    Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus includes: a light source; an illumination optical system that uniformly illuminates beams, which are emitted from the light source, on a surface of an image modulation element as a primary image plane; and a projection optical system that projects image information of the primary image plane modulated by the image modulation element on a screen as a secondary image plane in an enlarged manner. The projection optical system includes a first optical system having a positive refractive power and including a plurality of transmissive surfaces, and a second optical system having a positive refractive power and including a concave reflective surface. The first optical system has a first reflective surface disposed between any surfaces of the plurality of transmissive surfaces, and a second reflective surface disposed between the first optical system and second optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8199261
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection display apparatus realizing easy recognition of the effect of registration adjustment. The projection display apparatus includes: a light source; a spatial light modulation device modulating, on the basis of a video signal, each of primary color lights for color display emitted from the light source; projecting means for projecting, onto a screen, each of the primary color lights modulated by the spatial light modulation device; and correcting means for correcting, based on a given correction value, the video signal for each of the primary color lights so as to reduce misregistration between the primary color lights projected on the screen, and supplying the corrected video signal to the spatial light modulation device. Validation/invalidation of correction on the video signal by the correcting means is switched in accordance with an operation from the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Nishimura, Yoshitake Kondo
  • Publication number: 20120140188
    Abstract: An image display apparatus detects a projection angle of a projection unit that projects a screen image on a screen and is capable of vertically changing the projection angle, and corrects trapezoidal distortion of the screen image according to the projection angle. The image display apparatus changes the amount and direction of trapezoidal distortion correction based on the projection angle. The image display apparatus also determines whether a projection mode is projection upward to a wall or projection to a ceiling and changes the direction of trapezoidal distortion correction for projection upward to the wall and projection to the ceiling. Specifically, for projection upward to the wall, a correction factor is positive and an upper edge portion of the screen image is compressed for correction; and for projection to the ceiling, a correction factor is negative and a lower edge portion of the screen image is compressed for correction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazutaka YASUDA, Masakazu FURUMURA
  • Publication number: 20120140189
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus includes: an imager; a projection unit; an acquisition unit; a shape correction unit that performs a shape correction process for projecting a shape correction pattern image on the projection plane, calculating shape correction values from the picked-up image of the shape correction pattern image, and correcting the shape of the image projected on the projection plane, based on the shape correction values; and a coordinate calibration unit that performs an interactive calibration process for projecting a calibration pattern image on the projection plane, calculating calibration correction values from the picked-up image of the calibration pattern image, associating coordinates of the picked-up image captured by the image pick-up element and coordinates of the image projected on the projection plane with each other, based on calibration correction values. The interactive calibration process is performed after the shape correction process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinao Hiranuma, Tomoya Terauchi, Susumu Tanase, Takaaki Abe, Masahiro Haraguchi, Noboru Yoshinobe
  • Patent number: 8192034
    Abstract: The invention relates to an image viewing system for aircraft passengers, characterized in that it is embodied in the form of a module (10) which comprises a unit (20) for displaying images originating from at least one image source (12, 14, 16), the display unit being tied to an internal wall of the aircraft, in a position parallel to a floor of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventor: Christophe Cossart
  • Patent number: 8186836
    Abstract: A mobile projector apparatus includes a light source, a modulation unit modulating light of the light source using a picture signal, a projection lens magnifying and projecting the modulated light of the light source, a battery supplying electric power to the light source, an acceleration measuring unit measuring an acceleration applied to the mobile projector apparatus, a usage state detecting unit detecting whether or not the mobile projector apparatus is in an unused state, and an extinguishing unit extinguishing the light source based on outputs of the acceleration measuring unit and the usage state detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8177373
    Abstract: A projector includes a projection section which projects a calibration image onto a projection target through a projection panel, a shape determination section which determines a shape of the projection target, a correction target area setting section which sets a correction target area, an aspect ratio calculation section which calculates an aspect ratio of the correction target area, a determination section which determines whether or not a value which indicates a difference between the aspect ratio of the correction target area and a reference aspect ratio satisfies a set condition, and an image generation section which generates an image having the shape of the correction target area on the projection panel when the set condition is satisfied, and generates an image having the reference aspect ratio on the projection panel when the set condition is not satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiki Furui
  • Patent number: 8172403
    Abstract: In a coherent light projection system including an image forming system, a relay system, a speckle reduction element, and a projection subsystem, the relay system can have a first f-number, and the projection subsystem can have a second f-number less than the first f-number. The relay system can have a first working distance, and the projection subsystem can have a second working distance less than the first working distance. The image forming system can project an initial image having a first size, and an intermediate image can have a second size greater than or equal to the first size. The speckle reduction element can have a curved surface through which the intermediate image is transferred. The speckle reduction element can include a lenslet arrangement formed on a surface thereof. The speckle reduction element can be moved in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the speckle reduction element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, Joseph R. Bietry, Gary E. Nothhard, Robert Metzger, Andrew F. Kurtz
  • Patent number: 8174626
    Abstract: An image correction apparatus that corrects images displayed by a plurality of image display apparatus, the images arranged contiguously or superimposed is disclosed. The image correction apparatus includes a correction reference value generator that generates a correction reference value common to the plurality of image display apparatus based on display characteristics of each of the image correction apparatus that form the plurality of image display apparatus, and a correction data generator that generates correction data for each of the image display apparatus, the correction data used to correct pixel values with reference to the correction reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Ouchi
  • Patent number: 8172407
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for calibrating a plurality of projectors for three-dimensional scene reconstruction. The system includes a plurality of projectors and at least one camera, a camera-projector calibration module and a projector-projector calibration module. The camera-projector calibration module is configured to calibrate a first projector with the camera and generate a first camera-projector calibration data using camera-projector duality. The camera-projector calibration module is also configured to calibrate a second projector with the camera and generate a second camera-projector calibration data. The projector-projector calibration module is configured to calibrate the first and the second projector using the first and the second camera-projector calibration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jongwoo Lim
  • Publication number: 20120105813
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, a projector comprises an imaging unit that photographs a projection surface and acquires a first photographed image during a projection of a featured image at a first time point and acquires a second photographed image during the projection of the featured image at a second time point different from the first time point. An image processing unit generates a reference image based on the first photographed image and generates a comparative image based on the second photographed image. A movement detecting unit detects a change in a relative position of the projector with respect to the projection surface by using the reference image and the comparative image generated by the image processing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinari Todoroki
  • Patent number: 8167435
    Abstract: A projection system includes: a projection device mounted at a member that moves through space and projects an optical image; a detection device that detects relative position assumed in the space by a projection target surface onto which the optical image is projected and the projection device; and a control device that controls projection by the projection device in correspondence to the relative position detected by the detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Setsu Mitsuhashi, Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Patent number: 8162487
    Abstract: A video projector includes a display device which receives an image signal and generates image light projected onto a projection surface. A scaling processor scales the input image signal. An OSD processor generates and corrects an adjustment pattern image in accordance with a correction instruction on the projection surface. An image signal synthesizer combines the image signal processed by the scaling processor with an OSD image signal generated and corrected by the OSD processor to generate a combined image signal. A trapezoidal distortion corrector performs trapezoidal distortion correction on the combined image signal from the image signal synthesizer based on the correction of the adjustment pattern image on the projection surface. The adjustment pattern image generated by the OSD processor includes a reference quadrangle pattern and downsized quadrangle patterns, which are reduced in size from the reference quadrangle pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ofune, Naoki Kaise
  • Patent number: 8162486
    Abstract: Techniques for remotely calibrating an interactive system are provided. In one aspect, a three-dimensional model of the target environment is obtained, image and parameter data of the target environment are obtained, the image and parameter data are mapped onto the three-dimensional model, and calibration data of the target environment is developed based on the mapping. In another aspect, image and parameter data of the target environment is obtained, the image and parameter data is configured for transmission to a remote environment, calibration data is obtained from the remote environment, and display and sensor operation of the interactive system are updated based on the calibration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE Ltd.
    Inventors: Sergio Borger, Frederik C. M. Kjeldsen, Gopal Sarma Pingali, Claudio Santos Pinhanez
  • Patent number: 8159615
    Abstract: A system and method of geometrical predistortion of a graphical source signal is provided in which the graphical source signal is merged with an input video signal for display on a display device. The input video signal is received at a hardware scaler device and a predistorted video signal is generated there from. A warping map is calculated using a programmed processor and a graphics source signal is then predistorted, in software, using the warping map to generate a warped graphical overlay signal. The predistorted video signal from the hardware scaler is then merged with the warped graphical overlay signal from the programmed processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sigma Designs, Inc.
    Inventor: Gheorghe Berbecel
  • Patent number: 8152312
    Abstract: An apparatus that presents a projection image has a screen and plural projectors, each of which projects a section of the projection image onto the screen. The apparatus has a projected-section-determining unit that determines as a projected section the section of the projection image, based on an input image signal, corresponding to a part of the screen onto which each of the projectors projects the section of the projection image. The apparatus has an image-signal-generating unit that generates an image signal corresponding to the section of the projection image which each of the projector projects onto the part of the screen, based on the input image signal and the projected section determined by the projected-section-determining unit, and a projectors-controlling unit that controls the projectors to adjust centers and/or ranges of the projections by the projectors based on the projected section determined by the projected-section-determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Kenji Tanaka, Hitoshi Mukai, Tetsushi Kokubo, Hirofumi Hibi, Kazumasa Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8152311
    Abstract: Disclosed are a display apparatus and a light control method thereof, in which the display apparatus including a display panel, a light source unit, an illumination unit to illuminate the display panel with light emitted from the light source unit, and a projection unit to project the light from the display panel in a predetermined direction includes: a light sensor which is provided between the light source unit and the illumination unit; and a light controller which corrects brightness of light sensed by the light sensor on the basis of reflective characteristics of the display panel. With this configuration, the quantity of light is prevented from decreasing so as to prevent the brightness of an image from decreasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bong-hwan Cho
  • Patent number: 8152314
    Abstract: A display device (100) of the present invention has a first switch (3) and a second switch (4) on an upper surface of its casing, and includes a control circuit (18) for controlling the first switch (3) and the second switch (4) and a light source (19) inside the casing. The control circuit (18) performs control so that the light source (19) is turned on when the second switch (4) is pressed after a predetermined period of time has passed from when the first switch (3) was pressed. Thereby, the display device (100) of the present invention prevents entering of a person into a projection area before projection of video, and controls inadvertent start-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshifumi Yokoyama, Ken'ichi Kasazumi, Shin-ichi Kadowaki, Kiminori Mizuuchi, Hiroyuki Furuya, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120081678
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus displays a test pattern image formed of at least parts of three or more line segments defining three or more intersection points. The projection display apparatus computes a positional relationship between the projection display apparatus and the projection surface, based on the three or more intersection points. The test pattern image has a distortion in an opposite direction to a direction of the lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshinao HIRANUMA, Tomoya TERAUCHI, Susumu TANASE, Takaaki ABE, Masahiro Haraguchi, Noboru Yoshinobe
  • Patent number: 8147073
    Abstract: A virtual reality creating system including: a screen 1 including a projection plane of arbitrary shape; a distortion correction unit 3 which performs distortion correction for projecting image light onto the projection plane of arbitrary shape for a two-dimensional image signal to project image light onto a two-dimensional projection plane and then outputs the same; a parameter adjusting PC 5 which creates a distortion correction table as a correspondence map between the two-dimensional projection plane and a mesh model of the projection plane of arbitrary shape; and projectors 2a and 2b unit which project an image based on the image signal outputted from the image signal processing apparatus onto the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Yamamoto, Masanori Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 8142029
    Abstract: A projector displays an image on a projection surface. The projector has a zoom adjusting module and a keystone correcting module. The zoom adjusting module adjusts zoom level of a zoom lens for enlarged projection of image light. The keystone correcting module corrects trapezoidal distortion of the image displayed on the projection surface by means of forming the effective panel image in a revised image formation area, the revised image formation area being part of the image formation area of the panel surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Morio Matsumoto, Shiki Furui, Masaru Kono
  • Patent number: 8142026
    Abstract: Projector alignment in a multiple-projector projection system is checked by determining a location of at least a portion of a boundary of an image field projected by at least one of the projectors and comparing the determined location of the at least the portion of the image field to a system-calibrated reference location of the at least the portion of the boundary of the image field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Richard Aufranc, Thomas M. Carrico
  • Patent number: 8144263
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method for medium wide angle projection system. An exemplary embodiment of the present technique comprises an imaging system configured to create an image, at least one lens configured to produce a medium wide-angle representation of the image, and an aperture stop positioned to capture the medium wide-angle representation of the image from the at least one lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: TTE Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Estill Thone Hall, Jr., Jingbo Cai, Eugene Murphy O'Donnell
  • Patent number: RE43721
    Abstract: The projector comprises an image forming panel that forms an effective panel image for modulating the light into an image light in an image forming area of a panel surface, and an image capturing unit for capturing a specific projection area wherein the image light corresponding to a specific area in the image forming area is projected. The projector calculates one or more edges of the outside perimeter lines of the screen and of the specific projection area by detecting plural points in a captured image. Based on the detection results, a post-correction image forming area is calculated, and trapezoidal distortion is corrected by forming the effective panel image within the post-correction image forming area. When only three or less of the four edges of the outside perimeter lines of the screen are detected, the projector calculates the post-correction image forming area based on the position and slope of the detected edge within the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Morio Matsumoto, Shiki Furui