U.S. patent application number 11/672650 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-15 for opitcal projection and image sensing apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to YOUNG OPTICS INC.. Invention is credited to Chu-Ming Cheng, Jyh-Horng Shyu.
Application Number | 20070263174 11/672650 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38684782 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070263174 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shyu; Jyh-Horng ; et
al. |
November 15, 2007 |
OPITCAL PROJECTION AND IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS
Abstract
An optical projection and image sensing apparatus including a
light source, a light valve, a first lens set, a sensing module,
and a beam splitter is provided. The light valve is used to convert
an illumination light from the light source to an image light beam.
The first lens set is used to project the image light to display an
image on a screen, and the sensing module is used to sense a
sensing light from the image on the screen. The beam splitter is
disposed on the optical paths of the image light and the sensing
light from the image on the screen. One of the sensing module and
the light valve is disposed on the optical path of the sensing
light passing through the beam splitter, and the other is disposed
on optical path of the sensing light reflected by the beam
splitter.
Inventors: |
Shyu; Jyh-Horng; (Hsinchu,
TW) ; Cheng; Chu-Ming; (Hsinchu, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
J C PATENTS, INC.
4 VENTURE, SUITE 250
IRVINE
CA
92618
US
|
Assignee: |
YOUNG OPTICS INC.
Hsinchu
TW
|
Family ID: |
38684782 |
Appl. No.: |
11/672650 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
353/34 ;
348/E9.027 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/0304 20130101;
G06F 3/0421 20130101; H04N 9/3179 20130101; H04N 9/3194 20130101;
G06F 3/0425 20130101; G03B 21/26 20130101; H04N 9/317 20130101;
H04N 9/3102 20130101; H04N 9/3197 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
353/34 |
International
Class: |
G03B 21/26 20060101
G03B021/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 9, 2006 |
TW |
95116328 |
Claims
1. An optical projection and image sensing apparatus for projecting
an image light to display an image on a screen and sensing a
sensing light from the image on the screen, the optical projection
apparatus comprising: a light source, for providing an illumination
light; a light valve, disposed on the optical path of the
illumination light, for converting the illumination light to the
image light; a first lens set, disposed on the optical path of the
image light, for projecting the image light to display the image on
the screen; a beam splitter, disposed on the optical path of the
image light and the optical path of the sensing light, the beam
splitter being used to reflect a part of the sensing light and
allowing a part of the sensing light to pass through, wherein one
of the sensing module and the light valve is disposed on the
optical path of the sensing light passing through the beam
splitter, and the other is disposed on the optical path of the
sensing light reflected by the beam splitter; and a sensing module,
for sensing the sensing light from the image on the screen.
2. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed in
claim 1, wherein the beam splitter is disposed between the first
lens set and the light valve and disposed in the first lens set,
alternatively.
3. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed in
claim 2, wherein the sensing module comprises at least a
photosensitive device.
4. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed in
claim 3, wherein the sensing module further comprises a second lens
set, disposed between the photosensitive device and the beam
splitter.
5. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed in
claim 3, wherein the photosensitive device comprises a charge
coupled device (CCD) and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor
(CMOS) photosensitive device, alternatively.
6. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed in
claim 1, wherein the first lens set comprises: a plurality of first
lenses, the central points of the first lenses being connected to
form a first optical axis; a plurality of second lenses, disposed
between the first lenses and the light valve, the central points of
the second lenses being connected to form a second optical axis,
and the first optical axis intersecting the second optical axis;
and a reflecting device, disposed at the intersection of the first
optical axis and the second optical axis.
7. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed in
claim 6, wherein the beam splitter is disposed between the first
lens set and the light valve.
8. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed in
claim 6, wherein the beam splitter is disposed between the first
lenses.
9. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed in
claim 6, wherein the beam splitter is disposed between the first
lenses and the reflecting device.
10. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed
in claim 6, wherein the beam splitter is disposed between the
second lenses and the reflecting device or between the second
lenses.
11. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed
in claim 1, wherein the first lens set comprises: a plurality of
first lenses, the central points of the first lenses being
connected to form a first optical axis; a plurality of second
lenses, disposed between the first lenses and the light valve, the
central points of the second lenses being connected to form a
second optical axis, the first optical axis intersecting the second
optical axis, and the beam splitter being disposed at the
intersection of the first optical axis and the second optical
axis.
12. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed
in claim 1, wherein the beam splitter is disposed between the first
lens set and the screen.
13. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed
in claim 12, wherein the sensing module comprises: at least one
photosensitive device; and a second lens set, disposed between the
photosensitive device and the beam splitter.
14. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed
in claim 13, wherein the photosensitive device comprises a CCD and
a CMOS photosensitive device, alternatively.
15. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed
in claim 1, wherein the beam splitter is selected from a group
consisting of a dichroic mirror, a total internal reflection prism
(TIR prism), and a neutral-density filter (ND filter).
16. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed
in claim 1, wherein the light valve is selected from a group
consisting of a digital micro-mirror device (DMD), a transmissive
liquid crystal panel, and a liquid crystal on silicon panel (LCOS
panel).
17. An optical projection and image sensing apparatus for
projecting an image light to display an image on a screen and
sensing a sensing light from the image on the screen, the optical
projection apparatus comprising: a light source, for providing an
illumination light; a DMD, disposed on the optical path of the
illumination light, the DMD having a plurality of micro-mirrors
respectively in ON state or OFF state, wherein the micro-mirrors in
ON state are used to convert the illumination light to the image
light; a first lens set, disposed on the optical path of the image
light, for projecting the image light to display the image on the
screen; and a sensing module, for sensing the sensing light from
the image on the screen, and the sensing module is disposed on the
optical path of the sensing light reflected by the micro-mirrors in
OFF state.
18. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed
in claim 17, wherein the sensing module comprises at least a
photosensitive device.
19. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed
in claim 18, wherein the sensing module further comprises a second
lens set disposed between the photosensitive device and the
DMD.
20. The optical projection and image sensing apparatus as claimed
in claim 17, wherein the photosensitive device comprises a CCD and
a CMOS photosensitive device, alternatively.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan
application serial no. 95116328, filed May 9, 2006. All disclosure
of the Taiwan application is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an image display apparatus.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an optical
projection and image sensing apparatus.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] FIG. 1A is a schematic perspective view of a conventional
optical projection and image sensing apparatus, and FIG. 1 B is a
side view of the optical projection and image sensing apparatus of
FIG. 1 A. Referring to FIG. 1 A and FIG. 1 B, the conventional
optical projection and image sensing apparatus 100 comprises a
circuit board 110, an optical projection system 120, an image
sensing system 130, and a screen 140. The optical projection system
120 and the image sensing system 130 are coupled to a circuit board
110. The optical projection system 120 is used to project an image
light 122 to display an image on a screen 140. The image sensing
system 130 comprises four charge coupled device (CCD) sensing
modules 132, and each of the CCD sensing modules 132 is used to
sense a quarter of the image on the screen 140.
[0006] Accordingly, when a user touches the screen 140, the image
sensing system 130 senses the variation of the image on the screen
140, thus achieving the effect of the touch screen. Moreover, the
image sensing system 130 records the variation of the image on the
screen 140, such that the conventional optical projection and image
sensing apparatus 100 records the data noted by the user on the
screen 140 in real time.
[0007] However, in the conventional optical projection and image
sensing apparatus 100, since the optical projection system 120 and
the image sensing system 130 are separated, the devices (e.g. lens
set) in the optical projection system 120 and the image sensing
system 130 cannot be shared, it is difficult to save the
manufacturing cost. Moreover, in the conventional art, four CCD
sensing modules 132 are required to sense the image on the whole
screen 140. Thus, the cost of the image sensing system 130 is
increased and also the correction of the matching of the four CCD
sensing modules 132 is required, thereby increasing the complexity
of design and manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to
provide an optical projection and image sensing apparatus, so as to
reduce the manufacturing cost.
[0009] Other objectives, features and advantages of the present
invention will be further understood from the further technology
features disclosed by the present invention wherein there are shown
and described preferred embodiments of this invention, simply by
way of illustration of modes best suited to carry out the
invention.
[0010] In order to achieve the above or other objectives, the
present invention provides an optical projection and image sensing
apparatus, suitable for projecting an image light to display an
image on a screen and sensing a sensing light from the image on the
screen. The optical projection apparatus comprises a light source,
a light valve, a first lens set, a sensing module, and a beam
splitter. The light source is used to provide an illumination
light. The light valve is disposed on the optical path of the
illumination light for converting the illumination light to the
image light. The first lens set is disposed on the optical path of
the image light for projecting the image light to display the image
on the screen, and the sensing module is used to sense the sensing
light from the image on the screen. The beam splitter is disposed
on the optical path of the image light and the sensing light from
the image on the screen. The beam splitter is used to reflect a
part of the sensing light and allow a part of the sensing light to
pass through. Moreover, one of the sensing module and the light
valve is disposed on the optical path of the sensing light passing
through the beam splitter, and the other is disposed on the optical
path of the sensing light reflected by the beam splitter.
[0011] The present invention further provides an optical projection
and image sensing apparatus, suitable for projecting an image light
to display an image on a screen and sensing a sensing light from
the image on the screen. The optical projection apparatus comprises
a light source, a DMD, a first lens set, and a sensing module. The
light source is used to provide an illumination light, and the DMD
is disposed on the optical path of the illumination light. The DMD
has a plurality of micro-mirrors respectively in ON state or OFF
state. The micro-mirrors in ON state are used to convert the
illumination light to the image light. Moreover, the first lens set
is disposed on the optical path of the image light for projecting
the image light to display the image on the screen. The sensing
module is used to sense the sensing light from the image on the
screen, and the sensing module is disposed on the optical path of
the sensing light reflected by the micro-mirrors in OFF state.
[0012] When the optical projection and image sensing apparatus of
the present invention projects the image and senses the image on
the screen, a part of the devices can be shared, thus reducing the
manufacturing cost. Moreover, since only one photosensitive device
is required to sense the image on the screen, thus saving the
manufacturing cost.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1A is a schematic perspective view of a conventional
optical projection and image sensing apparatus.
[0014] FIG. 1B is a side view of the optical projection and image
sensing apparatus in FIG. 1A.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an optical projection and
image sensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C are schematic views of the optical
projection and image sensing apparatus according to another three
embodiments of the present invention respectively.
[0017] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are schematic views of the optical
projection and image sensing apparatus according to another two
embodiments of the present invention respectively.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an optical projection and
image sensing apparatus according to still another embodiment of
the present invention.
[0019] FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic views of a digital
micro-mirror device (DMD) according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an optical projection and
image sensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the optical projection and image
sensing apparatus 200 of the present embodiment comprises a light
source 210, a light valve 220, a first lens set 230, a sensing
module 240, and a beam splitter 250. The light source 210 is used
to provide an illumination light 212. The light valve 220 is
disposed on the optical path of the illumination light 212, so as
to convert the illumination light 212 to an image light 213. The
first lens set 230 is disposed on the optical path of the image
light 213 for projecting the image light 213 to display an image on
a screen 50. The sensing module 240 is used to sense a sensing
light from the image on the screen 50. The beam splitter 250 is
disposed on the optical path of the image light 213 and the optical
path of the sensing light 52. The beam splitter 250 is used to
reflect a part of the sensing light and allow a part of the sensing
light to pass through. Moreover, the light valve 220 is disposed on
the optical path of the sensing light 52 passing through the beam
splitter 250 and the sensing module 240 is disposed on the optical
path of the sensing light 52 reflected by the beam splitter
250.
[0021] In the optical projection and image sensing apparatus 200,
the light valve 220 is, for example, the reflective light valve or
the transmissive light valve. The reflective light valve is, for
example, a digital micro-mirror device (DMD), an LCOS panel, or the
like, and the transmissive light valve is, for example, a
transmissive liquid crystal panel. Moreover, the first lens set 230
comprises a plurality of lenses 232, and the beam splitter 250 is,
for example, disposed between the lenses 232. The beam splitter 250
is a dichroic mirror, a neutral-density filter (ND filter), or the
like, for example, allowing most of the image light 213 to pass
through and reflect a small part of the sensing light 52. The image
light 213 passing through the beam splitter 250 is projected to
display the image on the screen 50. Since the beam splitter 250
allows most of the image light 213 to pass through, the brightness
of the image on the screen 50 is not greatly affected.
[0022] The sensing module 240 is used to sense the variation of the
image on the screen 50. Particularly, the sensing module 240 has a
photosensitive device 242, and when the sensing light 52 from the
image on the screen 50 is transmitted to the beam splitter 250,
most of the sensing light 52 passes through the beam splitter 250,
and a small part of the sensing light 52 is reflected to the
photosensitive device 242 by the beam splitter 250 and is sensed by
the photosensitive device 242. Since the photosensitive device 242
is relatively sensitive, even if the sensing light 52 transmitted
to the photosensitive device 242 is relatively weak, the sensing
light 52 still is effectively sensed. Therefore, when the user
touches the screen 50, the photosensitive device 242 senses the
variation of the sensing light 52 from the image on the screen 50,
so as to achieve the effect of the touch screen. Moreover, the
sensing module 240 can record the variation of the image sensed by
the photosensitive device 242. In other words, when the user notes
the data on the screen 50, the noted data can be recorded
immediately.
[0023] In the present embodiment, the photosensitive device 242 is,
for example, a CCD or a CMOS photosensitive device. Moreover, the
photosensitive module 240 further comprises a second lens set 244
which comprises a plurality of lenses 245. The lenses 245 can be
used together with the lenses 232 disposed between the beam
splitter 250 and the screen 50 in the first lens set 230, serving
as a image-capture lens set, so as to focus the sensing light 52 on
the photosensitive device 242. Since a part of the lenses 232 in
the first lens set 230 which serves as the project lens set can
also be a part of the image-taking lens set, thus saving the cost
of the lens. Also, compared with the conventional art, the optical
projection and image sensing apparatus 200 of the present
embodiment only needs a photosensitive device 242 to sense the
sensing light 52 from the image on the screen 50. In this manner,
not only the cost can be saved, but also the problem of the
matching of the photosensitive device 242 can be solved. Therefore,
the complexity of design and manufacture can be reduced, and the
manufacturing cost of the optical projection and image sensing
apparatus 200 of the present embodiment is relatively low.
[0024] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C are schematic views of the optical
projection and image sensing apparatus according to three
embodiments of the present invention respectively. Referring to
FIG. 3A and FIG. 3C, in the present invention, the beam splitter
250 can be, for example, disposed between the first lenses 232 as
shown in FIG. 2, or disposed between the first lens set 230 and the
screen 50 as shown in FIG. 3A, or disposed between the first lens
set 230 and the light valve 220 as shown in FIG. 3B.
[0025] Moreover, in the optical projection and image sensing
apparatus 200b, the positions of the sensing module 240 and the
light valve 220 can be exchanged, while the position of the light
source 210 is adjusted in accordance with the position of the light
valve 220. The beam splitter 250 adopts the element which can
reflect most of the light and allow a small part of the light to
pass through.
[0026] In the embodiments of the present invention, in addition to
the dichroic mirror or the ND filter serving as the beam splitter,
the TIR prism 260 can be used as the beam splitter as shown in FIG.
3C. For example, a layer of the beam splitting film can be coated
on the total reflection surface 262 of the TIR prism 260, such that
most of the image light 213 and the sensing light 52 from the
screen 50 can pass through, and a small part of the image light 213
and the sensing light 52 is reflected.
[0027] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are schematic views of the optical
projection and image sensing apparatus according to another two
embodiments of the present invention respectively. Referring to
FIG. 4A, the optical projection and image sensing apparatus 200d in
the present embodiment is similar to the optical projection and
image sensing apparatus 200 as shown in FIG. 2, the difference is
that the first lens set 230a of the optical projection and image
sensing apparatus 200d comprises a plurality of first lenses 234, a
plurality of second lenses 236, and a reflecting device 238. The
central points of the first lenses 234 are connected to form a
first optical axis 235. The second lenses 236 are disposed between
the first lenses 234 and the light valve 220, as shown in FIG. 4A,
and the central points of the second lenses 236 are connected to
form a second optical axis 237. The first optical axis 235
intersects the second optical axis 237, and the reflecting device
238 is disposed at the intersection of the first optical axis 235
and the second optical axis 237. In addition to being disposed
between the first lenses 234 as shown in FIG. 4A, the beam splitter
250 can be, in another embodiments, disposed between the first lens
set 230a and the light valve 220, between the first lenses 234 and
the reflecting device 238, between the second lenses 236 and the
reflecting device 238, or between the second lenses 236.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 4B, in the optical projection and image
sensing apparatus 200e, the first lens set 230b comprises a
plurality of first lenses 234 and a plurality of second lenses 236,
and the beam splitter 250 is disposed at the intersection of the
first optical axis 235 and the second optical axis 237, so as to
replace the reflecting device 238 in the optical projection and
image sensing apparatus 200d. The beam splitter 250 can, for
example, reflect most of the light, and allow a small part of the
light to pass through. Moreover, the sensing module 240 is disposed
on the optical path of the sensing light 52 passing through the
beam splitter 250, and the light valve 220 is disposed on the
optical path of the sensing light 52 reflected by the beam splitter
250.
[0029] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the optical projection and
image sensing apparatus according to still another embodiment of
the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the optical projection
and image sensing apparatus 300 of the present embodiment comprises
a light source 310, a DMD 320, a first lens set 330, and a sensing
module 340. The light source 310 is used to provide an illumination
light 312, and the DMD 320 is disposed on the optical path of the
illumination light 312. The DMD 320 as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B has
a plurality of micro-mirrors 322. Each micro-mirror 322 has two
inclination states (ON state and OFF state) centered on the axis
30. The micro-mirrors 322 in ON state are used to reflect the
illumination light 312 to the first lens set 330 so as to convert
the illumination light 312 to the image light 313. Moreover, the
first lens set 330 is disposed on the optical path of the image
light 313 for projecting the image light 313 to display the image
on the screen 50. The sensing module 340 is used to sense the
sensing light 52 from the image on the screen 50. Particularly, the
sensing module 340 is disposed on the optical path of the sensing
light 52 reflected by the micro-mirrors 322 in OFF state, so as to
sense the image on the screen 50 and record the image on the screen
50.
[0030] The sensing module 340 comprises at least a photosensitive
device 342. The photosensitive device 342 is, for example, a CCD or
a CMOS photosensitive device. Moreover, the sensing module 340 can
further comprise a second lens set 344 disposed between the
photosensitive device 342 and the DMD 320. Since the optical
projection and image sensing apparatus 300 according to the present
invention does not need the beam splitter 250 as shown in FIG. 2,
the manufacturing cost can be further reduced.
[0031] To sum up, the embodiments of the optical projection and
image sensing apparatus has at least one of the following
advantages.
[0032] 1. When the optical projection and image sensing apparatus
of the present invention displays the image and senses the image on
the screen, a part of the devices can be shared, thus reducing the
manufacturing cost.
[0033] 2. The present invention only needs a photosensitive device
to sense the image on the screen, the correction of the matching of
the four CCD sensing modules 132 in the conventional art is not
required, thus reducing the complexity of design and manufacture.
Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the optical projection and
image sensing apparatus of the present invention is relatively
low.
[0034] The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the
invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and
description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the
invention to the precise form or to exemplary embodiments
disclosed. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be
regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Obviously, many
modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners
skilled in this art. The embodiments are chosen and described in
order to best explain the principles of the invention and its best
mode practical application, thereby to enable persons skilled in
the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and
with various modifications as are suited to the particular use or
implementation contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the
invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their
equivalents in which all terms are meant in their broadest
reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. Therefore, the term
"the invention", "the present invention" or the like is not
necessary limited the claim scope to a specific embodiment, and the
reference to particularly preferred exemplary embodiments of the
invention does not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such
limitation is to be inferred. The invention is limited only by the
spirit and scope of the appended claims. The abstract of the
disclosure is provided to comply with the rules requiring an
abstract, which will allow a searcher to quickly ascertain the
subject matter of the technical disclosure of any patent issued
from this disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that
it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of
the claims. Any advantages and benefits described may not apply to
all embodiments of the invention. It should be appreciated that
variations may be made in the embodiments described by persons
skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present
invention as defined by the following claims. Moreover, no element
and component in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated
to the public regardless of whether the element or component is
explicitly recited in the following claims.
* * * * *