U.S. patent application number 15/391132 was filed with the patent office on 2017-07-27 for projector and method of controlling projector.
This patent application is currently assigned to SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Akihiko TAMURA.
Application Number | 20170214894 15/391132 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59359763 |
Filed Date | 2017-07-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170214894 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TAMURA; Akihiko |
July 27, 2017 |
PROJECTOR AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING PROJECTOR
Abstract
A projector adapted to project an image includes an imaging
section adapted to image a projection surface on which the image is
projected, and output an image obtained by imaging, an
identification section adapted to identify a projection area in
which the image is projected based on the image output by the
imaging section, a mask processing section adapted to mask an
outside of an area, which includes the projection area identified
by the identification section, on the image output by the imaging
section, a discrimination section adapted to determine which one of
a first state, in which the projector is used alone, and a second
state, in which the projector and another projector project images
side by side, is set, and a setting section adapted to set an area
to be masked by the mask processing section in accordance with a
determination result of the discrimination section.
Inventors: |
TAMURA; Akihiko;
(Matsumoto-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
59359763 |
Appl. No.: |
15/391132 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 9/3147 20130101;
H04N 9/3179 20130101; G06F 3/03545 20130101; H04N 9/3185 20130101;
G06F 3/0418 20130101; G06F 3/0425 20130101; G06F 3/0386 20130101;
G06F 3/0416 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04N 9/31 20060101
H04N009/31 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 21, 2016 |
JP |
2016-009609 |
Claims
1. A projector adapted to project an image, comprising: a
projection section adapted to project an image; an imaging section
adapted to image a projection surface on which the image is
projected, and output an image obtained by imaging; an
identification section adapted to identify a projection area in
which the image is projected in the projection surface based on the
image output by the imaging section; a mask processing section
adapted to mask an outside of an area, which includes the
projection area identified by the identification section, on the
image output by the imaging section; a discrimination section
adapted to determine which one of a first state, in which the
projector is used alone, and a second state, in which the projector
and another projector project images side by side, is set; and a
setting section adapted to set an area to be masked by the mask
processing section in accordance with a determination result of the
discrimination section.
2. The projector according to claim 1, wherein in a case in which
the determination result of the discrimination section is the
second state, the setting section sets the area masked on a side of
the image, which is projected by the another projector, to be
narrower than in the first state.
3. The projector according to claim 1, wherein the setting section
sets a shape of the area masked by the mask processing section in
accordance with a positional relationship between the image
projected by the projector and the image projected by the another
projector.
4. The projector according to claim 1, wherein in a case in which
the determination result of the discrimination section is the
second state, the setting section eliminates a part of the image
projected by the another projector from the range to be masked, to
set the area to be masked to be narrower than in the first
state.
5. The projector according to claim 1, wherein the second state is
a state in which the image projected by the projector and the image
projected by the another projector one of have contact with, or
overlap each other.
6. A method of controlling a projector including a projection
section adapted to project an image and an imaging section adapted
to image a projection surface on which the image is projected, and
output an image obtained by imaging, the method comprising:
identifying a projection area in which the image is projected in
the projection surface based on the image output by the imaging
section; masking an outside of an area, which includes the
projection area identified in the identifying the projection area,
on the image output by the imaging section; determining which one
of a first state, in which the projector is used alone, and a
second state, in which the projector and another projector project
images side by side, is set; and setting an area to be masked in
the masking the outside of the area in accordance with a
determination result in the determining of the first state or the
second state.
Description
[0001] The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application
No.2016-009609, filed Jan. 21, 2016 is expressly incorporated by
reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a projector, and a method
of controlling a projector.
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] As an invention for detecting the position of a pointing
element located on an image projected by a projector, there can be
cited a projector disclosed in JP-A-2015-158884. The projector
shoots a surface, on which the projector projects an image, with a
camera, and then masks other areas than the area, in which the
image is displayed by the projector, in the image obtained by
shooting. The projector detects the light emitted by the pointing
element in the area, which is not masked out of the image taken by
the camera, to identify the position of the pointing element
located on the image projected. The position thus identified is
used in a drawing function of drawing a line corresponding to the
movement locus of the pointing element. According to this
configuration, since the outside light and the illumination light
existing in the area in which the image is not projected become no
longer detected, it is possible to prevent the light from other
objects than the pointing element from being detected, and thus, it
is possible to accurately detect the position of the pointing
element.
[0006] When projecting an image using projectors, there is a
technology so-called tiling in which a plurality of projectors is
arranged to arrange a plurality of images projected to thereby
project a larger image than the image projected by a single
projector. When performing the display with a tiling technology, in
some cases, the pointing element is moved straddling the projection
ranges of the respective projectors to draw a line corresponding to
the movement locus of the pointing element. In this case, if the
masking described above is performed in each of the projectors, in
each of the projectors, the identification of the position of the
pointing element is performed after the pointing element enters the
range of the image projected by the own projector. Here, if the
motion of the pointing element is fast, the projector identifies
the position distant from the boundary between the image projected
by the own projector and the image projected by another projector,
and then starts drawing from that point. Therefore, the line to be
drawn fails to be connected to the line drawn by another projector
to fail to form a continuous line.
SUMMARY
[0007] An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide
a technology of resolving a problem in the process corresponding to
the pointing element moving so as to straddle images when
projecting the images side by side with a plurality of
projectors.
[0008] An aspect of the invention provides a projector adapted to
project an image, including a projection section adapted to project
an image, an imaging section adapted to image a projection surface
on which the image is projected, and output an image obtained by
imaging, an identification section adapted to identify a projection
area in which the image is projected in the projection surface
based on the image output by the imaging section, a mask processing
section adapted to mask an outside of an area, which includes the
projection area identified by the identification section, on the
image output by the imaging section, a discrimination section
adapted to determine which one of a first state, in which the
projector is used alone, and a second state, in which the projector
and another projector project images side by side, is set, and a
setting section adapted to set an area to be masked by the mask
processing section in accordance with a determination result of the
discrimination section.
[0009] According to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to
resolve a problem in the process corresponding to the pointing
object moving so as to straddle images when projecting the images
side by side with a plurality of projectors.
[0010] The aspect of the invention may be configured such that, in
a case in which the determination result of the discrimination
section is the second state, the setting section sets the area
masked on a side of the image, which is projected by the another
projector, to be narrower than in the first state.
[0011] According to this configuration, in the case of projecting
the images side by side with a plurality of projectors, it is
possible to identify the position of the pointing element located
in the area of the image projected by the another projector.
[0012] The aspect of the invention may be configured such that the
setting section sets a shape of the area masked by the mask
processing section in accordance with a positional relationship
between the image projected by the projector and the image
projected by the another projector.
[0013] According to this configuration, in the case of projecting
the images side by side with a plurality of projectors, it is
possible to identify the position of the pointing element located
in the area of the image projected by the another projector.
[0014] The aspect of the invention may be configured such that, in
a case in which the determination result of the discrimination
section is the second state, the setting section eliminates a part
of the image projected by the another projector from the range to
be masked, to set the area to be masked to be narrower than in the
first state.
[0015] According to this configuration, in the case of projecting
the images side by side with a plurality of projectors, it is
possible to identify the position of the pointing element located
in the area of the image projected by the another projector.
[0016] The aspect of the invention may be configured such that the
second state is a state in which the image projected by the
projector and the image projected by the another projector have
contact with, or overlap each other.
[0017] According to this configuration, in the case of projecting
the images side by side with a plurality of projectors, it is
possible to identify the position of the pointing element located
in the area of the image adjacent to the image projected by the own
projector.
[0018] Another aspect of the invention provides a method of
controlling a projector including a projection section adapted to
project an image and an imaging section adapted to image a
projection surface on which the image is projected, and output an
image obtained by imaging, the method including the steps of
identifying a projection area in which the image is projected in
the projection surface based on the image output by the imaging
section, masking an outside of an area, which includes the
projection area identified in the identifying the projection area,
on the image output by the imaging section, determining which one
of a first state, in which the projector is used alone, and a
second state, in which the projector and another projector project
images side by side, is set, and setting an area to be masked in
the masking the outside of the area in accordance with a
determination result in the determining of the first state or the
second state.
[0019] According to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to
resolve a problem in the process corresponding to the pointing
element moving so as to straddle images when projecting the images
side by side with a plurality of projectors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The invention will be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like
elements.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing devices constituting a display
system 1.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of
projectors 10A, 10B and a pointing element 20.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of functions realized
in a control section 110.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a time chart of
detecting the pointing element.
[0025] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of a calibration
process.
[0026] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a calibration
image.
[0027] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a shot image.
[0028] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a shot image.
[0029] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a mask image.
[0030] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a shot image to
which masking is provided.
[0031] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a setup
screen.
[0032] FIGS. 12A and 12B are diagrams showing an example of a mask
image.
[0033] FIGS. 13A and 13B are diagrams each showing an example of a
shot image to which masking is provided.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
Embodiment
Configuration of Embodiment
[0034] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing devices constituting a display
system 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The display
system 1 is constituted by projectors 10A, 10B each for projecting
an image on a screen SC to be a display surface, a pointing element
20, light emitting devices 50A, 50B, an information processing
device 30, and a distribution device 40.
[0035] The projectors 10A, 10B as examples of the display devices
project an image represented by a video signal, which is supplied
from another device, on the screen SC. The video signal is an
example of image information representing the image. Further, the
projectors 10A, 10B are each provided with a PC operation function
for using the pointing element 20 as a pointing device (a
digitizer) for the information processing device 30, a drawing
function for drawing an image at a position pointed by the pointing
element 20, and so on. The projectors 10A, 10B are disposed
obliquely above the screen SC, and project the picture toward the
screen SC. It should be noted that although in the present
embodiment, the projectors 10A, 10B project the picture toward the
screen SC, it is also possible to project the picture on a wall
surface (the display surface) instead of the screen SC. Further, in
the present embodiment, the projectors 10A, 10B have a
configuration of being mounted on the wall surface with a bracket,
but can also be mounted on the ceiling or a desk. Further, it is
also possible to project the picture on the desk instead of the
screen SC.
[0036] The pointing element 20 shaped like a pen functions as a
pointing device in the case of using the drawing function or the PC
operation function described above, and is used in the case in
which the user operates the graphical user interface (GUI) of the
information processing device 30 projected by the projectors 10A,
10B, the case in which the user performs drawing over the image
thus projected in an overlapping manner, and so on.
[0037] In the present embodiment, the information processing device
30 is a personal computer.
[0038] The distribution device 40 is a device for distributing the
video signal, which is supplied from the information processing
device 30, to the projectors 10A, 10B. The distribution device 40
generates a video signal to be supplied to the projector 10A and a
video signal to be supplied to the projector 10B from the video
signal supplied from the information processing device 30, and then
supplies the projectors 10A, 10B with the video signals thus
generated. In the present embodiment, the distribution device 40
divides the image, which is represented by the video signal
supplied from the information processing device 30, into right and
left two images, supplies the video signal of the left image (a
first part) to the projector 10A, and supplies the video signal of
the right image (a second part) to the projector 10B. It should be
noted that the distribution device 40 is arranged to be able to
supply the video signal, which is supplied from the information
processing device 30, directly to only either one of the projector
10A and the projector 10B due to the operation of the button
provided to the distribution device 40 itself.
[0039] When the projector 10A is supplied with the first part of
the video signal from the distribution device 40, the projector 10A
projects the left image represented by the video signal thus
supplied, and when the projector 10B is supplied with the second
part of the video signal from the distribution device 40, the
projector 10B projects the right image represented by the video
signal thus supplied. By displaying (performing so-called tiling
display) the left image to be projected by the projector 10A and
the right image to be projected by the projector 10B arranged on
the respective sides, it is possible to display the image of the
video signal, which is supplied by the information processing
device 30, in a larger size than in the case of performing the
projection with a single projector.
[0040] Further, in the case in which the distribution device 40
supplies the video signal, which has been supplied from the
information processing device 30, directly to only either one of
the projector 10A and the projector 10B, the one of the projector
10A and the projector 10B projects the image of the video signal
supplied by the information processing device 30.
[0041] The light emitting devices 50A, 50B each have a light
emitting section for irradiating a finger located on the screen SC
with light (infrared light in the present embodiment). The light
emitting devices 50A, 50B are disposed above an upper end of the
screen SC, and emit the light dispersed downward in a range of an
angle .theta.. The light emitted from the light emitting devices
50A, 50B forms a layer of light extending along the screen SC. In
the present embodiment, the angle .theta. reaches about 180
degrees, and thus, the layer of light is formed on the roughly
entire area of the screen SC. It is preferable for the surface of
the screen SC and the layer of light formed by the light emitting
devices 50A, 50B to be adjacent to each other. The layer of light
is made to be thick so that a finger located at a position distant
from the surface of the screen SC can also be irradiated. Further,
it is also possible to stack the layers of the light emitting
section to irradiate a finger located at a distant position.
Emission of the light from the light emitting device 50A is
controlled by the projector 10A, and emission of the light from the
light emitting device 50B is controlled by the projector 10B.
[0042] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the
projectors 10A, 10B and the pointing element 20. The pointing
element 20 has a control section 210, a communication section 220,
a light emitting section 230, an operation section 240, and a power
supply 250. The power supply 250 is, for example, a dry battery or
a secondary cell, and supplies the control section 210, the light
emitting section 230, and the operation section 240 with electric
power. The operation section 240 is provided with a switch (not
shown) for controlling the supply of the electric power from the
power supply 250 to each of the sections. When the switch of the
operation section 240 is set to the ON state, the electric power is
supplied from the power supply 250 to each of the sections, and
when the switch of the operation section 240 is set to the OFF
state, the supply of the electric power from the power supply 250
to each of the sections is stopped. The light emitting section 230
has a light emitting diode for emitting infrared light, and is
disposed on the tip of the pointing element 20. The control section
210 controls lighting and extinction of the light emitting section
230. The light emitting section 230 is a point light source, and
the light emitted by the light emitting section 230 spreads from
the tip of the pointing element 20 in a spherical manner. The
communication section 220 receives a variety of signals transmitted
from the projector 10 with the infrared light. The communication
section 220 converts the variety of signals thus received into
electric signals, and then supplies the control section 210 with
the electric signals. The control section 210 is connected to the
light emitting section 230 and the communication section 220. The
control section 210 starts the control of the light emitting
section 230 in accordance with the signal supplied from the
communication section 220 to control lighting and extinction of the
light emitting diode of the light emitting section 230.
[0043] The projectors 10A, 10B are each provided with a control
section 110, a storage section 120, an operation section 130, and a
projection section 140. Further, the projectors 10A, 10B are each
provided with a video processing section 150, an interface 160, and
an imaging section 170. In the present embodiment, the hardware
configurations of the projectors 10A, 10B are the same as each
other. Hereinafter, in the following description, in the case in
which it is necessary to distinguish the sections of the projectors
10A, 10B from each other, "A" is added to the tail of the reference
numeral of each of the sections of the projector 10A, "B" is added
to the tail of the reference numeral of each of the sections of the
projector 10B for the sake of convenience of explanation, and in
the case in which there is no need to distinguish the sections from
each other, addition of "A" and "B" to the tails of the reference
numerals is omitted. Further, in the case in which there is no need
to distinguish between the projector 10A and the projector 10B, the
description is presented with the reference of the projector
10.
[0044] The interface 160 has a plurality of connectors supplied
with a video signal such as RCA, D-Sub, or HDMI (registered
trademark), and supplies the video processing section 150 with the
video signals, which are supplied from other devices to the
connectors. Further, the interface 160 has an interface for
wireless communication such as a wireless LAN (local area network)
or Bluetooth (registered trademark) and an interface for wired
communication such as USB (universal serial bus) or a wired LAN.
The interface 160 communicates with the information processing
device 30, the distribution device 40, and so on. Further, the
interface 160 is provided with a light emitting diode for emitting
infrared light. The interface 160 is controlled by the control
section 110 in lighting and extinction of the light emitting diode,
and transmits an infrared signal for controlling lighting and
extinction of the light emitting section 230 of the pointing
element 20. Further, the interface 160 is provided with a light
receiving section for receiving the infrared signal from a remote
controller not shown.
[0045] The storage section 120 stores a setting value related to
the image quality of the picture to be projected and information
related to a variety of functions. The operation section 130 is
provided with a plurality of buttons for operating the projector
10. By the control section 110 controlling each of the sections in
accordance with the buttons having been operated, an adjustment of
the picture to be projected on the screen SC, setting of a variety
of functions provided to the projector 10, and so on are
performed.
[0046] The video processing section 150 obtains the video signal
supplied from the interface 160. Further, the video processing
section 150 obtains a signal of an on-screen image such as an
on-screen image to be displayed by a drawing function or a GUI for
operating the projector 10 from the control section 110. The video
processing section 150 is provided with a variety of image
processing functions, and performs image processing on the video
signal supplied from the interface 160 to adjust the image quality
of the picture to be projected. In the case in which the video
processing section 150 is supplied with the signal of the on-screen
image from the control section 110, the video processing section
150 supplies the projection section 140 with the video signal on
which the signal of the on-screen image is superimposed.
[0047] The projection section 140 for projecting the picture
includes a light source 141, a light valve 142, a drive circuit
144, and a projection optical system 143. The light source 141 is a
lamp for emitting light, and the light emitted by the light source
141 is dispersed by a plurality of dichroic mirrors and mirrors not
shown into light beams of red, green, and blue, and the light beams
of red, green, and blue obtained by the dispersion are guided to
the light valve 142. It should be noted that the light source 141
can also be a light emitting diode or a semiconductor laser device
for emitting a laser beam instead of the lamp.
[0048] The drive circuit 144 obtains the video signal supplied from
the video processing section 150. The video signal supplied to the
drive circuit 144 includes grayscale data representing a grayscale
of a red component in the image to be projected, grayscale data
representing a grayscale of a green component in the image to be
projected, and grayscale data representing a grayscale of a blue
component in the image to be projected. The drive circuit 144
extracts the grayscale data of each of the colors of red, green,
and blue to drive the light valve 142 based on the grayscale data
of each of the colors thus extracted.
[0049] The light valve 142 includes a liquid crystal light valve to
which the red light beam described above is input, a liquid crystal
light valve to which the green light beam described above is input,
and a liquid crystal light valve to which the blue light beam
described above is input. The liquid crystal light valves are each
a transmissive liquid crystal panel, and are each provided with
pixels arranged in a matrix with a plurality of rows and a
plurality of columns. The liquid crystal light valve to which the
red light beam is input is driven based on the red grayscale data,
the liquid crystal light valve to which the green light beam is
input is driven based on the green grayscale data, and the liquid
crystal light valve to which the blue light beam is input is driven
based on the blue grayscale data. In each of the liquid crystal
light valves, the drive circuit 144 controls each of the pixels to
vary the transmittance of the pixel. By controlling the
transmittance of the pixels, the light beams of the respective
colors having been transmitted through the respective liquid
crystal light valves form the images corresponding to the
respective grayscale data. The images of the light beams of red,
green, and blue having been transmitted through the respective
liquid crystal light valves are combined with each other by a
dichroic prism not shown, and then enter the projection optical
system 143. The projection optical system 143 is an optical system
for enlarging the image having entered the projection optical
system 143, and projects the image having entered the projection
optical system 143 on the screen SC in an enlarged manner using a
lens or a mirror. When the image is projected on the screen SC, the
image is displayed on the screen SC as the display surface. It
should be noted that it is also possible to adopt reflective liquid
crystal panels instead of the transmissive liquid crystal panels,
or it is also possible to use a digital mirror device.
[0050] The projector 10 has the imaging section 170 in order to
identify the position of the pointing element 20. The imaging
section 170 is provided with an imaging element (e.g., CMOS or CCD)
for receiving the infrared light emitted by the light emitting
section 230, an optical system for forming an image on the imaging
element, an aperture for limiting the light entering the imaging
element, and so on. The imaging section 170 takes the projection
range of the projection section 140 as an imaging range, generates
an image of the range thus imaged, and then outputs an image signal
representing the image thus generated. It should be noted that in
the present embodiment, since the projectors 10A, 10B are installed
obliquely above the screen SC, it results that the imaging section
170 images the projection range from obliquely above.
[0051] The control section 110 is a microcomputer provided with a
central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), and a
random access memory (RAM). When the CPU executes a program stored
in the ROM, the control section 110 controls each of the sections
to realize a function of projecting a picture on the screen SC, the
PC operation function, the drawing function, and so on described
above in each of the projectors 10A, 10B.
[0052] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration
of the functions realized by the control section 110 executing
programs, and the functions realized by the control section 210.
Firstly, there will be described the functions realized by the
control section 110 of the projector 10.
[0053] A projection area identification section 115 analyzes the
image output by the imaging section to identify the projection area
in which the image is projected in the projection surface on which
the image is projected by the projector 10. A mask processing
section 116 performs masking of the outside of the area, which
includes the projection area identified by the projection area
identification section 115, on the image output by the imaging
section. A discrimination section 117 determines which one of a
first state, in which the own projector is used alone, and a second
state, in which the own projector and another projector project
images side by side, is set. A setting section 118 sets the area
masked by the mask processing section 116 in accordance with the
determination result of the discrimination section 117.
[0054] A position identification section 113 periodically
identifies the position of the light emitting section 230 of the
pointing element 20 in the image on which masking has been
performed by the mask processing section 116 with the time chart
shown in, for example, FIG. 4. The period for identifying the
position of the finger or the position of the light emitting
section 230 includes four phases, namely a phase P11 through a
phase P14 as shown in FIG. 4. When detecting the position of the
finger or the position of the light emitting section 230, the
phases P11 through P14 are repeated. The phase P11 is a phase for
synchronizing the timing, at which the projector 10 performs
imaging with the imaging section 170, with the timing, at which the
pointing element 20 emits light, and the timing, at which the light
emitting device 50 emits the infrared light. In the phase P11, the
position identification section 113 controls the light emitting
diode of the interface 160 so that a sync signal of the infrared
light is output in a predetermined period tel.
[0055] In the pointing element 20, the communication section 220
receives the light of the sync signal, and when a predetermined
time has elapsed after receiving the sync signal, the control
section 210 controls the light emitting section 230 so that the
light emitting section 230 lights in the period te2 set in advance.
In the present embodiment, the light emitting section 230 is
controlled so as to light from a starting point of each of the
phases P12, P13, and P14. Further, the position identification
section 113 controls the light emitting device 50 so that the light
emitting device 50 emits the infrared light in the period te2 from
the starting point of each of the phase P12 and the phase P14.
[0056] In the phases P12 through P14, the position identification
section 113 controls the imaging section 170 to image the
predetermined range including the screen SC at a preset shutter
speed. In the imaging section 170, an exposure period, in which the
exposure is performed using the electronic shutter function, begins
at the starting point of each of the phases P12 and P14, and the
point at which the exposure ends is determined in accordance with
the shutter speed set to the imaging section 170. The image signal
of the image taken by the imaging section 170 in the exposure
period of each of the phases P12 through P14, and on which masking
has been performed by the mask processing section 116, is supplied
to the position identification section 113.
[0057] The position identification section 113 identifies the
position of the finger or the light emitting section 230 located on
the image projected using the image on which masking has been
performed by the mask processing section 116. Specifically, in the
phase P12 and the phase P14, in the case in which the infrared
light emitted by the light emitting device 50 is irradiated to the
finger, the infrared light, which has been emitted from the light
emitting device 50 and then reflected by the finger, is reflected
in the image obtained by the imaging section 170. Further, in the
phase P12 and the phase P14, if the light emitting section 230 is
located on the image projected, the infrared light having been
emitted by the light emitting section 230 is also reflected in the
image obtained by the imaging section 170. In the phase P13, since
the light emitting device 50 does not emit the light, the infrared
light emitted by the light emitting section 230 is reflected in the
image obtained by the imaging section 170.
[0058] The position identification section 113 identifies the
position of the infrared light reflected in the image obtained by
the imaging section 170 in the phases P12 through P14. The position
identification section 113 identifies the infrared light located at
the position close to the position of the infrared light, the
position of which has been identified in the phase P13, out of the
infrared light, the positions of which have been identified in the
phases P12 and P14, and then determines the position of the
infrared light thus identified as the position of the light
emitting section 230. Further, the position identification section
113 determines the position of the infrared light distant from the
infrared light, the position of which has been identified in the
phase P13, as the position of the finger out of the infrared light,
the positions of which have been identified in the phases P12 and
P14. It should be noted that in the case in which the infrared
light does not exist on the image projected in the phase P13, the
position identification section 113 determine the position
identified in the phases P12 and P14 as the position of the finger.
These positions identified are used when performing the variety of
functions such as the drawing function or the PC operation
function.
[0059] A drawing section 112 performs drawing in accordance with
the position detected by the position identification section 113 on
the image presently being projected.
[0060] Then, there will be described the functions realized by the
control section 210 of the pointing element 20. A signal
acquisition section 211 obtains a sync signal received by the
communication section 220. A light emission control section 212
obtains the sync signal from the signal acquisition section 211,
and then controls the light emitting section 230 so that the light
emitting section 230 lights in the period te2 in each of the phases
P12 through P14 when a predetermined time elapses after the sync
signal is obtained.
Operation Example of Embodiment
[0061] Then, an operation example of the present embodiment will be
described. When the user uses the function of using the pointing
element 20 such as the PC operation function or the drawing
function described above, the user firstly makes the projector 10
perform the calibration process. The calibration process is a
process of the calibration disclosed in, for example,
JP-A-2015-158884. The calibration process is a process of making
the position in the image projected by the projection section 140
correspond to the position on the image (hereinafter referred to as
a shot image, for the sake of convenience of explanation)
represented by the image signal supplied from the imaging section
170.
[0062] The position of the pointing element 20 identified by the
position identification section 113 from the shot image is a
position on the shot image, and is represented by a coordinate
system set in the shot image. The user operates the pointing
element 20 to the image (hereinafter referred to as a projection
image for the sake of convenience of explanation) projected on the
screen SC, and in the case in which the drawing function is set to
the ON state, the projectors 10A, 10B perform drawing in accordance
with the position of the pointing element 20, and therefore, it is
necessary for the projectors 10A, 10B to identify the position of
the pointing element 20 to the projection image.
[0063] Therefore, the projectors 10A, 10B generate calibration data
for converting the coordinate of the pointing element 20 identified
in the shot image into the coordinate of the projection image using
the calibration process. The calibration data is the data for
making the coordinate set in the shot image and the coordinate set
in the projection image correspond to each other, and can be, for
example, a table for making the coordinate of the shot image and
the coordinate of the projection image correspond one-to-one to
each other, or can also be a function for converting the coordinate
of the shot image into the coordinate of the projection image.
[0064] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the calibration
process. The control section 110 firstly obtains (step SA1) the
calibration image to be used in the calibration process from the
storage section 120. The control section 110 supplies the
calibration image obtained from the storage section 120 to the
video processing section 150. The video processing section 150
supplies the projection section 140 with the video signal
representing the calibration image supplied. The projection section
140 projects the calibration image represented by the video signal
supplied.
[0065] The control section 110 controls the imaging section 170 to
shoot the image thus projected. The imaging section 170 shoots the
calibration image projected and the periphery of the calibration
image to output the image signal representing the image of the
range imaged.
[0066] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the calibration
image. In the calibration image, there is arranged a plurality of
marks at predetermined intervals. The marks in the calibration
image are figures or symbols which can be detected in the shot
image, and the shape and the size are not particularly limited.
[0067] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the shot image
represented by the image signal supplied from the imaging section
170 having shot the calibration image. In the case of installing
the projector 10 obliquely above the screen SC, since the imaging
section 170 shoots the screen SC from obliquely above, the shot
image becomes a distorted image to the projection image. As shown
in FIG. 6, the projection image is the calibration image having a
rectangular shape with the marks arranged at regular intervals, but
in the shot image, the projection image shows in the distorted
state as shown in FIG. 7, and the intervals between the marks
arranged in the shot image are different depending on the positions
of the marks.
[0068] Then, the control section 110 (the projection area
identification section 115) generates (step SA2) the calibration
data. Specifically, the control section 110 obtains the image
signal supplied from the imaging section 170. The control section
110 detects the marks from the shot image represented by the image
signal obtained to obtain the centroid position of each of the
marks as the coordinate value of the mark. The control section 110
associates the marks detected in the shot image with the image
projected, namely the marks in the calibration image. The control
section 110 associates the coordinate values of the marks in the
shot image and the coordinate values of the marks in the projection
image with each other to thereby generate the calibration data
having a table form or a function form. The coordinate values of
the marks in the calibration image are stored in the storage
section 120 in advance together with the calibration image, or
included in the calibration image. In the case in which the
calibration data has already been stored, the control section 110
updates the calibration data stored. Further, the control section
110 identifies the projection area (the projection image) in the
shot image based on the coordinate values of the marks in the shot
image.
[0069] Then, the control section 110 (the mask processing section
116) performs (step SA3) the mask process. The mask process is a
process for generating a mask image for setting a grayscale value
determined in advance to the outside of the area including the
projection image in the shot image. By superimposing the mask image
on the shot image, the outside of the area including the projection
image is masked in the shot image, and thus, the outside light and
the illumination light existing in the area on which no image is
projected are no longer detected when the control section 110
identifies the position of the pointing element 20.
[0070] The mask process will be described using FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a
diagram showing an example of the shot image. The control section
110 obtains the data representing which ones of the marks included
in the calibration image form the mark row located outermost in
each of the upper, lower, right, and left directions. The data is
stored in the storage section 120 so as to be associated with, for
example, the calibration image. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the
mark row located outermost on the left side of the calibration
image is the mark row T. The control section 110 obtains the center
coordinate of each of the marks included in the mark row T from the
calibration data. The control section 110 adds a value determined
in advance to the center coordinate of each of the marks thus
obtained to determine an end of the area (hereinafter referred to
as a detection area for the sake of convenience of explanation) in
which the position of the pointing element 20 is detected.
[0071] For example, the mark row T is the mark row located
outermost on the left side of the calibration image, and therefore,
the value determined in advance is subtracted from the Y coordinate
value of each of the marks to obtain the coordinate value of the
left end of the detection area. In the case of the mark T3 (X3, Y3)
of the mark row T shown in FIG. 8, the coordinate (X3, Y3-a), which
is obtained by subtracting the value a determined in advance from
the Y coordinate value Y3, becomes the left end of the detection
area in the case in which the coordinate in the X-axis direction is
X3. It should be noted that the value of a is set so that the
detection area includes the projection area.
[0072] The control section 110 obtains the coordinate value of the
end of the detection area in each of the upper, lower, right, and
left directions of the projection image. It should be noted that
regarding the area where the mark does not exist, it is also
possible to obtain the coordinate values of the ends using an
interpolation process. The control section 110 stores the
coordinate values of the side H1, the side H2, the side H3, and the
side H4 thus obtained in the storage section 120.
[0073] Then, the control section 110 generates the mask image using
the coordinate values of the detection area thus obtained. Here,
the control section 110 generates the mask image set so that the
grayscale value becomes 0 in the areas outside the range of the
detection area. The control section 110 stores the mask image thus
generated in the storage section 120.
[0074] The control section 110 (the mask processing section 116)
having terminated the calibration process obtains the mask image
stored in the storage section 120 and then masks the shot image
with the mask image when identifying the position of the pointing
element 20.
[0075] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the mask image. In
FIG. 9, the white area corresponds to the detection area. Further,
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the shot image masked
with the mask image. In FIG. 10, the hatched area indicates the
area of the projection image G1, and the black area indicates the
area of the mask image. Further, in the shot image, a part located
outside the projection area shows in the area between the
projection image and the mask image. In the case of identifying the
position of the pointing element 20, the control section 110 masks
the shot image with the mask image as shown in FIG. 10, and thus,
the control section becomes not to detect the outside light and the
illumination light existing outside the projection area.
[0076] Then, an operation example in the case of performing the
tiling display with the projectors 10A, 10B will be described. The
user firstly performs the operation of expanding the detection area
before performing the tiling display. Specifically, the user
performs an operation of instructing display of a setup screen for
setting the detection area using the remote controller. When the
operation is performed with the remote controller, the control
section 110 supplies the video processing section 150 with the
signal of the on-screen image of the setup screen for setting the
detection area. When the video processing section 150 supplies the
projection section 140 with the signal of this on-screen image, the
setup screen for setting the detection area is projected on the
screen SC.
[0077] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the setup screen.
The user operates the remote controller to set the relative
position of the projection image of the projector, which performs
the tiling display together with the projector displaying the setup
screen, to the projection image of the projector displaying the
setup screen when performing the tiling display. For example, in
the case in which the projection image of the projector 10B is
projected next to the projection image of the projector 10A as
shown in FIG. 1, the user selects the right side in the setup
screen shown in FIG. 11 in the projector 10A, and selects the left
side in the setup screen shown in FIG. 11 in the projector 10B.
[0078] In the case in which the right side is selected and then the
operation of holding down the OK button is performed in the setup
screen shown in FIG. 11, the control section 110A of the projector
10A obtains the mask image stored in the storage section 120A. The
control section 110A deforms the mask image so that the detection
area is expanded to the right in the mask image thus obtained, and
then stores the mask image thus deformed in the storage section
120A.
[0079] Further, in the case in which the left side is selected and
then the operation of holding down the OK button is performed in
the setup screen shown in FIG. 11, the control section 110B of the
projector 10B obtains the mask image stored in the storage section
120B. The control section 110B deforms the mask image so that the
detection area is expanded to the left in the mask image thus
obtained, and then stores the mask image thus deformed in the
storage section 120B.
[0080] FIG. 12A is a diagram showing an example of the mask image
with the detection area expanded to the right, and FIG. 12B is a
diagram showing an example of the mask image with the detection
area expanded to the left. In the case in which the function of the
tiling display is in the ON state, the control section 110A (the
setting section 118) obtains the mask image thus deformed from the
storage section 120A. The control section 110A (the mask processing
section 116) masks the shot image with the mask image thus
obtained. Further, in the case in which the function of the tiling
display is in the ON state, the control section 110B (the setting
section 118) obtains the mask image thus deformed from the storage
section 120B. The control section 110B (the mask processing section
116) masks the shot image with the mask image thus obtained. It
should be noted that the ON/OFF state of the function of the tiling
display is set by the user operating the remote controller. The
control section 110 (the discrimination section 117) determines
whether the state (the first state) of using the projector alone is
set, or the state (the second state) of performing the tiling
display is set in accordance with the result of the setting by the
user.
[0081] FIG. 13A is a diagram showing an example of the state of
masking the shot image, which is obtained by the imaging section
170A, with the mask image shown in FIG. 12A. In FIG. 13A, the
hatched area indicates the area in which the whole of the
projection image G1A of the projector 10A and at least a part of
the projection image G1B of the projector 10B show, and the black
area indicates the area of the mask image. Further, in the shot
image, a part located outside the projection area shows in the area
between the projection image and the mask image.
[0082] In the projector 10A, since a part of the projection image
of the projector 10B is included in the detection area, in the case
in which the pointing element 20 has moved from the inside of the
area of the projection image of the projector 10B toward the
projection image of the projector 10A, it is possible to identify
the position of the pointing element 20 before the pointing element
20 enters the area of the projection image of the projector
10A.
[0083] In the case in which the drawing function is in the ON
state, and the pointing element 20 has moved from the inside of the
area of the projection image of the projector 10B to the area of
the projection image of the projector 10A, the control section 110A
projects an image of a line connecting the position of the pointing
element 20 before entering the area of the projection image of the
projector 10A and the position of the pointing element 20 when
having entered the area of the projection image of the projector
10A to each other. Thus, even in the case in which the pointing
element 20 moves straddling the projection image of the projector
10A and the projection image of the projector 10B, it is possible
to project the line drawn in the projector 10A and the line drawn
in the projector 10B so as to be connected to each other.
[0084] Further, FIG. 13B is a diagram showing an example of the
state of masking the shot image, which is obtained by the imaging
section 170B, with the mask image shown in FIG. 12B. In FIG. 13B,
the hatched area indicates the area in which at least a part of the
projection image G1A of the projector 10A and the whole of the
projection image G1B of the projector 10B show, and the black area
indicates the area of the mask image. Further, in the shot image, a
part located outside the projection area shows in the area between
the projection image and the mask image.
[0085] In the projector 10B, since a part of the projection image
of the projector 10A is included in the detection area, in the case
in which the pointing element 20 has moved from the inside of the
area of the projection image of the projector 10A toward the
projection image of the projector 10B, it is possible to identify
the position of the pointing element 20 before the pointing element
20 enters the area of the projection image of the projector
10B.
[0086] In the case in which the drawing function is in the ON
state, and the pointing element 20 has moved from the inside of the
area of the projection image of the projector 10A to the area of
the projection image of the projector 10B, the control section 110B
projects an image of a line connecting the position of the pointing
element 20 before entering the area of the projection image of the
projector 10B and the position of the pointing element 20 when
having entered the area of the projection image of the projector
10B to each other. Thus, even in the case in which the pointing
element 20 moves straddling the projection image of the projector
10A and the projection image of the projector 10B, it is possible
to project the line drawn in the projector 10A and the line drawn
in the projector 10B so as to be connected to each other.
MODIFIED EXAMPLES
[0087] Although the embodiment of the invention is described
hereinabove, the invention is not limited to the embodiment
described above, but can be implemented in other various forms. For
example, the invention can be implemented by modifying the
embodiment described above as follows. It should be noted that the
embodiment described above and the following modified examples can
be implemented alone or in arbitrary combination.
[0088] Although in the embodiment described above, the projection
image of the projector 10A and the projection image of the
projector 10B are projected so as to have contact with each other,
it is also possible to project the projection image of the
projector 10A and the projection image of the projector 10B so as
to be separated from each other.
[0089] In the invention, it is also possible to project the images
side by side with three or more projectors 10. In this case, in the
projector 10 projecting an image, on both sides of which images of
other projectors are projected, "BOTH SIDES" is selected in the
setup screen shown in FIG. 11. If "BOTH SIDES" is selected in the
setup screen shown in FIG. 11, the projector 10 deforms the mask
image so that the detection area is expanded to both of the right
and left sides in the mask image generated in the calibration
process, and then stores the mask image thus deformed in the
storage section 120. In the case in which it is necessary to
identify the position of the pointing element 20, the control
section 110 obtains the mask image thus deformed from the storage
section 120, and then masks the shot image with the mask image thus
obtained.
[0090] In the embodiment described above, the timing of deforming
the mask image generated in the calibration process comes after the
setup is performed on the setup screen shown in FIG. 11, but is not
limited to this timing. For example, it is also possible to adopt a
configuration in which the mask image with the detection area
expanded to the right and the mask image with the detection area
expanded to the left are generated when generating the mask image
in the step SA3. Further, it is also possible to arrange that the
mask image corresponding to the setup thus performed is used in the
case in which the user performs the setup on the setup screen shown
in FIG. 11.
[0091] In the embodiment described above, the projectors 10A, 10B
are arranged horizontally, and the pictures projected by the
projectors 10A, 10B are arranged horizontally, but the invention is
not limited to this configuration. For example, it is also possible
that the pictures are arranged vertically by respectively
projecting the pictures in the horizontal direction from the two
projectors arranged vertically wherein in the projector for
projecting the upper picture, the outside of an area including the
whole of the upper picture and a part of the lower picture close to
the upper part is set to the area of the mask image, and in the
projector for projecting the lower picture, the outside of an area
including the whole of the lower picture and a part of the upper
picture close to the lower part is set to the area of the mask
image.
* * * * *