Projection system, projection method, and program recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10887563-B2
Application number	US-201716333622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2017
Priority date	Sep 21, 2016
Publication date	Jan 5, 2021
Grant date	Jan 5, 2021

Abstract

To safely project a desired projection image in any projection area, provided is a projection system including: a projection device projecting light forming display information in a projection area; an imaging device capturing a range including the projection area; and a control device controlling to cause the projection device to project light and the imaging device to capture the projection area. The control device includes: an analysis circuit accumulating image information about the projection area captured by the imaging device and detects an abnormality in the projection area by comparing any one piece of accumulated image information about the projection area with image information about the projection area most recently captured by the imaging device; and a safety control circuit executing safety control to change a projection condition for the projection device when an abnormality is detected in the projection area by the analysis circuit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A projection system comprising:
a projector configured to project light forming display information in a projection area;
a camera configured to capture an image of a range including the projection area;
at least one memory storing instructions;
at least one processor connected to the at least one memory and configured to execute the instructions to:
control the projector to project light;
control the camera to capture an image of the projection area;
accumulate image information about the projection area captured by the camera;
detect an optical reflector in the projection area by comparing any one piece of accumulated image information about the projection area with image information about the projection area most recently captured by the camera; and
execute safety control to change a projection condition for the projector when the optical reflector is detected in the projection area;

a reflecting mirror configured to be disposed on an emission axis of projection light from the projector, and the reflecting mirror configured to reflect the projection light toward a plurality of the projection areas; and
a half mirror configured to be disposed between the projector and the reflecting mirror, the half mirror configured to let the projection light pass through, and the half mirror configured to reflect images of a plurality of the projection areas being reflected by the reflecting mirror toward the camera.

2. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to control the projector to stop projection of light when the optical reflector is detected in the projection area.

3. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to control the projector to shift a projection direction of light when the optical reflector is detected in the projection area.

4. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to measure a distance from any one of locations on a projected surface including the projection area by using image information about the projection area.

5. The projection system according to claim 4 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to measure a distance based on a principle of triangulation by using image information about the projection area.

6. The projection system according to claim 4 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to:
control the projector to project spot light in the projection area; and
measure a distance based on a principle of triangulation by using image information obtained by capturing an image of the spot light displayed in the projection area by controlling the camera.

7. The projection system according to claim 4 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to:
control the projector to project a predetermined pattern in the projection area; and
measure a distance by using image information obtained by capturing an image of the predetermined pattern displayed in the projection area by controlling the camera.

8. The projection system according to claim 4 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to:
control the projector to project an alignment pattern in which predetermined marks are aligned in the projection area; and
control the camera to detect a change in the projected surface by using image information obtained by capturing an image of the alignment pattern displayed in the projection area.

9. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein,
the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to:
detect a defect area in the display information; and
determine that the optical reflector is located in the defect area.

10. The projection system according to claim 9 , wherein
the camera captures an image of a range including a detection area outside of the projection area, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to:
detect the optical reflector in the detection area;
calculate a positional relationship between the optical reflector and the projection area by measuring a distance from the optical reflector; and
execute safety control at a timing when the optical reflector enters the projection area.

11. The projection system according to claim 1 , wherein
the projector includes:
a light source configured to emit a laser beam,
a phase modulation type spatial light modulation element including a display part that displays a phase distribution corresponding to the display information; and
a projection optical system configured to project reflected light of a laser beam irradiated on the display part of the spatial light modulation element from the light source.

12. A projection method comprising:
controlling a projector to project light forming display information in a projection area;
controlling a camera to capture an image of a range including the projection area;
accumulating image information about the captured projection area;
detecting an optical reflector in the projection area by comparing any one piece of accumulated image information about the projection area with image information about the projection area most recently captured; and
executing safety control to change a projection condition when the optical reflector is detected in the projection area, wherein,
the controlling the projector to project light comprises:
reflecting the projection light toward a plurality of the projection areas by a reflecting mirror configured to be disposed on an emission axis of projection light from the projector; and
reflecting images of a plurality of the projection areas being reflected by the reflecting mirror toward the camera by a half mirror configured to be disposed between the projector and the reflecting mirror, the half mirror let the projection light pass through.

13. A non-transitory program recording medium recording a program causing a computer to execute:
processing of controlling a projector to project light forming display information in a projection area;
processing of controlling a camera to capture an image of a range including the projection area;
processing of accumulating image information about the captured projection area;
processing of detecting an optical reflector in the projection area by comparing any one piece of accumulated image information about the projection area with image information about the projection area most recently captured; and
processing of executing safety control to change a projection condition when the optical reflector is detected in the projection area, wherein,
the processing of controlling the projector to project light comprises:
reflecting the projection light toward a plurality of the projection areas by a reflecting mirror configured to be disposed on an emission axis of projection light from the projector; and
reflecting images of a plurality of the projection areas being reflected by the reflecting mirror toward the camera by a half mirror configured to be disposed between the projector and the reflecting mirror, the half mirror let the projection light pass through.

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Watanabe Go
• Okumura Fujio

Classifications

• G06T7/001 Primary

  using an image reference approach · CPC title

• H04N9/3155 Primary

  for controlling the light source (light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406) · CPC title

• G03B21/00

  Projectors or projection-type viewers; Accessories therefor (devices for changing pictures G03B23/00) · CPC title

• H04N5/74

  Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor · CPC title

• G03B21/14

  Details · CPC title