Mechanical system on computer with rotational projector and RealSense™ camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11210798-B2
Application number	US-201816201894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2018
Priority date	Jul 1, 2016
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

Methods and apparatus relating to a mechanical system on computer with rotational projector and RealSense™ camera are described. In an embodiment, a device includes three portions: a first portion to comprise a projector; a second portion to comprise a camera; and a third portion to comprise one or more computing system components. At least the first and second portions are rotationally engaged to allow for independent rotation of the first portion and the second portion. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first portion to comprise a projector;
a second portion to comprise a speaker; and
a third portion to comprise one or more computing system components,
wherein at least the first portion and the second portion are to be rotationally engaged to allow for independent rotation of the first portion and the second portion, wherein two or more stepping motors are to cause rotation of the projector along a horizontal axis or a vertical axis, wherein the third portion comprises an exposed surface capable to exchange heat with an outside perimeter of the apparatus, wherein the exposed surface is to operate as a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by the one or more computing system components,
wherein the one or more computing systems comprises logic, which is to determine a projection surface based at least in part on one or more images of a surrounding area, wherein the logic is to cause adjustment to a location of the projector to cause projection of an image by the projector towards the determined projection surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the logic is to determine the projection surface based at least in part on analysis of one or more of: one or more projection surface characteristics, distance between the projection surface and the projector, presence of obstructions on a light path between the projector and the projection surface, and presence of objects or writing on the projection surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions are to be stacked with the second portion to be located below the first portion when the apparatus is in operation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a camera to capture one or more images of a surrounding area.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the camera comprises a RealSenseTM camera.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are allowed to rotate along the same axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the two or more stepping motors are to cause the rotation via engagement of two or more gears, wherein each of the two or more gears is to be coupled between one of the two or more stepping motors and a carrier for the projector or a carrier for the projector.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an opening to carry one or more wires between one or more of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the opening is to be provided in a central location of the first, second, and third portions to allow for relative rotation of the first portion and the second portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a reference disk having an open slot, wherein rotation of the projector is to be detected at a photo interrupter sensor based at least in part on an open slot in a reference disk, wherein the reference disk is to rotate with the projector along the vertical axis or the horizontal axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more stops to limit the rotation of the first portion or the second portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a battery to supply electrical power to one or more of: the projector, the speaker, and the one or more computing system components.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third portion is to be stationary while the first portion or the second portion are rotated.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing system components comprise the one or more processor cores and one or more of: one or more graphics processing units, memory, projector driver circuitry, a battery, a wired communication device, a wireless communication device, a microphone, a power supply, a power converter, one or more solar cells, and one or more input buttons.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is to have a substantially cylindrical shape.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are to communicate via wireless or wired signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing system components comprise one or more processors cores to analyze one or more images to be displayed by the projector.

18. A projection apparatus comprising:
a cylindrical housing having a first portion, a second portion, and
an opening in a central portion of the cylindrical housing;
the first portion to include at least one projector;
the second portion to include at least one speaker,
wherein the first and second portions are to be stacked with the second portion located below the first portion when the projection apparatus is in operation,
wherein the first portion and the second portion are to be rotationally engaged to allow for independent rotation of the first portion and the second portion,
wherein two or more stepping motors are to cause rotation of the at least one projector along a horizontal axis or a vertical axis,
wherein one or more computing system components are coupled to the at least one projector,
wherein the one or more computing system components are coupled to an exposed surface capable to exchange heat with an outside perimeter of the projection apparatus,
wherein the exposed surface is to operate as a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by the one or more computing system components,
wherein the one or more computing systems comprises logic, which is to determine a projection surface based at least in part on one or more images of a surrounding area, wherein the logic is to cause adjustment to a location of the at least one projector to cause projection of an image by the at least one projector towards the determined projection surface.

19. The projection apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the opening is to allow for passage of one or more wires between the first portion and the second portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more computing system components comprise one or more processor cores and one or more of: one or more graphics processing units, memory, projector driver circuitry, a battery, a wired communication device, a wireless communication device, a microphone, a power supply, a power converter, one or more solar cells, and one or more input buttons.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more computing system components comprise one or more processors cores to analyze one or more images to be displayed by the projector.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the logic is to determine the projection surface based at least in part on analysis of one or more of: one or more projection surface characteristics, distance between the projection surface and the projector, presence of obstructions on a light path between the projector and the projection surface, and presence of objects or writing on the projection surface.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Tsai Simon
• Ku Jeff
• Sung Gavin
• Zagacki Paul M
• Liu Tim
• Wang Ivan By
• Hamlin Christopher J

Classifications

• H04N23/51 Primary

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/11

  for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths · CPC title

• G06T7/80

  Analysis of captured images to determine intrinsic or extrinsic camera parameters, i.e. camera calibration · CPC title

• G06T7/40

  Analysis of texture (depth or shape recovery from texture G06T7/529) · CPC title

• G06T7/50 Primary

  Depth or shape recovery · CPC title