Image projection device, image projection system, and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9400562-B2
Application number	US-201314133853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2013
Priority date	Jan 16, 2013
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

An image projection device for projecting an image on a projection object includes a detecting unit configured to detect a detection object present within an object space corresponding to the image projected by the image projection device; a recognizing unit configured to recognize an instruction motion of a user based on detection of the detection object by the detecting unit; and an output unit configured to generate an output corresponding to the instruction motion recognized within the object space by the recognizing unit from the instruction motion and the image projected by the image projection device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image projection device for projecting an image on a projection object, the image projection device comprising:
a projection port from which projection light to project the image is emitted;
an image sensor configured to capture an image of an object space corresponding to the projected image, the object space including an upper edge of a projection region that indicates a region on which the image is projected on a projection object, the image sensor being disposed in a position different from the projection port; and
circuitry configured to
calculate a distance between the image projection device and the projection object using an amount of movement of the projection region in the image captured by the image sensor, the amount of movement changing depending on the distance between the image projection device and the projection object
calculate a size of the projection region using the calculated distance;
decide, as an instruction region in which an instruction motion of a user is performed, a region within the object space, using the calculated size of the projection region;
detect a detection object present within the decided instruction region
recognize the instruction motion of the user based on detection of the detection object; and
generate an output corresponding to the instruction motion recognized within the object space from the instruction motion and the image projected by the image projection device.

2. The image projection device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to
generate a UI image to be presented to the user according to the instruction motion performed within the instruction region;
combine an input video image and the generated UI image to generate a composite image; and
project the generated composite image on the projection object.

3. The image projection device according to claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the UI image according to a positional relation between the detection object and the projection region.

4. The image projection device according to claim 3 , wherein
the circuitry is configured to generate the UI image such that the UI image shows that a button is gradually pressed as the detection object approaches the projection region when an image of the button is displayed in a position corresponding to the detection object within the projection region, and
the circuitry is configured to generate the UI image such that the UI image shows completion of an operation when a distance between the detection object and the projection region becomes equal to or less than a threshold value.

5. The image projection device according to claim 3 , wherein
the circuitry is configured to generate the UI image such that the UI image shows that menus in a lower layer are gradually expanded as the detection object approaches the projection region when an image of the menus overlapping with a layered structure is displayed in a position corresponding to the detection object within the projection region, and
the circuitry is configured to generate the UI image such that the UI image shows that all the menus with the layered structure are arranged in a single plane and an operation is completed when a distance between the detection object and the projection region becomes equal to or less than a threshold value.

6. The image projection device according to claim 3 , wherein
the circuitry is configured to change the UI image such that the UI image shows that an object displayed in a position corresponding to the detection object within the projection region gradually protrudes toward the user as the detection object approaches the projection region,
the circuitry is configured to change the UI image such that the object moves so as to follow movement of the detection object moving within a region in the instruction region when the distance between the detection object and the projection region becomes equal to or less than a threshold value, and
the circuitry is configured to generate the UI image such that the UI image shows the object that has stopped following the movement of the detection object when the distance between the detection object and the projection region becomes larger than the threshold value.

7. The image projection device according to claim 3 , wherein
the circuitry is configured to generate the UI image such that the UI image shows that an object protrudes toward the user when the object is displayed in a position which is within the projection region and corresponds to the detection object and a distance between the detection object and the projection region is equal to or less than a threshold value,
the circuitry is configured to then generate the UI image such that the UI image shows that the object moves so as to follow movement of the detection object moving in a region within the instruction region in which the distance between the detection object and the projection region is larger than the threshold value, and
the circuitry is configured to generate the UI image such that the UI image shows that the object stops following the movement of the detection object and returns to a non-protruding state when the distance between the detection object and the projection region again becomes equal to or less than the threshold value.

8. The image projection device according to claim 1 , wherein a projection distance representing a distance between the projection port from which projection light is emitted and the projection object is set to a value smaller than a prescribed reference value.

9. An image projection system, comprising:
an image projection device configured to project an image on a projection object; and
an information processing device connected to the image projection device, wherein the information processing device includes
a projection port from which projection light to project the image is emitted;
an image sensor configured to capture an image of an object space corresponding to the projected image, the object space including an upper edge of a projection region that indicates a region on which the image is projected on a projection object, the image sensor being disposed in a position different from the projection port and
circuitry configured to
calculate a distance between the image projection device and the projection object using an amount of movement of the projection region in the image captured by the image sensor, the amount of movement changing depending on the distance between the image projection device and the projection object;
calculate a size of the projection region using the calculated distance;
decide, as an instruction region in which an instruction motion of a user is performed, a region within the object space, using the calculated size of the projection region;
detect a detection object present within the decided instruction region;
recognize the instruction motion of the user based on detection of the detection object and
generate an output corresponding to the instruction motion recognized within the object space from the instruction motion and the image projected by the image projection device.

10. The image projection system according to claim 9 , wherein the circuitry of the information processing device is further configured to
generate a UI image to be presented to the user according to the instruction motion performed within the instruction region;
combine an input video image and the generated UI image to generate a composite image; and
project the generated composite image on the projection object.

11. The image projection system according to claim 10 , wherein the circuitry of the in

Assignees

• Takazawa Kazuhiro
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takazawa Kazuhiro

Classifications

• G06V10/145

  Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings · CPC title

• G06K9/00335

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F3/017 Primary

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title

• G06F3/0304

  Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042) · CPC title

• G03B17/54

  with projector · CPC title