Remote control of projection and camera system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9430187-B2
Application number	US-201514723800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2015
Priority date	Aug 1, 2012
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A device includes a projection and camera system to create an augmented reality environment in which images are projected onto a scene and user movement within the scene is captured. The projection and camera system have a camera to image scattered IR light from the scene and compute time of flight values used in depth mapping of objects in the room. The system also has a projector to project the images onto the scene. The system controls the camera and projector mounted in a moveable head of a lamp with a motor mounted elsewhere in the lamp. In one implementation, the motor is mounted in the base of a table lamp.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
projecting, by a device into an environment, light from a projector in a head structure of the device;
receiving reflected light at a sensor in the head structure along an optical path in the head structure shared in common by the sensor and the projector, the reflected light being light reflected by one or more objects in the environment;
determining, by the device, distance information of the one or more objects relative to the sensor, the distance information being based at least in part on the reflected light; and
adjusting, by the device using a motor residing in a base structure of the device, a position of the head structure or a component housed in the head structure based at least in part on a first distance information associated with a first object of the one or more objects.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting includes rotating the head structure or the component about at least two different axes.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting includes rotating the head structure or the component about one of: a pan axis, a tilt axis, or a roll axis.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting includes rotating the head structure or the component about a pan axis, a tilt axis, and a roll axis.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a time-of-flight sensor and determining the distance information comprises:
determining time-of-flight information associated with the one or more objects based at least in part on the reflected light; and
determining the distance information associated with the one or more objects relative to the time-of-flight sensor, the distance information being based at least in part on the time-of-flight information.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting includes a pull or push action to cause rotation of the head structure or the component.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting includes applying torque by the motor in the base structure to a pulley, the torque causing a pull or push action on a member operably connected to the pulley to cause rotation of the head structure or the component.

8. A method comprising:
receiving reflected light at a sensor in a head structure of a device, the reflected light being light reflected from one or more objects;
determining, by the device, distance information of the one or more objects relative to the sensor, the distance information being based at least in part on the reflected light; and
adjusting, by the device using a motor residing in a base structure of the device, a position of the head structure or a component housed in the head structure based at least in part on a first distance information associated with a first object of the one or more objects.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the adjusting includes rotating the head structure or the component about at least two different axes.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the adjusting includes rotating the head structure or the component about one of: a pan axis, a tilt axis, or a roll axis.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the adjusting includes rotating the head structure or the component about a pan axis, a tilt axis, and a roll axis.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the sensor comprises a time-of-flight sensor and determining the distance information comprises:
determining time-of-flight information associated with the one or more objects based at least in part on the reflected light; and
determining the distance information associated with the one or more objects relative to the time-of-flight sensor, the distance information being based at least in part on the time-of-flight information.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the adjusting includes a pull or push action to cause rotation of the head structure or the component.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the adjusting includes applying torque by the motor in the base structure to a pulley, the torque causing a pull or push action on a member operably connected to the pulley to cause rotation of the head structure or the component.

15. A device comprising:
a head structure;
a base structure connected to the head structure;
a sensor housed in the head structure to receive reflected light, the reflected light being light reflected by one or more objects external to the device;
a processor, housed in one of the head structure or the base structure, to determine distance information of the one or more objects relative to the sensor, the distance information determined based at least in part on the reflected light; and
a drive mechanism to receive instructions from the processor to adjust a position of the head structure based at least in part on a first distance information associated with a first object of the one or more objects.

16. The device as recited in claim 15 , wherein the head structure is connected to the base structure via a connector that permits rotation about at least two different axes.

17. The device as recited in claim 15 , wherein the head structure is connected to the base structure via a connector that permits rotation about one of: a pan axis, a tilt axis, or a roll axis.

18. The device as recited in claim 15 , wherein the drive mechanism controls rotation of the head structure about a pan axis, a tilt axis, and a roll axis.

19. The device as recited in claim 15 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a pulley, a motor, a motor controller, and a member operationally connected to the pulley.

20. The device as recited in claim 19 , wherein the motor controls the member via the pulley to adjust the position of the head structure.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Poulad Navid
• Cederlof Colter Earl
• Satoh Juli Anna Maria
• Yuan Robert Allen
• Quento Steve Anthony

Classifications

• G06F3/011

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G03B21/145 Primary

  Housing details, e.g. position adjustments thereof · CPC title

• G03B21/30

  adapted to collapse or fold, e.g. for portability · CPC title

• G06F3/167 Primary

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• G03B21/132

  Overhead projectors, i.e. capable of projecting hand-writing or drawing during action (epidiascopic projectors G03B21/08) · CPC title