Apparatus and method for projection image having an image processing device with a replica image information generating unit

1. A method of projecting an image for an image projecting apparatus that includes a lighting optical system that emits a light beam, an image processing device that processes image information of a source image, a spatial light modulator that modulates the light beam based on the image information of the source image, and a projection optical system that projects the light beam modulated by the spatial light modulator on a screen as a projection image, the method comprising:

compensation operating including the image processing device performing a first compensation of highlighting a high frequency range of a spatial frequency component of the image information of the source image and a second compensation of increasing, when it is determined that average brightness of image information of the projection image is under average brightness of the image information of the source image having a single spatial frequency on which the first compensation is performed, an area having brightness above the average brightness of the image information of the source image in the image information of the projection image, and when it is determined that the average brightness of the image information of the projection image is above the average brightness of the image information of the source image, an area having brightness under the average brightness of the image information of the source image in the image information of the projection image.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compensation operating further includes

replica image information generating including the image processing device generating replica image information for obtaining the projection image on the screen by the first compensating;

first image information generating including the image processing device generating first image information based on a division of brightness of the image information of the source image and brightness of each pixel of the replica image information;

second image information generating including the image processing device generating second image information based on a convolution integral of brightness of the first image information and a point spread function of the projection optical system; and

output image information generating including the image processing device generating and updating output image information based on a product of brightness of the second image information and brightness of each pixel of the output image information.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the compensation operating further includes brightness adjusting including the image processing device adjusting brightness of a pixel of the output image information, which is over a rated maximum value, to the rated maximum value.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compensation operating further includes

replica image information generating including the image processing device generating replica image information for obtaining the projection image information on the screen by the first compensating;

first image information generating including the image processing device generating first image information based on a division of brightness of each pixel of the replica image information and brightness of the image information of the source image;

second image information generating including the image processing device generating second image information, based on a convolution integral of brightness of the first image information and a point spread function of the projection optical system;

output image information generating including the image processing device generating and updating output image information based on a sum of brightness of the second image information and brightness of each pixel of the output image information; and

at least one of first brightness adjusting including the image processing device adjusting brightness of a pixel of the output image information, which is over a rated maximum value, to the rated maximum value and second brightness adjusting including the image processing device adjusting brightness of a pixel of the output image information, which is under a rated minimum value, to the rated minimum value.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the compensation operating further includes replica image information generating including the image processing device generating the replica image information based on a convolution integral of brightness of the output image information and the point spread function of the projection optical system.

6. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the compensation operating further includes

initial value generating including the image processing device generating an initial value of the output image information by a convolution of the image information of the source image and an inverse filter coefficient of the point spread function of the projection optical system before generating the replica image information; and

at least one of first brightness adjusting including the image processing device adjusting brightness of a pixel of the initial value of the output image information, which is over a rated maximum value, to the rated maximum value and second brightness adjusting including the image processing device adjusting brightness of a pixel of the initial value of the output image information, which is under a rated minimum value, to the rated minimum value.

7. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the compensation operating further includes modified replica image generating including the image processing device generating modified replica image information based on a product of brightness of the replica image information at coordinates on the screen and a reflectivity of the screen at coordinates corresponding to the coordinates of the replica image information.

8. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the point spread function is a function that varies depending on the coordinates on the screen.

9. An apparatus for projecting an image, comprising:

a lighting optical system that emits a light beam;

an image processing device that processes image information of a source image;

a spatial light modulator that modulates the light beam based on the image information of the source image; and

a projection optical system that projects the light beam modulated by the spatial light modulator on a screen as a projection image, wherein

the image processing device includes

a replica image information generating unit that generates replica image information for obtaining the projection image on the screen,

a first image information generating unit that generates first image information based on a division of brightness of the image information of the source image and brightness of each pixel of the replica image information,

a second image information generating unit that generates second image information based on a convolution integral of brightness of the first image information and a point spread function of the projection optical system, and

an output image information generating unit that generates and updates output image information based on a product of brightness of the second image information and brightness of each pixel of the output image information.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the output image information generating unit includes a maximum limiting unit that adjusts brightness of a pixel of the output image information, which is over a rated maximum value, to the rated maximum value.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the replica image information generating unit generates the replica image information based on a convolution integral of brightness of the output image information and the point spread function of the projection optical system.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the image processing device further includes

an output image information initial value generating unit that generates an initial value of the output image information by a convolution of the image information of the source image and an inverse filter coefficient of a point spread function of the projection optical system before the replica image information is generated, and

at least one of a maximum limiting unit that adjusts brightness of a pixel of the initial value of the output image information, which is over a rated maximum value, to the rated maximum value and a minimum limiting unit that adjusts brightness of a pixel of the initial value of the output image information, which is under a rated minimum value, to the rated minimum value.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the replica image information generating unit generates modified replica image information based on a product of brightness of the replica image information at coordinates on the screen and a reflectivity of the screen at coordinates corresponding to the coordinates of the replica image information.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the point spread function is a function that varies depending on the coordinates on the screen.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the image processing device further includes a numeric table for performing the division.

16. An apparatus for projecting an image, comprising:

a lighting optical system that emits a light beam;

an image processing device that processes source image information;

a spatial light modulator that modulates the light beam by spatial modulation based on a result of processing the source image information; and

a projection optical system that projects the light beam modulated by the spatial light modulator on a screen as a projection image, wherein

the image processing device includes

a replica image information generating unit that generates replica image information for obtaining the projection image on the screen,

a first image information generating unit that generates first image information based on a division of brightness of the image information of the source image and brightness of each pixel of the replica image information,

a second image information generating unit that generates second image information based on a convolution integral of brightness of the first image information and a point spread function of the projection optical system,

an output image information generating unit that generates and updates output image information based on a sum of brightness of the second image information and brightness of each pixel of the output image information, and

at least one of a maximum limiting unit that adjusts brightness of a pixel of the output image information, which is over a rated maximum value, to the rated maximum value and a minimum limiting unit that adjusts brightness of a pixel of the output image information, which is under a rated minimum value, to the rated minimum value.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the replica image information generating unit generates the replica image information based on a convolution integral of brightness of the output image information and the point spread function of the projection optical system.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the image processing device further includes

an output image information initial value generating unit that generates an initial value of the output image information by a convolution of the image information of the source image and an inverse filter coefficient of a point spread function of the projection optical system before the replica image information is generated, and

at least one of a maximum limiting unit that adjusts brightness of a pixel of the initial value of the output image information, which is over a rated maximum value, to the rated maximum value and a minimum limiting unit that adjusts brightness of a pixel of the initial value of the output image information, which is under a rated minimum value, to the rated minimum value.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the replica image information generating unit generates modified replica image information based on a product of brightness of the replica image information at coordinates on the screen and a reflectivity of the screen at coordinates corresponding to the coordinates of the replica image information.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the point spread function is a function that varies depending on the coordinates on the screen.