Granted Patent B2

US 9,100,681 · App. 13/808,531 · Granted Aug 4, 2015

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. An apparatus comprising:

an image input surface that is visible to users;

an image capture unit configured to capture images of the image input surface;

a control unit configured to detect visual content projected by a user with a handheld data projector on the image input surface, the visual content comprising at least one item selected from a group comprising: an image; a slideshow; and a video;

a display surface that is visible to the users; and

a display configured to display the detected visual content on the display surface under control of the control unit in response to the detecting of the visual content being projected with the handheld data projector on the image surface;

wherein the control unit is further configured to cause the displaying of the visual content in a manner that maintains a visual appearance of the visual content on the display when projected by the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display surface comprises the image input surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display surface is the image input surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to cause storing of the detected image in a memory.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the visual content projected by the user is based on a predetermined triggering event.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the triggering event is selected from a group comprising: detecting visual content that is sufficiently well focused; and detecting an image or video that is kept sufficiently still with relation to the display surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to maintain the displaying of the detected visual content only for a given displaying period.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the control unit is further configured to gradually remove the visual content from the display.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the control unit is further configured to provide a visual indication of a remaining part of the given displaying period.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the control unit is further configured to allow users, during the given displaying period, to increase or decrease the given displaying period.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a communication interface configured to exchange visual content with one or more auxiliary devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a moderation circuitry configured to enable approving of the visual content and further configured to prevent or stop the displaying of the determined content until the approving of the visual content.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image capture unit is further configured to detect permission content and the control unit is further configured to subject the displaying of the visual content to the detecting of the permission content.

14. A method comprising:

capturing images of an image input surface that is visible to the users;

detecting visual content projected by a user with a handheld data projector on the image input surface, the visual content comprising at least one item selected from a group comprising: an image; a slideshow; and a video; and

displaying a detected image on a display surface that is visible to the users in response to the detecting of the visual content being projected by the user with the handheld data projector on the image surface, in a manner that maintains a visual appearance of the visual content on the display when projected by the user.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising using of the display surface as the image input surface.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the detecting of visual content is based on a predetermined triggering event.

17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer executable program code stored thereon, wherein said program code is configured to, when executed, cause an apparatus to perform the method of claim 14 .

18. A system comprising:

an apparatus and a handheld device;

the apparatus comprising an image input surface that is visible to users;

the handheld device comprising:

a memory configured to store visual content; and

a projector configured to project the visual content onto the image input surface, the visual content comprising at least one item selected from a group comprising: an image; a slideshow; and a video;

the apparatus further comprising:

an image capture unit configured to capture images of the image input surface;

a control unit configured to detect visual content projected by a user with a handheld projector on the image input surface; and

a display surface that is visible to the users;

a display configured to display a detected image on the display surface under control of the control unit in response to the detecting of the visual content being projected with the handheld projector on the image input surface, in a manner that maintains a visual appearance of the visual content on the display when projected by the user;

the handheld device further comprising:

a user interface configured receive commands from a user and to enable controlling of the handheld projector to project the visual content onto the image input surface responsive to receiving of a corresponding command from the user.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the projector is further configured to project permission content onto the image input surface and the control unit is configured to detect the permission content based on the captured images and to responsively authorize transfer of the visual content to the apparatus.

Assignments (8)