IP Library Granted Patent US 10,409,031
Granted Patent B2
US 10,409,031 · App. 15/777,095 · Granted Sep 10, 2019

Image projection apparatus

Inventor: Mitsuhiko Oota (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
G02B7/28G02B26/0833G02B27/0025G03B21/00G03B21/142G03B21/28G03B21/53
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,409,031
App. No.
15/777,095
Granted
Sep 10, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image projection apparatus has: a deformable mirror configured from a plurality of micromirrors; an optical system to form, on the deformable mirror, an intermediate image of an image to be formed based on image data outputted from an image output unit; an imaging device; an image comparator; and a controller for controlling the deformable mirror. The image comparator performs comparison between the image data outputted from the image output unit, and image pickup data of a projection surface, the image of which is picked up by the imaging device, and obtains blur correction amount of the image on the projection surface by each divided region of a projection image, and based on the blur correction amount of the image on the projection surface, said blur correction amount having been obtained by each region, the controller moves, corresponding to the blur correction amount, the micromirrors corresponding to respective regions.

Claims (25)

1. An image projection apparatus projecting an optical image based on input image data onto a projection surface, comprising:

a light source configured to emit light;

a light modulator configured to modulate the light from the light source based on the input image data to form the optical image;

a deformable mirror that is configured with a plurality of micromirrors;

a first optical system configured to guide the optical image formed by the light modulator onto the deformable mirror;

a second optical system configured to project the optical image reflected by the deformable mirror onto the projection surface;

an imaging device configured to obtain imaging data of the projected optical image on the projection surface;

an image comparing processor configured to compare the input image data and the imaging data of the projected optical image from the imaging device; and

a controller configured to control the deformable mirror,

wherein the image comparing processor compares the input image data and the imaging data of the projected optical image to obtain a blur correction amount of the projected optical image for each of several divided regions of the projected optical image, each of the divided regions corresponding to one of the micromirrors, and

wherein the controller moves the position of the micromirror of the deformable mirror corresponding to each divided region to adjust the focus corresponding to each divided region based on the blur correction amount of the projected optical image obtained for each divided region.

2. The image projection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a cylindrical lens is arranged in the imaging device.

3. The image projection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the image comparing processor analyzes an image formed on an imaging element of the imaging device for each of the divided regions and provides an instruction of a moving direction of a corresponding micromirror among the plurality of micromirrors constituting the deformable mirror to the controller based on a result of comparing blur amounts in two orthogonal directions within the image.

4. The image projection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of a projection optical system for projecting the optical image on the projection surface is common to a portion of an imaging optical system of the imaging device.

5. An image projection apparatus projecting an optical image based on input image data onto a projection surface, comprising:

a light source configured to emit light;

a light modulator configured to modulate the light from the light source based on the input image data to form the optical image;

a deformable mirror that is configured with a plurality of micromirrors;

a first optical system configured to guide the optical image formed by the light modulator onto the deformable mirror;

a second optical system configured to project the optical image reflected by the deformable mirror onto the projection surface;

a distance detector configured to measure a distance to the projection surface; and

a controller configured to control the deformable mirror,

wherein the second optical system outputs information about a focus position of the second optical system,

wherein the distance detector detects the distance to the projection surface for each of multiple divided regions of the projection surface and outputs the distance to the controller, each of the divided regions corresponding to one of the micromirrors, and

wherein the controller moves the position of the micromirror of the deformable mirror corresponding to each divided region of the projection surface to control the focus of each divided region based on the information on the focus position of the second optical system input from the second optical system and the distance to each divided region of the projection surface input from the distance detector.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 3, 2021
From: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
To: MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058666/0407 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 29, 2021
From: MAXELL, LTD.
To: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058255/0579 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2018
From: OOTA, MITSUHIKO
To: MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 045876/0931 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180356612A1 · Dec 13, 2018