IP Library Granted Patent US 11,265,522
Granted Patent B2
US 11,265,522 · App. 16/895,472 · Granted Mar 1, 2022

Autofocus control system of projector

Inventor: Kazuhiko Tamesue (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
H04N9/317H04N9/3194H04N21/42204
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,265,522
App. No.
16/895,472
Granted
Mar 1, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The autofocus control system of a projector includes a projector and an imaging unit. The projector includes a lens actuator that drives a projection lens, and a first controller that projects a first or a second pattern image selected, the second pattern image being mesh-shaped more coarsely than the first pattern image. The imaging unit includes an imaging part that images the first or second pattern image selected to generate imaged data, a user interface part that acquires a zoom magnification, and a second controller that transmits a focus control command to the first controller based on the imaged data. The second controller transmits to the first controller, an instruction signal for selectively projecting the first pattern image when the zoom magnification is smaller than a given magnification, and an instruction signal for selectively projecting the second pattern image when the zoom magnification is the given magnification or larger.

Claims (33)

1. An autofocus control system of a projector, comprising:

a projector including

a lens actuator that drives a projection lens to perform focus adjustment,

a pattern image storage part that stores a first pattern image that is mesh-shaped and a second pattern image that is mesh-shaped more coarsely than the first pattern image, and

a first controller that selects the first or second pattern image and projects the first or second pattern image selected on a projection surface through the projection lens, and

an imaging unit including

an imaging part that images the first or second pattern image selected and projected on the projection surface to generate imaged data,

a user interface part that acquires a zoom magnification set by a user,

a zoom setting part that makes the imaging part perform zooming based on the zoom magnification having been set, and

a second controller that transmits a focus control command to the first controller based on the imaged data generated by the imaging part,

wherein the second controller transmits an instruction signal for selectively projecting the first pattern image to the first controller when the zoom magnification is smaller than a given magnification,

wherein the second controller transmits an instruction signal for selectively projecting the second pattern image to the first controller when the zoom magnification is the given magnification or larger, and

wherein the first controller makes the lens actuator actuate the projection lens according to the focus control command acquired from the second controller.

2. The autofocus control system of a projector of claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second pattern images are lattice-like, mesh patterns, and

wherein a line pitch of the second pattern image is larger than a line pitch of the first pattern image.

3. An autofocus control system of a projector, comprising:

a projector including

a lens actuator that drives a projection lens to perform focus adjustment,

a pattern image storage part that stores a first pattern image that is mesh-shaped and a second pattern image that is mesh-shaped more coarsely than the first pattern image, and

a first controller that selects the first or second pattern image and projects the first or second pattern image selected on a projection surface through the projection lens, and

an imaging unit including

an imaging part that images the first or second pattern image selected and projected on the projection surface to generate imaged data,

a focus analyzing part that analyzes the imaged data of the first or second pattern image imaged by the imaging part to acquire a focus level,

a second controller that transmits a focus control command to the first controller based on the imaged data generated by the imaging part,

an application program storage part that stores an autofocus application program, and

a user interface part that acquires instruction input from a user,

wherein the second controller transmits an instruction signal for selectively projecting the first pattern image to the first controller when the autofocus application program is executed according to the instruction input from the user to the user interface part,

wherein the second controller transmits the focus control command based on the imaged data of the first patten image when the focus level of the first pattern image acquired from the focus analyzing part is a given level or higher, and

wherein the second controller transmits an instruction signal for selectively projecting the second pattern image instead of the first pattern image to the first controller and transmits the focus control command based on the imaged data of the second pattern image to the first controller when the focus level of the first pattern image acquired from the focus analyzing part is lower than the given level.

4. The autofocus control system of a projector of claim 3 ,

wherein the first and second pattern images are lattice-like, mesh patterns, and

wherein a line pitch of the second pattern image is larger than a line pitch of the first pattern image.

Assignments (3)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Feb 24, 2026
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC PROJECTOR & DISPLAY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 074988/0945 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Feb 24, 2026
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 074984/0429 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2020
From: TAMESUE, KAZUHIKO
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 053780/0552 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-107630 · Jun 10, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200389629A1 · Dec 10, 2020