Projector, image display system, and image processing system

1. A projector for projecting an image, comprising:

a fixed-pixel display device; and

an image processor for performing resolution conversion on an input image represented by an input image signal to produce a display resolution-converted image having user-defined horizontal and vertical resolutions in order to display the same on the fixed-pixel display device, the user-defined horizontal and vertical resolutions being set equal to or lower than horizontal and vertical resolutions of the fixed-pixel display device, respectively,

wherein a fixed horizontal resolution and a fixed vertical resolution are set in advance in the image processor for use in the resolution conversion of the input image, and

wherein the image processor includes:

a first resolution converter for performing horizontal resolution conversion and vertical resolution conversion on the input image to produce a fixed resolution-converted image so that a horizontal resolution of the fixed resolution-converted image is equal to the fixed horizontal resolution, and a vertical resolution of the fixed resolution-converted image is equal to the fixed vertical resolution;

a second resolution converter for performing horizontal resolution conversion and vertical resolution conversion on the fixed resolution-converted image output from the first resolution converter to produce the display resolution-converted image having the user-defined horizontal and vertical resolutions; and

a frame memory,

wherein the fixed resolution-converted image is input from the first resolution converter to the frame memory, and subsequently read out from the frame memory to be input to the second resolution converter,

the first resolution converter includes:

a FIFO buffer having a memory area for p pixels where p is an integer more than 1:

a first horizontal resolution converter for converting the horizontal resolution of the input image to produce a first horizontal resolution-converted image having the fixed horizontal resolution;

first line buffers for temporarily storing the first horizontal resolution-converted image sequentially output from the first horizontal resolution converter; and

a first vertical resolution converter for converting the vertical resolution of the first horizontal resolution-converted image sequentially output from the first line buffers to produce the fixed resolution-converted image having the fixed horizontal and vertical resolutions,

wherein the FIFO buffer sequentially receives the input image signal from a leading pixel of the input image, and outputs image signal in m pixel units to the first horizontal resolution converter where m is an integer greater than 1 and is equal to or less than p,

wherein a number of pixels constituting each of the first line buffers is a fixed number which is equal to the fixed horizontal resolution, and

wherein the fixed horizontal and vertical resolutions are set equal to the horizontal and vertical resolutions of the fixed-pixel display device.

2. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein

the second resolution converter includes:

a second horizontal resolution converter for converting the horizontal resolution of the fixed resolution-converted image to produce a second horizontal resolution-converted image having the user-defined horizontal resolution;

second line buffers for temporarily storing the second horizontal resolution-converted image sequentially output from the second horizontal resolution converter; and

a second vertical resolution converter for converting the vertical resolution of the second horizontal resolution-converted image sequentially output from the second line buffers to produce the display resolution-converted image having the user-defined horizontal and vertical resolutions,

wherein a number of pixels constituting each of the second line buffers is a fixed number which is equal to the horizontal resolution of the fixed-pixel display device.

3. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein

the second resolution converter changes a projected size of the image according to the user-defined horizontal and vertical resolutions.

4. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein

the second resolution converter converts an arbitrary portion of the fixed resolution-converted image to the display resolution-converted image having the user-defined horizontal and vertical resolutions.

5. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein the first resolution converter includes a FIFO buffer having a memory capacity of p pixels where p is an integer of 2 or greater, the FIFO buffer sequentially receiving the input image signal from a lead pixel of the input image, and outputting the pixel signal in order in m-pixel increments to the first resolution converter, where m is an integer between 2 and p, inclusive.

6. A image processing device for performing resolution conversion on an input image represented by an input image signal to produce a display resolution-converted image having user-defined horizontal and vertical resolutions,

wherein a fixed horizontal resolution and a fixed vertical resolution are set in advance in the image processing device for use in the resolution conversion of the input image, and

wherein the image processing device includes:

a first resolution converter for performing horizontal resolution conversion and vertical resolution conversion on the input image to produce a fixed resolution-converted image so that a horizontal resolution of the fixed resolution-converted image is equal to the fixed horizontal resolution, and a vertical resolution of the fixed resolution-converted image is equal to the fixed vertical resolution;

a second resolution converter for performing horizontal resolution conversion and vertical resolution conversion on the fixed resolution-converted image output from the first resolution converter to produce the display resolution-converted image having the user-defined horizontal and vertical resolutions; and

a frame memory,

wherein the fixed resolution-converted image is input from the first resolution converter to the frame memory, and subsequently read out from the frame memory to be input to the second resolution converter,

the first resolution converter includes:

a FIFO buffer having a memory area for p pixels where p is an integer more than 1;

a first horizontal resolution converter for converting the horizontal resolution of the input image to produce a first horizontal resolution-converted image having the fixed horizontal resolution;

first line buffers for temporarily storing the first horizontal resolution-converted image sequentially output from the first horizontal resolution converter; and

a first vertical resolution converter for converting the vertical resolution of the first horizontal resolution-converted image sequentially output from the first line buffers to produce the fixed resolution-converted image having the fixed horizontal and vertical resolutions,

wherein the FIFO buffer sequentially receives the input image signal from a leading pixel of the input image, and outputs image signal in m pixel units to the first horizontal resolution converter where m is an integer greater than 1 and is equal to or less than p,

wherein a number of pixels constituting each of the first line buffers is a fixed number which is equal to the fixed horizontal resolution, and

wherein the fixed horizontal and vertical resolutions are set equal to the horizontal and vertical resolutions of the fixed-pixel display device.

7. The image processing device of claim 6 , wherein the first resolution converter includes a FIFO buffer having a memory capacity of p pixels where p is an integer of 2 or greater, the FIFO buffer sequentially receiving the input image signal from a lead pixel of the input image, and outputting the pixel signal in order in m-pixel increments to the first resolution converter, where m is an integer between 2 and p, inclusive.

8. An image display apparatus for displaying an image, comprising the image processing device according to claim 6 .