IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,409,146
Granted Patent B2
US 10,409,146 · App. 16/306,966 · Granted Sep 10, 2019

Image projection system, image projection device, image projection method, image projection program, and server device

Inventors: Mitsuru Sugawara (Kanagawa, JP); Makoto Suzuki (Kanagawa, JP); Kinya Hasegawa (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: QD Laser, Inc.
G03B21/2033A61B3/024A61B3/032G02B26/12G02B27/017G02B27/02G09G3/025G09G5/38G16H50/00H04N9/3129H04N9/3188G09G2380/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,409,146
App. No.
16/306,966
Granted
Sep 10, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A terminal device ( 300 ) includes a projection target holding unit that holds projection information to be projected by an image projection device ( 200 ), a storage unit that stores position information indicating a position on the retina of a user (P) at which the projection information is to be projected, a position information acquisition unit that acquires the position information from the storage unit, an image data generation unit that generates image data (D) of an image ( 202 G) that projects the projection information at the position indicated by the position information, and an image output processing unit that outputs the image data (D) to the image projection device ( 200 ). The image projection device ( 200 ) includes a light source unit that emits a light beam, an image input unit that inputs the image data (D) from the terminal device ( 300 ), a control unit that generates an image light beam based on the input image data (D) and controls emission of the image light beam from the light source unit, a scanning mirror that scans the image light beam, and a projection unit that projects the image light beam on the retina of the eyeball of the user (P) as the image ( 202 G) represented by the image data (D).

Claims (109)

1. An image projection system comprising:

an image projection device; and

a terminal device communicating with the image projection device;

wherein the terminal device includes

a first hardware memory that stores a first program, and

a first processor that executes the first program to perform a first process including

holding projection information to be projected by the image projection device,

causing a display device of the terminal device to display a setting screen for prompting a user to specify a position on a retina of the user at which the projection information is to be projected, and associating position information indicating the position specified by the user at the setting screen with the projection information,

acquiring the position information from a storage device that stores the position information,

generating image data of an image that projects the projection information at the position indicated by the position information, and

outputting the image data to the image projection device; and

Wherein the image projection device includes

a light source that emits a light beam,

a scanning mirror,

a second hardware memory that stores a second program, and

a second processor that executes the second program to perform a second process including

inputting the image data from the terminal device,

generating an image light beam based on the input image data and controlling emission of the image light beam from the light source, and

causing the scanning mirror to scan the image light beam and thereby projecting the image light beam onto the retina of an eyeball of the user as the image represented by the image data.

2. An image projection system comprising:

an image projection device; and

a terminal device communicating with the image projection device;

wherein the terminal device includes

a storage device that stores position information indicating a position on a retina of a user at which projection information is to be projected by the image projection device, the position information indicating a position of an identifier of a region of a test image that has been visually perceived by the user from the test image that has been projected onto the retina of the user, the test image being divided into a plurality of regions including a plurality of identifiers associated with position information of the plurality of regions,

a first hardware memory that stores a first program, and

a first processor that executes the first program to perform a first process including

holding the projection information,

acquiring the position information from the storage device,

generating image data of an image that projects the projection information at the position indicated by the position information, and

outputting the image data to the image projection device; and

wherein the image projection device includes

a light source that emits a light beam,

a scanning mirror,

a second hardware memory that stores a second program, and

a second processor that executes the second program to perform a second process including

inputting the image data from the terminal device,

generating an image light beam based on the input image data and controlling emission of the image light beam from the light source, and

causing the scanning mirror to scan the image light beam and thereby projecting the image light beam onto the retina of an eyeball of the user as the image represented by the image data.

3. The image projection system according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein

the first process further includes

generating image data of an image indicating the projection information, and

outputting the image data of the image indicating the projection information and the position information to the image projection device; and

the second process further includes

projecting the image light beam based on the image data at the position on the retina of the user indicated by the position information as the image indicating the projection information.

4. The image projection system according to claim 3 , wherein

the storage device stores information indicating a visual acuity of the user; and

the first process further includes determining a size of a character, a number, or a symbol included in the image to be projected based on the information indicating the visual acuity of the user.

5. The image projection system according to claim 4 , wherein

the terminal device further includes a display device; and

the first process further includes

holding test image data representing a test image,

generating the test image based on the test image data and control controlling the display device to display the test image,

holding visual acuity test image data representing a visual acuity test image including a visual target image for visual acuity testing,

outputting the visual acuity test image data to the image projection device, and

storing, in the storage device, information specifying the visual target image that has been selected from the visual acuity test image displayed by the display device as the information indicating the visual acuity of the user.

6. The image projection system according to claim 2 , wherein

the terminal device further includes a display device; and

the first process further includes

holding test image data representing a test image,

generating the test image based on the test image data and controlling the display device to display the test image;

outputting the test image data to the image projection device, and

storing, in the storage device, a selected identifier selected from among the plurality of identifiers of the plurality of regions of the test image displayed by the display device as the position information.

7. The image projection system according to claim 1 , wherein the first process further includes

causing the display device to display a selection screen for prompting selection of the projection information; and

storing the projection information selected at the selection screen in association with the position information in the storage device.

8. The image projection system according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein

the terminal device further includes an audio input device configured to acquire audio that has been input; and

the first process further includes

acquiring the projection information;

acquiring audio that has been input to the audio input device,

converting the acquired audio into text information, and

projecting the text information onto the position based on the position information.

9. An image projection device comprising:

a light source that emits a light beam;

a scanning mirror;

a hardware memory that stores a program; and

a processor that executes the program to perform a process including

input inputting image data including projection information from a terminal device,

generating an image light beam based on the input image data and controlling emission of the image light beam from the light source, and

causing the scanning mirror to scan the image light beam and thereby projecting the image light beam as an image representing the projection information onto a predetermined position on a retina of an eyeball of a user,

wherein the predetermined position is determined based on position information input from the terminal device, the position information indicating a position on the retina of the user at which the projection information is to be projected, the position being specified by the user at a setting screen displayed by a display device of the terminal device for prompting the user to specify the position.

10. An image projection device comprising:

a light source that emits a light beam;

a scanning mirror;

a hardware memory that stores a program; and

a processor that executes the program to perform a process including

inputting image data including projection information from a terminal device,

generating an image light beam based on the input image data and controlling emission of the image light beam from the light source, and

causing the scanning mirror to scan the image light beam and thereby projecting the image light beam as an image representing the projection information onto a predetermined position on a retina of an eyeball of a user,

wherein the predetermined position is determined based on position information input from the terminal device, the position information indicating a position of an identifier of a region of a test image that has been visually perceived by the user from the test image that has been projected onto the retina of the user, the test image being divided into a plurality of regions including a plurality of identifiers associated with position information of the plurality of regions.

11. An image projection method implemented by an image projection system including an image projection device and a terminal device communicating with the image projection device, the image projection method comprising steps of:

the terminal device holding projection information to be projected by the image projection device;

the terminal device causing a display device to display a setting screen for prompting a user to specify a position on a retina of the user at which the projection information is to be projected, and associating position information indicating the position specified by the user at the setting screen with the projection information;

the terminal device acquiring the position information from a storage device that stores the position information;

the terminal device generating image data of an image that projects the projection information at the position indicated by the position information;

the terminal device outputting the image data to the image projection device;

the image projection device inputting the image data from the terminal device;

the image projection device generating an image light beam based on the input image data and controlling emission of the image light beam from a light source configured to emit a light beam;

the image projection device scanning the image light beam with a scanning mirror; and

the image projection device projecting the image light beam onto the retina of an eyeball of the user as the image represented by the image data.

12. An image projection method implemented by an image projection system including an image projection device and a terminal device communicating with the image projection device, the image projection method comprising steps of:

the terminal device holding projection information to be projected by the image projection device;

the terminal device acquiring from a storage device, position information indicating a position on a retina of a user at which the projection is to be projected, the position information stored in the storage device indicating a position of an identifier of a region of a test image that has been visually perceived by the user from the test image that has been projected onto the retina of the user, the test image being divided into a plurality of regions including a plurality of identifiers associated with position information of the plurality of regions;

the terminal device generating image data of an image that projects the projection information at the position indicated by the position information;

the terminal device outputting the image data to the image projection device;

the image projection device inputting the image data from the terminal device;

the image projection device generating an image light beam based on the input image data and controlling emission of the image light beam from a light source configured to emit a light beam;

the image projection device scanning the image light beam with a scanning mirror; and

the image projection device projecting the image light beam onto the retina of an eyeball of the user as the image represented by the image data.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 4, 2018
From: SUGAWARA, MITSURU; SUZUKI, MAKOTO; HASEGAWA, KINYA
To: QD LASER, INC.
Reel/Frame 047666/0536 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2016-115046 · Jun 9, 2016 · national
JP 2017-111151 · Jun 5, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190137857A1 · May 9, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,293,686