# US 10,310,676 B2 · Image projection apparatus and operation method thereof

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- Number: US 10,310,676 B2
- Document ID: US10310676B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/549,131
- Filed: 2015-08-10
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-04
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Sangho Lee; Kyoungjoung Kim; Kyungho Lee; Hyunhee You; Hyunsik Yoon; Yangsik Kim; Jihwan Lim; Jeonghoon Park; Taesoon Kim; Sangkyu Kang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310676B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/0425: {using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected (tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386)}
- G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)}
- G06F 3/0304: {Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042)}
- G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
- G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence)
- G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
- H04N 5/74: Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
- H04N 9/31: Projection devices for colour picture display {, e.g. using electronic spatial light modulators [ESLM]}
- H04N 9/3179: {Video signal processing therefor}
- H04N 9/3182: {Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut (white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607)}
- H04N 9/3185: {Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence (optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14)}
- H04N 9/3188: {Scale or resolution adjustment (scaling in general G06T3/40; resolution modifying circuits for displays in general G09G5/391)}
- H04N 9/3194: {including sensor feedback}
- G06F 2203/04101: 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An image projection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention senses the distance to an image projection area to which an image is projected, and determines an image projection state including a state of at least one of the image projection area and a space between the image projection apparatus and the image projection area, on the basis of the sensed distance. The image projection apparatus projects an image onto the image projection area on the basis of the determined image projection state.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An operating method of an image projection apparatus, the operating method comprising:
sensing at least one distance to an image projection area to which an image is projected, wherein the image projection area comprises a moveable image projection surface and the at least one distance comprises a first distance to the moveable image projection surface;
determining, based on the sensed at least one distance, an image projection state including a state of the image projection area and a space between the image projection apparatus and the image projection area; and
projecting, based on the determined image projection state, the image to the image projection area;
detecting a change in the image projection state; and
adjusting the projected image if a distance to a new image projection surface is greater than the first distance.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The operating method of claim 1, wherein the sensing of the at least one distance to the image projection area comprises sensing distances to a plurality of areas included in the image projection area;
wherein the determining of the image projection state comprises recognizing a user input to an image screen projected to the image projection area, based on variations of the sensed distances to the plurality of areas; and
wherein the projecting of the image to the image projection area comprises performing an operation corresponding to the recognized user input.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The operating method of claim 2, wherein the recognizing of the user input to the image screen comprises recognizing the user input to an area in which the variation of the sensed distance is equal to or more than a reference value, among the plurality of areas; and
wherein the performing of the operation corresponding to the recognized user input comprises performing an operation corresponding to the area in which the variation is equal to or more than the reference value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The operating method of claim 1,
wherein adjusting the projected image comprises adjusting brightness of the projected image corresponding to the detected change in the image projection state.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The operating method of claim 1,
wherein adjusting the projected image comprises projecting the projected image to another area instead of the image projection area corresponding to the detected change in the image projection state.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The operating method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the image projection state comprises recognizing, based on the sensed at least one distance, an obstacle in the space between the image projection apparatus and the image projection area; and
wherein adjusting the projected image comprises changing at least one of a projection direction or a size of the projected image corresponding to the recognized obstacle.

### Claim 7

A image projection apparatus comprising:
an image projection unit to project an image;
a sensing unit configured to sense least one distance to an image projection area to which an image is projected, wherein the image projection area comprises a moveable image projection surface and the at least one distance comprises a first distance to the moveable image projection surface; and
a control unit configured to:
determine, based on the sensed at least one distance, an image projection state including a state of the image projection area and a space between the image projection apparatus and the image projection area;
control the image projection unit to project the image to the image projection area based on the determined image projection state;
detect a change in the image projection state; and
adjust the projected image if a distance to a new image projection surface is greater than the first distance.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The image projection apparatus of claim 7, wherein the sensing unit senses distances to a plurality of areas included in the image projection area, and
wherein the control unit recognizes a user input to an image screen projected to the image projection area, based on variations of the sensed distances to the plurality of areas, and performs an operation the recognized user input.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The image projection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control unit:
recognizes the user input to an area in which the variation of the sensed distance is equal to or more than a reference value, among the plurality of areas; and
performs an operation corresponding to the area in which the variation is equal to or more than the reference value.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The image projection apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit:
adjusts the projected image by adjusting brightness of the projected image corresponding to the detected change in the image projection state.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The image projection apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit:
adjusts the projected image by projecting the projected image to another area instead of the image projection area corresponding to the detected change in the image projection state.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The image projection apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit:
recognizes, based on the sensed at least one distance, an obstacle in the space between the image projection apparatus and the image projection area; and
adjusts the projected image by changing at least one of a projection direction or a size of the projected image corresponding to the recognized obstacle.