# US 11,115,632 B2 · Image processing device, image processing method, program, and projection system

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,115,632 B2
- Document ID: US11115632B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/772,642
- Filed: 2018-12-05
- Published: 2021-03-18
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-19
- Assignees: Sony Corporation
- Applicants: Sony Corporation
- Inventors: Tomoya Ishikawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11115632B2

## CPC

- H04N 9/3147: {Multi-projection systems (video walls G06F3/1446)}
- 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}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

There is provided an image processing device, an image processing method, a program, and a projection system that reduce processing in a case where images based on an equidistant cylindrical image are projected using a plurality of projectors. The image processing device of an aspect of the present technology generates a second equidistant cylindrical image whose center pixel is equal to a center pixel of each of projection regions of a plurality of projectors in a first equidistant cylindrical image and that includes pixels within an angle range including the each of the projection regions, as an image used to generate each of projection images that are projected from the plurality of projectors. The present technology is applicable to a computer that causes the plurality of projectors to project images.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image processing device comprising:
a generator configured to generate a second equidistant cylindrical image whose center pixel is equal to a center pixel of each of projection regions of plural projectors in a first equidistant cylindrical image and that includes pixels within an angle range including the each of the projection regions, as an image used to generate each of projection images that are projected from the plural projectors;
a resolution converter configured to generate a low-resolution equidistant cylindrical image by lowering resolution of the first equidistant cylindrical image; and
a first projection frontal position adjustment section configured to adjust a projection frontal position using a display of the low-resolution equidistant cylindrical image,
wherein the generator is further configured to generate the second equidistant cylindrical image, based on the each of the projection regions in the first equidistant cylindrical image after adjustment of the projection frontal position, and
wherein the generator, the resolution converter, and the first projection frontal position adjustment section are each implemented via at least one processor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image processing device according to claim 1,
wherein the first projection frontal position adjustment section is further configured to generate first transformation information used for transformation of geometric correction information indicating correspondence between a pixel in the projection images and a pixel in the first equidistant cylindrical image, according to the projection frontal position adjusted using a display of the low-resolution equidistant cylindrical image.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image processing device according to claim 2,
wherein the generator is further configured to generate the second equidistant cylindrical image including pixels in an angle range in which a predetermined angle range serving as a margin is added to an angle range of the each of the projection regions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The image processing device according to claim 3,
wherein the generator is further configured to generate an image generation parameter including second transformation information for transforming a center pixel of the each of the projection images to the center pixel of the second equidistant cylindrical image and information indicating the angle range of the second equidistant cylindrical image.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The image processing device according to claim 4, further comprising:
a storage configured to store the second equidistant cylindrical image of the each of the plural projectors together with the image generation parameter,
wherein the storage is implemented via at least one processor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The image processing device according to claim 5, further comprising:
a projection controller configured to generate the each of the projection images, based on the second equidistant cylindrical image and the image generation parameter, and cause the each of the plural projectors to project the each of the projection images,
wherein the projection controller is implemented via at least one processor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The image processing device according to claim 6,
wherein the projection controller is further configured to project the projection images on a screen having a curved projection surface.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The image processing device according to claim 6, further comprising:
a second projection frontal position adjustment section configured to adjust the projection frontal position within a range of the margin, based on an operation to be performed in a state in which the projection images are projected,
wherein the second projection frontal position adjustment section is implemented via at least one processor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The image processing device according to claim 8,
wherein the second projection frontal position adjustment section is further configured to generate geometric correction information indicating correspondence between the pixel in the each of the projection images and the pixel in the first equidistant cylindrical image, according to the projection frontal position adjusted within the range of the margin.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The image processing device according to claim 9, further comprising:
a correction section configured to generate geometric re-correction information indicating correspondence between the pixel in the each of the projection images and a pixel in the second equidistant cylindrical image, based on the geometric correction information generated by the second projection frontal position adjustment section.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The image processing device according to claim 10,
wherein the correction section is further configured to generate the geometric re-correction information, based on the first transformation information and the second transformation information.

### Claim 12

An image processing method comprising:
by an image processing device
generating a second equidistant cylindrical image whose center pixel is equal to a center pixel of each of projection regions of plural projectors in a first equidistant cylindrical image and that includes pixels within an angle range including the each of the projection regions, as an image used to generate each of projection images that are projected from the plural projectors;
generating a low-resolution equidistant cylindrical image by lowering resolution of the first equidistant cylindrical image; and
adjusting a projection frontal position using a display of the low-resolution equidistant cylindrical image,
wherein the generation of the second equidistant cylindrical image is based on the each of the projection regions in the first equidistant cylindrical image after adjustment of the projection frontal position.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to execute an image processing method, the method comprising:
generating a second equidistant cylindrical image whose center pixel is equal to a center pixel of each of projection regions of plural projectors in a first equidistant cylindrical image and that includes pixels within an angle range including the each of the projection regions, as an image used to generate each of projection images that are projected from the plural projectors;
generating a low-resolution equidistant cylindrical image by lowering resolution of the first equidistant cylindrical image; and
adjusting a projection frontal position using a display of the low-resolution equidistant cylindrical image,
wherein the generation of the second equidistant cylindrical image is based on the each of the projection regions in the first equidistant cylindrical image after adjustment of the projection frontal position.

### Claim 14

A projection system comprising:
a screen having a curved projection surface;
plural projectors configured to project projection images generated by an image processing device on the screen; and
the image processing device including
a generator configured to generate a second equidistant cylindrical image whose center pixel is equal to a center pixel of each of projection regions of plural projectors in a first equidistant cylindrical image and that includes pixels within an angle range including the each of the projection regions, as an image used to generate each of the projection images that are projected from the plural projectors,
a resolution converter configured to generate a low-resolution equidistant cylindrical image by lowering resolution of the first equidistant cylindrical image,
a first projection frontal position adjustment section configured to adjust a projection frontal position using a display of the low-resolution equidistant cylindrical image, wherein the generator is further configured to generate the second equidistant cylindrical image, based on the each of the projection regions in the first equidistant cylindrical image after adjustment of the projection frontal position, and
a projection controller configured to generate the projection images based on the second equidistant cylindrical image and an image generation parameter including transformation information for transforming a center pixel of the each of the projection images to the center pixel of the second equidistant cylindrical image and information indicating an angle range of the second equidistant cylindrical image, and cause the plural projectors to project the projection images, respectively,
wherein the generator, the resolution converter, the first projection frontal position adjustment section, and the projection controller are each implemented via at least one processor.
