Projector with foreign matter detecting means
AssigneeNEC Viewtechnology, Ltd.
InventorsHiroyuki Kobayashi, Kunitaka Furuichi
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Abstract
A projector has an image generating device for generating an image, and a housing, having the image generating device disposed therein and having an opening defined therein for emitting therethrough projection light representing the image from the image generating device. A projection mirror is mounted on an outer surface of the housing for reflecting the projection light to project the image onto a projection surface. An optical system is disposed in the opening for applying the projection light to the projection mirror. The projector also has a foreign matter detector for detecting foreign matter which enters a light path of the projection light between the optical system and the projection mirror.
Claims21
A projector comprising:
- an image generating device for generating an image;
- a housing having said image generating device disposed therein and having an opening defined therein for emitting therethrough projection light representing the image from said image generating device;
- a projection mirror mounted on said housing, the projection mirror being positioned to reflect said projection light onto a projection surface;
- an optical element disposed in said opening so as to transmit said projection light to said projection mirror;
- and
- a foreign matter detector arranged so as to detect a presence of foreign matter located in a light path of the projection light between said optical element and said projection mirror.
2-20. (canceled)
A projector having an image generating device, comprising:
- a housing having an opening;
- and
- a foreign matter detector including:
- a light-emitter to emit detection light;
- a light detector to detect said detection light;
- and
- a controller to control the projector based on a signal from said light detector,
- wherein projection light representing an image on the image generating device goes through said opening, and
- wherein at least part of said detection light travels transversely across the light path of said projection light.
The projector according to claim 39,
- wherein said predetermined period is arbitrary.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.