Interactive image projection apparatus

An interactive image projection apparatus for the presentation of computer generated images on a projection surface in cooperation with a light source and projection optics for projecting a beam of light from the light source onto the projection surface, comprising:

• a computer including means for generating image-defining signals;
• a substantially transparent image display device for interacting with said computer and including means for receiving said image-defining signals from said computer and for producing an image based on said image-defining signals, said image display device being disposed in the beam of light so that the image produced by said image display device is projected onto the projection surface in the beam of light;
• a touch screen for interacting with said computer, at least a portion of said touch screen being substantially transparent and disposed in the beam of light between said image display device and the projection surface so that the beam of light passes in sequence through the display device and the touch screen on its way to the projection surface, said touch screen including means for generating a touch signal when touched for use as input information at the computer so that upon receiving the touch-generated signals, the computer modifies the image produced by the image display device in accordance with the touch-generated signals;
• and
• transmission means for transmitting signals including said image-defining signals from said computer to said image display device and for transmitting signals including said touch signal from said touch screen to said computer;
• and
• said touch screen being arranged in close physical proximity to the display device to render the touch screen/image display device arrangement relatively compact.

An interactive image display apparatus for producing an image in response to a signal generated by a computer, said apparatus comprising:

• frame means;
• a substantially transparent image display panel and light means for illuminating said display panel with a single light beam, both of the image display panel and the light means being supported on said frame means, said image display panel including means for receiving image-defining signals from the computer and for producing an image based on said image-defining signals which is visible on said image display panel when said panel is illuminated by said light means;
• and
• a touch screen supported on said frame means over said image display panel and in close proximity thereto so that the touch screen/image display arrangement is relatively compact, at least a portion of said touch screen being substantially transparent and being disposed within the single light beam so that the image produced on said image display panel is visible through said touch screen and the single light beam passes in sequence through the display panel and the touch screen, said touch screen further including means for generating a touch signal when touched for use as input information at the computer so that upon receiving the touch-generated signals, the computer modifies the image produced by the display panel in accordance with the touch-generated signals, said touch screen and computer adapted to interact with one another so that as an object is moved in contact across said touch screen, the path of object movement is produced by the display panel to thereby accommodate the addition of hand-writing to the produced image.

An interactive image projection apparatus comprising, in combination, an overhead projector having a light source and projection optics for projecting a beam of light onto a projection screen from said light source, a substantially transparent image display panel for interacting with a computer that generates and sends image-defining signals to the image display panel and including means for receiving the image-defining signals from the computer and for producing an image in response to said image-defining signals, said image display panel being disposed in said beam of light so that the image produced by said image display panel is projected into the projection screen in said beam of light, and a touch screen for interacting with the computer, at least a portion of said touch screen being substantially transparent and disposed on said image-display panel in the beam of light so that the beam of light passes in sequence through said display panel and the tough screen on its way to the projection screen and so that the touch screen and image display panel provide a relatively compact arrangement, said touch screen including means for generating a touch signal when touched and sending the touch-generated signals to the computer for use as input information at the computer so that upon receiving the touch-generated signals, the computer modifies the image produced by the image display panel in accordance with the touch-generated signals.

An image display apparatus for use with an overhead projector having a light source and projection optics for projecting a beam of light from the light source onto a projection screen, and an enclosure containing the light source with a transparent writing plate disposed across the enclosure through which light passes for being projected onto the screen in the beam of light, the apparatus comprising:

• a substantially transparent image display panel for interacting with a computer that generates and sends image-defining signals to the image display panel including means for receiving the image-defining signals from the computer and for producing an image based on said image-defining signals that is projectable onto the screen in the beam of light by placing said image display device therein;
• a frame for removably supporting said image display panel on the enclosure of the overhead projector over the writing plate so that light passing through the writing plate from the light source and projected onto the screen passes through said image display panel and exits from a surface of said panel;
• a touch screen for interacting with the computer, at least a portion of said touch screen being substantially transparent and supported by said frame on said surface of said image display panel from which light exits so that the touch screen is in close physical proximity to the image display panel and the touch screen/image display panel arrangement is relatively compact, said touch screen including means for generating a touch signal when touched and sending the touch-generated signal to the computer for use as input information at the computer for modification of said image-defining signals and this modification of said image produced on said image display panel;
• and
• transmission means for transmitting signals including said image-defining signals between said image display panel and the computer and for transmitting signals including said touch signal between said touch screen and the computer.