Projection device, light emission control method and storage medium

Abstract

A projection device, a light emission control method, and a storage medium. The projection device is characterized in that it comprises: a projection unit that emits projection light; an acquisition unit that acquires image data of an image to be projected by the projection unit from the outside; and a control unit that controls the operation of the projection unit, and the control unit makes the light intensity of the projection light become a dimmed state lower than a reference value when the acquisition unit does not acquire image data.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-157495 filed on September 18, 2020, and this application cites the entire contents of that basic application. Technical Field

[0002] The invention relates to a projection device, a light emitting control method and a storage medium. Background Art

[0003] There is a projection device (projector) that projects an image based on image data onto a screen, a wall, etc. for display. The projector receives input of image data from an external device or the like and displays the image. Therefore, when the external device is not connected, only light is emitted. In order to suppress such unnecessary light emission and emission, there is a technology that does not emit light when there is no input of a signal from an external device or when the external device itself is not connected (Patent Document 1), as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-1619916. Summary of the invention

[0004] However, projection devices are sometimes not permanently installed and are brought into the projection site for use as needed. In such cases, there are many situations where alignment and focus position adjustment are performed before actual projection, and there is a problem that undesirable conditions will occur if light is not emitted uniformly when there is no signal input.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a projection device, a light emission control method, and a storage medium that can appropriately emit light without reducing user convenience.

[0006] A projection device, characterized in that it comprises: a projection unit that emits projection light; an acquisition unit that acquires image data of an image to be projected by the projection unit from the outside; and a control unit that controls the operation of the projection unit, wherein the control unit causes the light intensity of the projection light to be in a dimmed state lower than a reference value when the image data is not acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0007] A light emission control method for a projection device, the projection device comprising: a projection unit that emits projection light; and an acquisition unit that acquires image data of a projection object image performed by the projection unit from the outside, the light emission control method being characterized in that it includes a dimming step, in which the light intensity of the projection light is brought into a dimmed state lower than a reference value when the image data is not acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0008] A storage medium stores a program for causing a computer of a projection device to execute, the projection device comprising: a projection unit that emits projection light; and an acquisition unit that acquires image data of an image of a projection object performed by the projection unit from the outside, characterized in that the program causes the computer to function as a dimming unit that causes the light intensity of the projection light to be in a dimmed state lower than a reference value when the image data is not acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0009] Effects of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, there is an effect that light can be appropriately emitted without reducing the convenience of the user. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 1 is a block diagram showing the functional structure of the projection device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an initial display example and a diagram showing a setting example of light emission intensity.

[0013] Figure 3 1 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a startup control process executed in the projection device according to the first embodiment.

[0014] Figure 4 It is a block diagram showing the functional structure of the projection device according to the second embodiment.

[0015] Figure 5 1 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a startup control process executed in the projection device according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

[0017] [First embodiment]

[0018] The projection device 1 of the present embodiment can be carried and transported, and can perform a projection operation without receiving power supply from an external commercial power source or the like due to the battery 21 .

[0019] Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the functional structure of the projection device 1 of the first embodiment. The projection device 1 (projector) includes a main body 10 and a power supply unit 20. The main body 10 for projecting an image has, for example, a roughly rectangular shape, but may also have concave and convex shapes on each surface. Alternatively, the projection device 1 may also be a shape different from a rectangle, such as an elliptical cylinder shape. The exit port of the projection light is located on the first surface (front surface) of the projection device 1. A plurality of, for example, three, legs that can be fixed with variable lengths are provided on the second surface perpendicular to the front surface. By adjusting the lengths of each leg, the emission direction of the projection light, that is, the projection direction of the image, can be determined. The projection device 1 does not need to set the second surface as the installation surface, and may be rotated 90 degrees to be placed vertically, or may be turned upside down and hung and fixed from above the ceiling or the like. In the case of vertical placement, the projection direction can also be adjusted, and the legs may be provided on a surface other than the second surface, or may have a mounting portion that can remove the legs of the second surface and install them on other surfaces.

[0020] The four surfaces perpendicular to the first surface including the second surface are provided with air intake ports, respectively, and the front surface is provided with an exhaust port. The input terminal 141 of the cable connected to the external device and the connection terminal of the power supply cable connected to the power supply unit 20 are located on the back surface opposite to the front surface.

[0021] The power supply unit 20 has a battery 21, and supplies power input from the battery 21 or an external AC (alternating current) power source (external power source, mainly commercial power source) to the main body 10 at a specified voltage. The power supply unit 20 has a conversion circuit that rectifies the AC power from the commercial power source and converts it into appropriate DC power. The battery 21 is a secondary battery that can be charged using power supplied from a commercial power source, and is not particularly limited, for example, a lithium-ion battery. The power supply unit 20 can be externally connected to the main body 10 via a cable or the like, that is, it can be disconnected from the main body 10 without operating the main body 10.

[0022] The power supply unit 20 also includes a control IC 22. The control IC 22 determines whether to supply power to the main unit 10 from the commercial power supply or the battery 21 (selectively) based on the presence or absence of power input from the commercial power supply (connection presence or absence), the voltage (storage amount) of the battery 21, etc., and switches whether to charge or discharge the battery 21. In addition, the control IC 22 detects the output voltage and outputs the detection result to the main unit 10 (CPU 11) at any time or at an appropriate frequency.

[0023] The main body 10 includes a CPU 11 (Central Processing Unit) (control unit, computer), a ROM 12 (Read Only Memory), a RAM 13 (Random Access Memory), an input unit 14 (acquisition unit), an operation receiving unit 15, a projection unit 16, a display driving unit 17, a cooling unit 18, etc. The CPU 11 is connected to each unit via a bus.

[0024] The CPU 11 is a hardware processor that controls the operation of the main body 10 in a unified manner. The number of CPUs 11 is not limited to one, and multiple CPUs may be used to perform distributed operations according to functions, etc. The ROM 12 is a non-volatile memory such as a mask ROM and a flash memory, and stores a program 121, various setting data, etc. The program 121 includes a control program for projecting and outputting an image corresponding to image data obtained from the outside, and a control program for the light-emitting operation at startup described later. The setting data includes a light amount setting 122 and a dimming setting 123. The RAM 13 provides a storage space for the CPU 11 for operation and stores temporary data.

[0025] The light quantity setting 122 stored in the ROM 12 includes an operation setting corresponding to the intensity (light intensity) of the light (projection light) emitted by the light emitting unit 161 of the projection unit 16. The appropriate intensity of the light projected from the projection device 1 depends on the brightness of the place where the projection is performed, the distance from the projection surface, etc. Based on these, the light intensity can be adjusted. The light intensity at the time of startup can be predetermined within a range not exceeding the maximum light intensity for normal use described later, and the set value is stored in the light quantity setting 122. In the case where the set value exceeds the maximum light intensity for battery use described later, in order to supply power from the battery 21 described later, a set value below the maximum light intensity for battery use can also be determined separately.

[0026] As will be described later, when there is no input of image data, the dimming setting 123 includes a setting for emitting light at a reduced light intensity than the normal light intensity determined by the light amount setting 122 .

[0027] The input unit 14 receives input of image data of a projection target image from an external device, acquires the image data, and performs processing such as expansion as necessary. The input unit 14 includes an input terminal 141 (connection terminal), a wireless LAN interface 142, a communication control unit 143, and the like.

[0028] A cable is connected between the input terminal 141 and the external device. Examples of the input terminal include various terminals related to analog RGB signals, USB (Universal Serial Bus), HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface; registered trademark), etc., and a plurality of them may be selectively used.

[0029] The wireless LAN interface 142 receives and demodulates radio waves from external devices via an antenna (not shown) in accordance with wireless LAN standards (IEEE802.11, etc.) The wireless LAN interface 142 includes a network card or the like, and can establish communication connection from external devices via wireless LAN based on the identification information.

[0030] The communication control unit 143 controls the acquisition of image data via the input terminal 141 and / or the wireless LAN interface 142 (wireless communication unit), and performs data expansion processing as needed. The communication control unit 143 may also decompress (expand) the acquired image data when it is dynamic image data, and process it for image display driving. The communication control unit 143 may include a dedicated processor for processing these image data. The processor may also be a dedicated CPU, logic circuit, etc. different from the CPU 11 that performs unified control.

[0031] The operation accepting unit 15 accepts external input operations from the user and outputs them to the CPU 11 as input signals. The operation accepting unit 15 has, for example, a push button switch that is easy for the user to operate. Alternatively, the push button switch may be provided in multiple forms in the form of a button for switching the power supply on and off and a button for various settings. In addition, the operation accepting unit 15 may also have a remote controller and the like. In this case, the operation accepting unit 15 may have a receiving unit that accepts signals (infrared signals, etc.) from the remote controller. In addition, although not particularly limited, if a protective member such as a sliding cover is further provided on the push button switch to prevent misoperation, the operability will be reduced, so here, the case where there is no such protective member is described. On the other hand, each operation other than starting or ending may also request a series of input operations more than two times by calling the setting menu and the actual setting action. In particular, the setting of increasing the light intensity (it may also be a change, or it may only be the case of the dimming state described below) cannot be achieved by an unintentional one-time input operation. In addition, the operation input accepted once, such as starting or ending, may also request an operation that continues to exceed a specified degree (long press).

[0032] The projection unit 16 generates light of each color of RGB and emits projection light using these lights. The projection unit 16 emits the light from the emission port in the projection direction at the pixel position and timing corresponding to the image data related to the projection target image, thereby obtaining the projection light. The projection unit 16 includes a light emitting unit 161, an optical system 162, a rotation driving unit 163, a rotation motor 164, and the like.

[0033] The light emitting unit 161 includes, for example, a laser diode, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), etc., and emits light of a predetermined wavelength. Here, for example, a red light emitting LED and a blue light emitting laser diode are provided to generate red light and blue light, respectively. The light emission intensity of the light emitting unit 161 can be changed within a setting range predetermined by the current intensity, etc.

[0034] The optical system 162 appropriately reflects and focuses the generated light of each color and guides it to the exit of the projection device 1. The optical system 162 has a part or all of various optical lenses, prisms, reflectors, filters, etc. At least a part of these components can be movable in the optical axis direction in order to adjust the focal position. In addition, the optical system 162 may also include a movable mirror, such as a digital (micro) mirror device (DMD) corresponding to the number of display pixels, etc.

[0035] The rotation drive unit 163 rotates the rotation motor 164 at a predetermined rotation speed. The rotation motor 164 rotates a fluorescent plate (not shown). The fluorescent plate receives blue light and emits green light. That is, as described above, the blue and red light emitting units 161 and the fluorescent plate can emit light in the three color bands of RGB.

[0036] The display drive unit 17 adjusts the emission position and timing of the light from the emission port according to the image data of the projection object. The display drive unit 17 operates the movable mirror and the like to change the reflection angle at the timing of emitting light of each wavelength from each pixel and the timing of not emitting light, thereby emitting light of a desired wavelength band from the emission port only at the emission timing.

[0037] The cooling unit 18 discharges heat from various parts associated with the light emission of the light emitting unit 161. The cooling unit 18 includes an air supply drive unit 181 and an air supply motor 182. The air supply motor 182 rotates a fan that discharges heat from the inside of the housing of the projection device 1. The air supply drive unit 181 rotationally drives the air supply motor 182 at a predetermined rotation speed. The operation of the air supply motor 182 (fan) may, for example, start at the same time as the light emission of the light emitting unit 161 starts, and continue until a predetermined time after the light emission of the light emitting unit 161 stops.

[0038] Next, the operation at the time of startup of this embodiment will be described.

[0039] In the projection device 1, power is supplied from a commercial power source or a battery 21, and images related to light and image data are projected according to input operations accepted by the operation accepting unit 15. In the projection device 1, the light intensity, especially the light intensity during projection at a reference brightness, can be changed and adjusted to a plurality of (a predetermined number of more than 2) stages within the above-mentioned setting range, and here, the light intensity is 5 stages. In the following description, the light intensity at the reference brightness is used as the light intensity unless otherwise specified.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a diagram (a) showing an initial display example and a diagram (b) showing a setting example of light emission intensity.

[0041] After the light emission starts, when image data is input (acquired) from an external device, the display driving unit 17 is driven according to the image data. When there is no input (not acquired) of image data, a predetermined non-input image is output. As a non-input image (display state in dimmed light state), for example, any one of a white screen, a blue screen, a black screen (with light emitted), or a screen in which multiple color areas such as RGB are arranged can be set via the operation receiving unit 15 in advance or in the display of the dimmed light state.

[0042] In addition, as shown in FIG. 2( a), in the absence of input image, various marks C, symbols, characters or combinations thereof may be projected and displayed together with the background display portion M (display color, such as a white screen). For example, a cross mark, a curly bracket mark, etc., used for display alignment, focus adjustment, etc., may be projected, or a specific character (symbol), character string (symbol string) may be projected. For example, a character string or symbol that explicitly indicates that it is in a dimmed state may be projected. In addition, regardless of whether there is input image data or not, the characters, images, etc. involved in the setting menu and the setting change content acceptance screen can be projected according to the call of the above-mentioned setting menu. In addition, in the waiting state for network connection, the SSID, IP address, etc. of the external device may also be obtained and displayed. The set content is stored and saved in the rewritable part of ROM12, and is read out and determined when it becomes a dimmed display state.

[0043] In the projection device 1, the power consumption related to light emission accounts for the majority. If the storage capacity of the battery 21 increases, the size and weight of the power supply unit 20 also increase accordingly, resulting in a decrease in portability, so it is difficult to increase the storage capacity more than necessary. Therefore, especially when the main body 10 receives power supply from the battery 21, it is preferred not to make the light emission brighter than necessary (reduce the light intensity of the projection light), and it is also preferred to reduce the unnecessary light emission time.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2( b ), in the projection device 1 , the maximum light intensity is set lower when power is supplied from the battery 21 than when power is supplied from the commercial power source. For example, the normal maximum light intensity when power is supplied from the commercial power source is usually set to the maximum (level 5) of the five levels of light intensity, whereas when power is supplied from the battery 21 , the third from the top of the five levels of light intensity may be set to the maximum light intensity for battery use (level 3). Therefore, when power is supplied from the commercial power source, light can be emitted at any one of levels 1 to 5, and when power is supplied from the battery 21 , light can be emitted at any one of levels 1 to 3. The initial setting is stored in the ROM 12 as the light amount setting 122, and can be changed at any time within the range below the normal maximum light intensity and the battery use maximum light intensity by the user's input operation. In addition, when the absolute value of the normal maximum light intensity is not too large, the battery use maximum light intensity may be the same level as the normal maximum light intensity.

[0045] In addition, in the projection device 1, when power is supplied from the battery 21, when image data is not input (obtained) from the external device (input unit 14), the projection device 1 is transferred to a dimmed state in which the luminous intensity is lower than the maximum luminous intensity (reference value) for the battery. The dimmed state mentioned here does not include a non-luminous state. Here, in the dimmed state, the lowest luminous intensity (level 1, the lowest within the setting range) among the 5 levels of luminous intensity is stored in the ROM 12 as a dimmed setting 123. The luminous intensity in the dimmed state can also be changed by the user's input operation within the range not exceeding the reference value.

[0046] This minimum luminous intensity can be a level at which the projected content of the image can be read in an environment where the external light is roughly blocked, or the lighting near the projection surface is suppressed, such as a windowless (or few-windowed) hall or a conference room with a blackout curtain. That is, the five levels of luminous intensity set here are all levels at which the content can be read by the audience if the projection environment does not deteriorate. That is, multiple luminous intensities are changed according to the usage conditions to the levels that can be used in the projection of the image, and dark levels that cannot be used in the projection of the image may not be included. However, even if the visual recognition of the image is slightly strict, a weaker luminous intensity level setting that can adjust the focus and display range may also be included.

[0047] In addition, the preparation for alignment, focusing, etc. usually does not take too long. Therefore, when the battery 21 supplies power, when a reference time, such as 5 minutes, has passed without inputting image data from an external device, the light-emitting operation of the light-emitting unit 161 can be stopped. In addition, when it is not desired to stop the light emission in a state where no image is output, the elapsed time can be reset by performing certain input operations on the operation receiving unit 15. Certain input operations can be arbitrary operations, or can be limited to valid operations such as changes in settings (including a series of operations such as confirmation / cancellation without changes).

[0048] Such a limitation of the luminous intensity when power is supplied from the battery 21 is effective not only for the convenience of normal preparation and standby, but also for unintentional startup. When the start button of the operation receiving unit 15 is in a position with priority operability, it may be pressed accidentally by contacting with a convex portion, etc., especially during transportation. When the battery 21 is connected during transportation, the projection device 1 can be started by such an unintentional operation, and the light emitting unit 161 is lit. Such a lighting action is not only completely useless power consumption, but also the storage components such as the bag or storage bag for transportation are heated by the emitted light at a very close distance. In addition, the heat is further transferred to the projection device 1, causing abnormal temperature rise. When such lighting is on, since there is no signal input, the luminous intensity is set to the lowest level when there is no signal input, so that it can be used directly for alignment, focus alignment, etc. during normal lighting, and useless power consumption can be suppressed, and the occurrence of adverse conditions accompanied by abnormal temperature rise can be suppressed.

[0049] Figure 3 1 is a flowchart showing the control steps of the CPU 11 in the startup control process executed by the projection device 1 of this embodiment. The startup control process includes the light emission control method of this embodiment, and when the CPU 11 is started by detecting a predetermined input operation by the operation receiving unit 15, the program 121 is read and started.

[0050] When the startup control process starts, the CPU 11 obtains the initial setting from the ROM 12 and performs various initial actions (step S101). The CPU 11 determines whether power is supplied from the commercial power supply based on the signal from the power supply unit 20 (step S102). When it is determined that power is supplied from the commercial power supply ("Yes" in step S102), the CPU 11 obtains the setting level of the normal luminous intensity from the light amount setting 122 (step S120). The CPU 11 causes the light emitting unit 161 to emit light at the obtained setting level of luminous intensity, and causes the light from the emission port to start emitting (step S122). When there is (obtains) input of image data of the projection object image, the CPU 11 can immediately project and display the projection object image, or it can transfer to the projection of the projection object image after performing an initial projection (for example, a specific logo, trademark, logo, etc.). Then, the CPU 11 ends the startup control process.

[0051] When it is determined that there is no power supplied from the commercial power supply ("No" in step S102), the CPU 11 determines whether there is input of output image data via the input terminal 141 or the wireless LAN interface 142 (step S103). In addition, it is actually possible not to determine whether there is input image data, but only to determine whether there is a cable connection with the input terminal 141, a communication connection with an external device (whether communication is performed) (whether it is in a state where image data can be obtained). When it is determined that there is a signal input ("Yes" in step S103), the CPU 11 obtains the level of luminous intensity set for battery operation from the light amount setting 122 (step S121). Then, the processing of the CPU 11 is transferred to step S122.

[0052] When it is determined that there is no signal input ("No" in step S103), the CPU 11 obtains the light intensity in the dimmed state from the dimming setting 123 (step S104). The CPU 11 starts the light emission and emission of the light emitting unit 161 at the obtained light intensity level (step S105). The CPU 11 starts counting the elapsed time from the start of the light emission in the dimmed state. The processing of steps S103 to S105 constitutes the dimming step in the light emission control method of this embodiment, and the dimming unit of the program.

[0053] The CPU 11 determines whether or not a signal is input (step S106 ). When it is determined that a signal is input (“Yes” in step S106 ), the CPU 11 proceeds to step S121 .

[0054] When it is determined that there is no signal input ("No" in step S106), CPU11 determines whether an input operation is detected (step S107). As described above, the input operation of the detection object can also be limited to a series of valid operations. When it is determined that it is detected ("Yes" in step S107), CPU11 resets the elapsed time counted and restarts counting (step S108). Then, the processing of CPU11 returns to step S106.

[0055] When it is determined that no input operation is detected ("No" in step S107), CPU11 determines whether the reference time has passed, that is, whether the elapsed time being counted exceeds the reference time (step S109). When it is determined that the reference time has not passed ("No" in step S109), the processing of CPU11 returns to step S106. When it is determined that the reference time has passed ("Yes" in step S109), CPU11 stops the light-emitting operation of light-emitting unit 161 in the dimming state (step S110). CPU11 stops its own operation (step S111) and directly ends the startup control processing.

[0056] As described above, the projection device 1 of the present embodiment includes: a projection unit 16 that emits projection light; an input unit 14 that obtains image data of a projection target image of the projection unit 16 from the outside; and a CPU 11 that controls the operation of the projection unit 16. When the CPU 11 does not obtain image data through the input unit 14, the light intensity of the projection light, that is, the light intensity of the light emitting unit 161, is set to a dimming state lower than a reference value.

[0057] In this way, when the image corresponding to the image data is not projected, the control is performed so that the light intensity does not become large, thereby, in the projection device 1, the emission of unnecessary and dazzling light can be reduced within the range that can be aligned, focused, etc. and does not reduce the convenience. In addition, the strong intensity emission is not performed in the contact state inside the storage member, etc., so it is possible to reduce the storage member due to the concentrated and continuous irradiation of the emitted light at a very close distance. The storage member is locally abnormally heated, and the main body 10 and the like are caused to have a bad situation. In addition, by keeping the light intensity at a low level, it is possible to reduce unnecessary power consumption.

[0058] In addition, the projection device 1 has a battery 21 and a power supply unit 20, and the power supply unit 20 selectively supplies power from either the external power supply or the battery 21 according to whether or not the external power supply is connected (when the external power supply is connected, the power supply is switched to the external power supply). The CPU 11 can be transferred to the dimmed state when the power is supplied from the battery 21. In the case where the power is not supplied from the battery 21, there is no need to worry about the remaining amount of the battery 21 being insufficient. In addition, the possibility of being accidentally started during transportation and movement is also sufficiently low. Therefore, in such a case, it is also possible to transfer to the dimmed state without reducing the luminous intensity. By making it into the dimmed state only when there is a concern about insufficient power, overheating of the storage member and the main body 10, etc., it is easier for the audience of the presentation who is projecting the content to determine the appropriate viewing position for themselves or adjust the shading state of the venue even when there is no image data.

[0059] In addition, the projection unit 16 has a light emitting unit 161, and the projection light is emitted using the light emitted by the light emitting unit. The light emitting unit 161 can change the light intensity within a set range, which is a specified number of stages of more than 2. In the dimming state, the CPU 11 sets the light intensity of the light emitting unit 161 to the lowest level (the lowest stage) within the above-mentioned changeable setting range. That is, by emitting light at the lowest level that can be used, in situations where it is not necessary for people other than those responsible for preparation to visually recognize the displayed content reliably, or in situations where it is not originally intended, the amount of light is set to a level that is convenient for preparation actions such as alignment and focusing, and unnecessary bright illumination is not performed. In addition, by reducing the light intensity to the minimum level required, power consumption and heating can be suppressed to a minimum.

[0060] In addition, the projection device 1 includes an operation receiving unit 15 for receiving input operations from the outside. The CPU 11 determines the display state of the projection unit 16 in the dimmed state according to the set content. The dimmed state may occur when the projection is started in preparation, when multiple speakers are switched, etc., but by presetting the display content in such a case and storing it in the ROM 12, it is possible to obtain the preferred display state each time without much trouble.

[0061] The display state mentioned above includes display color. By enabling the display color to be switched and set in a state without image data, the atmosphere of the venue can be appropriately adjusted during preparation or when switching presentations.

[0062] In addition, the above-mentioned display state includes display of at least one of a logo, a symbol, and a character. In the absence of image data, sometimes preparations such as alignment and focusing are performed as described above, so by presetting and projecting content that is beneficial to these preparations, the operation can be made efficient.

[0063] In addition, the CPU 11 changes the light intensity of the projection light in the dimmed state according to a series of input operations to the operation receiving unit 15 more than twice. Even in the dimmed state, when the luminous intensity cannot be increased in any way due to the surrounding brightness or it is difficult to properly prepare, the light intensity can be increased by a predetermined input operation to the operation receiving unit. In this case, in order to avoid an unintentional increase in light intensity caused by contact with other objects being transported, more than two steps of input operation may be required. Thus, in particular, by reducing the luminous intensity to obtain the dimmed state, it is possible to reduce unintentional and useless power consumption of the battery 21, overheating of the storage component, etc., and further improve the convenience involved in preparation, etc.

[0064] In addition, the input unit 14 has an input terminal 141 for connecting a cable to an external device. The CPU 11 can also detect whether the cable is connected to the input terminal 141 and determine whether the image data is input. Even if the input of the image data is not strictly detected, it is possible to determine whether the dimming state is required by only detecting the physical connection, thereby facilitating the processing. Since it is difficult to imagine that the external device is connected inside the storage member, by appropriately reducing the luminous intensity, the increase in power consumption during unintentional lighting, overheating, etc. can be fully suppressed.

[0065] In addition, the input unit 14 includes a wireless LAN interface 142 for wireless communication with an external device. The CPU 11 can also detect whether the wireless LAN interface 142 is communicating with the external device and determine whether the image data has been acquired. As with the input terminal 141, even if the input of the image data is not actually strictly detected, as long as the communication connection is established, the processing can be facilitated.

[0066] In addition, when no image data is input within the reference time from the start of the light-emitting operation in the dimmed state, the CPU 11 stops the emission of the projection light. Even if the light is intentionally turned on during preparation, the time required for preparation is usually not that long. Therefore, when the state without image data continues for a long time beyond the time required for preparation, the emission of the projection light is stopped by appropriately stopping the light-emitting operation, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption.

[0067] In addition, when no input operation or image data is input to the operation receiving unit 15 within the reference time from the start of the light-emitting operation in the dimmed state, the CPU 11 stops the emission of the projection light. Even if the preparation takes longer than usual, the light-emitting operation in the dimmed state can be continued by the input operation to the operation receiving unit 15, so the convenience is not greatly reduced. In addition, by limiting the input operation to valid operations, even if the input operation is repeatedly and unintentionally performed during transportation and movement, the light-emitting operation will be stopped halfway, so that overheating of the storage member and the like can be suppressed and useless power consumption can be reduced.

[0068] The light emission control method of this embodiment includes a dimming step of making the light intensity of the projection light (the light emission intensity of the light emitting unit 161 ) lower than a reference value when image data is not acquired through the input unit 14 .

[0069] In this way, when the image corresponding to the image data is not displayed, the light emission intensity is controlled not to be in a high state, so that in the light emission control method, alignment, focusing, etc. can be performed, thereby reducing the emission of projection light with unnecessary light quantity without reducing convenience. In addition, since strong intensity emission is not performed in a contact state inside the storage member, etc., it is possible to reduce the situation where the storage member is abnormally heated and a defect occurs in the storage member, the main body 10, etc. In addition, by reducing the light emission intensity to a dimmed state, power consumption can be reduced.

[0070] In addition, the program 121 of the present embodiment enables the computer (CPU 11) of the projection device 1 to function as a dimming unit, which makes the light intensity of the projection light (the light intensity of the light emitting unit 161) lower than the reference value when the image data is not obtained through the input unit 14. By installing the software program for control and executing it by the CPU 11, it is possible to easily and easily suppress the reduction of convenience as described above, and to reduce the emission of projection light with unnecessary light. In addition, by suppressing the amount of local light irradiation at a very close distance to the storage member, etc., the overheating of the storage member is suppressed, and the light intensity itself is also reduced, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0071] [Second embodiment]

[0072] Next, a projection device 1 a according to a second embodiment will be described.

[0073] Figure 4This is a block diagram showing the functional structure of the projection device 1a of the second embodiment. The projection device 1a is the same as the projection device 1 of the first embodiment except that a measuring unit 19 is further added to the main body 10a. The same reference numerals are used for the same structures and detailed description is omitted.

[0074] The measuring unit 19 measures various states of the machine and outputs them to the CPU 11. The measuring unit 19 has an illumination sensor 191 (second measuring unit), an acceleration sensor 192 (first measuring unit) and a proximity object detection unit 193 (detection unit). The illumination sensor 191 measures the illumination outside the main body 10a. The illumination sensor 191 is not particularly limited, but is located at a position separated from the exit port on the same surface as the exit port, and measures the illumination (brightness) of the periphery in the projection direction of the image. In addition to being an indicator of the luminous intensity during normal projection, when there is an object very close to the exit port and the projection light is reflected, the reflected light is measured by the illumination sensor 191, and the illumination is greatly increased, which is inferred to be a state not suitable for projection. On the contrary, since there is some light in the hall and the conference room, when the illumination is approximately zero, it is inferred that the illumination sensor 191 (i.e., the front surface) is covered by an object, which is still a state not suitable for projection.

[0075] The acceleration sensor 192 measures the acceleration (motion state) of the projector in three axial directions including the gravitational acceleration. The posture of the projection device 1a is determined by determining the direction of the gravitational acceleration. In addition, it can be inferred that the projection device 1a is being transported (moving state) based on the change pattern of the acceleration.

[0076] The approaching object detection unit 193 detects whether there are other objects (usually solid, but may be liquid) around each surface of the main body 10a, at least near the front surface (in the projection direction). The approaching object detection unit 193 may be, for example, an infrared sensor, a magnetic sensor, etc. In the case where an object exists near the front surface, especially at a position closer than the shortest focal length of the projection light (optical system 162), it is presumed that the light emitting unit 161 is not turned on for intentional projection. Similarly, in the case where an approaching object is detected on multiple surfaces among the six surfaces, especially on one side other than the installation surface determined by the acceleration sensor 192, it is considered to overlap or be close to other surfaces such as bags and boxes, and it is presumed that projection is not being performed.

[0077] In the projection device 1a of the present embodiment, part or all of the measurement results of the measuring unit 19 are used to infer the surrounding conditions, the possibility of an inappropriate projection state, etc., and the luminous intensity, the reference value, and the degree of dimming are determined according to the inference results (based on the measurement results). The setting of the luminous intensity corresponding to each measurement result is stored as table data in the ROM 12, which can be referred to by the CPU 11, and can also be changed and adjusted according to the luminous intensity initially set by a prescribed calculation formula.

[0078] Figure 5 1 is a flowchart showing the control steps of the CPU 11 in the startup control process performed in the projection device 1a of the second embodiment. The startup control process is compared with the startup control process performed by the projection device 1 of the first embodiment, and steps S131 and S132 are added, and steps S104, S105, and S121 are replaced by steps S104a, S105a, and S121a, respectively. The other processes are the same, so the same processing contents are marked with the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0079] In the determination process of step S102, when it is determined that power is not supplied from the commercial power supply ("No" in step S102), CPU11 obtains the measurement result of the measuring unit 19 (step S131). Then, the process of CPU11 is transferred to step S103. In the case where it is determined that there is no signal input in the determination process of step S103 ("No" in step S103), CPU11 sets the luminous intensity in the dimmed state corresponding to the measurement result (step S104a). For example, when CPU11 determines based on the measurement result that the possibility that the user intentionally operates and lights up the projection device 1a is low, the luminous intensity level is set to the lowest. In the case where the possibility that the user intentionally operates and lights up the projection device 1a is not necessarily low, CPU11 sets it to a higher level of luminous intensity level.

[0080] The CPU 11 sets a reference time corresponding to the measurement result (step S132). For example, when the CPU 11 determines based on the measurement result that the user has a low possibility of intentionally operating and lighting the projection device 1a, the CPU 11 sets the reference time to be shorter than the initial value (5 minutes). Then, the CPU 11 starts the light-emitting operation of the light-emitting unit 161 with the set light-emitting intensity, so that light is emitted from the emission port (step S105a). In addition, the CPU 11 starts counting the elapsed time. The processing of the CPU 11 is transferred to step S106.

[0081] In the determination process of step S103, when it is determined that there is a signal input ("Yes" in step S103), CPU 11 obtains the setting of the battery luminous intensity corresponding to the measurement result (step S121a). For example, the battery luminous intensity can be determined so that the closer the distance to the object in the projection direction of the detected image is, the lower the battery luminous intensity is. Alternatively, it can be determined that the luminous intensity is low in both the case where the detection value of the illuminance sensor is high and the case where the detection value of the illuminance sensor is low. Then, the processing of CPU 11 is transferred to step S122.

[0082] As described above, the projection device 1a of the second embodiment includes a measuring unit 19 for measuring the state of the device. The CPU 11 determines the light intensity of the projection light in the dimmed state based on the measurement result of the measuring unit 19. The measurement operation performed by the measuring unit 19 can improve the accuracy of determining whether the user intentionally turns on the light. Therefore, by adjusting the light intensity (luminous intensity) in the dimmed state based on the determination result, unnecessary power consumption, overheating of the storage member, etc. can be more reliably suppressed without compromising convenience.

[0083] In addition, the projection device 1a is provided with a proximity detection unit 193 for detecting at least an object existing in the projection direction of the projection unit 16. The CPU 11 determines the light intensity of the projection light in the dimming state based on the detection result of the proximity detection unit 193. When there is an object in the projection direction, especially at a very close distance, the possibility of lighting up for intentional projection is low, and the light intensity of the projection light is reduced as much as possible. In addition, the light intensity required for the preparation action may also change depending on the distance to the projection object. Therefore, by changing the light intensity based on the detection result of the proximity detection unit 193, overheating of the storage component and the like can be effectively suppressed. In addition, by reducing the light intensity during unnecessary emission, power consumption can be more effectively reduced.

[0084] In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various changes can be made. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, at startup, until the image data is input or until the reference time has passed, it is determined whether to transfer to the dimmed state based on whether there is input of image data, but it is not limited to this. In the case where the input of image data is interrupted midway, such as the switching of the speaker or the break, it can also be transferred to the dimmed state in the same way. In this case, in the projection device 1a of the second embodiment, within the range where the acceleration sensor 192 does not detect a large movement, etc., it is considered that the adjustment of the focus position and the projection position is completed. Therefore, even if the measured illumination temporarily increases, the luminous intensity in the dimmed state can be increased without depending on the measurement result.

[0085] In the first embodiment, the emission intensity in the dimmed state is set to the lowest level, but even when there is no change as in the second embodiment, it is not limited to the lowest level. It only needs to be set to be smaller than the reference emission intensity.

[0086] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the reference value of the luminous intensity in the dimmed state is described as the maximum luminous intensity for the battery, but it can also be a luminous intensity lower than it. In addition, in the case where the luminous intensity at the time of starting is set to be lower than the reference value, even in the dimmed state, it is substantially possible to emit luminous intensity at the same level as the normal start-up. In addition, in the case where the luminous intensity at the time of starting is set to be lower than the initial value of the luminous intensity in the dimmed state, the setting of the luminous intensity in the dimmed state can also be changed in conjunction with the luminous intensity at the time of starting.

[0087] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the display content is set to a single fixed mode when there is no image data is described, but it is not limited to this. The display color may change over time, or the displayed characters, symbols, or logos may change or be deleted. Regarding these changes, they may be set in advance, or the characters, symbols, logos, etc. may be automatically deleted midway without being set. In addition, it is also possible to set only a single mode without being able to set the display content.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the presence or absence of image data input is determined based on the presence or absence of connection to the cable input terminal 141. However, in the case of a wireless LAN connection, it may be determined that image data is input when the communication connection is established.

[0089] In addition, in the above embodiment, the case where the dimming state is entered when no image data is input only when power is supplied from the battery 21 is described, but the dimming state can also be entered when power is supplied from a commercial power source. Since power is not supplied from a normal commercial power source during movement, the possibility of unintentional activation is low, and the storage capacity of the battery 21 is not reduced, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0090] In addition, the power supply unit 20 may be built into the main body 10, or may be directly attached to and detached from the main body 10. In addition, the external power source that can charge the battery 21 is not limited to a general commercial power source (AC 100V in Japan). Power may also be supplied from other large-capacity batteries, generators, other power supply devices, etc.

[0091] In addition, in the second embodiment described above, the measurement unit 19 is described as having an illumination sensor 191, an acceleration sensor 192, and a proximity detection unit 193, but it may be a part of them. In addition, it may also have a sensor capable of detecting a horizontal arrangement other than the acceleration sensor 192. In addition, it may also be possible to measure the distance to a very close object instead of the proximity detection unit 193. In this case, it is also possible to measure the distance to the projection surface, etc.

[0092] In addition, in the above embodiment, the case where the light-emitting operation is stopped when there is no input operation and the dimming state continues for a reference time is described, but it is not necessary to make a determination regarding the presence or absence of an input operation. In addition, the light-emitting operation may not be stopped from the dimming state. In addition, instead of stopping the light-emitting operation, the light-emitting intensity may be gradually reduced every predetermined time until it reaches the lowest stage.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the projection apparatus 1, 1a itself performs determination control of the dimming state, etc., but a control device located outside the projection apparatus 1, 1a may also perform determination control to control the light emission intensity, etc. of the projection apparatus 1, 1a.

[0094] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the luminous intensity at the reference brightness is described as the luminous intensity of the projection light, but it is also possible to adjust the reflection angle control of the DMD without reducing the luminous intensity, so that the luminous intensity of the projection light is reduced (partial scattering) to produce a dimmed state. In this case, although the power consumption is not reduced, since all the light emitted from the emission port is not concentrated and emitted, it is possible to avoid the local overheating of the storage member and the occurrence of adverse conditions.

[0095] In the above embodiment, the image data of the projection target image can be obtained through the wireless LAN via the wireless LAN interface 142, but the image data can also be obtained through wireless data communication other than the wireless LAN, and the structure involved in wireless communication such as the wireless LAN interface 142 may not be provided.

[0096] In addition, in the above description, as a computer-readable medium storing the program 121 involved in the light emission control of the present invention, the ROM 12 composed of a readable and writable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory is cited as an example for description, but it is not limited to this. As other computer-readable media, other non-volatile memories such as MRAM, CD-ROM, DVD disks and other removable storage media can be applied. In addition, as a medium for providing data of the program of the present invention via a communication line, a carrier wave is also applied to the present invention.

[0097] Furthermore, the specific structure of the projection devices 1 and 1 a shown in the above-mentioned embodiments, the content and sequence of the control operations, etc. can be appropriately changed within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0098] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and the scope equivalent thereto.

Claims

1. A projection device, characterized in that: have: a projection unit that emits projection light; an acquisition unit that acquires image data of the projection target image of the projection unit from the outside; and a control unit, which controls the operation of the projection unit, The control unit sets the light intensity of the projection light to a dimmed state lower than the light intensity of the projection light when the image data is not acquired by the acquisition unit, and at the same time, allows the projection unit to project the object image including at least one of a logo, a symbol, and a character, thereby performing positioning or focus adjustment of the display.

2. The projection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A power supply unit is provided, the power supply unit having a battery, and power is selectively supplied from either the external power supply or the battery depending on whether or not an external power supply is connected. The control unit can shift to the dimmed state when power is supplied from the battery.

3. The projection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The projection unit includes a light emitting unit, and emits the projection light based on the light emitted by the light emitting unit. The light emitting unit is capable of changing the light intensity within a set range. The control unit makes the light emission intensity of the light emitting unit the lowest within the set range in the dimming state.

4. The projection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: An operation receiving unit for receiving input operations from the outside is provided, The control unit determines a display state of the projection unit in the dimmed state according to content set via the operation accepting unit.

5. The projection device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The display state includes a display color.

6. The projection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: An operation receiving unit for receiving input operations from the outside is provided, The control unit changes the light intensity in the dimmed state according to two or more consecutive input operations to the operation receiving unit.

7. The projection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The acquisition unit includes a connection terminal for a cable connected to an external device. The control unit detects whether the cable is connected to the connection terminal and determines whether the image data has been acquired.

8. The projection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The acquisition unit includes a wireless communication unit for wirelessly communicating with an external device. The control unit detects whether the wireless communication unit is communicating with the external device to determine whether the image data has been acquired.

9. The projection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The identifier is a plus sign or a curly bracket. The character is a character or a sequence of characters, The symbol is a symbol or a sequence of symbols.

10. The projection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The projection unit includes a light emitting unit, and the projection unit is configured to emit the projection light based on the light emitted by the light emitting unit. The light emitting unit is capable of changing the light intensity within a set range. When the acquisition unit does not acquire the image data, the control unit sets the maximum light emission intensity of the light emitting unit when power is supplied from the battery to be lower than the maximum light emission intensity of the light emitting unit when power is supplied from the external power supply.

11. The projection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The control unit stops the emission of the projection light when image data is not acquired within a reference time after the emission of the projection light in the dimmed state is started.

12. The projection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: An operation receiving unit for receiving input operations from the outside is provided, The control unit stops the emission of the projection light if no operation is input to the operation receiving unit or no image data is acquired within a reference time after the emission of the projection light in the dimmed state is started.

13. A light emission control method for a projection device, the projection device comprising: a projection unit that emits projection light; and an acquisition unit that acquires image data of an image to be projected by the projection unit from the outside, the light emission control method being characterized in that: The method includes a dimming step for setting the light intensity of the projection light to a dimming state lower than the light intensity of the projection light when the image data is not acquired by the acquisition unit, and at the same time, allowing the projection unit to project the object image including at least one of a logo, a symbol and a character, thereby performing positioning or focus adjustment of the display.

14. A storage medium storing a program for causing a computer of a projection device to execute, the projection device comprising: a projection unit that emits projection light; and an acquisition unit that acquires image data of an image to be projected by the projection unit from outside, wherein the storage medium is characterized in that: The program causes the computer to function as a dimming unit, The dimming unit sets the light intensity of the projection light to a dimming state lower than the light intensity of the projection light when the image data is not acquired by the acquisition unit, and at the same time, allows the projection unit to project the object image including at least one of a logo, a symbol, and a character, thereby performing positioning or focus adjustment of the display.

Images