Projector System Parallax Imaging for Accurate Position Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing projector systems that detect three-dimensional pointing elements, such as fingers, on a projection screen face challenges in maintaining accurate position sensing while minimizing the inter-camera distance, which often results in increased costs due to improved camera resolution and lens performance.
Innovation Solution
A projector system utilizing four imagers positioned at the corners of an enclosure, capturing parallax images with varying imaging ranges and tilt angles, allows for accurate parallax information acquisition without increasing inter-camera distance, enabling interactive image projection with reduced projector size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the inter-camera distance is increased to improve position sensing accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system is divided into two separate pairs of imagers: a first pair (first and second imagers) and a second pair (third and fourth imagers). Each pair captures parallax images from different positions and imaging ranges. This segmentation allows the system to obtain parallax information without requiring a large inter-camera distance, as each pair operates with optimized baseline distances for their specific imaging ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces multiple imaging ranges and positions by arranging imagers at different locations (first direction and second direction from the projection optical axis) and at different distances from the projection region. This multi-dimensional arrangement allows the system to capture parallax information from multiple perspectives without increasing the overall device size, effectively utilizing spatial dimensions to resolve the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If camera resolution and lens performance are improved to maintain accurate position sensing, then measurement precision is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of improving camera resolution and lens performance (which increases cost), the patent changes the system configuration parameters: it uses multiple imagers with different imaging ranges and positions. By optimizing the geometric arrangement and imaging parameters of multiple standard-resolution imagers, the system achieves accurate position sensing without requiring expensive high-resolution cameras or specialized lenses.
3Device complexity
If the projector size is reduced, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple imagers within a compact enclosure, nesting the imaging system within the projector body. The first and second imagers are positioned at different locations within the enclosure, as are the third and fourth imagers. This nested arrangement allows the system to maintain multiple imaging positions and ranges while keeping the overall projector size small, resolving the contradiction between device size and measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high-accuracy position sensing and interactive image projection by combining parallax information from multiple imagers with different imaging ranges and angles, effectively reducing the projector's size and maintaining performance without the need for increased camera resolution or lens performance.
Implementation Method 1
acquisition of parallax information that allows position sensing with accuracy comparable, for example, to the accuracy with which parallax information is acquired by two imagers with the inter-imager distance reduced
Data Source
AI summary
Cameras that are four imagers that form an imaging system are so configured as to be capable of acquiring parallax information based on two sets of parallax images that differ from each other in terms of imaging range for acquisition of the parallax information with the inter-camera distance reduced. The acquired parallax information is used to detect a pointing element on an irradiated region that is a projection screen to achieve interactive image projection.