Controlled Shadow Casting for Projector Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

In well-lit environments, the perceptual quality of projected content using digital projectors is often undesirable due to ambient and artificial lighting, requiring either darkening the space, increasing projector intensity, or enhancing reflective surfaces, which have drawbacks such as energy inefficiency and cost.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a controlled shadow casting apparatus that uses a camera, imaging engine, projection engine, and shadow casting engine to determine the optimal positioning of a projector and a shutter to cast shadows around projected content, enhancing visibility without altering the environment's lighting or surface properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If ambient lighting is increased for comfortable viewing, then ease of operation improves, but perceptual quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveviewing comfortVSAvoidperceptual quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the lighting into two distinct components: ambient lighting for viewer comfort and controlled shadow lighting for content enhancement. The shadow casting apparatus creates localized shadow regions around the projected content area, separating the functional lighting needs from the perceptual quality requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shadow casting apparatus applies localized shadow effects specifically around the projected content boundaries rather than uniformly across the entire projection surface. This local quality enhancement improves perceptual contrast where needed while maintaining comfortable ambient lighting elsewhere.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If projector intensity is increased to improve perceptual quality, then perceptual quality improves, but use of energy worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperceptual qualityVSAvoidprojector energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The shadow casting apparatus acts as an intermediary system that enhances perceptual quality without requiring increased projector output. By introducing controlled shadow regions around the content, it amplifies the effective contrast and visibility of the projected material while the projector itself operates at constant, lower power levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If reflective surface properties are enhanced to improve perceptual quality, then perceptual quality improves, but device complexity worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperceptual qualityVSAvoidsurface treatment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of permanently modifying the projection surface with special reflective coatings or materials, the system creates a temporary optical copy effect using projected shadow patterns. The shadow casting apparatus projects controllable shadow regions that simulate the effect of enhanced surface reflectivity without any physical surface treatment or complex material applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

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

This solution improves the perceptual quality of projected content by casting shadows that surround and overlay the content, enhancing visibility without the need for darkening the environment or increasing projector intensity, thus addressing the limitations of existing methods.

Implementation Method 1

controlling the shutter to project the cast shadow around a portion of the projected content

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShadow casting: Shadow

Implementation Method 2

a camera, imaging engine, projection engine, and shadow casting engine to determine the optimal positioning of a projector and a shutter

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS10455203B2Methods and apparatus for controlled shadow casting to increase the perceptual quality of projected content

Publication Date: 2019.10.22 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Methods and apparatus for controlled shadow casting to increase the perceptual quality of projected content are disclosed. In some examples, an apparatus is to increase a perceptual quality of content projected onto a projection surface. In some examples, the apparatus includes a processor and memory. In some examples, the memory includes computer readable instructions. In some examples, the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine a target shutter position for a shutter based on a location of a light source and a location of a projection surface. In some examples, the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to move the shutter to the target shutter position to cast a shadow onto the projection surface around a portion of content projected onto the projection surface.