JP2005077890A - Projection type image display device and illuminance detection adjustment method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a projection type image display device capable of automatically setting an illuminance within specification without troubling an inspector. <P>SOLUTION: An illuminance sensor 41 is disposed almost in the middle of a screen 42 installed in an inspecting place. The illuminance sensor 41 receives the inspection projection image (e.g., image in 100% white) of a liquid crystal projector and outputs an illuminance value. The personal computer 40 inputs an illuminance value from the illuminance sensor 41, and transmits lamp power control information to the liquid crystal projector when the illuminance value is out of an illuminance range obtained by the liquid crystal projector being detected. Based on the lamp power control information, the microcomputer 25 of the liquid crystal projection sets a reference drive power relative to a lamp driver 26. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a projection display apparatus such as a liquid crystal projector and an illuminance inspection adjustment method.

As a conventional technique, there is known a technique for performing light adjustment control of a light source by detecting the ambient light amount of a projector (see Patent Document 1). In addition, there has been proposed a projector that performs dimming control based on average brightness (APL: Average Picture Lever) (see Patent Document 2).
JP 2000-131668 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-179886

  By the way, there are many parts used in the projector that have a large variation in brightness. For example, a lamp has a variation of about ± 15% in the amount of emitted light, a liquid crystal panel has a variation in light transmission characteristic of about ± 8%, and a dichroic mirror has a variation in light transmission characteristic of about ± 4%. Due to variations, the illuminance within the standard range may not be obtained. The lower limit of the standard is provided for guarantee to the user, and the upper limit of the standard is provided for ensuring the reliability of optical components such as liquid crystal and polarizing plates in the liquid crystal panel.

  When the projector is shipped, an illuminance inspection step is provided to actually project an image, and it is checked whether the illuminance on the screen is within the standard. As described above, if the variation of the optical parts is large, the optical value may deviate from the standard value, and the replacement of the optical parts such as a lamp frequently occurs.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a projection display apparatus capable of automatically setting illuminance within a standard without bothering an inspector and an illuminance inspection adjustment method thereof.

  In order to solve the above problems, the projection display apparatus of the present invention adjusts the driving power of the light source in the projection display apparatus that projects the image by modulating the light emitted from the light source with a light valve. And a light source driver having a function to perform control, and a control means for setting a reference drive power for the light source driver based on a drive power increase / decrease command input from an external device (hereinafter referred to as this). In the section, it is referred to as a first configuration)

  The projection display apparatus of the present invention is a projection display apparatus that projects light by modulating light emitted from a light source with a light valve, and has a function of adjusting the driving power of the light source. A driver and control means for setting a reference driving power for the light source driver based on illuminance information input from an external illuminance sensor (hereinafter referred to as a second configuration in this section). .

  The projection display apparatus of the present invention is a projection display apparatus that projects light by modulating light emitted from a light source with a light valve, and has a function of adjusting the driving power of the light source. A driver, and control means for setting a reference drive power for the light source driver based on illuminance information input from a built-in illuminance sensor (hereinafter referred to as a third configuration in this section). .

  With these configurations, the reference drive power is automatically set for the light source driver by the control of the control means based on the drive power increase / decrease command from the external device or the illuminance information, and the inspector is not bothered. The illuminance within the standard is automatically set.

  In the second configuration or the third configuration, the control unit includes a storage unit in which illuminance range information is registered, and sets a reference driving power for the light source driver when the input illuminance information is out of the illuminance range. It may be configured as follows. The illuminance range information may be set in a range of ± 10% with respect to the standard illuminance value.

  The illuminance inspection adjustment method according to the present invention is an illuminance inspection adjustment method in the projection display apparatus having the first configuration, wherein the projection image display apparatus to be inspected projects an image on a screen, and the external device The information processing apparatus includes a step of inputting illuminance information from an illuminance sensor arranged on a screen and giving a drive power increase / decrease command to the projection display apparatus based on the illuminance information. In this method, it is preferable that the information processing apparatus includes a storage unit in which illuminance range information is registered, and gives a drive power increase / decrease command to the projection display apparatus when the input illuminance information is out of the illuminance range. The illuminance range information may be set within a range of ± 10% with respect to a standard illuminance value of a projection display apparatus to be inspected.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically set the illuminance within the standard without bothering the inspector.

  A liquid crystal projector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an optical system of a three-plate liquid crystal projector of this embodiment. The light emitting part in the light source 1 is composed of an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp, a metal halide lamp, a xenon lamp or the like, and the irradiation light is emitted as parallel light by a parabolic reflector and guided to the integrator lens 4.

  The integrator lens 4 is composed of a pair of lens groups (fly eye lenses) 4a and 4b, and each lens portion guides light emitted from the light source 1 to the entire surface of a liquid crystal light valve to be described later. The partial luminance unevenness existing in the light source 1 is averaged, and the light amount difference between the center of the screen and the peripheral portion is reduced. The light passing through the integrator lens 4 is guided to the first dichroic mirror 7 after passing through the polarization conversion device 5 and the condenser lens 6.

  The polarization conversion device 5 is configured by a polarization beam splitter array (hereinafter referred to as a PBS array). The PBS array includes a polarization separation film and a phase difference plate (1 / 2λ plate). Each polarization separation film of the PBS array passes, for example, P-polarized light out of the light from the integrator lens 4 and changes the optical path of S-polarized light by 90 °. The optically polarized S-polarized light is reflected by the adjacent polarization separation film and emitted as it is. On the other hand, the P-polarized light transmitted through the polarization separation film is converted into S-polarized light by the retardation plate provided on the front side (light emitting side) and emitted. That is, in this case, almost all light is converted to S-polarized light.

  The first dichroic mirror 7 transmits light in the red wavelength band and reflects light in the cyan (green + blue) wavelength band. The light in the red wavelength band that has passed through the first dichroic mirror 7 is reflected by the reflection mirror 8 to change the optical path. The red light reflected by the reflection mirror 8 is light-modulated by passing through a lens 9 and a transmissive liquid crystal light valve 31 for red light. On the other hand, the light in the cyan wavelength band reflected by the first dichroic mirror 7 is guided to the second dichroic mirror 10.

  The second dichroic mirror 10 transmits light in the blue wavelength band and reflects light in the green wavelength band. The light in the green wavelength band reflected by the second dichroic mirror 10 is guided to the transmissive liquid crystal light valve 32 for green light through the lens 11 and is modulated by being transmitted therethrough. The light in the blue wavelength band that has passed through the second dichroic mirror 10 is guided to the blue-light transmissive liquid crystal light valve 33 through the total reflection mirror 12, total reflection mirror 13, and lens 14, and is transmitted therethrough. It is optically modulated.

  Each of the liquid crystal light valves 31, 32, 33 includes a panel portion 31b, in which liquid crystal is sealed between an incident-side polarizing plate 31a, 32a, 33a and a pair of glass substrates (with pixel electrodes and alignment films formed). 32b, 33b and output side polarizing plates 31c, 32c, 33c.

  The modulated light (each color video light) modulated by passing through the liquid crystal light valves 31, 32, 33 is synthesized by the cross dichroic prism 15 to become color video light. The color image light is enlarged and projected by the projection lens 16 and projected and displayed on the screen.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an image processing system and a light source control system of a liquid crystal projector and a personal computer (personal computer) 40 which is an inspection adjustment apparatus. The video signal processing circuit 23 of the liquid crystal projector receives the video signal and performs processing such as frequency conversion (scanning line number conversion). The gamma correction circuit 24 performs correction processing in view of the applied voltage-light transmission characteristics of the liquid crystal light valve (LCD), and supplies (drives) the corrected video signal (video data) to the liquid crystal light valves 31, 32, 33. ). A microcomputer (microcomputer) 25 of the liquid crystal projector performs overall control in the liquid crystal projector, and is input from a port (for example, using a service port provided for software rewriting or the like) 25a in the inspection mode at the shipping stage. The lamp power control information (drive power increase / decrease command) is input, and the reference drive power information is given to the lamp driver (ballast with dimming function) 26. The lamp driver 26 receives the reference driving power information, sets the reference driving power of the light source (lamp) 1, and controls the amount of emitted light. In the inspection mode at the shipping stage, for example, an inspection adjustment button is provided on the liquid crystal projector, and by pressing this button, the microcomputer 25 can recognize that it is in the inspection mode. Alternatively, the microcomputer 25 can recognize that it is in the inspection mode through communication between the microcomputer 25 and the personal computer 40 via the port 25a.

  An illuminance sensor 41 is provided in the approximate center of the screen 42 provided in the inspection site. The illuminance sensor 41 receives an inspection projection image (for example, white 100% image) of the liquid crystal projector and outputs an illuminance value. The personal computer 40 receives the illuminance value from the illuminance sensor 41, performs A / D conversion, and generates illuminance data. Illuminance range data (for each model) is registered in a memory (not shown) of the personal computer 40. The illuminance range data is set, for example, in a range of ± 10% with respect to the standard illuminance value of the liquid crystal projector to be inspected.

  The personal computer 40 compares the illuminance data (actual illuminance value) with the illuminance range data. When the illuminance data is out of the illuminance range data, the personal computer 40 supplies lamp power control information (drive power increase / decrease command) to the liquid crystal projector. give. For example, the personal computer 40 determines that the standard illuminance value is A, the illuminance data is B, and the correction value C is a division process of C = A / B. Further, the personal computer 40 includes a correspondence table between correction values and driving power setting values for each model. The model information can be input from the keyboard of the personal computer 40 or the like. The drive power setting value can be switch number information, for example (see later). The personal computer 40 reads the drive power setting value from the correspondence table based on the calculated correction value C, and gives this to the liquid crystal projector as lamp power control information (drive power increase / decrease command).

  The microcomputer 25 of the liquid crystal projector sets a reference drive power for the lamp driver 26 based on the lamp power control information (drive power increase / decrease command). In the power supply section of the lamp driver 26, for example, a circuit is provided in which a plurality of resistors are connected in series so that a desired voltage can be taken out by a voltage drop generated at the connection point of each resistor. That is, a switch is connected to each connection point of each resistor, and the light source driving power can be switched depending on which switch is turned on. In the inspection stage, for example, a predetermined switch (initial switch) is turned on so that the light source is driven with about 80% of the maximum power. When the lamp driver 26 receives the switch number information as the drive power increase / decrease command, the lamp driver 26 turns on the switch corresponding to the number instead of the initial switch, and thereafter uses this state as the reference drive power (the microcomputer 25 sets the switch number). Is stored in the memory as a reference set value), and the light source 1 is driven. As a result, the liquid crystal projector can be shipped with a predetermined illuminance.

  In the above configuration, the personal computer 40 includes the memory storing the illuminance range data, the illuminance information input unit, the correction value generation unit, and the table, so that a driving power setting value command based on the illuminance information is given to the liquid crystal projector. However, since the liquid crystal projector includes the memory, the illuminance information input unit, the correction value generation unit, and the table, the illuminance information is directly received from the illuminance sensor 41, and the drive power setting value based on the illuminance information is generated by itself. It becomes possible to do.

  Furthermore, when the liquid crystal projector includes an illuminance sensor, the illuminance information on the screen 42 cannot be directly detected, but the illuminance information corresponding to the illuminance on the screen 42 by the built-in illuminance sensor (directed toward the screen). Can be generated. Therefore, it is possible to perform the inspection adjustment process without using the personal computer 40 and the illuminance sensor 41 described above.

  In the above description, a projection display apparatus using a liquid crystal light valve is shown, but the present invention can also be applied to a configuration using other light valves. In the above example, the service port is exemplified as the port of the microcomputer 25. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other ports such as a USB port can also be used. Further, the power control is not limited to the above-described resistor and switch, and a circuit that performs power consumption control by phase control, switching power supply control, or the like may be used. For example, as described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-131668) shown in the conventional item, a power control means (2) and a lamp driving circuit (3) are provided, and a control signal from the microcomputer (24) is provided. Power control may be performed by applying (voltage level) to the transistor (23) of the power control means (2) as the reference drive power. In this case, in the configuration of the present application, the microcomputer 25 converts the control signal (voltage level) into a digital value, stores this in the memory as a reference set value, and the digital value is stored when the liquid crystal projector is turned on. By providing the power control means (2) with a voltage value read from the memory and converted into an analog signal as a control signal, the light source 1 is driven by the control signal after this inspection, and the liquid crystal projector is within the specified range. It will be in a state that can be shipped as having an illuminance of.

1 is a configuration diagram showing an optical system of a liquid crystal projector of an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the personal computer which is a control system and test | inspection adjustment apparatus of the liquid crystal projector of embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Light source 4 Integrator lens 25 Microcomputer (microcomputer)
25a port 26 Lamp driver 31, 32, 33 Liquid crystal light valve 40 Personal computer (PC)
41 Illuminance sensor

Claims (8)

In a projection display apparatus for projecting an image by modulating light emitted from a light source with a light valve, a light source driver having a function of adjusting driving power of the light source, and driving power increase / decrease input from an external device And a control means for setting a reference driving power for the light source driver based on a command. In a projection display apparatus for projecting an image by modulating light emitted from a light source with a light valve, a light source driver having a function of adjusting the driving power of the light source, and illuminance information input from an external illuminance sensor And a control means for setting a reference driving power for the light source driver based on the projection type video display device. In a projection display apparatus for projecting an image by modulating light emitted from a light source with a light valve, a light source driver having a function of adjusting driving power of the light source, and illuminance information input from a built-in illuminance sensor And a control means for setting a reference driving power for the light source driver based on the projection type video display device. 4. The projection display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit includes a storage unit in which illuminance range information is registered, and when the input illuminance information is out of the illuminance range, the control unit includes: A projection-type image display device configured to set a reference driving power for the projection-type image display device. 5. The projection display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the illuminance range information is set to a range of ± 10% with respect to a standard illuminance value. The illuminance inspection adjustment method for a projection display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection image display apparatus to be inspected projects an image on the screen, and the information processing apparatus as an external device is on the screen. A method for adjusting illuminance inspection, comprising: inputting illuminance information from an illuminance sensor disposed on the projector and providing a drive power increase / decrease command to the projection display apparatus based on the illuminance information. The illuminance inspection adjustment method according to claim 6, wherein the information processing apparatus includes a storage unit in which illuminance range information is registered, and when the input illuminance information is out of the illuminance range, driving power is supplied to the projection display apparatus. An illumination inspection adjustment method characterized by giving an increase / decrease command. 8. The illuminance inspection adjustment method according to claim 7, wherein the illuminance range information is set to a range of ± 10% with respect to a standard illuminance value of a projection display device to be inspected. Adjustment method.

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