JP2008152340A - Projector with built-in keyboard and projector system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a projector with a built-in keyboard and a projector system for preventing a projection result from being adversely affected even when using a projector in place of the monitor of a personal computer. <P>SOLUTION: This projector with a built-in keyboard is provided with a keyboard 11; a case body 12 loaded on the keyboard; and a projector 20 stored in the case body 12. Alternatively, this projector with built-in keyboard is provided with a casing 12 on which the keyboard is loaded having a recessed section for storing the projector formed thereon; and the projector 20 mounted on the recessed section of the casing 12 so as to be freely detachable. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a keyboard-integrated projector and a projector system.

Conventionally, a projector and a personal computer function as separate devices, but the projector can be used as a kind of peripheral device of a personal computer, for example, as a substitute for a monitor (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-010950 A

  When a projector is used as an alternative to a monitor of a personal computer, for example, when an image is projected in front of a keyboard, it is difficult to secure a sufficient projection distance because the distance between the keyboard and the screen becomes narrow. In addition, the distance between the projector and the keyboard is short, and it is easy for the projector to come into contact with the keyboard when operating the keyboard. In such a case, the projection result may be adversely affected. there were.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and is a keyboard-integrated type that prevents adverse effects on projection results even when the projector is used as a substitute for a monitor of a personal computer. An object is to provide a projector and a projector system.

  A keyboard-integrated projector according to the present invention includes a keyboard, a casing on which the keyboard is mounted, and a projector housed in the casing. In the present invention, for example, even when a projector is used as an alternative to a monitor of a personal computer, since the projector is housed in the keyboard casing, the distance between the keyboard and the screen is reduced as in the prior art. A situation does not occur, and a situation in which the projector is touched when the keyboard is operated does not occur, so that there is no possibility that the projection result is adversely affected. Furthermore, since the projector is housed in the keyboard housing, wiring for connecting the projector and the personal computer becomes unnecessary, and the troublesome wiring by the user is eliminated.

  In addition, the keyboard-integrated projector according to the present invention is detachably attached to the keyboard, a casing on which the keyboard is mounted and a recess for storing the projector, and a recess in the casing. And a projector. In the present invention, since the projector is detachably attached to the housing, the same effect as when the projector is housed in the housing can be obtained when the projector is attached to the housing. When the projector is used by removing it from the casing, the projector can be installed and projected at an arbitrary position, which is excellent in convenience.

  In the keyboard-integrated projector according to the present invention, a wireless communication unit is provided in each of the casing and the projector, and an operation signal is transmitted to the wireless communication unit of the projector by the wireless communication unit on the casing side. In the present invention, since signals are exchanged wirelessly between the housing and the projector, it is not necessary to consider the signal line when projecting the projector by removing it from the housing and placing it at an arbitrary position. So it is easy to handle.

  A projector system according to the present invention includes the keyboard-integrated projector described above and a computer connected to the keyboard-integrated projector. The computer receives an operation signal of the keyboard, and the operation signal is transmitted to the projector. It converts into the operation signal of a projector, and transmits to the projector of the said keyboard integrated projector. In the present invention, since the operation signal of the keyboard can be used as the operation signal of the projector, it is not necessary to provide the operation panel of the projector, and the structure is simple.

Embodiment 1. FIG.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a projector system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The projector system includes a keyboard-integrated projector 10 and a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) 40. In the keyboard-integrated projector 10, the projector 20 is housed in a housing 12 on which the keyboard 11 is mounted. The PC 30 transmits a video signal or the like to the keyboard-integrated projector 10, and the projector 20 receives the video signal or the like. For example, the projection of the projector 20 provided on the front side (back side when viewed from the operator) of the housing 12. By projecting an image on the screen 50 by the optical system (see FIG. 3), the user can view the image in the same manner as the monitor while operating the keyboard 11. Details of the keyboard-integrated projector 10 and the PC 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the projector system of FIG.
The keyboard-integrated projector 10 includes a keyboard 11, a communication circuit 13, and a projector 20. The key signal of the keyboard 11 is transmitted to the external PC 40 via the communication circuit 13. The communication circuit 13 is provided with a wireless signal transmitter 14, and the projector 20 is provided with a wireless signal receiver 21. A signal (video signal, operation signal) from the PC 34 is transmitted from the wireless signal transmitter 14 of the communication circuit 13 to the projector 20 wireless signal receiver 21 and taken into the projector 20. The PC 40 includes a CPU 41, a ROM 42, a RAM 43, a hard disk 44, a communication circuit 45, and a projector driver 46. In this embodiment, for example, a video signal is stored in the hard disk 44, and the projector driver 46 performs processing for converting a key signal from the keyboard 11 into an operation signal for the projector, and the like. 11 functions as an operation unit of the PC 40 in a normal use state, but after transmitting a predetermined key signal to the PC 40, the projector driver 46 functions and functions as an operation unit of the projector 20. The projector driver 46 is constituted by a microprocessor or the like, but the function may be realized by the CPU 41 shown.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the projector. The projector 20 includes a light source (for example, LED) 22 and three liquid crystal light valves 23R, 23G, and 23B as spatial light modulators that modulate light emitted from the light source 22 (referred to collectively as liquid crystal light valves). 23), a projection optical system 24 for enlarging and projecting the modulated light emitted from the liquid crystal light valve 23 onto the screen (however, the projection lens is shown in FIG. 3 and other components are omitted), and the liquid crystal light A liquid crystal light valve driving unit 25 for driving the valve 23 is provided.

  The liquid crystal light valve 23 has a plurality of pixels (not shown) formed in a matrix, and the liquid crystal light valve driving unit 25 controls the transmittance of each pixel based on the video signal supplied from the external PC 40. By adjusting, the image corresponding to the image signal is drawn and the modulated light is displayed on the screen. The projection optical system 24 includes a focus mechanism that can change the focus of the projection light, a zoom mechanism that can change the magnification of the projection light, and the like (all of which are not shown). The liquid crystal light valve 23 is composed of the three liquid crystal light valves 23R, 23G, and 23B as described above, and modulates light of each color of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). The light emitted from the light source 22 is separated into each color light by a color light separation optical system (not shown) and then modulated by the corresponding liquid crystal light valves 23R, 23G, and 23B, and is combined with a synthesis optical system (not shown, for example, a cross dichroic prism). ) And then enlarged and projected by the projection optical system 24.

  The projector 1 further includes a CPU 26, a ROM 27, and a RAM 28, which function as a control unit that controls the overall operation of the projector 20. In addition, the projector 20 includes a video signal input unit 29 and a video signal processing unit 30 for capturing a video signal among video signals and operation signals received by the wireless signal receiver 21. The video signal input unit 29 takes in the video signal from the wireless signal receiver 21 and performs various signal processing corresponding to the input video signal, for example, when it is an analog video signal, converts it into a digital video signal. And output to the video signal processing unit 30. The video signal processing unit 30 is composed of a signal processing circuit such as a microprocessor (for example, DSP), for example, and performs various processes described later by executing a control program stored in a storage unit incorporated therein. In addition, a frame memory (not shown) is connected to the video signal processing unit 30, and the video signal from the video signal input unit 29 is stored in the frame memory for each frame (one video screen), and the frame memory The video signal (hereinafter also referred to as frame video) is read out, and various signal processing such as resolution conversion processing for matching the resolution of the video signal to the resolution of the liquid crystal light valve 23 is performed. Further, the video signal processing unit 30 has a function of performing OSD processing, and in accordance with control commands from the CPU 26, characters and symbols representing various states of the projector 20, and an OSD video signal of a menu video when image quality adjustment is performed. A process of combining with the frame video signal is performed. Specifically, the CPU 26 reads out menu video data from the ROM 27, for example, and supplies it to the video signal processing unit 30, and the video signal processing unit 30 generates an OSD video signal from the menu video data, and the OSD video signal is framed. Combine with video signal. When the OSD process is not performed, the frame video signal is output as it is. When the menu image is displayed by the OSD process, the user sets or adjusts the function of each unit of the projector according to the menu image.

  Further, the video signal processing unit 30 has a trapezoidal distortion correction processing function. In order to suppress the trapezoidal distortion that occurs when the keyboard-integrated projector 10 is projected with tilted with respect to the screen (tilted projection), The corrected video signal is corrected, and the corrected video signal is output to the liquid crystal light valve driving unit 25. If no trapezoidal distortion has occurred, the video signal output from the video signal processing unit is supplied as it is to the liquid crystal light valve driving unit 25 without performing the above correction, and the liquid crystal light valve driving unit 25 receives the input signal. The liquid crystal light valve 23 is driven according to the video signal.

  The operation panel of the projector is usually provided with various keys such as a power key, a keystone correction key, a hand illumination / angle change key, and the operation panel is provided in the projector 20 of this embodiment. The keyboard 11 fulfills the function of the key as will be described later.

Next, the operation of the projector system according to this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of exchanging signals between the keyboard-integrated projector 10 and the PC 40. For example, when a key (for example, a combination of a plurality of keys) set in advance to operate the keyboard 11 as an operation key of the projector is operated, the key signal is transmitted to the communication circuit 45 of the PC 40 via the communication circuit 13. (S11). The key signal received by the communication circuit 45 is read by the CPU 41, and it is determined whether or not the key signal is an operation signal for switching the projector (S12). If it is not an operation signal for switching projectors, it is processed as a normal keyboard key signal. If it is determined that the key signal is an operation signal for switching the projector, for example, a projector flag installed in the RAM 43 is set (S13). When this flag is set, the projector driver 46 is set. Functions to convert a key signal from the keyboard into a projector operation signal by referring to a table preset in the ROM 44 or the projector driver 46, for example.

  After that, when the keyboard 11 is operated and a key signal is transmitted to the communication circuit 45 of the PC 40 via the communication circuit 13, the key signal received by the communication circuit 45 is read by the projector driver 46 and referred to the above table. Analyzed. And the process according to the analysis result is made. For example, when the key signal corresponds to an operation signal such as a power key, a keystone correction key, a hand illumination / angle change key, the corresponding operation signal is transmitted to the keyboard-integrated projector 10 side via the communication circuit 45. To do. When the communication circuit 13 of the keyboard-integrated projector 10 receives the operation signal, the CPU 26 reads the operation signal and supplies a control signal (command) corresponding to the operation signal to the video signal processing unit 30, for example. The video signal processing unit 30 performs processing according to the control signal. When a key signal for transmitting a video signal stored in the hard disk 44 is supplied from the keyboard-integrated projector 10 side to the PC 40 side, the projector driver 46 receives the video signal from the hard disk 44. The data is read and transmitted to the keyboard-integrated projector 10 via the communication circuit 45. When receiving the video signal, the communication circuit 13 of the keyboard-integrated projector 10 transmits the video signal to the wireless signal receiver 21 of the projector 20 via the wireless signal transmitter 14.

  The wireless signal receiver 21 transmits the video signal to the video signal input unit 29. The video signal input unit 29 performs various signal processing corresponding to the input video signal, such as converting the video signal into a digital video signal when the video signal is an analog video signal, for example, and outputs it to the video signal processing unit 30 To do. The video signal processing unit 30 performs the above-described various signal processing and outputs it to the liquid crystal light valve driving unit 25. The liquid crystal light valve drive unit 25 drives the liquid crystal light valve 23 based on the video signal, draws an image corresponding to the video signal by adjusting the transmittance of each pixel, and the modulated light by the projection optical system 24 The image is displayed by enlarging and projecting it on the screen. Then, the above processes (S14) to (S17) are repeated, and the projector is appropriately controlled. Finally, when a key (for example, a combination of a plurality of keys) set in advance to cancel the function of the keyboard 11 as the operation key of the projector 20 is operated, the key signal is transmitted through the communication circuit 13. The data is transmitted to the communication circuit 45 of the PC 40 (S18). The key signal received by the communication circuit 45 is read by the projector driver 46 to determine whether the key signal is a release operation signal. If it is determined that the key signal is a release operation signal, the projector flag is set. Reset (S19). Thus, thereafter, the key signal from the keyboard 11 is treated as a normal key signal.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, for example, even when the projector 20 is used as an alternative to the monitor of the personal computer 40, the projector 20 is housed in the casing 12 of the keyboard 11, so In addition, there is no situation where the distance between the keyboard 11 and the screen 50 is narrowed, and there is no situation where the keyboard 11 is touched when the keyboard 11 is operated, which may adversely affect the projection result. Is gone. Further, since the projector is housed in the keyboard casing, wiring for connecting the projector and the personal computer is not necessary, and the troublesome wiring by the user is eliminated.

  In addition, since signals are exchanged between the housing 12 and the projector 20 wirelessly, for example, when the projector 20 is removed from the housing 12 and placed at an arbitrary position for projection, the signal lines are not considered. It is easy to handle.

  Further, since the key signal of the keyboard 11 can be used as the operation signal of the projector 20, it is not necessary to provide the operation panel of the projector 20, and the structure is simple.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the projector system according to the second embodiment of the invention. In the first embodiment, the example in which the screen 50 is used to project an image has been described. However, as illustrated, the side wall of the casing of the PC 400 may be used as the screen.

Embodiment 3. FIG.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a keyboard integrated projector according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This figure is a side view of a keyboard-integrated projector, in which a recess 12a is provided in the casing 12 of the keyboard 11 so that the casing 31 of the projector 20 fits therein. In other words, the recess 12a that can accommodate the casing 31 of the projector 20 is provided in the casing 12 of the keyboard 11, and the casing 31 of the projector 20 is accommodated in the recess 12a. It should be noted that the means for fixing (joining) the projector casing 31 after being housed in the recess 12a is assumed to be a well-known appropriate fixing means (not shown).

  By using the casing 12 of the keyboard 11 in this manner, it is not necessary to worry about the presence of the projector 20 when used as a normal keyboard, and the same effect as when the projector 20 is housed in the casing 12 can be obtained. In addition, the casing 31 of the projector 20 can be used with the casing 12 removed. At this time, since the projector 20 and the keyboard case 12 side transmit and receive signals wirelessly, the projector 20 can be installed at an arbitrary position within a communicable range to project an image.

Embodiment 4 FIG.
In the above description, the liquid crystal light valve 12 is used to modulate the light emitted from the light source. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other spatial light modulators may be used. A DMD (Digital Micro Mirror Device: registered trademark) that projects an image by controlling the tilt of a mirror with a small area spread on the substrate based on the image data may be used. Further, in the above description, an example in which the projector 20 is housed in the keyboard housing 12 has been described. However, instead of the keyboard, for example, the projector can be housed in a laptop computer housing or detachable from the laptop computer. You may make it integrate. Further, transmission / reception of signals between the keyboard-integrated projector 10 and the PC 40 and transmission / reception of signals between the keyboard 11 and the communication circuit 13 may be performed wirelessly.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the projector system according to the first embodiment. The block diagram which showed the structure of the projector system of FIG. The block diagram which shows the structure of a projector. The flowchart which showed the process of transmission / reception of a keyboard integrated projector and PC. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a projector system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a keyboard integrated projector according to a third embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Keyboard integrated projector, 11 Keyboard, 12 Case, 12a Concave part, 13 Communication circuit, 14 Radio signal transmitter, 20 Projector, 21 Radio signal receiver, 22 Light source, 23 Liquid crystal light valve, 24 Projection optical system, 25 Liquid crystal Light valve drive unit, 29 video signal input unit, 30 video signal processing unit, 31 housing, 40 personal computer, 44 hard disk, 45 communication circuit, 46 projector driver, 50 screen.

Claims (4)

Keyboard,
A housing equipped with the keyboard;
A keyboard-integrated projector comprising a projector housed in the housing. Keyboard,
A housing on which the keyboard is mounted and a recess for accommodating the projector is formed;
A keyboard-integrated projector comprising: a projector that is detachably mounted in the recess of the housing.   3. The keyboard-integrated projector according to claim 1, wherein a wireless communication unit is provided in each of the housing and the projector, and an operation signal is transmitted to the wireless communication unit of the projector by the wireless communication unit on the housing side. . A keyboard-integrated projector according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A computer connected to the keyboard-integrated projector,
The computer system receives the operation signal of the keyboard, converts the operation signal into an operation signal of the projector, and transmits the operation signal to the projector of the keyboard-integrated projector.

Images