JP2024064547A - Image display system and unit booth - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an image display system and a unit booth that improve user convenience. [Solution] An image display system 10 includes a curved screen 11 and a projector 12, and is used to project and display an image onto the curved screen 11 using the projector 12, and includes a control device 13 that can variably control the image display area on the curved screen 11. The control device 13 displays, on the curved screen 11, a display area selection screen showing a plurality of image display areas with mutually different display positions or display sizes, and the image display area to be used can be set from the display area selection screen. [Selected Figure] Figure 2

Description

This disclosure relates to an image display system that projects images onto a stereoscopic screen, and a unit booth equipped with the same.

In small multi-use booths that are mainly used by individuals for multiple purposes, a screen and projector may be installed inside the booth to project and display images (video) onto the screen. In order to prevent a feeling of claustrophobia and improve work efficiency in a relatively small booth, it is effective to project a large image onto a three-dimensional screen such as a curved screen. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses displaying an image on a hemispherical screen.

JP 2021-039352 A

However, since the purposes for which users use the booths vary, it is not always necessary to display images on a large screen. For example, when displaying a computer screen, if a large-scale display is performed using a curved screen with a large display area, the user's eyes will have to move a large distance when searching for an icon on the screen, making it difficult for the user to operate the device.

For this reason, it is preferable for users to set the image display area when they start using the screen, but if it is difficult for users to visualize the actual display position and size of the image displayed on the screen, it is difficult to set an appropriate image display area, reducing user convenience.

This disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an image display system and unit booth that improves user convenience.

To solve the above problems, the image display system according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is an image display system that includes a three-dimensional screen that is not a single plane and a projector, and projects and displays an image onto the three-dimensional screen using the projector. The image display system further includes a control unit that can variably control the image display area on the three-dimensional screen, and the control unit displays a display area selection screen on the three-dimensional screen showing a plurality of image display areas with different display positions or sizes, and the image display area to be used can be set from the display area selection screen.

According to the above configuration, by displaying a display area selection screen on the 3D screen and allowing the user to select the image display area to be used from the display area selection screen, the user can easily recognize the image display position and display size of each display area on the 3D screen and can select the image display area after visualizing the size of the image display area. This improves user convenience.

In addition, in the above image display system, the control unit can be configured to display a message prompting the user to select an image display area when displaying the display area selection screen.

The above configuration allows the user to be reliably informed of the tasks that need to be performed on the display area selection screen.

Furthermore, in the above image display system, the control unit can be configured to display a startup screen with a display size smaller than the size of the 3D screen when the image display system is started, and to be able to execute display of the display area selection screen on the 3D screen from the startup screen.

With the above configuration, the start-up screen is not a large screen that uses the entire 3D screen, but is displayed on a screen with a relatively small display area. This means that the user does not have to move their line of sight too far when selecting an image display area, making the operation easier to perform and improving user convenience.

In the image display system, the control unit can be configured to be able to change a display position and a display size of an image display area displayed on the display area selection screen.

With the above configuration, the user can move the image display area to a position that is easy for them to see, or change the display size to their preferred size.

In addition, in the above image display system, the control unit can be configured to display files of display content that can be selected by the user on the startup screen, and when the display content to be displayed is specified by the user, the image display area to be used can be automatically set according to the extension of the display content.

With the above configuration, the type of display content (document, movie, etc.) can be determined from the file extension of the display content, and an appropriate image display area can be automatically set according to the type of display content.

In addition, in the above image display system, the control unit has a storage unit capable of storing authentication information for user authentication in advance, and the storage unit can store an image display area linked to the authentication information. When the authentication information is input at the time of starting up the image display system, if there is an image display area stored in association with the input authentication information, the stored image display area can be automatically set.

In addition, in the above image display system, the control unit can be a terminal device that itself has a display unit, and can be configured to display the startup screen on the display unit of the terminal device.

Furthermore, in the above image display system, the projector can be configured to have the functions of the control unit built in.

In order to solve the above problems, the unit booth according to the second aspect of the present disclosure is a unit booth that is surrounded by side walls and can be moved along with the side walls, and is characterized in that the booth is equipped with the image display system described above.

The image display system and unit booth disclosed herein display a display area selection screen on a 3D screen and allow the user to select the image display area to be used from the display area selection screen, allowing the user to visualize the size of the image display area before selecting the image display area, thus improving user convenience.

1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a booth equipped with an image display system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an image display system within the booth of FIG. 1 with the outer wall of the booth removed. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an apparent display screen obtained by a curved screen. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control system of the image display system. 5 is a flowchart showing a control executed after start-up in the image display system. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display area selection screen. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a start-up screen. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an apparent display screen obtained by a wall screen.

[First embodiment]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of a booth 1 equipped with an image display system 10 of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the image display system 10 in the booth 1, excluding the outer wall of the booth 1.

The booth 1 is a unit booth surrounded by exterior walls 2. In the example of FIG. 1, the exterior walls 2 are surrounded on all four sides by side walls and are further covered from above by a top plate. However, the top plate can be omitted. A door 3 is provided on one of the side walls. The interior of the booth 1 may be equipped with internal equipment such as a desk (workbench) 4. The booth 1 can be easily moved together with the exterior walls 2 as a unit, and can be easily installed in any location.

The image display system 10 includes a curved screen (three-dimensional screen) 11, a projector 12, and a control device (control unit) 13, and projects and displays an image from the projector 12 onto the curved screen 11. Note that in FIG. 2, the projector 12 and the control device 13 are shown as separate devices, but they may be integrated into one device (the projector 12 may have the functions of the control device 13 built in).

Compared to a normal flat screen, the curved screen 11 allows for an apparent large-screen display even when the space required for screen placement is narrow. Figure 3 is a diagram explaining the apparent display screen obtained by the curved screen 11. Although the booth 1 is basically designed to be a small space, by using an image display system 10 having the curved screen 11, it is possible to provide a large-screen display to the user of the booth 1. The shape of the curved screen 11 is maintained from the rear side of the screen by support columns 14 and support ribs 15.

The image projection light emitted from the projector 12 undergoes a correction process (known correction process) so that image distortion on the apparent display screen is eliminated. The content of this correction process can be changed to match the shape of the curved screen 11, and correction process can always be performed to match the shape of the curved screen 11 even if the curvature of the curved screen 11 changes due to screen replacement, etc. The content of the correction process can be changed, for example, by inputting numerical values of the shape parameters of the curved screen 11 (screen width dimension, screen depth dimension, etc.).

The image display system 10 is expected to be used in various ways depending on the user's purpose for using the booth. For this reason, the image display system 10 can be used, for example, to connect to the Internet to watch content such as movies, or to connect to a personal computer to perform work. The suitable image display range on the curved screen 11 differs depending on how the image display system 10 is used. For example, when watching content such as movies, it is preferable to use a large screen display on the curved screen 11. On the other hand, when working on a personal computer, a relatively small screen display is preferable because a large screen display increases the distance the user's eyes must move when searching for an icon, reducing operability for the user. For this reason, the image display system 10 is designed to allow the image display range of the curved screen 11 to be set depending on the user's purpose for using the booth.

Figure 4 is a functional block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the control system of the image display system 10. As shown in Figure 4, the control device 13 in the image display system 10 has a main control unit 131, a communication unit 132, an input unit 133, an authentication unit 134, a memory unit 135, and an image output unit 136.

The main control unit 131 is a means for controlling the entire image display system 10. The communication unit 132 is a means for connecting the image display system 10 to the Internet via the router 20, and for communicating with external devices (such as a user's notebook computer) by wireless or wired communication. The input unit 133 is a means for accepting user operation input, and is provided as an interface for receiving operation information from an input device such as a mouse or keyboard. The authentication unit 134 is a means for authenticating a user who uses the booth 1 when the user's ID can be obtained. The storage unit 135 is a means for storing various data and programs in the image display system 10. The image output unit 136 is a means for outputting image data of an image to be projected and displayed on the curved screen 11 to the projector 12.

As mentioned above, the curved screen 11 is capable of large-screen display, but depending on the user's intended use of the booth, a large-screen display may not be desirable. For this reason, the image display system 10 in this embodiment is configured so that the control device 13 can variably control the image display area on the curved screen 11, and can display a setting screen for the image display area (image display range) after the system is started up. This setting screen then allows the user to set the image display area on the curved screen 11.

Figure 5 is a flow chart showing the control executed to set the image display area on the curved screen 11 after the image display system 10 is started. When the image display system 10 is started, that is, when the projector 12 and the control device 13 are powered on, in step S1, the control device 13 controls the projector 12 to display a display area selection screen, which is a setting screen for the image display area, on the curved screen 11.

Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display area selection screen displayed in step S1. On the display area selection screen, multiple selectable image display areas are displayed in actual size with dashed framed lines. In the example of Figure 6, five image display areas R1 to R5 with different display positions and sizes are displayed as frames on the curved screen 11. Here, the dashed frame means the outer edge of the image to be displayed on the curved screen 11, and the image is displayed in the area within the frame. In other words, the display area selection screen displays frames on the curved screen 11 indicating multiple image display areas with different display positions or sizes. Note that the frames do not have to be dashed lines, and may be other types of lines such as solid lines.

The image display area displayed on the curved screen 11 by the projector 12 can be changed by the user selecting one of the multiple image display areas R1 to R5 displayed on this display area selection screen. The image display area can be changed by the user operating an input device such as a mouse or keyboard, as will be described in detail later. In step S2, the control device 13 waits for the user to select an image display area. Note that the display area selection screen of this embodiment displays a special image display area different from other unselected image display areas, such as by displaying a blinking frame of the selected image display area. This allows the user to reliably recognize whether there is an image display area in a selected state, and the display position and display size of the selected image display area.

Furthermore, in the display area selection screen of this embodiment, any image display area can be set as a default display area to be displayed in a pre-selected state, and an image display area (image display area R1 in the example of FIG. 6) whose display area is smaller than the curved screen 11 and set at the center of the curved screen 11 is set as the default display area. Therefore, when the display area selection screen is initially displayed on the curved screen 11, the frame of the image display area R1 is displayed in a blinking manner, indicating a selected state. Then, if the user determines that the image display area R1, which is the default display area, is acceptable, the user can confirm the image display area in step S3 by operating the keyboard, for example, by operating the return key. When the control device 13 detects that the return key has been operated in step S3, it sets the image display area in the selected state so that an image is displayed on the curved screen 11, and the image display area setting process is thereby completed.

In step S3, the control device 13 also performs a confirmation action (YES in S3) to indicate that the selected image display area may be set as the image display area, i.e., if the return key on the keyboard has not been pressed and another image display area has been selected by operating the mouse or arrow keys on the keyboard (NO in S3), then in step S4 the control device 13 blinks the frame of the newly selected image display area. Then, it waits for the user to perform a confirmation action (operation of the return key on the keyboard) to indicate whether it is OK to confirm the image display area selected again in step S3.

The selection of another image display area in step S3 can be made by moving the cursor position displayed on the curved screen 11 to the desired frame line by operating the mouse or the arrow keys on the keyboard, and then clicking in the case of mouse operation, or operating the space key or the like in the case of keyboard operation. In the case of keyboard operation, the selected image display area may be changed in a predetermined order each time the space key is operated, i.e., pressed.

As described above, the user can select any image display area from among the multiple image display areas displayed on the display area selection screen, and then set the image display area after checking the position and size of the image display area that will actually be displayed on the curved screen 11. Furthermore, if the display frames of the image display areas displayed on the curved screen 11 in step S1 are displayed in different colors, the image display areas can be easily distinguished from one another, improving visibility for the user.

In addition, while the display area selection screen is displayed, the display position and display size of some of the image display areas may be arbitrarily changeable. Specifically, the display position and display size of the image display areas (image display areas R1, R3 to R5) that do not use the entire screen of the curved screen 11 may be changeable. For example, the display position of the image display area R3 within the curved screen 11 may be moved up and down and the display size may be expanded (or narrowed) in the up and down direction, the display position of the image display areas R4 and R5 within the curved screen 11 may be moved left and right and the display size may be expanded (or narrowed) in the left and right direction, and the display position of the image display area R1 within the curved screen 11 may be moved up and down and left and right and the display size may be expanded (or narrowed) in the up and down and left and right directions.

The position of this image display area can be changed, for example, by placing the cursor inside the frame of the image display area to be moved and dragging the mouse or using the arrow keys on the keyboard. The display size can also be changed, for example, by placing the cursor inside the frame of the image display area to be changed and dragging the mouse to move the frame. This allows the user to move the image display area to a position that is easy for them to see, or change it to their preferred display size. An image display area whose display position or size has been changed can also be set as the default display on the display area selection screen.

In addition, in the display area selection screen of this embodiment, the image display area whose display area is smaller than the curved screen 11 and which is set at the center of the curved screen 11 is set as the default display area (image display area R1 in the example of FIG. 6), so a message informing the user of the image display area selection procedure is displayed within the default display area. This allows the user to select the image display area with less line of sight movement and without hesitation, as the message is displayed at a relatively easy-to-see position on the curved screen 11.

In addition, the image display system 10 of this embodiment displays a start-up screen in the default display area (image display area R1 in the example of FIG. 6) before displaying the display area selection screen on the curved screen 11. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the start-up screen. This start-up screen displays a display area selection icon 31, an authentication information input window 32, a file explorer 33, etc.

The display area selection icon 31 is an icon for executing a display area selection program that displays a display area selection screen on the curved screen 11, and the display area selection program is executed when the user moves the cursor onto the display area selection icon 31 by operating a mouse or the like and clicks it. When the display area selection program is executed, the display area selection screen is displayed on the curved screen 11, and the user can select the position and size of the image to be displayed on the curved screen 11 while checking the size and position on the curved screen 11.

The authentication information input window 32 is a window for a user of the image display system 10 to input authentication information (such as a user ID and password). The file explorer 33 is a window that displays selectable display content.

In the image display system 10 of this embodiment, when a file of a predetermined file format is selected and executed in the file explorer 33 displayed on the start-up screen, for example, when the file is a video file with an extension such as .mov, or when a web browser is displayed on the start-up screen and playback of a video file is selected from the web browser, the image display area is automatically changed to the image display area displayed on the front side of the curved screen 11 (image display area R2 in FIG. 6). By making it possible to automatically change the image display area when content to be displayed on the curved screen 11 is selected in this way, the image display area can be changed without displaying a display area selection screen, eliminating the need for the user to set the image display area and improving convenience.

The display order of the display area selection icon 31, the authentication information input window 32, and the file explorer 33 on the start-up screen of FIG. 7 may be arranged in any order. Furthermore, when the start-up screen is displayed on the curved screen 11, the display area selection icon 31 may be selected, the display area selection program may be executed, and then the authentication information input window 32 for using the image display system 10 may be displayed. In this way, the users who can use the image display system 10 of this embodiment can be appropriately managed, and since the authentication information input window 32 is displayed on the start-up screen that is smaller than the curved screen 11, it is easy for the user to operate and convenience can be improved.

As described above, in the image display system 10 of the present disclosure, a plurality of selectable image display areas are displayed in actual size with frames on the display area selection screen exemplified in FIG. 6, and the frame of the selected image display area is displayed in a special manner. This allows the user to easily visually recognize each image display area on the curved screen 11, and allows the user to select an image display area after visualizing the size of the image display area. In addition, while the display area selection screen is displayed, a message (such as a pop-up display) is displayed to prompt the user to select an image display area, thereby reliably informing the user of the work that must be done on the display area selection screen.

The user can also select the image display area and the content to be displayed on a startup screen that has a smaller display area than the curved screen 11 shown in FIG. 7. This makes it easier for the user to select the image display area and the content to be displayed because the user does not have to move his or her line of sight too far, improving user convenience.

In addition, when an image is displayed on the curved screen 11 in an image display area that has been selected, for example, by double-clicking the mouse or pressing the ESC (escape) key on the keyboard, the default display screen may be displayed (called up) on the curved screen 11. In this way, the display image area can be easily changed even when an image is being displayed, improving user convenience.

Second Embodiment
2, the control device 13 is disposed in a location that is unlikely to be an obstacle for the user, such as on the wall of a booth. As a variation of this, the control device 13 may be a terminal device (such as a notebook computer or tablet) that has a display unit, and may be placed on the desk 4 for use.

In this case, the above-mentioned start-up screen can be displayed on the display unit of the control device 13. This allows the user to select the image display area and display content while looking at the display unit of the control device 13, further improving operability. Also in this case, the display area selection screen is displayed on the curved screen 11. That is, even when the user selects the image display area and display content while looking at the start-up screen on the control device 13, the user can get an idea of the size of the image display area by looking at the display area selection screen of the curved screen 11.

Third Embodiment
In the first embodiment, as a method for setting the image display area to be used, a method in which the user himself selects the image display area using the display area selection icon 31 on the start-up screen has been described. However, in the image display system 10, other setting methods for the image display area to be used may be combined.

As an example, the image display area setting can be reflected in the user's selection of display content. That is, the file data that is the display content includes an extension, and the type of display content (document, movie, etc.) can be determined from this extension. In this way, in the image display system 10, when the user selects display content in the file explorer 33, an appropriate image display area can be automatically set according to the type of display content to be selected. For example, if the selected display content is a document, image display area R1, which is a small screen, can be set, and if the selected display content is a movie, image display area R2, which is a large screen, can be set.

As another example, when a user is authenticated in the image display system 10, the image display area may be automatically set according to the input user ID. For example, if a user who repeatedly uses the image display system 10 has a frequently used image display area, the image display area may be linked to the user ID and stored, or the image display area from the previous use may be linked to the user ID and stored, so that the image display area linked to the user ID can be automatically set on the initial screen of the display area selection screen.

Alternatively, the image display system 10 may allow the user to register an image display area that he or she normally uses. In this case, the display area selection screen at system startup may be omitted, and the image display area registered by the user may be displayed immediately after startup.

The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be a basis for restrictive interpretation. Therefore, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not to be interpreted solely by the above-described embodiments, but is defined based on the claims. Furthermore, all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims are included.

For example, in the above explanation, a curved screen 11 was given as an example of the three-dimensional screen possessed by the image display system 10, but the present disclosure is not limited to this and can be applied to any three-dimensional screen that is not a single plane. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the apparent display screen obtained by a wall screen 11A, which is another example of a three-dimensional screen. The wall screen 11A is a three-dimensional screen made up of multiple planes that is provided along the wall surface of the booth 1, or that uses the wall surface itself as a screen. Even with such a wall screen 11A, it is possible to make the apparent display screen a large screen.

In addition, the above description illustrates an example in which the image display system 10 is provided in a booth 1 that can be moved along its walls as a unit, but the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the image display system 10 may be provided in a private room in a building, etc.

In addition, the image display system 10 may have the following functions.
When the display content is input from an external computer, the image display area that is set as the default can be set to the same aspect ratio as the computer screen.
When selecting an image display area, it is possible to simultaneously select a plurality of non-overlapping area displays (for example, image display areas R4 and R5 in FIG. 6).
When projecting onto multiple image display areas, the resolution can be set for each image display area.
After selecting the display content, it is possible to select the display mode (normal mode, realistic mode, etc.).
The display area selection process in the control device 13 may be performed by an application in the operating PC or in the projector 12 .
The image display area can be selected by a personal computer, an operating section of the control device 13, a remote controller, or remote control from outside the booth 1, etc.
The control device 13 can record the projection size and image display area on the screen that have been changed arbitrarily (the preferred projection area selected for each user can be saved and recalled).

1. Booth (unit booth)
2 Outer wall 3 Door 4 Desk 10 Image display system 11 Curved screen (3D screen)
11A Wall screen (3D screen)
12 Projector 13 Control device (control unit)
131 Main control unit 132 Communication unit 133 Input unit 134 Authentication unit 135 Storage unit 136 Image output unit 14 Support column 15 Support rib 20 Router 31 Display area selection icon 32 Authentication information input window 33 File explorer R1 to R5 Image display area

Claims (9)

An image display system comprising a three-dimensional screen that is not a single plane and a projector, the image display system projecting and displaying an image on the three-dimensional screen by the projector,
A control unit capable of variably controlling an image display area on the stereoscopic screen,
The control unit displays a display area selection screen on the three-dimensional screen, showing a plurality of image display areas each having a different display position or display size, and the image display area to be used can be set from the display area selection screen. 2. The image display system according to claim 1,
The image display system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit displays a message prompting a user to select an image display area when the display area selection screen is displayed. 2. The image display system according to claim 1,
the control unit displays a startup screen having a display size smaller than the size of the stereoscopic screen when the image display system is started up;
An image display system capable of executing display of the display area selection screen on the three-dimensional screen from the start-up screen. 2. The image display system according to claim 1,
The image display system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is capable of changing a display position and a display size of an image display area displayed on the display area selection screen. 4. The image display system according to claim 3,
The control unit is capable of displaying files of display content that can be selected by the user on the startup screen, and when the display content to be displayed is specified by the user, the image display area to be used is automatically set according to the extension of the display content. 2. The image display system according to claim 1,
The control unit has a storage unit capable of storing authentication information for user authentication in advance,
the storage unit is capable of storing an image display area associated with the authentication information,
An image display system characterized in that the authentication information is input when the image display system is started, and if there is an image display area stored in association with the input authentication information, the stored image display area is automatically set. 4. The image display system according to claim 3,
The control unit is a terminal device having a display unit,
An image display system capable of displaying the startup screen on a display unit of the terminal device. 2. The image display system according to claim 1,
An image display system, characterized in that the function of the control unit is built into the projector. The unit booth is surrounded by side walls and can be moved along with the side walls.
A unit booth comprising the image display system according to any one of claims 1 to 8 inside the booth.

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