JP3289837B2 - Wide screen projector for video game consoles - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wide screen projector for a video game machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a video game machine, it is effective to use a large screen, especially a horizontally long panoramic screen, in order to enhance the power of the game. However, there are various problems in forming such a panoramic screen using a narrow space. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 61-156985 and 58-219881 disclose a method of synthesizing a plurality of CRT images using a half mirror. 2) It is difficult to obtain uniform brightness of the entire screen by adjusting the density of each CRT image. 3) Combination of CRT and half mirror Must be used in large numbers, so that the number of parts is increased and the cost is increased.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-77091 discloses a system in which a plurality of CRT images are synthesized using a Fresnel lens and a prism lens.
The image of the boundary area where the RT image is synthesized is unnatural,
2) A circuit for extending the video signal in the time axis direction is required.
3) Since several CRTs and the decompression circuits corresponding to the respective CRTs are required, there are problems such as high cost.

Further, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-40167 discloses that
A system in which a plurality of CRTs are used and an edge portion between adjacent CRTs is shifted back and forth for synthesis is disclosed. However, this is because 1) an image in a boundary region where a CRT image is synthesized is unnatural. There are 2) a circuit for extending the video signal in the time axis direction is required, 3) several CRTs and the above-mentioned expansion circuits corresponding to each of them are expensive,
4) Can only be configured with a form in which the wide screen is curved,
And so on.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves these problems of the conventional large-screen device, eliminates the unnaturalness of the image of the unavoidable boundary area in the composite image, and reduces the number of parts.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wide-screen projection device for a video game machine having a number of advantages, such as obtaining a beautiful panoramic image, low manufacturing cost, and easy maintenance.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a CRT display device that uses its screen in a landscape orientation, and that a regular image that is wider than the screen of the CRT display device is compressed in the horizontal direction and displayed on the screen. An arithmetic unit for generating a video signal; a cylindrical concave mirror disposed substantially perpendicular to the screen along one long side of the CRT display device and capable of projecting an image on the screen in a horizontal direction; The CRT display device is provided so as to be inclined toward the cylindrical concave mirror from near the other long side of the CRT display device so as to form an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the short side of the device. While projecting on the concave mirror, the reflected light from the cylindrical concave mirror is transmitted, and the person who faces the cylindrical concave mirror can see the regular landscape image. A half mirror for viewing may be achieved by a wide-screen projection system for a television game machine comprising a.

[0007]

[Operation] With the above configuration, 1) compared to the conventional method
Since only one CRT is required, a plurality of half mirrors, Fresnel lenses, prisms, etc., necessary for synthesizing the screen are not used, and a circuit for extending the video signal in the time axis direction is unnecessary, so that the structure is simplified. 2) 1 which can be manufactured easily and at low cost
Since only a plurality of CRTs are used, there is no unnaturalness in the image of the connection area as in the case of using a plurality of CRTs. 3) Obtaining uniform brightness of the entire screen as in the case of using a plurality of CRTs Therefore, maintenance is easy because there is no need to adjust the contrast of each CRT image. 4) A horizontally compressed image to be displayed on the screen of the CRT can be produced using a conventional animator. Advantages such as no need for circuit means are obtained.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The construction of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of an embodiment of a wide screen projection device for a video game machine according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view thereof, FIG. 3 is an example of an image displayed on a screen of a CRT, FIG. 4 is an image obtained by viewing the image shown in FIG. 3 through a cylindrical concave mirror.

1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a CRT display device, 2 denotes a cylindrical concave mirror, and 3 denotes a half mirror. The CRT display device 1 uses the screen 1a horizontally long, and the cylindrical concave mirror 2 is formed in a curved surface only in one direction, and is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the screen 1a along one long side 1b of the CRT display device 1. It is arranged so that an image on the screen can be extended and projected in the horizontal direction. Further, the half mirror 3 is provided so as to be inclined from the vicinity of the other long side 1c of the CRT display device 1 toward the cylindrical concave mirror 2 so as to form an angle of approximately 45 degrees with the short side 1d of the CRT display device. The image on the screen 1a of the display device is reflected and projected onto the cylindrical concave mirror 2, and the reflected light from the cylindrical concave mirror 2 is transmitted so that the image can be viewed by the player 4.

In order to display, for example, a perfectly circular figure (this is a regular image) to the player, an arithmetic circuit, not shown, is provided on the screen 1a of the CRT display device 1. Is used to compress the normal image in the horizontal direction to display a vertically long ellipse 1e as shown in FIG. At that time, the light rays of the image are reflected by the half mirror 3 as shown in FIG. 2 and projected on the concave surface of the cylindrical concave mirror 2, expanded and expanded in the horizontal direction, and become regular as shown in FIG. A circular image 1e '(virtual image or real image) is formed. This image passes through the half mirror 3 as shown in FIG.
That is, the image 1e on the screen 1a of the CRT display device 1 is visually expanded and expanded in the horizontal direction. Accordingly, the image displayed on the entire surface of the horizontally long screen 1a is greatly enlarged in the horizontal direction by the cylindrical concave mirror 2, and a panoramic image is displayed to the player. Note that a conventionally known inexpensive animator may be used as the arithmetic circuit for generating a video signal obtained by compressing a normal image in the horizontal direction.

As described above, in the above apparatus, the CR
Only one T-display device 1 is required, and only one cylindrical concave mirror 2 and half mirror 3 are required. No circuit for extending the video signal in the time axis direction is required. Since it is sufficient to compress the image and display it on the CRT display device, the structure is simple and the device can be manufactured at low cost. Also, since only one CRT display device is used, there is no unnaturalness in the image of the connection area unlike the case where a plurality of CRT display devices are used, and in order to obtain uniform brightness of the entire screen, shading of each CRT image is performed. The maintenance is easy because there is no need to adjust.

[0012]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, according to the present invention, there is no unnaturalness in the image of the boundary area as in the case of the conventional composite image, the number of parts is small, and the beautiful panorama is achieved. An object of the present invention is to provide a wide-screen projection device for a video game machine, which can obtain images, has low manufacturing costs, is easy to maintain, and has many other advantages.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but encompasses all modified embodiments that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art from the above description within the scope of the present invention. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of an embodiment of a widescreen projection device for a video game machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an example of an image displayed on a screen of a CRT.

FIG. 4 is an image obtained by viewing the image shown in FIG. 3 through a cylindrical concave mirror.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CRT display device 2 Cylindrical concave mirror 3 Half mirror 4 Player

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A CRT which uses the screen (1a) horizontally.
A display device (1); an arithmetic unit for generating a video signal which can be displayed on the screen by compressing the normal image horizontally long from the screen (1a) of the CRT display device; and one of the CRT display devices A cylindrical concave mirror (2) which is disposed substantially perpendicular to the screen along the long side (1b) of the CRT display device, and is capable of projecting an image on the screen (1a) in a laterally extended direction; ), The other long side of the CRT display device (1c)
It is provided to be inclined toward the cylindrical concave mirror (2) from the near side, reflects the image on the screen (1a) of the CRT display device, projects the image on the cylindrical concave mirror (2), and reflects the reflected light from the cylindrical concave mirror. Half mirror that allows the person facing the cylindrical concave mirror (4) to view the regular landscape image
(3) A wide screen projection device for a video game machine, comprising: