Smooth presentations via remote control of liquid crystal projection apparatus

Claim 2

A liquid crystal projection apparatus comprising: a main body that is connected to an image signal source, which generates an image signal on the basis of a predetermined signal, and displays an image based on the image signal from the image signal source; and a remote controller for controlling the display condition of an image displayed on the main body, wherein the remote controller possesses operation means for controlling the image signal source and signal outputting means for transmitting an operational signal in response to an output from the operation means, the main body possesses control means which receives the operational signal from the remote controller, which converts the operational signal to a control signal, that controls the connected image signal source, and which sends the control signal to the image signal source, and the image signal source and the main body are connected via two cables, where the main body receives the image signal from the signal source via one of the two cables and sends the control signal to the image signal source via the other of the two cables.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control means includes signal conversion means for converting the operational signal to the control signal corresponding to the connected image source to be connected and for output timing of the control signal and regulation means for regulating the output level of the control signal; and wherein the signal conversion means specifies a type of image signal source to be connected on the basis of a level of the received image signal to convert the operational signal from the remote controller to a control signal of a level corresponding to the specified type of image signal source.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the signal conversion means includes: a processing unit that receives the operational signal from the remote controller and level information of the received image signal from the image source to be connected; an operative memory, being interconnected to the processing unit, in which is stored control signal data representative of control signals for one or more types of image sources; an output control circuit being interconnected to the operative memory and the regulation means; output timing circuitry being interconnected to the output control circuit and being configured so as to provide timing signals; wherein the processing unit provides outputs to the operative memory representative of the operational signal and the type of image source so the operative memory outputs to the output circuit, from the stored control signal data, the control signal corresponding to the operational signal received from the remote controller for the type of image source; and wherein the output control circuit is configured to output the control signal to the regulation means responsive to signals from the output timing circuitry.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the output control circuit is configured so as to have a plurality of signal output ports from which is outputted a control signal and wherein the regulation means includes a plurality of buffers, where there is one buffer for each signal port.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the operative memory is interconnected to the output timing circuitry and is configured so the control signal is outputted from the operative memory to the output control circuit responsive to a signal from the output timing circuitry.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the signal conversion means includes: a processing unit that receives the operational signal from the remote controller and level information of the received image signal from the image source to be connected; an operative memory, being interconnected to the processing unit, in which is stored control signal data representative of control signals for one or more types of image sources; an output control circuit being interconnected to the operative memory, the processing unit and the regulation means; wherein the processing unit provides outputs to the operative memory representative of the operational signal and the type of image source so the operative memory outputs to the output circuit, from the stored control signal data, the control signal corresponding to the operational signal received from the remote controller for the type of image source; wherein the processing unit includes means for generating output timing signals that are provided to the output control circuit; and wherein the output control circuit is configured to output the control signal to the regulation means responsive to the output timing signals from the processing means.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the signal conversion means includes a processing unit that receives the operational signal from the remote controller and level information of the received image signal from the image source to be connected and in which is stored control signal data representative of control signals for one or more types of image sources; wherein the processing unit is interconnected to the regulation means; and wherein the processing unit using the received operational signal and the level information of the received image signal, selects from the stored control signal data, the control signal corresponding to the operational signal received from the remote controller for the type of image source and outputs the selected control signal to the regulation means.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the regulation means includes at least one buffer that modulates the level of the control signal being outputted over one of the cables to the image signal source.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the signal conversion means includes a plurality of signal ports from which is outputted a control signal and wherein the regulation means includes a plurality of buffers, where there is one buffer for each signal port.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operation means possesses a plurality of operation buttons whose output signal levels depend on electrical conductivity or non-conductivity between two electrodes.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the operation means includes detection means for converting a mechanically applied pressure to an electrical signal and outputting the electrical signal.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image signal source is a personal computer which generates the image signal on the basis of a mouse signal from connected direction means, and the control means of the main body converts the operational signal from the remote controller to the mouse signal and sends the mouse signal to the personal computer.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal outputting means includes: operational signal formatting and transmitting means for formatting the operational signal being transmitted in the form of a multi-bit digital signal, where a first bit group therefore sets an address, where a second bit group therefore provides the execution contents corresponding to certain input from the operation means, where a third bit group therefore expands the contents of the second bit group responsive to other input from the operation means, where a fourth bit group therefore indicates a transmitting form of the digital signals representative of the bits in the second and third bit groups, and where a fifth bit group therefore sets a bit for checking; and wherein the operational signal formatting and transmitting means includes means for selectively setting the contents of the fourth bit group to the intended transmitting form and for transmitting the operational signal to the control means in the intended transmitting form.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image signal source to be connected is a personal computer and wherein the control means includes control signal formatting and transmission means for formatting the control signal in the form of a mouse signal, having a start bit, a stop bit, a parity bit and a data bit group, and for controlling the transmission of the control signal to the image signal source so a control signal is transmitted when a level for both of a clock signal and the control signal are above a predetermined value.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote controller includes: a transmitter that is configured so signals transmitted therefrom are received by the control means of the main body; a plurality of keys; a plurality of buttons; wherein the plurality of buttons and keys are selectively interconnected to each other so a combination of one of the keys and one of the buttons along with the actuation of one of them generates an output signal to control the display condition of the image displayed on the main body; and wherein the generated output signal is communicated to the transmitter for transmission as the operational signal to the control means of the main body.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote controller includes a LCD display; a pen; a transmitter that is configured so signals transmitted therefrom are received by the control means of the main body; a display control and output means for generating and image on the LCD display, for determining the relative position of the light pen with respect to the LCD display and for providing an output signal that is representative of the relative position of the light pen to the transmitter.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the display control and output means includes: a liquid crystal driving circuit being configured to provide signals, including an image signal, to the liquid crystal display so a predetermined image is displayed thereon; an X/Y coordinate detection circuit being configured to detect the directed position of an element of the displayed image on the basis of the image signal and a direction signal with the pen; a variation detection circuit being configured to detect a variation in the directed position using position data periodically read out of the X/Y coordinate detection circuit; and a signal conversion circuit being configured to covert the detected variation into a signal that is outputted by the transmitter as the operational signal to the control means.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote controller includes a joystick and a signal transmission line interconnecting the main body control means and the joystick, wherein the joystick includes a stick portion that is responsive to and detects the pressure and direction applied thereto by an operator and converts the detected pressure and direction to electrical signals for transmission over the signal transmission line to the control means.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the joystick further includes: a signal conversion circuit being configured to convert the detected pressure and direction into electrical signals representative of the X and Y position of the stick portion; first and second processors; a plurality of input switches interconnected to the second microprocessor; a photodiode circuit being configured to selectively output an IR signal, receivable by the control means, responsive to signals from the second microprocessor; wherein the first microprocessor receives the electrical signal representative of the X and Y position from the signal conversion circuit and coverts the electrical signals into data signals and clock signal outputs that are inputted to the second microprocessor; wherein the second microprocessor, responsive to inputs from one of the first microprocessor and the plurality of switches, provides output signals to selectively operate the photodiode circuit, where the IR signal outputted by the photodiode circuit is the operational signal.