1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a scan projector apparatus, and more particularly to a scan projector apparatus capable of scanning, processing and repeatedly projecting multi-page images.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional presentation is prepared by printing the presentation data into a slide using a copier, and then the printed slide is placed onto the projector such that the projector can project the presentation data onto the screen. In such a processing manner, the slides will be greatly consumed, which may cause the environment protection problem. On the other hand, if a color slide has to be prepared, the cost thereof is very high.
Although a digital projector may be coupled to the computer and project the data in the computer onto the screen, directly using the digital projector cannot complete the projection if the user has no electric file.
Another conventional method may be found in Taiwan Patent Publication No. 413419, which discloses a scan projecting device capable of projecting a normal sheet. In this patent, however, only one page of image signal can be processed at a time owing to the limitation in the hardware and software architectures, and the scanned and processed image signal or signals cannot be repeatedly projected. For example, during the presentation, associated frames are usually displayed alternatively, and this patent cannot achieve this function.
In addition, the connection port of the projector in this patent is occupied by the scanner. If the user wants to make the presentation using the normal sheets and computer files simultaneously, he or she has to switch the signal source of the projector between the scanner and the computer, thereby causing inconvenience of usage.
Thus, how to provide a scan projector apparatus capable of repeatedly projecting multi-page images and switching between different signal sources is a problem to be solved by this invention.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a scan projector apparatus capable of repeatedly projecting multi-page images.
Another object of the invention is to provide a scan projector apparatus capable of switching between different signal sources.
The invention achieves the above-identified objects by providing a scan projector apparatus capable of repeatedly projecting multi-page images. The apparatus includes a scanner, a host computer and a projector. The scanner scans a plurality of documents one by one. The host computer receives and processes original image signals from the scanner one by one, and stores a plurality of processed final image signals into the host computer one by one. The projector receives the final image signals one by one and projects the final image signals onto a screen. The host computer may receive a selection signal caused by a user, and then output one of the final image signals corresponding to the selection signal to the projector for projection and display.
Therefore, the user can input the selection signal on the software interface displaced on the display of the host computer or the screen, and thus enables the scan projector apparatus to perform the scan projection operation.
The scanner 10 may include an automatic document feeder 12 and a scan module 14. The automatic document feeder 12 feeds the document across the scan module 14 such that the scan module 14 can scan the image of the document.
The scanner 10 further includes a set of selection buttons 13, which is disposed on a housing 11 of the scanner 10, for outputting a selection signal to a selection unit 26 of the host computer 20 under the control of the user. Alternatively, the projector 30 may include a set of selection buttons (not shown), which is disposed on a housing of the projector 30, for outputting a selection signal to the selection unit 26 of the host computer 20 under the control of the user. Usually, the user can view the previous or next page by operating the “PREVIOUS” or “NEXT” button. Thus, the user can find the frame he or she wants to project through the projected frame on a screen 40.
The host computer 20 receives and processes the original image signals SO from the scanner 10 one by one such that the processed original image signals SO become a plurality of final image signals SF, which is stored in the host computer 20.
The host computer 20 includes an image processing unit 22, a memory 24 and the selection unit 26 disposed in the host 21. The image processing unit 22 processes the original image signals SO, stores the original image signals SO into the memory 24, and further gets the original image signals SO from the memory 24 for output. The memory 24, which is coupled to the image processing unit 22, is for storing the final image signals SF. The selection unit 26 receives the selection signal and controls the image processing unit 22 to load one of the final image signals SF corresponding to the selection signal for output.
The projector 30 receives the final image signals SF coming from the host computer 20 one by one, and processes and projects the final image signals SF onto the screen 40. The host computer 20 can receive a selection signal caused by the user, and thus output one of the final image signals SF, which corresponds to the selection signal, to the projector 30 for projection and display.
For example, the user can scan and present the slide at the same time. When the previously presented image is to be presented again, the user can select the image through the software interface, which is displayed on the screen 40 and serves as the selection unit 26. In addition, the user also can control the scan projector apparatus by the keys or software interface on the scanner.
Hence, the scan projector apparatus of the invention can scan a first document for projection and display. When the user is explaining the content of the first document, the scanner scans a second document, a third document, and even the documents after the third one. Consequently, the to-be-presented frame can be projected without waiting for all of the documents have been scanned. In addition, the user also can easily select the previously presented image using the selection unit. In the conventional scan projecting device, however, if the previously presented frame is to be presented again, the to-be-presented document needs to be scanned again, which is quite inconvenient to the user. The scan projector apparatus of the invention is proposed to solve this problem and thus to provide a more convenient and human-oriented scan projector apparatus.
Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the connection port of the projector of the invention from being occupied by the scanner. If the user wants to make the presentation using the normal sheets and the computer files, he or she does not have to switch the signal source of the projector between the scanner and computer. Thus, it is quite convenient in usage.
While the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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092120915 | Jul 2003 | TW | national |