Theater for user selected entertainment

• US 20050251834A1
• Filed: 05/06/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cotuit Capital LLC
• Original Assignee: Cotuit Capital LLC
• Inventors: Hulbig, William F.
• Application Number:
  US10/840,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251834A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention relates to a theater for user selected entertainment. The theater comprises a plurality of connected structures each adapted for rent by a user. Each structure includes a media playback device and a media reproduction device so that the user can select media and view such media in a home theater setting without the expense or cost of building a home theater. The theaters can be unmanned and can be configured to allow a user to select video or audio that is sent over a high speed broadband connection.

Claims

1. A theater for user selected entertainment, the theater comprising:

a plurality of connected structures each adapted for rent by a user, each of the plurality of connected structures comprising;

at least one media playback device configured to play media selected by the user renting a structure;

at least one media reproduction device in communication with the media playback device;

a screen configured to receive an output signal from the media reproduction device; and

a plurality of seats configured to view the screen.

2. The theater of claim 1 in which the connected structures are unmanned.

3. The theater of claim 1 in which there are between 2 and 10 connected structures.

4. The theater of claim 1 in which there are between about 10 and about 30 seats.

5. The theater of claim 1 in which the seats can be arranged by the user.

6. The theater of claim 1 in which the media playback device is configured to play digital video.

7. The theater of claim 6 in which the digital video is selected from AVI, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-3, MPEG-4, DivX, XV

8. The theater of claim 1 in which the media reproduction device is a LCD projector or a DLP projector.

9. The theater of claim 1 in which the media reproduction device is a digital receiver configured to output digital sound.

10. The theater of claim 9 further comprising one or more speakers for outputting the digital sound.

11. The theater of claim 8 further comprising a digital receiver configured to output digital sound.

12. The theater of claim 11 further comprising one or more speakers for outputting the digital sound.

13. The theater of claim 1 in which the theater further comprises a concession stand.

14. The theater of claim 1 in which the theater comprises one or more restrooms.

15. The theater of claim 1 in which the plurality of connected structures are mobile.

16. The theater of claim 1 in which each of the plurality of connected structures is a mobile theater.

17. A theater for user selected entertainment, the theater comprising:

a plurality of connected structures each adapted for rent by a user, each of the plurality of connected structures comprising;

at least one DVD player or VCR player configured to play media supplied by the user renting a structure;

at least one projector in communication with the DVD player of VCR player;

a screen configured to receive an output signal from the projector; and

a plurality of seats configured to view the screen.

18. The theater of claim 17 in which the projector is a DLP projector or an LCD projector.

19. The theater of claim 17 in which there are between about 10 and about 30 seats.

20. The theater of claim 17 in which the plurality of seats may be arranged by the user renting the structure.

21. A method of providing user selected entertainment, the method comprising:

providing a theater for rent by a user, the theater being part of a larger group of connected theaters, the theater comprising

at least one media playback device configured to play media selected by the user renting the theater,

at least one media reproduction device in communication with the media playback device,

a screen configured to receive an output signal from the media reproduction device,

a plurality of seats configured to view the screen; and

renting the theater to the user.

22. The method of claim 21 in which the structure is rented over the internet.

23. The method of claim 22 in which renting the structure over the internet comprises:

sending a request over the internet to rent theater;

receiving a receipt over the internet confirming rental of the theater.

24. The method of claim 21 in which the media selected by the user is supplied over the internet.

25. The method of claim 21 in which the media selected by the user is streamed from a remote site selected by the user.

26. The method of claim 21 in which the media selected by the user is retrieved from an on-site digital library.

27. A method of providing user selected entertainment, the method comprising:

providing a theater for rent by a user, the theater comprising

at least one DVD player or VCR player configured to play media.selected by the user renting the theater,

at least one projector in communication with the DVD player or the VCR player,

a screen configured to receive an output signal from the at least one projector,

a plurality of seats configured to view the screen; and

renting the theater to the user.

28. The method of claim 27 in which renting the structure comprises

sending a request to rent theater;

receiving a receipt confirming rental of the theater.

29. The method of claim 28 in which the request to rent the theater is sent over the internet.

30. The method of claim 28 in which the receipt confirming rental of the theater is received over the internet.

31. The method of claim 27 in which the media selected by the user is streamed over from a remote site selected by the user.

32. The method of claim 27 in which the media selected by the user is retrieved from an on-site digital library.