LIGHT AND SOUND MONITOR

• US 20130321645A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultra Stereo Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ultra Stereo Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: CASHIN, James A., HALLIKAINEN, Harold Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,836,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/189
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/00 Diagnosis, testing or measuring for television systems or their details

Abstract

The present invention comprises a light and sound sensor system and method for repetitively measuring the luminance, chromaticity, sound, and infrared illumination in a theater to detect any changes thereto so that the images being viewed on the screen and the sound in the theater can be kept at their optimal values. In addition, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system has an audio and video synchronization capability. By monitoring the audio and visual signals in real time, the exact time relationship between the signals is detected to determine whether they are properly synchronized.

Claims

1. A light and sound sensor system used to measure luminance, chromaticity and sound in a venue where images are projected onto a surface and where audible sound corresponding to the images is being transmitted, comprising:

a lens;

at least one high power lighting source for aiming and focusing light through the lens;

at least one color sensor which can detect luminance and color values reflected off the surface through the lens onto the sensor;

an omnidirectional microphone which detects the audible sound transmitted within the venue and measures the values thereof; and

a microcontroller for receiving and calibrating the detected luminance, color and sound values to determine whether they are within an acceptable range.

2. The light and sound sensor system of claim 1 further comprising an infrared sensor and associated processing and analysis circuitry to detect and analyze any infrared signals reflected off the surface that have been emitted by an infrared emitter in the venue, wherein the reflected infrared signals are received by an infrared detector and processed to determine the power density, modulating frequencies, and characteristics of each modulated signal and wherein the microcontroller applies appropriate calibration factors to each processed signal and sends the calibrated signal to the user or computer to determine if the infrared emitter is working properly.

3. The light and sound sensor system of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller also determines any time differences between the sound and light signals in the venue.

4. The light and sound sensor system of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller is capable of communicating through Ethernet or wireless interface.

5. The light and sound sensor system of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller has a color calibration matrix for calibrating the color output values from the sensors so that they correspond to color output values obtained from calibration equipment.

6. The light and sound sensor system of claim 1, further comprising a light source located behind the lens for providing light through the lens onto the surface so that the lens may be aimed on a predetermined location on the surface.

7. A system for measuring light reflected off a surface wherein light is projected onto the surface, comprising:

a lens;

at least one high power lighting source for aiming and focusing light through the lens;

at least one color sensor which can detect luminance and color values reflected off the surface through the lens onto the sensor; and

a microcontroller for receiving and calibrating the detected luminance and color values to determine whether they are within an acceptable range.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein corresponding sound is also being transmitted with the light, further comprising an omnidirectional microphone which detects the transmitted sound and measures the values thereof;

wherein the microcontroller receives and calibrates the detected sound values to determine whether they are within an acceptable range.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the microcontroller also determines whether there are any time differences between the light and corresponding sound.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the microcontroller is capable of communicating through Ethernet or wireless interface.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein an infrared emitter reflects infrared light off of the surface, further comprising, an infrared sensor to detect any infrared signals reflected off the surface, wherein the reflected infrared signals are processed and analyzed to determine the infrared power density, the frequencies of any modulation of the infrared signals, and the contents of the modulated signals, wherein the results of such analysis is transmitted to a user or computer to determine if the infrared signal is proper.

12. A light and sound sensor system for measuring light, sound and infrared light values within a venue having a display surface onto which the light and infrared light are projected and which has a sound system emitting audible sound signals corresponding to the light being projected, comprising:

a lens;

at least one high power light source for aiming and focusing light through the lens;

at least one color sensor which can detect luminance and color values reflected off the surface through the lens onto the color sensor;

an infrared sensor to detect any infrared signals reflected off the surface through the lens onto the sensor;

an omnidirectional microphone which detects the audible sound transmitted within the venue and measures the values thereof; and

a microcontroller for receiving and calibrating the detected luminance, color, infrared and sound values to determine whether they are within an acceptable range.

13. The light and sound sensor system of claim 12 wherein the microcontroller also determines any delays between the light and corresponding sound.

14. The light and sound sensor system of claim 12 further comprising Ethernet communicator connected to the microcontroller.

15. A method for measuring light, sound and infrared light values within a venue having a display surface onto which the light and infrared light are projected and which has a sound system emitting audible sound signals corresponding to the light being projected, comprising the steps of:

displaying a test pattern with known parameters onto the display surface;

focusing a high power light onto the surface to aim and focus a measuring device on the test pattern;

once the measuring device is focused, turning off the high power light;

measuring the projected light reflected off the display surface;

measuring the infrared light reflected off the display surface;

measuring the sound emitted by the sound system;

processing the measured light to determine luminance and chromaticity values;

processing the infrared light to determine infrared light values; and

processing the sound to determine sound pressure levels.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of calibrating the luminance, chromaticity, infrared and sound values so as to correspond to values taken by other test equipment used in the same venue using the same parameters.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of synchronizing the light reflected off the screen and the sound signals by measuring the time between a flash of light reflected off the display surface and a sound emitted by the sound system, such that the synchronization between the light and sound signals can be determined.