Image forming apparatus and method
First Claim
1. Apparatus for displaying a multi-media image to an audience comprising:
- an image projection source for projecting an image to an image forming surface;
real image forming surface means for providing an image to be reflected to create a virtual image to be viewed by and in front of an audience region, the real image forming surface means disposed in spaced apart relationship in front of the image projection source;
means for masking the real image forming surface means from the audience;
a stage region;
an audience envelope defining a region in which a significant number of individuals may be gathered as an audience for simultaneous viewing the stage region, the stage region defining regions for viewing by a far observer, a close observer and an average observer, the close observer, far observer and average observer viewing regions defining central level sightlines and limit sightlines for the stage region; and
a first partially transmissive reflecting member for creating a virtual image in front of the real image forming surface, the reflecting member means disposed in front and in spaced apart relationship to the real image forming surface, substantially directly in front of and substantially within the limit sight lines of the close observer, far observer and average observer viewing regions, the reflecting member disposed at an acute angle to a vertical plane in front of the line of sight of the viewing audience;
whereby the central sightline to the virtual image of the average observer is substantially direct, the distance of the audience is relatively close to the virtual image, and the apparatus is housed in a theater of economially modest architectural and technical construction to minimize the reflecting member size and theatre size demands.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A theatrical imaging system for forming images where there are no image forming surfaces includes a theater having a raked audience viewing are in spaced apart relationship in front a stage. A false ceiling separates a motion picture projector and rear view projection screen, from the audience viewing area. The screen disposed above and in front of the audience provides a real image forming surface. A semi transmissive reflecting member disposed at an angle of 131/2 to 31 degrees to a vertical plane disposed normal to the average sight line of the audience member is disposed in facing relationship to the screen to generate a virtual image on the stage in the line of sight of the audience.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. Apparatus for displaying a multi-media image to an audience comprising:
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an image projection source for projecting an image to an image forming surface; real image forming surface means for providing an image to be reflected to create a virtual image to be viewed by and in front of an audience region, the real image forming surface means disposed in spaced apart relationship in front of the image projection source; means for masking the real image forming surface means from the audience; a stage region; an audience envelope defining a region in which a significant number of individuals may be gathered as an audience for simultaneous viewing the stage region, the stage region defining regions for viewing by a far observer, a close observer and an average observer, the close observer, far observer and average observer viewing regions defining central level sightlines and limit sightlines for the stage region; and a first partially transmissive reflecting member for creating a virtual image in front of the real image forming surface, the reflecting member means disposed in front and in spaced apart relationship to the real image forming surface, substantially directly in front of and substantially within the limit sight lines of the close observer, far observer and average observer viewing regions, the reflecting member disposed at an acute angle to a vertical plane in front of the line of sight of the viewing audience; whereby the central sightline to the virtual image of the average observer is substantially direct, the distance of the audience is relatively close to the virtual image, and the apparatus is housed in a theater of economially modest architectural and technical construction to minimize the reflecting member size and theatre size demands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Apparatus for displaying a multi-media image to an audience comprising:
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a theater having a theatrical viewing region defining an audience envelope and a stage region, the audience envelope having plural rows of audience viewing areas defining a close observer in the foremost row, a far observer in the furthest row and an average observer midway between the foremost and the far most rows; masking means for preventing the audience from observing an image projection system, the masking means disposed in facing relationship to a lateral plane, in spaced apart relationship to an audience viewing region; an image projection source for projecting an image to an image forming surface; real image forming surface means for providing an image to be reflected to the audience, the real image forming surface means disposed in advance of the image projection source above the masking surface means; a first partially transmissive reflecting member disposed in front of the real image forming surface to create a virtual image in front of the real image forming surface, substantially directly in front and in the viewing line of sight of the audience, the reflecting member disposed at an acute angle to a vertical plane in front of the line of sight of the viewing audience and in reflecting relationship to the real image forming surface means, the first partially transmissive reflecting member disposed at an angle of between about 131/2 to 31 degrees to a plane normal to the line of sight of the audience viewing region; and real object means for providing real objects visually perceived by an audience in combination with a virtual image reflected by by the reflecting member, the real object means disposed in advance of the reflecting member, whereby the real image is viewed by an audience in the audeince envelope as a virtual image combined with the real object means along a direct line of sight behind the reflecting member. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A process for forming visual images appearing to have transparency and suspended in space comprising the steps of:
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projecting a first image disposed in spaced relationship to an audience envelope, along a vertical plane, upon a frosted medium to generate a first real image; orienting the opaque medium at an acute angle to the vertical plane; positioning a partially transmissive reflecting means in advance of the opaque medium to partially reflect the first image, and positioning the reflecting means in advance of the audience envelope; and orienting the partially transmissive reflecting means about an angle of between about 131/2 degrees to 31 degrees, from a vertical plane normal to a sightline of the audience envelope; whereby a virtual image is created in advance of the audience beyond the partially transmissive reflecting means, to create the illusion of an image before an audience having a depth of more than 4 rows, with commercially available glass, in a theater of reasonable architectural configuration. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification