Enhanced cinema system

• US 5,026,152 A
• Filed: 02/15/1989
• Issued: 06/25/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steven D. Sharkey
• Original Assignee: Steven D. Sharkey
• Inventors: Sharkey, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Monroe H.
• Application Number:
  US07/310,574
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 352/43, 352/85, 352/86, 350/117
• US Class Current: 352/85
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 25/00 Equipment specially adapted for cinemas cinematographic projection means G03B
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 5/025 Devices for making mist or smoke effects, e.g. with liquid air for camouflage F41H9/06
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios

Abstract

An enhanced cinema system for use with a movie screen using a fog-like gas released from a plurality of retractable shafts having slits. The plurality of shafts may spin to generate a fog effect with the fog-like gas escaping from the slits. A movie projector may project a movie onto the movie screen, and signals may cause a laser beam of light to interact with the movie and fog-like gas in front of the movie screen. Programmable lighting panels may be mounted on the side walls of the movie theater and in response to a lighting signal from the movie projector, activate lights in the programmable lighting panels during a movie. The enhanced cinema system may further include a remote location coupled to the enhanced cinemas, for distributing programs through a communications channel or other medium, for having a globally controlled system for various movies and effects.

Claims

1. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

a plurality of retractable shafts mounted in front of said movie screen and coupled to said generating means, said plurality of retractable shafts having slits;

means coupled to said plurality of retractable shafts for spinning said plurality of retractable shafts, wherein the fog-like gas flows from said generating means through said plurality of retractable shafts and escapes from the slits of said plurality of retractable shafts;

movie means responsive to a movie film for generating an interact signal and a lighting signal, and for projecting a movie onto said movie screen;

means coupled to said movie means and responsive to the interact signal for generating a beam of light for interacting with the movie projected onto said movie screen;

programmable lighting panels having a plurality of lights; and

control means coupled to said programmable lighting panels and said movie means, and responsive to the lighting signal, for activating the lights in said programmable lighting panels during the movie.

2. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 1 further including means coupled to said plurality of retractable shafts for retracting said plurality of retractable shafts.

3. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

a plurality of shafts mounted in front of said movie screen and coupled to said generating means, said plurality of shafts having slits;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for spinning said plurality of shafts; and

wherein the fog-like gas flows from said generating means through said plurality of shafts and escapes from the silts of said plurality of shafts.

4. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 3 further including means for retracing said shafts.

5. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 3 further including means for generating a beam of light for interacting with the movie projected onto said movie screen.

6. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

shaft means mounted in front of said movie screen and coupled to said generating means, for spreading the fog-like gas across said movie screen;

means coupled to said shaft means for spinning said shaft means, wherein the fog-like gas flows from said generating means through said shaft means across said screen; and

means for generating a beam of light for interacting with the fog-like gas in front of said movie screen.

7. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

means for generating a plurality of fog-like gases having different colors;

a plurality of shafts mounted in front of said movie screen and coupled to said generating means, said plurality of shafts having slits, wherein the plurality of fog-like gases flows from said generating means through said plurality of shafts and escape from the slits of said plurality of shafts;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for spinning said plurality of shafts; and

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for controlling each of said plurality of gases for displaying a colored effect in front of said movie screen with the plurality of fog-like gases.

8. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 7 further including means for retracing said plurality of shafts.

9. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 7 further including means for generating a beam of light for interacting with the plurality of fog-like gasses in front of said movie screen.

10. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

means for generating a plurality of fog-like gases having different colors;

shaft means mounted in front of said movie screen and coupled to said generating means, for spreading the fog-like gas across said movie screen, wherein the plurality of fog-like gases flow from said generating means through said shaft means across said movie screen;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for controlling each of said plurality of gases for displaying a colored effect in front of said movie screen with the plurality of fog-like gases;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for retracting said plurality of shafts; and

means for generating a beam of light for interacting with the plurality of fog-like gases in front of said movie screen.

11. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

a plurality of shafts mounted in front of said movie screen and coupled to said generating means, said plurality of shafts having slits, wherein the fog-like gas flows from said generating means through said plurality of shafts and escapes from the slits of said plurality of shafts;

movie means responsive to a movie film for generating an interact signal and for projecting a movie through the fog-like gas and onto said movie screen; and

means coupled to said movie means and responsive to the interact signal for generating a beam of light for interacting with the movie projected onto said movie screen.

12. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 11 further including means for retracting said plurality of shafts.

13. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 11 further including means coupled to said plurality of shafts for spinning said plurality of shafts.

14. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 11

including means for generating a beam of light for interacting with the screen-fogging apparatus in front of said movie screen.

15. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 11 further including programmable lighting panels and means of beam of light for interacting with said programmable lighting panels.

16. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a stage;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

shaft means mounted in front of said stage and coupled to said generating means, for spreading the fog-like gas across said stage;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for retracting said plurality of shafts; and

means for generating a beam of light for interacting with the fog-like gas in front of said stage.

17. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

shaft means mounted in front of said movie screen and coupled to said generating means, for spreading the fog-like gas across said movie screen;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for spinning said plurality of shafts, wherein the fog-like gas flows from said generating means through said shaft means across said screen;

movie means responsive to a movie film for generating an interact signal and for projecting a movie through the fog-like gas and onto said movie screen; and

means coupled to said movie means and responsive to the interact signal for generating a beam of light for interacting with the movie projected onto said movie screen.

18. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

movie means responsive to a movie film for generating a lighting signal, and for projecting a movie onto said movie screen;

a plurality of shafts mounted in front of said movie screen for spreading a fog-like gas across said screen;

means for spinning said shafts;

programmable lighting panels having a plurality of lights; and

control means coupled to said programmable lighting panels and said movie means, and responsive to the lighting signal, for activating the lights in said programmable lighting panels during the movie.

19. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

shaft means mounted in front of said movie screen and coupled to said generating means, for spreading the fog-like gas across said movie screen;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for spinning said plurality of shafts, wherein the fog-like gas flows from said generating means through said shaft means across said screen;

means for generating a beam of light for interacting with said spreading means in front of said movie screen;

movie means responsive to a movie film for generating a lighting signal, and for projecting a movie onto said movie screen;

programmable lighting panels having a plurality of lights; and

control means coupled to said programmable lighting panels and said movie means, and responsive to the lighting signal, for activating the lights in said programmable lighting panels during the movie.

20. An enhanced cinema distribution system comprising:

a movie screen;

movie means responsive to a movie film for generating a lighting signal, and for projecting a movie onto said movie screen;

a plurality of shafts mounted in front of said movie screen for spreading a fog-like gas across said screen;

means for retracting said shafts;

programmable lighting panels having a plurality of lights; and

control means coupled to said programmable lighting panels and said movie means, and responsive to the lighting signal, for activating the lights in said programmable lighting panels during the movie.

21. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

a plurality of shafts mounted in front of said movie screen and coupled to said generating means, said plurality of shafts having slits;

means for retracting said plurality of shafts; and

wherein the fog-like gas flows from said generating means through said plurality of shafts and escapes from the slits of said plurality of shafts.

22. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 21 further including means coupled to said plurality of shafts for spinning said plurality of shafts.

23. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a stage;

means for generating a plurality of fog-like gases having different colors;

shaft means mounted in front of said stage and coupled to said generating means, for spreading the fog-like gas across said stage, wherein the plurality of fog-like gases flow from said generating means through said shaft means in front of said stage;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for controlling each of said plurality of gases for displaying a colored effect in front of said stage with the plurality of fog-like gases;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for retracting said plurality of shafts; and

means for generating a beam of light for interacting with the plurality of fog-like gases in front of said stage.

24. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a movie screen;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

shaft means mounted in front of said movie screen and coupled to said generating means, for spreading the fog-like gas across said movie screen;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for retracting said plurality of shafts; and

means for generating a beam of light for interacting with the fog-like gas in front of said movie screen.

25. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 24 further including means coupled to said plurality of shafts for spinning said plurality of shafts.

26. An enhanced cinema distribution system comprising:

a movie screen;

movie means responsive to a movie film for generating a lighting signal, and for projecting a movie onto said movie screen;

a plurality of shafts mounted in front of said movie screen for spreading a fog-like gas across said screen;

means for spinning said shafts;

programmable lighting panels having a plurality of lights; and

control means coupled to said programmable lighting panels and said movie means, and responsive to the lighting signal, for activating the lights in said programmable lighting panels during the movie.

27. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a stage;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

a plurality of shafts mounted in front of said stage and coupled to said generating means, said plurality of shafts having slits;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for spinning said plurality of shafts; and

wherein the fog-like gas flows from said generating means through said plurality of shafts and escapes from the slits of said plurality of shafts.

28. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 27 further including means for retracting said shafts.

29. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 27 further including means for generating a beam of light for interacting with actors and scenery on said stage.

30. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a stage;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

shaft means mounted in front of said stage and coupled to said generating means, for spreading the fog-like gas in front of said stage;

means coupled to said shaft means for spinning said shaft means, wherein the fog-like gas flows from said generating means through said shaft means in front of said stage; and

means for generating a beam of light for interacting with the fog-like gas in front of said stage.

31. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a stage;

means for generating a plurality of fog-like gases having different colors;

a plurality of shafts mounted in font of said stage and coupled to said generating means, said plurality of shafts having slits, wherein the plurality of fog-like gases flows from said generating means through said plurality of shafts and escape from the slits of said plurality of shafts;

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for spinning said plurality of shafts; and

means coupled to said plurality of shafts for controlling each of said plurality of gases for displaying a colored effect in front of said movie screen with the plurality of fog-like gases.

32. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 31 further including means for retracting said plurality of shafts.

33. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 32 further including means for generating a beam of light for interacting with actors and scenery on siad stage, with the plurality of fog-like gases in front of said stage.

34. An enhanced cinema system comprising:

a stage;

means for generating a fog-like gas;

a plurality of shafts mounted in front of said stage and coupled to said generating means, said plurality of shafts having slits;

means for retracting said plurality of shafts; and

wherein the fog-like gas flows from said generating means through said plurality of shafts and escapes from the slits of said plurality of shafts.

35. The enhanced cinema system as set forth in claim 34 further including means coupled to said plurality of shafts for spinning said plurality of shafts.