Method and apparatus for interactive audience participation by audio command

• US 5,993,314 A
• Filed: 02/10/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stadium Games Limited
• Original Assignee: Stadium Games Limited
• Inventors: Witkin, Andrew P., Fisher, Robert N., Dannenberg, Roger B.
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US08/798,382
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 463/39, 463/36, 463/1, 348/61, 348/15, 434/306, 434/112, 235/51, 235/386, 364/521, 340/725, 345/327, 345/352
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/27 characterised by a large display in a public venue, e.g. in a movie theatre, stadium or game arena
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

An interactive audience participation system which utilizes audio command signals, such as loudness or sound intensity, transmitted by different audience groups. These respective audio command signals are detected to determine the aggregate of the signals for each group and then the detected aggregates are converted into data. An audience sensed interactive communication medium device, such as a large stadium video screen, is correspondingly manipulated by the detected data so that the audience may play a competitive or collaborative game.

Claims

1. A method of interactive audience participation for reactive entertainment, comprising the steps of:

simultaneously detecting predetermined parameters of audio command signals transmitted respectively by separated audience groups and thereby determining and providing aggregate signals for each group;

generating respective drive signals corresponding to the detected aggregate signals for each group;

providing an interactive communication medium device which continuously displays a given image to an audience; and

manipulating the interactive communication medium device with said drive signals and thereby interactively and simultaneously manipulating said given image with said drive signals in dependance on values related to respective properties of said aggregate signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting comprises using microphones.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting comprises detecting audio intensity parameters as the predetermined parameters of audio command signals being detected.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting comprises detecting predetermined parameters of audio command signals selected from a group of parameters consisting of audio intensity, audio frequency and audio sounds.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of manipulating comprises manipulating group parameters of an audience sensed interactive communication medium device selected from a group of devices consisting of video displays, audio displays, audio-visual displays and remotely controlled vehicles.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of manipulating comprises manipulating group parameters of a remotely controlled vehicle.

7. An apparatus for interactive audience participation for reactive entertainment, each person of an audience having the capability of transmitting predetermined parameters of audio command signals, comprising:

an interactive communication medium device which continuously displays a given image to an audience;

at least two audio detectors for simultaneously detecting audio command signals transmitted by separate audience groups consisting of at least one person and for thereby determining and providing aggregate signals for each group;

signal generating means for generating respective drive signals corresponding to the detected aggregate signals for each group for driving the interactive communication medium device;

said signal generating means connected to said interactive communication medium device for interactively and simultaneously manipulating said given image with said drive signals in dependance on values related to respective properties of said aggregate signals.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said audio detectors include microphones.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predetermined parameters of audio command signals being detected are audio intensity parameters.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predetermined parameters of audio command signals being detected are selected from a group of parameters consisting of audio intensity, audio frequency and audio sounds.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said interactive communication medium device is selected from a group of devices consisting of video displays, audio displays, audio-visual displays and remotely controlled vehicles.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said interactive communication medium device is a remotely controlled vehicle.