Image forming apparatus and method for live performance

• US 6,290,359 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Potomac Corporation
• Original Assignee: Potomac Corporation
• Inventors: Shriver, Gregory B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling, William
• Application Number:
  US09/539,780
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 353/28, 353/30, 353/98, 353/10, 359/478, 359/629, 359/630, 472/58, 472/61, 472/63
• US Class Current: 353/28
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 5/021 Mixing live action with images projected on translucent screens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/56 by projecting aerial or floating images
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/10 using back-projection, i.e. blending artificial background with real foreground
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00

Abstract

An apparatus and method for forming images visible to performers and to audiences includes a system for forming virtual images and creating visual effects in a stage setting. This system may include a stage and first and second flat panel video displays. The first flat panel video display is visible to the audience through a portal mirror. The second flat panel video display is not visible to the audience; however, images displayed thereon are reflected off of the portal mirror and outwardly to the audience. Finally, a performance area between the back display and the portal mirror is provided for a person or object whereby the audience may see the composite image of the images from the first and second flat panel video displays and the person or object in the performance area on-stage. Alternatively, images on a flat panel video display may be reflected off of a portal mirror so that they are visible in the performance area to a person there.

Claims

1. Apparatus for displaying visual effects during presentations involving a stage and a viewing area wherein a video camera is mounted in the viewing area for recording action on the stage, the apparatus comprising:

the stage comprising a foreground side and a background side wherein the foreground side is adjacent the viewing area and the background side is on the side of the stage opposite the foreground side;

a background situated in the background side of the stage;

a partially-silvered, portal mirror wherein the portal mirror is mounted toward the foreground side of the stage and further wherein the portal mirror is mounted at an angle to a vertical plane in front of the video camera;

a performance area between the background and the portal mirror; and

a flat panel video display that is not visible to the video camera wherein the images appearing on the flat panel video display are reflected off of the portal mirror and create a virtual image visible in the performance area;

whereby a person in the performance area who is looking towards the portal mirror can see the images from the flat panel video display.

2. The apparatus in claim 1 further comprising a video display controller that is

a) connected to the flat panel video display,

b) connected to the video camera, and

c) connected to a video input component

wherein the video display controller combines the video images from the video camera and the video input component and displays the composite image on the flat panel video display.

3. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein,

the portal mirror is mounted at an angle so that it inclines upwardly towards the foreground side of the stage, and

the flat panel video display is mounted above the stage and above the portal mirror so that the images appearing on the flat panel video display are reflected off of the portal mirror and toward the performance area.

4. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein,

the portal mirror is mounted at an angle so that it inclines upwardly away from foreground side of the stage, and

the flat panel video display is mounted below the portal mirror so that the images appearing on the flat panel video display are reflected off of the portal mirror and toward the performance area.

5. The apparatus described in claim 1 further comprising:

an off-stage set comprising a second video camera, a second background and a second performance area wherein the second video camera records images from the second background and second performance area and further wherein those images recorded by the second video camera are shown on the flat panel video display.

6. A method for creating visual effects during performances comprising the following steps:

providing a stage and a viewing area in which a video camera is mounted comprising;

a) the stage comprising a foreground side and a background side wherein the foreground side is adjacent the viewing area and the background side is on the side of the stage opposite the foreground side;

b) a background situated in the background side of the stage;

c) a partially-silvered, portal mirror wherein the portal mirror is mounted toward the foreground side of the stage and further wherein the portal mirror is mounted at an angle to a vertical plane in front of the video camera;

d) a performance area between the background and the portal mirror; and

e) a flat panel video display that is not visible to the video camera wherein the images appearing on the flat panel video display are reflected off of the portal mirror;

sending signals to the flat panel video display that form images thereon visible in the performance area; and

placing a person in the performance area and directing lights on them so they are visible to the video camera,

whereby the person in the performance area sees the images from the flat panel video display.

7. The method described in claim 6, further comprising:

providing a video display controller that is connected to the flat panel video display, connected to the video camera, and connected to a video input component;

combining in the video display controller the video images from the video camera and the video input component; and

displaying the composite image on the flat panel video display.

8. The method described in claim 7, wherein the background has a primary color adapted to be keyed out of a video signal, and the method further comprising

keying out the background from the image recorded by the video camera prior to combining that video camera image with the images from the video input component.

9. The method described in claim 6, further comprising the step of providing an off-stage set comprising a second video camera, a second background and a second performance area wherein the second video camera records images from the second background and second performance area and further wherein those images recorded by the second video camera are fed into the flat panel video display.

10. The method described in claim 7, further comprising:

providing an off-stage set comprising a second video camera, a second background and a second performance area wherein the second video camera records images from the second background and second performance area;

connecting the second video camera to the video display controller;

combining the images from the second video camera with the images from the video camera and the video input component; and

displaying the composite image on the flat panel video.

11. A video stage system comprising:

the stage comprising a foreground side and a background side wherein the foreground side is adjacent a video recording area and the background side is on the side of the stage opposite the foreground side;

a background;

a partially silvered, portal mirror wherein the portal mirror is mounted toward the foreground side of the stage and further wherein the portal mirror is mounted at an angle to a vertical plane in front of the video recording area;

a performance area between the background and the portal mirror;

a video recording area comprising a video camera mounted in it for recording action in the performance area;

a flat panel video display that is not visible to the video camera wherein the images appearing on tie flat panel video display are reflected off of the portal mirror and create a virtual image visible in the performance area; and

a video effects controller wherein the video effects controller receives and displays on the flat panel video display at least the signals from the video camera mounted in the video recording area.

12. The video stage system described in claim 11, wherein the background and the performance area have a primary color adapted to be keyed out of a video signal.

13. The video stage system described in claim 11, further comprising a teleprompter, wherein the video effects controller further receives input from, and displays on the flat panel video display, signals from the teleprompter.

14. The video stage system described in claim 12, further comprising an alternative video source connected to the video effects controller wherein the video effects controller is adapted to

a) receive input from, and display on the flat panel video display, signals from the alternative video source, and

b) process the signals from the video camera to key out the background and performance areas,

whereby a composite image on the flat panel video display is visible in the performance area.

15. The video stage system described in claim 13, further comprising an alternative video source connected to the video effects controller wherein the video effects controller is adapted to

a) receive input from, and display on the flat panel video display, signals from the alternative video source, and

b) process the signals from the video camera to key out the background and performance areas,

whereby a composite image on the flat panel video display is visible in the performance area.

16. A method for creating a composite video image comprising the following steps:

a) providing a stage and a video image filming area in which a video camera is mounted,

the stage comprising a foreground side and a background side wherein the foreground side is adjacent the video recording area and the background side is on the side of the stage opposite the foreground side;

a background having a primary color;

a partially-silvered, portal mirror wherein the portal mirror is mounted toward the foreground side of the stage and further wherein the portal mirror is mounted at an angle to a vertical plane in front of the video recording area;

a performance area between the background and the portal mirror; and

a flat panel video display that is not visible to the video camera wherein the images appearing on the flat panel video display are reflected off of the portal mirror;

b) providing a video effects controller connected to the video camera and a teleprompter and also to the flat panel video display;

c) combining the signals from the video camera and teleprompter in the video effects controller;

d) sending signals from the video effects controller to the flat panel video display;

e) placing a person in the performance area and directing lights on them so they are visible to the video camera,

whereby the person in the performance area sees the composite image from the flat panel video display.

17. The method described in claim 16, further comprising the steps of

a) providing a graphics computer,

b) connecting the graphics computer to the video effects controller,

c) combining signals from the graphics computer with other video signals in the video effects controller, and

d) sending the combined signals to the flat panel video display where the composite image becomes visible to a person in the performance area.

18. The method described in claim 17, wherein the video effects controller is adapted to key out of the video camera signal the primary colored background and the combined signal is then sent to the flat panel video display.