Dual-screen theater

• US 6,407,798 B2
• Filed: 09/22/1999
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Entertainment Properties Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Entertainment Properties Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Kevin P., Graves, Jeffrey P., Grant, William Neil, Pacitti, Joe M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): FULLER, RODNEY EVAN
• Application Number:
  US09/404,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20020001064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 352/40, 352/69, 352/70, 352/88, 352/244, 352/44, 352/48, 359/443, 359/444, 359/445, 359/446, 359/447, 359/449, 359/450, 359/451, 359/459, D16/205, 472/59, 472/60, 472/61, 472/75, 472/77, 472/78, 472/79, 472/80, 472/81
• US Class Current: 352/69
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/56 Projection screens

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides a theater having a first screen and a second screen movable relative to the first screen. The first and second screens are typically designed for different movie formats. The second screen is mounted to a frame in sections, and a rotating member is operable to move sections of the second screen away from the first screen. A projection system disposed in front of one of the screens is operable to project screen images alternatively on the first screen or on the second screen. A plurality of speakers are mountable to the frame to provide a sound system.

Claims

1. A theater, comprising:

a first screen having a central portion and moveable left and right side panel portions, the left and right side panel portions having an operating position and a storage position, the first screen having a first radius to display screen images having a first format;

a second screen having a second radius different from the first radius to display screen images having a second format and being movable relative to the first screen to replace the first screen, the left and right side panel portions interfering with the second screen when in the operating position and being moved to the storage position when the second screen replaces the first screen; and

a projection system disposed in front of a selected one of the first and second screens and operable to display screen images either on the first screen only or on the second screen only.

2. The theater of claim 1 wherein the second screen is positionable between the first screen and the projection system to allow the projection system to display the screen images on the second screen instead of on the first screen.

3. The theater of claim 1, further comprising a frame having a plurality of frame sections positioned adjacent each other, the second screen being mounted to adjacent ones of the frame sections.

4. The theater of claim 1, further comprising a frame having a plurality of frame sections affixed to a corresponding rotating member, the second screen being mounted to adjacent ones of the frame sections, the rotating member operable to rotate to move a corresponding frame section relative to the first screen.

5. The theater of claim 1 wherein the projection system is operable to project a plurality of screen images on to a corresponding plurality of adjacent regions of one of the first and second screens.

6. The theater of claim 1, further comprising a sound system.

7. The theater of claim 1, further comprising a sound system having a plurality of speakers mountable to a frame coupled to one of the screens.

8. A screen system, comprising:

a first screen having a center portion and moveable left and right side panels, the left and right side panels having an operating position and a storage position, the first screen having a first radius; and

a second screen having a second radius different from the first radius, the system operable to display screen images on the first screen only or on the second screen only when a position of one screen is moved relative to a position of the other screen wherein only the first screen or the second screen is positioned to display screen images, the left and right side panels interfering with the second screen when in the operating position and being moved to the storage position when the second screen is positioned to display screen images.

9. The screen system of claim 8 wherein the second screen is positionable in front of the first screen to allow the screen images to be displayed on the second screen instead of on the first screen.

10. The screen system of claim 8, further comprising a frame having a plurality of frame sections, the second screen being mounted to adjacent ones of the frame sections.

11. The screen system of claim 8, further comprising a frame having a plurality of frame sections attached to a corresponding rotating member, the second screen being mounted to adjacent ones of the frame sections, the rotating member operable to rotate to move a corresponding frame section relative to the first screen.

12. The screen system of claim 8 wherein one of the screens includes a plurality of adjacent screen regions oriented to display a corresponding plurality of screen images projected from different directions.

13. The screen system of claim 8, further comprising a sound system.

14. The screen system of claim 8, further comprising a sound system having a plurality of speakers mountable to a frame coupled to one of the screens.

15. A method of displaying screen images, the method comprising:

providing a first screen having a central screen portion and left and right side panel portions, the left and right side panels having an operating position and a storage position, the first screen having a first radius;

providing a second screen having a second radius different from the first radius;

moving one of the screens relative to the other screen to position a selected one of the first and second screens to receive screen images, the left and right side panel portions interfering with the second screen when in the operating position and being moved to the storage position when the second screen is positioned to receive screen images; and

projecting the screen images on either the first screen only or on the second screen only.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising positioning the second screen in front of the first screen and wherein moving one of the screens relative to the other screen includes:

mounting the second screen on to adjacent sections of a frame; and

moving the sections of the frame away from the first screen if the screen images are projected on the first screen.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising producing sound from a sound system mounted to a frame of one of the screens.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein projecting the screen images includes:

displaying screen images having a first format on the first screen; and

displaying screen images having a second format different from the first format on the second screen.