Pre-fabricated stage incorporating light-actuated triggering means

• US 6,492,775 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hagai Sigalov, Moshe Klotz
• Original Assignee: Hagai Sigalov, Moshe Klotz
• Inventors: Klotz, Moshe, Sigalov, Hagai
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY V
• Application Number:
  US09/814,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20020047549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 315/120, 315/121, 315/129, 315/133, 315/134, 250/221, 250/271, 846/00, 846/45, 84D/IG.1, 340/555, 340/556
• US Class Current: 315/120
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/32 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/411 Light beams

Abstract

A pre-fabricated stage comprising an integrated visible light-source, a device for directing light from the visible light source away from the stage in the form of a beam of light, and corresponding light-detecting devices for detecting such light that is retroreflected back towards the stage. The stage is typically adapted to support the weight of at least one person, and preferably further incorporates a pulse generator associated with each light-detecting device, and a device for generating an electronic instruction code, such, for example, as a MIDI compatible code, in response to an input from the pulse generator for controlling a sound generator or other device. Thus, a person using the stage may play music or control other devices by cutting beams of light directed by the directing device with his/her hands or other parts of the body.

Claims

1. A pre-fabricated stage comprising a platform, means for supporting said platform off the ground, an integrated visible light source, light directing means for transmitting light from said visible light source away from the stage in the form of a beam of light and corresponding light-detecting means adapted to detect such light that is retroreflected back towards the stage.

2. The stage as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light directing means and a plurality of corresponding light-detecting means.

3. The stage as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a pulse-generator associated with the light-detecting means for producing a digital pulse signal in response to an analogue output from said light-detecting means.

4. The stage as claimed in claim 3, further comprising means for generating an electronic instruction code in response to the digital pulse signal produced by the pulse generator, which instruction code comprises instructions for operating another device.

5. The stage as claimed in claim 4, wherein said electronic instruction code is MIDI compatible.

6. The stage as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means comprise a MIDI interface adapted to receive an input from the pulse generator and to output MIDI instruction code.

7. The stage as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an integrated sound-generator or other device that is capable of recognizing and being operated by said electronic instruction code.

8. The stage as claimed in claim 7, further comprising an integrated public address system comprising an amplifier and one or more loudspeakers, which amplifier is adapted to receive an input from the sound-generator.

9. The stage as claimed in claim 7, further comprising controlling means for controlling operation of the sound generator in response to said instruction code.

10. The stage as claimed in claim 9, wherein said controlling means includes a sequencer or a computer comprising a processor, a memory device, and input means for allowing a user to control the computer.

11. The stage as claimed in claim 9, wherein the light-directing means is associated with a shutter device for selectively obscuring the corresponding beam, which shutter device can be controlled by the controlling means.

12. The stage as claimed in claim 9, wherein said controlling means is arranged to control operation of the light-source for selectively causing the light source to blink.

13. The stage as claimed in claim 9, wherein the light directing means is associated with an automatically controllable light filter device which is adapted to introduce selectively one or more color filters into the beam, so as to change the color light beam, the automatically controllable filter being controlled by the said controlling means.

14. The stage as claimed in claim 9, wherein said controlling means is integrated with the pre-fabricated stage.

15. The stage as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stage is constructed from a plurality of pre-fabricated staging components comprises a platform, supporting means for supporting the platform off the ground, at least one light-directing means and corresponding light-detecting means.

16. The stage as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a canopy assembly, the canopy assembly including a roof and roof supporting means adapted to be connected to the staging components.

17. The stage as claimed in claim 16, wherein an underside of the roof is provided with one or more retroreflecting elements, the one or more retroreflecting elements being associated with a respective light-directing means on the stage.

18. The stage as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein an underside of the roof is provided with reflecting means for reflecting light from the light-directing means.

19. The stage as claimed in claim 16, wherein said reflecting means comprises a plurality of reflecting elements, each element being associated with a respective light-direction means.

20. The stage as claimed in claim 16, wherein an underside of the roof is equipped with reflecting elements and retroreflecting elements.

21. The stage as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stage is portable.

22. A light reflector/detector assembly comprising a mirror adapted to reflect light from a light-source as a substantially parallel beam of light and light-detecting means for detecting light reflected by the mirror that is retroreflected back towards the mirror, wherein the mirror is provided with an aperture therein, and said light detecting means is disposed within the aperture.

23. The assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the mirror comprises a plane mirror, and said aperture is positioned at or towards the center of said mirror.

24. The assembly as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23, further comprising mirror tilting means for selectively tilting said mirror so as to control the direction of the beam away from the mirror.

25. The assembly as claimed in claim 24, wherein said mirror tilting means are motorized.

26. The assembly as claimed in claim 24, wherein said light detecting means is tiltable with respect to the mirror, such that the light-detecting means can be aligned substantially parallel to the beam of light reflected by the mirror.

27. The assembly as claimed in claim 26, further comprising motorized tilting means for tilting said light-detecting means.

28. The assembly as claimed in claim 27, further comprising controlling means for controlling operation of the motorized tilting means to ensure that the light-detecting means remains correctly aligned with the reflected beams.

29. The assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein said light-detecting means comprises an elongated tube, which tube accommodates a light sensitive element.

30. The assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the mirror is positioned at about 45 degrees to the axis of an incident beam of light, and the tube is oriented at about 90 degrees to said incident beam.

31. The combined reflector/retroreflector unit adapted for use with an interactive light-actuated triggering system comprising means for directing light away from a light-source in the form of a beam, means for retroreflecting said beam, light detecting means positioned within said retroreflected beam, and means for generating an electronic trigger signal in response to a change in the intensity of light from said retroreflected beam that is incident on said detecting means, which combined reflector/retroreflector unit comprises retroreflecting means for retroreflecting said beam towards the detecting means and integrant reflecting means for reflecting light away from the detecting means.

32. The combined reflector/retroreflector unit as claimed in claim 31, wherein said reflecting means comprises a layer of reflective material disposed on a suitable carrier.

33. The combined reflector/retroreflector unit as claimed in claim 32, wherein said carrier comprises a flat base and a carrying face that subtends an angle a with the base, which angle a is in the range of 0-60°

.

34. The combined reflector/retroreflector unit as claimed in claim 32 or claim 33, wherein said retroreflecting means comprises a retroreflective element that is superposed on said reflective material or is accommodated in a recess or aperture provided for that purpose in the reflective material.