Visual and audio system for theaters

• US 6,646,800 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hae-Yong Choi
• Original Assignee: Hae-Yong Choi
• Inventors: Choi, Hae-Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalakis, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/197,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20030038925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 353/77, 353/79, 353/99, 352/88, 352/89, 352/69, 359/443, 359/951
• US Class Current: 359/451
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/56 Projection screens

Abstract

A visual and audio system for theaters includes a spherical screen having a desired radius of curvature while having a surface reflectivity of 5-50%, and a projector located at a focal point of the spherical screen. The curvature radius of the spherical screen corresponds to the projection distance of the projector. The image projected from the projector at the focal point of the spherical screen is reflected from the spherical screen in a horizontal direction. Accordingly, viewers can view images projected on the screen corresponding to 5-50 time the brightness of images viewed on conventional theaters screens. Central speakers are arranged at the focal point of the spherical screen, so that viewers perceive the sound effect as coming directly from the spherical screen. This visual and audio system can be effectively used in theaters for stereoscopic moves, theaters for high resolution images, and theaters for viewing of images at a higher brightness such as sports arenas, and restaurant theaters, etc.

Claims

1. A visual and audio system for a theater comprising:

a spherical screen having a desired radius of curvature while having a surface reflectivity of 5-50%;

at least one projector located at a focal point of the spherical screen, the projector comprising a film projector or a liquid crystal display projector; and

seats arranged along a horizontal length of the spherical screen,

whereby an image projected from the projector at the focal point of the spherical screen is reflected from the spherical screen in a horizontal direction, thereby causing a view field for viewing the image to be increased to a reverse angle range corresponding to the size of the spherical screen.

2. The visual and audio system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one projector comprises a plurality of projectors for projecting a stereoscopic image.

3. The visual and audio system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

at least one central speaker arranged at the focal point of the spherical screen, whereby sound emitted from the central speaker is reflected by the spherical screen simultaneously with the reflection of the projected image.