Imaging prevention method and system

• US 6,742,901 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kataoka, Shinya, Kudo, Yuko, Zushi, Norifumi, Kimura, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa J
• Application Number:
  US10/058,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20020171813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 434/286, 353/30, 353/31, 353/94, 353/122, 348/744, 348/570, 359/460
• US Class Current: 353/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91392 using means for preventing making copies of projected video images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

As an imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, there is employed a method for projecting infrared light to a viewer/audience direction from at least one or more infrared light projector devices disposed at a rear side of the screen. According to the method, an amount of infrared light is directly incident into an imaging apparatus whereby increasing the prevention effect causes more infrared light to be directly incident into the imaging apparatus of a person conducting the unauthorized act.

Claims

1. An imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, the imaging prevention method comprising:

projecting infrared light to a viewer/audience direction from at least one or more infrared light projector means,

said at least one or more infrared light projector means being disposed at a rear side of the screen,

whereby enabling said infrared light to be incident into imaging means person conducting the unauthorized act so as to adversely affect unauthorized copying operations being performed by said imaging means.

2. An imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imagine of visual image projected on a screen, the imagine prevention method comprising:

projecting infrared light to a viewer/audience direction from at least one or more infrared light projector means,

said at least one or more infrared light projector means being disposed at a rear side of the screen,

whereby enabling said infrared light to be incident into imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act, and

letting at least a part of the infrared light pass through space besides the screen so as said part or the infrared light to be directly incident into said imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act.

3. An imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imagine of visual image projected on a screen, the imaging prevention method comprising:

projecting infrared light to a viewer/audience direction from at least one or more infrared light projector means,

said at least one or more infrared light projector means being disposed at a rear side of the screen,

whereby enabling said infrared light to be incident into imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act; and

transmitting at least a part of the infrared light through the screen so as said part of the infrared light to be incident into said imaging in means of a person conducting the unauthorized act.

4. An imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of visual image projected on a screen, the imaging prevention method comprising:

projecting infrared light to a viewer/audience direction from at least one or more infrared light projector means,

said at least one or more infrared light projector means being disposed at a rear side of the screen,

whereby enabling said infrared light to be incident into imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act; and

letting at least a part of the infrared light pass through a pass-through part provided in the screen so as said part of the infrared light to bc incident directly into said imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act.

5. An imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, comprising;

intermittently emitting infrared light from at least one or more infrared light projector means,

whereby enabling a predetermined intermittent emission pattern to be recorded in imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act so as to adversely affect unauthorized copying operations being performed by said imaging means.

6. An imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, comprising:

intermittently emitting infrared light from at least one or more infrared light projector means in accordance with a predetermined code information,

whereby enabling information along a time axis direction to be recorded in imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act so as to adversely affect unauthorized copying operations being performed by said imaging means.

7. An imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, the imaging prevention method comprising:

intermittently emitting infrared light from a plurality of infrared light projector means in a relay pattern in accordance with a predetermined code information,

whereby enabling information along a time axis direction to be recorded in imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act so as to adversely affect unauthorized copying operations being performed by said imaging means.

8. An imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, the imaging prevention method comprising:

intermittently emitting infrared light from a plurality of infrared light projector means in a relay pattern in accordance with a predetermined code information,

whereby enabling a two-dimensional information to be recorded in imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act so as to adversely affect unauthorized copying operations being performed by said imaging means.

9. An imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, the imaging prevention method comprising:

controlling a plurality of infrared light projector means to emit in a predetermined combination,

whereby enabling a two-dimensional information to be recorded in imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act so as to adversely affect unauthorized copying operations being performed by said imaging means.

10. An imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of visual image projected on a screen, the imaging prevention method comprising:

disposing at least one or more infrared light projector means at a rear side of the screen viewing from a viewer audience side, said at least one or more infrared light projector means comprising an array of light emitting devices, and

controlling individual light emitting device to generate an emission pattern of said infrared light,

whereby enabling a predetermined information to be recorded in imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act.

11. An imaging prevention system for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, the imaging prevention system comprising:

at least one or more infrared light projector means disposed at a rear side of the screen viewing from a viewer/audience side for projecting infrared light so as said infrared light to be incident into imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act so as to adversely affect unauthorized copying operations being performed by said imaging means; and

control means for controlling said at least one or more infrared light projector means.

12. The imaging prevention system according to claim 11, wherein:

said infrared light projector means is disposed in such a way that at least a part of said infrared light is directly incident into said imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act without transmitting through the screen.

13. The imaging prevention system according to claim 11, wherein:

said infrared light projector means is disposed in such a way that at least a part of said infrared light transmits through the screen and is incident into said imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act.

14. The imaging prevention system according to claim 11, wherein:

said infrared light projector means is disposed in such a way that at least a part of said infrared light directly is incident into said imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act via passing through a pass-through part provided in the screen.

15. An imaging prevention system for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, the imaging prevention system comprising:

at least one or more infrared light projector means for projecting infrared light; and

infrared light reflection means for reflecting infrared light projected from at least one or more infrared light projector means so as said infrared light to be directly incident into imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act so as to adversely affect unauthorized copying operations being performed by said imaging means.

16. An imaging prevention system for interfering unauthorized imaging of visual image projected on a screen, the imaging prevention system comprising:

at least one or more infrared light projector means for projecting infrared light; and

emission control means for controlling said at least one or more infrared light projector means to emit intermittently so as imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act record a predetermined pattern of the intermittent emission.

17. An imaging prevention system for interfering unauthorized imaging of visual image projected on a screen, the imaging prevention system comprising:

at least one or more infrared light projector means for projecting infrared light; and

emission control means for controlling said at least one or more infrared light projector means to emit intermittently in accordance with a predetermined code information so as imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act record information along a time axis.

18. An imaging prevention system for interfering unauthorized imaging of visual image projected on a screen, the imaging prevention system comprising:

at least one or more infrared light projector means for projecting infrared light; and

emission control means for controlling a plurality of infrared light projector means to emit intermittently in relay format in accordance with a predetermined code information so as imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act record information along a time axis.

19. An imaging prevention system for interfering unauthorized imaging of visual image projected on a screen, the imaging prevention system comprising:

at least one or more infrared light projector means for projecting infrared light; and

emission control means for controlling a plurality of infrared light projector means to emit intermittently in relay format in accordance with a predetermined code information so as that imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act record a two-dimensional information.

20. An imaging prevention system for interfering unauthorized imaging of visual image projected on a screen, the imaging prevention system comprising:

at least one or more infrared light projector means for projecting infrared light; and

emission control means for controlling a plurality of infrared light projector means to emit intermittently in a predetermined combination so as that imaging means of a person conducting the unauthorized act record a two-dimensional information.

21. An imaging prevention system for interfering unauthorized imaging of visual image projected on a screen, the imaging prevention system comprising:

at least one or more infrared light projector means comprising a plurality of light emitting device disposed in an array form for projecting infrared light;

shielding period detection means for detecting a period of shielding the projection light with a frame transferring shutter when the visual image is projected from a film type projector means; and

an infrared light projection control unit for controlling emission of said infrared light projector means based on detection results of said shielding period detection means.

22. An apparatus for interfering with an unauthorized imagine device which is performing unauthorized imaging of one or more visual images appearing on a screen, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting said unauthorized imaging device when unauthorized copying of one or more images on said screen is being performed; and

an infrared light projector disposed near said screen for projecting infrared light in such a way that the infrared light can be incident onto said unauthorized imaging device so as to adversely affect the unauthorized copying operation being performed by said unauthorized imaging device.

23. An apparatus for interfering with an unauthorized imaging device which is performing unauthorized imaging of one or more visual images appearing on a screen, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting said unauthorized imaging device when unauthorized copying of one or more images on said screen is being performed;

an infrared light projector projecting infrared light; and

an infrared light reflector reflecting infrared light projected from said infrared light projector so as said infrared light to be incident onto said unauthorized imaging device that is being operated for imaging the visual images on said screen so as to adversely affect the unauthorized copying operation being performed by said unauthorized imagine device.

24. An apparatus for interfering unauthorized imaging of one or more visual images appearing on a screen, comprising:

an infrared light projector projecting infrared light; and

an emission controller controlling emission of said infrared light projector in accordance with a predetermined emission pattern.