Viewing environment and recording system

• US 7,884,848 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark E. Ginther
• Original Assignee: Mark E. Ginther
• Inventors: Ginther, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/138,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20060268102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,085 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

A system for recording video comprising a plurality of cameras aligned in a substantially horizontal plane and adapted to capture images in substantially a three-hundred-sixty degree viewing angle; and a first additional camera adapted to capture images at the same time as the plurality of cameras adapted to capture images in the substantially three-hundred-sixty degree view, wherein the first additional camera is adapted to capture images in a direction above or below the horizontal plane. A system for displaying video comprising a side viewing area that provides substantially a three-hundred-sixty degree viewing area and forms at least part of a viewing pod; and at least one of atop viewing area and a bottom viewing area that forms a least a part of the viewing pod.

Claims

1. A system for displaying video comprising:

an enclosure including side walls and at least one of a top and a bottom each having an inside and an outside surface; and

a plurality of projectors located outside of the enclosure for projecting video onto the outside surface of the side walls and at least one of the top and the bottom, wherein each of the plurality of projectors projects video images onto the enclosure such that each image from each of the plurality of projectors overlaps an area of and less than all of each neighboring image projected from adjacent projectors of the plurality of projectors;

wherein the video is viewable on the inside surface of the side walls and at least one of the top and the bottom.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the enclosure includes the top, wherein the top is dome shaped.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a movable floor such that the floor moves while the side walls remain stationary, wherein the floor moves in synchronization with the video.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the overlapped areas of each pair of overlapping images are substantially identical.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the enclosure includes the bottom, wherein the bottom is dome shaped.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the enclosure is filled with water and wherein the video is viewable on the inside surface of the side walls and the bottom.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the overlapped areas of each pair of overlapping images establish a seamless image such that boundaries of each neighboring image overlap producing an image without a seam.

8. The system for displaying video of claim 7 further comprising a bottom, the bottom comprising a separate display device on to which viewers are positioned and that displays content consistent with the plurality of images projected by the plurality of projectors onto the side viewing area and the least one of a top viewing area and a bottom viewing area;

and

wherein the bottom detaches from the side walls and moves in a direction generally parallel to the side walls to move viewers in and out of the viewing area.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the bottom further rotates in coordination with the displayed overlapped images.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a computer;

a plurality of movable supports that support and move the bottom;

a plurality of cams;

a plurality of transfer members; and

a plurality of motors;

wherein the plurality of movable supports are coupled to the plurality of motors through the plurality of cams and the plurality of transfer members, and the plurality of motors in combination with the plurality of movable supports, the plurality of cams and the plurality of transfer members control movement of the bottom in synchronization with the overlapped images as controlled by the computer.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of projectors projects the video images such that each image overlaps at least two neighboring images.

12. A system for displaying video comprising:

a side viewing area that provides substantially a three-hundred-sixty degree viewing area and forms at least part of a viewing pod;

at least one of a top viewing area and a bottom viewing area that forms a least a part of the viewing pod, wherein the at least one bottom viewing area is movable independent of the side viewing area; and

a plurality of projectors distributed about the side viewing area and the at least one of the top viewing area and the bottom viewing area, where the plurality of projectors project different images onto the side viewing area and the at least one of the top viewing area and the bottom viewing area, and wherein each of the plurality of projectors projects images onto the viewing pod such that each image from each of the plurality of projectors projected at a single time overlaps an area of and less than all of each neighboring image projected from each adjacent projector such that each image overlaps at least two neighboring images.

13. The system for displaying video of claim 12 wherein the side viewing area and at least one of the top viewing area and the bottom viewing area provide a seamless viewing environment and the overlapped areas of each pair of overlapping images establish a seamless image such that boundaries of each neighboring image overlap such that there is no seam between images.

14. The system for displaying video of claim 13 wherein the bottom comprising a separate display device on which viewers are positioned and that displays content consistent with the plurality of images projected by the plurality of projectors onto the side viewing area and the least one of a top viewing area and a bottom viewing area;

and

wherein the movable bottom viewing area detaches from the side walls and moves in a direction generally parallel to the side walls to move viewers in and out of the viewing area.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the overlapped areas of each pair of overlapping images are identical such that boundaries of each neighboring image overlap producing an image without a seam.

16. The system of claim of claim 15, further comprising:

a first telephone system cooperated with the viewing pod;

a first computer system cooperated with the viewing pod and the plurality of projectors;

a remote camera system located at a remote location that is separate from and distant from the viewing pod, where the remote camera is positioned at a relative position where a viewer, if located at the remote location, would be positioned;

a second remote telephone system located at the remote location and adapted to provide communication with the first telephone system;

a second computer system located at the remote location and cooperated with the remote camera system, where the second computer system is adapted to communicate images from the camera system to the first computer system;

wherein the first computer system is adapted to receive the communicated images from the second computer system and distribute the images to the plurality of projectors; and

wherein the plurality of projectors project the images onto the viewing pod such that the viewer sees the images as if the viewer were actually at the remote location and at the position of the camera system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the viewing pod is a teleconference viewing pod comprising the viewing pod, the plurality of projectors, the first computer and the first telephone system, such that the images displayed on the teleconference viewing pod provides an appearance to a viewer of being at the remote location.

18. The system for displaying video of claim 12, further comprising one or more sensors connectable to a viewer, wherein the sensors measure the body movement of the viewer to at least in part control the playback based on the body movement of the viewer.