Visual presentation system and related methods

• US 8,088,985 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2009
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Retinal 3-D, LLC
• Original Assignee: Retinal 3-D, LLC
• Inventors: Bowser, Roger C., Neal, Lawrence A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Qin, Jianchun
• Application Number:
  US12/425,214
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 846/09, 844/77.R
• US Class Current: 84/609
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 17/00 Apparatus for performing colour-music
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/015 Musical staff, tablature or score displays, e.g. for score reading during a performance. graphical musical score editing G10H2220/121; musical score displays resulting from a transcription G10H2210/086
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/021 Indicator, i.e. non-screen output user interfacing, e.g. visual or tactile instrument status or guidance information using lights, LEDs, seven segments displays screen displays G10H2220/005, graphical user interfaces adapted for electrophonic musical instruments G10H2220/091; tactile key feedback G10H2220/311
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/066 Colour, i.e. indications with two or more different colours
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/311 MIDI transmission G10H2240/056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

A control interface for a visual presentation system. Implementations include a graphical interface including a plurality of parallel lines and plurality of spaces between and adjacent to the plurality of lines that define at least one visual staff. One or more visual notes may be disposed on the at least one visual staff. An output data stream may be included that includes a control sequence of one or more visual element parameters adapted to operate a visual presentation system and corresponding with the one or more visual notes. The output data stream may be coupled with a visual presentation system. One or more music notes on one or more music staffs may be included on the graphical interface adjacent to the at least one visual staff where the one or more music notes are correlated with the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff.

Claims

1. A method of generating a control sequence for a visual presentation system, the method comprising:

arranging one or more visual notes representing a visually perceived stimuli associated with at least one visual element of a visual presentation system, the one or more visual notes positioned on at least one visual staff included in a graphical interface on a display coupled with a computer processor, the graphical interface generated using the computer processor;

associating one or more visual element parameters with each of the one or more visual notes, the visual element parameters comprising at least one of color, intensity, chromaticity, gamma value, alpha channel, rapidity, duration, hue, saturation, red green blue coloring, cyan magenta yellow key coloring, vector positioning, vector displacement, and brightness;

generating a control sequence from the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff and a timing sequence indicated at least in part by relative positioning of the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff, the control sequence adapted to control operation of the visual presentation system;

including the control sequence in an output data stream coupled with the visual presentation system;

displaying a representation of the visual presentation system on the graphical interface adjacent to the at least one visual staff; and

animating the representation with one or more frames generated by the computer processor by following a timing indicated by each of the one or more visual notes and by changing one of the color, intensity, chromaticity, gamma value, alpha channel, rapidity, duration, hue, saturation, red green blue coloring, cyan magenta yellow key coloring, vector positioning, vector displacement, and brightness of a representation of a visual element in the visual display of the visual presentation system in each frame in response to encountering a position of each of the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising formatting the output data stream in an extensible markup language (XML) format.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging one or more dynamic elements on the at least one visual staff adjacent to the one or more visual notes, wherein the one or more dynamic elements are selected from the group consisting of staccato, crescendo, decrescendo, dynamic accent, fermata, trill, rest, slur, legato, glissando, ligature, tuplet, pianississimo, pianissimo, piano, mezzo piano, mezzo forte, forte, fortissimo, fortississismo, and sforzando.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising associating one or more dynamic instructions in the one or more visual element parameters with each of the one or more dynamic elements and including the one or more dynamic instructions in the control sequence of the one or more visual element parameters.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising defining one of the intensity, chromaticity, gamma value, alpha channel, rapidity, duration, hue, saturation, red green blue coloring, cyan magenta yellow key coloring, vector positioning, vector displacement, and brightness of a visual element of the visual presentation system using one or more of the one or more dynamic instructions in the control sequence.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein associating one or more visual element parameters with each of the one or more visual notes and generating a control sequence with the one or more visual element parameters further comprises associating one or more timing instructions in the one or more visual element parameters with each of the one or more visual notes and including the one or more timing instructions in the control sequence.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising defining a display duration for a visual element in a visual display of the visual presentation system using the one or more timing instructions.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein generating a control sequence with the one or more visual element parameters further comprises:

generating a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) channel, MIDI note on command, and MIDI note off command for each of the one or more visual element parameters and generating a corresponding DMX512-A universe channel value and an intensity value corresponding with the generated MIDI channel, MIDI note on command, and MIDI note off command; and

including the DMX512-A universe channel value and the intensity value in the control sequence, the DMX512-A universe channel value corresponding with a tube number associated with a light element in the visual display of the visual presentation system;

wherein the light element is selected from the group consisting of neon tubes, incandescent lights, metal halide tubes, fluorescent tubes, sodium tubes, xenon tubes, solid state lighting (SSL) devices, and light emitting diodes (LEDs).

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging a clef, key, and time signature on the at least one visual staff, defining one or more frequency bands within a range of frequencies corresponding with the clef and the key, defining one or more regions of the at least one visual staff each corresponding with one of the one or more frequency bands, and associating one or more visual notes with each of the one or more regions of the at least one visual staff.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein including the control sequence in an output data stream further comprises including visual element parameters formatted in one of a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), DMX512-A, MIDI Timecode (MTC), and Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) standard.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming one or more music notes representing an audibly perceived stimuli on one or more music staffs from a music source using the computer processor and the graphical interface;

arranging the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff on the graphical interface by correlating the music notes on the one or more music staffs with the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff using the computer processor.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising simultaneously playing music corresponding with one or more music notes included on one or more music staffs included on the graphical interface wherein the one or more music notes are correlated with the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff included on the graphical interface and wherein a timing of the music is synchronized with the changes in the representation of the visual display of the visual presentation system included in the one or more icons on the presentation staff using the computer processor.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing haptic or tactile feedback to one or more viewers of the visual presentation using a haptic or tactile feedback system coupled with the output data stream.

14. A method of generating a control sequence for a visual presentation system, the method comprising:

receiving one or more inputs as notations on a graphical interface, the graphical interface generated using a computer processor, the graphical interface comprising a plurality of parallel lines and a plurality of spaces between and adjacent to the plurality of lines, the plurality of parallel lines and plurality of spaces defining at least one visual staff, wherein at least one of the one or more notations is disposed on the at least one visual staff on the plurality of parallel lines or within the plurality of spaces forming at least one visual note representing a visually perceived stimuli associated with at least one visual element of a visual presentation system;

associating one or more timing instructions indicated at least in part by relative positioning of the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff with a set of visual element parameters associated with the at least one visual note, the visual element parameters comprising at least one of color, intensity, chromaticity, gamma value, alpha channel, rapidity, duration, hue saturation, red green blue coloring, cyan magenta yellow key coloring, vector position, vector displacement, and brightness;

generating a control sequence from the one or more timing instructions and the at least one visual note on the at least one visual staff;

including the control sequence in an output data stream coupled with the visual presentation system, wherein the control sequence is adapted to operate the visual presentation system;

wherein receiving one or more inputs as notations on the graphical interface further comprises;

forming one or more music notes representing an audibly perceived stimuli on one or more music staffs from a music source using the computer processor and the graphical interface;

arranging the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff on the graphical interface by correlating the music notes on the one or more music staffs with the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff using the computer processor;

displaying a representation of the visual presentation system on the graphical interface adjacent to the at least one visual staff; and

animating the representation with one or more frames generated by the computer processor by following a timing indicated by each of the one or more visual notes and by changing one of the color, intensity, chromaticity, gamma value, alpha channel, rapidity, duration, hue, saturation, red green blue coloring, cyan magenta yellow key coloring, vector positioning, vector displacement, and brightness of a representation of a visual element in the visual display of the visual presentation system in each frame in response to encountering a position of each of the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

associating one or more dynamic instructions with one or more dynamic elements included in the one or more notations where the one or more dynamic elements are associated with the at least one visual note; and

wherein generating the control sequence from the one or more timing instructions further comprises including the one or more dynamic instructions in the control sequence in association with the one or more timing instructions associated with the at least one visual note.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

defining at least one of the intensity, chromaticity, gamma value, alpha channel, rapidity, duration, hue, saturation, red green blue coloring, cyan magenta yellow key coloring, vector positioning, vector displacement, and brightness of a visual element in a visual display of the visual presentation system using one or more of the one or more dynamic instructions in the control sequence; and

defining a display duration of the visual element in the visual display of the visual presentation system using the one or more timing instructions.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein generating the control sequence from the one or more timing instructions further comprises:

generating a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) channel, MIDI note on command, and MIDI note off command for each of the one or more timing instructions and generating a corresponding DMX512-A universe channel value and an intensity value corresponding with the generated MIDI channel, MIDI note on command, and MIDI note off command; and

including the DMX512-A universe channel value and the intensity value in the control sequence, the DMX512-A universe channel value corresponding with a tube number associated with a light element in the visual display of the visual presentation system;

wherein the light element is selected from the group consisting of neon tubes, incandescent lights, metal halide tubes, fluorescent tubes, sodium tubes, xenon tubes, solid state lighting (SSL) devices, and light emitting diodes (LEDs).

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising simultaneously playing music corresponding with one or more music notes on the one or more music staffs included on the graphical interface wherein the one or more music notes are correlated with the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff and wherein a timing of the music is synchronized with the changes in the representation of the visual display of visual presentation system included in the one or more icons on the presentation staff using the computer processor.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing haptic or tactile feedback to one or more viewers of the visual presentation using a haptic or tactile feedback system coupled with the output data stream.

20. A control interface for a visual presentation system comprising:

a graphical interface coupled with a computer processor, the graphical interface comprising a plurality of parallel lines and a plurality of spaces between and adjacent to the plurality of lines, the plurality of parallel lines and plurality of spaces defining at least one visual staff, wherein one or more visual notes representing a visually perceived stimuli associated with at least one visual element of a visual presentation system are disposed on the at least one visual staff on the plurality of parallel lines or within the plurality of spaces;

an output data stream comprising a control sequence of one or more visual element parameters adapted to operate a visual presentation system comprising at least one of color, intensity, chromaticity, gamma value, alpha channel, rapidity, duration, hue, saturation, red green blue coloring, cyan magenta yellow key coloring, vector positioning, vector displacement, and brightness, the control sequence corresponding with the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff and a timing sequence indicated at least in part by relative positioning of the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff, the output data stream coupled with a visual presentation system; and

one or more music notes representing an audibly perceived stimuli on one or more music staffs included on the graphical interface adjacent to the at least one visual staff, the one or more music notes correlated with the one or more visual notes on the at least one visual staff;

defining a display duration for a visual element in a visual display of the visual presentation system using the one or more timing instructions;

generating a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) channel, MIDI note on command, and MIDI note off command for each of the one or more visual element parameters and generating a corresponding DMX512-A universe channel value and an intensity value corresponding with the generated MIDI channel, MIDI note on command, and MIDI note off command; and

including the DMX512-A universe channel value and the intensity value in the control sequence, the DMX512-A universe channel value corresponding with a tube number associated with a light element in the visual display of the visual presentation system;

wherein the light element is selected from the group consisting of neon tubes, incandescent lights, metal halide tubes, fluorescent tubes, sodium tubes, xenon tubes, solid state lighting (SSL) devices, and light emitting diodes (LEDs).

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising one or more icons comprising a representation of a visual display of the visual presentation system on a presentation staff included on the graphical interface adjacent to the at least one visual staff, where the representation corresponds with an appearance of the display of the visual presentation system, and comprises one or more frames.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein a portion of the graphical interface comprises a representation of the visual display of the visual presentation, wherein the representation comprises one or more frames included in a video image of the operation of one or more visual elements in the visual display of the visual presentation system, the one or more frames generated using the visual element parameters in the control sequence.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the visual display of the visual presentation system comprises one or more light elements selected from the group consisting of neon tubes, incandescent lights, fluorescent tubes, sodium tubes, metal halide tubes, xenon tubes, solid state lighting (SSL) devices, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and video images.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising arranging a clef, key, and time signature on the at least one visual staff, defining one or more frequency bands within a range of frequencies corresponding with the clef and the key, defining one or more regions of the at least one visual staff each corresponding with one of the one or more frequency bands, and associating one or more visual notes with each of the one or more regions of the at least one visual staff.