Live teleporting system and apparatus

• US 8,462,192 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Musion IP Ltd. (Musion DAS Hologram Limited)
• Original Assignee: Musion IP Ltd. (Musion DAS Hologram Limited)
• Inventors: O'Connell, Ian Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): El-Zoobi, Maria
• Application Number:
  US13/054,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20110157297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1408, 348/14.09
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/56 by projecting aerial or floating images
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/02 Illuminating scene
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/06 Special arrangements of screening, diffusing, or reflecting devices, e.g. in studio
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/07 Arrangements of lamps in studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/112 according to a given display mode, e.g. for interlaced or progressive display mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/132 Sampling, masking or truncation of coding units, e.g. adaptive resampling, frame skipping, frame interpolation or high-frequency transform coefficient masking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/137 Motion inside a coding unit, e.g. average field, frame or block difference
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/186 the unit being a colour or a chrominance component
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/20 using video object coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/587 involving temporal sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. decimation or subsequent interpolation of pictures in a video sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2224 related to virtual studio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A telepresence system includes a projector for generating an image, a projection screen for reviewing the image generated by the projector and generating a reflected image and a foil for reviewing the reflected image generated by the projection screen. The foil generates and directs partially reflected image toward an audience, the partially reflected image being perceived by the audience as a virtual image or hologram located on a viewing stage. Additionally, the system incorporates a camera for filming an individual through the foil, the camera being located on a camera side of the foil and positioned adjacent to the viewing stage, the individual being located on an individual side of the foil and positioned on a filming stage.

Claims

1. A telepresence system, comprising:

a projector for generating an image,

a projection screen for receiving the image generated by the projector and generating a reflected image;

a foil for receiving the reflected image generated by the projection screen and generating and directing a partially reflected image toward an audience, the partially reflected image being perceived by the audience as a virtual image or hologram located on a viewing stage; and

a camera for filming an individual through the foil, the camera being located on a camera side of the foil and positioned adjacent to the viewing stage, the individual being located on an individual side of the foil and positioned on a filming stage,

and using images captured by the camera to provide a heads up display, the heads up display adapted to generate an image to be received by the foil for generating a pepper'"'"'s ghost virtual image invisible to the audience.

2. A telepresence system according to claim 1 wherein the camera arranged for filming an individual through the foil is arranged to film the audience and the virtual image is arranged to provide audience feed back to a performer.

3. A telepresence system according to claim 2 wherein the virtual image is generated such that it provides line of sight guidance for the performer that is referentially accurate in terms of eyeline.

4. A telepresence system according to claim 3 wherein the heads-up display comprises a mechanically moveable video screen/s upstage to the foil, the foil arranged such that light emitted from the video screen is reflected therefrom;

and the video screen being arranged to project an image such that light forming the image impinges upon the foil to create the virtual image, the system adapted such that the video screen/s are mechanically moveable stage left or right along a truss using rollers and the angle of the screen is adjustable to position the virtual image higher or lower around the audience.

5. A telepresence system according to claim 2 in which the system includes an audience management system adapted to highlight in a way recognisable to the camera the position of an audience member and a program control of the camera is adapted to direct and focus it predominantly on the audience member.

6. A telepresence system according to claim 5, in which the highlight used by the audience management system comprises any of an infrared signal, an ultraviolet signal or a black and white patterned bar code.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the projector is located on a floor and oriented so that the image is directed upward; and

the projection screen is located on a ceiling above the projector.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the foil is positioned adjacent to the projector and the

projection screen and oriented at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the projection screen.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera includes an LED ring for chroma keying.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising black draping adjacent to the projector and

below the foil for reducing flaring in the camera caused by the foil.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a monitor for generating a picture in picture

image, the monitor being positioned below the foil and oriented so that the picture in picture image is directed onto the foil and reflected toward the camera.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reference monitor adjacent to the individual for displaying graphics and documents to the individual during filming.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reference camera adjacent to the individual for generating a reference image of the individual.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising silver or black draping adjacent to the filming stage for chroma keying.

15. The system, of claim 1 further comprising:

a frame for providing support to the projector and foil, the projector being connected to the frame and the foil being connected to the frame using a tensioning device, the tensioning device being capable of variably adjusting tension along at least one edge of the foil so that the foil remains substantially flat and smooth.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the projector is connected to an upper portion of the frame and oriented so that the image is directed downward toward the projection screen; and

the projection screen is located below the projector.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising drapes positioned so that the projection screen cannot be seen by the audience.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a mirror connected to the upper portion of the

frame adjacent to the projector for reflecting the image generated by the projector onto the projection screen and wherein the projector is oriented to direct the image toward the mirror.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the projector is connected to a lower portion of the frame and oriented so that the image is directed upward toward the projection screen; and

the projection screen is positioned above the projector.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a mirror connected to the frame adjacent to

the projector for reflecting the image generated by the projector onto the projection screen and wherein the projector is oriented to direct the image toward the mirror.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the projection screen is located adjacent to a lower portion of the frame; and

the projector is positioned below the projection screen and oriented so that the image is directed upward toward the projection screen.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a mirror positioned adjacent to the projector

for reflecting the image generated by the projector onto the projection screen and wherein the projector is oriented to direct the image toward the mirror.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the projection screen is located adjacent to an upper portion of the frame; and

the projector is positioned above the projection screen and oriented so that the image is directed downward toward the projection screen.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a mirror positioned adjacent to the projector for reflecting the image generated by the projector onto the projection screen and wherein the projector is oriented to direct the image toward the mirror.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein

the camera is arranged for recording the reflected image and a person located on the filming stage.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image is located between the foil and the camera.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising black material positioned so that the black material reduces or eliminates glare caused by the foil in a camera lens included with the camera.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the display is located above the foil and the black material is positioned below the foil.