Live teleporting system and apparatus

• US 9,088,691 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2013
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• 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): El-Zoobi, Maria
• Application Number:
  US13/899,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20130335505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 method comprising:

providing an image;

using a foil to direct a partially reflected form of the image toward an audience side of the foil;

capturing images of an individual located on an individual side of the foil, which is located opposite the audience side of the foil;

generating a first pepper'"'"'s ghost image visible from the individual side and invisible from the audience side to provide a heads up display to the individual;

capturing images corresponding to the partially reflected image;

providing the images corresponding to the partially reflected image for viewing by an audience located remotely from the individual; and

wherein, in providing the images corresponding to the partially reflected image for viewing by the audience, the images are provided as a second pepper'"'"'s ghost image.

2. The telepresence method of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises providing a parabolic mirror located remotely from the partially reflected image; and

in providing the images corresponding to the partially reflected image for viewing by the audience, the images are reflected by the parabolic mirror.

3. The telepresence method of claim 2, wherein, in providing the images corresponding to the partially reflected image for viewing by the audience, the images are provided as a second pepper'"'"'s ghost image.

6. The telepresence method of claim 1, wherein, in providing the image, an image producing device is oriented so that the image is directed upward.

7. The telepresence method of claim 1, wherein, in using the foil, the foil is an angle of 45 degrees with respect to a screen which is used for displaying the image.

4. A telepresence method comprising:

providing an image;

using a foil to direct a partially reflected form of the image toward an audience side of the foil;

capturing images of an individual located on an individual side of the foil, which is located opposite the audience side of the foil;

generating a first pepper'"'"'s ghost image visible from the individual side and invisible from the audience side to provide a heads up display to the individual; and

further comprising arranging the first pepper'"'"'s ghost image to provide audience feed back to a performer.

5. The telepresence method of claim 4, wherein the first pepper'"'"'s ghost image is arranged to provide line of sight guidance for the individual that is referentially accurate in terms of eyeline.

8. A telepresence method comprising:

providing an image;

using a foil to direct a partially reflected form of the image toward an audience side of the foil;

capturing images of an individual located on an individual side of the foil, which is located opposite the audience side of the foil;

generating a first pepper'"'"'s ghost image visible from the individual side and invisible from the audience side to provide a heads up display to the individual; and

further comprising generating a picture in picture image directed onto the foil.