Rotating performance stage

• US 9,764,246 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Willowbrook Capital Advisors, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dreamlight Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Fox, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): HIJAZ, OMAR F
• Application Number:
  US14/605,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20150141162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 52 1, 52 7, 52 8, 52 9, 52 10, 472 57, 472 59, 472 75, 472 76
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/02 with moving substructures
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 2005/002 moving the spectator's body
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/22 Theatres; Concert halls; Studios for broadcasting, cinematography, television or similar purposes
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/26 Revolving stages; Stages able to be lowered

Abstract

A theater area includes audience seating that faces outwardly in an “inverted-theater-in-the-round” arrangement towards a ring-shaped performance stage. The performance stage is designed to rotate around the audience area so that each section of the audience can see each part of the stage at different times.

Claims

1. A method of using a performance stage that is moveable around an audience-area, the method comprising:

positioning a first performance stage area of the performance stage to be adjacent to a first section of the audience-area, wherein the performance stage is circular in shape;

positioning a second performance stage area of the performance stage that is different from the first performance stage area to be adjacent to a second section of the audience-area, wherein the first performance stage area and the second performance stage area are located on opposite ends of a diameter of the performance stage; and

moving the performance stage in a substantially circular movement pattern around the audience-area, wherein;

the first performance stage area is moved from being adjacent to the first section of the audience area to being adjacent to the second section of the audience-area, such that the first performance stage area is not visible from the first section of the audience-area; and

the second performance stage area is moved from being adjacent to the second section of the audience area to being adjacent to the first section of the audience-area, such that the second performance stage area is not visible from the second section of the audience-area,

positioning a first performance element at the first performance stage area;

positioning a second performance element at the second performance stage area;

displaying on at least one secondary screen adjacent to the first performance element, a real-time video of the second performance element and

synchronizing the real-time video being displayed with movement of the first performance element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein synchronizing the real-time video with the movement of the first performance element comprises moving the secondary screen upon which the real-time video is displayed according to the movement of the first performance element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary screen comprises a holographic display apparatus configured to display the second performance element on the performance stage, wherein an image of the second performance element displayed on the holographic display apparatus is substantially the same size as the second performance element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the audience-area comprises a plurality of audience seats surrounding a central point of the audience-area, wherein each of the plurality of audience seats is oriented to face away from the central point.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the performance stage is circular around the central point and is located at a radius from the central point that is longer than a distance of any of the plurality of audiences seats from the central point.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the audience seats comprise concentric rings of seats around the central point.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the first performance element on the secondary screen in response to an indication to display the first performance element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the indication to display the first performance element comprises a preset timing indication.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the indication to display the first performance element comprises detecting a sound signal from the first performance element.