Devices and methods for providing a distributed manifestation in an environment

• US 9,974,151 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eski Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eski Inc.
• Inventors: Leclerc, Vincent, Keroulas, Patrick, de Belleval, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, SULTAN U.
• Application Number:
  US15/261,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20160381762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 25/00 Equipment specially adapted for cinemas cinematographic projection means G03B
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 5/02 Arrangements for making stage effects; Auxiliary stage appliances
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2033 LED or laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/08 Projecting images onto non-planar surfaces, e.g. geodetic screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7458 the modulator being an array of deformable mirrors, e.g. digital micromirror device [DMD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3155 for controlling the light source light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

The present invention concerns a projection system for providing a distributed manifestation within an environment. The projection system includes a data generator for generating a plurality of data sets of associated state data and spatial coordinate data. The projection system also includes a projector in communication with the data generator for receiving the data sets. The projector is provided with a signal generating module for generating a plurality of electromagnetic signals, and a projecting module for projecting each of the electromagnetic signals towards a target location within the environment. The projection system also includes a plurality of receiving units distributed within the environment, each receiving unit having a receiver for receiving one of the electromagnetic signals when the receiving unit is positioned in the corresponding target location, each receiving unit being adapted to perform a change of state in response to the state data.

Claims

1. A method for use in a system comprising a signal transmission component configured to transmit signals within an environment and a plurality of receiving units disposed within the environment, the plurality of receiving units comprising a first receiving unit and a second receiving unit, the method comprising acts of:

(A) processing, by the first receiving unit, a first signal received from the signal transmission component when the first receiving unit is at a first location within the environment, the processing resulting in the first receiving unit manifesting a first state at a first point in time; and

(B) processing, by the second receiving unit, a second signal received from the signal transmission component when the second receiving unit is at a second location that adjoins the first location, the processing resulting in the second receiving unit manifesting a second state, different than the first state, at the first point in time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal has a first characteristic and the second signal has a second characteristic that is different than the first characteristic.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic relate to state data included the signals processed by the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic relate to modulation applied to the signals processed by the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic relate to an encoding of the signals processed by the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing performed in at least one of acts (A) and (B) comprises decoding information included in a received signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal processed in at least one of acts (A) and (B) has a wavelength within at least one of infrared wavelengths, visible wavelengths and ultraviolet wavelengths.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first state and the second state comprises exhibiting one or more visual characteristics, producing one or more sounds, producing an odor, moving, and exhibiting one or more tactile characteristics.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit each comprise a state changing component selected from a group consisting of light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, quantum dots, incandescent lights, neon lights, liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, electronic paper displays, electro-chromic displays, thermo-chromic displays, electromechanically-actuated light filters, electroluminescent elements and phosphorescent elements.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of receiving units are mechanically and electrically autonomous from one another.

11. A method for use in a system comprising a signal transmission component configured to transmit signals within an environment and a plurality of receiving units disposed within the environment, the method comprising acts of:

(A) processing, by a first receiving unit of the plurality of receiving units, a first signal having a first characteristic received from the signal transmission component, the processing resulting in the first receiving unit manifesting a first state at a first point in time; and

(B) processing, by a second receiving unit of the plurality of receiving units, a second signal received from the signal transmission component, the second signal having a second characteristic that is different than the first characteristic, the processing resulting in the second receiving unit manifesting a second state, different than the first state, at the first point in time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic relate to state data included the first signal and the second signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic relate to modulation applied to the first signal and the second signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic relate to an encoding of the first signal and the second signal.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the processing performed in at least one of acts (A) and (B) comprises decoding information included in a received signal.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the signal processed in at least one of acts (A) and (B) has a wavelength within at least one of infrared wavelengths, visible wavelengths and ultraviolet wavelengths.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein manifesting at least one of the first state and the second state comprises exhibiting one or more visual characteristics, producing one or more sounds, producing an odor, moving, and exhibiting one or more tactile characteristics.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit each comprise a state changing component selected from a group consisting of light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, quantum dots, incandescent lights, neon lights, liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, electronic paper displays, electro-chromic displays, thermo-chromic displays, electromechanically-actuated light filters, electroluminescent elements and phosphorescent elements.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of receiving units are mechanically and electrically autonomous from one another.

20. A method for use in a system comprising a signal transmission component configured to transmit signals within an environment and a plurality of receiving units disposed within the environment, the plurality of receiving units comprising a first receiving unit, a second receiving unit and a third receiving unit, the method comprising:

(A) at a first point in time, the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit both manifesting a first state as a result of processing signals received from the signal transmission component when the first receiving unit is at a first location within the environment and the second receiving unit is at a location adjoining the first location;

(B) at a second point in time following the first point in time, the first receiving unit moving within the environment to a second location that adjoins a location within the environment at which the third receiving unit is disposed; and

(C) at a third point in time following the second point in time;

the first receiving unit and the third receiving unit both manifesting a second state that is different than the first state as a result of processing signals received when the first receiving unit is at the second location and the third receiving unit is at the location adjoining the second location; and

the second receiving unit manifesting the first state as a result of processing signals received when the second receiving unit is at the location adjoining the first location.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the signals processed in the act (A) have a first characteristic, and the signals processed by the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit in the act (C) have a second characteristic that is different than the first characteristic.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic relate to state data included the signals.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic relate to modulation applied to the signals.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic relate to an encoding of the signals.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the processing performed in at least one of acts (A) and (C) comprises decoding information included in a received signal.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the signals processed in at least one of acts (A) and (C) each have a wavelength within at least one of infrared wavelengths, visible wavelengths and ultraviolet wavelengths.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein manifesting at least one of the first state and the second state comprises exhibiting one or more visual characteristics, producing one or more sounds, producing an odor, moving, and exhibiting one or more tactile characteristics.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the first receiving unit, the second receiving unit and the third receiving unit each comprise a state changing component selected from a group consisting of light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, quantum dots, incandescent lights, neon lights, liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, electronic paper displays, electro-chromic displays, thermo-chromic displays, electromechanically-actuated light filters, electroluminescent elements and phosphorescent elements.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of receiving units are mechanically and electrically autonomous from one another.

30. A method, comprising an act of:

(A) transmitting, by a transmitter to a receiving unit, information comprising location data and state data associated with the location data, wherein the information, when processed by the receiving unit, causes the receiving unit to express a state specified by the state data as a result of the receiving unit being at a location identified by the location data associated with the state data when the information is received.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the act (A) comprises encoding, by the transmitter, the information, and wherein processing by the receiving unit comprises decoding the information.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the act (A) comprises transmitting the information in one or more electromagnetic signals each having a wavelength selected from a group consisting of infrared wavelengths, visible wavelengths and ultraviolet wavelengths.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the act (A) comprises transmitting the information in a plurality of electromagnetic signals, each having a different wavelength.

34. A method, comprising acts performed by a receiving unit, of:

(A) receiving data which comprises state information associated with a location;

(B) determining that the receiving unit is presently located at the location; and

(C) in response to the determining in the act (B), expressing a state which is specified at least in part by the state information.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the state expressed in the act (C) is selected from a group of states consisting of exhibiting one or more visual characteristics, producing one or more sounds, producing an odor, moving, and exhibiting one or more tactile characteristics.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the state expressed in the act (C) is expressed using a state changing component selected from a group consisting of light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, quantum dots, incandescent lights, neon lights, liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, electronic paper displays, electro-chromic displays, thermo-chromic displays, electromechanically-actuated light filters, electroluminescent elements and phosphorescent elements.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the act (A) comprises receiving the data from a transmitting unit, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(D) in response to receiving the data, transmitting feedback information to the transmitter unit.