Split Screen Discrete Viewing Apparatus and Method

• US 20080310018A1
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David M. Tripp
• Original Assignee: David M. Tripp
• Inventors: Tripp, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,031,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/483
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining

Abstract

The invention is an apparatus and method for allowing multiple individuals to view discrete images while remaining in close proximity to each other. It encompasses a split screen polarized lens, with alternate polarization portions, fitting over a viewing monitor and pairs of corresponding polarized glasses. Each pair of polarized glasses matches a portion of the screen lens with the same polarization so that the human viewer wearing vertically polarized glasses may only view the vertically polarized portion of the screen and the human viewer wearing horizontally polarized glasses may only view the horizontally polarized portion of the screen.

Claims

1. A split screen discrete viewing apparatus comprising:

a screen lens having a plurality of polarized fields;

a means of attaching said screen lens to a video monitor; and

a plurality of eye glasses, each further comprising a pair of lenses, each pair of lenses of the eye glasses having a polarization corresponding to one of said fields of the screen lens such that the polarization of one pair of the eye glasses matches the polarization of one of the fields of the screen lens and the polarization of a second pair of the eye glasses matches the polarization of another of the fields of the screen lens.

2. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the screen lens has a high transmission of light and is made from a material selected from the group consisting of glass, plastic, or carbon composites.

3. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a means of removably securing the eye glasses to a human face.

4. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means of removably securing the eye glasses to a human face comprises traditional eyewear.

5. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means of removably securing the eye glasses to a human face comprises goggles, said goggles being designed to secure the eye glasses on the human head when the wearer exerts frequent movement.

6. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a dividing line or a plurality of dividing lines separating each of said fields.

7. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 6 wherein a dividing line is horizontal.

8. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 6 wherein a dividing line is vertical.

9. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a means of visually discerning which pair of said eye glasses matches which of said polarized fields of the screen lens.

10. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means of attaching said screen lens to a video monitor comprises a hook and loop fastener system.

11. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means of attaching said screen lens to a video monitor involves the physical integration of the screen lens and the video monitor.

12. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said screen lens comprises a plurality of physically distinct polarized lenses which may be attached to a plurality of physically distinct monitors using said means of attaching said screen lens to a video monitor.

13. A split screen discrete viewing apparatus comprising:

a screen lens having a plurality of polarized fields, said screen lens having a high transmission of light and being made from a material selected from the group consisting of glass, plastic, or carbon composites;

a dividing line or a plurality of dividing lines separating each of said fields;

a means of attaching said screen lens to a video monitor;

a plurality of eye glasses, each further comprising a pair of lenses, each pair of lenses of the eye glasses having a polarization corresponding to one of said fields of the screen lens such that the polarization of one pair of the eye glasses matches the polarization of one of the fields of the screen lens and the polarization of a second pair of the eye glasses matches the polarization of another of the fields of the screen lens;

a means of removably securing the eye glasses to a human face; and

a means of visually discerning which pair of said eye glasses matches which of said polarized fields of the screen lens.

14. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 13 wherein said means of attaching said screen lens to a video monitor comprises a hook and loop fastener system.

15. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 13 wherein said means of removably securing the eye glasses to a human face comprises traditional eyewear.

16. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 13 wherein said means of removably securing the eye glasses to a human face comprises goggles, said goggles being designed to secure the eye glasses on the human head when the wearer exerts frequent movement.

17. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 16 wherein said means of visually discerning which pair of said eye glasses matches which of said polarized fields of the screen lens is a color coding system such that a color associated with a pair of eyeglasses matches a similar color associated with the respective polarized field of the screen lens.

18. The split screen discrete viewing apparatus of claim 13 wherein said screen lens comprises a plurality of physically distinct polarized lenses which may be attached to a plurality of physically distinct monitors using said means of attaching said screen lens to a video monitor.

19. A method of discretely viewing a split screen comprising the steps of:

first, providing a screen lens having a plurality of polarized fields divided by a dividing line or a plurality of dividing lines;

second, providing a video monitor with split screen video programming;

third, placing the screen lens over the monitor surface and aligning the dividing line or dividing lines of the screen lens with the line or lines separating the respective portions of the split programming;

fourth, removably fixing the screen lens in place;

fifth, providing a plurality of eye glasses, each having a lens polarization corresponding to one of the polarized fields of the screen lens provided in step one;

sixth, placing one pair of said plurality eye glasses on the face of each user, said pair corresponding to one of the fields of the screen lens provided in step one for which the user wishes to view.

20. The method of discretely viewing a split screen of claim 19 whereby the plurality of eye glasses provided in the fifth step further comprises a means of visually discerning which pair of eye glasses matches which of the polarized fields of the screen lens and further comprising an additional step inserted between the fifth and sixth steps whereby the user utilizes the means of visually discerning which pair of eye glasses matches which of the polarized fields of the screen lens such that the user thereby matches the desired eye glasses with the particular field the user wishes to view.