Circular motion theater

• US 8,206,230 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Falcon's Beyond Brands LLC (Falcon’s Beyond Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Falcon's Treehouse LLC (Falcon’s Beyond Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Magpuri, Cecil D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIEN T
• Application Number:
  US13/027,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20110214359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 472 59- 61, 472 75- 78, 472/130, 472/136, 434/29, 434/55, 434/56, 434/57, 434/64, 434/69
• US Class Current: 472/60
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/12 Theatre, auditorium, or similar chairs seats detachably mounted on stadium benches A47C1/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/14 with planes mounted on springs; with movable planes
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 25/00 Equipment specially adapted for cinemas cinematographic projection means G03B
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/22 Theatres; Concert halls; Studios for broadcasting, cinematography, television or similar purposes
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/30 Constructional features of auditoriums
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/606 for relief projection
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view

Abstract

An entertainment structure and apparatus principally comprising a 360-degree 2D and/or 3D cinematic theater. Seating for audience members is arrangeable on a circular motion base platform. A compound curved screen may lower from above to surround the theater upon a circular motion base platform, providing seamless media. A 2D/3D projection system is oriented within the structure to provide 2D/3D images on the screen through projection overlap for edge blending. A control system is used to rotate, pitch and roll the motion base platform. The control system can be synchronized with the media presentation. The structure includes a number of variations such as a variety of seating orientations, a stationary screen, a variety of screen configurations, and modular tracking seating.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

seating persons in a theater on seats supported on a motion base;

surrounding the seats with a dome screen, and with the seats arranged in a plurality of curved rows facing inwardly towards a center location of the theater;

projecting moving images onto the screen from multiple projectors;

edge blending the moving images projected by the multiple projectors, on the continuous circular screen, to provide a seamless projected moving image on the screen;

playing a sound track in the theater in synchronization with the projected images; and

moving the seats rigidly supported on the motion base with at least tilt and pitch movements in synchronization with the projected moving images.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising moving the screen vertically between a raised position and a lowered position.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising moving the motion base with tilt, pitch and roll movements.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising projecting the moving images radially outwardly onto the screen from a location adjacent to the center location.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing at least some of the seats with one or more of scent, neck blast, wind blast, leg tickler and seat rumble effects.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising arranging the seats on multiple vertically staggered tiers, with the vertical level of the seats decreasing towards a central area of the theater.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the projected images are 3D images.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising projecting the moving images radially outward from a central area of the theater.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising projecting substantially seamless edge blended 3D images onto the curved screens with an overlap of 5-30%.

10. A theater operation method comprising:

seating persons in a theater on seats supported on a motion base, with the seats on multiple vertically staggered circular tiers, and with the tiers decreasing towards a central area of the theater;

positioning a dome screen entirely around the tiers of seats, and with the seats on the tiers arranged in curved rows facing inwardly towards a center location of the theater;

projecting moving images onto the screen from multiple projectors located adjacent to the central area of the theater;

edge blending the moving images projected by the multiple projectors, on the continuous circular screen, to provide a seamless projected moving image on all areas of the screen;

playing a sound track in the theater in synchronization with the projected images;

moving the motion base with tilt, pitch and roll movements in synchronization with the projected moving images; and

providing at least some of the seats with one or more of scent, neck blast, wind blast, leg tickler and seat rumble effects.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising moving the screen Vertically between a raised position and a lowered position.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the projected images are 3D images.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising projecting substantially seamless edge blended 3D images onto the curved screens with an overlap of 5-30%.

14. A method comprising:

seating persons in a theater on seats rigidly attached to a circular motion base platform;

surrounding the seats with a continuous dome screen, and with the seats arranged in a plurality of curved rows facing inwardly towards a center location of the theater;

with the curved rows of seats on multiple vertically staggered tiers, with the vertical level Of the seats decreasing towards the central location-of the theater;

projecting moving images onto the screen from multiple projectors;

edge blending the moving images projected by the multiple projectors, on the continuous dome screen, to provide a seamless projected moving image on substantially the entire dome screen;

playing a sound track in the theater in synchronization with the projected images; and

moving the circular motion base platform with at least tilt and pitch movements in synchronization with the projected moving images.