Techniques for selective viewing of projected images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11209581-B2
Application number	US-202016796452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2020
Priority date	Jun 19, 2019
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

An entertainment enhancement system includes an infrared projection system configured to output an infrared image to a target surface. The infrared projection system includes a controller configured to coordinate projection of the infrared image with a separate action by generating instructions for projecting the infrared image based on data received by the controller indicative of an active status of the separate action and an infrared emitter configured to receive the generated instructions and emit the infrared image to the target surface. The system also includes a viewing device configured to be wearable by a user. The viewing device includes at least one lens and a filter assembly configured to shift the infrared image from an infrared frequency to a visible light frequency such that the infrared image is viewable on the target surface via the viewing device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An entertainment enhancement system, comprising:
an infrared projection system configured to output an infrared image to a target surface, wherein the infrared projection system comprises:
a controller configured to coordinate projection of the infrared image with a separate action by generating instructions for projecting the infrared image based on data received by the controller, the data indicative of an active status of the separate action; and
an infrared emitter configured to receive the generated instructions and emit the infrared image to the target surface; and

a viewing device configured to be wearable by a user, wherein the viewing device comprises at least one lens and a filter assembly, the filter assembly configured to shift the infrared image from an infrared frequency to a visible light frequency such that the infrared image is viewable on the target surface through the at least one lens of the viewing device.

2. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 1 , wherein the infrared image comprises a supplemental message for the user.

3. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate additional instructions for projecting an additional infrared image in conjunction with the infrared image.

4. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 3 , wherein the infrared image comprises a first targeted message for a first group of users, and wherein the additional infrared image comprises a second targeted image for a second group of users.

5. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 3 , wherein the infrared image is emitted at a different electromagnetic frequency than the additional infrared image.

6. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 3 , wherein the viewing device comprises a first viewing device configured to resolve the infrared image such that the infrared image is viewable on the target surface via the first viewing device, and comprising a second viewing device configured to resolve the additional infrared image such that the additional infrared image is viewable on the target surface via the second viewing device.

7. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 1 , wherein the viewing device is associated with identification information corresponding to the user, wherein the infrared projection system is configured to detect the viewing device, determine the identification information associated with the viewing device, and output the infrared image based at least in part on the identification information.

8. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 1 , comprising a sensor configured to detect the active status of the separate action, wherein the separate action is a movie being displayed or an animated figure moving.

9. An entertainment enhancement system, comprising:
a display system comprising a display surface, wherein the display system is configured to display a visible light image on the display surface in a visible spectrum;
an infrared projection system configured to output an infrared image to the display surface, wherein the infrared projection system comprises:
a controller configured to generate instructions for projecting the infrared image in coordination with the visible light image based on input from the display system; and
an infrared emitter configured to receive the generated instructions and emit the infrared image to the display surface in response to receiving the generated instructions, wherein the infrared emitter emits the infrared image at frequencies outside the visible spectrum and not at frequencies in the visible spectrum; and

a viewing device configured to be wearable by a user, wherein the viewing device comprises:
at least one lens; and
a filter assembly configured to shift the infrared image from an infrared frequency outside the visible spectrum to a visible light frequency in the visible spectrum, wherein the shifted infrared image and the visible light image are viewable on the display surface through the at least one lens.

10. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 9 , wherein the display system comprises a projector, and wherein the projector is configured to project the visible light image onto the display surface.

11. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 9 , wherein the infrared image is only visible on the display surface viewed with the viewing device.

12. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 9 , wherein the infrared image comprises subtitles corresponding to the visible light image.

13. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 9 , wherein the viewing device comprises glasses, wherein at least one lens of the glasses comprises a filter of the filter assembly.

14. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one lens is transparent such that the visible light image is viewable through the at least one lens.

15. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 13 , wherein the filter comprises a material configured to shift the infrared image from the infrared frequency outside the visible spectrum to the visible light frequency in the visible spectrum.

16. The entertainment enhancement system of claim 9 , wherein the infrared emitter is configured to emit the infrared image within a predefined infrared frequency range, and wherein the filter comprises a bandpass filter configured to filter out infrared frequencies outside of the frequency range.

17. A method, comprising:
generating instructions for projection of an image based at least in part on an input;
emitting light at one or more frequencies outside of a visible range to form the image on a target surface based at least in part on the generated instructions, wherein the image comprises a message for at least one viewer of the image; and
providing a viewing device having at least one lens to the at least one viewer, wherein a filter assembly of the viewing device is configured to shift the image from the one or more frequencies outside of the visible range to one or more visible light frequencies such that the image is viewable on the target surface through the at least one lens via the filter assembly of the viewing device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the image comprises a targeted message for the at least one viewer.

19. The method of claim 17 , comprising displaying a visible light image on the target surface, wherein the image is configured to overlay the visible light image.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the light is emitted only at the one or more frequencies outside of the visible range.

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Blum Steven C
• Mcquillian Brian Birney

Classifications

• G03B21/2006

  characterised by the light source · CPC title

• G03B21/12

  adapted for projection of either still pictures or motion pictures (prolonged exhibition of single frame G03B21/38) · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G02B5/208 Primary

  for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation · CPC title

• A63J25/00 Primary

  Equipment specially adapted for cinemas (cinematographic projection means G03B) · CPC title