WO1994002882A1

WO1994002882A1 - Visual image projector

Info

Publication number: WO1994002882A1
Application number: PCT/NZ1993/000057
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher Allen
Original assignee: Aotea Centre Board Of Management
Priority date: 1992-07-21
Filing date: 1993-07-19
Publication date: 1994-02-03
Also published as: AU4591493A

Abstract

This invention relates to a visual image projector and particularly but not exclusively to those used in theatres, cinemas or conference halls. For this purpose information such as text etc. may be entered into and stored in a computer (10) and fed, as required, to a converter (12) which converts it into a signal suitable for feeding to a television video projector (13) or other visual image display means. The information is controlled by a mixer (15) or by controls (10d^_) and a program in the computer.

Description

VISUAL IMAGE PROJECTOR

This invention relates to visual image projectors and is applicable particularly, but not exclusively to visual image projectors of the kind used in theatres, cinemas or conference halls.

One typical use of visual image projectors is in theatres for the projection of sur-titles onto a screen or the like above a stage. Projection of sur-titles is used especially when a vocal performance, such as an opera or a play, is being performed in a foreign language, the sur-titles being translated into the local language (eg. English) of one or two lines at a time.

It is already known to project sur-titles using conventional slide projectors, each slide bearing the one or two-line translation. Obviously, for an opera or long play a huge number of slides is needed. Producing such slides is expensive and slow and spelling errors cannot be corrected quickly. The magazines or carousels of slides are heavy, bulky and fragile for transportation purposes. In use, they are easily damaged, prone to jam, can easily be dropped and the slides can become out of order.

It is well known that live vocal performances vary from performance to performance. For example, the tempo changes depending on the conductor, the singer, or the audience and occasionally a performer will repeat or omit a verse.

As a consequence, it is very difficult by known means to produce slides, manage them and project them in co-incidence with the singer's performance. Typically two or three projectors are needed each with its attendant. The attendants are controlled by a light/sound operator who is watching the conductor and/or the singer's mouth and being guided by a translator. Clearly, there is a high probability of an unsatisfactory projection of the sur-titles and the procedure is expensive. It is an object of the present invention to overcome at least some of these disadvantages and to provide a more versatile image projector. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a visual image projector including an electronic visual image display means characterised by a computer having a digital information store, an input to said store and a digital information output from the computer, a signal converter connected between the output of the computer and the visual image display means to enable the display means to display a visual image representative of digital information from said store through said output.

The display means may be a television video projector, a television set or monitor.

Preferably, the computer includes controls and a program to enable the digital information representative of the visual image to be changed as required.

The controls and the program may enable portions of said digital information to be added, omitted or repeated, or to be emitted in discrete successive chosen amounts, or to change the brightness of the image, underlining or times for fading up or fading down the image.

Advantageously, the visual image projector is characterised by a control means to vary the visual image, connected between the converter and the image display means.

Conveniently, said program is a word processing program, whereby information in the form of words, symbols, graphics or numbers may be entered into the computer for display.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of displaying a visual image on an electronic visual image display means characterised by the steps of entering into a computer digital information representative of the image, storing the digital information and if needed processing it in the computer, passing the digital information to a converter and converting therein the digital information into a signal in a format which the display means can accept, passing said signal to the display means and therein converting said signal to a visual image.

Preferably, the display means is a television video projector and the converter is a television standard converter and the method includes the steps of converting the digital information in the converter into a signal in a format which the television video projector can accept, passing the signal to the television video projector and therein converting said signal to a visual image and projecting said visual image.

The method may include the step of processing the signal in a control means between the converter and the display means.

Various embodiments of the invention are described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing Figure 1, which is of a diagrammatic nature only.

In the drawing a computer 10, preferably one including a sixteen bit or thirty-two bit processor, such as a Type 80386 includes the usual key board, monitor, memory and input for a floppy disc or similar digital data input means.

The computer 10 includes a digital information store 10a, an input 10b_ to the store 10a and a digital information output lOς. The output lOς is connected by a line 11 to an appropriate television standard converter 12. The converter 12 converts the digital information from the computer 10 into a signal suitable for feeding to a television video projector 13. The type of converter 12 will depend on the type of television system used. For example where the system is a PAL system the converter 12 can be a Jovian model V.I.P. and the projector is a Sanyo type PLCIOON.

A typical use of a visual image projector, according to the invention is in a theatre for a performance of an opera which is to be sung in, say French, to an English-speaking audience. To assist understanding of the performance, the French words being sung are translated into English and projected in units of one or two lines 17 of text each, onto a screen 18 above the stage, as sur-titles.

Before a performance, the translation is entered into the computer 10 through the keyboard and the word processing program is used to assign print features such as 0 size, font, colour, italics, bold, underlining, brightness, fade-up/fade down times etc. A management program for the process, within the computer assigns an alpha numeric identity to each unit eg. AAA 001, AAA 002, etc so that each unit can be readily located subsequently. The management program also displays typically 10 units at a 5 time on the monitor screen, with high-lighting or colour change of the unit being projected at that time.

The digital information corresponding to any one selected unit is passed along the line _Q 11 from the computer 10 to the converter 12. This converts the digital information into a television signal corresponding to the unit of information. The television signal passes along a line 14 to a vision mixer 15, which is connected by a line 16 to the projector 13. The main purpose of the mixer IS is to enable the brightness of the visual image from the projector 13 to be adjusted so as to be appropriate for the 5 ambient light level in the auditorium of the theatre or of the stage. A suitable mixer 15 compatible with the converter 12 and projector 13 is a Panasonic type MX 12. This may be replaced by a further function of the text entry program.

0 The computer may also include controls lOd. and a program to enable the digital information representative of the visual image to be changed as required. This is in addition to or alternative to the mixer 15.

5 Obviously, it is very much easier to enter the translation into the computer 10, amend it if necessary and correct any spelling mistakes than to make a separate optical projector slide for each unit of text, and then correct the slides.

In use, the units can be changed successively by a simple key stroke on one or other of the up or down cursor movement keys on the keyboard. Similarly, the units can be moved en bloc by using the "page up" or "page down" keys. Furthermore, any selected unit can be found and projected by use of the relevant alpha numeric identity.

Instead of the projector 13 being of a type to project onto a remote screen, it could be a normal television set or monitor, which can be used, for example as a cue for performers.

Alternatively, a liquid crystal display or the like may be used for the visual image display means.

Other uses for the visual image projector are to project graphic images, for example advertisements, instead of words, to display messages at or simultaneous translations at conferences and for "sing-along" events at concerts.

At orchestral concerts pictures of the composer and biographical details could be displayed.

Once the digital information stored in the computer 10 has been proven, it can be transferred onto floppy discs, or similar magnetic digital information transfer means together with the necessary programs, for easy dispatch to other locations, where a performance of the same item is to take place and where a compatible visual image projector is available.

If required, the projection lens of the projector 13 can be a zoom lens. Furthermore, a joystick or other type of external control may be used to control the speed of change from unit to unit. Finally, it will be appreciated that various alterations or modifications may be made to the foregoing without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A visual image projector including an electronic visual image display means 13 characterised by a computer 10 having a digital information store 10a, an input lQfe to said store and a digital information output lθ£ from the computer 10, a signal converter 12 connected between the output of the computer and the visual image 0 display means 13 to enable the display means to display a visual image 17 representative of digital information from said store through said output.

2. A visual image projector, according to claim 1, characterised in that the visual image display means is a television video projector 13.

3. A visual image projector according to claim 1, characterised in that the image display means is a television set or monitor.

4. A visual image projector, according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the computer includes controls lOd. and a program to enable the digital information representative of the visual image to be changed as required.

5. A visual image projector according to claim 4, characterised in that the controls lOd. and program enable portions of said digital information to be added, omitted or repeated, or to be emitted in discrete successive chosen amounts, or to change the brightness of the image, underlining or times for fading up or fading down 0 the image.

6. A visual image projector according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised by a control means 15 to vary the visual image, connected between the converter and the $ image display means.

7. A visual image projector according to claim 4, 5 or 6 characterised in that said program is a word processing program, whereby information in the form of words, symbols, graphics or numbers may be entered into the computer for display.

8. A method of displaying a visual image 17 on an electronic visual image display means 13 characterised by the steps of entering into a computer 10 digital information representative of the image, storing the digital information and if needed 0 processing it in the computer, passing the digital information to a converter 12 and converting therein the digital information into a signal in a format which the display means can accept, passing said signal to the display means and therein converting said signal to a visual image. 5

9. A method according to claim 8, characterised in that the display means is a television video projector 13 and the converter is a television standard converter 12 and the method includes the steps of converting the digital information in the Q converter into a signal in a format which the television video projector can accept, passing the signal to the television video projector and therein converting said signal to a visual image and projecting said visual image.

10. A method according to claim 8 or 9, characterised by the step of processing the 5 signal in a control means 15 between the converter and the display means.