초록 ▼

Methods of and equipment for converting existing standard motion picture theatres to one having highly immersive, large fields of view are addressed. Aspects of the methods including moving motion picture screens closer to the audience and employing different projection equipment to avoid or minimiz

Methods of and equipment for converting existing standard motion picture theatres to one having highly immersive, large fields of view are addressed. Aspects of the methods including moving motion picture screens closer to the audience and employing different projection equipment to avoid or minimize appearance of unrealistic or non-natural image artefacts. Alternative sound systems too are detailed.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of converting a multiplex theatre hall into an immersive motion picture theatre hall, comprising: a. providing a multiplex theatre hall comprising: i. a motion picture projector for projecting an image; ii. a first projection screen; and iii. at least one patron seat

What is claimed is: 1. A method of converting a multiplex theatre hall into an immersive motion picture theatre hall, comprising: a. providing a multiplex theatre hall comprising: i. a motion picture projector for projecting an image; ii. a first projection screen; and iii. at least one patron seat location; b. providing a second projection screen within the multiplex theatre hall, the first and second screens being configured for displaying the same presentation format of images; and c. projecting the image over a major portion of the second projection screen, increasing vertical field of view of the image for a patron sitting in a seat positioned at the at least one patron seat location and thereby creating an in immersive motion picture theatre hall. 2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising permanently disabling viewing of the first projection screen. 3. A method according to claim 1 in which the action of providing a second projection screen comprises providing an immovable frame for the second projection screen permanently located a fixed distance from the at least one patron seat location. 4. A method according to claim 1 in which (i) the multiplex theatre hall further comprises spaced first and second walls and (ii) the action of providing at least one patron seat location comprises providing at least two rows of patron seats extending the majority of the distance between the first and second side walls, the rows of patron seats being configured to provide stadium raked seating. 5. A method according to claim 1 in which the action of projecting the image over a major portion of the second projection screen comprises projecting an image having increased fidelity than an image projected onto the first projection screen either before or after the second projection screen is provided. 6. A method according to claim 5 in which the motion picture projector is a film projector. 7. A method according to claim 5 in which the motion picture projector is a digital projector. 8. A method according to claim 5 in which the motion picture projector is configured to project images for viewing by a 3D viewing system. 9. A method according to claim 8 in which (i) the action of projecting the image over a major part of the second projection screen also increases horizontal field of view of the image for the patron, (ii) the first projection screen has a first horizontal radius of curvature, and (iii) the action of providing a second projection screen comprises providing the second projection screen having a horizontal radius of curvature less than the first horizontal radius of curvature. 10. A method according to claim 5 in which (i) the action of projecting the image over a major part of the second projection screen also increases horizontal field of view of the image for the patron, (ii) the first projection screen is located a first distance from the at least one patron seat, and (iii) the action of providing a second projection screen comprises locating the second projection screen at a distance from the at least one patron seat less than the first distance. 11. A method according to claim 10 in which (i) the multiplex theatre hall has a rear wall, (ii) the action of providing at least one patron seat location comprises providing a forwardmost row of patron seats near the rear wall, (iii) the first projection screen has a first size, and (iv) the action of providing a second projection screen comprises providing the second projection screen having a size greater than the first size, further comprising disabling from use all of the patron seats of the forwardmost row of patron seats prior to projecting the image over a major portion of the second projection screen. 12. A method according to claim 1 in which the motion picture projector is configured to project images for viewing by a 3D viewing system. 13. A method according to claim 12 in which (i) the action of projecting the image over a major part of the second projection screen also increases horizontal field of view of the image for the patron, (ii) the first projection screen has a first horizontal radius of curvature, (iii) the action of providing a second projection screen comprises providing the second projection screen having a horizontal radius of curvature less than the first horizontal radius of curvature, (iv) the first projection screen is located a first distance from the at least one patron seat, (v) the action of providing a second projection screen further comprises locating the second projection screen at a distance from the at least one patron seat less than the first distance, (vi) the first projection screen has a first size, and (vii) the action of providing a second projection screen further comprises providing the second projection screen having a size greater than the first size, further comprising disabling from use all of the patron seats of the forwardmost row of patron seats prior to projecting the image over a major portion of the second projection screen. 14. A method of claim 13 in which the action of projecting the image over a major portion of the second projection screen further comprises projecting an image having increased fidelity than an image projected onto the first projection screen either before or after the second projection screen is provided. 15. A method according to claim 1 in which the entirety of the second projection screen is located no farther away from the at least one patron seat location than any portion of the first projection screen. 16. A method according to claim 1 in which the action of projecting the image over a major part of the second projection screen also increases horizontal field of view of the image for the patron. 17. A method according to claim 1 in which the multiplex theatre hal l has a rear wall and a front wall, the action of providing at least one patron seat location comprises providing a forwardmost row of patron seats near the rear wall and a rearmost row of patron seats near the front wall, and the action of projecting the image over a major part of the second projection screen increases the vertical field of view of the image for patrons sitting in the forwardmost and rearmost rows of patron seats. 18. A method according to claim 17 in which the action of providing at least one patron seat location further comprises providing a multiplicity of rows of patron seats between the forwardmost and rearmost rows and the action of projecting an image over a major part of the second projection screen increases the vertical field of view of the image for all patrons sitting in the patron seats of the multiplicity of rows. 19. A method according to claim 17 in which the action of projecting the image over a major part of the second projection screen also increases horizontal field of view of the image for the patrons sitting in the forwardmost and rearmost rows of patron seats. 20. A method according to claim 19 in which the action of providing at least one patron seat location further comprises providing a multiplicity of rows of patron seats between the forwardmost and rearmost rows and the action of projecting an image over a major part of the second projection screen increases the horizontal field of view of the image for all patrons sitting in the patron seats of the multiplicity of rows. 21. A method according to claim 1 in which (i) the first projection screen is located a first distance from the at least one patron seat and (ii) the action of providing a second projection screen comprises locating the second projection screen at a distance from the at least one patron seat less than the first distance. 22. A method according to claim 1 in which (i) the multiplex theatre hall has a rear wall and (ii) the action of providing at least one patron seat location comprises providing a forwardmost row of patron seats near the rear wall, further comprising disabling from use at least some of the patron seats of the forwardmost row of patron seats prior to projecting the image over a major portion of the second projection screen. 23. A method according to claim 22 in which the action of disabling from use at least some of the patron seats of the forwardmost row of patron seats comprises disabling from use all of the patron seats of the forwardmost row of patron seats. 24. A method according to claim 1 in which the multiplex theatre hall has a rear wall, further comprising providing an emergency screen access system comprising an emergency exit door between the second projection screen and the rear wall. 25. A method according to claim 24 in which (i) the second projection screen comprises first and second portions and (ii) the emergency screen access system further comprises means for moving the first portion of the second projection screen relative to the second portion of the second projection screen. 26. A method according to claim 1 in which the multiplex theatre hall has a rear wall, further comprising (i) providing at least one loudspeaker for producing sound within the multiplex theatre hall and (ii) providing a sound absorbing acoustic barrier between the second projection screen and the rear wall. 27. A method according to claim 1 in which (i) the first projection screen has a first horizontal radius of curvature and (ii) the action of providing a second projection screen comprises providing the second projection screen having a horizontal radius of curvature less than the first horizontal radius of curvature. 28. A method according to claim 27 in which (i) the first projection screen has a first vertical radius of curvature and (ii) the action of providing a second projection screen comprises providing the second projection screen having a vertical radius of curvature less than the first vertical radius of curvature. 29. A method according to claim 1 in which (i) the first projection screen has a first horizontal width and (ii) the action of providing a second projection screen comprises providing the second projection screen having a horizontal width greater than the first horizontal width. 30. A method according to claim 29 in which (i) the multiplex theatre hall further comprises spaced first and second walls and (ii) the second projection screen extends substantially the distance between the first and second walls. 31. A method according to claim 1 in which the action of providing a second projection screen comprises tilting the second projection screen so that it is not oriented vertically. 32. A method according to claim 1 in which (i) the first projection screen has a first vertical height and (ii) the action of providing a second projection screen comprises providing the second projection screen having a vertical height greater than the first vertical height. 33. A method according to claim 32 in which the multiplex theatre hall has a ceiling and a floor spaced from the ceiling, further comprising modifying the distance between the floor and the ceiling prior to providing the second projection screen. 34. A method according to claim 32 in which (i) the multiplex theatre hall further comprises a ceiling and a floor spaced from the ceiling and (ii) the second projection screen extends substantially the distance between the ceiling and floor. 35. A method according to claim 1 in which the minimum vertical field of view of the image for the patron is approximately thirty degrees. 36. A method according to claim 1 in which the vertical field of view of the image for the patron is at least approximately forty degrees. 37. A method according to claim 1 in which (i) the multiplex theatre hall has a rear wall, (ii) the action of providing at least one patron seat location comprises providing a forwardmost row of patron seats near the rear wall, and (iii) the vertical field of view of the image for the patron is at least approximately eighty degrees. 38. A method according to claim 1 in which the action of projecting the image over a major part of the second projection screen also increases horizontal field of view of the image for the patron, with the minimum horizontal field of view being approximately fifty-five degrees. 39. A method according to claim 1 in which the action of projecting the image over a major part of the second projection screen also increases horizontal field of view of the image for the patron to approximately seventy-five degrees. 40. A method according to claim 1 in which (i) the multiplex theatre hall has a rear wall, (ii) the action of providing at least one patron seat location comprises providing a forwardmost row of patron seats near the rear wall, and (iii) the action of projecting the image over a major part of the second projection screen also increases horizontal field of view of the image for the patron to approximately one hundred thirty degrees. 41. A method according to claim 1 further comprising projecting an image onto the first projection screen prior to providing the second projection screen, the vertical field of view of the image projected onto the second projection screen for the patron being at least approximately sixty percent larger than the vertical field of view of the image projected onto the first projection screen. 42. A method according to claim 1 in which the action of projecting the image over a major part of the second projection screen also increases horizontal field of view of the image for the patron, further comprising projecting an image onto the first projection screen prior to providing the second projection screen, the horizontal field of view of the image projected onto the second projection screen for the patron being at least approximately thirty-five percent larger than the horizontal field of view of the image projected onto the first projection screen. 43. A method according to claim 1 in which the action of projecting the image over a major portion of the second projection screen comprises projecting at least one 2D image and at least one image configured for viewing by a 3D viewing system. 44. A method according to claim 1 in which the first projection screen has a first size and the action of providing a second projection screen comprises providing the second projection screen having a size greater than the first size.