- Number
- 20180122122
- Published
- 2018-05-03
- Filed
- 2016-11-01
- Assignee
- DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
- Inventors
- REICHOW; MARK A.; JOHNSON; STEVEN A.; GUTIERREZ; JOSE A.
- CPC
- G03B21/10; G06T13/40; H04N5/04; G03B21/606; H04N9/3141; G03B21/26; H04N9/3185; G03B21/56; G03B21/562; G03B21/60; G03B21/567; G03B21/58
- Verdict
- High Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Projection mapping onto mechanically animated objects (PGPUB dup).
Abstract
A display system configured to provide projection mapped augmentation of mechanically animated objects. These mechanically animated objects may take the form of a screen assembly with a projection surface, and a screen actuator may be included in the display system that is operated by a controller to move, to expand, or other otherwise operate the screen assembly so as to modify or morph the projection surface to move and/or change its shape and/or size. Hence, the screen assembly is animated. The display system further includes a projector operated by the controller, in a synchronized manner with the screen actuator, to project content onto the projection surface as it is moved and/or has its shape and/or size changed over time. The projected content is mapped to the various states and movement of the projection surface to avoid blow-by and to suit the changes of the projection surface.
Background
BACKGROUND1. Field of the Description
The present description relates, in general, to visual displays or sets with mechanically animated objects and, more particularly, to a display system adapted to use front projection to enhance animation of set objects or props (e.g., to make characters in a displayed story come to life within a scene or display such as one provided in a space adjacent a track of an amusement park ride to entertain riders).2. Relevant Background
There are many applications where mechanically animated objects are used to bring life to or otherwise enhance a visual display. For example, many amusement park rides include spaces along the ride's track or path in which numerous display systems or assemblies are used to entertain the riders. The entertainment may involve telling a story suited to the ride with animated objects such as robots, animatronic devices, and the like (e.g., devices designed to provide mechanical animation). Often, mechanical animation is used to make a character from the story appear to be alive and talk to the riders or move to perform certain acts. A set of mechanically animated pirates, cowboys, or animal-based characters may stage a fight or otherwise interact, a superhero may perform superhuman acts, and so on to further the storytelling experience or immerse the rider's into the storyline.
As mechanical animation continues to improve, there is an increased demand to include it within more displays and attraction
Claims
1. A display system, comprising: a screen assembly with a projection surface; a screen actuator operable to transition the projection surface from a predefined initial state through a plurality of predefined transition states to a predefined final state, wherein the projection surface in the initial state, the transition states, and the final state differs from other ones of the states in at least one of size and shape; a projector operable to project first media content mapped to the initial state of the projection surface, transition media content, differing from the first media content, mapped to the transition states of the projection surface, and second media content, differing from the first media content and the transition media content, mapped to the final state of the projection surface in the final state; and a controller concurrently operating the screen actuator and the projector with time synchronization, wherein the projector projects the first media content when the projection surface is in the initial state, projects the transition media content when the projection surface is in the transition states, and projects the second media content when the projection surface is in the final state.
8. A method of creating a display in a display space, comprising: generating first and second media content; after the generating, providing a projection screen, with a predefined shape and size, in the display space; projecting the first media content onto the projection screen; modifying the projection screen to alter at least one of the shape and the size of the projection screen; and concurrently with the modifying of the projection screen, projecting the second media content onto the projection screen, wherein the first media content is mapped to the shape and size of the projection screen during the projecting of the first media content and during the modifying of the projection screen, wherein the second media content is mapped to the modified shape and size during the projecting of the second media content, and wherein the second media content is mapped to the projection screen during transitions in the shape or the size during the modifying step.
14. A display system, comprising: a display space; at a location in the display space, an object with a surface; an actuator mechanically animating the object to transition the surface from a first state to a second state that differs from the first state such that the surface changes shape, size, or location; a projector projecting first content onto the surface with the surface in the first state projecting transition media content onto the surface with the surface in transition states between the first and second states, and projecting second content onto the surface with the surface in the second state; and a controller operating the actuator and the projector with time synchronization to perform the animating and the projecting, respectively, wherein the surface in the transition states differs from the surface in at least one of shape, size, and location in the first and second states, and wherein the first content differs from the transition content and the transition content differs from the second content.