Video gateway having movable screens

• Main Authors: LILJEGREN; GORDON E, SMITH; CHRISTOPHER BRIAN, SPENCER; DAVID W, PETERSON; MICHAEL H, WASSELL; JAMES S, UPDYKE, JR.; DONALD L, ADAMSON; WILLIAM G
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.01.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; ADVERTISING; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USINGWAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FORPROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; CINEMATOGRAPHY; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; DISPLAYING; EDUCATION; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION; SEALS; SIGNS

Multiple large screens on movable arms form a gateway beneath which viewers may walk. The screens slide up or down, i.e., toward or away from, the viewers walking below. The screens also pivot in a circular arc to sweep toward, or away from, the viewers. In one embodiment a number of vertical support beams are employed. Elongated arms are attached to the support beams at one end so that the arms can each be rotated about their attached ends. The arms also slide up and down the length of the support beams. Projection screens are attached to the arms so that the screens move as the arms move. In a more specific embodiment each screen is provided with a rear-projection projector for displaying images onto the screens. A computer is used to control the sliding and rotating of the support beams so that preprogrammed patterns can be executed. A computer is also used to control the projectors so that coordinated patterns of images are displayed on the screens.