Imax Corporation

Imax Theatres International Limited

Imax Emea Limited

Read, Steven Charles

Steven Charles Read

Andrew Frederick Kurtz

Anton Leonard Baljet

Barry David Silverstein

John W Bowron

Weining Tan

Brian John Bonnick

George Eric Jacques

Matthew O'Dor

Jesse Donald McMullen-Crummey

Denis Gilles Tremblay

Samuel Ziheng Zhou

Sean Adkins

Michael A Gibbon

Matthew Arnold O'Dor

Antanas Matthew Broga

Graham Harry Moss

Philip John Insull

Steen Svendstorp Iversen

Simon Treadwell

Gary E Nothhard

Brian Eckersley

Paul Kucera

Sergei G Anikitchev

Denis Tremblay

Dermot J Quinn

Serguei G Anikitchev

Steven Wilding

Sean M Adkins

John William Bowron

Philip Insull

Phillip Insull

Systems for displaying images in a cinema setting can include components to reduce screen-door effect. The systems can include an array of light emitting sources or other active sources of light. In one example, the light emitting source emit pixels of light to a projection lens to project an image represented by the projection lens and a baffle and an aperture stop can block part of the light from the sources that exceeds an allowable cone angle of acceptable of the system. In another example, a display includes the array of light emitting sources and additional elements, such as diffuser elements, positioned in front of the array of light emitting sources.

Light conditioning of direct view display for cinema

A projection system includes a projection lens to project image light along an image light path towards a port window and to redirect a portion of the image light away from the image light path as result of being scattered or reflected away from the image light path. The projection system includes a port window for transmitting projected image light from the projection lens. The port window has a surface for redirecting a portion of the projected image light as result of being scattered or reflected away from the image light path. The projection system includes an enclosure positioned between the port window and the projection lens to surround the image light path between the port window and the projection lens. The enclosure absorbs the portion of the image light redirected by the projection lens and absorbs the portion of the projected image light redirected by the surface.

Stereo image projection with high intra-frame contrast

Systems for displaying images in a cinema setting can include components to reduce screen-door effect. The systems can include an array of light emitting sources () or other active sources of light. In one example, the light emitting source emit pixels of light to a projection lens () to project an image represented by the projection lens and a baffle () and an aperture stop () can block part of the light from the sources that exceeds an allowable cone angle of acceptable of the system. In another example, a display includes the array of light emitting sources and additional elements, such as diffuser elements, positioned in front of the array of light emitting sources.

A light emitting display can be formed from tiles mounted within a certain distance range with respect to each other and with an established blending region positioned towards the edges of the tiles. A tile can be a matrix of light emitting elements, such as LEDs, OLEDs, quantum dots, or other element that emits light. The tolerance of spacing between tiles can allow for less precision in alignment during installation in a theatre, thereby reducing display assembly cost but still maintaining a display for displaying an image at a high quality with reduced or eliminated appearance of visual artifacts between tiles.

Light emitting display with tiles and data processing

Light emitting displays can be used in cinemas for cinema presentations that integrate a sound system to achieve immersive conditions in cinema theatres. The cinema screen can include a matrix of light emitters and a diffuser sheet. The matrix of light emitters is configured to form a light-emitting area of the cinema screen. The diffuser sheet includes one or more perforations, and can be positioned between the matrix of light emitters and an audience area in the theatre. The diffuser sheet is positioned with respect to the matrix of light emitters such that the one or more perforations are configured to prevent light outputted by the light emitters from being viewable in the audience area.

Cinema light emitting screen and sound system

Light emitting displays and sound systems can be used in cinemas for cinema presentations that integrates a sound system to achieve the same or better immersive conditions in cinema theatres with front projection cinema screens. The screen can be active with light emitters, rather than passive and reflect light projected from a projector. Spaces are formed between adjacent light emitters in the display to allow for sound waves to pass from sound wave emitters positioned behind the screen to a cinema seating area in front of the screen. Loudspeakers may be positioned in the spaces. Diffusers or other structures may be positioned proximate to a front of the screen to facilitate visual performance. In addition or in the alternative, loudspeakers can be positioned in each seat of the viewing seating area that produce sound waves that appear to be coming from a non-seating location in the theatre.

Hybrid image projection systems and methods can superimpose image components of an input image. An input image can be divided into smaller regions and at least one parameter of each region can be determined. The input image can be decomposed based on the parameter of each region into multiple, less correlated, orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal image components. Each projector can display respective image components so that the images projected may be optically superimposed on a screen. The superposition of orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal image components can result in superposition of images in an existing multi-projector image systems being more insensitive to inter-projector image misalignment. Superimposing orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal images can be used to avoid visible image degradation, and provide more robust image quality in a multiple projector system implementation.

Hybrid image decomposition and projection

A theatre system is described that includes a screen and a projection system. The projection system includes a first mirror and a second mirror that are positionable within axes for imaged light and between projection lenses of projectors and the screen. The axes include a first axis and a second axis. The first mirror and the second mirror are configured for causing the first axis and the second axis to be parallel to each other and to have a displacement between the first axis and second axis along a dimension by which the screen is curved.

Dual projection in short screen distance

Optical systems are provided that include illumination sources, micro-mirror array optical modulators, and an optical element. The micro-mirror array optical modulators can selectively modulate light beams, redirect light by diffraction and reflection, and provide an output modulated light beam that exhibits a diffraction handedness dependent on the spectral bandwidth of the light incident thereupon. The optical element has a color dependent aperture that defines portions of output modulated light beams that are transmitted and remaining portions that are blocked. An efficiency and contrast of each the output modulated light beams acquired by the optical element can be independently determined by a narrow spectral bandwidth of each of the light beams, the spectral characteristics of the color dependent aperture, and the diffraction handedness of the micro-mirror array optical modulators for the associated spectral bandwidth.

Color dependent aperture stop

Methods and systems for reducing or eliminating perceived ghosting in stereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) image display are described. A stereoscopic image that includes image content can be received. Display system parameters can be received. A local region of the stereoscopic image can be identified using the image content. The local region can include ghosting. Psychovisual factors can be selected using the image content. A modified stereoscopic image can be generated from the stereoscopic image by reducing or eliminating the ghosting of the local region using the psychovisual factors and the display system parameters. The modified stereoscopic image can be outputted for display.

Methods and systems for reducing or eliminating perceived ghosting in displayed stereoscopic images

Embodiments of the present invention comprise electronic projection systems and methods. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a method of creating composite images with a projection system comprising as first projector and at least a second projector, comprising generating a correspondence map of pixels for images by determining offsets between pixels from at least a second image from the second projector and corresponding pixels from a first image from the first projector, receiving a source image, warping the source image based at least in part on the correspondence map to produce a warped image, and displaying the source image by the first projector and displaying the warped image by the second projector to create a composite image.

Systems and methods for projecting composite images

Certain aspects relate to a method and system whereby any defined system characteristic, property, or parameter can be normalized for farther improving the displayed image quality. The normalization processing can use a generalized calibration process and can normalize a system characteristic, or a system property, and/or parameter to result in a more uniform or accurately displayed image using a generalized image processing method.

Generalized normalization for image display

Systems and methods configured for outputting light having a polarization state distribution that is spatially uniform by applying a correction to, for example, a beam of light with a spatially uniform polarization state distribution that has been altered (unintentionally or otherwise) to become spatially non-uniform are described. A projection system can include an optical element and a polarization-altering device (PAD). The optical element can cause a polarization of light in the projection system to be spatially non-uniform. The PAD can change the polarization state distribution of the light spatially based on an amount of spatial non-uniformity on the light caused by the optical element and before the light enters the optical element. The projection system can output the light having a spatially uniform polarization state distribution.

Spatially modifying polarization state of light

Multiple source high performance stereographic projection systems are described. One projection system described comprises a first projection channel, a first light source capable of providing light for the first projection channel, and a second light source capable of providing light for the first projection channel, wherein when the projection system is in a first presentation mode the first and second light sources are on, and wherein when the projection system is in a second presentation mode the first light source is on and the second light source is at a reduced power.

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Mississauga, Canada

Steven Charles Read