US 4,385,814 A · System for controlling distinct devices in a theater

Abstract

A system for controlling a plurality of distinct devices in a theater displaying a projected motion picture or other visual program and having a multichannel sound signal contained on a moving film or other type strip, which system has a memory unit for storing groups of digital control signals for operating the distinct devices, each forming a channel, in a selected manner during a selected portion of the moving strip. This system has means for selecting one of the groups of the digital control signals for a selected portion of the visual program and means independent of the strip for causing the stored digital control signals of the selected group to be outputted in a time sequence corresponding to the selected portion of the visual program. There is provided an improvement wherein the selecting means includes a digital code recorded on the moving strip and the code comprises a constant, repeating synchronization digital code and a unique digital time code corresponding to the selected group of digital control signals to be outputted in a given time sequence by using hardwired counters for processing the selected digital signals.

Claims12

Dependent claims

In a system for controlling a plurality of distinct devices in a theater displaying a projected motion picture contained on a moving film strip and in synchronization with said film strip, said system having a memory unit for storing groups of digital control signals for operating said distinct devices in a selected manner during a selected portion of said moving strip, means for selecting one of said groups of digital control signals for a selected portion of said moving strip and means independent of said film strip for causing said stored digital control signals of the selected group to be outputted in a time sequence corresponding to said selected portion of said film strip, the improvement comprising:

a hardwired counter for each of said distinct devices;
means for loading digital counts into said counters indicative of the desired operation of a corresponding device;
means for counting said counters at a rate corresponding to the moving rate of said strip;
and means for changing said device associated with a particular counter when said count is reached.

1 more element

In a system for controlling a plurality of distinct devices in a theater having a sound reproduction network controlled by an audio signal recorded along a moving film strip and in synchronization with said strip, said system having a memory unit for storing groups of digital control signals for operating said distinct devices in a selected manner during a selected portion of said moving strip, means for selecting one of said groups of digital control signals for a selected portion of said moving strip and means independent of said strip for causing said stored digital control signals for the selected group to be outputted in a time sequence corresponding to said selected portion of said strip, the improvement comprising:

said selecting means including a digital time code corresponding to the selected group of digital control signals to be outputted in a given time sequence, said groups of control signals being stored in a first memory unit;
a directory memory means for storing a representation of said time codes and the address of corresponding memory control signal groups;
means for selecting the address of a specific control signal group from said directory memory means by correlating a digital time code with a corresponding time code representation;
means for transferring the group of control signals corresponding to said selected address into a RAM;
and, means for using said group of signals in said RAM for controlling said distinct devices during the selected portion of said strip corresponding to said digital time code.

2 more elements

In a system for controlling a plurality of distinct devices in a theater having a sound reproduction network controlled by an audio signal recorded along a moving film strip and in synchronization with said strip, said system having a memory unit for storing groups of digital control signals for operating said distinct devices in a selected manner during a selected portion of said moving strip, means for selecting one of said groups of digital control signals for a selected portion of said moving strip and means independent of said strip for causing said stored digital control signals of the selected group to be outputted in a time sequence corresponding to said selected portion of said strip, the improvement comprising:

said selecting means including a digital time code corresponding to the selected group of digital control signals to be outputted in a given time sequence, each of said digital control signals including a first digital portion corresponding to the destination magnitude for a specific distinct device, a second portion corresponding to the time of commencing a change toward said destination and a third digital portion corresponding to the rate at which said destination magnitude is to be obtained after commencement.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for controlling distinct devices in a theater

Life of this patent

System for controlling distinct devices in a theater

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12