Method to reduce perceived sound leakage between auditoriums in multiplex theaters

A method to eliminate, or reduce, undesired perceived sounds leaking into a given auditorium from films being simultaneously presented in an adjacent auditorium located in a multiplex theater complex by controlling the times of the sound leakage events from the adjacent auditorium such that the events occur when the desired sounds from the film in the given auditorium are sufficiently loud to completely, or partially, mask the said sound leakage events involving:

• establishing a time code for each film presentation including the main feature, intermission as well as features occurring before the main feature, e.g. trailers, advertisements, coming attractions, etc.;
• obtaining sound pressure level measurements synchronized to the time code during the total presentation of each film in the said given auditorium and simultaneously in the said adjacent auditorium while there is no film presentation in the said adjacent auditorium;
• utilizing the sound pressure level measurements, creating a potential compatibility signature for each film presentation by assigning each passage a category name representative of the potential sound levels the audience will perceive in the auditoriums, e.g.:
• a) intrusive passages which are very loud with high sound levels, particularly sounds dominated with low-frequency energy;
• which can potentially leak into the adjacent auditorium;
• b) vunerable passages which are very quiet with low overall sound levels and potentially may allow the audience to perceive sound leakage from the adjacent auditorium;
• c) suitable passages which have sufficient overall sound levels to completely, or partially, mask sound leakage from the adjacent auditorium, yet not loud enough to be intrusive to the adjacent auditorium, and
• ranking each film's potential compatibility signature with an overall potential compatibility rating as being potentially overall intrusive, overall vulnerable or overall suitable using the total duration, e.g. in minutes, that was measured in each of the categories in order to provide multiplex theater operators general guidance in determining which films to present in specific adjacent auditoriums to reduce the probability of annoying sound leakage between auditoriums, and
• providing interference ratings between two given film potential compatibility signatures as a function of the difference between the film start times, such as curves showing the total duration in minutes of incompatibility when one film is intrusive at times when the other is vulnerable for various different start times and thus providing multiplex theater operators guidance as to the effect of film start times on causing annoying sound leakage between auditoriums, and
• providing average interference ratings or overall average interference ratings wherein a single number expresses the average value from an interference rating curve for a given range of start time differences, or for the total range, respectively;
• and allows the multiplex operator to rapidly access the degree of sonic compatibility between two films to be presented in adjacent auditoriums, and
• providing audiences in multiplex theaters the opportunity to experience the intended ambiance created by the film makers and sound system equipment developers during quiet, emotional passages in a film presentation without perceiving distracting and annoying sounds from loud passages in presentations in adjacent auditoriums.

Apparatus for determining and displaying the interference rating as a function of start time differences between the various film soundtracks to be presented in the various auditoriums in a multiplex theater complex comprising:

• processor means with memory for storing the data correlating predetermined potential compatibility signatures as a function of time t, with predetermined film soundtracks to be presented in the complex,
• sensing means connected to each projector for recording the actual start times for each soundtrack,
• data transmission means connecting the sensing means to the processor means for communicating the actual start times to the processor means,
• processor means connected to the data transmission means for generating data representing interference ratings, i.e. the times when one film is intrusive when the other is vulnerable, by analyzing the potential compatibility signatures, i.e. the soundtrack categorized as potentially intrusive, vulnerable or suitable, for the films to be presented in adjacent auditoriums in response to receiving the actual start time from the sensing means attached to a projector for a given film in a given auditorium,
• data display means connected to the processor means for displaying graphs or other displays of interference ratings versus start time differences including an indication of the current interference rating, involving one or more adjacent auditoriums, as well as the interference rating which will occur within the next several minutes allowing the projectionist to make judgments as to when to optimally start a projector in an auditorium adjacent to an auditorium, or auditoriums, which has a presentation, or presentations, underway.