Abstract: An electronic projector has a projection system that includes a spatial light modulator (SLM) for importing image information to the projected light beam. The light beam leaving the SLM is prepolarized in a defined orientation and the projected light is polarized in the same orientation so as to effectively block any light that has been scattered within the projector and become depolarized. The SLM may be a digital mirror device (DMD). Reflective surfaces within the projector may be covered or coated with material that alters the polarization of reflected stray light from the defined orientation or depolarizes the reflected stray light.

Abstract: A system and method for intuitively generating computer-assisted animation utilizes a transformation space in which a computer input device such as a three-dimensional drawing wand is moved to generated constructed poses from a plurality of source poses. The transformation space may be in the form of a tetrahedron with each of the four vertices representative of a source pose. At any point within the three-dimensional volume of the tetrahedron, a constructed pose may be defined based on weighted averages of the four source poses. The animator may create a sequence of animation simply by moving the drawing wand within the tetrahedron. The rate of change of the transformations of the constructed poses is controlled by the rate of movement of the drawing wand but may be altered after the sequence of constructed poses is defined.

Abstract: A system and corresponding method for generating stereoscopic image from modelling data and camera animation curve data created in the process of creating a computer graphics animation sequence intended for 2D display. The system comprises a database in which the modelling data and the original camera animation curve data are stored, as well as a stereoscopic camera animation curve data generator and an animation sequence renderer. The stereoscopic camera animation curve data generator inputs the original camera animation curve data and generates stereoscopic camera animation curve data for at least one stereoscopic camera which is fixed in position and alignment with respect to another stereoscopic camera (which may be the original camera used to generate the original computer graphics animation sequence). The renderer inputs the stereoscopic camera animation curve data and the modelling data and generates stereoscopic image data.

Abstract: A system and method for intuitively generating computer-assisted animation utilizes a transformation space in which a computer input device such as a three-dimensional drawing wand is moved to generated constructed poses from a plurality of source poses. The transformation space may be in the form of a tetrahedron with each of the four vertices representative of a source pose. At any point within the three-dimensional volume of the tetrahedron, a constructed pose may be defined based on weighted averages of the four source poses. The animator may create a sequence of animation simply by moving the drawing wand within the tetrahedron. The rate of change of the transformations of the constructed poses is controlled by the rate of movement of the drawing wand but may be altered after the sequence of constructed poses is defined.

Abstract: A rolling loop motion picture projector is convertible for projecting images either from a 2-D film strip or from a 3-D film strip. The film is advanced through the same incremental amount irrespective of whether a 2-D film of a 3-D film is being projected. The projector has a single central aperture for projecting 2-D images and respective 3-D images on opposite sides of the central aperture. The images on the 3-D film strip are anamorphically compressed in the direction of film travel by a factor of two and the 3-D apertures are correspondingly sized. Projection lenses associated with the 3-D apertures decompress the images so that images of comparable size appear on the screen irrespective of whether a 2-D film or a 3-D film is being shown.

Abstract: A paint spray rig is disclosed for applying "high gain" reflective paints to a motion picture projection screen. The rig includes a tower which extends vertically of the screen and which can be indexed laterally across the screen. A paint spray head is carried by a carriage assembly that is vertically movable on a tower. The spray head can be moved towards and away from the screen under the control of ultrasonic sensors that measure the distance between the spray head and the screen, for maintaining the distance substantially constant. The spray head can also be moved progressively in the vertical direction with respect to the carriage so that it is at the bottom of the carriage for painting the bottom edge of the screen and at the top of the carriage for painting the top edge of the screen. The spray head can also be swapped from one side of the carriage to the other for painting opposite side edge portions of the screen.

Abstract: A reel unit for supply and take-up of film from at least one motion picture projector includes an upright support column and a plurality of film platter-support arms that extend generally horizontally from the column at vertically spaced positions. The arms are alternately offset laterally from one another to facilitate access to film on platters below the top arm. Each arm carries a platter drive hub provided with upwardly projecting drive pins that engage in openings in the platter so that the platter can be lifted off the arm. This allows the platters to be interchanged between different arms. Film take-up and pay-out cores can be interchangeably mounted on the platters so that any one platter can serve as a supply platter or a take-up platter irrespective of its position on the column. For the same reason, the column carries, in association with each arm, a set of rollers for guiding film being paid out from a platter on that arm or being wound onto the platter.

Abstract: A system and method for intuitively generating computer-assisted animation utilizes a transformation space in which a computer input device such as a three-dimensional drawing wand is moved to generated constructed poses from a plurality of source poses. The transformation space may be in the form of a tetrahedron with each of the four vertices representative of a source pose. At any point within the three-dimensional volume of the tetrahedron, a constructed pose may be defined based on weighted averages of the four source poses. The animator may create a sequence of animation simply by moving the drawing wand within the tetrahedron. The rate of change of the transformations of the constructed poses is controlled by the rate of movement of the drawing wand but may be altered after the sequence of constructed poses is defined.

Abstract: A theatre designed to provide an intimate environment for an audience, particularly for watching 3-D motion pictures. The theatre has an auditorium with a sloped seating deck and audience entry/exit points on opposite sides, generally at an intermediate level of the deck. The entry/exit points are generally at ground level with the portion of the deck below those points in an excavated pit. A ground level lobby connects to the access points by aisles outwardly of opposite sides of the auditorium and a projection room is provided above the lobby.

Abstract: A 3-D film projection apparatus includes two projectors that are disposed side-by-side in closely adjacent positions during projection. Each projector is carried by a transporter so that it can be moved to a retracted position rearwardly and laterally outwardly with respect to the other projector for providing access to the projector for set up and maintenance. Preferably, the transporters are motorized and the apparatus includes film guide means for maintaining a film path between each projector and an associated reel unit during transportation of the projector between its projection position and its retracted position.

Abstract: A compact rolling loop motion picture projector has a rotor of significantly smaller diameter than a conventional such rotor. The radius of curvature of the rotor is selected to be significantly less than the radius of curvature of a film flattener element on which the film is located for projection, and the axis of rotation of the rotor is offset towards a film input sprocket of the projector so as to maintain a minimum film gap between the rotor and the field flattener upstream of the optical axis of the projector. The compact rotor is rotationally supported from above by a "spider" and a projection lamp is located below the rotor for compactness and efficiency of lamp operation.

Abstract: A method for cleaning an optical surface such as an eyeglass lens involves the use of a cleaning head having a contact seal for engaging around the perimeter of the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning head defines a shallow cleaning cavity which includes the optical surface and the surface is cleaned by generating in the cavity a high velocity air flow across the surface, introducing a cleaning fluid into the air flow so as to scrub the surface, and terminating the introduction of cleaning fluid while maintaining the air flow to remove any residual cleaning fluid. A particular application of the method to simultaneously clean all four surfaces of the eyeglass lenses of a pair of 3-D glasses is also disclosed.

Abstract: Stereoscopic images are presented by alternately displaying corresponding left eye and right eye images in succession, substantially extinguishing transmission of light from the left eye images to the right eye of a viewer and from the right eye images to the left eye of the viewer, for example by the use of polarizing filters, and alternately and in synchronism with the alternate display of images, scattering unextinguished light from the left eye images that leaks through to the viewer's right eye and from the right eye images that leaks through to the viewer's left eye. In a preferred embodiment, scattering is achieved by using a liquid crystal scattering shutter that is electrically triggered in synchronism with the display of images. The shutter disperses the unextinguished light that leaks through the system so that no image information is perceived and the light appears merely as a slight increase in background illumination.

Abstract: A dome-shaped motion picture projection screen is constructed from an external supporting frame and a plurality of panels that are clipped to the frame by a series of individual fasteners that are hooked into the perforations in the panel and clamped to the frame. Each fastener has a L-shaped fastener body with a pair of hook-shaped pins that project from one end of one limb so that they can be hooked into the perforations in the panel. A screw extends through the other limb parallel to the first limb and can be tightened against a supporting frame member to secure the panel to the frame. By carefully controlling tightening of the screw, localized flattening of the panel at the positions of the hooks can be avoided. The ends of the hooks are so small as to be virtually invisible to the audience.

Abstract: A charge exhaustion preventing apparatus of a storage battery, includes a generator disposed on a waterway, a storage battery charged by the generator, an electromagnetic valve which opens and closes the waterway by the storage battery as the power source, a control portion which controls the action of the electromagnetic valve, and a capacity detecting portion which detects the capacity of the storage battery. The control portion actuates the electromagnetic valve to open so as to produce a stream of water when the capacity decreases below a certain capacity based on a detection signal from the capacity detecting portion, thereby to actuate the generator.