Patents Assigned to IMAX Corporation
  • Patent number: 11544830
    Abstract: A digital image sequence with multiple image frames can be enhanced. An appearance graph can be determined from the digital image sequence. The appearance graph includes prime layer nodes. Each prime layer node can represent a distinctive visual style. A prime layer image sequence can be computed for each prime layer node that matches the visual style represented by the prime layer node. An enhanced image sequence can be generated by blending at least two prime layer image sequences as defined by the appearance graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Ning Zhang, Samuel Ziheng Zhou, Paul Judkins
  • Patent number: 10924874
    Abstract: Systems and processes for compensating for changes in a theatre sound system positioned in a theatre are described. A subsequent response of a loudspeaker to a test signal is captured and compared to a previously obtained signature response of the loudspeaker to the test signal. An audio signal can be processed based on the comparison to compensate for changes to loudspeaker performance, or otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Brian John Bonnick, Denis G. Tremblay
  • Patent number: 10484785
    Abstract: A loudspeaker cabinet having at least one side wall defining a side wall perimeter; a front wall mounted to the at least one side wall along the side wall perimeter, the front wall having a front surface; wherein a central area of the front surface is positioned within the side wall perimeter, an extended area of the front surface extends beyond the side wall perimeter, and a portion of the extended area is configured to provide a gradual transition to open free space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventor: Denis Gilles Tremblay
  • Patent number: 10326968
    Abstract: A dual projection system can align displayed images using an alignment pattern. The alignment pattern can be used to modify part of an image content frame of an image data sequence. Two image data sequences can be spatially aligned based on the modification to part of the image content frame using the alignment pattern. An image content frame may be warped and displayed. The displayed warped image content frame can be captured. A set of transformation vectors can be determined based on the captured image content frame and alignment image data. Stored transformation data can be updated using the set of transformation vectors and the updated transformation data can be used to spatially align two image data sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Steen Svendstorp Iversen, Weining Tan, Matthew O'Dor
  • Patent number: 10252179
    Abstract: A system for winding a screen vertically is provided. The system can include a tube and a smoothing edge feature, such as a tensioning rod. The tube can rotate about a vertical axis and draw the screen over the smoothing edge feature to cause the screen to wind up onto the tube that is positioned vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: IMAX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Waldemar Bazydlo, Paul Kucera, George Eric Jacques, Lionel Robert Kilburn
  • Patent number: 10073328
    Abstract: Chromatic aberration can be reduced and extreme projection angles can be allowed in a projection system by modifying one color channel of light having a wavelength bandwidth with image data to produce imaged light, causing the imaged light to spread angularly when displaying the imaged light through an optical distorting element onto a screen, and reducing angular spread of the imaged light exiting the optical distorting element by adjusting the wavelength bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Steen Svendstorp Iversen, John W. Bowron
  • Patent number: 9964844
    Abstract: Screen vibration systems are provided that can vibrate theater screens using acoustical, electromagnetic, or another type of energy while reducing the presence of image artifacts that may otherwise be visible as result of vibrating the screen. In one example of a screen vibration system, the system includes a screen, a permanent magnet mounted to the screen, and a magnetic source positioned with respect to the permanent magnet and uncoupled from the screen. The screen is moveable in response to a changing magnetic field from the magnetic source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: IMAX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hamed Herati, Denis Gilles Tremblay, Oliver Nicholas Komarnycky
  • Patent number: 9720314
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Charles Read, John William Bowron
  • Patent number: 9648437
    Abstract: Systems and processes for compensating for changes in a theatre sound system positioned in a theatre are described. A subsequent response of a loudspeaker to a test signal is captured and compared to a previously obtained signature response of the loudspeaker to the test signal. An audio signal can be processed based on the comparison to compensate for changes to loudspeaker performance, or otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: IMAX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian John Bonnick, Denis G. Tremblay
  • Patent number: 9503711
    Abstract: Chromatic aberration can be reduced and extreme projection angles can be allowed in a projection system by modifying one color channel of light having a wavelength bandwidth with image data to produce imaged light, causing the imaged light to spread angularly when displaying the imaged light through an optical distorting element onto a screen, and reducing angular spread of the imaged light exiting the optical distorting element by adjusting the wavelength bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Steen Svendstorp Iversen, John W. Bowron
  • Patent number: 9483812
    Abstract: Methods and systems for digitally enhancing the characteristics of an image sequence including video and motion picture images are provided. Highly accurate motion information represented by trajectories are generated through analyzing available image frames in the image sequence. Some embodiments of the present invention relate to generating multiple layer trajectories from an image sequence. Certain aspects may be applicable to the enhancement of three-dimensional (3D) image sequences including 3D video and 3D motion pictures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Ning Zhang, Samuel Ziheng Zhou
  • Publication number: 20160249130
    Abstract: A loudspeaker cabinet having at least one side wall defining a side wall perimeter; a front wall mounted to the at least one side wall along the side wall perimeter, the front wall having a front surface; wherein a central area of the front surface is positioned within the side wall perimeter, an extended area of the front surface extends beyond the side wall perimeter, and a portion of the extended area is configured to provide a gradual transition to open free space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: IMAX Corporation
    Inventor: Denis Gilles Tremblay
  • Patent number: 9384535
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Weining Tan, Samuel Ziheng Zhou, Steven C. Read
  • Patent number: 9282313
    Abstract: The present invention discloses methods of digitally converting 2D motion pictures or any other 2D image sequences to stereoscopic 3D image data for 3D exhibition. In one embodiment, various types of Image data cues can be collected from 2D source images by various methods and then used for producing two distinct stereoscopic 3D views. Embodiments of the disclosed methods can be implemented within a highly efficient system comprising both software and computing hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Samuel Zhou, Paul Judkins, Ping Ye
  • Patent number: 9165536
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew O'Dor, Steven Read, Anton Baljet, Philip Insull
  • Patent number: 9140607
    Abstract: A method for color correcting an input color image having input color values adapted for display on a reference display device having a plurality of input color primaries to account to provide reduced observer metemaric failure on a narrow-band display device. A metamerism correction transform is applied to the input color image to determine an output color image having output color values in an output color space appropriate for display on the narrow-band display device. The metamerism correction transform modifies colorimetry associated with the input colors to provide output color values such that an average observer metameric failure is reduced for a distribution of target observers, and is formed responsive to a distribution of perceived color differences for a set of input colors that are determined for a set of target observers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas O. Maier, Andrew F. Kurtz, Elena A. Fedorovskaya
  • Patent number: 9134178
    Abstract: A method for color correcting an input color image having input color values adapted for display on a reference display device having a plurality of input color primaries to account to provide reduced observer metemaric failure on a narrow-band display device. A metamerism correction transform is applied to the input color image to determine an output color image having output color values in an output color space appropriate for display on the narrow-band display device. The metamerism correction transform modifies colorimetry associated with the input colors to provide output color values such that an average observer metameric failure is reduced for a distribution of target observers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kurtz, Elena A. Fedorovskaya, Thomas O. Maier
  • Patent number: 9106811
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Weining Tan, Steven Charles Read, Matthew O'Dor
  • Patent number: 9091860
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Charles Read, John William Bowron
  • Patent number: 9013551
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for the production of 3D motion picture subtitles adapted to image content for improved viewer experience. Some embodiments of the present invention relate to positioning subtitles at variable, scene-dependent depth. Certain aspects of the present invention may be applicable to general 3D display applications and/or digital projection of 3D motion pictures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: IMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Ning Zhang, Samuel Zhou, Jingqin Zhou, Todor Beric