IP Library Granted Patent US 11,294,269
Granted Patent B2
US 11,294,269 · App. 17/111,079 · Granted Apr 5, 2022

Methods and systems of vibrating a screen

Inventors: Hamed Herati (Hamilton, CA); Denis Giles Tremblay (Cambridge, CA); Oliver Nicholas Komarnycky (Kitchener, CA)
Assignee: IMAX Theatres International Limited
G03B21/562B06B1/045G02B27/48H04R2201/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,294,269
App. No.
17/111,079
Granted
Apr 5, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Screen vibration systems are provided that can vibrate theatre 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 controller and an electromechanical acoustical actuator with an open baffle. The electromechanical acoustical actuator can be uncoupled from the screen in an operational setup. The controller can provide a signal to the electromechanical acoustical actuator for causing the electromechanical acoustical actuator to output energy to displace air that is (i) in front of the electromechanical acoustical actuator and (ii) between the electromechanical acoustical actuator and the screen. The open baffle can prevent displaced air behind the electromechanical acoustical actuator from affecting the screen.

Claims (42)

1. A system to vibrate a screen, the system comprising:

an electromechanical acoustical actuator with an open baffle, the electromechanical acoustical actuator being configured to be uncoupled from the screen in an operational setup; and

a controller to provide a signal to the electromechanical acoustical actuator for causing the electromechanical acoustical actuator to output energy to displace air that is (i) in front of the electromechanical acoustical actuator and (ii) between the electromechanical acoustical actuator and the screen,

wherein the open baffle is configured for preventing displaced air behind the electromechanical acoustical actuator from affecting the screen, and

wherein the screen is normal to an acoustical axis of the electromechanical acoustical actuator.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the open baffle includes a plate mounted to the electromechanical acoustical actuator, a surface of the plate being (i) normal to the acoustical axis of the electromechanical acoustical actuator and (ii) positionable parallel to the screen.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the acoustical axis is a centerline along a direction by which the electromechanical acoustical actuator is configured to displace the air.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the open baffle includes a cylinder formed by a plate, wherein the electromechanical acoustical actuator is mounted within the cylinder and an acoustical axis of the electromechanical acoustical actuator is parallel to an axis of the cylinder and at right angles to the screen, wherein an opening of the cylinder is positioned to face the screen.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the screen, the electromechanical acoustical actuator being positioned a distance from the screen that is in a range of 0.25 inches to 24 inches.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the open baffle is formed from a stiff material configured to prevent displaced air from flexing the open baffle.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a sensing device to capture information regarding an image on the screen; and

a processing unit to (i) store and analyze the information that is captured, (ii) determine an amount of speckle artifacts in the image on the screen, and (iii) based on the amount of speckle artifacts, calculate a correction for the signal to reduce the amount of speckle artifacts.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal is an electrical signal.

9. A method to vibrate a screen, the method comprising:

providing, by a controller, a signal to an electromechanical acoustical actuator with an open baffle, the electromechanical acoustical actuator being uncoupled from the screen wherein the screen is normal to an acoustical axis of the electromechanical acoustical actuator;

in response to the signal, outputting, by the electromechanical acoustical actuator, energy to displace air that is (i) in front of the electromechanical acoustical actuator and (ii) between the electromechanical acoustical actuator and the screen; and

preventing, by the open baffle, displaced air behind the electromechanical acoustical actuator from affecting the screen.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the open baffle includes a plate mounted to the electromechanical acoustical actuator, a surface of the plate being (i) normal to the acoustical axis of the electromechanical acoustical actuator and (ii) positioned parallel to the screen.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the acoustical axis is a centerline along a direction by which the electromechanical acoustical actuator displaces the air.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the open baffle includes a cylinder formed by a plate, wherein the electromechanical acoustical actuator is mounted within the cylinder and an acoustical axis of the electromechanical acoustical actuator is parallel to an axis of the cylinder and at right angles to the screen, wherein an opening of the cylinder is positioned to face the screen.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electromechanical acoustical actuator is positioned a distance from the screen that is in a range of 0.25 inches to 24 inches,

wherein the signal is an electrical signal.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the open baffle is formed from a stiff material that prevents displaced air from flexing the open baffle.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

capturing, by a sensing device, information regarding an image on the screen;

storing and analyzing, by a processing unit, the information that is captured to determine an amount of speckle artifacts in the image on the screen; and

based on the amount of speckle artifacts, calculating a correction for the signal to reduce the amount of speckle artifacts.

16. A system comprising:

a screen for displaying an image;

a laser projector to project the image toward the screen;

an electromechanical acoustical actuator with an open baffle, the electromechanical acoustical actuator being configured to be uncoupled from the screen in an operational setup; and

a controller to provide a signal to the electromechanical acoustical actuator for causing the electromechanical acoustical actuator to output energy to displace air that is (i) in front of the electromechanical acoustical actuator and (ii) between the electromechanical acoustical actuator and the screen,

wherein the open baffle is configured for preventing displaced air behind the electromechanical acoustical actuator from affecting the screen, and

wherein the screen is normal to an acoustical axis of the electromechanical acoustical actuator.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the open baffle includes a plate mounted to the electromechanical acoustical actuator, a surface of the plate being (i) normal to the acoustical axis of the electromechanical acoustical actuator and (ii) positionable parallel to the screen.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the open baffle includes a cylinder formed by a plate, wherein the electromechanical acoustical actuator is mounted within the cylinder and an acoustical axis of the electromechanical acoustical actuator is parallel to an axis of the cylinder and at right angles to the screen, wherein an opening of the cylinder is positioned to face the screen.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the electromechanical acoustical actuator is positionable a distance from the screen that is in a range of 0.25 inches to 24 inches,

wherein the signal is an electrical signal.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the open baffle is formed from a stiff material configured to prevent displaced air from flexing the open baffle, the system further comprising:

a sensing device to capture information regarding the image on the screen; and

a processing unit to (i) store and analyze the information that is captured, (ii) determine an amount of speckle artifacts in the image on the screen, and (iii) based on the amount of speckle artifacts, calculate a correction for the signal to reduce the amount of speckle artifacts.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2025
From: IMAX CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 071935/0813 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 12, 2024
From: IMAX THEATRES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: IMAX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068552/0817 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 4, 2021
From: HERATI, HAMED; TREMBLAY, DENIS GILLES; KOMARNYCKY, OLIVER NICHOLAS
To: IMAX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055145/0411 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 4, 2021
From: IMAX CORPORATION
To: IMAX EUROPE SA
Reel/Frame 055145/0647 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 4, 2021
From: IMAX EUROPE SA
To: IMAX EMEA LIMITED
Reel/Frame 055145/0817 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 4, 2021
From: IMAX EMEA LIMITED
To: IMAX THEATRES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 055145/0906 →
Continuity (6)
Division 16752104 · Jan 24, 2020
Continuation 15949101 · Apr 10, 2018
Continuation 15161691 · May 23, 2016
Continuation 14786353
Provisional Application 61821311 · May 9, 2013
Related Publication 20210088891A1 · Mar 25, 2021