Patent Grant
9734768
The present invention relates generally to display devices. More particularly, disclosed herein is a coded image animation and display system wherein coded images can be selectively applied and manipulated by a user to produce unique displays and animations of coded images and combinations thereof.
Devices permitting the sequential display of a plurality of coded images by movement of an image member relative to a shutter member have been known for many years. In a typical arrangement, the image member retains a plurality of interposed coded images while the shutter member retains a plurality of shutter elements that are separated by a plurality of viewing elements. The shutter elements perform dual functions. They selectively obscure from view all but one of the interposed coded images, and they bridge the gaps between the coded strips that cooperate with the shutter elements to form what can be termed an active image. With this, the plurality of shutter elements decode the active image so that it appears to be a complete, coherent image.
When the image member and the shutter member undergo relative movement by a predetermined amount, the strips of a previously active image become concealed and the next succeeding coded image assumes what may be a fleeting position as the active image. This transition from image to image will continue through a cycle of the coded images that are disposed on the image member. Once the cycle is complete, the first coded image will again appear thereby starting a new, identical cycle. The coded images can be sequential, such as a series of images of a horse galloping. Alternatively, the coded images can be related, such as a related series of words or graphics. Still further, the plurality of coded images could be unrelated.
In typical coded image animation, the image member and the coded images retained thereon are typically pre-determined. As a result, apart perhaps from choosing the device itself, the user typically has little control over the images to be displayed during coded image animation. Indeed, in prior art coded image animation devices, the coded image member is normally disposed under the shutter element member so that one cannot easily interact with the coded image member. Moreover, the image member is typically fixed in angular position relative to the shutter member so that the user's control over the nature and quality of the animation is extremely limited in the case of user-actuated devices and substantially non-existent in motorized or automated devices.
With an awareness of these and further limitations of the prior art, the present inventors appreciated that a coded image display and animation system capable of permitting users to select coded images to be animated and to combine those images in selected ways would represent a useful advance in the art. The inventors further appreciated that providing a coded image display and animation system that permits—indeed challenges—users to manipulate and orient coded image members relative to one or more shutter members would provide improved play, entertainment, developmental, and educational value to users.
Accordingly, the present invention has as its most broadly stated object the providing a coded image display and animation system wherein users can freely select, apply, manipulate, and remove individual or combinations of coded image members to produce and control the nature and quality of image displays directly.
A further object of the invention is to provide a coded image display and animation system under which users are directly engaged in manipulating and orienting selected coded image members to yield improved developmental, educational, entertainment, and play value to users and observers.
Another object of embodiments of the invention is to provide such a coded image display and animation system wherein images can be displayed with crispness and clarity.
Still another object of embodiments of the invention is to provide a coded image display and animation system wherein displayed images and scenes of images can be infinitely varied.
In certain embodiments, a further object of the invention is to provide a coded image display and animation system wherein unique, potentially erasable, images can be created by a user and, potentially, displayed in cooperation with fixed coded or non-coded images.
Yet another object of manifestations of the invention is to provide a coded image display and animation system wherein a given display can be created by applying multiple images in combination, such as in the creation of complete characters from individual display components.
These and further objects and advantages of embodiments of the invention will become obvious not only to one who reviews the present specification and drawings but also to one who has an opportunity to make use of an embodiment of the coded image display and animation system as disclosed herein. It will be appreciated, however, that, although the accomplishment of each of the foregoing objects in a single embodiment of the invention may be possible and indeed preferred, not all embodiments will seek or need to accomplish each and every potential object and advantage. Nonetheless, all such embodiments should be considered within the scope of the invention.
In carrying forth one or more of the foregoing objects of the invention, an embodiment of the coded image display and animation system can be considered to be founded on a shutter element device with a plurality of shutter elements and interposed viewing elements. The shutter element device has a display and animation window and a mechanism for displaying and providing visually perceived movement of the shutter elements and the interposed viewing elements. There is at least one loose coded image member for being applied to the display and animation window of the shutter element device. Each coded image member has at least one coded image thereon to produce a perception of animation in response to a perceived movement of the shutter elements and the interposed viewing elements. Under this construction, the at least one loose coded image member can be selectively applied to the display and animation window of the shutter element device and the coded image on the coded image member can be animated by a visually perceived movement of the shutter elements and the interposed viewing elements. Embodiments of the system are contemplated wherein there are plural loose coded image members for being applied to the display and animation window of the shutter element device with each coded image member having at least one coded image thereon.
In certain manifestations of the invention, the mechanism for displaying and providing visually perceived movement of the shutter elements and the interposed viewing elements can take the form of a mechanical drive mechanism, and the plurality of shutter elements and interposed viewing elements can be disposed on a shutter member. In other embodiments of the invention, the mechanism for displaying and providing visually perceived movement of the shutter elements and the interposed viewing elements could comprise an electronic display, such as the display of a computer or mobile device with a movable graphic display of shutter elements and interposed viewing elements.
Where the mechanism for displaying and providing visually perceived movement of the shutter elements and the interposed viewing elements comprises a mechanical drive mechanism, the shutter member can comprise a belt disposed in a continuous loop. The plurality of shutter elements and interposed viewing elements can be disposed on the belt, and the belt can be retained by first and second rollers.
Other mechanical drive mechanisms are possible and within the scope of the invention except as it might be expressly limited by the claims. For example, it would alternatively be possible for the mechanical drive mechanism to comprise a reciprocating mechanism that cyclically moves a shutter element member in a first direction, which can be perpendicular to the orientation of the shutter elements and the interposed viewing elements, and then in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Such a movement could be actuated in numerous ways. In one such embodiment, for example, a snap-back mechanism could be provided where the shutter element member is advanced in the first direction in a given, controlled speed and then snapped back in the second direction at a high speed so that animation can appear to be substantially continuous. Such a movement could be created, for example, by a cam mechanism with a progressively broadening cam profile that produces movement in the first direction followed by a steep ridge that produces movement in the second direction.
The animation window of the shutter element device has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface can be open to receive the at least one coded image member, and the shutter member can be disposed in substantial contact with the second surface of the animation window. For example, where the shutter member comprises a belt disposed in a continuous loop and the belt is retained by first and second rollers, the second surface of the animation window can disposed proximal to a tangent line from the first roller to the second roller thereby ensuring continuous contact between the shutter member and the second surface of the animation window. Where the shutter member is disposed in contact with the second surface of the animation window, the plurality of shutter elements and interposed viewing elements can have a pitch greater than the pitch of the at least one coded image on the at least one coded image member.
To aid in the alignment of coded image members, the shutter element device can further include a raised edge adjacent to the display and animation window. More particularly, where the plurality of shutter elements and interposed viewing elements have an orientation, the raised edge can be substantially parallel or perpendicular to the orientation of the plurality of shutter elements and interposed viewing elements. In particular embodiments of the invention, edges can be disposed both parallel and perpendicular to the orientation of the plurality of shutter elements and interposed viewing elements. Moreover, the at least one coded image member can be rectangular and can have coded images slices parallel to opposed edges of the at least one coded image member.
While the dimensions and movement of the coded image display and animation system can vary, embodiments are contemplated where the plurality of shutter elements are approximately 1/16 inch wide and where the shutter element device produces visually perceived movement of the shutter elements at between ⅛ and 3/16 inches per second. Alternative embodiments are contemplated wherein the plurality of shutter elements are approximately 1/32 inch wide while the shutter element device produces visually perceived movement of the shutter elements at between 1/16 and 3/32 inches per second.
Manifestations of the coded image display and animation system can further include at least one display sheet. By way of example, the display sheet can have at least one localized coded image portion with at least one coded image and at least one localized non-coded image portion. The non-coded image portion of the display sheet could, for example, be decorated with a static image. In other embodiments, the non-coded image portion of the display sheet can additionally or alternatively include a freehand drawing portion, which could be free of coded images or that could include coded image portions, for receiving freehand drawings. In any case, the display sheet could have a size approximating a size of the display and animation window, or it could be differently sized, such as by being smaller.
It is even further possible where there are plural coded image members that the at least one display sheet and the plural coded image members could be mutually adherent. With that, multiple coded image members could be applied to and retained by the at least one display sheet thereby permitting unified designs to be created and retained.
It is also possible for the at least one coded image member to have at least one localized coded image portion with at least one coded image and at least one localized non-coded image portion. The non-coded image portion could have a freehand drawing portion for receiving freehand drawings.
Again where there are plural coded image members, each coded image member could have a coded image portion thereon that is a portion of an overall animating image. Under such constructions, the plural coded image members can be assembled into the overall animating image. In other embodiments, the plural coded image members can be slidably interlocked. In still other embodiments, the each coded image member could have a coded image portion thereon that is representative of at least a portion of a game piece of a board game. Still further, it would be possible to have a coded image member that is three-dimensional with a coded image portion and a contoured non-coded image portion.
To promote positioning of the coded image members, the system could further include at least one spacer member that could be rectangular in shape. The spacer member could have a handle. Still further, where the animation window of the shutter element device has a first surface and a second surface and where the plurality of shutter elements and interposed viewing elements are disposed with a given orientation, the first surface can have at least one ridge aligned with the orientation of the plurality of shutter elements and interposed viewing elements to permit alignment of the coded image members.
One will appreciate that the foregoing discussion broadly outlines the more important goals and features of the invention to enable a better understanding of the detailed description that follows and to instill a better appreciation of the inventors' contribution to the art. Before any particular embodiment or aspect thereof is explained in detail, it must be made clear that the following details of construction and illustrations of inventive concepts are mere examples of the many possible manifestations of the invention.
In the accompanying drawing figures:
The coded image display and animation system disclosed herein is subject to a wide variety of embodiments. However, to ensure that one skilled in the art will be able to understand and, in appropriate cases, practice the present invention, certain preferred embodiments of the broader invention revealed herein are described below and shown in the accompanying drawing figures. Therefore, before any particular embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it must be made clear that the following details of construction and illustrations of inventive concepts are mere examples of the many possible manifestations of the invention.
In seeking to meet the objects of the invention referenced above, the present inventors appreciated that conventional barrier grid animation is most often viewed front-lit under normal lighting conditions. The shutter member is normally positioned over the coded image member so that the black shutter elements shield the inactive coded images while appearing to complete the active coded image. The blocking of the inactive coded images by the shutter elements is critical to crisp and clear display and animation.
To permit user to select, apply, manipulate, and remove individual coded image members or combinations of coded image members to produce and control the nature and quality of image displays directly, it was determined that the traditional configuration would ideally be reversed with the shutter member then positioned to underlie selectively chosen and placed coded image members. Nonetheless, it must be borne in mind that at least some of the inventive concepts disclosed herein could have application to configurations where a shutter member is disposed atop one or more coded image members, and the invention should be limited only as may expressly be set forth in the claims. However, such a configuration presents issues to be overcome. For instance, when front-lit under normal lighting conditions, coded images meant to be inactive are no longer concealed beneath the shutter elements thereby compromising the animation effect.
It was thus further determined that improved performance is realized by backlighting the display and animation area, but it should be again appreciated that inventive concepts disclosed herein could be exploited even without backlighting. In preferred practices of the invention, the surface upon which the coded image members can be placed will be backlit sufficiently to cause illumination to exceed average ambient lighting conditions, potentially by more than double. The illumination creates a silhouette effect in which the primary light source for the invention is the illuminated shutter element device or tablet disclosed herein. With that, the source of illumination so disposed directly behind the shutter elements, the shutter elements effectively mask the inactive coded images disposed atop the shutter elements while permitting a viewing of the active coded image. To accomplish this, the shutter elements could be solid colored, such as black, to be as opaque and light-blocking as possible. Moreover, the coded image members could be solid colored with opacity corresponding to that of the shutter elements.
Looking more particularly to the drawings, an illuminated shutter element device operative pursuant to the coded image display and animation system disclosed herein is indicated generally at 1 in, for instance,
The shutter element device 1 is formed externally by a case 5 and a top plate 2. The top plate 2 has a window frame 3 and a window 4. The window frame 3 is made of a rigid material, such as ⅛″ ABS plastic, surrounding a hole defined by window recess edges 30. The opening defined by the window recess edges 30 is preferably, though not necessarily, square or rectangular in shape. In such embodiments, the window 4 is a square or rectangular piece of rigid, transparent material of approximately between 1/32″ and 1/16″ in thickness, such as ABS plastic, though other rigid, transparent materials and thicknesses are possible.
With combined reference to
The inner workings of this embodiment of the shutter element device 1 can be better understood by reference to the top plan views of
By combined reference to
Although the shutter member 6 could be driven in a reciprocating or other pattern, the belt 6 in the depicted embodiment is driven in a continuous loop by rollers 7 and 8. In this example, roller 7 can act as a drive roller, and roller 8 can act as a tension roller 8. The device 1 can be considered to have an upper surface for permitting display and animation as disclosed herein, a lower surface, first and second longitudinal or left and right side edges, and first and second latitudinal or upper and lower edges. The rollers 7 and 8 are positioned adjacent to the first and second latitudinal edges respectively so that the belt 6 is held under tension. The drive roller 7 is supported on each end by supports 11, each with a hole to receive drive roller pins 27. The tension roller 8 is supported on each end by supports 13, each with a hole to receive tension roller pins 26. As shown in
In addition to keeping proper tension on the belt 6, the fact that tension roller 8 has a moving axis, kept in tension by spring 20, allows the tension roller 8 to adjust its position when the seam, if one exists, of the belt 6 comes in contact with either roller 7 or 8. Since a seam of the belt 6, where it is joined to create the loop, is by nature slightly thicker than the belt 6 itself, either because it is overlapped or because of adhesive or both, the circumference of the belt 6 momentarily becomes smaller as the seam passes around either of the rollers 7 or 8. Since the tension roller 8 can adjust its position, it momentarily moves slightly closer to drive roller 7 as the seam passes over a roller 7 or 8. This prevents any sudden tightening of the belt around the two rollers 7 and 8 that might result in excess torque demands on a motor-gearbox combination 25 that would freeze or bind revolution of the belt 6.
The rollers 7 and 8 have at each end flanges 18 that are slightly wider in diameter than the roller 7 and 8 itself and serve to keep the belt 6 from sliding off the rollers 7 and 8 and to prevent any side-to-side lateral movement of the belt 6. In this manifestation of the invention, the driver roller 7 has bands of rubber 98 at various points on the roller 7 to avoid slippage of belt 6 on the roller 7. It has been found that the bands of rubber 98 avoid the accumulation of static electricity that can otherwise build up on the underside of window 4 due to the contact and movement of the belt 6 across it to add resistance to the movement of the belt 6. Without the belt 6 installed, both drive roller 7 and tension roller 8 are able to spin freely and with low friction on the respective roller pins 26 and 27.
The spring-loaded tension roller 8 thus keeps proper tension on the shutter element belt 6 so that its upper surface 6a remains as flat as possible across the entire span from the top of drive roller 7 to the top of tension roller 8 and across its entire width from side to side. With this, the small distance between the top surface of shutter element belt 6 and the top surface of window 4 upon which coded image members (shown and described below) and other design articles are to be placed remains the same and constant across the entire work area 94. To this end, it is desirable that the upper surface 6a of belt 6 be in actual contact with the underside of window 4 across substantially the entire work area 94. In this way, the distance between the shutter elements 12 of the belt 6 and the upper surface of the window 4 upon which coded image members and other design elements are placed remains consistent whereby display and animation can be predictably controlled.
Turning to
The design summarized above is advantageous in view of two key principles of coded image animation: parallax and pitch.
In a six-phase animation, the coded image member has a series of six image slices disposed in sequence. The shutter member has each shutter element equal in width to five of those slices with viewing element interposed between the shutter elements. In this arrangement, both elements are of the same pitch. This one-to-one pitch relationship between picture and shutter elements is essential to the optimal performance of all barrier grid or coded image animations. If the pitch of one element were larger or smaller than the other, the replacement of one animation phase with the next, rather than occurring at once, would instead wipe from one to the next, never presenting the eye with a coherent image at any one time, thus compromising the animation effect. It will also be noted that, in traditional barrier grid animation devices, because the shutter layer and the coded image layer are held in contact, the animation experienced is the same whether viewed from near or far and whether with two eyes or one. If they were separated even slightly by a distance of air or other clear material, the pitch of the two would appear to be different resulting in the perception of a non-cohesive, wiping, and unclear animated image.
The present embodiment of the display device 1 differs from typical prior art devices in that the coded image member 32 and shutter elements 12 are, in this embodiment, separated by the thickness of window 4 such that the belt 6 can move without dragging the coded image members 32 with it. Here, the motor-driven shutter element belt 6 is positioned directly beneath and gently pressing up against the bottom surface of the work space window 4, and the user arranges and positions a variety of coded image members 32, which can be pre-printed on thin clear material such as acetate or vinyl, on the top surface of the window 4. It will be noted that embodiments of the invention, perhaps less preferable, are possible where no such separate exists, such as by having the belt 6 ride atop the window 4. However, it would then be necessary to provide some mechanism for restraining the coded image members 32 from traveling along with the belt 6.
Where the coded image members 32 and the shutter element member in the form of the belt 6 are separated as depicted, a one-to-one ratio of coded image pitch to shutter element pitch would produce a non-cohesive, wiping, and unclear image. To correct this and to insure a perceived one-to-one pitch ration between the two layers, the inventors have determined that the pitch of the shutter element 6 must be fractionally larger than that of the coded image elements 32.
A schematic of visual perception under the present invention is depicted in
The coded images, the shutter elements, and the viewing elements are preferably perceived in a horizontal orientation, traversing from the left to the right edges of the device 1. With this, each of the observer's eyes perceives essentially the same exact image at once. This is to be compared to the lack of clarity that would result if the elements were perceived vertically since each of the observer's eyes would simultaneously see a different image, with the right eye seeing around the right side of the spatially displaced images and the left eye seeing around the left side such that display and animation would be severely compromised.
For the coded image members 32 to have an optimum animation effect when viewed on the operational device 1, it is important that the user accurately align them with the corresponding shutter elements 12 and the interposed viewing elements 19 below. Specifically, the lines comprising the coded images 57 must be positioned to be as perfectly parallel to the shutter elements 12 as possible. Such alignment is a learned skill, but one that is soon acquired with use. To aid the novice user with alignment, the coded image members 32 could be pre-cut into rectangular shapes with right-angle corners and straight edges with the coded images 57 perfectly parallel to the bottom and top edges of the coded image member 32. As
During animation, all phases of a series of interlaced coded images 57 reveal themselves consecutively and in repeated series as movement is exacted in relation to a shutter member with spaced shutter elements 12. The resulting display and animation will depend on, among other things the design of the coded images 57 themselves and the relative speed of the shutter elements 12 in relation to the coded images 57. Here, the relative speed can be dictated, at least in part, by the speed at which the shutter element belt 6 moves in relation to the coded image members 32.
Animation cycles provided by interlaced coded images 57 can be designed to display and animate in animation cycles that are in loops or repetitive cycles so that images are sequentially related, potentially with the last coded image 57 cycling back to the first. For example, if six drawings are done of a clock face, with the hour hand progressing two hours in each drawing, a series of coded images 57 can be created by coding and interlacing Drawing One showing 12:00, Drawing Two showing 2:00, Drawing Three showing 4:00, and so on, until Drawing Six shows the hour hand at 10:00 thereby naturally leading back to Drawing One showing 12:00. In this coded image animation sequence, as the shutter elements 12 are drawn past the coded images 57, the hour hand will appear to swing round and round the clock face smoothly and continuously. The same animation technique can be applied to create the illusion of a continuously galloping horse or a continuously walking human figure.
But for the animation to convey verisimilitude, attention must be paid to the speed or cadence of the animated subjects, whether it be a galloping horse or a human figure walking. While judgment of speed is subjective, it may be fairly stated that to appear to possess realistic motion, one would expect to see the image of horse galloping at a life-like speed, such as approximately two to three full gallops per second, or for the image of a human being to appear to stroll at a normal gait, such as approximately two or three steps per second. Assuming that the interlaced coded images 57 provide one full cycle of drawings, such as a full gallop for a horse or a full step for a person, then the motorized belt 6 retaining the shutter elements 12 must be made to move at the appropriate speed. It has been found by the inventors that the belt 6 could thus move at such a rate that a single shutter element 12 in the array, in a one second period, traverses a distance that is somewhere between two and three times the width of the shutter element 12.
While there is no standard size or thickness for shutter elements 12, it is generally preferable to maximize the perceived resolution of the image by reducing the width of the shutter elements 12. The inventors have determined, for example, that a belt 6 with an array of shutter elements 12, each with an approximate 1/16 inch width, provides sufficient visual resolution while being within most acceptable and practical industrial printing and manufacturing tolerances. A belt 6 comprised of an array of 1/16 inch wide shutter elements 12 might, for example, be made to move at between ⅛ and 3/16 inches per second.
Similarly, a belt 6 with an array of extremely fine shutter elements 12, each with an approximate 1/32 inch width, for example, could be made to move at between 1/16 and 3/32 inches per second. While these tolerances may exceed the limits of some manufacturers, they are achievable with state of the art presses. The inventors have determined that the advantage of such fine shutter elements 12 is that, when they are viewed from a standard user distance of 15″ to 20″, they present themselves in total as a gray field, rather than as an array of separate elements 12, thus reducing or eliminating eye strain while increasing the perceived resolution of the created animations dramatically.
Under certain practices of the invention, the speed of the belt 6 could be predetermined and fixed. In other embodiments, the speed of the belt 6 could be adjustable, such as by permitting a selection from among predetermined settings and, additionally or alternatively, continuously over a given range. As taught herein, such adjustment could be enabled by the incorporation of a rheostat, a microprocessor, or another control mechanism that could be built into the device 1 to permit speed adjustment.
The drive train of the device 1 can be better understood with reference to
In the present embodiment, the upper surface 6a of the belt 6 rotates so that the belt shutter elements 12 move from top to bottom with the shutter elements 12 rolling over the tension roller 8 and toward drive roller 7. Belt speed will be discussed in more detail below. It should be noted that the shaft of motor-gearbox 25 might, in another embodiment, be coupled directly to drive roller pin 27, eliminating the need for additional pulleys and a pulley belt. To minimize noise, this embodiment uses the timing belt to decouple the vibration of the motor-gearbox 25 from the rest of the device 1. Additionally, vibration has been further minimized by motor isolation foam 96. Power for the motor-gearbox 25 is provided either by internal batteries (not shown) and/or external wall power though an external adapter plug 97 as shown in
While an electric motor of the motor-gearbox 25 is depicted, other non-electric methods of operation are possible and within the scope of this invention. By way of example and not limitation, the drive system could be manual, such as a manually operated crank or a flywheel, a portion of which could be exposed through the casing 5 of the device 1. The flywheel could be flicked or spun by hand, and it could have a weight sufficient to provide steady and continuous motion of the belt 6 until again actuated. Other exemplary embodiments could have a pull-string or a wind-up spring mechanism and gear train to rotate the drive roller 7 and the belt 6.
Referring again to
Referring to
Looking to
It should be noted that other arrangements and positions of LEDs 28 and reflectors, as well as illumination sources 28 other than LEDs, might be used to provide sufficient backlight for display and animation and are within the scope of this invention. These include, but are not limited to, fluorescent light, incandescent light, light pipe plates, side illumination, and any other effective light source. Indeed, further embodiments of the animation and display system 1 might use still other typees of light, such as UV (ultraviolet) light, to create various effects. For instance, if the subject coded image members 32 were printed in UV fluorescent colors and UV (ultraviolet) back and/or side lighting were used, the animations would glow. Even natural daylight could be used as a backlighting source if the device 1 were fitted, for instance, with suction cups that permitted its adherence to a day-lit window.
Displays and animations could be created with multiple coded image members 32 and with background and foreground display elements that are devoid of coded image portions, that have localized coded image sections, and that have coded images over substantial portions thereof. For example,
The depicted background sheet 35 is a rectangle with parallel opposing edges disposed atright-angle corners and border dimensions matching those of the recessed work area 94. The background sheet 35 thus tends to square or align itself immediately when placed upon the window 4 so that coded image members 32 and coded images within the background sheet 35 are properly parallel with the moving shutter belt 6 beneath it. Background sheets 35 can be employed to fill large portions of the work area 94 or the entire work area 94 quickly and can cooperate to create a fully animated scene with the addition of just a few other design pieces. Since background sheets 35 are often used in conjunction with other display and animation members, including coded image members 32, the design and layout of animations of the background sheet 35 and the designs applied thereto can be light enough in saturation of color and or subject matter so that the shutter elements 12 of the belt 6 moving underneath will still serve the purpose to properly mask and reveal the loose coded image members 32 and other design elements placed upon it.
A partially animated background sheet 35 is depicted in
Smaller and differently shaped background sheets and, potentially, foreground sheets and members are readily possible within the scope of the invention. Without limitation, it will be understood that background sheets do not necessarily need to fill the entire work area.
In whatever order they are applied, it is possible for coded image members 32 and sheets 35 and others to mutually adhere to one another. For example, where a background sheet 35 is placed first, coded image members 32 can be applied and adhered thereto, such as by being formed of an adherent substrate, by an adhesive, by material selection or activation, or some other mechanism. With this, multiple coded image members 32 and background sheets 35 and others can remain in a given configuration even when removed so that a given design tableau can effectively be saved simply by lifting the background sheet 35 out of the work area with the coded image members 32 adhered thereto. Additionally, any freehand drawings upon the background sheet 35 or the coded image members 32 will be saved as well. In fact, completely transparent background sheets 35, with no picture elements or color upon them, could be used to create a saved arrangement of coded image members 32 that are adhered to the background sheet 35. It is possible as well that multiple background sheets 35 and others could be used in overlapping or adjacent dispositions.
Returning to
In
In
The freehand drawing 40 of the igloo in
Coded image member 47 also demonstrates that coded image members need not have picture elements that are restricted to definable, recognizable subject matter. As coded image member 47 is an animation of wisps of smoke rising, coded image members could be of changing patterns, colors, shapes, design and of any size.
As mentioned earlier, coded image members can be flipped about lateral and longitudinal axes for different effects. For example, if coded image member 44 were flipped about a longitudinal axis, the animation would appear exactly the same. However, if coded image member 44 were flipped about a latitudinal axis, the circles would then appear to be contracting from large to small. In this way, coded image members can be flipped, moved and combined to create a wide variety of different effects and tableaus. For instance,
Turning further to
Turning to
In this example, the single image has been cut into 12 rectangular pieces of equal dimension, and the size of the composite image fits perfectly into the work area 94, but puzzle pieces can be of any size and even varying sizes, and it is not necessary for the pieces to even be rectangular, though it may be preferable. The smaller the pieces of the puzzle, the more difficult it will become to put together. A key to the puzzle can be provided, such as in the form of a static image, in this case of the horse running, to aid in solving the puzzle. Because the coded image members 92 in this example are rectangular, they not only each align perfectly to the shutter elements 12 of the belt 6 when placed against any of the window frame recess edges, but they also align with each other. This means that if one starts to solve the puzzle by starting at one or more of the window frame recessed edges 40, then disposing the pieces in edgewise contact will produce automatic alignment. It will thus be understood that coded image members can align adjacent coded image members if the user brings a coded image member into edgewise contact with a coded image member that is already in alignment.
Another variant of the puzzle in
Other interactive games are possible with the present display and animation system. For example,
As shown in
Looking to
Still further embodiments of the display and animation system are contemplated. By way of example, a version of the system employing a stereoscopic coded image member and corresponding viewing eyewear is depicted in
The invention should not be interpreted as being limited to mechanical shutter element devices 1. Indeed, embodiments are contemplated as in
Under each disclosed embodiment of the display and animation system, users can practice an inventive method of producing unique display and animation by, for instance, combining animated animals, people, colorful pattern pieces, such as hearts and stars, and motion backgrounds to create animated fantasy worlds of their choosing. The method could include, for instance, providing a shutter element device 1, whether it be mechanical or electronic, and providing one or a plurality of coded image members 32. The user could select one or more coded image members 32, and apply the one or more coded image members 32 in a desired layout on the window 4. The shutter element device 1 could then be actuated, such as by inducing operation of the motor-gearbox 25 to advance the belt or by starting a computer program that displays shutter elements 12 and interposed viewing elements 19. Details, additional steps, and variations to the method could be as described previously, including through the addition of background sheets 35, adding unique non-coded images to freehand drawing areas on background sheets 35 or elsewhere, such as with dry-erase markers or other drawing implements, or otherwise adding design elements to the display. Where the coded image members 32, the background sheets 35, and, additionally or alternatively, some other display article are mutually adherent, multiple coded image members 35 and other display articles can be selectively positioned and retained as a unit for so long as desired for future display and animation. Where dry-erase markers or other drawing implements are used, users can add their own drawings to the scenes. Licensed variations of the system could permit users to display and animate familiar characters and backgrounds. Furthermore, users can create their own monsters or robots from animated body parts, including arms, legs, eyes, mouths, and other parts. Moreover, animated inorganic parts, such as machine parts in the form of wheels, cams, and gears, can be animated. Still further, animated fantasy backgrounds and designs can be created.
With certain details and embodiments of the present invention for a coded image display and animation system disclosed, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that numerous changes and additions could be made thereto without deviating from the spirit or scope of the invention. This is particularly true when one bears in mind that the presently preferred embodiments merely exemplify the broader invention revealed herein. Accordingly, it will be clear that those with major features of the invention in mind could craft embodiments that incorporate those major features while not incorporating all of the features included in the preferred embodiments.
Therefore, the following claims shall define the scope of protection to be afforded to the inventors. Those claims shall be deemed to include equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. It must be further noted that a plurality of the following claims may express certain elements as means for performing a specific function, at times without the recital of structure or material. As the law demands, any such claims shall be construed to cover not only the corresponding structure and material expressly described in this specification but also all equivalents thereof.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29430 | Ames | Jul 1860 | A |
| 725567 | Ives | Apr 1903 | A |
| 762519 | Farrand | Jun 1904 | A |
| 829492 | Spiegel | Aug 1906 | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 61940155 | Feb 2014 | US |
