Patent Description:
The present disclosure relates to sound systems and display systems in a theatre.

Cinema screens have a large area and are installed along with sound systems to output sound associated with image content displayed on the screen such that sound comes from the screen as if coming directly from the correct location relative to the specific position in the image content. In traditional screens, sound can originate from loudspeakers positioned behind the screen and the screen has a thin sheet of material with perforation to allow the sound from the loudspeakers to pass through the screen. Sound can also be directed to the audience from loudspeakers positioned behind or beside the viewing seating area for an audience. The screen, with its perforations, allows a portion of the sound to pass through. Sound-absorbing surfaces behind the screen can absorb the sound that passes through and prevents unwanted sound reflections. A theatre is carefully configured to optimize the sound environment to integrate with the visual environment, creating an immersive environment for cinema patrons to enjoy sound and image.

As presentation displays that emit light increase in popularity, with their greater potential for larger intensity dynamic range, increased brightness, increased viewing area, costs to manufacture are decreasing. These displays are being considered by some as the future for cinema theatres.

There are a number of differences that influence setting up a cinema screen as a light emitting display in place of a screen on which the image is projected onto the screen surface. A light emitting display is typically one large surface containing a matrix of light emitters. These large surfaces can be made up of numerous smaller panels or tiles positioned next to each other so that, cumulatively, they form a large viewing area. These panels are not transparent to sound waves passing through because of the continuous surfaces of these panels and the design of the supporting electronics, cooling, and mounting/support structures. When a screen intended for front projection of images is replaced by a light emitting display, the loudspeakers positioned behind the screen are no longer effective at delivering sound past the light emitting display and are repositioned at the perimeter of the light emitting screen to output sound to the viewer. For smaller light emitting displays, such as home TV-type displays, loudspeakers positioned at the perimeter of the display are acceptable. However, for a larger sized screen in a cinema, loudspeakers positioned around a perimeter that is many times greater than the width of the ear separation of a viewer is not an effective solution and the point of the sound is not well associated with the action on the screen. US patent application no. <CIT> discloses an entertainment venue that can include one or more theaters, including a toroidal or other immersive display screen. Japanese patent application no. <CIT> discloses an acoustic system comprising an electrostatic speaker and a reflector. <CIT> discloses a combination of a head-tracking system with a plurality of loudspeakers. European patent application no. <CIT> discloses a surround speaker system including an integral speaker in which a surround speaker is integrally formed with a front speaker, a canceling device for canceling a directly propagating sound of the surround speaker, and a reflective device for reflecting the output sound of the surround speaker.

In accordance with the invention, a cinema screen as set forth in claim <NUM> is provided. Further embodiments are inter alia disclosed in the dependent claims. In particular the cinema screen includes a matrix of light emitters and a liner. The matrix of light emitters form a light emitting area of the cinema screen. The light emitters are spaced apart from each other to define spaces between adjacent light emitters. The spaces form an area that can fit a circular body with a diameter that is equal to or greater than a depth dimension of the area of an opening between the light emitters, to allow sound waves to pass from behind the cinema screen to a front of the cinema screen that is facing seats in the theatre. The liner is positioned over a portion of the spaces between adjacent light emitters. The liner is configured to absorb light other than light directed toward the seats in the theatre and to allow sound waves to pass through the liner.

In some aspects of the cinema screen, the liner is a black mask.

In some aspects of the cinema screen, the cinema screen includes an optical diffusing surface that can be positioned between the matrix of light emitters and the seats for viewers of a cinema presentation. The optical diffusing surface is configured for diffusing light from the matrix of light emitters. The optical diffusing surface has perforations that, with the spaces, are configured for allowing sound waves to pass from behind the cinema screen to the front of the cinema screen.

In some aspects of the cinema screen, the cinema screen includes an optical element between the light emitters and the optical diffusing surface.

In some aspects of the cinema screen, the optical element is a waveguide or a lens.

In some aspects of the cinema screen, the perforations are positioned between areas on the optical diffusing surface that are configured to be lighted areas.

In some aspects of the cinema screen, the light emitters are positioned between black material and the optical diffusing surface in front of the light emitters.

In some aspects of the cinema screen, the optical diffusing surface can be positioned with respect to the matrix of light emitters such that at least some of the perforations are aligned with at least some of the spaces to prevent undiffused light from being viewable at the seats in the theatre.

In an example, a light emitting display can be positioned in a theatre for displaying a cinema presentation. The light emitting display includes a matrix of light emitters and an optical diffusing surface. The matrix of light emitters form a light emitting area of the light emitting display. The light emitters are spaced apart from each other to form spaces between adjacent light emitters. The spaces form an area that can fit a circular body with a diameter that is equal to or greater than a depth dimension of the area of an opening between the light emitters. The optical diffusing surface can be positioned between the matrix of light emitters and seats for viewers of the cinema presentation. The optical diffusing surface is configured for diffusing light from the matrix of light emitters. The optical diffusing surface has perforations that, with the spaces, are configured for allowing sound waves to pass from a back of the light emitting display to a front of the light emitting display that is configured to face the seats.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the light emitting display includes a liner positioned over a portion of the spaces between adjacent light emitters. The liner is configured to absorb light other than light directed toward the seats in the theatre and to allow sound waves to pass through the liner.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the light emitting display includes an optical diffusing surface that can be positioned between the matrix of light emitters and the seats for viewers of the cinema presentation. The optical diffusing surface is configured for diffusing light from the matrix of light emitters. The optical diffusing surface has perforations that, with the spaces, are configured for allowing sound waves to pass from behind the light emitting display to the front of the light emitting display.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the light emitting display includes an optical element between the light emitters and the optical diffusing surface.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the perforations are positioned between areas on the optical diffusing surface that are configured to be lighted areas.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the light emitters are positioned between black material and the optical diffusing surface in front of the light emitters.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the optical diffusing surface can be positioned with respect to the matrix of light emitters such that at least some of the perforations are aligned with at least some of the spaces to prevent undiffused light from being viewable at the seats in the theatre.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the optical diffusing surface is a sheet of material and the perforations have a diameter of equal to or greater than <NUM> (<NUM> inches).

The cinema screen includes a light emitting display that is positioned to emit light toward a viewer seating area in a theatre. The light emitting display has a surface that is configured for reflecting sound waves in multiple directions with respect to the viewer seating area.

In some aspects of the cinema screen, the light emitting display comprises light emitting elements and an optically diffusing surface that can be positioned between the light emitting elements and the viewer seating area. The optically diffusing surface has perforations.

In some aspects of the cinema screen, the surface is a quadratic surface.

In some aspects of the cinema screen, the cinema screen includes an optical element between the light emitting elements and the optically diffusing surface.

In an example, a cinema screen system includes a matrix of light emitters and sound wave emitters. The matrix of light emitters has spaces between adjacent light emitters. The matrix of light emitters is configured to provide a light emitting display area of a cinema screen. The sound wave emitters are positioned in the spaces between adjacent light emitters of the matrix of light emitters or positioned behind the cinema screen such that the cinema screen is between the sound wave emitters and an audience seating area in a theatre.

In some aspects of the cinema screen system, the sound wave emitters include printed circuit board with loudspeakers configured for directing sound away from a viewer. The sound wave emitters are positioned further from a cinema seating area than at least one light emitter of the matrix of light emitters.

In some aspects of the cinema screen system, each of the sound wave emitters has an acoustic cavity to direct sound from a loudspeaker through the light emitting display toward the cinema seating area.

In some aspects of the cinema screen system, the cinema screen system includes an optical diffusing surface that can be positioned between the matrix of light emitters and seats for viewers of a cinema presentation. The optical diffusing surface is configured for diffusing light from the matrix of light emitters. The optical diffusing surface has perforations that, with the spaces, are in front of the sound wave emitters for allowing sound waves to pass through the optical diffusing surface to the seats.

In some aspects of the cinema screen system, the cinema screen system includes a liner positioned over a portion of the spaces between adjacent light emitters. The liner is configured to absorb light and to allow sound waves to pass through the liner.

In some aspects of the cinema screen system, the liner is a black mask.

In an example, a method includes emitting light toward a seating area in a theatre by a light emitting display having a matrix of light emitting elements on a front portion thereof. The matrix of light emitting elements define spaces between adjacent light emitting elements. The method also includes emitting sound from a source positioned behind the light emitting display through the spaces and toward the seating area.

In an example, a seat can be positioned in a theatre with an image presentation display. The seat includes a seat platform and a back support. The back support is coupled to the seat platform at a bottom portion of the back support. The back support includes a top portion that is opposite to the bottom portion. The top portion includes (i) a left loudspeaker positioned in a left area of the top portion and (ii) a right loudspeaker positioned in a right area of the top portion. The left loudspeaker and the right loudspeaker are configured for outputting audio signals as sound waves such that the sound waves from the left loudspeaker and the right loudspeaker at a seated position in the seat have an apparent source of a loudspeaker arrangement positioned outside of a seating area for the image presentation display.

In some aspects of the seat, the left loudspeaker and the right loudspeaker are configured for outputting the audio signals that are modified by a controller as the sound waves.

In some aspects of the seat, the top portion is a headrest.

In some aspects of the seat, the image presentation display is a light emitting display.

In some aspects of the seat, the light emitting display is configured to prevent sound from emanating from the light emitting display.

In some aspects of the seat, the light emitting display has an image area that is larger than <NUM> (<NUM> feet) horizontally or <NUM> (<NUM> feet) vertically.

In an example, a sound system is for a cinema theatre with a light emitting display. The sound system includes a left loudspeaker, a right loudspeaker, and a controller. The left loudspeaker can be positioned in a left area of a top portion of a back support for a seat. The back support includes a bottom portion that is opposite to the top portion and that couples the back support to a seat platform. The right loudspeaker can be positioned in a right area of the top portion. The controller is communicatively coupled to the left loudspeaker and the right loudspeaker for providing audio signals to the left loudspeaker and the right loudspeaker such that sound waves from the left loudspeaker and the right loudspeaker at a seated position in the seat have an apparent source of a loudspeaker arrangement positioned outside of a seating area of the light emitting display.

In an example, a controller is for controlling sound waves in a theatre that includes a light emitting display. The controller includes a processor device and a non-transitory memory device that includes instructions that are executable by the processor device to cause the controller to modify audio signals and transmit modified audio signals to a left loudspeaker and a right loudspeaker that are in a top portion of a back support for a seat in the theatre such that sound waves from the left loudspeaker and the right loudspeaker at a seated position in the seat have an apparent source of a loudspeaker arrangement positioned outside of a seating area of the light emitting display.

In accordance with the invention, a theatre comprising the inventive cinema screen as set forth in claim <NUM> and a corresponding method of emitting light by the inventive cinema screen as set forth in claim <NUM> are provided.

In some aspects of the method, the sensor is mounted within the light emitting display.

In an example, a light emitting display includes light emitting elements on a display surface. The light emitting elements are configured for outputting light representing a visual presentation to an audience seating area in a theatre. The light emitting display also includes means for absorbing sound waves incident on the display surface.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the means includes a porous absorbing material to absorb the sound waves incident on the display surface.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the means includes a resonance absorbing structure to absorb sound waves incident on the display surface.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the light emitting display includes an enclosure and a substrate. The enclosure defines at least part of the display surface. The substrate is on the enclosure. The light emitters are mounted on the substrate. The substrate has an opening positioned between at least some of the light emitters. The enclosure defines a space therein for absorbing the sound waves entering the opening.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the light emitting display includes an acoustically porous material positioned in at least part of the space defined by the enclosure.

In some aspects of the light emitting display, the enclosure defining the space is tuned to resonate at a plurality of wavelengths of sound waves.

Certain aspects and features relate to light emitting displays and sound systems for use in cinemas for cinema presentations. Various examples are provided to configure a light emitting display for a cinema immersive environment that integrates a sound system to achieve the same or better immersive conditions in cinema theatres with front projection cinema screens. The screen can be active with light emitters, rather than being passive and solely reflecting light projected from a projector. Certain examples provide a light emitting system with a sound system that can overcome issues otherwise present with respect to using a light emitting system for a theatre experience. The terms "display" and "screen" are used interchangeably throughout the description.

In some examples, spaces are formed between adjacent light emitters in the display to allow for sound waves to pass from sound wave emitters, such as loudspeakers, positioned behind the screen to a viewing seating area in a cinema in front of the screen. Loudspeakers can be positioned in the spaces or behind the screen. Diffusers or other structures may be positioned proximate to a front of the screen to facilitate visual performance. In addition or in the alternative, loudspeakers can be positioned in each seat of the viewing seating area that produce sound waves that appear to be coming from a non-seating location in the theatre. These and other examples can enhance sound performance in a theatre that includes a light emitting display.

Cinema environments for light emitting displays can be different from viewing environments most viewers have come to experience with light emitting displays used at home, or for advertisement displays used indoors and outdoors. Light emitting displays, such as those currently available for home entertainment systems and video walls, have light emitters spaced closely together so viewers who stand closer to the display do not notice individual pixels of image or space between image pixels. Light emitting displays for advertisement used outdoors or at large venue events in daylight have extremely bright image pixels that use a significant amount of energy to power the larger displays and produce much heat. Such displays used indoors can produce a significant amount of heat that would need to be removed from a confined space of a cinema auditorium; hence, these displays may not be considered a good fit for cinema use. Furthermore, a light emitting screen can prevent sound waves from passing through such that application to theatre use is challenging.

Certain aspects and features of the present disclosure can address one or more of these or other issues and allow light emitting display configurations to be integrated with sound systems in ways that are mutually beneficial.

A cinema screen in a theatre with viewing seats and a sound system with multiple loudspeakers is shown in <FIG>. The screen <NUM> is a light emitting screen. One loudspeaker arrangement shown in <FIG> has loudspeakers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> positioned behind the screen <NUM> so that the screen is between the front loudspeakers and the viewing seat area <NUM> with rows of seats. Additional loudspeakers <NUM>, <NUM> can be positioned along the side walls of the theatre and aimed to provide sound for viewers in the viewing seats. Loudspeakers <NUM>, <NUM> can also be positioned along the wall at an opposite end of the viewing seat area <NUM> from which the light emitting screen <NUM> is positioned. The light emitting screen <NUM> can be constructed differently than traditional light emitting displays such that sound from the loudspeakers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> passes through the screen <NUM> to a viewer when the light emitting screen <NUM> is positioned between loudspeakers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and a screen viewing position in the viewing seat area <NUM>.

In some examples, the brightness of the light provided by the light emitting screen <NUM> can be changed in response to changes in ambient light levels in a theatre. For example, the audience may be wearing white or light colored clothing that reflect image light from the light emitting screen <NUM> and that can cause the ambient light in the room to increase. Or, one or more audience members may use a device, such as a cellular phone, that produces light and contributes to the ambient light in the theatre. In other examples, the level of ambient light can decrease during the visual presentation. A sensor <NUM> can be positioned in the theatre to detect a change in ambient light in the theatre. In some aspects, the sensor <NUM> is embedded within the light emitting screen <NUM>. For example, the sensor <NUM> may filter light from the light emitting screen <NUM> or be positioned to avoid receiving much, if any, light from the light emitting screen <NUM>, to detect the level of ambient light. In response, a controller or another device communicatively coupled to the light emitting screen <NUM> can cause the light emitting screen <NUM> to output light for the visual presentation at a different level of brightness that accounts for the changes in ambient light in the theatre.

If the average brightness is different between different visual presentations, the sensor <NUM> can capture the difference and communicate the difference to allow a show brightness to be changed to compensate for increased ambient light. For example, viewers in an auditorium during the summer months may have light colored attire whereas an empty theatre with a few viewers can have dark colored seats exposed to absorb more light in the theatre. The displayed content can have a light level, in view of an ambient light level, that is high enough such that a viewer with a lit up cell phone display is less disturbing to an adjacent viewer. While this light sensor <NUM> may be located in any space in or near the viewing area, there can be advantages to locating at least one light sensor <NUM> at the screen <NUM> or in the screen gap areas. The light sensor <NUM> at the screen <NUM> may detect the amount of light reflected back to the screen <NUM>. This light sensor can respond to both the intensity of the pixels surrounding it by light rays that are misdirected from the light source to the gap area, but also the light returning to the screen <NUM> from the ambient environment. This combination of information can be used to achieve the best drive intensity for the entire display or subsections of the display. For example, if a particular portion of a screen is "washed out" by light from a door, compensation can be achieved to boost contrast levels of the image.

<FIG> depicts a segment of a light emitting display in which an array of tiles form the light emitting display, according to one example. The light emitting tile can include a matrix <NUM> of individual light emitting elements as light emitters <NUM>, such as LEDs, OLEDs, micro LEDs, or pixel fiber optics, with gaps (also referred to as spaces) between the individual light emitters <NUM>. The gaps can be openings between the individual light emitters. A "light emitter" in general is a device or element that transmits light, rather than a device or system that solely reflects light. The individual light emitters <NUM> can be electrically connected with addressable conductive lines <NUM> routed between the individual light emitters <NUM> that have a physical dimension that takes up a small portion of the space available between the individual light emitters <NUM>. The gaps may be relatively large and when viewed from a sufficient distance from the display surface (such as in a theatre environment), the gaps between the individual light emitters <NUM> may not be easily perceived by the viewer. In a cinema theatre, a front seat can be positioned a prescribed distance from the screen, such as a quarter or half a screen width back from the screen surface. For example, a screen width in a cinema can range from <NUM> (<NUM> feet) to <NUM> (<NUM> feet) or more in which the front seat position can be positioned <NUM> (<NUM> feet) to <NUM> (<NUM> feet) from the screen light emitting surface respectively.

Angular resolution below a threshold of perceiving a discrete image pixel on the screen can be achieved for larger spacing between image pixels on a display when the viewer is positioned further back from the display. The spacing between the light emitters <NUM> can be sized such that the angular resolution from a viewing position is below a predetermined threshold of angular resolution. For example, one acceptable criterion for a digital projection system projecting a <NUM> image (i.e., <NUM> pixels wide) onto a forty-foot screen can be image pixels that have a width of <NUM> (<NUM> inches) and the image pixels are viewed from a distance of <NUM> (<NUM> feet) to <NUM> (<NUM> feet) or more from the screen. The resulting angular resolution from an acceptable condition of viewing image pixels of a specified width from a specified distance can serve as an angular threshold reference. The further away the closest seat is to the display in a cinema, the less perceptible larger gaps can be between the light emitters <NUM>.

The gaps between the individual light emitters <NUM> can allow sound to pass between the light emitters <NUM> from loudspeakers positioned behind the matrix <NUM> of light emitters <NUM>. To be effective at allowing sound to pass through the matrix <NUM> of individual light emitters <NUM>, the gaps between the individual light emitters <NUM> can be an area that is relatively large with respect to the depth of the openings in the matrix <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a space <NUM> between two light emitters <NUM> and a depth <NUM> of the light emitters <NUM> according to one example. The light emitters <NUM> can be used, for example, in the light emitting display of <FIG>. In addition to the depth <NUM>, the depth considered for sound system configurations can include the depth of the support structure (e.g., a printed circuit board) on which the individual light emitters <NUM> are mounted. Perforated screens for front projection can have a perforation dimension of <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> inches) and a screen thickness in the range of <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> inches). Openings in light emitting screens can have a diameter that is equal to or greater than the depth of the opening. For example, a circular body with a diameter that is equal to or greater than a depth dimension of the area of the opening can be fit between light emitters <NUM>. The depth of the emitter panel can have a dimension that is considerably greater than the thickness of a vinyl screen used in front projection screen; therefore, the space between the individual light emitters <NUM> can be sized such that the space with a depth does not cause undesirable resonances to occur for sound waves. For example, if the depth of the space between individual emitters is <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> inches), then the gap between the individual light emitters <NUM> can be of similar dimension or greater to avoid creating undesirable conditions for sound passing through the light emitting matrix on the tile.

A light emitting screen panel with gaps between individual light emitters in at least a portion of the panel can allow sound to pass through the screen. For example, <FIG> outlines a light emitter panel <NUM> that has portions <NUM> in which there are gaps between light emitters. The gaps can be space in which sound is able to pass through the matrix of light emitters. A portion of the light emitter matrix on the tile <NUM> has light emitters with the same spacing as the light emitters in the portions <NUM>; however, the gaps in the light emitter matrix <NUM> may not be the same, or may even be absent, to provide better an area for physical support of the tile on the display or screen structure.

By placing the light emitting panels <NUM> next to each other for an increased display area, the spacing between the individual light emitters can be the same between the light emitter panels as the spacing between the individual light emitters within the light emitting panel matrix.

Light emitter displays that have increased spacing between individual light emitters, as described above, can make alignment easier between panels to keep the spacing between light emitters constant over the full area of the screen. Smaller screen sizes can have smaller gaps, making alignment of panels more difficult to maintain a constant light emitter gap spacing across the whole screen.

In an alternate approach to configuring the matrix of light emitter on a tile, the spacing between light emitters can be random or pseudo random within the light emitter tile. The random spacing between light emitters within a tile can be consistent with random spacing between light emitters between adjacent tiles.

In some examples, the tile or panel edges can be contoured to be perceived as being random or pseudo random to eliminate any noticeable visual differences between tiles where edges meet. In <FIG>, two panels <NUM> have edge contours <NUM> that are more random. The panels <NUM> can be rotated <NUM> degrees such that the panels are diagonally positioned, which can make the contours more difficult to be perceived by a viewer. <FIG> shows two panels <NUM> that have an interlocking saw tooth edge <NUM>. Although the edge contour is not random, the edge <NUM> can be significantly discontinuous that it can be less perceptible.

The increased gap space between individual light emitters can reduce the overall brightness of the display in the cinema theatre. But, unlike displays for home use with high ambient light viewing conditions, the cinema theatre can have very low levels of ambient light. In this situation, a viewer's eye can adjust to lower lighting conditions with a dilated pupil such that the amount of light required to stimulate daylight image scenes in a theatre can be much less than the amount of light needed for a display in a high ambient light situation.

The brightness of the light emitter can vary such that in night scenes (e.g., the media content being displayed includes scenes in dark or low light), the light emitter brightness can be increased to increase spatial contrast. For example, a night scene in which image pixels of a star or the moon in a night sky can be made to have a pixel brightness that is the maximum brightness of the pixel light emitter, thereby maximizing spatial image contrast. During a daylight scene where the majority of the image pixels are bright, the emitters may not be driven at full brightness but instead can be driven at a reduced brightness such that the viewer's eyes are not overwhelmed at a daylight scene as if emerging from a dark room to daylight.

Any of the matrix structures between the individual light emitters can be made black in color to absorb incident light originating from other sources, such as reflected light from the audience to the display or from cross lighting from other portions of the display, in particular if the display is a curved display. Black material that is a liner that can absorb light and is transparent to sound, such a scrim or similar cloth like material, can be placed behind the matrix to absorb light directed at the screen yet still allow sound to pass.

The matrix of light emitters can also be positioned behind a black mask material with a hole in front of each light emitter to allow light from the light emitter to pass through the mask to a viewer. The mask can be a liner that absorbs incident light and is transparent to sound. The liner can be made from any suitable material, examples of which include scrim or a black cloth material or other porous material. The mask can also manage or deterministically modify the sound to improve observer characteristics.

In some examples, a light diffusing sheet or membrane is positioned in front of the light emitter panel, between the light emitter and a viewer. Light emitted from an individual light emitter in the matrix can be directed at a portion of the diffuser sheet such that the spot of light on the diffuser sheet surface from the light emitter is larger than the area of the light emitter. The light emitters output light such that the divergence of light radiating from the light emitter covers an area on the diffuser sheet sufficient to reduce the appearance of gaps between the individual light emitters, as perceived by a viewer viewing the light emitting display with the frontal diffuser sheet.

<FIG> shows a portion of a light emitting panel <NUM> with a matrix of four individual light emitters <NUM> positioned behind a light diffuser <NUM> that is a sheet. The light emitter <NUM> can output light to diverge from an optical axis of the light emitter <NUM> such that a light spot <NUM> is created on the diffuser <NUM>. The viewer <NUM> can see a larger image pixel of light on the diffuser <NUM> than the physical size of the pixel of light at the light emitter <NUM>. The diffuser <NUM> can reduce the size of the gaps <NUM> between the individual light emitters <NUM>. The light emitter <NUM> can include a dome lens to cause the light to diverge to the desired area on the diffuser <NUM>. A light absorbing material <NUM> can be located behind the light emitters <NUM> to absorb stray light that is reflected back towards the light emitters <NUM> by the light diffuser <NUM>, while allowing sound waves representing audio signals to pass through. The light absorbing material <NUM> can be black scrim or black cloth that is transparent to sound waves.

An alternate light emitter configuration is shown in <FIG>. The light emitter configuration has an optical element, such as an optical reflector <NUM>, to direct light from a light emitter <NUM> to an optical diffusing surface, such as diffuser <NUM>, with a defined space and light scattering profile. The diffuser <NUM> can be mounted to the reflector <NUM> or the diffuser <NUM> can be a sheet that covers a matrix of reflectors. The light emitter <NUM> can represent one light emitter or more than one light emitter. For example, the light emitter <NUM> can be three light emitters, one for each primary color such as red, green, and blue. A black mask <NUM> can be placed in the area between or behind the light emitters <NUM> to absorb light incident on the display, and the black mask can be transparent to sound.

The reflector <NUM>, without the diffuser <NUM>, can direct light towards a viewing area. A light emitting screen or display can include reflectors that direct light in a predefined way to the viewer seats such that the screen has a gain that is the same as, or similar to, a gain of a high-gain cinema screen often used in cinemas for front projection. A light emitting display that has light emitters with reflectors can also have the reflectors positioned or aimed differently with respect to each other over the screen area to provide a custom spatial light distribution or light gain profile over the viewing seats and can reduce the light hot spot that is typical of high gain screens used in front projection cinema screens. For example, the light reflectors can be positioned and aimed to provide a more even spatial light distribution over the seating area by all the light emitters.

Instead of an engineered optical diffuser specifically positioned on each reflector, an optical diffuser sheet or liner can be in front of the reflector or the light emitting matrix with the light emitting elements but without the reflector portion. The diffuser sheet can become a barrier to sound passing through the gaps between the individual light emitters. Perforations in an optically diffusing surface, such as the diffuser sheet, however, can be arranged such that the perforations are placed in the gaps between the lighted areas or lighted spots formed on the diffuser sheet. Returning to <FIG>, a perforation <NUM> is shown positioned in the portion with gaps <NUM> on the diffuser <NUM> that is a sheet between the lighted areas or light spots <NUM> to allow sound waves from the direction <NUM> to pass through the display from behind. The diffuser <NUM> can be as thin as, or thinner than, the screen material used for front projection systems to minimize the depth of the perforation dimension. The thickness of the diffuser <NUM> can be as low as <NUM> micrometers, provided that no objectionable visual artifacts are observable by lack of rigidity due to thickness. Alignment of the perforation <NUM> with the gaps on the diffuser <NUM> can avoid undiffused light originating directly from a light emitter from reaching the viewer's eye. Waveguides or a barrier to direct light from the light emitter to the area of the diffuser can prevent emitted light from passing through the openings to allow sound through.

An additional or alternate approach to a display that allows sound to pass therethrough for optimizing the integration of a sound system with light emitting display system by having a sound system that is local to the viewer. For large displays, such as displays sized <NUM> (<NUM> feet) or more horizontally or <NUM> (<NUM> feet) or more vertically, sound that originates at the display perimeter may no longer provide a quality audible presentation. By having a sound system be more local to a viewer (e.g., in the seat of viewer) in the theatre with the large display system, the audio portion can be presented to the viewer without being disadvantaged by the larger screen size. This configuration may not involve sound waves passing through the light emitter display as described above and can avoid having the potential of a visual artifact of light passing through the perforations of the diffuser sheet to a viewer.

A theatre configuration shown in <FIG> has an image presentation display <NUM> that may prevent (or substantially prevent) sound waves from passing through the display <NUM> from behind the display <NUM> to a viewer positioned in a seat <NUM> in front of the display <NUM>. The image presentation display <NUM> can be a light emitting display. The seat <NUM> can include a sound system. An example of a seat <NUM> usable for such an environment is shown in <FIG>. A viewer can sit on a seat platform <NUM> such that the viewer's head is placed in the vicinity of the headrest <NUM>, or another type of top portion of a back support, with a right-positioned loudspeaker <NUM> in a right area and a left-positioned loudspeaker <NUM> in a left area. The headrest <NUM> can be mounted on the top portion of the back support <NUM> of the seat platform <NUM>. Each loudspeaker mounted in the headrest <NUM> can spread sound with a specific spatial distribution. For example, the loudspeaker's spatial distribution can be narrow such that the sound is directed towards the space in which a viewer's ear is located or the sound distribution can result in the sound being directed at an ear of an adult positioned in the seat platform <NUM> or at an ear position of a child seated in seat platform <NUM>.

An alternate configuration of loudspeakers positioned in the headrest of a viewer's seat is shown as a top view in <FIG> where the left loudspeaker <NUM> and the right loudspeaker <NUM> in headrest <NUM> for a seat <NUM> are directed with their axis of sound towards the seat positon of the seat platform <NUM> behind the seat <NUM>. The spatial sound distribution <NUM>, shown as dashed lines, from the left loudspeaker <NUM> is directed to the positon of a viewer's left ear positioned in the seat platform <NUM>. Likewise, the spatial sound distribution <NUM>, shown as dashed lines, from the right loudspeaker <NUM> is directed to the position of a viewer's right ear positioned in seat platform <NUM>. The spatial distribution of sound from the left loudspeaker and the right loudspeaker can cover the range of positions of a left ear and right ear, regardless of whether an adult or a child is seated in the viewing seat.

Cinema theatres can receive sound tracks intended for standard-type theatre sound system configurations. In a cinema with loudspeakers positioned among the theatre seats, such as those shown in <FIG>, a sound processor or controller can control the signals going to each loudspeaker. A sound processor using appropriate algorithms can alter sound data from the sound tracks. The altered sound signals can be provided to the seat headrest loudspeakers for output such that the acoustical characteristics mimic sound as if loudspeakers are positioned behind the screen or in other non-seating areas of the theatre. The listener can perceive sound as originating from the locations that loudspeakers would have occupied.

One example of the algorithm for the sound processor can involve combining audio content on five channels of sound tracks intended for a sound system with several loudspeaker locations in an auditorium for binaural presentation-into two channels for a sound system that has two loudspeakers: one loudspeaker directed to a listener's left ear and the second loudspeaker directed to the listener's right ear. The audio content originating from the original multiple channels can be processed by determining and using transfer functions that represent the audio response of a listener's left and right ear in a sound system where the listener receives sound from the ideal locations of the loudspeakers that would have been located in the auditorium. The transfer functions can be a set of individual transfer functions in which one transfer function represents the audio response at the listener's left ear location or the listener's right ear location for audio content presented by one of the loudspeakers. In one example, transfer functions can be derived from a binaural recording or measurement made at the listener's position, or a model or calculation simulating the geometry of listener and reproducing transducers, for an audio signal presented at each of the auditorium loudspeaker locations. Combining the transfer functions of each of the auditorium loudspeaker positions with respect to a listener's left-ear position and combining the transfer functions for each of the auditorium loudspeaker positions with respect to the listener's right-ear position can allow sound data intended for multiple sound channels to be modified and used for two sound channels in a two loudspeaker position system, such as a two-loudspeaker system in a seat, for which sound can be directed from a left loudspeaker toward a listener's left ear and sound can be directed from a right loudspeaker toward a listener's right ear.

An enhancement of the seat loudspeaker configuration can be that signal processing for the seat loudspeakers or groups of seat loudspeakers is independent of image content shown on the screen and can be performed to suit the geometry of the seat location with respect to the screen position. The sound tracks intended for the loudspeakers positioned in the seating area can be modified for each seat loudspeaker set or groups of seat loudspeakers -- a left loudspeaker and a right loudspeaker can be a set -- to compensate for a specific seat position relative to the screen position to create an audio perspective among theatre seats consistent with respect to their position relative to the screen.

Loudspeakers can be positioned in the headrest such that the headrest can be replaced for servicing purposes. An audio signal can drive the headrest loudspeaker through an electrical connection in the headrest mount <NUM> in <FIG>. In other examples, the audio signal can be received wirelessly by the loudspeaker and the loudspeaker can be powered electrically via a wired connection through the headrest mount or via a wireless power transfer. The loudspeaker can also be powered by a battery in the headrest. Listeners can experience the standard cinema audio file through the headrest loudspeakers alone. Certain audio file sound tracks, such as sound tracks intended for sub base frequencies, can also be directed to separate loudspeakers in the auditorium.

A functional block diagram in <FIG> shows an example of a system of processing sound data intended for loudspeakers in the auditorium. A processor <NUM> can execute instructions, such as an audio engine <NUM>, stored in a memory device <NUM> to modify sound data received and directs the modified sound data to be used in loudspeakers in the vicinity of the seats such as the head rest loudspeakers. In <FIG>, the processor <NUM> receives an audio file with multiple sound tracks. The processor <NUM> can execute instructions to extract the sound data from the sound tracks intended for the loudspeakers in the auditorium. The extracted sound data can be modified by a predetermined algorithm to create the sound track data to be used in the loudspeakers positioned within the seating area. The predetermined algorithms can be based on Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) methods that allow complete sound fields to be realized where the points of origin of the sound channels are perceived to be in the intended locations. In the example shown in <FIG> there are two sound tracks used: one for the left loudspeaker <NUM>, <NUM> and one for the right loudspeaker <NUM>, <NUM>. The processor <NUM> can output the modified audio signals to the audio amplifiers <NUM>, <NUM> that in turn provides the signal to the left loudspeaker and the right loudspeaker such that sound waves from the left loudspeaker and the right loudspeaker at a seated position in the seat have an apparent source of a loudspeaker arrangement positioned outside of a seating area of the light emitting display. In some examples, the processor <NUM> and memory device <NUM> can together form a controller for controlling sound signals provided to the loudspeakers. In other examples, the controller also includes the audio amplifiers <NUM>, <NUM>. The memory device <NUM> may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes program instructions.

Alternatively, the processor can process the sound data or sound signal already extracted from the audio file as depicted by block <NUM> in <FIG> that shows the first to the nth track of sound data received by the processor. Using the predetermined algorithm that has already been loaded up into the processor, the received sound data or sound signal can be modified to produce the sound data or sound signal intended for the loudspeakers positioned within the seating area. Block <NUM> can include a processor device executing instructions stored as an audio engine <NUM> in a memory device <NUM> to output the created soundtrack data to the audio amplifiers <NUM>, <NUM> that in turn provide the signal to the left loudspeaker and right loudspeaker.

A light emitting display (such as light emitting display <NUM> in <FIG>) that prevents (or substantially prevents) sound waves from passing through the display can be optimized in other ways. For example, the display can be optimized to absorb incident light more effectively or to reflect sound in multiple directions more effectively.

A light emitting display without loudspeakers positioned behind the display has a surface that reflects sound in multiple directions to reduce any audio reverberations. For example, a display can be curved so that the display surface is slightly convex with respect to the audience viewing position such that sound spreads outwards as opposed to a concave curvature surface that reflects sound to converge towards the audience. The convex curved light emitting display surface can be tilted vertically towards the audience (e.g., the top edge of the display can be tilted towards the seating area while the bottom edge of the screen remains at the same position) so as to direct more light from the display light emitters to the audience and reflect any sound from the audience area away from the audience in multiple directions when reflecting off the display surface. An alternate approach may include the display surface having multiple reflective surfaces in segments (such as having a quadratic surface) that causes the sound to reflect in a set of directions. The light emitting display can also have a membrane between the light emitters and a viewer. The membrane can absorb at least some sound or allow sound to pass through to be absorbed by a substrate or structure behind the membrane.

In some examples, sound waves from a viewing seating position can be absorbed by a light emitting display to improve the auditory experience of sound waves associated with the visual presentation. <FIG> depicts a cross section of a portion of a light emitting display <NUM> retained in an enclosure <NUM> with light emitters <NUM> positioned on a substrate <NUM> according to one example. Openings or holes <NUM> can be included through the substrate <NUM> between the light emitters <NUM>. The space <NUM> behind the holes <NUM> can include acoustical absorbing material <NUM> or the space behind the holes can be a tuned cavity using a partition <NUM>. The cavities can be tuned to a narrow or broad band of wavelengths of sound waves that resonate at different wavelengths of sound waves, or the display can have a distribution of different absorbing features, so that a broader range of wavelengths of sound waves over the area of the display can be absorbed or otherwise controlled.

Light and sound waves incident onto the display surface can be absorbed by the acoustical absorbing material <NUM> in the enclosure space <NUM> or the cavities. The substrate <NUM> between the light emitters <NUM> can be black in color to absorb light and the holes <NUM> between the light emitters <NUM> can allow sound waves coming from the viewer position to be absorbed. For example, the acoustical absorbing material <NUM> positioned within the enclosure <NUM> or panel can absorb or substantially absorb sound waves from the viewer's side that passes through the holes <NUM>. A variety of acoustical absorbing materials can be used. Examples include an acoustically porous material, such as a fiber material (e.g., fiberglass and wood fibers) or open cell foams specifically configured for sound absorption, and a membrane material, such as a physically dense film. Additionally or alternately, the holes <NUM> can lead to a volume of space on the back side of the substrate <NUM> such that the holes <NUM> and chamber behind the holes <NUM> form a resonance absorbing structure, such as a tuned cavity to absorb sound waves (e.g., similar to a Helmholtz acoustical absorber). The space behind the substrate <NUM> can be substantial in that physically larger acoustic absorbing elements can be used.

Another approach to optimizing the integration of a sound system with light in a cinema emitting display system is shown in <FIG> in which sound may not pass through the light emitter display, but the sound can be produced at the display surface in place of sound being directed at the display from behind when positioning the loudspeakers behind and in close proximity of the display. A cinema theatre can include a light emitting screen <NUM> in which portions of the light emitting screen have sound emitters placed in between the light emitters. For example, the portion <NUM> of the screen <NUM> can be the location at which a matrix of sound emitters at the display surface can be grouped to produce sound for a loudspeaker that would have been positioned behind the screen such as the front left loudspeaker <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The portion <NUM> of the screen can be the location at which a matrix of sound emitters at the display surface can be grouped to produce sound for a loudspeaker that would have been positioned behind the screen such as the front center loudspeaker <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The portion <NUM> of the screen can be the location at which a matrix of sound emitters at the display surface can be grouped to produce sound for a loudspeaker that would have been positioned behind the screen such as the front right loudspeaker <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The screen <NUM> can be constructed to emit sound and light that are directed toward the viewing seat area <NUM>. The loudspeakers <NUM>, <NUM> can be loudspeakers that are similar as the loudspeakers <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively, in <FIG>. Loudspeakers <NUM>, <NUM> positioned at the back of the viewing seat area <NUM> can be similar to the loudspeakers <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively, as shown in <FIG>.

Screen <NUM> can have a light emitter matrix, as shown in <FIG>, that has light emitters <NUM> that can be electrically interconnected, as shown in <FIG>. Sound emitters <NUM> can be placed in the space between the light emitters <NUM>. The light emitters and the sound emitters can also be mounted on the same side of a common mounting substrate such as a printed circuit board. A screen can be formed with a number of display panels and a display panel can include a number of light emitters and a number of sound emitters as shown in <FIG> such that the display panel can provide an image and sound for an audio visual presentation. During display panel fabrication, the light emitters and the sound emitters can be populated using the same or similar pick and place production process on a printed circuit board or panel board or panel infrastructure since the components to be placed are larger than light emitters on LCD and LED monitors used on desktop computers. The assembly process for a display panel can be performed by placing light emitters and sound emitters on large area substrates configured to mount semiconductor and other discrete devices. Sound emitters can be small electromagnetic, electrostatic, or piezoelectric transducers for emitting sound. The sound transducer can be a voice coil actuated type or other type of diaphragm actuated system.

If the gaps between the light emitters are large enough, the sound emitter can fit in the space between the light emitters as shown in <FIG>. If the sound emitter is of a larger size, it can be placed in a second matrix of sound emitters that can be attached on or positioned with respect to a first matrix of light emitters from behind. Alternatively, the light emitters can be attached to one side of a printed circuit board and the sound emitters can be attached to the other side. Port holes or gaps in the printed circuit board between the light emitters can be made to allow the sound from the sound emitters mounted on the backside of the printed circuit board to pass through the board to the front side of the printed circuit board where the light emitters are mounted. <FIG> show alternative ways a matrix of sound emitters can be positioned with respect to a matrix of light emitters when the sound emitters are positioned behind the light emitters with respect to a viewer of the light emitting display. The light emitters can be positioned with respect to the sound emitters and the gaps between the light emitters to minimize the influence that the light emitters can have in interfering with sound in the sound path of the sound emitters and in influencing the spatial sound distribution and the frequency response of the sound emitters. <FIG> shows the sound emitters <NUM> symmetrically placed with respect to the light emitters <NUM> such that the lighter emitters may only influence the radiated sound at the peripheral portion of the sound emanating from the sound emitter. <FIG> shows a larger sound emitter <NUM> that can be placed symmetrically with respect to the light emitters <NUM> at the periphery and one light emitter positioned at the center of the sound emitter. The display panel can include a light emitter matrix and a sound emitter matrix such that the panel is one device. The spacing between the light emitters can be random and spacing between the sound emitters can be random but the light emitters and sound emitters can be spatially aligned with each other.

<FIG> shows another configuration <NUM> in which the sound emitter <NUM> is mounted on the backside of a printed circuit board substrate <NUM> and the light emitter <NUM> is mounted on the front side of the substrate <NUM>. The sound emitter <NUM> has an enclosure <NUM> that can be an acoustic cavity so that sound from the sound emitter <NUM> is directed through the holes <NUM> in the substrate <NUM>. In front of the substrate <NUM> with the light emitter <NUM> is a light diffuser layer <NUM> and on the front surface of the substrate <NUM> that is not a hole or a light emitter is a black masking material such as a black mask <NUM> or a mask that can be silkscreened onto the substrate <NUM>.

The matrix of sound emitters can output sound waves such that the cumulative sound pressure level of the sound emitters in the matrix of sound emitters is comparable to the sound pressure level produced by loudspeakers placed behind a screen in a cinema theatre with front projection.

The matrix of sound emitters can be positioned over the display such that the matrix of light emitters and the matrix of sound emitters cover the same area of the display. In other examples, the matrix of sound emitters can be limited to portions of the area covered by the matrix of light emitters. For example, the display with a matrix of light emitters can have three sections in which there are three matrices of sound emitters positioned in the display at a position where behind-the-screen loudspeakers would be placed for a front projection screen.

If a diffuser liner is placed over the light emitting matrix depicted in <FIG>, and as described with respect to <FIG>, the diffuser can have perforations to allow the sound to pass through. When the sound emitters are part of the display panel, the position of the perforations can be between the spots of light on the diffuser from the light emitters and positioned over the sound emitters. For example, in <FIG>, the perforations <NUM> are positioned directly over the sound emitters <NUM> and in the gaps between the light spots on the diffuser caused by the light emitters <NUM>. <FIG> depicts each perforation in a light gap positioned between light spots, such as light spots <NUM> shown in <FIG>, having a sound emitter dispersion path positioned behind the perforation. The perforations can be dimensionally the same as perforations in cinema screens for front projection (e.g. <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> inches to <NUM> inches) in diameter or larger diameters). This can be an efficient configuration for emitted sound waves to pass the diffuser to the audience. In <FIG>, the perforations <NUM> are in the gaps positioned between the light spots on the diffuser by light from the light emitters <NUM>. In some examples, <NUM>% or less of the perforations can be positioned directly in front of a sound emitter. <FIG> shows another efficient coupling arrangement between the sound emitted by the sound emitters <NUM> and the perforations <NUM> in that the perforations are in front of sound emitter or in the audio spatial dispersion path of the sound emitters. The area around the light emitters and the sound emitters <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can be a black mask to absorb light reflected back by the diffuser sheet from the light emitters <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

Another theatre configuration with a light emitting display that has a surface configured to reflect sound is shown in <FIG>. Loudspeakers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> can be placed in front of the light emitting display <NUM> and have their sound dispersion path directed to the surface of the light emitting display so the display surface is used to reflect the sound towards the seating area <NUM>. The side loudspeakers <NUM> and <NUM> as well as the rear loudspeakers <NUM> and <NUM> can be placed in the same manner as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>. The loudspeakers in front of the display can be positioned above the floor but outside of the viewer's site lines of the display.

Claim 1:
A cinema screen (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
a light emitting display positionable to emit light towards a viewer seating area in a theatre, characterised in that the light emitting display has a surface that is configured for reflecting sound waves from the viewer seating area in multiple directions that include reflecting sound waves away from the viewer seating area.