EP0608387A1

EP0608387A1 - Method of fast succession and animation of representations on boards

Info

Publication number: EP0608387A1
Application number: EP93901873A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Panaghiotis A. Anagnostopoulos
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-01-17
Filing date: 1993-01-15
Publication date: 1994-08-03
Also published as: GR1001313B; WO1993014485A1

Abstract

Procédé de production de panneaux sur lesquels une scène représentée (dessin, image, photo, etc.), ou une partie de celle-ci, apparaît successivement en mouvement (animation, image animée). Le procédé est caractérisé en ce que ladite scène représentée (dessin, image, photo, etc.) est constituée de bandes parallèles étroites (11) proches les unes des autres, chaque bande portant une partie de la totalité de la scène (Figure 1). Le panneau est constitué d'une succession d'éléments mécaniques (21) (Figure 2) servant à la fois à stocker (dans chaque mécanisme) un grand nombre de bandes dont chacune a un contenu (22) différent, et à présenter rapidement et successivement chacune des bandes au niveau de l'emplacement correspondant dans la scène dans son ensemble. La succession rapide des différentes bandes en des positions successives sur le panneau fait que les scènes se succèdent rapidement (puisque le contenu de l'ensemble des bandes apparaissant constitue la scène d'ensemble). Lorsque chaque scène comporte une image instantanée d'un mouvement continu, la succession rapide des scènes (avec la succession continue des bandes constituant celles-ci) donne au spectateur l'impression de mouvement. Lorsque seul un nombre limité de bandes s'anime, alors on a l'impression que seule une partie de la scène est animée. Selon un mode de réalisation, les bandes successives et différentes dans chaque position forment une feuille longue (23), et chacun des mécanismes précités (21) peut mettre en mouvement chaque feuille de manière à présenter successivement les bandes constituant l'image animée dans chaque partie de la scène.Process for producing panels on which a represented scene (drawing, image, photo, etc.), or a part thereof, appears successively in motion (animation, animated image). The method is characterized in that said depicted scene (drawing, image, photo, etc.) consists of narrow parallel strips (11) close to each other, each strip bearing part of the entire scene (Figure 1) . The panel consists of a succession of mechanical elements (21) (Figure 2) serving both to store (in each mechanism) a large number of strips, each of which has a different content (22), and to present quickly and successively each of the bands at the corresponding location in the scene as a whole. The rapid succession of the various bands in successive positions on the panel causes the scenes to follow one another rapidly (since the content of the set of bands appearing constitutes the overall scene). When each scene contains an instantaneous image of continuous movement, the rapid succession of scenes (with the continuous succession of bands constituting them) gives the viewer the impression of movement. When only a limited number of bands come alive, then it looks like only part of the scene is animated. According to one embodiment, the successive and different strips in each position form a long sheet (23), and each of the aforementioned mechanisms (21) can set each sheet in motion so as to successively present the strips constituting the animated image in each part of the scene.

Description

METHOD OF FAST SUCCESSION AND ANIMATION OF REPRESENTATIONS

ON BOARDS

The invention refers to a method for construction of boards, whereon the appearing representation (drawing, image, photograph etc.) or part thereof, appears successively and in motion (animation, motion picture), which is characterised by the fact that the so appeared representation (drawing, image, photograph etc.) is composed of parallel stripes (11) of small width, placed close to each other, each stripe containing a part of the total representation (Figure 1), whilst the board consists of successive mechanical arrangements (21) (Figure 2), on the one hand for the storing (in each mechanism) of a large number of stripes, each containing different type of contents (22), and on the other hand for the fast succession and representation of each one of the stored stripes at the corresponding location of the total representation, so that the fast succession of different stripes on successive positions on the board results to the fast succession of the representations (the contents of the total appearing stripes composes the overall representation), and if each representation contains a snapshot of a continuous motion, the fast succession of the representations (with the continuous succession of the composing stripes) generates to the viewer the impression of motion, and if a limited number of the total stripes moves, the impression that a part of the representation moves is thus generated, whilst in an embodiment of the invention the successive different stripes at each position form a long sheet (23), and each one of the above mentioned mechanisms (21) can move each sheet in order to successively present the stripes composing the motion picture at each position of the representation.

STATE-OF-THE-ART

It is stressed that the present invention DOES NOT refer to the generation of motion pictures according to the principles applying to cinematography and television. In cinematography, the sense of motion is generated by the fastest successive projection of a series of COMPLETE IMAGES, each one containing a snapshot of the motion, whilst in television the picture is formed by dots (colour TV) or lines (black and white TV), the colour or the tone of which is continuously altered generating thus the motion picture. In both the above mechanisms, lighting and electronic support are required (details of the basic differences and the novelty introduced by the present invention are mentioned herebelow) . Examples of somewhat similar inventions are:

1. Large announcement boards in airports, which are used for announcing the flight arrivals and departures, where the alteration of various parts of the board is possible. That is to say, certain characters and numbers are stored in appropriate locations of the board, which can appear in such a way, that the eventual messages are formed. Those arrangements cannot compose a motion picture, but they almost give the impression of piecewise setting by an automated character succession procedure to each position.

2. Lighted signs of various sizes consisting of illuminated pieces (pixels). Each piece is a light bulb. The succession of lighting on each piece generates the impression of image. The continuous succession of brightness of the pieces, generates the impression of motion. Those images are of low quality and only a schematic impression is generated. The colours or their tone cannot be reproduced.

3. Closer to the spirit of the invention are the signs consisting of triangular prisms (31) that rotate (Figure 3). When all the prisms present one side to one direction, a representation appears, the various sections of which are contained in each side of the prism. Similarly, the two other sides of each prism contain the sections of two other representations. By the simultaneous rotation of the prisms, three representations appear in- total (Figure 3).

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The technical characteristics of the present invention are the following:

1. The representation is composed of a large number of narrow stripes. On each stripe, part of the image is represented. Thus, if the representation is a photograph, on each stripe, part of the photograph is represented. The stripes may be horizontal or vertical.

2. Behind each stripe, a mechanism is placed. The number of mechanisms provided is equal to the stripes composing the representation. The purpose of each mechanism is the fast succession of each stripe's representation. Practically, on the board surface the mechanism presents stripes of different representation at each time. In an embodiment, this is achieved by the rolling of a sheet, which is composed by successive stripes of different representations.

3. With the change of the contents of each stripe by each mechanism (21), the fast succession of representations is achieved. If each representation consists a snapshot of a continuous motion, the representations succession generates to the viewer the impression of motion. If only one part of the stripes is changing subject, then the impression of motion is generated for part of the representation.

The speed of the content change, that is the speed of stripe rolling to each representation position in the preferred embodiment, may alter creating different motion speeds. Actually, the speed is adjusted in order to coincide with the eye capturing ability and thus to create the sense of continuous motion by the succession of the snapshots of each representation. CHARACTERISTICS AND APPLICATIONS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention, which is not similar to any state-of- the-art invention known for the generation of moving representations on boards, is suitable for applications not covered by the known state-of-the-art inventions. The characteristics of the invention, also signifying its applications, are:

1. The representation and the board are visible, being lit either by daylight or by a projector light during night time, in the same way as ordinary objects are visible by the eye. No special projection or lighting conditions are required, as in the television or cinematography.

2. The board may be of any size (i.e. theoretically from a few square centimetres to several square metres). Therefore, the invention is recommended for representations visible from a long distance such as advertising boards, announcement boards, notification boards etc. In a small size, it is recommended for motion representation boards of small dimensions, motion games, small dimension boards etc.

3. The speed of particular movable mechanical parts, that is the stripes succession speed (and therefore the representations succession speed) varies. It is also possible that the motion is not continuous but stepwise according to the progress of each stripe.

4. The motion of the sheet (and therefore of the representations) is either forward or reverse, so that the representation gives the impression of motion towards both directions (forward and reverse).

5. If each stripe of the sheet contains a different subject, the invention provides the "storage" capability of a large number of representations . 6. The invention, due to the capability of generating the impression of motion is recommended for the design and study of representations that require a motion analysis (such as engineering mechanisms, chorographies, cartoons etc.). For the subject use, the ability of replaying the motion, either forward or reverse, is particularly useful.

7. Finally, the representations have the natural colours (e.g. of the photographs or paintings) and are recommended for presentation of slides, portraits, natural images etc., that require a lifelike presentation such as advertisements, touristic matters, decorations of theatrical plays, representations of natural environment, wall lining (instead of a tapestry) etc.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In a first proposed embodiment, the board is composed of mechanisms, as in Figure 4. The representation appears on the front of the board (41). The stripes (47) of the sheets appear on the front side of the beams (42) and are imprinted on the sheets (43) which unwind and rotate by means of cylinders (44) in coordination with the mechanisms (45). The mechanisms (45) consist of the combination of screw (46) and gears (45) which are mounted on each unwinding drum (44). The screw is driven by a motor of constant revolutions for the simultaneous drum rotation and the succession of representations.

In another embodiment (Figure 5), at the end of each drum, a gear (51) is moounted, which collaborates with the respective gear of the next drum. By the transmission of motion from the motor to one of the gears (51), the system rotates in absolute synchronisation.

In a third embodiment (Figure 6), a sprocket (61) is mounted at the edge of each drum, whilst all the drums rotate by means of a chain which drives all the sprockets. The stripes ' material is preferably synthetic with low coefficient of friction when sliding on the beams (62). For the imprinting of the representations, materials like paper, textile etc. may be used. In a preferred embodiment, paper with a transparent synthetic stripe lining is used (Figure 7).

In a fourth embodiment, material with "hairy" surface is used for the sheets, so that the fibers of two stripes placed at the front side of the board and belonging to two adjacent sheets are tangled, thus preventing the discontinuity of the representation between stripes.

In another embodiment, instead of the beams, cylinders (drums) are employed for the reduction of the stripe unwinding friction to the minimum. The surface of the board is formed by the outer half of the surface of the cylinders.

Claims

1. Method for construction of boards, whereon the appearing representation (drawing, image, photograph etc.) or part thereof, appears successively and in motion (animation, motion picture), which is characterised by the fact that the so appeared representation (drawing, image, photograph etc.) is composed of parallel stripes (11) of small width, placed close to each other, each stripe containing a part of the total representation (Figure 1), whilst the board consists of successive mechanical arrangements (21) (Figure 2), on the one hand for the storing (in each mechanism) of a large number of stripes, each containing different type of contents (22), and on the other hand for the fast succession and representation of each one of the stored stripes at the corresponding location of the total representation, so that the fast succession of different stripes on successive positions on the board results to the fast succession of the representations (the contents of the total appearing stripes composes the overall representation), and if each representation contains a snapshot of a continuous motion, the fast succession of the representations (with the continuous succession of the composing stripes) generates to the viewer the impression of motion, and if a limited number of the total stripes moves, the impression that a part of the representation moves is thus generated, whilst in an embodiment of the invention the successive different stripes at each position form a long sheet (23), and each one of the above mentioned mechanisms (21) can move each sheet in order to successively present the stripes composing the motion picture at each position of the representation.

2. Method, as in Claim 1, where the board is formed by a mechanism according to Figure 2, wherein the representation appears on the front view of the board (22), the stripes with the representations appear on the front sides of the beams (24) and are imprinted on sheets (23) which unwind from the drums (21) that rotate in a synchronised way by means of mechanisms, such as a screw (worm gear) and gears, gear assembly, sprockets, driven by the same chain.