SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING SPATIAL ENVIRONMENTS

SYSTEME DE PRODUCTION D'ENVIRONNEMENTS SPATIAUX

English Abstract

There is provided a system for producing spatial environments which variously generates images, lighting, sounds, smells and the like within an indoor space by control of a computer, so that people can experience not only natural environments but also various environments and ambiences similar to experiencing or sensing the actual conditions through the five senses while being in the indoor space. The system for producing spatial environments comprises: a computer for controlling the images, lighting, sounds, smells and operation of each of various devices arranged in the indoor space; an output device positioned within the indoor space, for outputting various signals being input from the computer; and a wall-type display positioned on at least one wall among a plurality of the walls in the indoor space, for displaying the image being input from the computer, wherein the lighting, sounds, smells and/or the like in the indoor space are automatically generated to be suitable to the image being displayed, to produce various ambiences according as time, season, and weather condition change.

French Abstract

Le présent document porte sur un système de production d'environnements spatiaux, lequel sert à engendrer un éventail d'images, d'éclairages, de sons, d'odeurs, etc. dans un espace intérieur au moyen d'un ordinateur. Ainsi, les utilisateurs peuvent non seulement faire l'expérience d'une gamme d'ambiances et d'environnements naturels, mais bien se trouver dans des conditions similaires à ce que leurs sens normaux leur fourniraient dans de telles situations, alors qu'ils se trouvent en réalité dans l'espace intérieur précité. Ledit système comprend un ordinateur servant à réguler les images, la lumière, les sons, les odeurs et le fonctionnement de chacun des dispositifs installés dans la chambre de simulation, un organe de sortie, aussi installé à l'intérieur, pour émettre les divers signaux produits par l'ordinateur, un affichage mural installé sur au moins l'un des murs intérieurs de la pièce pour afficher les images émises par l'ordinateur. Ce système est en outre conçu pour générer automatiquement un éclairage, des sons, des odeurs et d'autres sensations similaires correspondant à l'image affichée de façon à produire diverses ambiances virtuelles, en fonction de la saison, des variations climatiques et de l'heure où elles sont présentées.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A system for producing spatial environments which produces diverse
ambiences by realizing digital images, lighting, sounds, smells in an indoor
space
enclosed within a plurality of walls, comprising:
a computer for controlling the digital images, lighting, sounds, smells and
for
operating each of various devices and motors arranged in the indoor space;
an output device positioned within the indoor space, for outputting digital
images, lighting, sounds, smells based on signals being input from the
computer;
and
a wall-type display positioned on at least one wall among the plurality of
walls,
for displaying the digital image being input from the computer,
wherein the output device comprises: a projector or monitor for reproducing
an image; a speaker for reproducing a sound; a dimmer for controlling
lighting, and a
relay for controlling the motor and various devices,
wherein the computer comprises: a storage unit for storing an image/sound
database and a directing script; and a production program for controlling
production,
the production program configured to send an image signal to the projector or
monitor, an audio signal to the speaker and production control data to an
effect
controller, and the effect controller comprises a CPU for outputting various
control
signals according to the image signal and audio signal, a dimmer and a relay,
wherein the computer controls the lighting, sounds and smells suitable to the
image being displayed, to be automatically generated.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wall-type display is movable in
position by driving of a motor being operated by control of the computer.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein a plurality of the wall-type displays are
installed to overlap on the same wall.
4. The system of claim 2 or 3, wherein the wall-type display is divided into
a plurality of the wall-type displays and each of the divided wall-type
displays is
independently moved.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the relay includes an AC relay and a
DC relay, and the effect controller further comprises a converter for
converting an AC
into a DC.
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Description

CA 02645273 2009-01-26
SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING SPATIAL ENVIRONMENTS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a system for producing spatial
environments and, more particularly, to a system for producing spatial
environments which variously generates images, lighting, sounds, smells and
the like in an indoor space by control of a computer, so that people can
experience not only natural environments but also various environments and
1o ambiences similar to experiencing or sensing the actual conditions through
the
five senses while being in the indoor space.
2. Discussion of Related Art
It has been widely known that images, music, colors, aromas and the like
have supplementary or important functions in strengthening natural healing
capability and increasing immunity of a human body by relieving environment-
related or disease-related stress. Interest in the sensibility engineering
science
using image, music suitable to the image, aroma or color has increased,
research on the human sensibility has been conducted and a number of
products applying the research have been developed. Consequently, the
understanding of importance of the sensibility engineering science has been
expanded.
For example, many clinical demonstrations home and abroad have
proven that the metal disease treatment using, for example, music, aromas and
colors, is effective. However, for such treatment, different music, aromas and
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colors should be used, depending on kinds of diseases. Further, unlike the
other general diseases, a disease caused by metal stress needs continuous
and long-term treatment. However, this continuous and long-term treatment is,
in fact, difficult in a social structure in which people/patients are too busy
and
have limited time like these days.
A few of studies on the sensibility engineering science using music,
aromas and colors will be described: Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No.
1998-83350 discloses a "lighting and audio system for sensibility", which adds
a
color for sensibility and a function of an audio to an existing lighting stand
and
io provides music and color lighting by a mode selected by combining a color
lighting device based on a color sensibility database with a conventional
audio,
or by an automatic mode.
Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1999-5259 discloses a "system
for automatically controlling surrounding environments", which automatically
controls surrounding environments, that is, music or illumination, of a living
space by detecting the human wave differently generated depending on
conditions of human feelings (such as joy and anger together with sorrow and
pleasure) or conditions of human mind and body, to stably maintain the human
mind and body.
As services generally used in entertainment spots such as restaurants,
bars and the like, lightings installed in rooms are repeatedly switched on and
off
or a series of background images are displayed on a monitor to maximize the
fun of customers. However, these conventional lighting or background image is
merely uniformly and repeatedly output by a preset program, irrespective of
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each customer's taste or mood. As a result, some customers cannot
experience satisfaction beyond a certain level under the conventional service
system.
Furthermore, in typical restaurants, pictures or the like are hung on the
wall or big windows to enjoy outside landscapes are designed as the interior
of
an indoor space. Lightings with appropriate color and brightness are arranged
at suitable positions, to form the ambience of the indoor space. However, the
once-set ambience cannot be changed unless the interior is newly formed.
Moreover, customers eating inside a restaurant cannot feel any real outdoor
1o ambiences reflecting the seasons, special times or any special moods that
they
desire. Moreover, when physically changing the interior to achieve such
ambience, the cost is very high.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for
producing spatial environments, in which images, lighting, sounds, smells and
the like are variously generated in an indoor space by a selected mode or an
automatic mode by control of a computer, so that people can experience not
only natural environments but also various environments and ambiences similar
to experiencing or sensing the actual conditions through the five senses while
being in the indoor space.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
system for producing spatial environments which produces diverse ambiences
by realizing digital images, lighting, sounds, smells in an indoor space
enclosed
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within a plurality of walls, comprising: a computer for controlling digital
images,
lighting, sounds, smells and for operating each device and motor installed in
an
indoor space; an output device positioned within the indoor space, for
outputting
digital images, lighting, sounds, smells based on signals being input from the
computer; and a wall-type display positioned on at least one wall among a
plurality of walls, for displaying the digital image being input from the
computer,
wherein the output device comprises: a projector or monitor for reproducing an
image; a speaker for reproducing a sound; a dimmer for controlling lighting,
and
a relay for controlling the motor and various devices, wherein the computer
1o comprises: a storage unit for storing an image/sound database and a
directing
script; and a production program for controlling production, the production
program configured to send an image signal to the projector or monitor, an
audio signal to the speaker and production control data to an effect
controller,
and the effect controller comprises a CPU for outputting various control
signals
is according to the image signal and audio signal, a dimmer and a relay,
wherein
the lighting, sounds, smells are automatically generated by the computer to be
suitable to the image being displayed.
Preferably, the wall-type display is movable in position by driving of a
motor operated by control of the computer. In other embodiments, a plurality
of
20 the wall-type displays may be installed on the same wall or one wall-type
display may be divided into a plurality of the wall-type displays, and each of
the
divided wall-type displays may be independently moved.
Alternatively, the system for producing spatial environments includes an
AC relay and a DC relay, and the effect controller further comprises a
converter
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for converting an AC into a DC.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention
will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing
in
detail preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings
in
which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the constitution of a
system for producing spatial environments according to an embodiment of the
io present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an example in which the system for
producing spatial environments according to the embodiment of the present
invention is applied to a sushi restaurant.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of
the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in different
forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth
herein.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the constitution of a
system for producing spatial environments according to an embodiment of the
present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an example in which
the
system for producing spatial environments is applied to a sushi restaurant.
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A system for producing spatial environments according to an
embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
1.
A computer 10 comprises: a storage unit 11 storing an image/sound database
12 and a script 13; and a production program 14 controlling production. The
production program 14 sends an image signal to a projector or monitor 20, an
audio signal to a speaker 21, and production control data to an effect
controller
30 through a communication line (USB or RS232).
The effect controller 30 is operated by receiving the production control
data from the computer 10. The effect controller 30 comprises: a CPU
io outputting various control signals according to the image signal and the
audio
signal being output from the computer 10, a dimmer 33, relays 34 and 35, and a
converter 32 converting an AC into a DC. The relays include the AC relay 34
controlling a device operated based on the AC, and the DC relay 35 controlling
a device operated based on the DC.
is A sushi restaurant applying the system for producing spatial
environments described above will be described with reference to FIG. 2. In
the
sushi restaurant, a number of chairs and tables are arranged in its indoor
space
with the four walls, and a bar with a water route to move a unit for supplying
sushi. FIG. 2 illustrates the sushi restaurant with four walls but the sushi
20 restaurant may be various, for example, it may be open at least one
direction.
At least one side wall of the indoor space is provided with wall-type
displays 40 and 40'. A number of speakers (not shown) for outputting a sound,
a number of units (not shown) for diffusing a smell or aroma, or wind, a
number
of units (not shown) for providing steam or mist, or dry air to control
humidity
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inside are installed at proper places of a wall.
The wall-type display is movable in position by driving of a motor
operated by the control of the computer. A plurality of the wall-type displays
may be installed to overlap on the same wall, or each wall-type display may be
divided into a plurality of the wall-type displays, wherein each of the
divided
wall-type displays can be installed to be independently moved or fixed. The
wall-type display is moved by the driving of the motor, using a general unit
such
as a rail installed on the wall or the like. The wall-type display formed to
have
flexibility may be moved while it is bent, along the curved rail. Furthermore,
the
io wall-type display may simultaneously display on a screen on a part of a
wall or
a plurality of walls. The wall-type displays 40 and 40' display an image for
producing spatial environments.
As an image for producing spatial environments, variously colorful
landscapes (ocean or forest) to produce an ambience of the indoor space may
be displayed or multimedia contents such as TV images or advertisement
images may be displayed. As an example of a landscape display, an image of a
cool ocean is displayed along with the smell of the ocean, the sound of sea
gulls and waves, and/or a cool ocean breeze. As an example of a forest
display,
the smell of the forest and the fresh breeze of the forest are generated in
the
indoor space. Accordingly, customers enjoying sushi within the indoor space
can feel as if they are really enjoying sushi at the beach or in the forest.
Furthermore, sounds, lighting, smells, humidity and/or the like to produce
an ambience suitable to sunset or sunrise time, or an ambience suitable to a
special anniversary or season or weather detected by a thermometer and a
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hygrometer installed outside are generated by a selection mode or an automatic
mode. Furthermore, an advertisement or the like may be displayed to have an
advertisement effect from customers within the indoor space. In this case, a
profit of the advertisement is obtained. Furthermore, an image or a certain
theme of ambience requested by a customer and the sound or lighting suitable
to the image may be provided to produce specific effects in commensurate with
the request.
The computer may control a speed at which a container supplying sushi
moves, along the water route installed in the bar.
In the system for producing spatial environments according to the
present invention, images, lighting, sounds, smells and the like are variously
and automatically generated in an indoor space by the control of the computer.
Accordingly, people can experience not only natural environments but also
various environments and ambiences and their desired moods similar to
experiencing or sensing the actual conditions through the five senses while
being in the indoor space.
The invention has been described using preferred exemplary embodiments.
However, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited
to
the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is
intended to include various modifications and alternative arrangements within
the capabilities of persons skilled in the art using presently known or future
technologies and equivalents. The scope of the claims, therefore, should be
accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications
and similar arrangements.
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Representative Drawing