GB2165679A - A readout device to legibly transmit words sung or spoken in an on-going performance - Google Patents

Abstract

A text display device of preferably pocket size is associated with seats of an audience hall or with a radio or television receiver or record player permitting a listener to read out text portions of a score (e.g. opera) as they are being sung or spoken, to improve the total artistic impression. The system comprises storage (e.g. tape) holding consecutive text sequences wherein each key phrase is provided with an index number, a text selection apparatus responsive to entering one of the index numbers to advance to the indexed phrase for readout, a digital transmission system for broadcasting a text passage to a multiplicity of individual display devices, and means-hand operated or automatic for releasing from the storage consecutive text passages in synchronism with action in the performance. The notes of successive portions of a musical score may be displayed.

Description

SPECIFICATION Readout system The present invention relates to auxiliary means for making listening to an opera or other spoken or sung performance more enjoyable.

Opera is a work of artistic creation wherein the actors' visible actions; verbal communications expressed by and expressive of the personalities involved in the actions; and the mirror of the shades of feeling or emotions accompanying both-as manifested in melody, orchestral music, stage lighting-interweave.

They interweave in such a way that in the receipient observer they impact upon his experiental and abstract perception capacities.

Only through an adequate awareness of both these communication elements can the full artistic force of an operatic scene blossom up within the person attending the performance.

It is a fact well-known to opera goners (a majority accepts it as unavoidable but for a minority it is a source of genuine annoyance)-that namely singers are rarely able to pronounce the words they are singing sufficiently clearly so that they may be heard and understood.

It is now proposed to provide those who desire to experience the proper contents which the composer has laid into his work~ including the words he selected to be sung on stage or in a chorus setting-a device in size broadly similar to that of a pocket calculator and having a display area covering a major part of its top surface. The device permits the conversion of digital data into humanly readable lettering preferably presenting words and sentences distributed over several paralell readout lines. If the device is used in an auditorium hall, it may be fastened opposite to the seat to which it belongs. It may also be integrated with a binocular. If used at home to supplement a radio set, tape recorder or television set, the device may be handheld or adapted to be clamped to a convenient structure (table, chair, window, etc.).An eqivalent technique may be utilized also for reproducing in the display area notes corresponding to a musician's scores for an ongoing performance.

The system arrangement is designed to reproduce on the display texts, or certain keywords or group of words or repetitive phrases, at the very time they are being spoken or sung on stage. The electrical information data would emanate from a central point (the stage area) and be conducted to the various display devices via an electric or electromagnetic communication medium, synchronized in small batches with the stage events.

The said information data would be stored on tape and thereon sub-divided into key sentence sections; each key word, or key pronouncement (that is to say, a word or sentence particularly important within a certain flow of events or a musical movement) would be associated with a sequential program number or program step. A program command would cause a particular part of the tape record to be fed from the tape via an amplifier to the inputs of the remote display devices among an auditorium.

The activation of each program command signal may be done manually so as to synchronize it with the particular text passage being spoken or sung by the actor(s). This function can conveniently be performed by the prompter who is equipped with a text copy and in any case has to follow the stage events very closely. In the text copy which he uses the passages which had been pre-recorded on tape in digital form (that is to say the aforementioned key words or key sentences only) would be underlined, and each such passage would be indexed with a serial count-up number. The equipment placed at the prompter's disposal would have push buttons and a display window for showing up the serial number of the last-selected program step.

Every time, the action on the stage reaches the text words to be displayed to the personal viewing devices in an auditorium, the prompter will once depress a serial program button on the central equipment. This would start the tape for sending the digitized tape data; responsive to a recorded stop signal at the end of each text section, the tape would stop again. The technical means for implementing these functions are entirely within the art and need not be described here in detail.

An alternative method of producing the said command signal for stepping the display memory from one text to the next is feasible and is hereunder described.

The principle is the recording of a small part of a dialogue or speech or characteristic noise connected with a stage action which would occur shortly before the slected next "key text" is to be spoken (or sung) on the stage.

This would be done at one of the rehearsels.

The recording of these short passages would be in the form of a signal conversion from the audio-analogue into a digital representation thereof. For example, someone says introducing another person: He is a member of an elite drama group in Gloucester". In this case, only the last five words would be digitized because in combination they form an adequately unique word pattern. There would be as many such selected word patterns as there are recorded text sections to be displayed.

At an actual performance, all that is needed is a microphone which listens to everything that is said on stage. Whenever one of the selected trigger words are spoken they would produce a digital pattern which a digital word pattern recognition circuit detects to be substantially equal to the corresponding previously memorized word pattern. This detection would then produce the "Advance to next Display" command.

Since each word group would be unique, it would be easy to associate it with a particular recorded display text. Therefore, even the omission of a portion of a play or of a whole scene (containing perhaps several of the preselected trigger words) would not bring disalignment of the displayed text with the actual action on the stage.

The utilization of high technology word recognition would be specially helpful in the case of theatre groups playing in their native tongues when patrons not knowing that language are able, on the one hand, to get a direct impression of the language and of the actors' voice expressions, and on the other hand can follow the key ideas as spoken on stage because these can be read out in the patron's own language.

The communication link between the said control equipment and the readout devices in the auditorium may for example be a coaxial cable conveying high-frequency waves wherein the binary data are represented as phase shifted or frequency shifted waves. The demodulator circuits would be built into the junction (which may be a plug-in junction) so that the flexible connector cable feeding the readout device would carry only binary pulses which in turn would be decoded for display by circuit groups built into the display frame itself. The same may also contain a rechargable battery which may be centrally recharged during nonperformance hours at a low current rate. Coaxial cables may be replaced by glasfiber light conductors in which optical signal conversion would be provided at transmitting and receiving ends.It is also feasible to arrange for the tape data to be converted into as many glas fiber channels as there are image elements on the display device. In that case, the display of words and sentences would derive either from the central equipment directly, or from substations provided for sectors of the total seating.

Data transmission may also be performed over a wireless channel. Since the bandwidth required for the relatively low speed transmissions of text portions is small, the least expensive way would be to use part of the sideband of an existing radio station or, in the case of television, part of the horizontal sweep lines of a TV station. In this context, the arrangement would include a telephone connection between the said central equipment (as described, operated either by a prompter manually, or automatically by means of the said word pattern recognition circuit).

Over this telephone line the digital data go to radio (or TV) station which, in a radio station, modulate the side bands and so radiate the text information. The same is then received by each individual text display unit which in this case must contain a tuned receiver and signal converter in addition to the decoder and display drive circuits. The display would be selflatching and remain until a reset signal is received.

Each burst in th data stream would correspond to one text section, and consecutive self-latching letter positions would remain vis ible over any period of time, as required, until a reset signal is received when the entire text would be blacked out. The reset signal may be intentionally produced by the prompter; otherwise it would be automatically emitted prior to the emission of any new word or text.-The advantage of wireless transmission is that no wiring is required between the "central equipment" and the seats. The readout units would each be completely self-contained. Built-in or plug-in rechargable batteries would have to be recharged from time to time.

The advantage of wireless transmission by means of radio-frequency waves is also obtained when radio waves are replaced by infrared radiation. Being invisible to the eye it can be sent out from the stage area and passed throughout an auditorium and received by infrared sensitive photo transistors externally attached to the readout devices which contain selective infrared detectors and signal decoders. Because of the multiple reflection of the rays from walls, ceilings, etc., the directionality in receiver sensitivity is much less than with radio waves. Therefore, the readout device may be tilted in any desirable direction without detriment to reliable reception. Using this technique, an installation would consist of a number of infrared radiators at selected points of the auditorium sending out beams which are modulated with a signal carrier frequency, say, of 1 gigahertz.The alpha-numerical signals to be sent out by the prompter's action (or by the said automatic word recognition circuit respectively) would modulate said carrier frequency. The exact type of signals would be adapted to the type of display system used on the readout device. For example, the same may require a scanning signal for producing letters and other symbols. In that case, the modulated signal may contain a frequency shift sweep signal. Alternatively, ASCI amplitude encoding converted for seven line representation may suffice.

On the receiver side, each display device would contain a photo transistor under a lense filtering out light, a selective gigahertz detector circuit and amplifier, and suitable demodulator circuit(s) for applying output to the display drive circuit. In such a scheme, the infrared emitted by ordinary lamps and other objects (including body heat) would have no effect whatever on the readout device; nor would spurious electrical switching spikes from machinery or lighting systems affect the readout process. Several carrier frequencies may be used to distinguish readout signals for several languages (simultaneously). The key passages sung in a chorus or opera may thus be conveyed to the listener in a language he understands. The readout device may have a rotary switch for setting the reception to the preferred language.

Since the auditorium is usually dark during a performance, liquid crystal displays would not be visible unless the background is moderately illuminated, to provide a contrast for the black lettering. Where dialogue songs are to be presented (which in opera often happen simultaneously) it is proposed that this background illumunation follows special steering signals inserted into the text signals. Those extra signals would be adapted to control two or more switches which in turn would selectively energize two or more colour hues for the background lighting. Dependent on who sings what, the text would appear against a differently tainted background. These switching signals need not be programmed by the prompter; they may be programmed into the tape record of the central equipment.In certain other display methods the colour of the lettering itself may be modified, to the same end, namely to make it easier to discern two or more different texts sung simultaneously.

A third type of coded control signal producing switching action in the display device would be used in such cases where a certain number of seats are equipped with fixed display device installations not all of which are required to be functional. In that case each display device would have its own on/off switch which responds to a unique code. In this manner, each device may be made operational by remote control shortly before commencement of a performance.

In an alternative mode, the said infrared controlled display device may be combined with a binocular, in such a manner for example, that the liquid crystal display area is placed into the visual path of the binocular and, if in a non-operative mode, would pose no hinder to the observation of the user looking at the distant stage. However, when pressing a button, the display drive circuits would be supplied with power and in the view of the observer, the text to be displayed at a given time, would would appear in sharp outline. After reading the text, the viewer would release the button and again direct his/her gaze at the events on stage. Using an infrared signal receiver and existing knowhow in optical and electronic packaging, there is no intrinsic difficulty in designing such a combined binocular.

The use of a local radio station as a means of communication is illustrated by means of Figs. 1 to 4.

In figure 1, there is on the left the console 1 with an indicator field 2 serviceable either by a prompter manually or by a preprogrammed automatic response unit with microphone.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of one version of the analog to digital detector circuit.

Figure 3 gives an overview of the relationship of the frequency band used for radio proper and the two sidebands utilized for the digital data detection.

Figure 4 gives an example of the nature of the switch-on command.

To enable the prompter to control the functions selectively, the console has a number of keys. For example, 13 may be convenient for routine consecutive displays; when operating this button the tape would automatically replay the next group of display words. The indicator area 3 showing up the the index number of any current display would then change over to the consecutive number. The indicator area 4 may show that the display is reset, blanked out, obtained by pushing button 10. The remaining indicator sections 5 would show up which colour hue is applied, selectable for example by pushing button combinations 6,7,8. If the prompter wishes to omit certain tape sections, he may press button 4 or 10.

At the appropriate time, synchronous with action development on the stage, when a text with a given index number is to be displayed, a fast forward feed button 11 is actuated and the indicator area 3 is watched until the desired index number appear whereupon the button 11 is released. Alternatively, a key board may be used on which the desired index number is punched in whereupon the feed system would automatically be stopped after reaching the desired word passages. In that position, the tape would remain until the prompter, pro perly timed, pushes button 13 in the usual manner for calling forth the consecutive display.

In the alternative operating mode, the central equipment is voice or sound operated in that the microphone 50 (Fig. 1) picks up the events (voice and musical, etc) on the stage and feeds them into a voice or sound pattern recognition detector circuit 51 which on a continual basis checks all incoming sound sequences against as many prerecorded sound pattern groups as there are to be consecutive index numbers for selected word displays. As these comparisons are digital they can be run at a fast rate.The output from the pattern comparator 51 contains the right index number for the text to be displayed at all times, even if one or more text displays were omitted for one reason or another.-The manual console would still be needed for special requirements, for example for returning to an earlier position (button 9) or for switching on a special tape (for example containing a message from an actor) button 12; or for announcements of future events during intervals, last minute changes in the cast, special greetings from guests, and so on.

In Fig. 1, 15 is the tape drive mechanism, 16 the recorder, 17 a modulator for converting tape output signals, 18 and 20 telephone jacks, 19 a telephone line, 22 a demodulator, 21 the transmitter, and 23 an antenna.-To minimize the effects of H.F. noise or interference from other stations it may be useful to use only narrow pass bands and to utilize both side bands.

In Fig. 3, fb, is the central band utilized by the radio program transmission. fb, and fbu are the left and right bands to be used for the digital data transmission for the present purpose. Within each of those bands ther are two narrower passbands, fis2 and f#,2 on the outer fringes, and fib5, and fib,1 on the inner fringes of the major bands, The idea is to require frequency shifts to occur in each side band before a logic one or a logic zero is recognized.Since interference signals from neighboring stations would not occur precisely simultaneously and would be unevenly strong in the two bands and in the inner and outer fringes of the two bands, one may arrange the FSK keying in such a way that a logic "1" requires, for example, a transition from frequency band fibs, to fr,#2 and a simultaneous transition from f"s2 to to 1.-A transition in the opposite direction would be required for representing a logic "0".

A block diagram for the analog circuits for receiving these two-band signals and converting them into binary outputs is shown in Fig.

2. A ferrite-loaded coil 24a represents an antenna, 25 is the tuned detector circuit, 26 and 27 are the major bandpass filters, and 27/31 and 28/32 are the narrow bandpass and detector circuit groups for the upper bandpass, and 30/34 and 29/33 are the narrow bandpass and detector circuits for the lower bandpass. A logic output derives from AND gate 35 only if both its inputs are high and the flipflop 37 is set. Equally, a logic zero is derived from flip-flop 37 when it is reset by AND gate 36, and this can only happen when both its gate inputs are high. Occasional noise in only one band would therefore not cause a faulty letter display. The text signals received during a very short period of time are received by the register 42 and held therein. It controls the display on screen 44.The block 43 contains a register, an on/off switch for the device, and switches for selecting the background colour. Fig. 4 illustrates an example for the kind of signal which, when recognized in circuit group 43, activates the device or switches off, as the case may be.

The just described manner of using fringe side bands of any local radio station for transmitting display signals from a stage todevice users in an auditorium, can of course also be useful in such cases where an opera or chorus performance etc. is transmitted by radio and received by large numbers of radio listeners. It would only be necessary to supplement the usual radio circuits by the filter and detector blocks shown in Fig. 2 and bring the output to a socket on the radio set. A standard display device may then be plugged into the radio set. One may proceed similarly with the sound transmission channel of a television transmission. Alternatively, the display encoding signals may be carried by some of the outer horizontal scanning lines which usually are not utilized in TV picture transmission.

Display signals relating as described above to the flow of a live performance, could of course also be utilized for effecting a display in conjunction with performances reproduced on a tape recorder, on a video, or on gramophone records. Such signals in those cases will, on sub-sonic carrier waves, be incorporated into the respective recording programmes.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS 1. A text display system mainly intended as an aid to those who listen to sung or spoken performances, comprising (a) a text storage device holding words or word packages digitally encoded in sequential order such as are to be spoken or sung in a play (b) an instruction signal generator for producing a command code to be applied to said text storage device to cause to read out a specific one of the stored word packages (c) means for transmitting the digital signals derived from the text storage device over a transmission medium (d) a plurality of display devices comprising means for receiving the said encoded words or word packages from the transmission medium, as well as means for decoding and converting each word or word package into humanly legible signs displayed on one or more lines, and means for holding the display until the receipt of the next word package or, until an extinguish signal is applied. 2. A text display system as in claim 1 wherein the said instruction signal generator is actuated by a control board having manually selective input means and visual feedback means. 3. A text display system as in claim 1 wherein the said instruction signal generator is actuated by an automatic control means comprising (a) a comparator circuit connected to (b) a digital store containing a representation of a characteristic sound pattern preceding a text portion to be displayed in a display device (c) a temporary store into which are loaded the digitized representations of all the stage sounds, the comparator circuit being adapted to produce an instruction signal to be applied to said text storage device to replay a specific text package, upon detecting equality of the text patterns in said two stores. 4. A text display system as in claim 1 wherein control means are provided for generating an instruction to the text storage device to replay the sequentially next-following text word package. 5. A text display system as in claim 1 characterized by the provision of control means for altering the colour hue of the screen background of the said display devices, or for altering the colour of the lettering on said devices mainly to differentiate between different actors speaking or singing simultaneously different texts. 6. A text display system as in claim 1 wherein the transmission medium are radio waves. 7. A text display system as in claim 1 wherein the transmission medium is infrared radiation. 8. A text display system as in any of the foregoing claims wherein the text display device is combined with a binocular. 9. A text display system as in claim 6 wherein the carrier wave used for transmitting a radio program is not utilized but only the outer fringes of its side bands, in such a manner that in the transmission of the digitized display material a logic "1" is composed of a frequency shift towards a higher frequency in both bands, and a logic "0" is composed of a frequency shift towards a lower frequency in both bands which said shifts are applied after detection to AND gates. 10. A text display system as in claims 1,6 & 9 wherein the main radio carrier wave carries the performance program and is received in a radio set which also contains the said filter and detection circuits for driving the word package display in one or more of said display devices. 11. A text display system as in claim 1 wherein the digital display signals are transposed into a sub-sonic (inaudible) frequency level and thereafter recorded on tape together with the performance itself, and means in a replay circuit of a tape recorder to reconstitute the display signals for driving a said display device. CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: Claims 1-11 above have been deleted or textually amended. New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows:

1. A text and notes display system mainly intended as an aid to those who listen to sung or spoken performances or watch a visual art presentation, comprising (a) a text and notes storage device holding digital text data representing words, verses or commentary spoken or sung, and/or digital notes data representing melodies, as part of an events sequence presented on stage to a larger audience, or of an analogue sequence recorded in some recording medium for reproduction and presentation to an individual person, (b) means for synchronizing or coordinating the readout of a definite digital text or notes package from said storage device with a corresponding real time analogue event, or stage event, or with the appearance of a visual object, (c) at least one text and notes display device comprising means for receiving via a transmission medium the readout signals obtained from said text/notes storage device, as well as means for decoding and converting each word (-note) or word-(notes) package into humanly legible signs displayed on one or more lines, and means for holding the display until the receipt of the next word (-notes) package or until an extinguish signal is applied to the display device.

2. A text and notes display system as in Claim 1 wherein manual control means for an operator, such as a stage prompter, are provided comprising a control board, selector buttons to select an adress code for calling up a particular text or notes package such as would correspond to a particular serial number identifying a specific text or notes package in the script of the play, song, or opera, or a particular commentary text relating to a particular visual object, and feedback means whereby the operator such as a stage prompter, will recognize whether or not the desired text or notes package has been located in readiness for readout and display to the audience or show attendee.

3. A text and notes display system with a manual control board as in Claim 2, wherein the control board has an actuator button by which the readout position on the text or notes storage device can be moved forward or backward to the next following or the nextpreceding word/notes package position with each actuation of said button.

4. A text and notes display system as in Claims 1 and 2, characterized by the provision of control means on the said control board enabling the stage prompter to alter the colour hue of the display area of the remote display devices by injecting colour selective signals for transmission to the digital display devices, and means in the display devices to receive said colour selective signals and to apply them to the preselected areas of the display devices in order to highlight certain passages or to enable the audience better to differentiate between two different, simultaneously spoken or sung texts.

5. A text and notes display system as in Claim 1 wherein the transmission medium between the prompter's control board and the text/notes display devices in the audience, are radio waves.

6. A text and notes display system as in Claim 5 wherein the carrier wave used for transmitting a radio program is not utilized for the said purpose but only the outer fringes of its side bands, in such a manner that in the transmission of the digital display material a logic "1" is composed of a frequency shift towards a higher frequency in both side bands, and a logic '0' is composed of a frequency shift towards a lower frequency, in both bands, which said shifts are applied after detection to AND gates.

7. A text and notes display system as in Claims 1, 5 and 6 wherein the main radio carrier wave carries the performance program and is received in a radio set which also contains the means for detecting the side band shifts for driving a word/(notes) package display circuit in one or more text/notes readout devices.

8. A text and notes display system as in Claim 1 wherein the digital information data selectively read out from the said text storage device, concurrent with the major events of a live performance or a corresponding analogue sequence, are transposed into a subsonic or supersonic (inaudible) carrier frequency level and recorded on tape or (gramophone-) record together with the performance itself, and means in a replay circuit of a tape or recorddisk recorded to reconstitute the display signals for driving one or more of said display devices.

9. A text and noes display system as in Claim 1 wherein the said means for synchronisation are responsive to unique sound combinations or sound effects spoken or otherwise produced as a part of the performance of a play or opera, said means comprising (a) a comparator circuit connected to (b) a digital store containing a representation of a characteristic sound pattern preceding the spoken or sung text portion or played notes portion to be displayed in the display device (c) a temporary store into which are loaded the digitized conversions of all analogue sounds on stage the comparator circuit being adapted to produce an instruction signal to be applied to said text or notes storage device to replay a specific text or notes package upon detecting equality of digitized analogue patterns in said two stores.

10. A text and notes display system as in Claim 1 wherein the transmission medium is infrared radiation, and the said text and notes display devices are furnished with detectors of modulated infrared radiation to gleanfrom them the serially coded string of text package data.

11. A text and notes display system as in Claims 1, 5 and 10 wherein the text (notes) display device is combined with a binocular.

12. A text and notes display system as in Claim 1 wherein the digital informaton held in said text (notes) storage device are selectively read out so that they are closely related to specific analogue events, and wherein the text storage data are recorded on one half track of a recording tape whereas the analogue events are recorded on the other half track thereby achieving said synchronizing means for aligning correlated analogue events (such as lanugauge, singing, instrument playing, action noises on stage, immage sequences) with the forthcoming text display instruction signals.

13. A text and notes display system as in Claim 1 wherein the text and notes display device is a multi-point liquid crystal based display device.