Computerized puppet theatre

Abstract

A computerized puppet theatre ( 1, 100, 120 ) including one or more puppets P each capable of performing visually discernible actions and/or translatory stage movements on a stage ( 6, 122 ) for playing the role of at least one character of a puppet show in accordance with a computerized puppet show script. A computerized puppet show script may be either pre-prepared, or user directed and produced using a computerized script editing station and at least one hand worn manipulator ( 101 ) for controlling puppets.

1 . Computerized puppet theatre for staging a puppet show, the theatre comprising: 
 (a) a stage;    (b) at least one puppet each capable of performing visually discernible actions and/or translatory stage movements on said stage; and    (c) at least one hand worn manipulator each capable of controlling at least one puppet of said at least one puppet for staging a user directed and produced puppet show.    
     
     
         2 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 (a) a computerized script editing station for recording a computerized puppet show script of the user directed and produced puppet show including the instructions for the visually discernible actions and/or translatory stage movements of said at least one hand worn manipulator controlled puppet; and  
 (b) a computerized control circuitry for executing a computerized puppet show script for staging either a user directed and produced or a pre-prepared puppet show.  
 
     
     
         3 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 2  wherein a computerized puppet show script includes a soundtrack for playing back over a sound system.  
     
     
         4 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 2  wherein a computerized puppet show script includes instructions for operating a lighting system integrally formed with the theatre.  
     
     
         5 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 2  wherein each puppet of said at least one puppet is capable of assuming at least one appearance, and said computerized control circuitry is capable of identifying the at least one appearance of each puppet of said at least one puppet for allocation of the characters of the pre-prepared puppet show to the at least one puppet by appearance.  
     
     
         6 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 5  wherein a puppet is adapted to receive an exchangeable puppet exterior for changing its appearance, each said puppet exterior having an appearance identifier device addressable by said computerized control circuitry for enabling identification of its appearance.  
     
     
         7 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 5  wherein a puppet has a front side and a rear side each having a different appearance only one thereof being employed for portraying a character at any one time during the staging of a puppet show, and an appearance identifier device addressable by said computerized control circuitry for enabling identification of its two appearances, and its disposition relative to a user the staging of a puppet show.  
     
     
         8 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said computerized control circuitry instructs a user which characters are required to stage a pre-prepared puppet show.  
     
     
         9 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said computerized control circuitry stages a pre-prepared puppet show on the condition that all its characters are portrayed on said stage.  
     
     
         10 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a puppet is motorized for effecting its visually discernible actions in accordance with a computerized puppet show script.  
     
     
         11 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a puppet includes electrical current sensitive springs for effecting its visually discernible actions in accordance with a computerized puppet show script.  
     
     
         12 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a manipulator includes a selector for selecting which puppet of said at least one puppet is to be instantaneously under its control.  
     
     
         13 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a manipulator includes a sensor for sensing a pincer-like finger movement of a pair of a user's fingers for effecting a puppet's hand clapping action.  
     
     
         14 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 13  wherein a manipulator includes a pair of sensors for sensing up/down movements of the pair of user's fingers executing the pincer-like finger movement for independently raising and lowering a puppet's arms.  
     
     
         15 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a manipulator includes a sensor for sensing a user's finger bending movement for effecting a puppet's head nodding action.  
     
     
         16 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the user's finger controlling a puppet's head nodding action is interdisposed between his fingers for effecting the puppet's hand clapping action.  
     
     
         17 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a manipulator includes a linear displacement sensitive sensor for controlling the position of a puppet on said stage.  
     
     
         18 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said linear displacement sensitive sensor senses a roll orientation of a user's forearm between an upright orientation and a flat orientation with his forearm crossing his body corresponding to two extreme translatory positions of a puppet on said stage.  
     
     
         19 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a manipulator includes an angular displacement sensitive sensor for controlling the turning of a puppet on said stage.  
     
     
         20 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 19  wherein said angular displacement sensitive sensor senses the twist orientation of a user's hand between a “palm facing out” orientation and a “palm facing sideways” orientation corresponding to two extreme rotational positions of a puppet on said stage relative to a user.  
     
     
         21 . The theatre as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said manipulator is concealed in a glove puppet.  
     
     
         22 . For use with a computerized puppet theatre as claimed in  claim 1 , a computer program loadable into the computerized puppet theatre for staging a pre-prepared puppet show in accordance with a computerized puppet show script including instructions for the visually discernible actions and/or translatory stage movements of each character of its one or more characters, and a soundtrack for playing back over the sound system.  
     
     
         23 . The computer program as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the computer program resides on a Website.  
     
     
         24 . The computer program as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the computer program is tangibly embodied in a computer readable medium.  
     
     
         25 . For use with a computerized puppet theatre as claimed in  claim 1 , a puppet capable of performing at least visually discernible actions and capable of assuming at least one appearance each having an appearance identifier device associated therewith whereby a computerized control circuitry of the computerized puppet theatre is capable of identifying the at least one appearance of each puppet of said at least one puppet for allocation of the characters of the pre-prepared puppet show to the at least one puppet by appearance.  
     
     
         26 . The puppet as claimed in  claim 25  wherein a puppet is adapted to receive an exchangeable puppet exterior for changing its appearance, each said puppet exterior having an appearance identifier device addressable by said computerized control circuitry for enabling identification of its appearance.  
     
     
         27 . The puppet as claimed in  claim 25  wherein a puppet has a front side and a rear side each having a different appearance only one thereof being employed for portraying a character at any one time during the staging of a puppet show, and an appearance identifier device addressable by said computerized control circuitry for enabling identification of its two appearances, and its disposition relative to a user the staging of a puppet show.  
     
     
         28 . The puppet as claimed in  claim 25  wherein it is motorized for effecting its visually discernible actions in accordance with a computerized puppet show script.  
     
     
         29 . The puppet as claimed in  claim 25  wherein it includes electrical current sensitive springs for effecting its visually discernible actions in accordance with a computerized puppet show script.  
     
     
         30 . A computer program for running a computerized script editing station for recording a computerized puppet show script of a user directed and produced puppet show including the instructions for the visually discernible actions and/or translatory stage movements of at least puppet under the controlled of a hand worn manipulator.  
     
     
         31 . The computer program as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the computer program enables the recording of a soundtrack for playing back over a sound system.  
     
     
         32 . The computer program as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the computer program enables the recording of instructions for operating a lighting system.