Autonomous scanning and mapping system

Abstract

An amusement park attraction mapping system (51) includes: a sensing system (54) configured to be located within an environment (52) of an amusement park attraction (50); a positioning system (56) coupled to the sensing system (54); and a controller (74) communicatively coupled to the sensing system (54) and the positioning system (56). The sensing system (54) is configured to capture scan data of the environment (52), and the scan data includes virtual points representing objects (100, 102, 104) in the environment (52). The positioning system (56) is configured to move the sensing system (54) within the environment (52). Moreover, the controller (74) is configured to: determine target scan data to be captured by the sensing system (54); output a first control signal based on the target scan data to instruct the positioning system (56) to move the sensing system (54) to the target location; and output a second control signal to instruct the sensing system (54) to capture scan data at the target location.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and interest in U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 940727, filed November 26, 2019, entitled “Autonomous Scanning and Mapping System,” which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference for all purposes. Background Technology

[0003] This section aims to introduce the reader to various technical aspects that may relate to the various aspects of this disclosure. This discussion is considered helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements are to be read from this perspective, rather than as an admission of prior art.

[0004] Amusement parks or theme parks generally comprise a variety of entertainment systems or attractions, each offering a unique experience to its guests. For example, an amusement park may include different attraction systems such as roller coasters, drop towers, log chutes, and so on. Some attraction systems may include environments with several different features (such as animated characters and special effects) that help immerse guests in the experience. However, the placement and configuration of these features can be challenging. For instance, determining whether a feature is ideally positioned within the environment (e.g., relative to the travel path of a vehicle) to provide the desired effect or experience for guests can be difficult. Furthermore, as attraction systems become increasingly complex, coordination between the various features of the system becomes crucial. Therefore, techniques for evaluating or assessing improvements to the environment of an attraction system are ideal for determining whether the features of the attraction system are ideally implemented. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following outlines a summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein. It should be understood that these aspects are merely presented to provide the reader with a brief summary of these embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In fact, this disclosure may include a wide variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.

[0006] In one embodiment, an amusement park attraction mapping system includes: a sensing system configured to be positioned within the environment of an amusement park attraction; a positioning system coupled to the sensing system; and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensing system and the positioning system. The sensing system is configured to capture scan data of the environment, and the scan data includes virtual points representing objects in the environment. The positioning system is configured to move the sensing system within the environment. Furthermore, the controller is configured to: determine target scan data to be captured by the sensing system; output a first control signal based on the target scan data to instruct the positioning system to move the sensing system to the target location; and output a second control signal to instruct the sensing system to capture scan data at the target location.

[0007] In one embodiment, a controller for a scanning and mapping system for an amusement park includes a tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon. These instructions, when executed, are configured to cause one or more processors to determine target scan data of the amusement park environment to be captured, wherein the target scan data includes a set of target virtual points. The instructions, when executed, are further configured to cause one or more processors to: output a first control signal to a vehicle within the amusement park based on the target scan data, causing a sensing system to move to a target location within the amusement park; output a second control signal to a positioning system coupled to the vehicle based on the target scan data, causing the sensing system to move relative to the vehicle to the target location; and output a third control signal to the sensing system to capture scan data at the target location and target position.

[0008] In one embodiment, a theme park attraction system includes: a vehicle; a sensing system configured to capture scan data of the environment of the theme park attraction; a positioning system coupled to the vehicle; and a controller communicatively coupled to the vehicle, the sensing system, and the positioning system. The scan data includes data points representing physical objects in the environment, and the positioning system is configured to move the sensing system relative to the vehicle. Furthermore, the controller is configured to: determine a plurality of target scan datasets to be captured by the sensing system; instruct the vehicle and the positioning system to move the sensing system to a plurality of placements within the environment, wherein each placement is associated with one of the plurality of target scan datasets; instruct the sensing system to capture a plurality of scan datasets, wherein each of the plurality of scan datasets is associated with a corresponding placement among the plurality of placements; and combine the plurality of scan datasets with each other to create a data point cloud of the environment. Attached Figure Description

[0009] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of this disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same characters denote the same parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an amusement park attraction according to aspects of the present disclosure, the amusement park attraction having an environment and a mapping system configured to map the environment;

[0011] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of an amusement park attraction environment and a mapping system coupled to a means of transportation, according to aspects of this disclosure;

[0012] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an amusement park attraction having a first area and a second area, according to aspects of this disclosure;

[0013] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method for creating an environmental map of an amusement park attraction according to aspects of this disclosure; and

[0014] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for analyzing environmental maps to assess various environmental characteristics according to aspects of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0015] One or more specific embodiments will be described below. For the purpose of providing a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of the actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made in the development of any such implementation to achieve the developer's specific goals, which may vary depending on the implementation, such as compliance with system-related constraints and business-related constraints. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure, such development efforts will be nothing more than routine tasks of design, fabrication, and manufacturing.

[0016] When describing the elements of various embodiments of this disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” are intended to mean the presence of one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that additional elements may be present in addition to those listed. One or more specific embodiments of the present embodiments described herein will be described below. To provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of the actual implementation may be described in this specification. It should be noted that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, many implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer’s specific goals, which may vary depending on the implementation, such as compliance with system-related constraints and business-related constraints. Furthermore, it should be noted that such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure, such development efforts will be nothing more than routine tasks of design, fabrication, and manufacturing.

[0017] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to systems and methods for mapping the environment of attractions in an amusement park. For example, an attraction may include any of a variety of amusement rides, such as roller coasters, dark rides, water rides, augmented reality rides, or experiences, etc. Attractions may have various physical features, such as props, scenery, landscapes, vehicles, tracks, etc., that entertain and provide a unique experience (e.g., an immersive environment) for the attraction's patrons. Such features may be placed at targets or predetermined locations within the attraction's environment. In some embodiments, features may be located at specific locations for viewing from a particular perspective. In other or alternative embodiments, features may be positioned such that they can interact with each other as intended. For example, a projector may be positioned relative to a display screen to project images onto the screen.

[0018] Mapping the environment of a site to identify the location of features in order to verify that the features are properly positioned can be beneficial. As discussed herein, mapping the environment involves determining the appearance or arrangement of the physical objects within the environment. Thus, users (e.g., operators of the site) can evaluate the environment to determine whether the physical features of the environment are placed at the target locations within the environment. However, mapping the environment can be difficult or tedious. For example, it may be difficult to use a scanning device to capture sufficient scan data to map relevant areas of the environment. For example, capturing scan data may include placing the scanning device in various locations and / or positions within the environment. In some cases, the placement of the scanning device may not enable it to capture scan data of usable quality (e.g., data exceeding threshold resolution, at threshold zoom, or at threshold focus). Therefore, the scan data may be inaccurate or may not be usable for accurate mapping of the environment.

[0019] It is recognized that systems configured to automatically scan and map the environment of a site attraction system may enable easier identification and verification of the location or position of the physical features of the site attraction system. For example, the system may include a controller and a positioning system configured to locate a scanning system (e.g., a sensing system) to collect scan data of various areas within the site attraction system for mapping the environment of the site attraction system. As used herein, the scan data may include a three-dimensional (3D) image of the environment, and the scanning system includes means configured to capture (e.g., remotely capture) 3D images. For example, the scanning system may include a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device, an infrared 3D scanner, a structured light scanner, a digital photogrammetry scanner, another suitable sensing system, or any combination thereof. The 3D image may include information about the geometry of a physical object in the environment, the location of the physical object in the environment, or any other suitable appearance or characteristics of the physical object in the environment. The controller may be configured to determine whether sufficient scan data has been collected and may continue to guide the positioning system to locate the scanning system to collect scan data until sufficient scan data has been collected. The controller can then generate a map of the relevant areas of the environment based on the scanned data, and this map can be used to identify and / or verify the locations of physical features. In this way, the system can achieve more rapid and / or accurate mapping of the environment.

[0020] While this disclosure primarily discusses capturing 3D images for scanning an environment, other types of images may be used for environmental scanning in additional or alternative embodiments. For example, the scanning system may use two-dimensional (2D) images (e.g., captured by a camera). Furthermore, in addition to mapping the environment or as an alternative, the scanning system may be used to capture images of other features or objects, such as customers and / or components of the attraction system. In one embodiment, the positioning system may be an arm mounted to a ride-on vehicle at the attraction, and a camera may be mounted on the arm. During operation of the attraction system, the arm may position the camera (e.g., pan, tilt, rotate) to focus on an element, such as focusing on a specific customer positioned within the ride-on vehicle. The arm may also control the operation of the camera, such as by adjusting the camera's zoom lens, filters, etc. In one example, the arm may move the camera to various angles relative to the customer, thereby capturing images with different perspectives from the customer. In another example, the ride-on vehicle may move during operation of the attraction system, and this may cause the arm to move the camera relative to the ride-on vehicle. In response, the arm can reposition the camera accordingly to capture an ideal image of the customer while the vehicle is in motion.

[0021] Now turn to the attached image. Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an amusement park attraction system 50, which includes an environment 52 and a scanning and mapping system 51 configured to detect and map the environment 52. The environment 52 may generally include a portion of the attraction system 50 in which customers can pass through, observe, or otherwise experience during their participation within the attraction system 50. For example, the environment 52 may include a vehicle path, enclosure, stage, queue, any other suitable type of setup, or any combination thereof. The scanning and mapping system 51 includes a sensing system 54 (e.g., a remote sensing system, a scanning system) coupled to a positioning system 56. In the illustrated embodiment, the attraction system 50 also includes a vehicle 58 to which the positioning system 56 is coupled. In some embodiments, the vehicle 58 may be configured to travel along a path 60 within the environment 52 of the attraction system 50. For example, the path 60 may be a set route, such as a track (e.g., for roller coaster rides). In another example, path 60 may be an open area where the vehicle 58 can move freely (e.g., for bumper car rides). In yet another example, path 60 may be a single location where the vehicle 58 can remain substantially stationary (e.g., for motion simulator rides). Positioning system 56 may be configured to move sensing system 54 to a location within environment 52. Furthermore, vehicle 58 may be moved to various locations within environment 52. As used herein, the position of sensing system 54 refers to the placement of sensing system 54 relative to vehicle 58 (e.g., via positioning system 56). This position may be within a range of a target location for sensing system 54, such as within 1 millimeter (mm), 5 millimeters (mm), 1 centimeter (cm), 5 centimeters (cm), 10 centimeters (cm), or another suitable range. Furthermore, the location of sensing system 54 refers to the placement of vehicle 58 and thus sensing system 54 and positioning system 56 along path 60. The location can also be within the range of the target location, such as within 1 mm, 5 mm, 1 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm, or another suitable range. Therefore, the movement of both the positioning system 56 and the vehicle 58 can be used to move the sensing system 54 to a specific position within the environment 52, thereby enabling the sensing system 54 to scan a specific area of ​​the environment 52.

[0022] Environment 52 may include various types of environmental features 62, such as props 64 (e.g., decorations, figures), performance effects 66 (e.g., lighting, audio devices), and / or display surfaces 68 (e.g., projector screens for projection mapping). During the scanning and mapping operation, sensing system 54 may collect scan data associated with the environmental features 62 within environment 52. The scan data may indicate the physical appearance associated with each environmental feature 62. In one example, physical appearance may include or indicate the contour or geometry of the environmental feature 62, such as whether the environmental feature 62 is shaped or formed as desired. In another example, physical appearance may include or indicate the location of the environmental feature 62, such as whether the environmental feature 62 is visible to customers. In yet another example, physical appearance may include or indicate the placement of the environmental feature 62 relative to another environmental feature 62 to determine whether the environmental features 62 can interact with each other as desired or anticipated. Accordingly, the scan data may be analyzed to determine whether the physical appearance of the environmental feature 62 is ideal, appropriate, or anticipated.

[0023] In an embodiment, the sensing system 54 may include a transmitter 70 and a receiver 72 to collect scan data associated with physical objects in the environment 52, including environmental features 62, the vehicle 58, and any other physical components within the environment 52. Generally, the transmitter 70 may output a transmitted signal (e.g., a laser) that can be reflected as a reflected signal from the physical objects in the environment 52, and the receiver 72 may receive the reflected signal. Based on the reflected signal, the sensing system 54 may determine the appearance of the physical object. For example, the receiver 72 may receive reflected signals corresponding to the appearance of the physical object at various times, having various properties, etc. Thus, the sensing system 54 may use the detected parameters of each reflected signal to determine the appearance and / or characteristics of physical objects within the environment, thereby facilitating the generation of a 3D image of the environment 52. The transmitter 70 may continuously output the transmitted signal (e.g., using a pulsed laser), the receiver 72 may continuously receive the reflected signal, and as a result, the sensing system 54 may continuously generate a 3D image of the environment 52, and the 3D image may be associated with a specific area within the environment 52.

[0024] In one embodiment, the sensing system 54 is communicatively coupled to the controller 74 of the attraction system 50. The controller 74 may include a memory 76 and a processor 78. The memory 76 may include volatile memory (such as random access memory (RAM)) and / or non-volatile memory (such as read-only memory (ROM), optical drives, hard disk drives, solid-state drives) or any other non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions. The processor 78 may be configured to execute such instructions. For example, the processor 78 may include one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), one or more general-purpose processors, or any combination thereof. The sensing system 54 may be configured to transmit sensor feedback of various multiple scan datasets (e.g., 3D images) indicating the environment 52 to the controller 74, and the controller 74 may evaluate the multiple scan datasets and combine them to generate a complete map of the environment 52.

[0025] To facilitate the generation of a complete map of environment 52, sensing system 54 may further include a location sensor 80 configured to transmit sensor feedback indicating the placement (e.g., coordinate location or position) of sensing system 54 within environment 52 to controller 74. Thus, controller 74 can use the sensor feedback transmitted by location sensor 80 and scan data received from sensing system 54 to compare multiple scan datasets relative to each other, thereby combining the multiple scan datasets. As an example, controller 74 can identify common physical objects shared by some scan datasets, determine the location of the shared physical objects within environment 52, and determine the locations of other physical objects relative to the shared physical objects, thereby determining the placement of other physical objects within environment 52. Alternatively or additionally, controller 74 can use the sensor feedback transmitted by location sensor 80 to determine the placement of physical objects relative to sensing system 54, thereby determining the placement of physical objects within environment 52.

[0026] The controller 74 may be further communicatively coupled to the positioning system 56 to move or adjust the sensing system 54 to various target locations. For example, the controller 74 may adjust the positioning system 56 to move the sensing system 54 to capture target scan data, such as data indicating a specific area within the environment 52. In an embodiment, the positioning system 56 may include an actuator 82, and the controller 74 may transmit control signals to the actuator 82 to move the positioning system 56, thereby moving the sensing system 54 (e.g., relative to the vehicle 58). As the vehicle 58 travels along path 60 to change the location of the sensing system 54 within the environment 52, the controller 74 may instruct the actuator 82 to move the positioning system 56 (e.g., based on the movement of the vehicle 58) and adjust the position of the sensing system 54 within the environment 52 to capture various scan data for use when mapping the environment 52. In an alternative embodiment where the sensing system 54 is used to capture 2D images (e.g., a 2D image of a target object), the controller 74 may receive feedback indicating various parameters, such as illumination (e.g., from a lighting sensor), the positioning of the sensing system 54 (e.g., from a contact proximity sensor and / or a non-contact proximity sensor), the positioning of the target object, the movement of the positioning system 56 (e.g., from a gyroscope sensor and / or an accelerometer), the speed of the vehicle 58, the momentum of the vehicle 58, another suitable component, or any combination thereof. The controller 74 can then instruct the positioning system 56 to move the sensing system 54 based on the received feedback to maintain focus on the target object. In embodiments, the controller 74 may be pre-programmed to move the sensing system 54 to a specific location or orientation during operation of the spot system 50 to capture an image of the target object.

[0027] Furthermore, the controller 74 may be communicatively coupled to the environmental feature 62 and may be configured to operate and / or adjust the environmental feature 62 in a particular manner. In embodiments, the controller 74 may be configured to adjust the positioning of the environmental feature 62 based on a generated map of the environment 52 and / or based on scan data collected by the sensing system 54. For example, the controller 74 may adjust how the performance effect 66 is guided or output (e.g., changing the way light is projected) in response to a determination of how the placement of the performance effect 66 has changed within the environment 52. In some embodiments, the controller 74 may autonomously control the vehicle 58 and / or the positioning system 56. That is, the controller 74 may automatically move the vehicle 58 and / or the positioning system 56 (e.g., independently of each other and / or dependent on each other) based on target scan data and / or operation of the attraction system 50.

[0028] The controller 74 may also include a user interface 84 with which a user can interact. The user interface 84 may include a touchscreen, buttons, a trackpad, a switch, a monitor, a keyboard, another suitable component, or any combination thereof, which the user can use to perform desired operations. By way of example, a user can interact with the user interface 84 to adjust the operation of the positioning system 56 and place the sensing system 54 in a specific location. Alternatively or additionally, a user can interact with the user interface 84 to adjust the operation of the vehicle 58 (e.g., along path 60) to change the location of the sensing system 54 in the environment 52. In this way, the vehicle 58 and the positioning system 56 can be manually controlled, and the controller 74 allows the user to control the placement of the sensing system 54 to at least partially manually map the environment 52. In some embodiments, the user can use the user interface 84 to select the time when the sensing system 54 operates to collect scan data, such as when the vehicle 58 is in a particular location and / or when the positioning system 56 is in a particular location.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the environment 52 of the attraction system 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 58 is a car capable of traveling along a path 60 (e.g., a street). Furthermore, a positioning system 56 is coupled to the vehicle 58, and a sensing system 54 is coupled to the positioning system 56. The environment 52 may include a wide variety of different environmental features 62, such as a first prop 100 (e.g., a tree), a second prop 102 (e.g., a bush), a performance effect 104 (e.g., a projector), and a display surface 106 that can project an image 108 onto the display surface 106.

[0030] In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 58 is located at a first location 110 within the environment 52. At the first location 110, the positioning system 56 can position the sensing system 54 in a position or orientation that enables the sensing system 54 to capture scan data associated with the first prop 100, the second prop 102, the performance effect 104, and the display surface 106. For example, the sensing system 54 can output various emitted signals 112 within and around the environment 52. Such emitted signals 112 can also travel toward the first prop 100, the second prop 102, and the display surface 106, in addition to other areas of the environment 52, and can also deviate from the first prop 100, the second prop 102, and the display surface 106 as reflected signals 113 received by the sensing system 54. Specifically, sensing system 54 can receive a first reflected signal 113A reflected from the first prop 100 (e.g., as a result of the first emitted signal 112A), a second reflected signal 113B reflected from the display surface 106 (e.g., as a result of the second emitted signal 112B), and a third reflected signal 113C reflected from the second prop 102 (e.g., as a result of the third emitted signal 112C). It should be noted that the second prop 102 can be placed at a location or position that prevents the emitted signal 112 from traveling from sensing system 54 to the performance effect 104. As a result, sensing system 54 may not receive reflected signals 113 that deviate from performance effect 104. Sensing system 54 can compare the characteristics of the reflected signals 113 with each other (e.g., the wavelength of each reflected signal 113, the reception time of each reflected signal 113) to determine the appearance or orientation of the first prop 100, the second prop 102, the display surface 106, and other physical objects in the environment 52. In one implementation, for each individually emitted signal 112 and its corresponding reflected signal 113, the sensing system 54 can generate a single virtual point in space representing a point of a physical object in the environment 52 from which the emitted signal 112 is reflected. For example, a third reflected signal 113C may have been reflected from a specific physical point 114 of the second prop 102. Based on the characteristics of the third reflected signal 113C, the sensing system 54 can generate a virtual point representing the physical point 114 (e.g., for a 3D map). The sensing system 54 can also generate virtual points for other reflected signals 113, thereby generating a set of points in space (e.g., a point cloud) to represent each physical object scanned in the environment 52.

[0031] The positioning system 56 can be configured to move the sensing system 54 to various positions, enabling the sensing system 54 to receive additional reflected signals 113 to generate additional scan data of the environment 52. In one implementation, the positioning system 56 can be configured to move the sensing system 54 along a longitudinal axis 116, a lateral axis 118, a vertical axis 120, or any combination thereof. For example, the positioning system 56 can elevate the sensing system 54 along an axis parallel to the vertical axis 120, thereby providing the sensing system 54 with a favorable position to capture scan data and preventing the emitted signals 112 and / or reflected signals 113 from being blocked by other physical objects (e.g., path 60). Alternatively or additionally, the positioning system 56 can be configured to rotate the sensing system 54 about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis 116 in a first rotational direction 122, about an axis parallel to the lateral axis 118 in a second rotational direction 124, about an axis parallel to the vertical axis 120 in a third rotational direction 126, or any combination thereof. In the example, in the first orientation of the sensing system 54, the sensing system 54 can be configured to transmit signals 112 and receive reflected signals 113 about the longitudinal axis 116 and the lateral axis 118, but not the vertical axis 120. Accordingly, the sensing system 54 may not map the environment 52 along the vertical axis 120. For this reason, the positioning system 56 can rotate the sensing system 54 (e.g., along a first rotation direction 122 and / or a second rotation direction 124) to a second orientation so that the sensing system 54 can map the environment 52 along the vertical axis 120. In this way, although the vehicle 58 can remain at the first location 110, the positioning system 56 can move the sensing system 54 to different locations or orientations and capture scan data of various areas within the environment 52.

[0032] The vehicle 58 can be configured to move along path 60 (e.g., along direction 128) to a new location 130. At the new location 130, the sensing system 54 can scan and map the environment 52 from a different perspective than that of the first location 110. In this way, the sensing system 54 can receive reflected signals 113 that have been reflected from different physical objects (e.g., props not scanned and mapped from the first location 110), and / or can receive reflected signals 113 that capture different scan data. For example, at the new location 130, the sensing system 54 can output emitted signals 112 that are reflected from a second prop 102 (e.g., from physical point 114) at a better angle than at the first location 110. Accordingly, the sensing system 54 can capture scan data of the second prop 102 with better resolution or quality. Furthermore, the controller 74 can combine the scan data collected when the vehicle 58 is at the new location 130 with the scan data collected when the vehicle 58 is at the first location 110. For example, when vehicle 58 is at a first location 110, controller 74 can receive first scan data and identify the location of physical point 114 within environment 52 by comparing the location of physical point 114 with the location of sensing system 54 within environment 52. When vehicle 58 is at a new location 130, controller 74 can receive second scan data to re-identify the location of physical point 114 within environment 52 by comparing the location of physical point 114 with the location of sensing system 54 within environment 52. The second scan data may also include other physical points associated with other physical objects that may not have been scanned when vehicle 58 was at the first location 110. Using the location of physical point 114 as a reference point, controller 74 can then identify the locations of other physical points and can add such physical points (e.g., virtual points representing other physical points) to the first scan data to combine the first and second scan data. Therefore, when the vehicle 58 is located at the new location 130, the controller 74 can instruct the positioning system 56 to position the sensing system 54 so as to accurately capture scan data of the physical point 114. The sensing system 54 can then be moved at the new location 130 to other placements or orientations within the environment 52 to capture additional scan data that will be used to map the environment 52.

[0033] The map of environment 52 can be used to determine whether the first prop 100, the second prop 102, the performance effect 104, and / or the display surface 106 are placed in ideal locations and / or in ideal orientations within environment 52. For example, based on the map generated for environment 52, a user can determine that performance effect 104 is not visible to the customer when vehicle 58 is located at the first location 110, but is visible to the customer when vehicle 58 is located at the new location 130. Accordingly, the user can determine that performance effect 104 will be moved so that performance effect 104 is also not visible to the customer when vehicle 58 is located at the new location 130 or at any other location within environment 52. Alternatively or additionally, the user can determine how the placement of various features (e.g., environmental feature 62) can change relative to each other. By way of example, performance effect 104 can be positioned such that performance effect 104 can project and move image 108 from display surface 106 toward the first prop 100. Therefore, if the first prop 100 and / or the display surface 106 are moved (e.g., for maintenance), the user can determine whether the placement of the performance effect 104 should also be adjusted to maintain the desired projection of the image 108 from the display surface 106 toward the first prop 100.

[0034] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of environment 52, which has a first region 150 and a second region 152. In the illustrated embodiment, sensing system 54 is coupled to vehicle 58 via positioning system 56, which has a first segment 154 and a second segment 156. As used herein, the segments of positioning system 56 may include supports, such as rods, telescopic arms, other suitable supports, or any combination thereof. The first segment 154 may be coupled to vehicle 58 via a first connector 158 and to second segment 156 via a second connector 160. Furthermore, sensing system 54 may be coupled to second segment 156 via a third connector 162. In an embodiment, connectors 158, 160, and 162 may each be ball-and-socket type connectors, allowing the first segment 154 to rotate about the vehicle 58 in each of rotational directions 122, 124, and 126, allowing the second segment 156 to rotate about the first segment 154 in each of rotational directions 122, 124, and 126, and allowing the sensing system 54 to rotate about the second segment 156 in each of rotational directions 122, 124, and 126. Accordingly, the positioning system 56 can achieve greater degrees of freedom of movement to move and position the sensing system 54 relative to the vehicle 58. Alternatively or additionally, connectors 158, 160, and 162 may each be different types of connectors, such as pivot connectors, hinged connectors, another suitable connector, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, although the illustrated positioning system 56 includes two segments 154, 156 and three connectors 158, 160, 162, alternative embodiments of the positioning system 56 may include any suitable number of segments and connectors, such as no segments or connectors, between three and five segments and between three and five connectors, more than five segments and more than five connectors, etc. Additionally, segments 154, 156 and connectors 158, 160, 162 can be securely and robustly assembled to limit undesirable and / or unforeseen movement of the positioning system 56 (e.g., caused by movement of the vehicle 58).

[0035] As described herein, controller 74 can be configured to direct positioning system 56 to position sensing system 54 to capture target scan data. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, positioning system 56 positions sensing system 54 to focus on capturing scan data of a first region 150 rather than a second region 152. However, at different times, controller 74 can direct positioning system 56 to focus on capturing scan data of the second region 152 rather than the first region 150. In response, controller 74 can independently actuate segments 154, 156 and / or connectors 158, 160, 162 to adjust the position of sensing system 54 accordingly. In embodiments, controller 74 can be configured to actuate positioning system 56 based on the target scan data to be captured, previously captured scan data, the current location and position of sensing system 54 within environment 52, and / or the degrees of freedom of movement of segments 154, 156 and / or connectors 158, 160, 162. That is, the controller 74 can determine the target location that the sensing system 54 can move to in order to capture target scanning data. The controller 74 can determine the target scanning data based on previously captured scanning data. The controller 74 can also determine the target scanning data based on the data from the location sensor 80. Figure 1 The controller 74 determines the current position of the sensing system 54 based on the received sensor feedback, and, based on how segments 154, 156 and connectors 158, 160, 162 can move relative to each other to change the position of the sensing system 54, the controller 74 can correspondingly determine how to actuate the positioning system 56 to move the sensing system 54 from its current position to a target position. In this way, the controller 74 can quickly and automatically guide the positioning system 56 to move the sensing system 54 to capture different and desired scan data of various areas within the environment 52, and facilitate the combination of the captured scan data.

[0036] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Each of these is a flowchart illustrating a method or process for performing various actions based on scan data captured by sensing system 54. Each method may be performed by a controller (such as controller 74). It should be noted that in other embodiments, the steps of each method may be performed differently. For example, additional steps may be performed, or certain steps of each method may be modified, deleted, or performed in a different order.

[0037] Figure 4This is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method 180 for creating a map of environment 52. At block 181, the controller determines target scan data to be collected by the sensing system. In this embodiment, existing scan data of the environment may not exist, and the target scan data can be any initial scan data including various physical objects of the environment. As an example, the controller may receive information about the general layout of the environment (e.g., a virtual model), and the controller may determine the target scan data to be captured based on the layout (e.g., based on the locations where most physical objects are expected to be placed). As another example, when initiating operations for mapping the environment, the sensing system may be directed to move to a starting position and / or a starting location, and the controller may direct the sensing system to capture an initial scan dataset at the starting position and / or starting location. In this case, the initial scan data can be the target scan data that can also be used in future scanning and mapping operations for the environment. In another or alternative embodiment, the controller may receive existing scan data and may determine the target scan data to be captured based on the existing scan data (e.g., in response to determining missing, erroneous, or otherwise insufficient data in the existing scan data). In another embodiment, the controller may receive user input, which includes target scan data captured by the sensing system.

[0038] At box 182, based on the target scanning data determined at box 181, the controller outputs a control signal to the vehicle to cause the sensing system to move to the target location within the environment of the attraction system. For example, the control signal can instruct the attraction system to operate in a regular operating cycle, wherein the vehicle is configured to generally travel along a path, and the controller can determine when the vehicle is at the target location on the path. Alternatively, the control signal can directly instruct the vehicle to travel directly to the target location on the path.

[0039] At box 184, the controller outputs a control signal to the positioning system to move the sensing system to the target location when the vehicle is in motion. As noted above, the controller can determine the target location based on target scan data (such as environmental data on an area the sensing system will focus on). The controller can then determine the current position of the sensing system and compare it with the target position. Based on the comparison between the current and target positions and the positioning system's configuration or capability to move the sensing system, the controller outputs a control signal to the positioning system to move the sensing system accordingly.

[0040] At box 186, the controller outputs a control signal to the sensing system to capture scan data associated with an area of ​​the environment at the target location and target position of the sensing system. In one implementation, the control signal may instruct the sensing system to capture individual scan datasets at the target location and target position of the sensing system, thereby generating a single 3D scan or image of the area. In an alternative implementation, the control signal may, for example, instruct the sensing system to emit a series of signals and receive a series of reflected signals to instruct the sensing system to capture multiple scan data at the target location and target position of the sensing system (e.g., where the sensing system is in various orientations), thereby generating multiple 3D scans of the area. The controller may compare the 3D scans with each other to create more accurate scan data.

[0041] At box 188, the controller determines whether sufficient scan data has been captured for the environment. For example, the controller may determine whether scan data has been captured for each relevant area within the environment. Alternatively or additionally, the controller may determine whether any portion of the captured scan data is inappropriate (e.g., below a threshold resolution) and / or whether there are any unexpected gaps in the scan data. If the controller determines that the captured scan data is insufficient, the steps at boxes 181-188 may be repeated. During the repeated steps, based on how the scan data is determined to be insufficient, the controller may output a control signal to move the sensing system to a different target location and / or a different target site. As an example, the controller may determine that the scan data for a specific area of ​​the environment is incomplete. Therefore, the controller may identify target scan data associated with the specific area and may output a control signal to move the sensing system to the corresponding target location and / or target site to capture the target scan data associated with the specific area.

[0042] Furthermore, the controller can output control signals to move the sensing system to capture additional scan data in a manner that allows the additional scan data to be easily combined with existing scan data. In other words, the controller can identify subsequent target scan data that can be combined with existing scan data, and can identify target locations and target sites associated with the subsequent target scan data. For example, the controller can identify a first set of points in the existing scan data. The controller can then identify possible sets of points adjacent to the first set of points that have not yet been collected and are of interest. For this reason, the controller can move the sensing system to a location and site that allows the sensing system to capture additional scan data (including both the first set of points and possible sets of points adjacent to the first set of points). As a result, the additional scan data can be easily combined with the existing scan data using the first set of points shared between the additional scan data and the existing scan data. In any case, steps 181-188 can be repeated for multiple iterations until the controller determines that enough scan data has been collected. At each iteration, the controller can output control signals to move the sensing system to capture additional scan data.

[0043] At box 190, the controller determines that sufficient scan data has been captured, and uses the captured scan data to create a map of the environment (e.g., a point cloud representation), such as by combining multiple captured scan datasets. As discussed herein, the controller may determine the placement of a sensing system within the environment and may identify the placement of the captured scan data relative to the placement of the sensing system to determine the overall placement of the captured scan data within the environment. Alternatively or additionally, the controller may identify multiple sets of points shared among different multiple scan datasets and may determine the placement of the different multiple captured scan datasets relative to each other based on the placement of the shared points. The created map may include all collected points representing various physical objects in the environment, wherein the map of the environment includes the appearance or orientation of such physical objects in the environment. The controller may then store the created map (e.g., in memory). The created map may be retrieved by the controller, for example, to compare the retrieved map with subsequently generated maps of the environment and / or for user reference to determine where environmental features will be placed in the environment (e.g., when replacing certain environmental features) and / or to verify that environmental features are located in their expected or appropriate locations and orientations.

[0044] Figure 5This is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method 210 for analyzing a map of the environment to determine and / or verify the state of various environmental features. In the example, following maintenance, adjustment, or another procedural operation on the attraction system, the controller may implement method 210 to determine whether the procedural operation has affected any of the environmental features of the environment. Alternatively or additionally, the controller may implement method 210 to determine whether the actual placement of the environmental feature matches the target or intended placement of the environmental feature. At block 212, the controller obtains a map of the environment (e.g., a point cloud representation). For example, the controller may implement a reference... Figure 4 Method 180 describes the steps for creating a map of the environment. Alternatively, the controller may receive or retrieve an already created map of the environment.

[0045] At box 214, the controller compares the acquired map of the environment with the environment's baseline layout. As used herein, a baseline layout refers to a plan or map of the environment that serves as a reference point for comparison with subsequent maps created of the environment. The baseline layout may include information associated with the physical objects of the environment, such as the appearance of each physical object at a given point in time and / or the desired appearance of each physical object. For example, a baseline layout may be a pre-existing map of the environment, a model created to represent the environment, or any other suitable baseline layout for the environment.

[0046] At box 216, the controller determines whether there are differences between the acquired map and the baseline layout. In an embodiment, the controller may compare the appearance of various physical objects in the acquired map with the appearance of various physical objects in the baseline layout. For example, the controller may compare the placement of one prop in the acquired map with the placement of the same prop in the baseline layout.

[0047] At box 218, the controller determines that there is no discrepancy between the obtained map and the baseline layout. As a result, the controller outputs a control signal to verify the environmental features. The control signal may include notifications indicating that the appearance of the environmental features is as expected or anticipated. Therefore, the user is informed that they cannot take further action to change the appearance of the environmental features. Furthermore, the controller may not perform any further actions that would adjust the appearance of the environmental features.

[0048] However, if the controller determines that there is a difference between the acquired map and the baseline layout performed as in the step at box 216, the controller may output a control signal to adjust the environmental features, as shown at box 220. In embodiments, the control signal may include a notification indicating that the appearance of certain environmental features has changed or that they are not within the target placement of the environment. Accordingly, the user can be informed of the difference between the appearance of the environmental features in the baseline layout and the appearance of the environmental features in the acquired map, and the user can determine to change the environmental features accordingly. For example, the controller may determine that the effect is positioned such that the effect will not project an image onto a display surface. Thus, the notification may instruct the user that the effect and / or display surface will be repositioned. The user may be able to use the baseline layout to determine where the effect and / or display surface will be positioned so that the effect can project an image onto the display surface. Alternatively or additionally, the control signal may automatically adjust the environmental features. For example, the controller may automatically adjust the effect and / or display surface so that the effect can project an image onto the display surface.

[0049] While only certain features of this disclosure have been described and illustrated herein, many modifications and alterations will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and alterations that fall within the true spirit of this disclosure.

[0050] The techniques proposed and claimed herein are referenced and applied to substantial objects and specific examples of practical nature, which arguably improve upon the art and are therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Furthermore, if any claim appended to this specification contains one or more elements designated as “component for [implementing]…[function]” or “step for [implementing]…[function]”, such elements are intended to be interpreted according to 35 USC 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, such elements are intended not to be interpreted according to 35 USC 112(f).

Claims

1. An amusement park attraction mapping system, comprising: A sensing system configured to be installed in the environment of an amusement park attraction, the sensing system being configured to capture scan data of the environment, wherein the scan data includes virtual points representing objects in the environment; A positioning system coupled to the sensing system, wherein the positioning system is configured to move the sensing system within the environment; and A controller communicatively coupled to the sensing system and the positioning system, wherein the controller is configured to: Determine the target scan data to be captured by the sensing system; Based on the target scanning data, a first control signal is output to guide the positioning system to move the sensing system to the target position; A second control signal is output to instruct the sensing system to capture the scan data at the target location; Based on capturing sufficient scan data, the scan data is combined to create a data point cloud of the environment; The data point cloud is compared with the baseline layout of the environment; Determine the difference between the data point cloud of the environment and the baseline layout of the environment; and In response to the difference, a signal related to the adjustment of the characteristics of the environment is output.

2. The amusement park attraction mapping system according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is configured to: Determine if enough scan data has been captured; In response to determining that sufficient scan data has not yet been collected to determine additional target scan data to be captured by the sensing system based on the existing scan data; Based on the additional target scanning data, a third control signal is output to guide the positioning system to move the sensing system to the additional target location; as well as A fourth control signal is output to instruct the sensing system to capture additional scan data at the additional target location.

3. The amusement park attraction mapping system according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is configured to determine whether sufficient scan data has been captured based on the amount of scan data, the resolution of the scan data, the number of sets of scan data, or any combination thereof.

4. The amusement park attraction mapping system according to claim 2, wherein, The existing scan data is associated with a first region of the environment, and the additional scan data is associated with a second region of the environment that is separate from the first region.

5. The amusement park attraction mapping system according to claim 2, wherein, The existing scan data and the additional scan data each include a shared set of virtual points, and the controller is configured to combine the existing scan data and the additional scan data based on the shared set of virtual points.

6. The amusement park attraction mapping system according to claim 1, wherein, The positioning system includes at least two positioning arms coupled together via at least one connector, wherein the controller is configured to actuate each positioning arm to move the sensing system.

7. The amusement park attraction mapping system according to claim 1, wherein, The positioning system is coupled to a vehicle at the amusement park attraction. A first control signal is configured to instruct the positioning system to move the sensing system relative to the vehicle to the target location. The controller is configured to output a third control signal to instruct the vehicle to move to a target location within the environment, causing the sensing system to move to the target location. A second control signal is configured to instruct the sensing system to capture the scan data at the target location and at the target location.

8. The amusement park attraction mapping system according to claim 1, wherein, The sensing system includes a light detection and ranging device, an infrared three-dimensional (3D) scanner, a structured light scanner, a digital photogrammetry scanner, or any combination thereof.

9. A controller for a scanning and mapping system in an amusement park, the controller comprising a tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, the computer-executable instructions being configured, when executed, to cause one or more processors: The target scan data of the amusement park environment to be captured is determined, wherein, The target scanning data includes a set of target virtual points; Based on the target scanning data, a first control signal is output to the vehicle in the amusement park so that the sensing system moves to the target location within the amusement park; Based on the target scanning data, a second control signal is output to the positioning system coupled to the vehicle, so that the sensing system moves relative to the vehicle to the target position; as well as A third control signal is output to the sensing system to capture scan data at the target location and the target position.

10. The controller according to claim 9, wherein, When executed, the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to output the first control signal to guide the vehicle to move along the paths of the attractions in the amusement park within the environment.

11. The controller according to claim 9, wherein, When executed, the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to output the second control signal to instruct the positioning system to rotate the sensing system relative to the vehicle, translate the sensing system relative to the vehicle, or both.

12. The controller according to claim 9, wherein, When executed, the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to receive user input and determine the target scan data based on the user input.

13. The controller according to claim 9, wherein, When executed, the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to receive previously captured scan data of the environment and determine the target scan data based on the previously captured scan data.

14. A theme park attraction system, comprising: Taking a means of transportation; A sensing system configured to capture scan data of the environment of a theme park attraction, wherein the scan data includes data points representing physical objects in the environment; A positioning system that couples the sensing system to the vehicle, wherein the positioning system is configured to move the sensing system relative to the vehicle; and A controller communicatively coupled to the vehicle, the sensing system, and the positioning system, wherein the controller is configured to: Determine the multiple target scan datasets to be captured by the sensing system; The vehicle and the positioning system are guided to move the sensing system to multiple locations within the environment, wherein each location is associated with one of the multiple target scan datasets; The sensing system is instructed to capture multiple scan datasets, wherein each of the multiple scan datasets is associated with a corresponding placement among the multiple placements; and The multiple scan datasets are combined with each other to create a data point cloud of the environment.

15. The theme park attraction system according to claim 14, wherein, The controller is configured to guide the vehicle to move to a location within the environment and, based on the location, to guide the positioning system to move the sensing system to a position relative to the vehicle.

16. The theme park attraction system according to claim 14, wherein, The sensing system includes a location sensor, and the controller is configured to: The system receives corresponding sensor feedback from the location sensor to determine the corresponding location of the sensing system within the environment for each of the plurality of scan datasets; Associate each of the plurality of scan datasets with the corresponding location of the sensing system within the environment; as well as The multiple scan datasets are combined based on the corresponding location associated with each of the multiple scan datasets.

17. The theme park attraction system according to claim 14, wherein, The controller is configured to: Compare the data point cloud of the environment with the baseline layout of the environment; Determine the difference between the data point cloud of the environment and the baseline layout of the environment; and In response to the difference, a signal related to the adjustment of the characteristics of the environment is output.

18. The theme park attraction system according to claim 17, wherein, The controller is configured to output the signal to send a notification to the user indicating the adjustment of the feature, to automatically adjust the feature, or both.

19. The theme park attraction system according to claim 17, wherein, The baseline layout includes a pre-existing map of the environment, a model of the environment, or both.

20. The theme park attraction system according to claim 19, wherein, The controller is configured to: Compare the data point cloud of the environment with the baseline layout of the environment; Determine whether there are differences between the pre-existing map of the environment and the baseline layout; as well as In response to the absence of the difference, a signal is output to verify the placement or appearance of the environmental features.

Images