Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Assisted and Dynamic Ride Profile Head Tracking System and Method

Abstract

A ride system can include a ride vehicle that supports passengers and an attention tracker that determines a current direction of attention of a passenger. The ride system can also include a control system for maintaining an environment of the passenger. Maintaining the environment can include determining a set of content to be incorporated into the environment based at least in part on the current direction of attention.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 333,382, filed on April 21, 2022, entitled “ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)-ASSISTED AND DYNAMIC RIDE PROFILE HEAD TRACKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Background Art

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to amusement park type rides / attractions, and more particularly to systems and methods for tracking, predicting and / or utilizing head and / or eye movements in amusement park type rides / attractions.

[0003] Various amusement rides have been created to provide passengers with unique motion and visual experiences. For example, themed rides may be implemented as single-passenger or multi-passenger ride vehicles that travel along fixed or variable paths. The ride vehicles themselves may contain features (e.g., various buttons and knobs) that provide passengers with different levels of control over the ride vehicle and / or the surrounding environment. However, when the ride vehicle follows a predetermined fixed path, the traditional controls given to passengers of the ride vehicle are generally limited.

[0004] In addition, in fixed or variable path ride vehicles and simulated ride vehicles, digital and / or physical content can be rendered or actuated, respectively, to enhance the experience of (one or more) passengers. For some amusement park rides, vehicle movement and such content rendering / actuation may be limited to pre-programmed profiles (e.g., animations) such as embedded in a programmable logic controller (PLC) of the vehicle. However, it is currently recognized that these programmed profiles are essentially static and therefore are not updated or modified based on passenger interaction with the vehicle and / or based on a realistic physical model. As a result, passengers of the ride may feel as if the ride is staged or unrealistic, which may limit passenger engagement and enjoyment.

[0005] Furthermore, it is also recognized that as passengers experience a ride / attraction, where passengers focus their attention (i.e., where the passengers are looking) may vary throughout the ride / attraction. Thus, it is now recognized that when a ride utilizes a pre-programmed profile to determine and generate a passenger's experience without regard to the direction of the passenger's attention, this may limit the ride's ability to immerse the passenger in an experience that feels authentic to a physical model of reality.

[0006] The above background technology section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the technology that may be related to various aspects of the technology presented, which are described and / or claimed below. It is believed that this discussion is helpful in providing the reader with background technology information to promote a better understanding of various aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements are to be interpreted in this light, and not as an admission of prior art. Summary of the invention

[0007] The following summarizes certain embodiments that are commensurate in scope with the originally claimed subject matter. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter, but rather, these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief overview of possible forms of the subject matter. Indeed, the subject matter may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0008] In one embodiment, a ride system may include: a ride vehicle supporting a passenger; and an attention tracker to determine a current attention direction of the passenger. The ride system may also include a control system to maintain an environment for the passenger. Maintaining the environment may include determining a set of content to be incorporated into the environment based on the current attention direction.

[0009] In one embodiment, a method may include: determining a first attention direction of a first passenger at a first time during a first ride session of a ride system; and training an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to predict a future attention direction of a second passenger based on the first attention direction of the first passenger. In addition, the method may include: determining a second attention direction of a second passenger at a second time during a second ride session of the ride system; and estimating, via the AI ​​algorithm, a future attention direction of the second passenger based on the second attention direction of the second passenger. In addition, the method may include determining whether to limit rendering of content of a set of content generated for the second passenger based on the estimated future attention direction.

[0010] In one embodiment, a method may include: receiving input data associated with one or more input devices of a ride vehicle, such as an attention direction of a passenger of the ride vehicle. The method may also include generating a virtual environment associated with the passenger based at least in part on the input data. Contents of the virtual environment may be determined based on the attention direction. The method may also include: rendering a first portion of the virtual environment; and displaying a second portion of the rendered first portion of the virtual environment based on a point-of-view of the passenger relative to an axis of the ride vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, and in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ride system including a ride vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2 A ride vehicle coupled to a control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 1 A hybrid schematic and block diagram of the ride system;

[0014] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating two riding vehicles according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the flow of information within a control system;

[0015] Figure 4 A device with one or more attention trackers for determining the direction of a passenger's attention according to an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 1 A top view of a ride vehicle;

[0016] Figure 5 is surrounded by physical and / or virtual content according to an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 1 A perspective view of a ride vehicle;

[0017] Figure 6 is a flow chart of an example process for generating and displaying content based on a passenger's attention direction and / or field of view according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0018] Figure 7 is a flow chart of an example process for utilizing an artificial intelligence algorithm to anticipate a passenger's attention direction and / or field of view and adjust content rendering based thereon according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. In order to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of the actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated 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, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. In addition, it should be appreciated that such development work may be complex and time-consuming, but for those of ordinary skill who benefit from the present disclosure, it will be nothing more than a routine task of design, production, and manufacturing. Further, with respect to certain terms used herein (such as parallel, perpendicular, and the like), it should be understood that these terms allow certain deviations from strict mathematical definitions, such as allowing deviations associated with manufacturing defects and associated tolerances.

[0020] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles "a," "an," and "the" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements described. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive, and mean that there may be additional elements in addition to the listed elements. Furthermore, it should be understood that references to "an embodiment" or "one embodiment" of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

[0021] As should be appreciated, various amusement rides have been created to provide unique motion and visual experiences to passengers. For example, an amusement ride can be implemented by a single-passenger or multi-passenger ride vehicle that travels along a fixed or variable path. The ride vehicle itself may contain pre-programmed profiles and / or features (e.g., various buttons and knobs) that provide passengers with different levels of control of the ride vehicle and / or the surrounding environment. However, even with some degree of passenger control, the pre-programmed profiles may also appear to be essentially static. As a result, the passengers of the ride may feel as if the ride is staged or unrealistic, which may limit passenger participation and fun. Therefore, in order to improve passenger participation and fun, a dynamic ride profile based on a combination of sensing parameters, physical models, game feedback, and passenger interaction can be used to render content and adjust the movement of the ride vehicle. Therefore, a dynamic ride profile enables the ride to provide realistic simulated movement and digitally rendered content that improves passenger participation and fun.

[0022] The presented embodiments are generally directed to amusement park-style rides / attractions that utilize prediction and / or tracking of head and / or eye movement to improve content rendering efficiency and / or modify / change the dynamic ride profile of the ride / attraction. Generally speaking, as passengers experience the ride / attraction, where the passengers focus their attention (i.e., where the passengers are looking) may vary throughout the ride / attraction. Therefore, in some embodiments, passenger interaction and effects based on dynamic ride profiles may go beyond typical passenger controls (such as buttons, joysticks, and / or interactive handheld devices) to also include the direction of attention and / or field of view of (one or more) passengers. For example, content (e.g., digital content and / or physical content) depicted around or within a ride vehicle and / or the movement of the ride vehicle may be generated or actuated based on where the passenger's attention is focused. In some embodiments, the ride vehicle, surroundings, and / or devices owned by passengers (e.g., headphones, glasses, handheld devices, etc.) may include one or more head tracking and / or eye tracking sensors (e.g., attention trackers) to estimate the direction of attention and / or field of view of the passenger. Note that the tracker can be coupled to a dynamic control system to generate a dynamic ride profile.

[0023] In some embodiments, the content of the dynamic ride profile can be adjusted based on the passenger's attention direction to compensate for distortion, blur, and / or other viewpoint distortions so that the content appears realistic / immersive to the passenger. Additionally or alternatively, the passenger's attention direction can be used to change what content (e.g., its theme or arrangement) is generated / displayed to the passenger. Furthermore, the movement of the ride vehicle can be adjusted based on the passenger's attention direction directly (e.g., as a direct cause thereof) or indirectly (e.g., based on modified content that is based on the passenger's attention direction).

[0024] Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the passenger's attention direction can be used to adjust digital content rendering and / or physical content actuation so that processing time and / or activation energy is not wasted on content that will not be observed (e.g., outside the passenger's field of view). For example, if the passenger's attention direction is in a first direction, content in a second direction that is associated with a ride profile (e.g., dynamic, static, or other ride profile) and that will not be visible within the passenger's field of view can be ignored (i.e., not rendered) during rendering to save processing power / bandwidth and / or energy. Furthermore, in some embodiments, content adjustment can be determined independently of or in conjunction with a dynamic ride profile (which can also be determined based on the passenger's attention direction). For example, adjustment of content rendering can be performed regardless of what content the ride profile contains and regardless of whether the passenger's attention direction determines the subject matter or location of the content (e.g., such as in a dynamic ride profile).

[0025] Furthermore, in some embodiments, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms (such as machine learning algorithms, deep learning algorithms, artificial neural networks (ANNs), etc.) may be used to predict in real time where a passenger's attention direction will be focused based on historical data and / or current head and / or eye position data. For example, head tracking and / or eye tracking may be performed over a training period and / or throughout the life of the ride system to train the AI ​​algorithm to predict where a passenger may be looking on average or at any point in time (e.g., current / real-time point in time) during the operation of the ride system. Furthermore, the predicted attention direction may be used to enhance and / or accelerate processing that relies on the passenger's attention direction, such as the generation of dynamic ride profiles and / or the adjustment of content rendering. For example, the ride system may pre-process future content based on the predicted attention direction to reduce or eliminate lag time associated with processing. Additionally or alternatively, based on the passenger's predicted attention direction and / or field of view, processing associated with content in certain areas that are less likely to be seen by the passenger relative to the passenger's position may be reduced.

[0026] Considering the above, Figure 1 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a ride system 10. The ride system 10 may include one or more ride vehicles 12 that accommodate one or more passengers 14. In some embodiments, multiple ride vehicles 12 may be coupled together (e.g., via links 16). In some scenarios, during operation of the ride system 10, the ride vehicles 12 may travel along a ride path 18. The ride path 18 may be any surface on which the ride vehicles 12 travel. For example, the ride path 18 may be defined by a track, a gimbal system, an enclosed or predefined area, etc. The ride path 18 may or may not specify a path traveled by the ride vehicle 12. In some embodiments, the ride path 18 may control the movement (e.g., direction, speed, and / or orientation) of the ride vehicle 12 as it travels along the ride path 18 (similar to a train on a track). In another embodiment, another system may control the path taken by the ride vehicle 12 during operation of the ride system 10. For example, the ride path 18 may be an open surface that allows the passenger 14 to control certain aspects of the movement of the ride vehicle 12 via an interface system of the ride vehicle 12. Additionally, in some embodiments, the ride vehicles 12 may remain stationary relative to a geographic location and articulate on one or more axes. Thus, the ride path 18 may be virtual, and the ride vehicles 12 articulate to simulate movement within or on the ride path 18. As should be appreciated, the ride system 10 may include any suitable number of ride vehicles 12, and each ride vehicle 12 may accommodate any suitable number of passengers 14.

[0027] It should be understood that Figure 1The embodiment of the ride system 10 illustrated in the accompanying drawings is a simplified representation intended to provide context and facilitate discussion of the presently disclosed technology. Other embodiments of the ride system 10 (including the ride vehicle 12, the ride path 18, and the like) may include similar and / or different elements or configurations. For example, while the illustrated embodiment depicts the ride vehicle 12 traveling along the ride path 18 located below the ride vehicle 12, other embodiments of the ride system 10 may include the ride vehicle 12 suspended from the ride path 18 located above the ride vehicle.

[0028] Figure 2 2 is a hybrid schematic and block diagram representation of a ride system 10 including ride vehicles 12 coupled to a control system 20. Each ride vehicle 12 may include a plurality of output devices 22, a plurality of input devices 24, one or more sensors 26, and / or one or more controllers. For example, the controllers may include, but are not limited to, one or more movement controllers (e.g., a speed controller 28 and a rotation controller 30) and / or a master controller 32, such as a programmable logic controller (PLC). As should be appreciated, each controller may include separate or shared processor circuits 34 and memory 36. In addition, the sensors 26 may include position sensors (e.g., proximity detectors, radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors, cameras, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors), speedometers, accelerometers, gyroscopes, revolutions per minute (RPM) sensors, voltage / current sensors, or any other suitable sensor capable of measuring parameters of the ride system 10, passengers 14 (e.g., head or eye movement), and / or vehicles 12. In addition, the sensors may be located within the ride vehicle 12 or outside of the ride vehicle 12, such as on or beside the ride path 18.

[0029] In some embodiments, the output devices 22 may include any suitable number of displays (e.g., displays mounted inside the vehicle, head mounted displays), speakers, tactile feedback devices (e.g., rumble / vibration feedback devices, acoustic or ultrasonic tactile devices), physical effect devices (e.g., devices that generate bursts of hot or cold air, devices that generate bursts of fog). Furthermore, in some embodiments, the output devices 22 may surround (one or more) passengers in whole or in part to provide a more immersive experience. Additionally or alternatively, the output devices 22 may be disposed outside of the ride vehicle 12. As will be appreciated, in conjunction with the present disclosure, each of the ride vehicles 12 may include other suitable output devices 22 or other combinations of output devices 22.

[0030] In addition, the input devices 24 may include buttons (e.g., ignition buttons), steering devices (e.g., steering wheels, joysticks), control pedals (e.g., brake pedals, accelerator pedals, clutch pedals, etc.), knobs, levers (e.g., gear levers, brake levers, etc.), or other physical media. Additionally or alternatively, the input devices 24 may include head and / or eye tracking systems that monitor the head and / or eye positions of the passengers to determine the direction of attention and / or field of view. As should be appreciated, in conjunction with the present disclosure, each of the ride vehicles 12 may include other input devices 24 or other combinations of input devices 24. In some embodiments, each of the passengers 14 may have a corresponding set of input devices 24, while in other embodiments, each of the passengers 14 may have complementary portions of the input devices 24 (e.g., which are used in a collaborative manner) or shared input devices 24.

[0031] In addition, the ride system 10 may include a control system 20 for controlling movement of the ride vehicle 12 according to a dynamic ride profile, as discussed in more detail below. More specifically, the illustrated control system 20 includes a dynamic ride profile server 38, a game server 40, and may be communicatively coupled to a controller 32 of the ride vehicle 12 (e.g., via a network 42). As should be appreciated, the network 42 may utilize any suitable wired or wireless connection to provide communication between the ride vehicle 12 and the control system 20.

[0032] As used herein and as discussed in more detail below, a game server 40 refers to a computing device or collection of computing devices (e.g., a physical computing device or a virtual computing node) that is generally responsible for managing the video "game" aspects of the ride system 10. Thus, the game server 40 can be programmed to generate a virtual environment (e.g., a virtual 3D space) in which a virtual vehicle is designed to move. Additionally, a virtual vehicle, as used herein, refers to a video game entity or element of a virtual environment having specific attributes (e.g., speed, position, health / damage, fuel, appearance) maintained by the game server 40. For example, a virtual vehicle can be associated with a physical ride vehicle 12. In some embodiments, additional virtual vehicles (e.g., non-playable characters / vehicles) may also exist within the virtual environment.

[0033] In some embodiments, an augmented or fully virtual environment 44 containing digital and / or physical content inside or outside the ride vehicle 12 may be presented to the passenger 14. For example, in some embodiments, the ride system 10 may be a racing simulator, and thus, the game server 40 may generate and maintain a virtual environment representing the nature of the track that the virtual vehicles are traversing, the relative speed and position of the virtual vehicles, the interactions between the virtual vehicles, the attributes associated with the virtual vehicles (e.g., performance upgrades, health, bonuses, scores, etc.), and the like. The game content may be generated and / or altered based on a pre-designed program (e.g., an overarching "game") and input from the input device 24 and / or sensor 26. In addition, the game content (e.g., video content, audio content) delivered to the ride vehicle 12 may be output by the output device 22 to produce at least a portion of the environment 44 presented to the passenger 14. For example, in one embodiment, the video content presented to a particular passenger 14 by a display device of the ride vehicle 12 includes content corresponding to the perspective of the particular passenger 14 generated within the virtual environment hosted by the game server 40. As should be appreciated, the environment 44 may be a virtual environment (eg, displayed entirely via digital media), a physical environment (eg, physical and / or mechanical surroundings), or a combination thereof (eg, a virtually enhanced physical environment).

[0034] As used herein and as discussed in more detail below, a dynamic ride profile server 38 refers to a computing device or collection of computing devices (e.g., a physical computing device or a virtual computing node) that is generally responsible for determining how a physical ride vehicle 12 should move based on a plurality of different input data and one or more physical models. As discussed, the input data may include information received from a game server 40 that indicates or describes what is happening to each corresponding virtual vehicle in the virtual environment, such as how the virtual vehicle responds to textures or interactions within the game. For example, the inclination of the track, environmental hazards (e.g., rain, standing water, ice), and interactions between virtual vehicles may be factors in determining how the ride vehicle 12 should move. In addition, in some embodiments, the dynamic ride profile server 38 receives input data from various sensors 26 and / or input devices 24 of the ride system 10. As discussed below, the dynamic ride profile server 38 provides the received data as input to one or more physical models that describe how the physical ride vehicle 12 should move to correspond to what is happening in the environment 44 presented to the passenger 14. In this manner, the dynamic ride profile server 38 generates a dynamic ride profile that instructs each of the ride vehicles 12 how to move to match what is being presented to the passengers 14 by the game server 40 .

[0035] In certain embodiments, the dynamic ride profile server 38 and the game server 40 may be hosted by different physical computing devices, or may exist as virtual server instances hosted by a common physical computing device. As should be appreciated, the one or more computing devices hosting the dynamic ride profile server 38 and the game server 40 may generally include any suitable memory 36 (e.g., non-transitory computer-readable media) capable of storing instructions and data, and any suitable processing circuitry 34 capable of executing the stored instructions to provide the functionality set forth herein.

[0036] It can be appreciated that in certain embodiments, the ride path 18 can be loosely defined by a set of physical and virtual boundaries, thereby enabling greater freedom of movement of the ride vehicle than a conventional track. Thus, in addition to producing effects in the environment 44 presented to the passenger 14, the input device 24 can also trigger real-world effects, such as changing the operation (e.g., position, speed, or orientation) of the vehicle 12 within a predefined set of limits. For example, the dynamic ride profile server 38 can provide control signals to one or more movement controllers (e.g., speed controller 28 and / or rotation controller 30) to modify vehicle yaw 46, pitch 48, ride path position (e.g., displacement 50 along the ride path 18 or lateral displacement 52 relative to the boundaries of the ride path 18), speed (e.g., rate of change of displacement 50 and / or lateral displacement 52), and / or rotation rate (e.g., rate of change of yaw 46 and / or pitch 48), or any other suitable parameter of the ride vehicle 12 (according to a physics-based dynamic ride profile that takes into account passenger input). That is, embodiments of the dynamic ride profile server 38 may provide control signals to modify one or more aspects of the position and / or orientation of the ride vehicle 12 along the ride path 18 along one or more axes (e.g., along six degrees of freedom). This generally enables the ride vehicle 12 to move in a manner consistent with what is being presented in the environment 44, thereby creating an immersive experience for the passengers 14.

[0037] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing two ride vehicles 12 (eg, ride vehicle 12A and ride vehicle 12B). Figure 2Schematic diagram of the flow of information within the control system 20 of FIG. 4. In general, input data 54 (e.g., from input device 24) and sensor data 56 (e.g., from sensor 26) may be provided to a dynamic ride profile server 38 and / or a game server 40. In addition, game data 58 generated by the game server 40 may be provided to the dynamic ride profile server 38 to generate different dynamic ride profiles 60A and 60B (cumulatively, 60) for different ride vehicles 12A and 12B, respectively. As stated above, when determining the dynamic ride profile 60, the dynamic ride profile server 38 may apply one or more physics models 61 (e.g., stored in memory 36). Such physics models 61 may define how a virtual vehicle (which corresponds to the ride vehicle 12) moves through the environment 44, such as moving along a smooth or layered path, moving along a bumpy or turbulent path, sliding or drifting, or transferring between different mediums (e.g., moving between air and water). The physics model 61 may also include a model that describes how two or more virtual vehicles interact or affect each other (eg, via dragging, collisions, projectile attacks) within the environment 44 presented to the passenger 14 .

[0038] As discussed herein, the control system 20 generates content depicting the environment 44 and determines appropriate movement for the ride vehicle 12 that makes the ride experience feel as if the vehicle is actually moving through the environment 44. For example, the output device 22 may provide audio / visual information related to the video game aspects of the ride system 10 (e.g., video content, sound effects, music, virtual reality (VR) content, augmented reality (AR) content), and the ride vehicle 12 may move accordingly. In addition, the control system may receive input from the input device 24 and / or the sensor 26 and, in response, update the content presented to the passenger 14 accordingly. In other words, the content and movement may be based on input data and / or sensor data representing the arrangement of the ride vehicle 12 and / or the actions or arrangement of the passengers.

[0039] In particular, Figure 462 of the passenger 14 shown in the figure can be used to change or enhance the dynamic ride profile 60 of the ride vehicle 12 or the experience of a particular passenger within the ride vehicle 12. For example, one or more attention trackers 64 can be arranged within the ride vehicle 12 (e.g., mounted within or on top of the ride vehicle, mounted on a headrest of the ride vehicle, etc.), outside the ride vehicle 12 (e.g., along or beside the ride path 18), and / or worn by the passenger 14 (e.g., via headphones 66). The attention tracker 64 can utilize any suitable type of head and / or eye movement tracking (e.g., via a camera, gyroscope, accelerometer, etc.) to identify the attention direction 62 of (one or more) passengers 14 and / or the field of view 68 of (one or more) passengers. In addition, in some embodiments, the headphones 66 (e.g., AR headsets, VR headsets, 3D glasses, etc.) can be used as both an input device 24 (e.g., as an attention tracker 64) and an output device 22 (e.g., to at least partially provide the content of the environment 44). Additionally, some attention trackers 64 may include a multi-directional tracker 64-1 and / or an actuation tracker 64-2, e.g., for use with a mobile device and / or multiple ride vehicles 12. As should be appreciated, the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 may be relative to any suitable axis, such as a direction of motion (e.g., virtual or physical) 70 along the ride path 18, a longitudinal, lateral, or vertical axis of the ride vehicle 12, as set by the passenger 14 or preset by the ride system 10.

[0040] In some embodiments, the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 of the passenger 14 may be tracked (e.g., via one or more attention trackers 64) throughout the ride period (e.g., the period of time that the passenger 14 is in contact with the ride system 10). Moreover, the tracking may be performed continuously throughout the ride period, at predefined locations along the ride path 18, at predefined locations or events within the virtual aspects of the environment 44, and / or periodically in time during the ride period. Additionally or alternatively, the tracking may be performed based on the position and / or orientation of the ride vehicle 12. For example, a nominal attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 may be derived based on the direction of motion 70 of the ride vehicle 12 and / or the orientation of the ride vehicle 12 relative to the direction of motion 70. Furthermore, the nominal attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 may be based on the arrangement and / or number of passengers 14 within the ride vehicle 12. For example, a ride vehicle 12 with two passengers 14 on the left side of the ride vehicle 12 may have a more left-biased attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 than a ride vehicle 12 with passengers 14 arranged side by side.

[0041] like Figure 5, passengers 14 (e.g., passengers 14A and passengers 14B) may be surrounded by potential content (e.g., content A, content B, content C, and content D) associated with an environment 44. As should be appreciated, the content of the environment 44 may be a fully physical, fully virtual, or virtually enhanced physical environment 44. As discussed herein, the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 of the passenger 14 may be used to determine what content to generate (e.g., what theme to generate by the game server 40 and / or the location of such theme within the environment 44), where / how to render the content on the output device 22 (e.g., based on the perspective of the passenger 14 within the environment 44), and / or what content to render (e.g., to reduce the rendering of that portion of the environment 44 that is not required for viewing). In addition, as used herein, the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 may be considered individually, or as a combined direction / field of view of multiple passengers 14, such as the intersection, addition, average, or other combination of multiple attention directions 62 and / or fields of view 68. For example, the field of view 68 used in determining what content to generate may be a field of view based on a combination of the field of view 68A of the first passenger 14A and the field of view 68B of the second passenger 14B. Additionally or alternatively, such as when the ride vehicle 12 is empty and / or for testing purposes, the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 may include the attention direction and field of view of a virtual or otherwise assumed passenger. In some embodiments, the virtual passenger may have a variable or set attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 that may be based on or coincident with the direction of travel 70 of the ride vehicle 12.

[0042] What content is generated (e.g., by the game server 40) may depend on the attention direction 62 and / or the field of view 68. For example, if the passenger's attention direction 62 lingers while aiming toward the sky, airplanes or birds that would not otherwise be generated during a quick glance toward the sky may be generated to bring more excitement or realism to the sky. In another example, such as in a thriller or horror amusement ride, a skeleton or ghost (e.g., Figure 5 The content A) may be at the edge of the passenger's field of view 68 (e.g., at Figure 5 In one embodiment, a rider 14A may be provided with a ride system 10 that is configured to provide a plurality of different experiences based on the rider's 14A viewing angle 62 and / or viewing angle 68. In other words, different content that would not otherwise be utilized or generated may be incorporated into the rider's experience (e.g., incorporated into a game) depending on the direction of attention 62 and / or viewing angle 68.

[0043] Additionally or alternatively, the passenger's attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 may dictate where / how the digital content is rendered (e.g., via AR, VR, or a display screen) relative to the passenger's viewing angle. Figure 5 In the example embodiment, content B may be generally left of center when compared to the viewpoint of passenger 14A, and content B may be generally centered when compared to the viewpoint of passenger 14B. Further, content C may appear to be farther away than content A to passenger 14A. Additionally or alternatively, such an arrangement of content may also be used to compensate for distortion (e.g., lens distortion from headphones or displays), blur (e.g., portions of the ride vehicle 12 or other passengers 14 obstructing the content), and / or other viewpoint distortions so that the content appears realistic to passenger 14.

[0044] Figure 6 Flowchart of an example process 71 for generating and displaying content based on the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 of the passenger 14. In some embodiments, the sensor data 56 and the input data 54 (including the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68) may be received (e.g., via the game server 40 and / or the dynamic ride profile server 38) (process box 72). In addition, game data may be generated based on the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 (process box 74). For example, the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 may be used to determine what is happening in the game, and therefore what the environment 44 will contain. In addition, a dynamic ride profile 60 may be generated based on the game data (process box 76), and content may be rendered (process box 78). During rendering, the content may be compensated for the perspective of the passenger based on the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 (process box 80). As should be appreciated, although discussed herein as rendering content based on the dynamic ride profile 60, the dynamic ride profile server 38, the controller 32, or a separate processor 34 may be used to send control signals to the physical content and / or render the graphical content. Thus, in some embodiments, the rendered content may be transmitted to the ride vehicle 12 in parallel with the dynamic ride profile 60 (eg, for use in controlling ride vehicle movement). Finally, the rendered content may be displayed via one or more output devices 22 (process block 82).

[0045] Return to Figure 5 , the attention direction 62 and / or the field of view 68 may also be used to determine what content to render in association with the generated game data and environment 44. Figure 5In the example of FIG. 1 , none of the passengers 14A / 14B can see the content D because it is relatively far from their respective attention directions 62A / 62B and fields of view 68A / 68B. Therefore, the content D may not be rendered. In other words, in response to determining that the passenger 14 will not see the particular content, the rendering of the particular content may be limited (e.g., not rendered or partially rendered). The partial rendering may include rendering at a reduced resolution and / or rendering in which more detailed aspects are removed from the environment 44 (e.g., removing clouds from the sky, reducing the number of trees in a forest, etc.).

[0046] However, in some scenarios, it may be difficult to render previously unviewed content in response to a change in a passenger's attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68. For example, if passenger 14B were to turn around suddenly, content D may or may not have time to fully render before passenger 14 notices the absence or artifact of the content. Therefore, an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm may be utilized to predict passenger 14's attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 so that content can be rendered before the passenger looks at it, but it is allowed to remain unrendered or partially rendered (e.g., to save processing bandwidth and / or power) while the content remains unseen. For example, if passenger 14 tends to look behind them at a certain point in the ride as determined by the AI ​​algorithm, content D may be rendered and ready during that point in the ride.

[0047] In some embodiments, the AI ​​algorithm may be a machine learning algorithm, a deep learning algorithm, an artificial neural network (ANN), or any other suitable type of AI algorithm. In addition, the AI ​​algorithm may be part of the control system 20, or implemented separately. In some scenarios, the training data for the AI ​​algorithm may include attention tracking data from one or more attention trackers 64 obtained throughout the ride period (e.g., at periodic points or continuously). In addition, in some scenarios, the training data may be obtained during the learning period, where all content or pre-selected portions thereof are rendered when the AI ​​algorithm learns the frequency and / or behavioral characteristics of head and / or eye movements. In some scenarios, the pre-selected portion of the content may be based on the virtual passenger's attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68, which may be based on the direction of motion 70 of the ride vehicle or based on a preset algorithm. Once the AI ​​algorithm has been trained, the AI ​​algorithm may output a predicted attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 for each passenger 14 based on the current attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68, which may be used (e.g., by the AI ​​algorithm, the dynamic ride profile server 38, the game server 40, the controller 32, and / or other processors 34) to determine which content to render. Additionally or alternatively, the AI ​​algorithm may predict or conceptually take into account the attention directions 62 and / or fields of view 68 associated with or based on a combination of multiple passengers.

[0048] In some embodiments, the AI ​​algorithm may predict the passenger's attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 for a preset future time period (e.g., 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, etc., until the end of the ride period). In other words, the AI ​​algorithm may predict that the passenger's attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 will remain within a certain range for the immediate future (e.g., the next 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, etc., until the end of the ride period), and content rendering may be adjusted based on the predicted range. For example, if the passenger 14A / 14B's attention direction 62A / 62B and / or field of view 68A / 68B is predicted to change between content A, content B, and content C, but is predicted to not include content D within a given future time period, then content D may be partially rendered or not rendered during the current time and / or a given period. As should be appreciated, the immediate time period may be a sliding window prior to the current time and / or the time when the current attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 is measured / calculated.

[0049] Additionally or alternatively, if it is foreseen (e.g., based on the predicted attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68) that certain areas of the content will not be viewed, the AI ​​algorithm can also be used to adjust the generation of the game data 58. For example, in highly viewed content areas, more game data content can be generated, and in less viewed content areas, the game data content can be relatively sparse. Such reallocation of game data can allow more interaction or entertainment for the passengers 14 without increasing processing bandwidth. In addition, in any of the embodiments discussed herein, the predicted attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 can replace the current attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 (e.g., as determined based on one or more attention trackers 64).

[0050] Additionally or alternatively, the learning period may include activation / deactivation of content rendering controlled by the AI ​​algorithm, and the AI ​​algorithm may learn to directly control what content is rendered and what content remains unrendered or only partially rendered (e.g., rendered with less content or at a lower resolution) with or without outputting the predicted attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68. In other words, the predicted attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 may be used conceptually (e.g., to generate changes to the dynamic ride profile 38) without being directly computed. Furthermore, the AI ​​algorithm may also utilize input data 54 and / or sensor data 56 from the input device 24 in conjunction with attention tracking data from one or more attention trackers 64 to update the dynamic ride profile 38 and / or generate the predicted attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68. As should be appreciated, in some embodiments, as the ride system 10 is utilized by more and more passengers 14, the AI ​​algorithm may be continuously or periodically updated based on the attention tracking data.

[0051] Figure 7 8 is a flow chart of an example process 84 for utilizing an AI algorithm to anticipate the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 of a passenger 14 and adjust content rendering based thereon. The AI ​​algorithm may receive training data containing attention tracking data of a passenger 14 experiencing the ride system 10 (process block 86). The AI ​​algorithm may then be trained based on the training data (process block 88). The trained AI algorithm may receive current attention tracking data associated with the passenger 14 (e.g., input data 54 from the attention tracker 64) (process block 90). As should be appreciated, the current attention tracking data may contain the current attention direction 62 and / or current field of view 68 of the passenger 14 and / or the accumulated history of the attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68 of the passenger 14 during the current ride period. In addition, the AI ​​algorithm may predict the future attention direction 62 or field of view 68 based on the current attention tracking data (process block 92). The AI ​​algorithm or other controller / processor (e.g., the dynamic ride profile server 38, the game server 40, the controller 32, and / or other processor 34) may adjust the content rendering for the passenger 14 based on the determined future attention direction or field of view (process block 94). As should be appreciated, the AI ​​algorithm may directly adjust (e.g., determine what content to render, not render, and / or partially render) the content rendering based on the current attention tracking data with or without computing values ​​indicating the predicted attention direction 62 and / or field of view 68. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the AI ​​algorithm may be retrained or updated based on the current attention tracking data (process block 96).

[0052] Although only certain features have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, although the flowcharts cited above are shown in a given order, in some embodiments, the process blocks may be reordered, changed, deleted, and / or appear simultaneously. In addition, the cited flowcharts are given as illustrative tools, and additional decision and process blocks may also be added depending on the implementation.

[0053] The technology presented and claimed herein is cited and applied to specific examples and substantial objects that arguably improve the practical nature of the art, and as such is not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. In addition, if any claim appended to the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "means for [performing] ... [function]" or "steps for [performing] ... [function]," it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

Claims

1. A riding system, comprising: a ride vehicle configured to support a passenger; an attention tracker configured to determine a current attention direction of the passenger; as well as A control system is configured to maintain an environment for the passenger, wherein maintaining the environment includes determining a set of content to be incorporated into the environment based at least in part on the current attention direction.

2. The ride system of claim 1, wherein: Maintaining the environment includes determining, based at least in part on the current attention direction: rendering a first content of the set of content to be incorporated into the environment; as well as Second content of the set of content to be incorporated into the environment is partially rendered or not rendered.

3. The ride system of claim 2, wherein: The first content to be incorporated into the environment is within a field of view of the passenger corresponding to the current attention direction, and the second content to be incorporated into the environment is outside the field of view of the passenger.

4. The ride system of claim 2, comprising an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm configured to determine a predicted attention direction based at least in part on the current attention direction, wherein: Maintaining the environment includes determining, based at least in part on the predicted attention direction: rendering the first content; and The second content is partially rendered or not rendered.

5. The ride system of claim 4, wherein: The predicted attention directions include a series of directions associated with a portion of recent time.

6. The ride system of claim 1, wherein: The control system includes a dynamic ride profile server configured to determine a dynamic ride profile based at least in part on the current attention direction of the passenger, wherein the dynamic ride profile includes first information associated with controlling movement of the ride vehicle, second information associated with at least a portion of the environment to be displayed to the passenger, or both the first information and the second information.

7. The ride system of claim 1, wherein: The environment includes a physical medium disposed along a ride path of the ride vehicle.

8. The ride system of claim 1, wherein: The current attention direction represents at least a portion of the passenger's field of view or at least a portion of the combined field of view of a second passenger of the ride vehicle and the passenger.

9. The ride system of claim 1, comprising headphones, the headphones including one or more display screens, wherein: The environment includes a virtual environment to be displayed via the one or more display screens.

10. A method comprising: determining a first attention direction of a first passenger at a first time during a first ride period of the ride system; training an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to predict a future attention direction of a second passenger based at least in part on the first attention direction of the first passenger; determining a second attention direction of the second passenger at a second time during a second ride period of the ride system; estimating, via the AI ​​algorithm, the future attention direction of the second passenger based at least in part on the second attention direction of the second passenger; as well as A determination is made whether to limit rendering of first content of the set of content generated for the second passenger based at least in part on the estimated future attention direction.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising generating the set of content based at least in part on the second attention direction of the second passenger.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein: The collection of content includes a virtual environment to be at least partially displayed to the second passenger.

13. The method of claim 10, comprising retraining the AI ​​algorithm based at least in part on the second attention direction of the second passenger.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein: The estimated future attention directions include a series of attention directions associated with future time windows preceding the second time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein: If the first content is to be incorporated into the environment of the ride system outside of the range of estimated future attention directions, rendering of the first content is limited.

16. A method comprising: receiving input data associated with one or more input devices of a ride vehicle, wherein the input data includes a direction of attention of a passenger of the ride vehicle; generating a virtual environment associated with the passenger based at least in part on the input data, wherein content of the virtual environment is determined based at least in part on the attention direction; rendering a first portion of the virtual environment; and A second portion of the rendered first portion of the virtual environment is displayed based at least in part on a viewpoint of the passenger relative to an axis of the ride vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising estimating a predicted attention direction via an artificial intelligence algorithm based at least in part on the attention direction, wherein: The predicted attention directions include a series of attention directions associated with a future time window.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising determining the first portion of the virtual environment to render based at least in part on the predicted attention direction, wherein The first portion of the virtual environment includes first content of the content of the virtual environment within the range of the predicted attention directions.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein: Displaying the second portion of the rendered first portion of the virtual environment includes determining a viewpoint correction based at least in part on the viewpoint of the passenger, wherein the viewpoint of the passenger is determined based at least in part on the attention direction.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein: The passengers include personal or virtual passengers.

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