System and method for drop detection for portable devices

Abstract

A collision detection system (10) includes processing circuitry (32) having one or more processors (34). The collision detection system (10) also includes a memory (36) storing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry (32), cause the processing circuitry (32) to: process positioning data to determine a position of a portable device (16) within an interactive environment (14); compare the position of the portable device (16) to a location of a boundary within the interactive environment (14); identify an occurrence of a collision event based on the position of the portable device (16) and the location of the boundary; and update a collision profile (50, 70, 94) for the portable device (16) based on the occurrence of the collision event.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] This section aims to introduce the reader to various aspects of the technology that may be associated with the various aspects of this disclosure. This discussion is intended to help provide the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these statements are to be read from this perspective and not as an admission of prior art.

[0002] To enhance the customer experience in entertainment venues, venues may include objects (e.g., props or toys) that provide special effects. For example, special effects may be tailored to the customer experience within the venue, and may support specific narratives within the venue. Alternatively, objects may facilitate interaction between customers and interactive elements within the venue. For instance, customers may move objects with specific gestures to cause animated characters to perform effects. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Certain embodiments commensurate with the scope of the original claimed subject matter are outlined below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure; rather, they are merely intended to provide a brief overview of some of the disclosed embodiments. In fact, this disclosure may cover a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0004] In one embodiment, a collision detection system includes a processing circuitry system having one or more processors. The collision detection system also includes a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry system, cause the processing circuitry system to: process location data to determine the orientation of a portable device within an interactive environment; compare the orientation of the portable device with the position of a boundary within the interactive environment; identify the occurrence of a collision event based on the orientation of the portable device and the position of the boundary; and update a collision profile for the portable device based on the occurrence of the collision event.

[0005] In one embodiment, an interactive system includes a portable device configured to be carried by a user through an interactive environment, wherein the portable device includes an array of ultra-wideband (UWB) tags. The interactive system also includes a UWB reader in the interactive environment, wherein the UWB reader is configured to communicate with the UWB tags to generate positioning data indicating the orientation of the portable device. The interactive system further includes a control system having one or more processors. The interactive system further includes a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the control system, cause the control system to: process the positioning data to determine the orientation of the portable device; compare the orientation of the portable device with corresponding positions of one or more boundaries within the interactive environment; and identify the occurrence of a collision event based on the orientation of the portable device corresponding to the corresponding position of a first boundary among the one or more boundaries.

[0006] In one embodiment, a method for operating a collision detection system includes: processing positioning data to determine the orientation of a portable device; comparing the orientation of the portable device with corresponding positions of one or more boundaries within an interactive environment; and identifying the occurrence of a collision event for the portable device based on the orientation of the portable device corresponding to a corresponding position on a first surface among one or more surfaces. The method further includes: updating a collision profile for the portable device based on the occurrence of the collision event. The method further includes: using one or more machine learning algorithms to evaluate the updated collision profile for the portable device to identify appropriate maintenance operations for the portable device. Attached Figure Description

[0007] 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 throughout the drawings denote the same parts, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an interactive system with a collision detection system according to this embodiment; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a portable device in the form of a handheld portable device according to this embodiment and a corresponding collision profile for the handheld portable device; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a portable device in the form of a wearable portable device according to this embodiment and a corresponding collision profile for the portable device; Figure 4 This is an example of a graphical user interface (GUI) according to this embodiment, which presents information related to the collision state of a plurality of portable devices and a corresponding collision profile for at least one of the plurality of portable devices; Figure 5This is a flowchart of a method for evaluating the tracking amount of a collision occurring in a region of a portable device using an operational collision detection system according to this embodiment; and Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a customer in an interactive environment having one or more collision detection boundaries and one or more collision detection zones, according to this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0008] One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of the actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be understood that, as in any engineering or design project, the development of any such actual implementation requires numerous implementation-specific decisions 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. Furthermore, it should be understood that such development work may be complex and time-consuming, but will be nothing more than routine tasks of design, fabrication, and manufacturing for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure.

[0009] When describing elements of various embodiments of this disclosure, the articles “a” and “the” are intended to mean the presence of one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising” and “including” are intended to be inclusive and mean that additional elements may exist in addition to those listed. Furthermore, it should be understood that references to “an embodiment” in this disclosure are not intended to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments incorporating the described features.

[0010] As used herein, machine learning can refer to algorithms and statistical models that a computing system can use to perform a specific task, with or without explicit instructions. For example, a machine learning process can generate a mathematical model based on a sample of clean data (referred to as “training data”) to make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed to perform a task.

[0011] This disclosure generally relates to interactive environments that utilize portable devices to provide an interactive experience to customers (e.g., users). In one embodiment, the interactive environment is implemented within an amusement park attraction, such as in a ride attraction (where customers are transported through the interactive environment in a ride vehicle) and / or in a walkable attraction (where customers walk through the interactive environment). In one embodiment, the amusement park attraction may be a hybrid attraction, where customers are not only transported (e.g., on a moving walkway) but also permitted to walk (e.g., along a moving walkway) through the interactive environment. The interactive environment may be distributed across multiple different amusement park attractions (e.g., geographically separated from each other), such as across multiple different ride attractions, walkable attractions, and / or hybrid attractions. Alternatively or additionally, the interactive environment may be implemented within one or more other types of venues, such as one or more restaurants, one or more hotels, one or more theaters, one or more stadiums, and / or one or more schools. Alternatively or additionally, the interactive environment may be included in one or more themed areas and / or distributed across multiple different themed areas with a common theme or different themes. Alternatively or concurrently, the interactive environment may include a live performance (e.g., with performers), and customers in the audience may participate in the live performance using portable devices.

[0012] The portable device can be any of a variety of devices configured to be carried (e.g., held and / or worn) by a customer. For example, a portable device may include a aiming device (e.g., a blaster), a wand, a toy, a figurine, clothing, jewelry, a bracelet, a headgear, a medal, glasses (e.g., augmented reality (AR) and / or virtual reality (VR) glasses) and / or any combination thereof (e.g., an aiming device integrated into a bracelet). In one embodiment, the portable device may be configured to be used by multiple different customers over time. For example, a customer may pick up the portable device at the entrance to the interactive environment, use the portable device to participate in the interactive environment as the customer walks through it, and then return the portable device when the customer leaves the interactive environment. The portable device may be made available again at the entrance to the interactive environment (e.g., after cleaning and / or disinfection), and then another customer may pick up the portable device at the entrance to the interactive environment and use it to participate in the interactive environment, and so on.

[0013] In one embodiment, the portable device enables a customer to interact with (e.g., control) features within an interactive environment. For example, the portable device may be a aiming device, and the customer may actuate an input mechanism (e.g., a trigger switch, button) of the portable device to initiate a simulation of the delivery (e.g., virtual delivery) of a virtual projectile toward an interactive element (e.g., a physical interactive element in physical, real-world space or a virtual interactive element in virtual space on a display) within the interactive environment. In response, the interactive environment may depict the virtual projectile landing (e.g., “impact” or “strike”) on the interactive element. For example, the display may show an image (e.g., a moving image; video) depicting the virtual projectile landing (e.g., “impact” or “strike”) on the virtual interactive element. In another example, a change in the behavior of the physical interactive element or the presence of special effects in the interactive environment (e.g., sound, light, smoke, vibration) may indicate successful aiming of the physical interactive element. In another example, the timing of actuation of the input mechanism and / or successful aiming may include aiming at the interactive element and actuating the input mechanism while aiming at the interactive element. It should be understood that a physical interactive element can be a prop or physical object in the physical, real-world space within an interactive environment, and a virtual interactive element can be an image / animation of a virtual object displayed in a virtual space on a display. In one embodiment, a hybrid interactive element can be both a physical interactive element and a virtual interactive element by having a physical portion in the physical, real-world space within an interactive environment and a virtual portion displayed in a virtual space on a display. In this document, "interactive element" generally refers to any physical interactive element, virtual interactive element, or hybrid interactive element.

[0014] In one embodiment, the portable device enables a customer to view virtual features (e.g., images) within an interactive environment. For example, the portable device may be a wearable visualization device (e.g., AR and / or VR glasses), such as a head-mounted display that can be worn by a customer and configured to enable the customer to view virtual features. Specifically, wearable visualization devices can be used to enhance the customer experience by overlaying virtual features onto a real-world environment, by providing an adjustable virtual environment to offer different experiences, and so on. As noted herein, the portable device may include other types of devices, such as a wand or bracelet that can be moved through space in a specific manner to initiate changes to interactive elements.

[0015] Advantageously, the disclosed embodiments provide a collision detection system configured to monitor whether a portable device is improperly handled (e.g., experiencing an adverse or potentially damaging event, such as a drop or throw resulting in contact with a surface; a collision event). In particular, the collision detection system may include orientation circuitry, such as ultra-wideband (UWB) circuitry and / or an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and associated circuitry, which generates and / or indicates orientation and / or orientation data for the portable device.

[0016] In one embodiment, the orientation circuitry system may include corresponding UWB tags, such as an array of UWB tags on each portable device in a portable device, and UWB readers in a real-world environment. Communication between the UWB tags and the UWB readers may indicate orientation data and / or orientation data. Alternatively or additionally, the orientation circuitry system may include a corresponding IMU on each portable device in the portable device to generate orientation data and / or orientation data. In some instances, signals generated by the UWB components may be processed to derive or estimate acceleration data and / or velocity data. When the IMU is present, the IMU may provide acceleration data and / or velocity data. In any case, the orientation circuitry system may provide orientation data, orientation data, acceleration data, and / or velocity data to a control system (e.g., an electronic control system), which may determine whether any portable device in the portable device has been improperly disposed of, and may cause one or more actions in response to determining that at least one portable device in the portable device has been improperly disposed of.

[0017] It should be understood that the techniques disclosed herein for monitoring collision events in portable devices can be implemented even without an IMU or any accelerometer on the portable device. For example, the portable device may lack both an IMU and an accelerometer. Instead, orientation data, acceleration data, and / or velocity data can be obtained via radio frequency communication circuitry, such as via a UWB circuitry system comprising a UWB tag on the portable device and a UWB reader in the real-world environment. In such cases, the portable device can be less costly and / or simpler (e.g., fewer components), and various processing aspects can be offloaded to and executed by the control system.

[0018] It is recognized that certain movements of portable devices can result in acceleration data that mimic or resemble collision events. Therefore, in one embodiment, the control system may reference a map of the real-world environment (e.g., a virtual 3D model) to confirm (e.g., verify) the portable device's collision boundaries before classifying and / or counting collision events (e.g., drops or throws resulting in contact with a surface). Boundaries may include surfaces such as collision detection boundaries, fixed or stationary surfaces, floors, ceilings, side walls, physically interactive elements, displays, one of the customers, objects carried by one of the customers, another portable device, movable or non-stationary surfaces, and so on.

[0019] Furthermore, it is recognized that different areas of a portable device (e.g., zones, regions) may have varying sensitivities to damage. For example, a first area (e.g., a solid metal casing area) may be able to withstand a first number (e.g., many, such as 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 100 or more) of impact events, while a second area (e.g., a plastic frame around the display) may be damaged after a second number (e.g., few, such as no more than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 or 20) of impact events. Therefore, in one embodiment, the control system may generate (e.g., based on previous data, such as historical data and / or modeling data) and / or utilize corresponding thresholds for different areas of the portable device.

[0020] In this way, for a specific portable device, the collision detection system can identify inappropriate handling events based on data from the orientation circuitry system, and determine that the inappropriate handling event is a collision event involving contact between the specific portable device and a boundary (e.g., via a reference image). Furthermore, the collision detection system can determine the orientation and / or orientation of the specific portable device at the time of collision with the boundary, in order to determine the region of the specific portable device that collided with the boundary, the total number of collision events occurring in that region (e.g., incrementing the total number of collision events occurring in that region by one), compare the total number of collision events occurring in that region with a corresponding threshold for that region, and provide an alert in response to the total number of collision events occurring in that region exceeding the corresponding threshold. Therefore, the collision detection system can facilitate the efficient removal and maintenance of any portable device that may be damaged due to improper handling, and can facilitate the operation of interactive environments, enabling customers to experience interactive environments using functional portable devices.

[0021] Furthermore, over time, the collision detection system can establish and generate corresponding collision profiles for portable devices. For example, a corresponding collision profile for a specific portable device can indicate the total number of collision events occurring in each area of ​​that specific portable device, and the corresponding collision profile for a specific portable device can be updated for each collision event. In this way, operators can request and / or access the corresponding collision profile for the portable device, which can facilitate maintenance operations for the portable device. In addition, the corresponding collision profile for the portable device can be used to inform the design, construction, and / or maintenance of the portable device. For example, the corresponding collision profile for the portable device and / or inputs related to the operation of the portable device can be used to update the design (e.g., repositioning features that have experienced frequent collisions and / or damage), construction (e.g., adding reinforcement materials in certain areas), and / or adjust the corresponding thresholds used to trigger inspections and maintenance (e.g., certain areas may be determined to be more robust than initially expected).

[0022] Considering the preceding content, Figure 1 The illustration shows an interactive system 8 with a collision detection system 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The interactive system 8 includes or is associated with an interactive environment 14, which may be located within an amusement park attraction and / or other suitable location. As shown, a customer 12 (e.g., a user) may carry or otherwise associate with a portable device 16, which may include a processor 18, a memory device 20, and / or additional components 22. The additional components 22 may include input mechanisms (e.g., trigger switches, buttons), light emitters (e.g., light-emitting diodes [LEDs]), haptic devices, displays (e.g., screens), batteries, battery management systems, speakers, microphones, inertial measurement units (IMUs), near-field communication (NFC) circuitry, and / or ultra-high frequency (UHF) circuitry. In one embodiment, the portable device 16 may be used to interact with interactive elements.

[0023] Advantageously, the portable device 16 may be equipped with an ultra-wideband (UWB) tag 24 (e.g., an antenna) capable of monitoring the orientation and / or orientation (e.g., relative to a coordinate system) of the portable device 16 within the interactive environment 14 (e.g., continuous monitoring). Additionally, a UWB circuitry (e.g., a UWB system) may include the UWB tag 24. The UWB circuitry can generate and efficiently transmit orientation and / or orientation data, enabling the interactive environment control system 32 (also referred to herein as "control system 32") to accurately determine interactions with interactive elements via the portable device 16 (e.g., successful aiming and / or gestures). The UWB tags 24 may be arranged to extend in two dimensions or in three dimensions (e.g., not in linear rows; in an intersecting or x-shape; distributed or spaced relative to each other along at least two of the x, y, or z axes).

[0024] It should be understood that any other suitable components may be used to detect the orientation and / or orientation of the portable device 16. For example, such components may include: one or more sensors on the portable device 16, such as an IMU and / or accelerometer, and a communication circuitry for transmitting data from the sensors to the control system 32; one or more sensors outside the portable device 16 and in the interactive environment 14, such as an imaging sensor / camera; one or more light emitters and one or more light detectors, such as one or more light emitters on the portable device 16 and one or more light detectors outside the portable device 16 and in the interactive environment 14; and / or one or more light reflectors, one or more light emitters and one or more light detectors, such as one or more retroreflectors on the portable device 16 and one or more light emitters outside the portable device 16 for emitting light toward the portable device 16, and one or more detectors outside the portable device 16 for detecting light reflected by one or more retroreflectors. However, in one embodiment, no light emitter, laser, or line-of-sight sensing device is used to detect the orientation and / or orientation of the portable device 16. In addition, UWB circuitry and / or one or more sensors may be used to determine the orientation, speed, and / or acceleration of the portable device 16. As noted herein, in some cases, the portable device 16 may lack an IMU and accelerometer, and the portable device 16 may utilize UWB circuitry to monitor its orientation, speed, and / or speed.

[0025] The interactive environment 14 may include one or more displays 26 (e.g., screens) configurable to display virtual interactive elements 28. Virtual interactive elements 28 may include images (e.g., moving images; videos), such as logos, coins, prizes, vehicles, and / or characters. Images may include, for example, animated objects. Animated objects may include, for example, logos, coins, prizes, vehicles, and / or characters. Virtual interactive elements 28 may move in a two-dimensional (2D) space on the displays 26. Additionally, the interactive environment 14 may include one or more physical interactive elements 30, which may be placed or created within the interactive environment 14. Physical interactive elements 30 may include physical structures, props, vehicles, and / or robots. Physical interactive elements 30 may move and / or be actuated in one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and / or three-dimensional space within the interactive environment 14.

[0026] As customer 12 moves through interactive environment 14, interactive elements may be presented to customer 12. For example, an image of an animated object may move across display 26 (e.g., appear to move) and / or a robot may move within interactive environment 14. Customer 12 may use portable device 16 to virtually interact with interactive elements, such as by actuating an input mechanism on portable device 16 to launch a virtual projectile toward the interactive element and / or by moving portable device 16 through space to cause a change in the interactive element. In such cases, the virtual projectile may not have a physical entity or actual representation (e.g., the virtual projectile may not be seen or sensed; it may not exist in physical, real-world, and / or virtual space). However, in one embodiment, an image of the virtual projectile may be displayed on display 26. In one embodiment, interactive system 8 may reward customer 12 with points (e.g., achievements) for each successful interaction between customer and interactive element (e.g., each “bump” or aiming gesture), and the points may be added to customer 12’s customer profile. Customer 12's customer profile can be stored in one or more databases 40, so that customer 12's customer profile can be maintained and updated across multiple visits to the interactive environment 14.

[0027] The control system 32 may be responsible for controlling the physical interactive element 30 and the virtual interactive element 28 to respond to virtual interactions (also referred to herein as "interactions") between the portable device 16 and the interactive elements in the interactive environment 14. For example, the control system 32 may calculate the trajectory of the virtual projectile (such as based on orientation and / or orientation data during actuation of the input mechanism) to determine whether the virtual projectile should be considered to have reached the target.

[0028] The control system 32 may include a processor 34, a memory device 36, and a communication circuitry 38 to enable the control system 32 to control features within the interactive environment 14, such as controlling interactive elements and / or producing special effects within the interactive environment 14, and to communicate with the portable device 16. The processor 34, memory device 36, and communication circuitry 38 enable the control system 32 to receive and process orientation data, direction data, acceleration data, and / or velocity data to determine the occurrence and count of collision events, identify and track the area of ​​collision during a collision event, and so on.

[0029] Memory device 36 may include one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by processor 34 and / or data to be processed by processor 34 (e.g., customer profiles). For example, memory device 36 may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), rewritable non-volatile memory such as flash memory, hard disk drive, optical disk, and / or the like. Additionally, processor 34 may include one or more general-purpose microprocessors, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or any combination thereof. Furthermore, memory device 36 may store instructions executable by processor 34 to perform the methods and control actions described herein with respect to interactive system 8.

[0030] Control system 32 may include or represent a processing system (e.g., a processing circuit system; a computing system), including a cloud computing system, a distributed computing system, or any suitable type of computing system. Furthermore, control system 32 may include or represent a processing system having processor 34, which may include or represent multiple processors. In such cases, certain processing operations may be performed by one of the multiple processors, other processing operations may be performed by another of the multiple processors, and so on. Additionally, it should be understood that processing operations may be partitioned and / or shared with processor 18 of portable device 16. In fact, some of the processing operations described herein may be performed by processor 18 of portable device 16 in certain situations or configurations.

[0031] It is currently recognized that monitoring and tracking collision events against the portable device 16 would be desirable. In one embodiment, one or more sensors (such as an IMU) of an additional component 22 of the portable device 16 may detect acceleration (e.g., sudden acceleration or deceleration) or changes in acceleration (e.g., increases and / or decreases in acceleration) of the portable device 16. For example, if a customer 12 drops the portable device 16 (e.g., in free fall toward the ground and / or along the vector of gravity), one or more sensors may detect the acceleration and may provide a signal to a processor 34, which may process the signal by comparing the acceleration (e.g., a maximum acceleration value) with an acceleration threshold (e.g., an acceleration threshold). The processor 34 may be configured to determine that the portable device 16 has been dropped or thrown in response to determining that the acceleration exceeds the acceleration threshold. It should be understood that acceleration is a broad term that covers a variety of ways of detecting drops and / or throws, and therefore acceleration can be negative and acceleration thresholds can be negative acceleration thresholds (e.g., due to a drop) or acceleration thresholds can be considered deceleration thresholds (e.g., due to a sudden drop caused by a collision).

[0032] Processor 34 may also be configured to determine and analyze orientation, velocity, and / or acceleration (e.g., acceleration pattern or signature) over time to determine whether portable device 16 has been improperly disposed of and / or identified as having collided with a boundary. It should be understood that one or more sensors may additionally or alternatively detect various other parameters, such as deceleration, angular rate, velocity, and / or orientation (e.g., relative to the gravity vector) of portable device 16, and one or more sensors may provide signals to processor 34 for analysis to determine whether portable device 16 has been improperly disposed of and / or identified as having collided with a boundary.

[0033] In one embodiment, the UWB tag 24 of the portable device 16 can be detected via a UWB anchor point 44 in the interactive environment 14. Specifically, the UWB tag 24 and the UWB anchor point 44, communicating with the control system 32, can be part of a real-time positioning system that performs continuous location tracking (e.g., orientation and / or orientation tracking) of the portable device 16 within the interactive environment 14. For example, the UWB tag 24 on the portable device 16 can communicate with the UWB anchor point 44 (which may be distributed throughout the interactive environment 14) to send positioning data. The UWB anchor point 44 can then send the positioning data to the processor 34.

[0034] In one embodiment, mapping the interactive environment 14 may include mapping the physical interactive element 30, the surfaces defining the interactive environment 14 (e.g., floor, ceiling, side walls), and the portable device 16 to a coordinate system (e.g., a local coordinate system). Furthermore, the mapping may be dynamic and may take into account the movement of the physical interactive element 30 and the portable device 16. In one embodiment, the position of the physical interactive element 30 may be known (e.g., a programmed movement as part of a performance) without the use of the UWB tag 24. In one embodiment, the position of the physical interactive element 30 may be determined based on detection by the UWB tag 24 and / or one or more sensors (e.g., above and / or outside the physical interactive element 30).

[0035] Processor 34 can access an image of the interactive environment 14 to identify and / or evaluate collision events. For example, processor 34 can utilize positioning data indicated by the UWB circuitry to track the orientation and / or orientation of the portable device 16 relative to boundaries indicated in the image. If processor 34 determines that the positioning data indicates that the portable device 16 is aligned with or collides with one of the boundaries indicated in the image, processor 34 determines that a collision event has occurred with the portable device 16. Additionally, processor 34 can utilize positioning data indicated by the UWB circuitry to determine specific areas of the portable device 16's contact surface. For example, if processor 34 determines that the portable device is inverted upon contact with the ground, processor 34 can determine the top area of ​​the portable device's contact surface. It should be understood that processor 34 can also access a model of the portable device 16 (e.g., a three-dimensional (3D) model) to determine the occurrence of a collision event with the portable device 16 and to determine specific areas of the portable device 16's contact surfaces. In addition, the processor 34 can track collision events and / or the corresponding regions of collision events for the portable device 16 to generate a corresponding collision profile for the portable device.

[0036] It should be understood that processor 34 may also consider data provided by one or more sensors, including acceleration data provided by an IMU. For example, acceleration data may indicate the time of contact between the portable device 16 and a surface (e.g., the time of impact) and / or other information about the impact event (e.g., the force of the impact; the velocity at the time of the impact). In one embodiment, a sudden change in acceleration may trigger an evaluation of positioning data indicated by the UWB circuitry to determine whether the portable device 16 is aligned with one of the boundaries indicated in the image. For example, in response to or at the time of a sudden change in acceleration, processor 34 may access and analyze positioning data for a period of time before and after the sudden change in acceleration to determine whether the portable device 16 is aligned with one of the boundaries indicated in the image and whether the sudden change in acceleration should be counted as a collision event or discarded (because it is merely movement in space without a collision) (e.g., a rapid change of orientation caused by a user redirecting the portable device 16). By analyzing one of the indicated boundaries in the positioning data and image in response to acceleration (e.g., only in response to or following acceleration), processor 34 can save processing power and resources (e.g., instead of continuously analyzing positioning data and image).

[0037] In one embodiment, the additional component 22 may further include one or more feedback devices, such as one or more light emitters, one or more haptic devices, one or more displays, and / or one or more speakers. One or more feedback devices of the portable device 16 may provide various types of feedback (e.g., special effects) to the customer 12 based on the interaction between the portable device 16 and interactive elements in the interactive environment 14. Additionally or alternatively, one or more feedback devices may provide corresponding feedback as alarms, such as alarms indicating that maintenance of the portable device 16 is imminent and / or due.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a portable device 16 in the form of a handheld portable device according to this embodiment, and a corresponding collision profile 50 for the portable device 16. As shown, the portable device 16 can be divided into different regions or described with reference to different regions. Figure 2 In this embodiment, the portable device 16 includes a first region 52, a second region 54, a third region 56, a fourth region 58, and a fifth region 60. However, the portable device 16 may have any number of regions at any location, such as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more regions distributed around the portable device 16. Furthermore, different regions may be established or set up based on the construction and / or geometry of the portable device 16, historical data related to collision events, modeling data indicating possible or probable collision events, or any combination thereof.

[0039] As described herein, the control system 32 can track collision events for the portable device 16. For example, the processor 34 can analyze positioning data generated by the UWB circuitry, analyze acceleration data generated by the IMU, and / or images of surfaces in the reference interactive environment. The processor 34 can determine that the portable device 16 has a specific orientation during a collision event with a boundary (e.g., at the initial contact with the boundary), and therefore, the processor 34 can determine that a specific area of ​​the portable device 16 is in contact with the boundary during the collision event. The processor 34 can then count collision events for the specific area, such as by adding one collision event to the total number of collision events tracked for the specific area. For example, if the processor 34 determines that the portable device 16 is inverted upon collision with the floor, the processor 34 can determine that a first area 52 of the portable device 16 is in contact with the floor during the collision event. The processor 34 can then add one collision event to the total number of collision events tracked for the first area 52 (e.g., from 34 to 35 collision events, as shown). In one embodiment, processor 34 may also track the total number of collision events occurring against portable device 16, and thus, a collision event may be added to the total number of collision events occurring against portable device 16 (e.g., from 61 to 62 collision events, as shown). It should be understood that processor 34 may also access a model of portable device 16 to determine the occurrence of collision events against portable device 16, and to determine specific areas of portable device 16 that are in contact with the surface.

[0040] Processor 34 may generate and / or reference corresponding thresholds for different regions of portable device 16, recognizing that different regions of portable device 16 may have different sensitivities to damage, and / or that collisions in different regions may have different effects on portable device 16. For example, portable device 16 may be able to withstand a first number (e.g., many, such as at least 50, 75, 100 or more) of collision events in a first region 52 (e.g., a number), while portable device 16 may be damaged after a second number (e.g., few, such as no more than 4, 5, 10 or 20) of collision events in a second region 54 (e.g., the plastic frame around the display). Alternatively or additionally, metrics (such as force) experienced by different regions of portable device 16 may also be tracked for each collision event. For example, the portable device 16 may be able to withstand a first tracking amount (e.g., many, such as at least 50, 75, 100 or more) of the occurrence of a collision event with a first force value in a first region 52, but may be able to withstand a second tracking amount (e.g., few, such as no more than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 or 20) of the occurrence of a collision event with a second force value (e.g., higher than the first force value; higher in magnitude) in the first region 52. Therefore, the processor 34 may generate (e.g., based on previous data, such as historical data and / or modeling data) and / or utilize corresponding thresholds for different regions of the portable device 16. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the processor 34 may consider the tracking amount of the occurrence of collision events and / or the metric for each collision event (compared to the corresponding threshold), and / or to assess whether the total tracking amount of the occurrence of events, with or without the metric, reaches a threshold for the portable device 16 as a whole.

[0041] In one embodiment, processor 34 or other suitable processing means may generate corresponding thresholds for different areas of portable device 16. For example, processor 34 or other suitable processing means may utilize historical data indicating corresponding collision events for different areas of portable device 16, along with associated operational and / or maintenance data. The historical data may indicate previous instances (where portable device 16 stopped functioning correctly) and corresponding collision events for different areas of portable device 16 (at the time when portable device 16 stopped functioning correctly), which may inform appropriate corresponding thresholds for different areas of portable device 16. Additionally or alternatively, the historical data may indicate the condition of portable device 16 at certain maintenance intervals, and corresponding collision events for different areas of portable device 16 prior to the maintenance intervals, which may inform appropriate corresponding thresholds for different areas of portable device 16. For example, if an operator inspects portable device 16 during a maintenance interval and identifies a crack in the plastic frame of a second area 54 of portable device 16, the operator can provide input indicating damage at the second area 54. Then, the processor 34 can refer to the corresponding tracking amount of the collision event that occurred in the second region 54 prior to the maintenance interval and set the corresponding threshold for the second region 54 to be lower than the corresponding tracking amount of the collision event that occurred in the second region 54 prior to the maintenance interval.

[0042] It should be understood that maintenance intervals may include operator checks and / or machine checks, such as imaging devices and techniques for assessing damage to portable device 16, test equipment for providing test signals and monitoring responses from portable device 16, etc. Furthermore, appropriate thresholds may include portable device thresholds, which are related to or set an acceptable amount of tracking for the occurrence of a collision event for portable device 16. Additionally, appropriate thresholds may be determined using machine learning techniques, such as artificial intelligence algorithms. In such cases, historical data and / or modeling data may be used as training data to determine appropriate thresholds. Furthermore, additional data related to collision events, damage, etc., may be used as training data to update appropriate thresholds. In one embodiment, machine learning techniques may also be used to determine different combinations of collision events in different areas that have reason to trigger an alarm to perform maintenance operations. For example, a scenario may exist where different areas of portable device 16 do not exceed appropriate thresholds, but a combination of collision events in different areas has reason to trigger an alarm to perform maintenance operations (e.g., multiple areas are close to the appropriate thresholds; according to training data (such as historical data), the combination has resulted in damage). It should be understood that historical data from portable device 16 can be used to determine corresponding thresholds for other portable devices, and similarly, historical data from other portable devices can be used to determine corresponding thresholds for portable device 16. Therefore, the collision detection system 10 facilitates the efficient removal and maintenance of any portable device that may be damaged due to improper handling, and facilitates the operation of the interactive environment, enabling customers to experience the interactive environment using functional portable devices.

[0043] As noted herein, over time, the collision detection system 10 can establish and generate corresponding collision profiles 50 for portable device 16, as well as corresponding collision profiles for other portable devices. In this way, operators can request and / or access corresponding collision profiles for multiple portable devices, which facilitates maintenance operations for multiple portable devices. Furthermore, the corresponding collision profiles for multiple portable devices can be used to inform the design, construction, and / or maintenance of multiple portable devices and future versions of portable devices.

[0044] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a portable device 16 in the form of a wearable portable device according to this embodiment, and a corresponding collision profile 70 for the portable device 16. Figure 3In this context, the wearable portable device includes augmented reality (AR) and / or virtual reality (VR) glasses configured to be worn on a customer's head to present virtual images to the customer. Therefore, the wearable portable device may include an interface device surrounding the customer's head, and one or more display surfaces for presenting virtual images to the customer. As shown, the portable device 16 may be divided into different areas or described with reference to different areas. Figure 3 In this embodiment, the portable device 16 includes a first region 72, a second region 74, a third region 76, a fourth region 78, and a fifth region 80. However, the portable device 16 may have any number of regions at any location, such as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more regions distributed around the portable device 16.

[0045] As described herein, the control system 32 can track collision events for the portable device 16. For example, the processor 34 can analyze positioning data generated by the UWB circuitry, analyze acceleration data generated by the IMU, and / or images of surfaces in the reference interactive environment. The processor 34 can determine that the portable device 16 has a specific orientation during a collision event with a boundary, and therefore, the processor 34 can determine that a specific area of ​​the portable device 16 came into contact with the boundary during the collision event. The processor 34 can then count collision events for that specific area, such as by adding one collision event to the total number of collision events occurring for that specific area. In one embodiment, the processor 34 can also track the total number of collision events occurring for the portable device 16.

[0046] Processor 34 may generate and / or reference corresponding thresholds for different regions of portable device 16. For example, portable device 16 may be able to withstand a first number (e.g., many, such as at least 10, 20, 50 or more) of impact events in a first region 72 (e.g., an interface device), while portable device 16 may be damaged after a second number (e.g., few, such as no more than 1, 2 or 3) of impact events in a second region 74 (e.g., one or more display surfaces). Therefore, processor 34 may generate (e.g., based on previous data, such as historical data and / or modeling data) and / or utilize corresponding thresholds for different regions of portable device 16. As described herein, processor 34 or other suitable processing means may generate corresponding thresholds for different regions of portable device 16. Furthermore, the corresponding thresholds may include portable device thresholds that are correlated with or set an acceptable amount of tracking for the occurrence of impact events for portable device 16. Additionally, the corresponding thresholds may be determined using machine learning techniques such as artificial intelligence algorithms.

[0047] As noted herein, over time, the collision detection system 10 can create and generate corresponding collision profiles 70 for the portable device 16, as well as corresponding collision profiles for other portable devices. It should be understood that the collision detection system 10 can create and generate corresponding profiles for different types of portable devices (such as handheld aiming devices, wearable devices, etc.).

[0048] Figure 4 This is an example of a graphical user interface (GUI) 90 according to this embodiment, which presents a table 92 with corresponding collision states for a plurality of portable devices and a corresponding collision profile 94 for one of the portable devices. For example, one of the portable devices could be... Figure 2 The portable device 16. The GUI 90 can be displayed on a display 96 (e.g., a display screen), the display 96 may be... Figure 1 The control system 32 is partially or communicatively coupled to Figure 1 The control system 32. For example, the display 96 may be part of an operator workstation, which may be located in a maintenance area associated with the interactive environment or in any other suitable area. Alternatively, the display 96 may be part of a portable workstation, such as a tablet computer that can be carried by the operator.

[0049] As shown, GUI 90 may include a table 92 with corresponding collision states for multiple portable devices, and table 92 may include any information of a variety of types. For example, table 92 may include a corresponding identifier for each of the multiple portable devices, and a corresponding status for maintenance. The corresponding status may include text indicators such as “REPAIR,” “OK,” “GOOD,” etc. In some cases, the corresponding status may include numeric indicators, such as a scale from one to ten, where one indicates removal for maintenance and ten indicates no or few collision events. In some cases, the corresponding status may include numeric indicators where the numeric indicator is the total number of collision events that have occurred. For example, table 92 may indicate the numeric indicator “62” instead of the text indicator “REPAIR,” or it may indicate the numeric indicator “62” in addition to the text indicator “REPAIR.” In any case, table 92 may provide a summary of the corresponding status for multiple portable devices in an easily readable and understandable format. In one embodiment, Table 92 may be color-coded or provide other visual features to facilitate the identification of multiple portable devices that should be subjected to maintenance operations or pulled for maintenance operations. Furthermore, entries in Table 92 may be categorized, filtered, or both based on their respective status and / or any other factors, such as device type. In practice, an operator may provide input (e.g., display 96 may be a touchscreen display) that allows the operator to categorize, filter, or both entries in Table 92 according to preferences or to complete a specific task.

[0050] In one embodiment, a corresponding collision profile 94 may be presented when the portable device 16 is selected in Table 92. The corresponding collision profile 94 may include detailed information about collision events for the portable device 16, such as the corresponding tracking number of collision events occurring in each of the different areas of the portable device 16. In one embodiment, additional visual indicators (such as bold font and / or text messages) may be provided to facilitate maintenance and / or understanding by the operator, highlighting that the corresponding total tracking number of collision events occurring in the third area 56 has exceeded a corresponding threshold for the third area 56. In one embodiment, a visual representation of the portable device 16 may be provided via GUI 90, and the visual representation may include markings used to surround or mark the third area 56 and / or regions that should be inspected as part of maintenance operations, which may facilitate repairs and inspections by the operator.

[0051] Figure 5 The collision detection system according to this embodiment (such as...) Figure 1A flowchart of a method 100 for assessing the number of collision events in a region of a portable device using a collision detection system 10. Method 100 includes various steps represented by boxes. It should be noted that at least some steps of method 100 may be processed by a processing system (such as...) Figure 1 The control system 32) is executed as an automated process. Although the flowchart illustrates the steps in a certain sequence, it should be understood that, where appropriate, the steps can be executed in any suitable order, and some steps can be executed simultaneously. In addition, steps can be added to method 100 or omitted from method 100.

[0052] In block 102, the processing system may receive a signal indicating a collision event for the portable device. The signal may include or indicate positioning data obtained via a UWB circuitry system, such as a UWB tag on the portable device and a UWB reader in the interactive environment. In one embodiment, the processing system may access and reference an image of the interactive environment, wherein the image represents or indicates the location of a boundary within the interactive environment. For example, the image may represent or indicate the location of a floor, ceiling, and / or sidewalls according to a coordinate system, such as a local coordinate system for the interactive environment. Therefore, the processing system may compare the orientation of the portable device, relative to the coordinate system and based on a signal including or indicating positioning data obtained via the UWB circuitry system, with the location of a boundary within the interactive environment. If the orientation of the portable device overlaps, intersects, and / or corresponds to a corresponding location of one of the boundaries within the interactive environment, the processing system may identify a contact between the portable device and one of the boundaries within the interactive environment.

[0053] In box 104, the processing system can identify the area of ​​the portable device that was collided due to a collision event. For example, the processing system can process positioning data obtained via a UWB circuit system to determine the orientation of the portable device when it comes into contact with a boundary within the interactive environment. Furthermore, the processing system can determine the area of ​​the portable device that came into contact with the boundary based on the orientation of the portable device during contact with the boundary.

[0054] As described herein, the processing system may also acquire other signals and / or data (such as acceleration data from the portable device's IMU) to identify the occurrence of a collision event and / or to identify the area of ​​the portable device that experienced contact with a boundary during the collision event. For example, it should be appreciated that the acceleration data may indicate that the acceleration for the portable device exceeds an acceleration threshold. This may trigger or cause the processing system to initiate block 102 to continue the evaluation of mapping and positioning data, such as within a finite time period close to the time when the acceleration for the portable device exceeds the acceleration threshold or otherwise indicates a collision (e.g., due to constant gravitational acceleration or due to high acceleration by customer handling, and then reaching zero; corresponding to an acceleration extrinsic associated with or indicating a collision). In one embodiment, the processing system may perform a more sophisticated evaluation of the acceleration data (such as via machine learning algorithms) to determine that the acceleration (e.g., acceleration extrinsic or pattern) is likely to correspond to a collision with a surface. This may then trigger or cause the processing system to initiate block 102 to continue the evaluation of mapping and positioning data, such as within a finite time period close to the time when the acceleration for the portable device indicates a collision. In addition, the processing system may take into account the orientation at the time of the acceleration-indicated collision to determine the area of ​​the portable device that was struck due to the collision event, as illustrated in box 104.

[0055] In box 106, the processing system can increase the corresponding tracking amount for the occurrence of collision events in the area of ​​the portable device. For example, the corresponding tracking amount for the occurrence of collision events in the area of ​​the portable device can be increased by one. In addition, the total tracking amount for the occurrence of collision events in the portable device can also be increased by one.

[0056] In box 108, the processing system may compare the corresponding tracking amount of a collision event occurring in the area of ​​the portable device with a corresponding threshold for the area of ​​the portable device. For example, this may include comparing the corresponding tracking amount of a collision event occurring. If the corresponding tracking amount of a collision event occurring in the area of ​​the portable device does not exceed the corresponding threshold for the area of ​​the portable device, method 100 may return to box 102 to continue monitoring for additional collision events. However, if the corresponding tracking amount of a collision event occurring in the area of ​​the portable device exceeds the corresponding threshold for the area of ​​the portable device, method 100 may proceed to box 110.

[0057] In box 110, the processing system may generate or provide an alarm. The alarm may indicate that maintenance operations should be performed on the portable device, such as inspection, repair, etc. The alarm may include an audible alarm, a visual alarm, or both. The alarm may be provided via a corresponding component of the portable device, via a corresponding component outside the portable device or separate from the portable device, or both. For example, the alarm may include an audible alarm provided via the portable device's speaker and / or a visual alarm provided via the portable device's display. Alternatively or additionally, the alarm may include an audible alarm provided via the operator workstation's speaker and / or a visual alarm provided via the operator workstation's display. In one embodiment, when the portable device is being used by a customer in an interactive environment, the alarm may not be provided via the portable device so as not to impair the interactive experience. Although it should be understood that at any time after the processing system determines, based on one or more impact events, that an alarm should be provided and / or maintenance operations should be performed on the portable device, an alarm may be provided via the portable device and / or via other systems.

[0058] As described herein, the processing system may determine whether an alarm should be provided based on other factors, such as certain high-force collision events or various combinations of collision events, for example, in different areas (which are predicted or likely to damage the portable device). Therefore, it should be understood that box 108 may include another assessment or decision, such as an assessment of the corresponding collision profile for the portable device. The corresponding collision profile for the portable device may include corresponding collision events for different areas of the portable device, the total number of collision events tracked for the portable device, and so on. In this way, the processing system may determine whether an alarm should be provided based on a combination of collision events, since collisions in two or more areas of the portable device could negatively affect the internal components of the portable device. In such cases, the processing system may determine that an alarm should be provided because the sum of collisions in two or more areas of the portable device exceeds a threshold.

[0059] In some cases, the corresponding collision profile for a portable device may include additional information such as acceleration over time, orientation over time, etc., for a period of time before and / or after each collision event. Furthermore, the additional information may include the impact force and / or velocity at the time of impact for each collision event. In some cases, the corresponding collision profile for a portable device may also indicate or take into account boundary characteristics (e.g., boundary material, hardness, or other physical properties), such as by counting corresponding events for each type of boundary, applying weighting factors based on boundary characteristics (e.g., by counting, such as counting one collision event on a concrete surface as two collision events, and one collision event on a carpeted surface as one collision event; by inputting a machine learning algorithm), etc. The processing system may be configured to evaluate various combinations of information to determine, based on one or more collision events, that an alarm should be provided and / or that maintenance operations should be performed for the portable device. For example, the processing system may implement machine learning techniques (where the machine learning algorithm is trained using training data) to evaluate various combinations of information to determine, based on one or more collision events, that maintenance operations should be performed for the portable device, thereby setting appropriate thresholds, etc. It should be understood that method 100 can be performed simultaneously and over time for multiple portable devices, enabling the processing system to effectively and efficiently monitor the corresponding health and maintenance status of the multiple portable devices. Furthermore, method 100 can be performed in real-time (e.g., substantially in real-time) for multiple portable devices, including when the multiple portable devices are carried by a customer through an interactive environment.

[0060] Figure 6 The illustration depicts a customer 12 with a portable device 16 within an interactive environment 14 having one or more collision detection boundaries 120 and one or more collision detection zones 122, according to this embodiment. The collision detection zone 122 may be a region of the interactive environment 14 in which collision events are tracked for the portable device 16. For example, the collision detection zone 122 may include an interactive region of the interactive environment 14, such as an interactive region in which the customer 12 uses (e.g., moves) the portable device 16 to interact with features of the interactive environment 14. As shown, the customer 12 may include a first customer 12A, a second customer 12B, and a third customer 12C. The first customer 12A has or is associated with a first portable device 16A, the second customer 12B has or is associated with a second portable device 16B, and the third customer 12C has or is associated with a third portable device 16C.

[0061] In operation, a first customer 12A may carry a first portable device 16A into one or more collision detection zones 122 of the interactive environment 14. The first customer 12A may move the first portable device 16A to interact with interactive elements in the interactive environment 14. However, the first customer 12A may drop the first portable device 16A onto the floor (which is one of one or more collision detection boundaries 120), such as due to loss of grip on the first portable device 16A or unintentionally dropping it for various other reasons. In such cases, the collision detection system described herein may identify a collision event for the first portable device 16A. Specifically, the collision detection system may receive signals from the UWB circuitry, acceleration data from the IMU of the first portable device 16, and / or other data. The collision detection system may also access a map indicating the coordinates of the floor, and the collision detection system may compare the orientation and orientation of the first portable device 16A with the coordinates of the floor to determine a specific area of ​​the first portable device 16A in contact with the floor. The collision detection system can then update the corresponding collision profile for the first portable device 16A and perform other actions as described herein.

[0062] As shown, a second customer 12B may carry a second portable device 16B into one or more collision detection zones 122 of the interactive environment 14. The second customer 12B may move the second portable device 16B to interact with interactive elements in the interactive environment 14. However, the second customer 12B may wave the second portable device 16B, which may cause positioning data and / or acceleration data to mimic or represent a collision event. For example, acceleration data may indicate a sudden change in acceleration and / or acceleration values ​​(e.g., exceeding an acceleration threshold; high acceleration followed by no acceleration; acceleration extrinsic or pattern), a change similar to those observed during a collision event. In such cases, in response to the acceleration data, the collision detection system may access a map indicating the coordinates of one or more collision detection boundaries 120, and the collision detection system may compare the orientation and / or orientation of the second portable device 16B with the coordinates of one or more collision detection boundaries 120 to determine that the second portable device 16B has not contacted any of the collision detection boundaries 120. Therefore, the collision detection system may not update the tracking of collision events in the corresponding profile for the second portable device 16B. It should be understood that the collision detection system can count such accelerations separately as non-collision events (e.g., acceleration events; counted and recorded separately from collision events in the corresponding profile for the second portable device 16B). This can be useful because some portable devices may experience damage due to such accelerations even without a collision.

[0063] Furthermore, the collision detection system can use machine learning algorithms to analyze acceleration data (e.g., acceleration characteristics or patterns) to determine the occurrence of a collision event, including collisions with movable or non-stationary boundaries (such as portable device 16). For example, a collision event could include a collision caused by the second portable device 16B striking another portable device, the shoe of the second customer 12B, or some other surface not shown in the image. In practice, in some cases, the collision detection system can use machine learning algorithms to analyze acceleration data to determine the occurrence of a collision event after concluding that the second portable device 16B did not contact any of the collision detection boundaries 120. Therefore, acceleration data for the second portable device 16B can trigger a reference to the image. However, if it is determined that the second portable device 16B did not contact any of the collision detection boundaries 120, this can trigger further detailed analysis of the acceleration data using machine learning algorithms to determine the occurrence of a collision event between the second portable device 16B and one of the movable or non-stationary boundaries. In one embodiment, the orientation and / or orientation of a movable or non-stationary boundary can be tracked and updated in the image over time (e.g., continuously or periodically; based on data as described herein).

[0064] It should be understood that the collision detection system can count such collision events with movable or non-stationary boundaries separately (e.g., count and record collision events separately in a corresponding profile for the second portable device 16B). This can be useful because some portable devices can experience damage due to such collision events. In fact, because such collision events and associated damage may not be well-known (e.g., not part of experience or historical data; difficult to categorize or assess severity), the collision detection system can provide an alarm in response to a collision event to prompt inspection of the second portable device 16B (e.g., an alarm instructing an operator to remove the second portable device 16B for inspection, such as after the second portable device 16B is returned by the second customer 12B at the end of the passage through the interactive environment 14). Furthermore, the collision detection system can determine the orientation of the second portable device 16B at the time of collision with a movable or non-stationary surface during the collision event, and therefore, the collision detection system can determine the specific area of ​​the second portable device 16B that experienced contact or collision with a movable or non-stationary surface during the collision event. Therefore, the corresponding profile for the second portable device 16B may also include collision events, together with or associated with collisions in a specific area, as described herein.

[0065] It should be understood that the collision detection system may take into account other types of data in the evaluation of non-collision events and collision events (and in particular, collision events due to contact with movable or non-stationary surfaces). For example, other types of data may include orientation data, orientation data, velocity data, and / or environmental data (such as images of the interactive environment 14) as input to machine learning algorithms (e.g., using computer vision to evaluate the images) to determine the occurrence of a collision event. Furthermore, while some examples describe the analysis of acceleration data to determine the occurrence of a collision event after concluding that the second portable device 16B has not contacted any of the collision detection boundaries 120, it should be understood that a more thorough evaluation of the acceleration data (and / or other types of data) may be performed before analyzing the orientation of the second portable device 16B relative to the image to determine whether the second portable device 16B has contacted any of the collision detection boundaries 120. In other words, a complete or thorough evaluation and analysis of acceleration data (e.g., based at least on acceleration data; acceleration characteristics or patterns; to identify rapid motion in a space without collisions on a certain surface; using machine learning algorithms) can be completed before the evaluation of boundary collision events (e.g., using images).

[0066] During operation, a third customer 12C may move a third portable device 16C to interact with interactive elements in the interactive environment 14. At the end of the interactive experience, the third customer 12C may proceed from the collision detection area 122 to the exchange area 124 to store or return the third portable device 16C for use by another customer (e.g., at a later time, after cleaning). The exchange area 124 generally includes areas where portable devices 16 are transferred to and / or from customer 12. For example, the exchange area 124 may include part of a queue for entering the interactive environment 14, part of an exit path from the interactive environment 14, etc. In one embodiment, the exchange area 124 may include a container 126 that holds multiple portable devices 16 for picking up by customer 12, putting down by customer 12, etc. It should be understood that the container 126 may include a box, a conveyor belt, or any other suitable component(s) to facilitate the transfer of portable devices 16 to and / or from customer 12.

[0067] Therefore, the third customer 12C can place or put the third portable device 16C into the container 126. For example, placing the third portable device 16C into the container 126 may result in acceleration data indicating a collision, but since the positioning data indicates that the third portable device 16C was within the exchange area 124 during the collision, the collision detection system may not continue processing to determine or count the collision event. In some such cases, the collision detection system may access a map indicating the coordinates of the exchange area 124, and the collision detection system may compare the orientation of the third portable device 16C with the coordinates of the exchange area 124 to determine that the third portable device 16C is within the exchange area 124. Therefore, the collision detection system may not update the tracking amount of the occurrence of the collision event in the corresponding profile for the third portable device 16C, or the collision detection system may record the events within the exchange area 124 separately in the corresponding profile for the third portable device 16C.

[0068] Therefore, it may be desirable not to detect collision events in the exchange area 124, or not to count events within the exchange area 124 separately (e.g., separately from collision events occurring in the collision detection area 122 if the events occur outside the exchange area 124 and in the collision detection area 122). For example, it is anticipated that acceleration data will indicate that the portable device 16 is being placed into the container 126, and therefore, from a processing perspective, tracking these events within the exchange area 124 without analyzing, for example, positioning data, acceleration data, and / or images can be more efficient. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the impact force of the portable device 16 being placed into the container 126 is minor and unlikely to affect the functionality of the portable device 16. Additionally, it is possible to count or estimate the number of events within the exchange area 124 by counting the corresponding number of times the portable device 16 is used (without requiring more complex processing involving the analysis of, for example, positioning data, acceleration data, and / or images). However, it may be desirable to separately monitor and count events within the exchange area 124 through analysis of positioning data, acceleration data, and / or images (as described herein). This helps to account for unusual events within the exchange area 124, such as a customer throwing multiple portable devices 16 at high speed, or multiple portable devices 16 landing in particularly fragile areas, etc. In such cases, the control system 32 can evaluate the corresponding collision profiles for the multiple portable devices 16, including both collision events in one or more collision detection areas 122 and events within the exchange area 124, to determine whether maintenance should be performed. The control system 32 can implement machine learning techniques to evaluate the corresponding collision profiles for the multiple portable devices 16, as described herein.

[0069] The embodiments can use machine learning algorithms to establish learned relationships between inputs and outputs. Machine learning algorithms can learn many relationships that may not be obvious to human observers, rather than using transformation formulas. Trained machine learning algorithms can improve the accuracy of results, especially for situations that cannot be well quantified by transformation formulas.

[0070] While only certain features have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and alterations 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 alterations that fall within the true spirit of this disclosure. It should be appreciated that... Figure 1-6 As shown and referenced Figure 1-6 The described features can be combined in any suitable manner. Furthermore, as described herein, UWB circuitry systems can be used to determine orientation, direction, acceleration, and / or velocity. Therefore, it should be understood that in any example referring to the use of an IMU to determine orientation, direction, acceleration, and / or velocity, a UWB circuitry system may be used instead of an IMU. Additionally, the systems and methods described herein can be applied to detecting collisions between two or more portable devices and each other (e.g., detecting and counting collision events) and / or collisions between portable devices and a customer, other items carried by the customer (e.g., backpacks, wallets, toys, and / or mobile phones carried by the customer), etc. (e.g., detecting and counting collision events).

[0071] The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to concrete examples and substantial objects that can arguably improve the practical nature of the art, and are therefore not abstract, abstract, or purely theoretical. Furthermore, if any claim appended to this specification contains one or more elements designated as “component for (performing)...(function)” or “step for (performing)...(function)”, such elements are intended to be interpreted in accordance with 35 USC 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, such elements are not intended to be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.SC 112(f).

Claims

1. A collision detection system, comprising: A processing circuit system, the processing circuit system including one or more processors; as well as A memory that stores instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry system, cause the processing circuitry system to perform the following operations: Process location data to determine the location of portable devices within an interactive environment; Compare the orientation of the portable device with the position of the boundary within the interactive environment; The occurrence of a collision event is identified based on the orientation of the portable device and the position of the boundary. as well as The collision profile for the portable device is updated based on the occurrence of the collision event.

2. The collision detection system as described in claim 1, wherein, The positioning data includes signals generated by an ultra-wideband (UWB) circuit system.

3. The collision detection system of claim 2, comprising a UWB reader in the interactive environment, the UWB reader being configured to read a UWB tag in the portable device to generate the positioning data.

4. The collision detection system as described in claim 1, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the processing circuit system, the processing circuit system performs the following operations: Process the positioning data to determine the orientation of the portable device within the interactive environment; Based on the orientation and position of the portable device within the interactive environment during the occurrence of the collision event, the area of ​​the portable device that came into contact with the boundary is determined; as well as Update the collision profile for the portable device to record the area of ​​the portable device that came into contact with the boundary.

5. The collision detection system as described in claim 4, wherein, When executed by the processing circuitry, the instruction causes the processing circuitry to update the collision profile for the portable device by adding the collision event to a corresponding tracking amount of the occurrence of a collision event associated with the region of the portable device.

6. The collision detection system as described in claim 5, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the processing circuit system, the processing circuit system performs the following operations: The corresponding tracking amount of a collision event associated with the area of ​​the portable device is compared with a corresponding threshold for the area of ​​the portable device; as well as An alarm is provided in response to the occurrence of a collision event associated with the area of ​​the portable device, when the corresponding tracking amount reaches or exceeds a corresponding threshold for the area of ​​the portable device.

7. The collision detection system as described in claim 6, wherein, When executed by the processing circuitry system, the instruction causes the processing circuitry system to instruct the portable device to provide the alarm as an audible alarm, a visual alarm, or both.

8. The collision detection system as described in claim 6, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the processing circuit system, the processing circuit system performs the following operations: The corresponding tracking data of the occurrence of collision events associated with the area of ​​the portable device are input into a machine learning algorithm to determine whether maintenance should be performed on the portable device. as well as An alert is provided in response to the determination that maintenance should be performed on the portable device.

9. The collision detection system as described in claim 4, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the processing circuit system, the processing circuit system performs the following operations: Based on the orientation of the portable device and the position of the boundary, the additional occurrence of the additional collision event is identified; Based on the orientation and position of the portable device within the interactive environment during the additional occurrence of the additional collision event, an additional area of ​​the portable device that came into contact with the boundary is determined, and Update the collision profile for the portable device to record the additional area of ​​the portable device that came into contact with the boundary.

10. The collision detection system as described in claim 7, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the processing circuit system, the processing circuit system performs the following operations: The collision profile for the portable device is updated by adding the additional collision event to the corresponding tracking amount of the collision event associated with the additional area of ​​the portable device; as well as The corresponding tracking amount of the occurrence of a collision event associated with the additional area of ​​the portable device is compared with a corresponding threshold for the additional area of ​​the portable device; as well as An alarm is provided in response to the occurrence of a collision event associated with the additional area of ​​the portable device, wherein the corresponding tracking amount reaches or exceeds a corresponding threshold for the additional area of ​​the portable device.

11. The collision detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the processing circuit system, the processing circuit system performs the following operations: Process acceleration data to determine the acceleration of the portable device within the interactive environment; as well as The occurrence of the collision event is identified based on the change in the acceleration of the portable device, the orientation of the portable device, and the position of the boundary.

12. The collision detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the processing circuit system, the processing circuit system performs the following operations: Process acceleration data to determine the acceleration of the portable device within the interactive environment; as well as In response to the acceleration of the portable device, a possible collision event is indicated: The location data is processed to determine the orientation of the portable device within the interactive environment; as well as Compare the orientation of the portable device with the position of the boundary within the interactive environment; The occurrence of the collision event is identified based on the orientation of the portable device and the position of the boundary; as well as Based on the occurrence of the collision event, update the collision profile for the portable device.

13. The collision detection system of claim 1, comprising the portable device, wherein, The portable device is configured to facilitate interaction with interactive elements in the interactive environment, and the portable device includes a handheld aiming device, a wand, a toy, a figurine, clothing, wearable accessories, augmented reality (AR) glasses, virtual reality (VR) glasses, or any combination thereof.

14. An interactive system, comprising: A portable device configured to be carried by a user through an interactive environment, wherein the portable device includes an array of ultra-wideband (UWB) tags; The UWB reader in the interactive environment is configured to communicate with the UWB tag to generate positioning data indicating the orientation of the portable device. The control system includes one or more processors; and A memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the control system, cause the control system to perform the following operations: The positioning data is processed to determine the orientation of the portable device; Compare the orientation of the portable device with the corresponding positions of one or more boundaries within the interactive environment; and The occurrence of a collision event is identified based on the orientation of the portable device corresponding to the position of the first boundary among the one or more boundaries.

15. The interactive system of claim 14, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the control system, the control system performs the following operations: The positioning data is processed to determine the orientation of the portable device; as well as Based on the orientation and location of the portable device within the interactive environment during the occurrence of the collision event, the area of ​​the portable device that came into contact with the first boundary is determined.

16. The interactive system of claim 14, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the control system, the control system performs the following operations: The location data is processed to derive the acceleration of the portable device within the interactive environment; as well as In response to the acceleration of the portable device, a possible collision event is indicated: The positioning data is processed to determine the orientation of the portable device; The orientation of the portable device is compared with the corresponding position of one or more boundaries within the interactive environment; as well as The occurrence of the collision event is identified based on the orientation of the portable device corresponding to the corresponding position of the first boundary among the one or more boundaries.

17. The interactive system of claim 14, wherein, When the instruction is executed by the control system, the control system performs the following operations: Based on the occurrence of the collision event, update the collision profile for the portable device; as well as One or more machine learning algorithms are used to evaluate the updated collision profile for the portable device to identify the maintenance operations that should be performed on the portable device.

18. The interactive system of claim 14, wherein, The portable device is configured to facilitate interaction with interactive elements in the interactive environment, and the portable device includes a handheld aiming device.

19. A method for operating a collision detection system, the method comprising: Process location data to determine the location of the portable device; The orientation of the portable device is compared with the corresponding position of one or more boundaries within the interactive environment; Based on the orientation of the portable device corresponding to a corresponding position on a first surface among one or more surfaces, the occurrence of a collision event with respect to the portable device is identified; Based on the occurrence of the collision event, update the collision profile for the portable device; as well as One or more machine learning algorithms are used to evaluate the updated collision profile for the portable device to identify the maintenance operations that should be performed on the portable device.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising: Process location data to determine the orientation of the portable device; as well as Based on the orientation and position of the portable device during the occurrence of the collision event, the area of ​​the portable device that came into contact with the first surface is determined.

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