Modular expansion and virtual reality ride attractions

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to amusement park attractions. [Solution] The amusement park system includes a modular attraction system 50 having a ride vehicle with seats for accommodating passengers and an integrated in-vehicle system 88 having an in-vehicle game system 118 connected via a network. Each in-vehicle game system 118 is configured to provide an augmented reality (AR) experience, a virtual reality (VR) experience, or both, through its respective visual experience generating device. The AR experience, VR experience, or both are provided within a game shared among the in-vehicle game systems 118. The in-vehicle game systems 118 are integrated into the ride vehicle and connected to each other via a network so that all or part of one of the in-vehicle game systems 118 can be easily removed without affecting the operation of the remaining in-vehicle game systems 118.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application claims priority and the benefit thereof based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 736,433, entitled "MODULAR AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY RIDE ATTRACTION", filed on September 25, 2018, and this document is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0002] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to amusement park attractions, and more particularly, to providing augmented experiences, virtual reality experiences, or both in amusement park attractions.

Background Art

[0003] An amusement park or theme park can include various attractions that provide entertainment for guests (e.g., families and / or people of all ages). For example, attractions can include rides such as roller coasters, stationary rides with motion platforms, and dark rides. Also, there can be a themed environment along the ride. Conventionally, such a themed environment can be set using equipment, fixtures, building layouts, props, and decorations. Depending on the complexity of the themed environment, it may be found that setting up and replacing the themed environment is very difficult and time - consuming. It can also be very difficult to set up a themed environment that all passengers on the ride can enjoy. For example, there are passengers who are interested in the same themed environment and those who are not.

[0004] Furthermore, as entertainment technology continues to improve in various settings through developments in the video game and film industries, guests may begin to expect even more immersive experiences that reflect cutting-edge technology. Depending on the complexity and usage levels of some amusement park attractions, some of which serve thousands of guests daily, modifying, upgrading, replacing, or maintaining the functionality of such attractions can be extremely difficult. [Overview of the project] [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The following summarizes several embodiments within the same scope as the present disclosure. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, but rather to outline possible forms of these embodiments. In fact, these embodiments may include a variety of forms that are similar to, or different from, the embodiments described below.

[0006] In one embodiment, the amusement park system includes a modular attraction system comprising ride vehicles having seats for accommodating passengers, and an integrated in-vehicle system having an in-vehicle game system connected via a network. Each in-vehicle game system is configured to provide augmented reality (AR) experiences, virtual reality (VR) experiences, or both, through its respective visual experience generating device. The AR experiences, VR experiences, or both are provided within a game shared among the in-vehicle game systems. The in-vehicle game systems are integrated into the ride vehicles and connected to each other via a network so that all or part of one in-vehicle game system can be easily removed without affecting the operation of the remaining in-vehicle game systems.

[0007] In another embodiment, a modular amusement park ride vehicle includes a body having a passenger compartment and seats, and an onboard game system, each onboard game system being associated with each seat to enable each passenger of the modular amusement park ride vehicle to participate in an augmented reality (AR) and / or virtual reality (VR) game shared among the onboard game systems. Each onboard game system includes a game computer configured to render AR or VR graphics, and a head-mounted display (HMD) configured to communicate with the game computer to display the AR or VR graphics. The vehicle further includes an onboard game server configured to coordinate communication with the onboard game systems via an onboard network switch individually connected to the onboard game systems, and a vehicle show supervisor (VSS) communicatively coupled to the onboard game server and configured to receive game inputs from passengers related to AR and / or VR games. The VSS is configured to relay game inputs to the onboard game server via the onboard network switch.

[0008] In another embodiment, the amusement park attraction system includes an in-vehicle system integrated with a ride vehicle. The in-vehicle system has a visual experience generating device for each seat in the ride vehicle and is configured to provide an augmented reality (AR) experience, a virtual reality (VR) experience, or both, within a game shared at least through the visual experience generating device. The amusement park attraction system also includes an external system having an external show device located away from the ride vehicle and communicatively coupled to the in-vehicle system via a network. The external system includes an external game server communicatively coupled to the external show device and configured to synchronize the operation of the external show device with AR or VR events occurring during a shared game.

[0009] Reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which indicate the same parts by the same reference numerals throughout, will better convey these and other features, aspects and advantages of the disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an amusement park having a modular architecture according to some aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram of an embodiment of a modular architecture that can be used in the amusement park shown in Figure 1, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of an embodiment of a modular attraction system, including a vehicle having an in-vehicle system that provides an augmented reality and / or virtual reality (AR / VR) experience in conjunction with an external system, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram of an embodiment of an in-vehicle system that can be used with the vehicle shown in Figure 3, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram of an embodiment of the in-vehicle game system of the in-vehicle system shown in Figure 4, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the vehicle shown in Figure 3, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram of an embodiment of the external system of the modular attraction system shown in Figure 3, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a block diagram of embodiments of an in-vehicle system and an external system that can be used in the modular attraction system of Figure 3, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The following describes one or more specific embodiments of this disclosure. For the sake of brevity, this specification may not describe all features of the embodiments. In developing any such embodiments, as can be seen in any engineering or design project, it should be understood that numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific objectives, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary by implementation. Furthermore, while such development efforts can be complex and time-consuming, it should be understood by those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure that these are routine design, fabrication, and manufacturing activities.

[0012] Currently, it is recognized that it is desirable to include attractions that can change their theme more flexibly and efficiently than conventional technologies. Furthermore, it is now recognized that it is desirable to provide attraction features that allow for easy upgrades, maintenance, or replacement of key components without causing significant downtime. In fact, for example, traditional theme park attractions using ride vehicles have had long lead times associated with technical refresh upgrades. Consequently, advanced technologies within these attractions (e.g., augmented or virtual reality) are at risk of being easily surpassed by those available in consumer products.

[0013] Currently, there is a recognized need to design amusement park attractions (e.g., ride vehicle systems) in a way that allows for easy integration of technological refresh, particularly in the early stages of integration of cutting-edge technologies. For example, there is a recognized need for amusement park ride designs that enable agnostic and rapid updates of both software and hardware while minimizing the impact on the aesthetics and operation of the ride. This disclosure provides an architecture, including hardware and software, that can be updated with minimal adverse impact on the system, in order to address these and other concerns.

[0014] One embodiment of the present disclosure is that an amusement park attraction may include a modular attraction system. This modular attraction system may incorporate (e.g., in the ride vehicle) an on-board system that enhances the on-board experience (e.g., a localized experience for the user and / or the ride vehicle). For example, the on-board system may provide game effects that result in an augmented reality and / or virtual reality (AR / VR) experience, which may include a visual experience presented through one or more display functions (e.g., a head-mounted display (HMD)). The modular attraction system may also include (e.g., off-board) systems that use several aspects of various components of the on-board system to provide other entertainment experiences, such as lighting systems, animatronics, media systems (e.g., projection display systems and sound systems), or combinations thereof, related to a particular amusement park attraction. These on-board and off-board systems can work together to enhance the passenger's ride experience. Furthermore, the on-board and off-board systems, and their various components, are designed to be replaceable, maintained, modified, and upgraded individually or independently, minimizing the downtime of the amusement park attraction.

[0015] As used herein, the terms “on-vehicle system” and “external system” refer to two systems that work together to deliver an overall experience in an amusement park attraction, and it should be understood that the components of these systems are not necessarily limited to any particular arrangement on the ride vehicle. For example, in one implementation described in detail herein, all components of the on-vehicle system may be located on the ride vehicle (e.g., so as to move with the ride vehicle), and all components of the external system may be located separately from the ride vehicle (e.g., so as not to move with the ride vehicle). However, separately from or in addition to this, the on-vehicle system may also include components located in the same location as the ride vehicle (e.g., components not located on the ride vehicle but in close proximity to the ride vehicle during at least part of the ride). For example, at least some components of the on-vehicle system may be located along the path that the ride vehicle follows, and these components of the on-vehicle system may communicate (e.g., via a wireless network) with other components of the on-vehicle system located on the ride vehicle when the ride vehicle is located along or near this path to enhance the on-vehicle experience. As another example, the vehicle may not physically move along a path (for example, it may be fixed in place, or it may move in a way such as rocking or rotating at appropriate points without moving along a path). In some such examples, at least some components of the in-vehicle system may be positioned in close proximity to the vehicle, and these components of the in-vehicle system may communicate (for example, via a wireless network) with other components of the in-vehicle system located on the vehicle to enhance the in-vehicle experience.

[0016] As yet another example, an attraction may not include a ride vehicle, and instead, the user may walk or otherwise move around within the attraction wearing or carrying one or more interactive components such as one or more display functions (e.g., HMDs), speakers, and / or haptic devices. In some such examples, all components of the in-vehicle system may be worn or carried by the user (e.g., so as to move with the user), and all components of the external system may be positioned away from the user (e.g., so as not to move with the user). However, separately from or in addition to this, the in-vehicle system may also include components that are located in the same place as the user (e.g., components that are not worn or carried by the user but are in close proximity to the user during at least part of the amusement park attraction). In some such examples, at least some components of the in-vehicle system may be positioned along a path that the user follows or otherwise approaches the user, and these components of the in-vehicle system may communicate (e.g., via a wireless network) with other components of the in-vehicle system worn or carried by the user when the user is located along or near this path to enhance the in-vehicle experience.

[0017] Separately, or in addition to the above, the in-vehicle system may also include components that are located away from the vehicle and user (for example, at any location including outside the physical boundaries of an amusement park attraction) but can communicate (for example, via a wireless network) with other components of the in-vehicle system that are physically located on the vehicle or worn or carried by the user to build the in-vehicle experience. Furthermore, the external system may also include components (for example, different from the components of the in-vehicle system) that can work together with the components of the in-vehicle system to build the overall experience. For example, the external system may include components that enhance the external experience, such as fog, smoke, wind and / or light, in the environment surrounding the vehicle and / or user within an amusement park attraction.

[0018] For the sake of clarity, while some embodiments described in detail herein include visual experiences presented via an HMD, it should be understood that, separately from or in addition to this, an AR / VR experience may also include visual experiences presented through any other preferred technology, such as any other preferred visual experience generator capable of generating visual representations that a user can visualize (e.g., a handheld display, an in-vehicle display, a virtual retinal display or retinal projector that projects onto the user's retina). For example, the HMD disclosed herein may be replaced by or used in conjunction with any other preferred visual experience generator. Furthermore, an AR / VR experience may include a visual experience, an auditory experience presented by one or more speaker functions, and / or a tactile experience presented by one or more tactile functions. In some embodiments, an AR / VR experience may include only an auditory experience or only a tactile experience.

[0019] Based on these considerations, Figure 1 shows an embodiment of an amusement park 10 that may include one or more attractions 12. Each attraction 12 can accommodate multiple users 14 (e.g., guests, regulars). As described herein, the amusement park 10 can utilize a multi-layer system infrastructure to accommodate technical refreshes and updates while minimizing the impact on the amusement park 10's downtime, as well as its overall aesthetics and operations. In particular, the modularity of the multi-layer system infrastructure allows for changes (e.g., updates, replacements, additions, and / or deletions) of one or more hardware or software components without substantially affecting other elements of the system (e.g., other hardware or software components).

[0020] To explain, in some embodiments, amusement park 10 can include a first attraction 16, a second attraction 18, and a third attraction 20. However, it should be understood that amusement park 10 can include any suitable number of attractions 12. As will be described in more detail herein, each attraction 12 can interact (e.g., communicate) with these using software components 24 stored in a memory device 26 of one or more controllers 28 that can execute tasks related to a particular attraction 12, and can include any suitable number of hardware components 22, such as physical components. In practice, any suitable number of controllers 28 can exist. In some embodiments, each attraction 12 can be associated with its own controller 28. Amusement park 10 can further include one or more hardware components 22 that can also be communicatively coupled to one or more controllers 28 within the environment 29 (e.g., queue) of amusement park 10. In some embodiments, environment 29 can include attractions 12.

[0021] Controller 28 can use a processor 30 that can represent one or more processors, such as an application-specific processor. Controller 28 can also include a memory device 26 that stores instructions executable by processor 30 to perform the methods and control operations of amusement park 10 as described herein. Processor 30 can include one or more processing devices, and memory 26 can include one or more tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media. As an example, such machine-readable media can be RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to hold or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and can be accessed by processor 30, or any general-purpose or special-purpose computer or other machine including a processor.

[0022] The controller 28 can be communicatively coupled to elements of the amusement park 10 through the communication system 32. In some embodiments, the communication system 32 can communicate wirelessly. By way of non-limiting example, such communication can include a wireless network (e.g., a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN)), near field communication (NFC), or Bluetooth. Separately or in addition to this, the communication system 32 can also use wired communication, such as a wired network including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN).

[0023] Each hardware component 22 (e.g., peripheral device) can be classified as an input device and / or an output device. That is, each hardware component 22 can be an input device, an output device, or an input / output device. An input device can receive input from one of several users 14, for example, and transmit an input signal to the controller 28 indicating the received input. Hardware components 22 may include interaction components, and input can be received via one or more user input devices of the interaction component (e.g., buttons, knobs, touch screens, joysticks, actuatable elements, steering controllers, triggers). Correspondingly, an output device can receive an input signal from the controller 28 as a result of an input signal, and / or receive an input signal directly from an input device. Subsequently, for example, the controller 28 can further transmit one or more signals to one or more locations, such as output devices within the amusement park 10, to provide an appropriate response according to the received input. Accordingly, the output device can respond to the signal by operating the device or by displaying an image / information via a display device or any suitable visual experience generator. For example, with respect to the hardware component 22 of the first attraction 16, since the image is displayed via an HMD, the input device may include AR / VR tools and AR / VR devices such as a head-mounted display (HMD), and the output device may include an HMD.

[0024] Regarding the hardware components 22 of the second attraction 18, the input device may include a ride device (e.g., a tool) with which the user 14 can interact during the ride cycle, and the output device may include animatronic show pieces and a ride vehicle. Regarding the hardware components 22 of the third attraction 20, the input device may include a steering wheel, and the output device may include a scoreboard and a game floor display. However, it should be understood that the amusement park 10 may include any number of attractions 12 having any number and type of hardware components 22. Furthermore, the AR / VR device may also act as an input / output device that prompts user interaction with the attraction 12 to generate input and output a response to another hardware element. This response may also trigger a change in the output of the AR / VR device (e.g., the display of the AR / VR device).

[0025] Each of the hardware component 22 and software component 24 can be replaced or updated based on various factors. For example, motivations for changing the hardware component 22 and / or software component 24 of the amusement park 10 may include the publication of new technology, the release of a movie or other media, seasonal changes, time of day, scheduled maintenance, or any combination thereof. When a component (e.g., hardware component 22 or software component 24) is introduced, updated, or otherwise modified within the amusement park 10, this component can be registered with the amusement park 10 so that it can interact (e.g., communicate) with other components of the amusement park 10. That is, as will be further described with reference to Figure 2, one or more controllers 28 may include various protocols for sending and receiving information with the components of the amusement park 10.

[0026] Each attraction described with respect to Figure 1 may include modular components that form all or part of the modular attraction system already described. To illustrate an example of how such a system can be implemented, Figure 2 is a block diagram of the system architecture of a modular attraction system 50 in amusement park 10. The modular attraction system 50 can be separated into a game layer 52, a software layer 54 (e.g., a software architecture layer), and a hardware layer 56 (e.g., a hardware architecture layer). The game layer 52 and the software layer 54 can each be stored in the memory 26 of the controller 28. The game layer 52 and the software layer 54 can be communicatively coupled to the hardware layer 56 via a communication system 32. The game layer 52 may include game logic 58 that determines when the attraction 12 interacts with the elements of the attraction 12 (e.g., hardware components 22 and / or software components 24) and when to change and / or manipulate them. That is, the game layer 52 can operate and execute the game logic 58.

[0027] The software layer 54 may include one or more game application programming interfaces (APIs) 60, one or more wrapper APIs 62, and multiple wrappers 64. A game API 60 can define a set of interface languages ​​that any game implementation (e.g., the game logic 58 of a particular attraction 12) can use to communicate with the software layer 54 and the hardware layer 56. For example, the game logic 58 can communicate with the game API 60 to trigger various environmental stimuli within the amusement park 10 (e.g., reactions performed through hardware components 22).

[0028] The wrapper API 62 can forward messages from the game API 60 to the wrapper 64. The wrapper 64 is a software element that adapts, extends, and / or implements a standard interface class and is configured to register with the wrapper API 62 to receive messages related to environmental stimuli. The wrapper 64 can communicate with drivers associated with a particular hardware component 22 so that the hardware component 22 can receive messages related to environmental stimuli. In some embodiments, each hardware component 22 may be associated with one or more respective wrappers 64. The wrapper 64 can act as a buffer between the hardware components 22 of the hardware layer 56 and the software components 24 of the software layer 54. For example, even if the hardware component 22 is updated or changed, the operation, logic, and / or build of the software component 24 will not be affected by this change or update. Conversely, when the software component 24 is updated, the wrapper 64 can reduce and / or avoid the need to update the hardware component 22 to conform to the latest software component 24. In some embodiments, additional hardware components 22 or functions can be added. In such embodiments, one or more wrappers 64 associated with newly added hardware components can also be added to the software layer 54. These newly added wrappers 64 can then be registered with the wrapper API 62 to enable correct communication of signals (e.g., messages, events).

[0029] The hardware layer 56 may include hardware components 22 configured to be easily replaceable and / or updated as described herein. That is, the hardware components 22 can utilize a modular design (e.g., composed of standard units), standard (e.g., general-purpose) mounting points, and dynamic internal configuration to improve the implementation of new hardware components 22 and the updating of existing hardware components 22. For example, the hardware components 22 can communicate with components in the software layer 54 and other hardware components 22 in the hardware layer 56 using a general-purpose interface bus (GPIB) 70 (e.g., a general-purpose interface (GPI)) which can form part of a communication system 32. In fact, in some embodiments, the hardware components 22 can utilize wired and / or wireless communication. In some embodiments, the hardware components 22 can communicate without the use of a network, such as direct communication or broadcast communication via wired and / or wireless means.

[0030] As a further example, hardware component 22 can utilize and / or be a line replaceable unit (LRU) 72, which is a modular component that can be easily replaced at the unit's operating position. In particular, the LRU 72 can be quickly replaced at attraction 12 (e.g., "on the line"), thereby reducing the downtime of attraction 12. In fact, hardware component 22 within hardware layer 56 can utilize a limited number (e.g., one) of standards related to various components, such as power supply standards and input and output module standards. Thus, even if some (or all) of hardware component 22 needs to be added or modified, this part can be easily implemented, at least in part, due to standard (e.g., general, general-purpose, modular) components. The modular design of hardware component 22 can ensure correct implementation based on standards, guidelines, and best practices. In some embodiments, hardware component 22 can perform self-tests; that is, hardware component 22 can determine whether it is suitable to continue operating. For example, the hardware component 22 may include one or more sensors 73 configured to monitor the inputs and outputs of the hardware component 22 to determine the operating status of the hardware component 22, such as whether the hardware component 22 is functioning as intended, and / or whether parts within the hardware component 22 should be replaced / updated, such as whether the hardware component 22 is nearing the end of its product life.

[0031] Figure 3 schematically shows an example of an embodiment of a modular attraction system 50 within an amusement park 10. As shown in the figure, the amusement park 10 may include a ride 80 as a second attraction 18. The ride 80 can be placed within an environment 29 having various features such as fixed fixtures, building layouts, props, and decorations corresponding to a theme. In some embodiments, the ride 80 may include a dark ride or other similar thrill ride, as well as a ride path 82 (e.g., a closed-loop track or closed-loop track system supporting the forward and / or backward movement of the ride vehicle 84 along the ride path 82, and a vertical extension track supporting the vertical movement of the ride vehicle 84 along the ride path 82). The ride path 82 can be provided as infrastructure on which the ride vehicle 84 can move when a user 14 is inside the ride vehicle 84. Thus, the ride path 82 can define the movement of the ride vehicle 84. However, in another embodiment, for example, the ride path 82 could be replaced with a controlled path that can control the movement of the ride vehicle 84 via an electronic system, a magnetic system, or other similar system infrastructure other than the ride path 82. In other words, by not physically constraining the ride path of the ride vehicle 84 to a precise path, the user 14 can have some control over their own movement path and field of view. Other amusement park attractions could also be placed close enough to the ride 80 so that the user 14 can see the attractions. As an example, such attractions could include a building 86 or a similar structure.

[0032] While vehicle 84 may be shown as a four-seater vehicle, it should be understood that in other embodiments, vehicle 84 may contain any number of passenger spaces (e.g., 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, or more) to accommodate one or more groups of passengers. Similarly, while a vehicle 80 may be shown having one vehicle 84, it should be understood that vehicle 80 may contain any number of vehicle 84 (e.g., 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, or more). As vehicle 84 travels along the vehicle path 82, it can provide user 14 with a moving landscape tour (e.g., a themed environment which may include fixed fixtures, building layouts, props, decorations, etc. corresponding to the theme). This landscape may include the environment surrounding vehicle 80 and / or the environment within infrastructure which can fully or partially accommodate vehicle 80.

[0033] While user 14 finds the ride 80 to be a very enjoyable experience, in some embodiments, it may be useful to enhance the user's ride experience. Specifically, the ride experience provided to user 14 can be enhanced using game effects and other forms of entertainment (e.g., multimedia entertainment) provided by the modular attraction system 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the modular attraction system 50 includes an in-vehicle system 88 integrated with the ride vehicle 84 and an external system 90, both configured to provide user 14 with an augmented reality and / or virtual reality (AR / VR) experience through a head-mounted display (HMD) 92 and / or other devices (e.g., other visual experience generators, speakers, haptic functions). For example, as the ride vehicle 84 moves along the ride path 82, the modular attraction system 50 can be synchronized via the in-vehicle system 88 to display AR / VR images or features, such as an AR / VR object 94 (shown as a clown floating above a building 86), on each HMD 92 to user 14. The external system 90 may include various physical features such as displays and animatronics. The operation of these devices can be synchronized with the visualizations presented on the HMD 92.

[0034] In practice, as described above, the modular attraction system 50 can link the in-vehicle system 88 and the external system 90 to collectively and collaboratively enhance the user 14's ride experience. In some embodiments, all or part of the external system 90 can be positioned along the ride path 82. For example, as the ride vehicle 84 moves along the ride path 82, the modular attraction system 50 can link visual and / or auditory media provided through lighting systems, sound systems, animatronics, display systems, or any combination thereof, positioned along the ride path 82 via the external system 90. The modular attraction system 50 can facilitate the provision of various show features to the user 14 by utilizing a communication system 32, such as a server, router, communication module, and antenna within the in-vehicle system 88 and / or the external system 90. The in-vehicle system 88 and the external system 90 can communicate, for example, via a network 96, to enable linkage between in-vehicle show events and external show events.

[0035] For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the external system 90 includes an automated prop 98 controlled by features of the external system 90 that work in conjunction with the onboard system 84. Specifically, as shown in the illustration, the animated prop 98 is a cannon that fires darts. The movement of the cannon, and the air effects it produces (e.g., shock waves), sound and / or lighting effects, can be synchronized with the rendering and display of the clown (AR object 94). For example, by coordinating the operation of the onboard system 88 with the operation of the external system 90, the cannon (automated prop 98) can track the clown and the clown's balloon, hit the balloon with a dart and make it burst, making it appear as if the clown is returning to the ground.

[0036] As described above, Figure 3 shows the on-board system 88 positioned on the ride vehicle 84, but the components of the on-board system 88 can be positioned in various locations relative to the ride vehicle 84 (for example, along the ride path 82 so as to be in the same location as the ride vehicle 84 during at least part of the ride). The modular attraction system 50 can also be used with other types of attractions, including attractions that include stationary ride vehicles that do not move along the attraction and / or attractions that do not include ride vehicles.

[0037] According to this embodiment, as described above, the features of the in-vehicle system 88, the features of the external system 90, or any combination thereof can be designed to facilitate maintenance and technical refresh. For example, the latest technology can enable more realistic simulations of clowns and darts. Figures 4 to 7 show examples of architectures for achieving refresh-ready designs.

[0038] Figure 4 is a block diagram of the various components of the in-vehicle system 88 of the modular attraction system 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the in-vehicle system 88 is a dedicated system that is placed on or integrated with the vehicle 84. It should be understood that the in-vehicle system 88 can be integrated with the vehicle 84 so that all components of the in-vehicle system 84 are physically placed on the vehicle 84 (as shown in Figure 4), or it can be integrated with the vehicle 84 so that at least some components of the in-vehicle system 88 are physically placed on the vehicle 84 and at least some components of the in-vehicle system 88 are physically placed away from the vehicle 84 (for example, physically separated from the vehicle 84). For example, the in-vehicle game server 114 can be placed away from the vehicle 84 and communicate with other components of the in-vehicle system 88 via the network 96 to facilitate the in-vehicle experience.

[0039] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the attraction may not include a ride vehicle, and instead the user may walk or otherwise move around within the attraction wearing or carrying one or more interactive components such as one or more display functions (e.g., HMDs), speakers, and / or haptic devices. In some such examples, all components of the in-vehicle system 88 may be worn or carried by the user (e.g., so as to move with the user), and all components of the external system 90 may be positioned away from the user (e.g., so as not to move with the user). However, separately from or in addition to this, the in-vehicle system 88 may also include components that are located in the same place as the user (e.g., components that are not worn or carried by the user but are in close proximity to the user during at least part of the amusement park attraction). In some such examples, at least some components of the in-vehicle system may be positioned along a path that the user follows or is otherwise in close proximity to the user, and these components of the in-vehicle system 88 may communicate (e.g., via a wireless network) with other components of the in-vehicle system 88 worn or carried by the user when the user is located along or near this path to enhance the in-vehicle experience. Furthermore, some components of the in-vehicle system 88 can be positioned away from the user and / or the vehicle 84.

[0040] As shown in Figure 4, the in-vehicle system 88 may include a local network established using a central network switch 110 (e.g., an "in-vehicle" network switch) configured to manage or enable communication between various features of the in-vehicle system 88. The switch 110 is configured to enable communication between the in-vehicle system 88 and the network 96 via a network communication device 112. In some embodiments, the switch 110 and the network communication device 112 can be integrated into a single device (e.g., a communication device). For example, the switch 110 may be a router or similar device, and the network communication device 112 may be a modem or similar device. It should be understood that the in-vehicle system 88 may include any preferred (one or more) communication components that enable communication between the in-vehicle system 88 and the network 96.

[0041] According to this embodiment, the network communication device 112 and the switch 110 can be separated, but they can be easily connected to various devices using standard communication protocols and connectors. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the switch 110 has an internal network connection (within the in-vehicle system 88) to the in-vehicle game server 114, VSS 116 and one or more in-vehicle game systems 118, for example, through one or more communication buses, wiring or wireless devices. These features will be described in more detail below.

[0042] As shown in the illustration, the in-vehicle game server 114, the vehicle show supervisor (VSS) 116, and one or more in-vehicle game systems 118 are connected to and / or to various devices on the vehicle 84. These connections are intended to represent one or more communication connections and power connections, etc. Furthermore, although only one block is used for some components, such components can also exist as multiple devices and are therefore indicated with an asterisk. For example, the in-vehicle game system 118 is shown as a single box, but in some embodiments, this single box could represent a set of features (multiple in-vehicle game systems) redundantly placed at each position corresponding to one of the users 14 (e.g., each seat in the vehicle 84). Again, in the context of the vehicle 84, in some embodiments, the user 14 is intended to represent a passenger in the vehicle 84. Other redundantly present features shown include the tracking sensor 120 and the user interface 122.

[0043] One or more tracking systems 124 are shown connected to one or more tracking sensors 120. The tracking system 124 may include a dedicated computer device located on or integrated with the vehicle 84 for processing data generated by the tracking sensors 120, indicating the position, location, orientation, and presence of the HMD 92, user 14, vehicle 84, or any combination thereof. The tracking system 124 can be configured to interact with various tracking devices and is programmed to receive data from the tracking sensors 120, process this data, and provide tracking information to the in-vehicle game server 114. In practice, the tracking system 124 may have a direct network connection to the in-vehicle game server 114 to minimize latency between the reception of tracking data and the associated responses from various features of the in-vehicle system 88 and / or external system 99. Furthermore, this direct connection facilitates technical refresh and maintenance, as the way in which the in-vehicle system 88 can use the tracking data does not necessarily depend on any other devices present in the system.

[0044] The tracking sensor 120 may include orientation and position sensors (e.g., accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers), motion tracking sensors (e.g., electromagnetic and solid-state motion tracking sensors), inertial measurement units (IMUs), and presence sensors. In some embodiments, the tracking sensor 120 may be placed on or integrated with the HMD 92 and configured to generate data representing the movement and orientation of the HMD. In practice, the data received by the tracking system 124 can be useful in determining each user's gaze direction, field of view, sight, interests being watched, and interaction with the game, etc. In addition to or separately from this, the tracking system 124 may also use the data generated by the tracking sensor 120 to track the movement information of the vehicle 84, including, but not limited to, the position, orientation, velocity, motion vectors, or other parameters of the vehicle 84.

[0045] As described above, the user interface 122 can be present for each user 14 so that each user 14 can control their experience to a certain degree. In some embodiments, one or more user interfaces 122 can be placed on each seat or in the passenger space of the vehicle 84, or integrated with them. One or more user interfaces 122 can include analog and digital devices such as handheld controllers, joysticks, push buttons, and steering wheels. For example, one or more user interfaces 122 can be configured to apply different actions and / or effects in the AR / VR environment set up on the HDM 92 using other features of the in-vehicle game system 118. For example, one or more user interfaces 122 can enable a user 14 to influence a character or object of an AR / VR feature in different directions (e.g., up, down, left, right) within the AR / VR environment. As a more specific but non-limiting example, one or more user interfaces 122 can also enable a passenger to select or grasp / release an object of an AR / VR feature within the AR / VR environment. In some embodiments, one or more user interfaces 122 can enable the user 14 to control the operation of the vehicle 84, such as changing the speed and / or direction of the vehicle 84. In some embodiments, one or more user interfaces 122 may also include one or more display screens and / or touch screens that enable the transmission of information to the user 14.

[0046] The user interface 122 can be directly coupled to a VSS 116, which can be a programmable logic controller (PLC) or other suitable control device. For example, the VSS 116 may include a processor (e.g., a general-purpose processor, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) device, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other similar processor configuration) that is operably coupled to memory (e.g., a tangible, non-temporary computer-readable medium and / or other storage device) and executes instructions stored in memory. The VSS 116 can be considered as one of the controllers 28 shown in Figure 1.

[0047] Generally, the VSS116 can be configured to coordinate various operations of the in-vehicle system 88 in response to user input and commands given by the in-vehicle game system 118 and the external system 90 due to the execution of game logic, etc. In the illustrated embodiment, the VSS116 is communicably coupled to one or more in-vehicle game systems 118 and one or more user interfaces 122 so that it can exchange information with one or more user interfaces 122 and one or more in-vehicle game systems 118. The VSS116 can also supply power to one or more user interfaces 122 and one or more in-vehicle game systems 118 as needed.

[0048] As a non-limiting example, the VSS 116 may have multiple voltage connections to the in-vehicle game system 118 for power-on commands, reset commands, and power instructions from the in-vehicle game system 118. For example, the VSS 116 may transmit signals to reset and / or change the on / off state of one or more in-vehicle game systems 118 during operation. Similar connections may exist between the VSS 116 and the user interface 122. In embodiments where one or more user interfaces 122 include one or more display screens and / or touch screens, the VSS 116 may control the power state of the device, the timing of the device, and specific content (e.g., display content), etc. Other vehicle show effect devices 126 may also be connected to the VSS 116 and receive power and control from the VSS 116. As an example, such devices 126 may include vehicle lights, automatic devices of the vehicle 84, and effect devices of the vehicle 84 (e.g., air cannons, water cannons), etc.

[0049] As illustrated and explained above, the VSS 116 has one or more direct connections to the in-vehicle game system 118 to enable power cycling and power state control, etc. On the other hand, the VSS 116 can also control other devices that are responsible for the movement of the vehicle 84. For example, the VSS 116 can control steering functions (e.g., accelerator, wheels) in response to input from the user interface 122 and data received from the in-vehicle game server 114 regarding other vehicles 84 and external show elements.

[0050] In fact, a given ride attraction can have multiple ride vehicles 84, each having a corresponding set of devices. To facilitate the coordination between these devices, and to allow the user experience to be updated using input from multiple users 14, input from the user interface 122 can be provided to the network 96 via a local network connection between the VSS 116 and the switch 110, rather than simply providing it directly to the in-vehicle game system 118 corresponding to each individual user. As described above, the provision of such input can be controlled by the in-vehicle game server 114. In such an embodiment, each user's input is transmitted in conjunction through the local network of the ride vehicle 84 and the network 96, so that the input is not processed (or processed minimally) before the individual in-vehicle game system 118 and VSS 116 receive the input, enabling high-speed communication with low latency. It should be understood that some or all of the capabilities of the VSS 116 disclosed herein can also be included in another processing component of the in-vehicle system 88, such as the in-vehicle game server 114 (e.g., a processing system or computer system).

[0051] In the architecture shown in Figure 4, there are multiple in-vehicle game systems 118, each controlled according to input from multiple user input devices 122. Therefore, these in-vehicle game systems 118 can be easily replaced, maintained, and updated individually without the need to perform corresponding operations on other input devices 122 or other in-vehicle game systems 118. Furthermore, this type of connection and communication scheme can also reduce latency in graphical rendering operations performed by the in-vehicle game systems 118 in response to user input, for example.

[0052] The in-vehicle game server 114 may include a dedicated computer device (e.g., a specially programmed computer device) programmed to coordinate the method of sending and receiving information about the vehicle 84 over the network 96 in order to enable the coordinated data communication described above. That is, the in-vehicle game server 114 may coordinate the network data traffic of the vehicle 84, including data transmitted to and from the external system 90 via the network 96 and data transmitted to other vehicle 84s. This coordination may be carried out, for example, to ensure that certain data types are prioritized over other data types according to an information hierarchy (e.g., a communication hierarchy). The in-vehicle game server 114 may include one or more programmable logic controllers (PLCs) or other suitable control devices. In addition to or separately from this, the in-vehicle game server 114 may also include a processor (e.g., a general-purpose processor, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) device, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other similar processor configuration) that is operably coupled to memory (e.g., a tangible, non-temporary computer-readable medium and / or other storage device) and executes instructions stored in memory. In some embodiments, the in-vehicle game server 114 may also include standard communication ports to allow for easy integration of new, replacement, or repaired equipment, and is a server computer that can be programmed to communicate according to appropriate standards (e.g., proprietary standards, IEEE standards).

[0053] As described above, the in-vehicle game server 114 can generally be configured to coordinate the transmission of various information between the in-vehicle system 88 and the external system 90, and between various components of the in-vehicle system 88. Specifically, various information can be transferred via the switch 110. Also, as described above, the switch 110 is generally a router or any other suitable network device that transfers information (e.g., data packets) to a destination node (e.g., various devices of the in-vehicle system 88) or a computer network to perform traffic directing functions on a network (e.g., a communication network 96 and the local network of the vehicle 84). As an example, the in-vehicle game server 114 can guide information between one or more tracking systems 124, one or more in-vehicle game systems 118 and VSS 116 via the switch 110.

[0054] Furthermore, the in-vehicle game server 114 can be configured to link or synchronize the transmission of information according to the type of information (e.g., information priority). For example, the in-vehicle game server 114 can determine or store the relative priorities of different types of information and transmit such information based on these relative priorities. In one example of an information hierarchy, information regarding the operation of the vehicle 80 may be designated as the first type of information, and information regarding game generation and entertainment experience may be designated as the second type. As a more specific example, information that guarantees or may affect the operation and / or safety of the vehicle 80 may have the highest priority, and information that conveys game-related notifications or game-related information may have the second highest priority.

[0055] In some embodiments, the in-vehicle game server 114 may transmit information determined to have the highest priority before transmitting other information determined to have a lower priority. For example, in a practical sense, if it is confirmed that one vehicle 84 is stopped, this information is transmitted to the other vehicles 84 before other information (e.g., game information) is transmitted (e.g., to enable emergency stops for the remaining vehicles 84).

[0056] In some embodiments, the in-vehicle game server 114 can transmit information based on the type and relative priority of the information, as well as other factors such as the available bandwidth of the network 96, the timing of the game and entertainment experience, and the size of the data packets. Thus, the in-vehicle game server 114 can effectively coordinate or synchronize the transmission of various types of information to ensure the transmission of important information.

[0057] Generally, one or more in-vehicle game systems 118 can be configured to provide a game experience (e.g., an AR / VR experience) to the user 14 via the HMD 92 and / or other devices (e.g., other visual experience generators, speakers, haptic functions). Specifically, each seat or passenger space of the vehicle 84 may include a dedicated in-vehicle game system 118, and multiple in-vehicle game systems 118 can enable passengers to participate in a shared game (e.g., a multiplayer game). One or more in-vehicle game systems 118 are described in detail in Figure 5, which is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of one or more in-vehicle game systems 118 in a vehicle 84 (or multiple vehicle 84).

[0058] As shown in Figure 5, one or more in-vehicle game systems 118 may include various features configured as a whole to provide one of the users 14 with an AR / VR graphics-enhanced gaming experience. Specifically, Figure 5 shows a plurality of in-vehicle game systems 118, including a first in-vehicle game system 118A, a second in-vehicle game system 118B, and an nth in-vehicle game system 118N (depending on, for example, the number of available seats provided by the vehicle 84 and the corresponding in-vehicle game systems). In this specification, specific components are described with respect to the first in-vehicle game system 118A, but it should be understood that similar or identical components may exist in all in-vehicle game systems 118. Furthermore, the components described herein can be integrated into the in-vehicle game system 118 in a manner consistent with the method described with respect to Figure 2. It should also be understood that an in-vehicle game system 118 does not necessarily have to be provided for each seat in the vehicle 84. For example, instead, one in-vehicle game system 118 could be provided for a group of seats (e.g., a team of users) or for the entire vehicle 84, and the AR / VR experience could be provided via multiple HMDs 92 and / or other types of visual experience generators. In another example, the in-vehicle system 88 could also be used in an attraction that does not include a vehicle 84, in which case the in-vehicle game system 118 could be provided for each user or group of users.

[0059] The first in-vehicle game system 118A includes a game computer 140 programmed with appropriate game logic and can incorporate appropriate rendering hardware and software that can be integrated into the in-vehicle game system 118 in a manner that enables high-speed maintenance, replacement, and technical refresh, as shown in Figure 2. For example, the game computer 140 may include processing circuits 142 and memory circuits 144 specially programmed to perform functions related to graphical rendering and overlay. For example, the game computer 140 may include one or more graphics cards.

[0060] For example, the processing circuit 142 and memory circuit 144 may include game logic that can, for instance, simulate an actual vehicle 84 based on stored maps of the actual environment, motion profile information, and stage geometry of the placement of virtual objects in real space via the HMD 92. Each game computer 140 may perform these functions for each in-vehicle game system 118, or certain functions may be shared between different game computers 140 in the in-vehicle game system 118. For example, the game computer 140 of the first in-vehicle game system 118A may render content and perform a simulation corresponding to the actions of a first user, and the game computer 140 of the second in-vehicle game system 118B may render content and perform a simulation corresponding to the actions of a second user. In some embodiments, these renderings and simulations can be transmitted across the entire in-vehicle game system 118 to reduce computation time. On the other hand, in some embodiments, as described above, the in-vehicle game server 114 can transmit unprocessed or minimally processed data to all in-vehicle game systems 118 to reduce input waiting time. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the game computer 140 may have more advanced programming and communication capabilities that enable information sharing, such as direct memory access capabilities.

[0061] The game computer 140 is communicatively coupled to the HMD 92 via communication and power conductors (e.g., wired). For example, the HMD 92 can be considered essentially a display corresponding to the game computer 140. Since the game computer 140 can supply power and communication to the HMD 92, the HMD 92 does not necessarily require a local power supply or local processing circuit to render content. The connection between the game computer 140 and the HMD 92 can be made according to any suitable communication and power standard. For example, the game computer 140 can supply power and / or video to the HMD 92 using any suitable Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, any suitable High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard, or other communication, power and / or connectivity standards, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the HMD 92 can be coupled to a vehicle 84, and one or more intermediate interfaces may exist between the HMD 92 and the game computer 140 located on and / or inside the vehicle 84. Such a configuration is considered desirable, for example, to minimize or eliminate the downtime of the vehicle 84, thereby enabling maintenance of the HDM 92 (e.g., cleaning between uses by different users 14).

[0062] Generally, the HMD92 can be configured to display an AR / VR environment rendered by a game computer 140. Specifically, the HDM92 may include electronic glasses that include one or more displays configured to allow projection and / or overlay of AR / VR features. The HDM92 may also include orientation and / or position sensors such as accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes, GPS receivers, motion tracking sensors, electromagnetic and solid motion tracking sensors, IMUs, and presence sensors. In fact, in some embodiments, the HDM92 can incorporate a tracking sensor 120 as shown in Figure 4. According to this embodiment, the HDM92 can receive display signals so that AR / VR graphics can be displayed on one or more displays.

[0063] The game computer 140 can also render content according to the information it has identified that is related to user 14. For example, the illustrated game computer 140 is communicatively coupled to an identification system 146. Generally, the identification system 146 is configured to read identification information about user 14 from devices associated with user 14 (e.g., personal electronic devices or wearables). For example, the identification system 146 may include radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, near-field communication (NFC) technology, or any other preferred identification technology to identify each user 14. For example, the identification system 146 may include an RFID reader that can read RFID tags carried by each user 14 to identify some aspect related to user 14, such as user 14's team (e.g., "livestock" team vs. "clown" team). In some embodiments, the game computer 140 can generate a personalized game experience by using the information detected by the identification system 146 to render content related to the user's information. For example, if user 14 belongs to the clown team, content can be rendered according to the clown's theme (e.g., balloons, cotton candy, etc.).

[0064] The vehicle 84 may also include audio output to provide a more immersive experience. In the illustrated embodiment, the first in-vehicle game system 118A includes a digital signal processor (DSP) 148 and one or more audio devices 150. Audio can be provided in a form specific to each user 14, for example, through headphones unique to each user 14 and speakers positioned close to each user 14's head. In addition to this, or separately, audio can be provided to the entire vehicle 84 while providing dedicated signals to each speaker in the vehicle 84 to provide surround sound effects, etc. In this regard, the DSP 148 may include corresponding processing circuits configured to perform digital signal processing based on instructions from the game computer 140 to generate audio effects and output audio signals to one or more audio devices 150. In an embodiment in which the audio output is shared throughout the vehicle 84, there may be one DSP 148 for each vehicle 84, and therefore all game computers 140 on this vehicle 84 can provide input to the same digital signal processor 148.

[0065] In some embodiments, the game computer 140 can receive inputs from various sources, but these inputs are generally transmitted from the switch 110 and the in-vehicle game server 114 (see, for example, Figure 4), unless they are from the identification system 146 or are power signals. Based on these inputs, the game computer 140 can process and render graphics to be displayed using the HMD 92. In response to the rendering of graphics, the game computer 140 can provide audio information to the DSP 148, enabling the DSP 148 to generate audio signals for one or more audio devices 150. The inputs may include information transmitted via the in-vehicle game server 114, such as information useful for generating each user 14's AR / VR experience. The inputs may include, but are not limited to, information relating to or indicating the user's position, orientation, focal length, gaze direction, field of view, movement, or any combination thereof. Separately or in addition to this, the inputs may also include, but are not limited to, information relating to or indicating the vehicle's position, orientation, motion vector, velocity, or any combination thereof.

[0066] Separately or in addition to the above, the input may also include, but is not limited to, passenger user information (e.g., payment information, membership information, or any other preferred information provided or authorized by the user / passenger), personal information (e.g., age, height, special needs, etc.), game information (e.g., information about AR / VR games related to theme attractions, information about specific characters associated with the user / passenger within the AR / VR game, information about the user's game history), or information relating to or indicating any combination thereof. As understood, the information detected by the identification system 146 may enable the game computer 140 to link or associate each user 14 with specific input portions corresponding to data indicating user information, personal information, game information, or any combination thereof.

[0067] Furthermore, the input may also include, but is not limited to, information relating to or indicating the user's involvement or interaction with AR / VR features, such as the operation of a handheld controller, joystick, push button, or any combination thereof of one or more user interfaces 122. Thus, the game computer 140 can generate AR / VR features corresponding to actions performed by user 14 (e.g., actions within an AR / VR environment such as firing a stream of water or grasping an AR or VR object). The input may also include, but is not limited to, information relating to or indicating the user's involvement in a shared game (e.g., a game with multiple players). Thus, the game computer 140 of an in-vehicle game system 118 participating in a shared game can synchronize the generation and rendering of AR / VR features so that users 14 participating in the same game can see the same AR / VR features on their HMD 92.

[0068] Figure 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a vehicle 84 showing examples of various components of an on-board system 88 integrated into the vehicle 84. As described above, in some embodiments, some components of the on-board system 88 can be positioned separately from the vehicle 84. In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 84 may have a body 152 or frame including a front 152A, a rear 152B, side 152C and a bottom 152D, to which an access panel 153 can be fixed in all or part thereof. For example, the access panel 153 may be formed within the surface of the body 152. According to this embodiment, the access panel 153 can be used to easily access the mechanical features of the vehicle 84 and / or the features of the on-board system 88.

[0069] One or more seats or passenger spaces 154 (e.g., four seats) of the vehicle 84 are configured to accommodate one or more passengers (users 14). The vehicle 84 may include one or more front panels 156 in front of one or more seats 154, allowing users 14 to access various features such as a user interface 122 and an HMD 92. In practice, at least some of the various components of the in-vehicle system 88 can be integrated into and / or placed on the vehicle 84 in arrangements as described below. However, such arrangements are shown as examples, and in other embodiments, the arrangements may vary depending on the configuration of the vehicle 84.

[0070] In the illustrated example, the in-vehicle game server 114 may be located in the front 152A of the main unit 152. The in-vehicle game system 118 or some of its respective features may be located in the usable vicinity of each seat 154. In one particular example, the HMD 92 of the in-vehicle game system 118 may be connected to the front panel 156 via cables or wires. The identification system 146 and audio device 150 of the in-vehicle game system 118 may also be located on or integrated with the front panel 156.

[0071] Each game computer 140 can be placed, for example, within each seat 154 or in the space or compartment below it. The user interface 122 can be integrated with each front panel 156 and / or adjacent to each seat 154. As described above, each seat 154 has a dedicated HMD 92, an identification system 146, an audio device 150, a game computer 140, and a user interface 122. The tracking system 124 can be placed or integrated in a position suitable for the function of the vehicle 84. For example, some of the sensors 120 of the tracking system 124 (e.g., accelerometer, GPS receiver, presence sensor, motion tracking sensor) can be placed in the front 152A of the main body 152, and some of the sensors 120 (e.g., IMU, gyroscope) can be placed in or integrated with the HDM 92. Generally, various components of the in-vehicle system 88 are integrated into the vehicle 84 so that these components can be easily accessed via an access panel 153 for replacement, modification, maintenance, upgrades, etc.

[0072] As described above, the in-vehicle system 88 of the vehicle 84 communicates with the external system 90 via the network 96. As described above, the external system 90 may generally include various devices designed to complement the AR and / or VR graphics generated by the in-vehicle game system 118.

[0073] Figure 7 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the external system 90 of the modular attraction system 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the external system 90 can be positioned in close proximity to or along the ride path 82. The external system 90 may include several features that perform similar roles to those described with respect to the onboard system 88. For example, the external system 90 may include a network communication device 160 (e.g., a modem) and a switch 162 (e.g., a router) that establish a connection to the network 96 and establish a local network between the external system components. It should be understood that the external system 90 may include any suitable (one or more) communication components that enable communication between the external system 90 and the network 96. The connections between the various components of the external system 90 may include wired and / or wireless communication networks such as WLAN, WWAN, and NFC.

[0074] As shown in the diagram, switch 162 is directly connected to the off-vehicle game server 164, one or more off-vehicle game systems 166, and the Ride Show Supervisor (RSS) 168. As indicated by the asterisk, there may be only one off-vehicle game system 166, or there may be several different ones.

[0075] The RSS168 can be a programmable logic controller (PLC) or other suitable control device. The RSS168 may include a processor (e.g., a general-purpose processor, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) device, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other similar processor configuration) that is operably coupled to memory (e.g., tangible non-temporary computer-readable media and / or other storage devices) and executes instructions stored in memory. Generally, the RSS168 can be configured to synchronize an out-of-car entertainment experience using one or more lighting systems 170, one or more animatronics 172, or other props. Specifically, the RSS168 can be communicatively coupled to one or more lighting systems 170 and one or more animatronics 172 to control or coordinate their operation. For example, the RSS168 can control the intensity, angle of incidence, on / off state, color, and other effects of one or more lighting systems 170. The RSS168 can control the movement, on / off state, and other actions (e.g., sound effects, lighting effects) of one or more animatronics 172 or other props. In some embodiments, the RSS168 can control or adjust the operation of one or more lighting systems 170 and one or more animatronics 72 based on the AR / VR experience rendered by the in-vehicle system 88, or in coordination with other elements of the external system 90.

[0076] One or more lighting systems 170 may include various types of lighting, such as ceiling lights, lamps, wall lights, and exterior lights. One or more animatronics 172 may include various robotic devices that mimic several lifelike movements. Furthermore, although not specifically shown, the RSS 168 may, in response to signals received via the switch 162, control other props, such as automated show effects, in coordination with the operation of the in-vehicle system 88, for example.

[0077] One or more out-of-vehicle game systems 166 may have a configuration similar to that of the in-vehicle game system 118 described with respect to Figure 4. For example, each of the one or more out-of-vehicle game systems 166 may include a processor (e.g., a general-purpose processor, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) device, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other similar processor configuration) that is operably coupled to memory (e.g., a tangible non-temporary computer-readable medium and / or other storage device) and executes instructions. One or more out-of-vehicle game systems 166 may generally be configured to provide and interact with an entertainment experience for passengers using one or more media systems 174. Specifically, one or more out-of-vehicle game systems 166 may transmit audio / video data to the media system 174 (e.g., via a high-definition multimedia interface (HMDI)), and the media system 174 may present the audio / video data via one or more display devices (e.g., projection displays, digital displays) and one or more sound devices (e.g., speakers) positioned along the vehicle path 82. One or more external game systems 166 can synchronize the transmission of audio / video data and / or control the operation of one or more media systems 174 so that the audio / video content is displayed on different media systems 174 at synchronized timings or on a schedule.

[0078] The off-vehicle game server 164 can be a specially programmed server computer, a programmable logic controller (PLC), or other suitable control device. The off-vehicle game server 164 may include a processor (e.g., a general-purpose processor, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) device, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other similar processor configuration) that is operably coupled to memory (e.g., a tangible, non-temporary computer-readable medium and / or other storage device) and executes instructions stored in memory. The off-vehicle game server 164 can generally be configured to coordinate the transmission of various information between various components of the off-vehicle system 90 and between the in-vehicle system 88 and the off-vehicle system 90 via the network 96.

[0079] Specifically, various information can be transferred to various components of the external system 90 via the switch 162. Generally, the switch 162 is a router or any other suitable network device that transfers information (e.g., data packets) to a destination node or computer network to perform a traffic guidance function on the network. As an example, the external game server 164 can guide information between the RSS 168 and one or more external game systems 166 via the switch 162.

[0080] Furthermore, the external game server 164 can be configured to link or synchronize the transmission of information according to the information type and / or priority, similar to the in-vehicle game server 114. Therefore, the external game server 164 can effectively link or synchronize communications to ensure the transmission of important information.

[0081] Figure 8 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an in-vehicle system 88 and an external system 90 that can be used in a modular attraction system 50. As shown, the in-vehicle system 88 includes an in-vehicle game server 114 and an in-vehicle game system 118. The in-vehicle system 88 also includes a VSS 116 and a vehicle show effect 126, as well as a vehicle control supervisor (VCS) 200, a vehicle controller / motor 202 (e.g., steering controller, motor) and a vehicle sensor 204. The vehicle sensor 204 may be an example of the tracking sensor 120 described with respect to Figure 4. The in-vehicle system 88 may include other features such as other types of tracking sensors 120, tracking systems 124 and / or user interfaces 122 as shown in Figure 4.

[0082] VCS200 can be a programmable logic controller (PLC) or other suitable control device. For example, VCS200 may include a processor (e.g., a general-purpose processor, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) device, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other similar processor configuration) that is operably coupled to memory (e.g., a tangible, non-temporary computer-readable medium and / or other storage device) and executes instructions stored in memory. VCS200 can be configured to coordinate various operations and movements of the vehicle 84 in response to information and / or instructions provided by other components of the in-vehicle system 88 and the external system 90. Specifically, VCS200 can receive signals from vehicle sensors 204 (e.g., indicating the position, orientation, velocity, motion vector or other parameters of the vehicle 84), game information from an in-vehicle server 114 (e.g., via connection point 206), and / or other information regarding the vehicle 84, external show effects 208 (e.g., lighting system 170, animatronics 172). Subsequently, the VCS200 can transmit signals to the vehicle controller / motor 202 to instruct it to control the movement of the vehicle 84 (e.g., forward and / or reverse movement along a track) based on the received signals and information. In the illustrated embodiment, the VCS200 is also communicably coupled to the VSS116 so that information can be exchanged between the VSS116 and the VCS200. In this way, the VCS200 and VSS116 can be linked, for example, with the movement of the vehicle, with a vehicle show effect 126. As shown in the illustration, by providing signals from the vehicle sensor 204 to the in-vehicle game server 114, the in-vehicle game server 114 can also be linked with the movement of the vehicle 84 with other effects or events, such as games played through the in-vehicle game system 118.

[0083] In the illustrated embodiment, the external system 90 includes an external game server 164, an external game system 166, and a media system 174. The external system 90 also includes an RSS 168, an external show effects 208, and a ride control supervisor (RCS) 210. The RCS 210 can be a programmable logic controller (PLC) or other suitable control device. The RCS 210 may include a processor (e.g., a general-purpose processor, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) device, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other similar processor configuration) that is operably coupled to memory (e.g., a tangible, non-temporary computer-readable medium and / or other storage device) and executes instructions stored in memory. The RCS 210 can be configured to coordinate various operations and movements of multiple different ride vehicles within an attraction (e.g., along a ride path 82) in response to information and / or instructions provided, for example, by components of the in-vehicle system 88 and / or other components of the external system 90.

[0084] Various components of the in-vehicle system 88 and the external system 90 can be connected to one another as indicated by connection points 206 representing various communication and power connections, etc. For example, some communication connections can be achieved via switches 110, network communication devices 112, switches 162 and / or network communication devices 160 as described herein with respect to Figures 4 and 7. In general, connection points 206 can include networks and related features that allow any of the various components of the modular attraction system 50 to communicate with one another (for example, RSS168 and VSS116 can communicate via connection point 206). Figure 8 (and other figures) shows several connections between various components of the modular attraction system 50 (via connecting lines which can indicate bidirectional communication and arrows which can indicate unidirectional communication), but it should be understood that the components illustrated and described herein can be connected in any of the various ways (for example, some of the illustrated connections can be removed and / or some other connections can be added, and unidirectional connections can be made bidirectional, and vice versa). Furthermore, while Figure 8 (and other figures) shows several components, it should be understood that some of the illustrated components may be removed and / or several other components may be added. The processing functions described herein can also be divided or distributed among the components in various other ways (for example, some of the functions of VSS116 may be performed by the in-vehicle game server 114).

[0085] The modular attraction system 50 includes an on-board system 88 and an external system 90, each of which can have its own distinct function. When these functions are combined, they can be used to provide game effects and other forms of entertainment, enhancing the overall experience and ride experience. Furthermore, each of the on-board system 88 and external system 90 incorporates modularity, with various parts / components of the on-board system 88 and external system 90 each having distinct functions. While all these functions are coordinately controlled and adjusted by the modular attraction system 50, individual functions can also be flexibly redesigned. Therefore, the technology of the overall ride experience (e.g., design, modification, upgrade, maintenance, replacement, etc.) can benefit from the features of the modular attraction system 50. Specifically, these technological benefits may include, but are not limited to, flexibility (scalability, upgrade potential, replacement potential, ease of maintenance, rapid deployment, etc.), cost-effectiveness (e.g., simple planning and technology), and predictability (e.g., easily testable and verifiable design).

[0086] While this specification illustrates and describes only some features of this embodiment, many modifications and changes will come to mind for those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that the appended claims include all such modifications and changes that are in line with the practical spirit of this disclosure. Furthermore, it should be understood that some elements of the disclosed embodiments can be combined or substituted with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 50 Modular Attraction Systems 88 In-vehicle systems 90 External Systems 114 In-car game servers 116 Vehicle Show Supervisor (VSS) 118 In-car game systems 126 Vehicle Show Effects 164 Off-road game servers 166 In-car game system 168 Ride Show Supervisor (RSS) 174 Media Systems 200 Vehicle Control Supervisor (VCS) 202 Vehicle Motor / Controller 204 Vehicle Sensor 206 On-vehicle / external connection points 208 Exterior car show effect 210 Vehicle Control Supervisor (RCS)

Claims

1. An amusement park system equipped with a modular attraction system, wherein the modular attraction system is A vehicle having seats to accommodate passengers, An in-vehicle system integrated into the vehicle, including multiple game systems connected via a network, The game system includes, and each of the multiple game systems is configured to provide an augmented reality (AR) experience, a virtual reality (VR) experience, or both, within a game shared among the multiple game systems via its respective visual experience generation device. The plurality of game systems are integrated into the vehicle, and the game systems of the plurality of game systems are connected to each other via the network so that at least one of the plurality of game systems can be easily removed without affecting the operation of the remaining game systems of the plurality of game systems. An amusement park system characterized by the following features.

2. The in-vehicle system includes an in-vehicle network switch that is individually and communicatively coupled to each of the multiple game systems. The amusement park system according to claim 1.

3. The in-vehicle system includes an in-vehicle game server that is communicably coupled to the plurality of game systems via the in-vehicle network switch, and the in-vehicle game server is configured to receive passenger input data and distribute the passenger input data to the plurality of game systems via the in-vehicle network switch. The amusement park system according to claim 2.

4. The visual experience generating device includes a head-mounted display (HMD), the in-vehicle system includes a user interface and a tracking system configured to track the movement, orientation, or both of the HMD, and the user interface and the tracking system are configured to provide the passenger input data to the in-vehicle game server. The amusement park system according to claim 3.

5. The in-vehicle system includes a vehicle show supervisor (VSS), and the in-vehicle game server is configured to coordinate communication between the tracking system, the multiple game systems, and the VSS via the in-vehicle network switch. The amusement park system according to claim 4.

6. The in-vehicle game server is configured to communicate with the multiple game systems and the VSS according to an information hierarchy in which a first type of information is transmitted with higher priority than other types of information. The amusement park system according to claim 5.

7. Each of the multiple game systems in the in-vehicle system is A game computer is configured to be communicatively connected to the in-vehicle game server via the in-vehicle network switch and to render graphics for the AR experience, the VR experience, or both, based on the passenger input data received from the in-vehicle game server. Each of the visual experience generating devices connected to the vehicle and linked to the game computer in a manner that enables communication with the game computer, Each of the aforementioned visual experience generating devices is configured to display the rendered graphics on one or more display surfaces. The amusement park system according to claim 3.

8. Each of the plurality of game systems includes an identification and recognition system that is communicably connected to the game computer and configured to retrieve identification information relating to a passenger who has occupied a seat corresponding to the game system, and the game computer is configured to render the graphics according to the received identification information. The amusement park system according to claim 7.

9. The modular attraction system includes an external system that communicates with the in-vehicle system via the network, and the external system is configured to provide external show effects in coordination with the game shared among the plurality of game systems. The amusement park system according to claim 1.

10. The aforementioned external vehicle system is Each includes one or more external game systems, including an external game computer. A vehicle supervisor system (RSS) configured to control a show effect device located away from the vehicle, An external network switch is individually and communicably coupled to each of the one or more external game systems and communicably coupled to the RSS, An external game server is configured to be communicatively connected to the one or more external game systems and the RSS via the external network switch, and to synchronize communication between the one or more external game systems and the RSS. The amusement park system according to claim 9, including the following:

11. The external system includes one or more media systems located away from the vehicle and communicatively coupled to the one or more external game systems, and the external game computer of each of the one or more external game systems is configured to generate media to be displayed by each of the media systems of the one or more media systems in cooperation with the game shared among the multiple game systems. The amusement park system according to claim 10.

12. The aforementioned vehicle is configured to move along a vehicle path. The amusement park system according to claim 1.

13. It is a modular amusement park ride vehicle, A main body having a passenger compartment and seats, Multiple in-car game systems, The vehicle comprises, each of the plurality of in-vehicle game systems, associated with its respective seat to enable each passenger of the modular amusement park ride vehicle to participate in augmented reality (AR) and / or virtual reality (VR) games shared among the plurality of in-vehicle game systems, each of the plurality of in-vehicle game systems includes a game computer configured to render AR and / or VR graphics, and a head-mounted display (HMD) configured to communicate with the game computer to display the AR and / or VR graphics, and the modular amusement park ride vehicle is, An in-vehicle game server configured to coordinate communication with the in-vehicle game systems via in-vehicle network switches individually connected to the in-vehicle game systems of the plurality of in-vehicle game systems, A vehicle show supervisor (VSS) is configured to be communicatively connected to the in-vehicle game server, to receive game inputs related to the AR and / or VR game from the passengers, and to relay the received game inputs to the in-vehicle game server via the in-vehicle network switch. A modular amusement park ride vehicle characterized by further being equipped with [the following].

14. The main body includes an access panel formed on its surface, configured to allow easy access to at least one of the plurality of in-vehicle game systems, the in-vehicle game server, or the VSS. A modular amusement park ride vehicle according to claim 13.

15. Each seat is provided with a user interface individually and communicably coupled to the VSS, and each seat is associated with at least one user interface to enable the provision of game input to affect the AR and / or VR game. A modular amusement park ride vehicle according to claim 13.

16. Each HMD includes an integrated tracking sensor communicably coupled to a tracking system, the tracking system is configured to generate tracking data relating to the movement and orientation of the HMD, and the in-vehicle game server is configured to distribute the tracking data to at least one of the plurality of in-vehicle game systems corresponding to the seat to which the HMD is associated. A modular amusement park ride vehicle according to claim 13.

17. The vehicle includes a network device that is communicatively coupled to the vehicle network switch, enabling the vehicle network switch to access a network shared between the modular amusement park ride vehicle and other network devices located outside the vehicle. A modular amusement park ride vehicle according to claim 13.

18. It is an amusement park attraction system, An in-vehicle system integrated with a vehicle, having a visual experience generation device for each seat in the vehicle, and configured to provide an augmented reality (AR) experience, a virtual reality (VR) experience, or both, within a game shared at least via the visual experience generation device; An external system having an external show device located away from the vehicle, which is connected to the in-vehicle system via a network for communication and is located separately from the vehicle. The external system includes an external game server configured to be communicatively coupled to the external show device and to synchronize the operation of the external show device with AR or VR events that occur during the shared game. An amusement park attraction system characterized by the following.

19. The in-vehicle system is integrated with the ride vehicle and configured to move along the ride path with the ride vehicle during the ride at the amusement park. The amusement park attraction system according to claim 18.

20. The aforementioned exterior show device includes a lighting system, animatronics, or a combination thereof. The amusement park attraction system according to claim 17.

Images