Ride control system and method for amusement park rides

Abstract

To provide an improved amusement ride that provides greater freedom of ride vehicle movement to create a more adventurous ride experience.SOLUTION: A ride controller (24) is configured to: receive monitoring data indicative of a current state of a free-roaming ride vehicle (14); receive a signal indicative of a user request to perform a requested action with the free-roaming ride vehicle (14); model the performance of the requested action from the current state to determine a modeled state of the free-roaming ride vehicle; and determine whether the modeled state complies with a plurality of rules. In response to determining the modeled state does not comply with the plurality of rules, the ride controller (24) determines a similar action that complies with the plurality of rules and provides a control signal to instruct the free-roaming ride vehicle (14) to perform the similar action.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 775,238, filed on December 4, 2018, entitled “Ride Control System and Method for an amusement park ride”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

Background Art

[0002] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of technologies that may be related to various aspects of the present technology described and / or claimed below. This discussion is thought to help provide the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that this description is to be read from this perspective and is not an admission of prior art.

[0003] Various amusement rides have been created to provide passengers with unique motions and visual experiences. For example, a theme ride can be implemented with a single - rider or multi - rider vehicle that moves along a fixed path or a variable path. To provide a consistent and effective passenger experience, conventional theme rides generally provide passengers with a limited amount of control over the vehicle, such as interacting with a button or display device or steering the vehicle along a narrow waterway or track. Further, during conventional theme rides where passengers can control the vehicle, the vehicle generally follows a series of fixed linear events so that passengers can view scenes in a desired order. In some cases, a human operator is tasked with monitoring and managing the movement of the vehicle throughout the conventional theme ride, but such monitoring can be costly and / or can result in an irregular range of application of the vehicle.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is now recognized that there is a need for improved recreational vehicles that offer a greater degree of freedom in vehicle movement to provide a more adventurous riding experience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The following is a summary of specific embodiments that are consistent with the scope of the subject matter originally claimed. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the Disclosure, but rather to provide a brief summary of the specific disclosed embodiments. In fact, the Disclosure may encompass a variety of forms that are similar to or different from the embodiments shown below.

[0006] This embodiment relates to a control system for controlling a free-moving ride vehicle in an amusement park ride, comprising a ride control device configured to maintain a plurality of rules that indicate an permitted state for the free-moving ride vehicle within the game area of ​​the amusement park ride. The plurality of rules include a plurality of gameplay rules. The ride control device is configured to receive monitoring data indicating the current state of the free-moving ride vehicle within the game area, receive signals indicating user requests, perform the requested action on the free-moving ride vehicle, model the performance of the requested action from the current state to determine a modeled state of the free-moving ride vehicle, and determine whether the modeled state conforms to the plurality of rules. In response to a determination that the modeled state does not conform to the plurality of rules, the ride control device is configured to determine an approximate action that conforms to the plurality of rules and provide a control signal instructing the free-moving ride vehicle to perform the approximate action.

[0007] This embodiment relates to an amusement park ride including a ride control device having one or more memories for storing a plurality of rules indicating permitted states for a plurality of free-moving ride vehicles within a game area of ​​the amusement park ride. The plurality of rules include a plurality of operation rules indicating a plurality of normal operating parameters for a plurality of free-moving ride vehicles, and a plurality of gameplay rules indicating a plurality of permitted combinations of gameplay actions that can be performed within the game area. The ride control device is configured to receive sensor data indicating the current state of each of the plurality of free-moving ride vehicles. The amusement park ride also includes a free-moving ride vehicle among the plurality of free-moving ride vehicles, which has a ride vehicle control device communicatively connected to the ride control device. The ride vehicle control device is configured to provide the ride control device with a signal indicating a requested action, and the ride control device determines a modeled state of the free-moving vehicle by modeling the performance of the requested action from the current state of each of the free-moving ride vehicles, and in response to a determination that the modeled state does not conform to the plurality of rules, receives a control signal from the ride control device indicating an approximate action that conforms to the plurality of rules, and performs the approximate action.

[0008] This embodiment relates to a tangible, non-temporary, machine-readable medium that, when executed by one or more processors, causes one or more processors to receive sensor data indicating the current state of a free-moving ride vehicle located within a game area of ​​an amusement park ride. The current state of the free-moving ride vehicle includes the position, orientation, speed, or a combination thereof. The machine-readable instruction is configured to cause one or more processors to receive user input indicating a request to perform a requested action on the free-moving ride vehicle, to model the execution of the requested action from the current state to determine a modeled state of the free-moving ride vehicle, and to determine whether the modeled state conforms to a plurality of gameplay rules and a plurality of behavioral rules. In response to a determination that a modeled state does not conform to multiple gameplay rules and multiple behavior rules, the machine-readable instruction is configured to cause one or more processors to determine an approximate action having an approximate modeled state that conforms to the multiple gameplay rules and multiple behavior rules, and to provide a control signal instructing a freely moving vehicle to perform the approximate action.

[0009] The above and other features, aspects, and advantages of this disclosure can be better understood by reading the following detailed description with reference to the drawings, where the same reference numerals indicate the same elements throughout. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of an amusement park ride having a ride control system and a freely moving vehicle according to an embodiment of this method. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a freely moving vehicle, as shown in Figure 1, that interacts with the game area of ​​an amusement park ride, according to an embodiment of this method. [Figure 3] This flowchart shows one embodiment of the process for controlling the movement of a freely moving vehicle within the game area shown in Figure 2, according to an embodiment of this method. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] One or more specific embodiments of this disclosure are described below. Not all features of actual implementations can be described herein in order to provide a concise description of these embodiments. It should be recognized that, as with any industrial design or design project, the development of any such implementation will require numerous implementation-specific decisions to achieve the specific goals of the developers, including compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary between implementations. Furthermore, it should be recognized that while such development work can be complex and time-consuming, it will still be part of the routine design, fabrication, and manufacturing work for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure.

[0012] This embodiment relates to a ride control system for amusement park rides. In particular, amusement park rides include free-moving vehicles, as defined herein, which are generally controllable by passengers to move freely within an area (e.g., without a track or predetermined ride path) by controlling their direction, speed, etc. Thus, each free-moving vehicle has a set of controls that allow passengers to provide user input regarding a desired path or interaction with the amusement park ride. To provide an enjoyable and reliable experience, some or all of the user input is received by the ride control system as requested actions (e.g., requested movement, requested interaction) rather than as actions performed reflexively. In practice, in certain embodiments, the ride control system maintains a set or more rules, including gameplay rules that describe permitted, multivariable combinations of nonlinear game events within the amusement park ride, and behavior rules that describe permitted physical movements of the free-moving vehicle. In some embodiments, the ride control system simulates the requested actions for the free-moving vehicle in a multidimensional logical space defined by the gameplay rules and behavior rules. Accordingly, the ride control system can calculate (e.g., determine, predict) whether the requested action will result in a vehicle state that is within or conforms to the normal operating parameters. If the ride control system determines that the predicted result from the requested action does not fall within or conform to a set of permitted actions and / or states, the ride control system rejects the requested action. Furthermore, as discussed herein, the ride control system can select an appropriate approximation action, defined herein as any appropriate action in the logical space that results in a response to user input provided by the passenger, while remaining within the set of permitted rules.

[0013] By introducing a monitoring intermediary layer between receiving user-requested actions and executing those actions, the ride control system filters out and adjusts actions that fall outside the normal operating conditions for the ride vehicle and / or violate a set of gameplay rules set for the amusement park ride. However, the actions performed by the ride vehicle correspond to the actions requested by the user. Thus, the ride control system allows multiple passengers to simultaneously enjoy a responsive experience tailored to their individual needs while maintaining an experience that is adjusted to keep the machine's operation within normal operating parameters and to meet and respect the predetermined limits and scope of the amusement park ride.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the amusement park ride 10 includes a ride control system 12 having a plurality of free-roaming ride vehicles 14 (hereinafter, "ride vehicles 14") that are movable within the game area 16. This consideration of the amusement park ride 10 focuses on embodiments in which the amusement park ride 10 is a dark ride, such as a closed or indoor space where the effects and interactions provided to passengers 18 are controlled and / or theme-based. However, the amusement park ride 10 can be any suitable type of ride having some suitable type or number of ride vehicles (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, or more) that are operable inside. Each of the illustrated ride vehicles 14 includes a ride vehicle control device 20 of the ride control system 12 that controls the movement of the respective ride vehicle 14 based on input from passengers 18 inside the ride vehicle 14 and / or based on input from the ride control device 24 of the ride control system 12. The ride control device 24 and the vehicle 14 communicate via some appropriate respective communication circuit 26 (for example, forming a wireless network). In other embodiments, the ride control device 24 or its components may be contained within each vehicle 14. In certain embodiments of these embodiments, the vehicle 14 autonomously perform the techniques disclosed herein to operate as self-contained, self-determining, or independent agents that are communicated with one another for peer-to-peer communication and coordination.

[0015] The ride control device 24 of the ride control system 12 in this embodiment is a main or central control device that coordinates a series of ride vehicles 14 passing through the game area 16. Generally, the ride control device 24 is responsible for authenticating user inputs that passengers 18 provide to the relevant ride vehicles 14. For example, as will be described in more detail herein, the ride control device 24 in a particular embodiment models the expected state (e.g., a modeled state) of the ride vehicle 14 that will occur after the requested user input is performed. Thus, the ride control device 24 compares the modeled state of the ride vehicle 14 with the gameplay rules 30 and the operation rules 32 to determine whether the requested user input indicates an permitted action or a gameplay action. Then, in response to the determination that the requested action (e.g., a requested gameplay action) is permitted, the ride control device 24 instructs the ride vehicle control device 20 to perform the requested action. In response to a determination that user input indicates an unauthorized action, such as attempting to access a second station in game area 16 without visiting a required first station in game area 16, the ride control device 24 determines an approximate action (e.g., the "next closest") that complies with gameplay rules 30 and operation rules 32. In some embodiments, the approximate action is a manufactured (e.g., corrective) action that moves or changes the direction of the vehicle 14 to a target position or state in response to conditions being met (e.g., the vehicle 14 does not move for a threshold amount of time, or leaves the target area). In some embodiments, the ride control device 24 determines the approximate action based on an approximate modeled state of the vehicle 14 that is within a threshold of the modeled state. For example, as used herein, an approximate action is an action that is permitted according to the respective rules and responds to an action requested by the passenger 18. In some embodiments, the ride control device 24 instructs the vehicle 14 to perform an approximate action instead of the requested action.As used herein, “gameplay action” (or simply “action”) means any appropriate movement of the ride vehicle 14, or an action requested or performed by a passenger 18 inside the ride vehicle 14 over the duration of the amusement park ride 10.

[0016] The gameplay rules 30 of the various embodiments disclosed herein describe permitted combinations of actions available within the game area 16. That is, in certain embodiments, the currently disclosed amusement park ride 10 includes a number of overlapping solutions or conclusions that can be reached by various nonlinear paths or combinations of actions as described in the gameplay rules 30. Exemplaryly, the gameplay rules 30 of a particular embodiment specify that the first interactive object is activated by one of the passengers 18 in the ride vehicle 14 before the ride vehicle 14 is permitted to enter a room containing a second and a third interactive object. Based on the activation of either the second or third interactive object, the gameplay rules 30 specify which of a number of exits from the room the ride vehicle 14 may access. Therefore, if a passenger 18 attempts or requests that the ride vehicle 14 proceed through an unauthorized exit, the ride control device 24 instructs the ride vehicle 14 to perform an approximate action, such as preventing the ride vehicle 14 from moving forward through the unauthorized exit and / or providing sensory or physical (e.g., visual, audible, tactile) feedback indicating the proposed exit. In some cases, the ride control device 24 provides response feedback to the passenger 18 indicating that the requested action is unauthorized or cannot be performed. These and other gameplay rules 30 are described in detail below with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0017] The ride control device 24 also maintains an operation rule 32 that describes normal operation parameters indicating permitted or normal operation of the ride vehicle 14. For example, the operation rule 32 in a particular embodiment specifies, for each ride vehicle, the speed limit, the minimum distance to be maintained between the ride vehicle 14 and other physical objects in the game area 16 (including other ride vehicles 14), the maximum yaw angle, pitch angle, and / or roll angle, the minimum charge, and / or any other appropriate physical characteristics, specifications, or limitations of the ride vehicle 14. In some embodiments, the operation rule 32 is customized based on the individual ride vehicle 14 and / or the passenger inside it, so that a ride vehicle 14 operated by an experienced passenger can be driven at a higher speed than a similar ride vehicle operated by an inexperienced passenger.

[0018] Furthermore, in order to maintain a log of relevant information relating to the amusement park ride 10 and / or the passenger experience within the amusement park having the amusement park ride 10, the ride control device 24 of this embodiment includes and updates a user profile database 34. In such embodiments, the user profile database 34 stores user profiles for each guest to the amusement park and / or passengers 18 within the amusement park ride 10, but in other embodiments, it may include one profile for a group of passengers (e.g., family, friends, students). In some embodiments, the user profile for each passenger may include age, height, a list of previous visits to the amusement park ride 10, a list of actions completed during any previous visit to the amusement park ride 10, etc. Using this information, the ride control device 24 can provide an adaptive and age-appropriate experience for each passenger 18. In addition, with respect to certain instances of actions previously completed by passenger 18 within the amusement park ride 10, the ride control device 24 allows passenger 18 to resume from a previous or saved position within the game area 16, such as a previously solved portion of the game area 16.

[0019] The ride control device 24 in the illustrated embodiment includes a processor 36 for providing instructions to the vehicle 14 via a communication circuit 26, and memory 38 (e.g., one or more memories) for storing gameplay rules 30, operation rules 32, and a user profile database 34. However, it should be understood that any components can be appropriately stored and updated from some appropriate location, such as in a cloud database or within the vehicle control device 20. The processor 36 is any appropriate processor capable of executing instructions to implement the currently disclosed technology, such as a general-purpose processor, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) device, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other similar processor configuration. In some embodiments, these instructions are coded into a program or code stored in a tangible, non-temporary computer-readable medium, such as memory 38 and / or other storage circuits or devices.

[0020] Furthermore, the ride control device 24 of this embodiment is communicably connected to a monitoring system 40 of the ride control system 12, which provides data relating to the state of each ride vehicle 14. For example, the state of each ride vehicle 14 is defined in some embodiments as the position, orientation, speed, charge, weight, and / or any other appropriate parameters of the ride vehicle 14. Furthermore, the monitoring system 40 in certain embodiments may also monitor the position, orientation, and / or actions of passengers 18 inside the ride vehicle 14 and be able to provide feedback to the passengers 18 to reduce prohibited or undesirable user interactions (e.g., attempts to exit the ride vehicle 14). Accordingly, the monitoring system 40 includes sensors 42 for collecting appropriate information relating to the state of each ride vehicle 14 and / or the passengers 18 inside. The sensors 42 in certain embodiments may include motion trackers, visual cameras, infrared (IR) cameras, radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors, pressure mats, light curtains, and / or other appropriate sensors for monitoring the ride vehicles 14 and passengers 18 of the amusement park ride 10. In some embodiments, the sensor 42 also monitors other parts of the amusement park ride 10 (e.g., doors, robots, game area 16). In some embodiments, the sensor 42 is located within the game area 16, such as on the ceiling or side walls of the game area 16, but in other embodiments, the monitoring system 40 and its sensor 42 can be located in any suitable location.

[0021] Building upon the above understanding of the ride control device 24 and the monitoring system 40, the ride vehicle 14 will be described in further detail below. For clarity, the following features of the ride vehicle 14 are shown with reference to one ride vehicle 14, but it should be understood that other or additional free-moving ride vehicles 14 of the amusement park ride 10 may include a similar or different set of features. The ride vehicle 14 in the illustrated embodiment includes a body 50 for accommodating passengers 18 and a motor 52. The motor 52 selectively drives the wheels 54 of the ride vehicle 14 based on control signals (e.g., communication signals, electrical signals) provided from the power supply 56 of the ride vehicle 14 and / or the processor 57 (e.g., microprocessor) of the ride vehicle control device 20. The ride vehicle control device 20 also includes memory 58 for storing any appropriate information or instructions executed by the processor 57. Furthermore, the power supply 56 may, in a particular embodiment, be some appropriate high-density battery pack. In the illustrated embodiment of the vehicle 14, a bumper 60 surrounds the perimeter of the vehicle 14's body 50 to reduce physical contact between the vehicle 14's body 50 and other objects in the game area 16. In other embodiments, the vehicle 14 excludes the bumper 60 and / or includes some other suitable physical protective component.

[0022] To enable more efficient visualization and tracking by the monitoring system 40, the vehicle 14 of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 includes a visible indicator 62 and an IR device 64 coupled to the front 66 or part thereof of the bumper 60. The visible indicator 62 is some suitable reference marker that the sensors 42 of the monitoring system 40 can use as a reference point to determine information regarding the state of the vehicle 14 (e.g., position, location, orientation). For example, in this embodiment, a first visible indicator 62A (e.g., a light source or reflector) having a first visible appearance is positioned on a first part 68 of the bumper 60, a second visible indicator 62B having a second visible appearance is positioned on a second part 70 or the central part of the bumper 60, and a third visible indicator 62C having a third visible appearance is positioned on a third part 72 of the bumper 60. Furthermore, an IR device 64, including an IR emitter and / or IR reflector, is positioned on the bumper 60 of the illustrated embodiment of the vehicle 14 to selectively emit their respective IR signals, enabling the monitoring system 40 to identify the state of the vehicle 14. In other embodiments, the vehicle 14 includes some other suitable combination of identification functions to enable tracking by the monitoring system 40.

[0023] Turning to additional components that enhance the experience of the passengers 18 within the amusement ride 10, for the present embodiment, the vehicle 14 includes an input device 76 for each passenger 18, whereby the passenger 18 can request to perform an action on an interactive feature of the vehicle 14 and / or the game area 16. Although shown as a steering wheel, it should be understood that the input device 76 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable input device or combination of devices, such as a joystick, clutch, gear shift, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, handbrake, a series of buttons or switches, etc. The illustrated embodiment of the vehicle 14 also includes a display device 80 (e.g., a touch display device) for displaying information to the passenger 18 and receiving user input from the passenger 18. For an embodiment of the amusement ride 10 where the vehicle 14 includes two passengers 18, the vehicle control device 20 can receive inputs from both passengers 18 simultaneously and / or distribute control of the vehicle 14 between the two passengers 18. For example, one passenger 18 can assume the role of interacting with the features of the game area 16, and the other passenger 18 can assume the role of driving the vehicle 14. In some embodiments, the vehicle control device 20 can update the respective controls that each passenger 18 has on the vehicle 14 based on, for example, the current time of the amusement ride 10, the acquisition of an item by the passenger 18, or the completion of a task.

[0024] As recognized herein, the ride control system 12 determines whether the modeled action is permitted or conforms to both the game play rules 30 and the operating rules 32 before enabling the performance of the requested action. For example, the vehicle control device 20 receives user input indicating the requested action from the input device 76 and transmits a signal indicating the requested action to the ride control device 24 via the communication circuit 26 for verification. The monitoring system 40 of a particular embodiment simultaneously provides data indicating the state of the vehicle 14 and / or other portions of the amusement ride 10 to the ride control device 24. Accordingly, the ride control device 24 models the performance of the modeled action from the state of the vehicle 14 and determines whether the modeled state of the vehicle 14 resulting from the modeled action conforms to the game play rules 30 and the operating rules 32.

[0025] To provide feedback indicating whether the modeled action is permitted, the vehicle 14 can include any suitable output device such as a display device 80, a speaker 82, or a physical feedback device 84 (e.g., a vibration device, a tactile device, a scent emitting device). The passenger 18 of this embodiment can also be equipped with a wearable visualization device 90 communicatively connected to the ride control device 24 and the vehicle control device 20. The wearable visualization device 90 renders virtual objects within the game area 16 that use augmented reality (AR), (and / or virtual reality (VR) in some embodiments) to further contribute to the theme or game play of the amusement ride 10, and exemplary embodiments thereof are described below.

[0026] For example, Figure 2 shows a schematic top view of one embodiment of the amusement park ride 10, represented as a dark ride. Thus, the game area 16 is generally confined to a building to control the events and displays presented to the passengers 18 during the amusement park ride 10. One of the ride vehicles 14 described above is shown here within the game area 16, having two passengers 18 who provide input via an input device 76 to request the performance of an action by the ride vehicle 14. In this top view of the amusement park ride 10, the illustrated embodiment of the ride vehicle 14 includes a fourth visible indicator 62D at the front and a fifth visible indicator 62E at the rear, each positioned on the top of the bumper 60 to facilitate monitoring of the ride vehicle 14's characteristics (e.g., orientation, speed, position) by sensors 42 of the monitoring system 40. As described above, the vehicle 14 is a freely moving vehicle, from which passengers 18 can request specific actions to influence the route of the vehicle 14 and / or the progress of events within the game area 16.

[0027] The embodiment of the amusement park ride 10 shown in Figure 2 includes various interactive features that collaboratively provide multi-solution paths through the game area 16. Thus, passengers 18 in each ride vehicle 14 can choose their own path through the amusement park ride 10 (and the corresponding solution), contributing to the user experience and independence within the amusement park ride 10. As described above, the permitted paths or combinations of actions through the game area 16 are determined by gameplay rules 30 held by the ride control device 24. In some embodiments, the amusement park ride 10 allows passengers 18 in ride vehicles 14 to complete game objects that define individual game outcomes, which are determined as one of several (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more) game outcomes.

[0028] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 2, the interactive feature of the illustrated game area 16 includes a first interactive object 110 separated from a second interactive object 112 by an interactive boundary wall 114. In this embodiment, the interactive objects 110, 112 are virtual objects that appear as if they were placed within the game area 16 by each passenger's 18 wearable visualization device 90. The interactive boundary wall 114 in this embodiment is a virtual effect that represents a force field wall that the ride vehicle 14 can selectively pass through based on compliance with the gameplay rules 30 and the operation rules 32. In other embodiments, the interactive objects 110, 112 can be presented in the physical space of the game area 16 by a projector or hologram generator, and the monitoring system 40 is configured to notify the ride control device 24 when the ride vehicle 14 passes through the interactive objects 110, 112 or otherwise interacts with the interactive objects 110, 112. In other embodiments, the interactive objects 110, 112 are physical devices communicably connected to the ride control device 24, such as activatable buttons that passengers 18 can press using or from the ride vehicle 14, or robots that passengers 18 can interact with.

[0029] In a particular embodiment, gameplay rule 30 may stipulate, for example, that the passenger 18 drives the vehicle 14 through the first interactive object 110 before being permitted access to the second interactive object 112. If the passenger 18 requests to drive the vehicle 14 through the interactive boundary wall 114 without first driving through the first interactive object 110, the ride control device 24 models the requested action and determines the modeled state in which the vehicle 14 is expected to enter after the performance of the requested action. Because the modeled state does not conform to gameplay rule 30, the ride control device 24 determines that the requested action is not permitted and prevents the requested action. In certain embodiments, the ride control device 24 further instructs the vehicle control device 20 to perform approximate actions identified by modeling as similar to the requested action, such as stopping the forward motion of the vehicle (e.g., deactivating the accelerator pedal), adjusting the amount of force to operate the input device 76 (e.g., to prompt the passenger 18 to steer in a different direction along the outer surface of the interactive boundary wall 114), or issuing warnings using output devices (e.g., display device 80, speaker 82, physical feedback device 84) to alert the passenger 18 to an action that has been blocked or any other appropriate control action.

[0030] Furthermore, the illustrated game area 16 includes an electronic display device 120 positioned adjacent to a physical wall 122 (for example, within a threshold distance from the physical wall). While the illustrated embodiment of the electronic display device 120 also includes a communication circuit 26 that allows the ride control device 24 to provide control signals to it, it should be understood that any other suitable display system, such as a projector and projector screen, can be used in addition to or separately from the electronic display device 120. In some embodiments, the interactive boundary wall 114 of a particular embodiment may be combined with or superimposed on the electronic display device 120 and the physical wall 122 so as to reduce or prevent contact between the ride vehicle 14 and the physical wall 122. In the embodiment of Figure 2, a robot 126 or animated character, shown as a frog, is positioned in front of the physical wall 122 and interacts with the passenger 18 inside the ride vehicle 14 in a manner that mimics the actions of a frog and / or otherwise (for example, based on control signals provided by the ride control device 24). In other embodiments, the robot 126 may mimic some other suitable character or otherwise bring lifelike characteristics to an otherwise inanimate object.

[0031] In addition, the game area 16 in the illustrated embodiment includes a first interactive station 130 or first game PlayStation positioned in front of the electronic display device 120. The game area 16 also includes a second interactive station 132 or second game PlayStation positioned in front of an exit 140 from the game area 16, which has a reward 134 inside. However, it should be understood that in other embodiments, there may be rooms, regions, or other areas that are physically or virtually enclosed from one another by some appropriate feature of the game area 16, such as an interactive boundary wall 114 or a physical wall 122. The exit 140 shown herein includes a first exit 140A, a second exit 140B, a third exit 140C, and a fourth exit 140D that are very close to each other, but it should be understood that the game area 16 may include any appropriate number of exits spaced at some appropriate distance from each other.

[0032] Exemplary, the gameplay rules 30 of a particular embodiment stipulate which exits 140 the ride vehicle 14 can pass through based on the order and / or number of actions completed within the game area 16. For example, the gameplay rules 30 of a particular embodiment stipulate that the reward 134 in the second interactive station 132 is opened only after the ride vehicle 14 has visited the first interactive station 130 and / or after a presentation has been provided on the electronic display device 120. The gameplay rules 30 of these embodiments may further stipulate that the ride vehicle 14 can interact with the robot 126 at any time during the amusement park ride 10. Based on the order of actions completed by the passenger 18, the ride control device 24 unlocks one or more exits 140 (for example, by deactivating the corresponding interactive boundary wall and instructing it to open a physical door or gate). Exit 140, reward 134, or any other suitable part of the game area 16 may, in some embodiments, be opened based on both the passenger's past performance (if stored in the user profile database 34) and current performance (in the current instance of the amusement park ride 10) (for example, by stopping the operation of the corresponding interactive boundary wall 144).

[0033] Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the ride control system 24 adaptively updates the gameplay rules 30 based on the conditions of the amusement park ride 10. For example, if the first interactive station 130 is overcrowded (e.g., including a threshold number of ride vehicles 14), the ride control system 24 in certain embodiments updates the gameplay rules 30 to give the ride vehicles 14 a warning about guest availability or tasks available at alternative stations in the amusement park ride 10, or to instruct (e.g., recommend) passengers 18 to visit an alternative station. Thus, the ride control system 12 can effectively control crowds within the amusement park ride 10 to improve the experience of passengers 18 in the game area 16 and / or the passengers 18's processing capacity or time leeway. Similarly, if maintenance or repairs are being carried out at a particular station or part thereof in the game area 16, the gameplay rules 30 executed by the ride control system 24 can be updated to prevent ride vehicles 14 from approaching that particular station. Furthermore, if a particular station includes a required action for a subsequent station, the gameplay rule 30 may be updated to substitute or remove the required action from the gameplay rule 30 (e.g., pre-processing or direct processing). In some of these embodiments, the ride control device 24 detects if a station requires repair and automatically updates the gameplay rule 30 to correct the dependency between stations (e.g., using a topology sort algorithm) and directs the vehicle 14 to another location.

[0034] Furthermore, the gameplay rules 30 of a particular embodiment are updated or modified based on the current duration of the amusement park ride 10. For example, the gameplay rules 30 of a particular embodiment stipulate that a first portion of the interactive stations in the game area 16 is accessible during a first duration, and a second portion of the interactive stations in the game area 16 is accessible during a subsequent second duration. In addition, the gameplay rules 30 of a particular embodiment stipulate that at the end of the amusement park ride 10, control of the passengers 18 in the ride vehicle 14 is disabled or denied in whole or in part so that the ride control device 24 provides a control signal to autonomously guide the ride vehicle 14 out of the game area 16.

[0035] For the purpose of consideration, further information is provided herein with reference to the operation of a ride control system 12 having a ride control device 24, with reference to the above-mentioned features of the game area 16 (e.g., interactive objects 110, 112, interactive boundary wall 114, interactive stations 130, 132). Figure 3 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of a process 160 for operating the ride control system 12 to provide a responsive user experience to passengers 18 in a ride vehicle 14 of an amusement park ride 10. An exemplary embodiment of process 160 begins with the ride control device 24 receiving sensor data indicating the state of the ride vehicle 14 from, for example, the monitoring system 40 described above (block 162). In practice, the ride vehicle 14 is a freely moving device that can move between the interactive features described above with reference to Figure 2. The ride control device 24 additionally receives user input indicating a requested action relating to the ride vehicle 14 and / or the interactive features of the game area 16 (block 164). For example, in a particular embodiment, a passenger 18 provides input to attempt to steer the vehicle 14 in a specific direction, at a specific speed, into a specific room, etc. In some embodiments, the ride control device 24 receives sensor data (from block 162) and user input (from block 164) simultaneously.

[0036] Following the exemplary embodiment of process 160, based on user input and the state of the vehicle 14, the ride control device 24 models the requested action (block 166). That is, the ride control device 24 determines the predicted or modeled state of the vehicle 14 after the execution of the requested action (e.g., upon completion) using some appropriate simulation or set of equations. In some embodiments, the predicted state of the vehicle 14 may include some appropriate parameters that represent some aspect of the state of the vehicle 14, such as a predicted position, predicted speed, predicted charge, predicted game pre-events to be completed, or some other appropriate data.

[0037] After predicting the state of the vehicle 14, the ride control device 24 determines whether the model of the requested action or the modeled action conforms to the operation rules 32 set for the vehicle 14 (block 168). For example, as described above, the ride control device 24 maintains a set of operation rules 32 that describe the permitted physical actions of the vehicle 14, including its normal operation parameters. The ride control device 24 compares the modeled action to the operation rules 32 to determine whether the expected resulting state of the vehicle 14 matches, corresponds to, or conforms to the operation rules 32. It should be understood that any appropriate action, state, or combination thereof can be compared to the operation rules 32 and the gameplay rules 30.

[0038] In response to determining that the modeled action does not conform to the operation rule 32, the ride control device 24 of the ride control system 12 determines that an approximate action conforms to the operation rule 32 (block 170). As described above and further herein, the approximate action can be selected as the closest action (to the logical space of potential actions) in response to the intended result of the action modeled in accordance with the operation rule 32. For example, in one embodiment where a passenger 18 requests that the ride vehicle 14 be turned to the left while adjacent to a physical wall 122, the ride control device 24 determines that the operation rule 32 stipulates that the ride vehicle 14 is not permitted to make contact with the physical wall 122, and instead determines that the approximate action is to move the ride vehicle 14 forward.

[0039] Accordingly, the ride control device 24 following process 160 sets an approximate action as the modeled action (block 172). In this way, the ride control device 24 can proceed to determine whether the modeled action conforms similarly to the gameplay rules 30. In some embodiments, the ride control device 24 seeks approval from the passenger 18 for the approximate action before setting the approximate action as the modeled action. After determining that the modeled action is consistent with the operation rules 32, the ride control device 24 begins to determine whether the modeled action conforms to the gameplay rules 30 (block 174). For example, based on the predicted, modeled state of the vehicle 14, the ride control device 24 determines whether the execution of the modeled action results in a predicted, modeled state of the vehicle 14 that conforms to the gameplay rules 30. In some embodiments, the modeled state is modeled from a multidimensional logical space mapping that includes possible sortings of actions, where required actions (as described above with reference to Figure 2) are performed before the vehicle 14 is permitted to perform subsequent actions. In response to determining that the modeled action conforms to gameplay rule 30, the ride control device 24 immediately begins instructing the vehicle to perform the modeled action (block 176).

[0040] Alternatively, in response to determining that the modeled action does not conform to gameplay rule 30, the ride control device 24 determines an approximate action that conforms to gameplay rule 30 (block 178). That is, in a particular embodiment, the ride control device 24 may select or identify an approximate action as an adjacent point in the multidimensional logic space, which may be the nearest permitted action having an equivalent result state, creative intent, or approximate modeled state corresponding to the modeled action. The ride control device 24 may determine an approximate action as an action having an approximate modeled state within a threshold of the modeled state determined from the modeled action (e.g., distance in the multidimensional logic space). As described above, the ride control device 24 sets an approximate action as the modeled action (block 180) and instructs the ride vehicle 14 to perform the modeled action (block 176).

[0041] In other embodiments, the ride control device 24 performs the determinations in blocks 168 and 174 simultaneously. In some of these embodiments, the ride control device 24 prioritizes determining whether a modeled action conforms to the operation rule 32 before verifying that the modeled action conforms to the gameplay rule 30, in order to ensure proper operation of the vehicle 14 when processing capacity is limited. For example, if a passenger 18 requests that the vehicle 14 move at a speed other than the normal operation parameters through an interactive boundary wall 114 (where gameplay rule 30 specifies that the vehicle 14 is not currently permitted to drive), the ride control device 24 may first limit the speed of the vehicle 14 before providing feedback or control signals in response to a planned forward movement through the interactive boundary wall 114. In other embodiments, the ride control device 24 may determine whether a modeled action conforms to the gameplay rule 30 before determining whether the modeled action conforms to the operation rule 32, or block 168 may be omitted in embodiments where the vehicle 14 is pre-programmed to always operate within the operation rule 32.

[0042] Thus, the technical effects of the disclosed ride control system include improved, personalized passenger control of free-moving vehicles that provide passengers with an immersive and responsive experience while reducing reliance on supervising human operators and minimizing wear and tear on the components of the amusement park ride. Furthermore, the ride control system enables improved reliability and operation by improving crowd control and reducing the impact of maintenance downtime. In practice, by receiving passenger-requested inputs as requested actions and verifying the requested actions against both gameplay rules and behavioral rules, the disclosed ride control system generates a responsive gameplay environment in which passengers can experience a self-directed play-through within a multi-solution amusement park ride.

[0043] While this specification illustrates and describes only specific features of embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art should be able to envision numerous modifications and variations. Therefore, it should be understood that the claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and variations that fall within the true spirit of this disclosure. It should be understood that any features illustrated or described with respect to the above drawings can be combined in any appropriate manner.

[0044] The claimed technologies described herein refer to and apply to tangible objects and specific examples of a practical nature that are not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical, but which certainly improve the art. Furthermore, if any of the claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as "...means for performing [function]" or "...steps for performing [function]," such elements should be interpreted in accordance with 112(f) of the United States Patent Act. On the other hand, any claim containing elements designated in any other form should not be interpreted in accordance with 112(f) of the United States Patent Act. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 10 Amusement Park Rides 12 Ride control system 14. Vehicles 16 Game Area 18 passengers 20 Vehicle control system 24 Ride control system 26 Communication Circuit 30 Gameplay Rules 32 Operating rules 34. User Profile Database 36 processors 38 memory 40 Monitoring Systems 42 sensors 50 Main Unit 52 motors 54 wheels 56 Power supply 57 Processors 58 memory 60 Bumper 62A First visible indicator 62B Second visible indicator 62C Third visible indicator 64 IR devices 66 Front bumper 60 68 Bumper 60, first part 70 Bumper 60 second part 72 Third part of bumper 60 76 Input Devices 80 Display Devices 82 speakers 84 Physical Feedback Devices 90 Wearable Visualization Devices

Claims

1. A ride control system comprising a control device having a memory for storing multiple operation rules and multiple gameplay rules, The control device comprises a processor, The aforementioned processor, Monitor the freely moving ride vehicles, which are configured to guide you through the game area of ​​the amusement park rides, Upon receiving a passenger request, the vehicle performs the action, Based on the monitoring, it is determined whether the execution of the action conforms to the plurality of operating rules. In response to the determination that the execution of the action conforms to the plurality of operational rules, the monitoring determines whether the execution of the action conforms to the plurality of gameplay rules. In response to a determination that the execution of the aforementioned action does not conform to the plurality of gameplay rules, an approximate action is determined, and a control signal indicating the approximate action is provided to the freely moving vehicle. After the execution of the aforementioned action, the predicted state of the free-moving vehicle is modeled. Select the approximate action as the closest match to intent from the multidimensional space defined by the plurality of operation rules and the plurality of gameplay rules. This determines the approximate action. A ride control system configured in such a way.

2. The aforementioned processor, Upon receiving additional passenger requests, the vehicle performs additional actions on the aforementioned mobile vehicle. In response to a decision that the additional execution of the aforementioned additional action does not conform to the plurality of operating rules, an additional approximate action that conforms to the plurality of operating rules is determined. The ride control system according to claim 1, configured as described above.

3. The ride control system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of operation rules define a plurality of normal operation parameters indicating permitted operation of the free-moving vehicle.

4. The ride control system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of gameplay rules include a plurality of combinations, and the plurality of combinations enable gameplay actions to be performed within the game area of ​​the amusement park ride.

5. The control device is connected to the passenger profile database in a communicative manner, and the processor is The vehicle receives passenger information indicating the identification information of passengers in the aforementioned free-moving vehicle. Based on the identification information, the passenger profile database is queried to retrieve at least one previous game progress of the passenger. The plurality of gameplay rules are updated to correspond to at least one previous game progression. The ride control system according to claim 1, configured as described above.

6. The system includes a monitoring system configured to detect the current occupancy rate of each of the multiple game stations defined within the aforementioned game area. The ride control system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to modify the plurality of gameplay rules to guide the free-moving vehicle to a game station among the plurality of game stations that is less than a threshold number of other free-moving vehicles.

7. A ride control system according to claim 1, comprising an animated character placed within the game area and communicably connected to the control device, wherein the processor is configured to instruct the animated character to interact with the free-moving vehicle, and the plurality of behavioral rules indicate that physical contact between the animated character and the free-moving vehicle is not permitted.

8. The ride control system according to claim 1, wherein the passenger request is received from a passenger input device of the free-moving vehicle, the passenger input device includes a steering wheel, brakes, a joystick, or a wearable visualization device.

9. A ride control system for an amusement park ride, wherein the ride control system is A monitoring system configured to detect the current state of a freely moving ride vehicle that can move within the game area of ​​the amusement park ride, A control device having memory for storing a set of primary rules of operation and a set of secondary gameplay rules, The control device comprises a processor, and the processor comprises The monitoring system receives a first signal indicating the current state of the free-moving vehicle. The aforementioned free-moving vehicle receives a second signal indicating a passenger request to perform an action, Determine whether the execution of the action from the current state follows the set of main operating rules, In response to the determination that the execution of the aforementioned action conforms to the set of primary rules of operation, it is determined whether the execution of the aforementioned action from the current state conforms to the set of secondary rules of gameplay. In response to a decision that the execution of the said action conforms to the set of secondary gameplay rules, the execution of the said action is made possible. In response to a determination that the execution of the action does not comply with at least one of the primary operating rules or the set of secondary gameplay rules, a stop signal is provided to prevent the execution of the action. After the execution of the aforementioned action, the predicted state of the free-moving vehicle is modeled. Select the closest matching action from the multidimensional space defined by the set of primary rules of action and the set of secondary gameplay rules. This determines the approximate action. A ride control system configured in such a way.

10. The ride control system according to claim 9, wherein the monitoring system comprises at least one sensor configured to provide sensor feedback indicating the current state of the game area, and the processor is configured to modify the set of major operating rules based on the sensor feedback.

11. The ride control system according to claim 10, wherein the current state of the game area includes weather conditions, maintenance conditions, occupancy conditions, or a combination thereof.

12. The aforementioned processor, Receiving additional sensor feedback from at least one of the aforementioned sensors, Modify the set of secondary gameplay rules based on the sensor feedback. The ride control system according to claim 10, configured as follows.

13. The aforementioned processor, Determine the approximate action that follows the rules of the aforementioned set of primary rules of action and set of secondary gameplay rules. A control signal is provided that instructs the free-moving vehicle to perform the approximate action instead of the blocked action. The ride control system according to claim 9, configured as described above.

14. The ride control system according to claim 9, wherein the monitoring system comprises at least one sensor configured to track one or more reference markers, infrared devices, wearable visualization devices, or combinations thereof associated with the free-moving vehicle.

15. A method for operating a ride control system, The control device of the ride control system monitors the freely moving ride vehicles located within the game area of ​​the amusement park ride, The control device receives a passenger request to perform an action on the freely moving vehicle, A step in which the control device determines whether the execution of the action conforms to a set of hierarchical rules, wherein the set of hierarchical rules includes a set of first-layer operation rules and a set of second-layer gameplay rules. Steps of enabling the execution of the action by the control device in response to a decision that the execution of the action conforms to the set of hierarchical rules, In response to a determination that the execution of the aforementioned action does not conform to at least one rule from the set of hierarchical rules, the control device determines an approximate action and provides a control signal to the freely moving vehicle to cause the execution of the approximate action; After the execution of the aforementioned action, the predicted state of the free-moving vehicle is modeled. Select the approximate action as the closest match of intent from the multidimensional space defined by the set of hierarchical rules. This involves the step of determining the approximate action, Methods that include...

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of instructing a robot character placed in the game area to interact with passengers of the freely moving vehicle using the control device.

17. Steps to determine when the current game session has ended, The steps include updating the set of hierarchical rules to allow the free-moving vehicle to move toward the exit of the game area and to prevent the free-moving vehicle from moving further away from the exit, The method according to claim 15, including the method described in claim 15.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of selecting an exit from a plurality of exits based on the progress of the free-moving vehicle through the second layer of gameplay rules, before updating the set of hierarchical rules.

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