Virtual reality system for providing individuals with customized live experiences

• US 10,067,558 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Timothy B. Molyneux
• Original Assignee: Timothy B. Molyneux
• Inventors: Molyneux, Timothy B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Application Number:
  US15/624,375
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 348142-160
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An interactive system and method of the present invention provides a customized experience to individual spectators of a live performance. An input device receives a performance parameter selected by a spectator, and physical features of the spectator are scanned into a processor. Real time data collectors are associated with performers in the live performance, wherein the processor receives the performance parameter from the input device and real time performance data from the real time data collectors, and generates an individually customized real time performance based on the performance parameter and the physical features of the spectator as superimposed with the real time performance data, and further provides the customized real time performance to a virtual reality device for real time presentation to the spectator.

Claims

1. A system for providing an interactive entertainment experience to a user, said system comprising:

at least one virtual reality device associated with the user;

each said virtual reality device comprising one or more displays;

each said virtual reality device further comprising one or more processors configured to receive data corresponding to a setting of the entertainment experience;

said one or more processors configured to modify or replace said setting based at least in part on one or more parameters selected by the user, and cause a representation of the modified or replaced setting to be independently presented to the user through the virtual reality device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to modify or replace said setting by superimposing a modified item over a corresponding one or more original items.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of said selectable parameters comprise a stylistic or aesthetic element associated with one or more persons or objects presented in the setting, or one or more physical features of at least one participant or performer in the entertainment experience.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein one or more of said selectable parameters are selected by the user prior to or upon the beginning of the entertainment experience.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein one or more of said selectable parameters are selected by the user in real-time during the entertainment experience.

6. The system of claim 1, said one or more processors being further configured to receive data corresponding to the physical features of the user and generate data for display by the virtual reality device based at least in part on said data corresponding to the physical features of the user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said selectable parameters comprise a visual perspective for the user.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one data collector positioned on a first participant or performer of the entertainment experience; and

at least one data collector statically positioned in or in view of the setting of the entertainment experience;

wherein data associated with one or more of said data collectors is provided to the virtual reality device.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one virtual reality glove, wherein said glove provides feedback to the user corresponding at least in part to the data received by the virtual reality device.

10. The system of claim 9, said feedback comprising tactile feedback.

11. The system of claim 9, said feedback comprising thermal feedback.

12. A method for providing an interactive entertainment experience to a user, said method comprising:

providing at least one virtual reality device in association with the user;

receiving data corresponding to a setting of the entertainment experience in real-time;

modifying or replacing said setting based at least in part on one or more parameters selected by the user; and

causing a representation of the modified or replaced setting to be independently presented to the user via the virtual reality device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of modifying or replacing said setting comprises superimposing a modified item over a corresponding one or more original items.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein selectable parameters comprise a stylistic or aesthetic element associated with one or more persons or objects presented in the setting, or one or more physical features of at least one participant or performer in the entertainment experience.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving data corresponding to the physical features of the user, and

generating data for display by the virtual reality device based at least in part on said data corresponding to the physical features of the user.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said selectable parameters comprise a visual perspective for the user.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising receiving data at the virtual reality device from each of:

at least one data collector positioned on a first participant or performer of the entertainment experience; and

at least one data collector statically positioned in or in view of the setting of the entertainment experience.

18. A system for providing an interactive entertainment experience to a user, said system comprising:

at least one virtual reality device associated with the user;

each said virtual reality device comprising one or more displays;

each said virtual reality device further comprising one or more processors configured to receive, in real time, data corresponding to a setting of the entertainment experience;

said one or more processors configured to modify or replace one or more items in said setting, and cause a representation of the modified or replaced setting to be independently presented to the user via the virtual reality device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the data corresponding to the setting of the entertainment experience is received relatively instantaneously.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said one or more processors are configured to modify or replace said setting based at least in part on one or more parameters selected by the user.