Modular solution for delivering a virtual reality attraction

• US 10,105,619 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FANX Incorporated
• Original Assignee: UnchartedVR, Inc.
• Inventors: Gutierrez, Kalon Ross, Duncan, John Joseph, Griffin, Douglas, Schulze, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Mushambo, Martin
• Application Number:
  US15/783,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20180104614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0278 Projectiles A63F9/0208, A63F9/0247 and A63F9/0252 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/00 Amusement arrangements hoop exercising apparatus driven by the user A63B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/16 creating illusions of travel
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 33/00 Devices allowing competitions between several persons, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 1/02 Scenery; Curtains; Other decorations; Means for moving same fireproof curtains A62C2/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 5/02 Arrangements for making stage effects; Auxiliary stage appliances
• 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 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

A comprehensive solution is provided to transforming locations and retail spaces into high-traffic VR attractions that provide a VR experience blended with a real-world tactile experience. A modular stage and kit of stage accessories suitable for a wide variety of commercial venues contains all of the necessary equipment, infrastructure, technology and content to assemble and operate a tactile, onsite VR attraction. Utilizing a modular set of set design and physical props, the physical structure and layout of the installations are designed to be easily rearranged and adapted to new VR content, without requiring extensive construction or specialized expertise.

Claims

1. A system for augmenting a virtual reality (VR) experience, the system comprising:

a plurality of VR representations, generated by VR simulation engine comprising hardware and software;

a plurality of stage plans, each stage plan corresponding to one or more of the plurality of VR representations;

a modular stage assembly comprising a stage and a plurality of stage accessories, for physically implementing the plurality of stage plans;

a pattern of markings along at least two dimensions of the stage to aid in assembling the plurality of stage accessories to the stage, using coordinates identified by the pattern of markings, according to any of the plurality of stage plans;

a motion tracking system comprising a network of sensors configured to track a VR participant'"'"'s movements on the stage by communicating identity, location and/or orientation information to the VR simulation engine;

wherein each VR representation is preprogrammed to simulate a virtual audiovisual environment with virtually represented objects whose locations and orientations correspond to locations and orientations of the stage accessories that are arranged according to the corresponding stage plan;

wherein each VR representation is configured to use tracking information generated by the motion tracking system to present imagery of VR objects as the VR participant approaches or encounters corresponding stage accessories.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of stage accessories includes a subset of fixed accessories, including walls, and a subset of movable accessories, including objects that one or more of the VR representations prompts the VR participant to move;

the stage comprises a platform having a plurality of accessory mounts for affixing accessories of the fixed subset to the platform;

the accessory mounts are arranged on the platform;

a location of each of the accessory mounts is identifiable by coordinates identified by the pattern of markings;

the accessory mounts restrict the possible location of the accessories of the fixed subset to a finite set of discrete points on the platform, arranged according to the pattern of markings; and

the VR representation aligns representations of fixed VR objects, including walls, to the locations and orientations of corresponding accessories of the fixed subset without relying upon sensory information about the location of the accessories of the fixed subset.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the VR simulation engine is configured to receive identity, location and/or orientation information of the movable accessories and arrange the corresponding virtual objects within the virtual experience to have corresponding locations and/or orientations.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the representations of the virtual objects corresponding to the fixed accessories is, on average, more precisely aligned than the representations of the virtual objects corresponding to the movable accessories.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the pattern of markings marks lines of a grid.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a corresponding virtual grid is displayed within the VR representation to illustrate a virtual coordinate system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the grid is also configured to overlay walls.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the grid is configured to overlay a floor and includes grid lines that extend across and along a section of the floor.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the accessory mounts are holes or pegs.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the stage accessories comprise an assortment of props and set pieces.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the stage accessories include textures that provide tactile sensations that complement and augment the audio and visual sensations a VR participant experiences within the virtual environment.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein the stage accessories comprise doors and walls.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of VR representations comprises a unique set and/or position and/or orientation of VR objects; and

the plurality of physical objects are modular and reconfigurable so that they are operable to be arranged to correlate with the position and orientation of corresponding VR objects in any selected one of the VR representations.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of stage plans includes at least a first stage plan that has a stage platform dimension of A×

B fitting a first commercial space and a second stage plan of C×

D fitting a second commercial space, wherein A, B, C, D are all different from each other;

the stage comprises a plurality of stage sections that are configured to be connected with each other according to a plurality of stage dimensions, including A×

B and C×

D, making the stage dimensionally reconfigurable; and

the dimensional reconfigurability of the stage enabling the stage to be configured to fit in a plurality of commercial spaces.

15. A kit for augmenting a virtual reality (VR) experience comprising:

a plurality of VR representations, generated by VR simulation engine comprising hardware and software;

a physical modular stage assembly comprising a plurality of stage sections and a plurality of stage accessories, wherein the stage sections are configured to be connected with each other according to a plurality of different stage lengths and widths to form a platform;

grid markings disposed on the platform sections, so that the stage sections, when assembled, form a grid for locating the stage accessories according to a grid-coordinated stage plan; and

a motion tracking system comprising a network of sensors configured to track a VR participant'"'"'s movements on the stage by communicating identity, location and/or orientation information to the VR simulation engine;

wherein each VR representation is preprogrammed to simulate a virtual audiovisual environment with virtually represented objects whose locations and orientations correspond to locations and orientations of the corresponding stage accessories arranged according to the grid-coordinated stage plan.

16. The kit of claim 15, wherein each VR representation is configured to use tracking information generated by the motion tracking system to present imagery of VR objects as the VR participant approaches or encounters corresponding stage accessories.

17. The kit of claim 15, further comprising VR equipment, including at least a VR headset, to project a simulate a VR representation spatially correlated to the grid-coordinated stage plan and space and populate the virtual environment with VR objects that spatially correspond to the stage accessories.

18. The kit of claim 17, wherein:

the VR equipment provides a predefined set of virtual representations, each of which comprises a unique set and/or position and/or orientation of VR objects that correspond to a plurality of distinct grid-coordinated stage plans; and

the plurality of stage accessories are modular and reconfigurable in that they are operable to be rearranged to correspond with the position and orientation of corresponding VR objects in any of the predefined set of virtual representations.

19. The kit of claim 18, wherein the VR equipment is configured to receive identity, location and/or orientation information of the mobile stage accessories and arrange the corresponding virtual objects within the VR representations to have locations and/or orientations that correspond to the location and/or orientations of the physical objects.

20. The kit of claim 17, further comprising sensors embedded in stage accessories that are mobile, the plurality of sensors being configured to communicate identity, location and/or orientation information to the VR equipment.