Multi-passenger ride vehicle

• US 10,293,837 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Osterman, Ross Alan, Schwartz, Justin Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US15/895,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20180170399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 42
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 25/00 Autocar-like self-drivers; Runways therefor
• 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: A63G 7/00 Up-and-down hill tracks; Switchbacks
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/24 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

A control system to control a multi-passenger ride vehicle includes a controller. The controller receives a first user feedback from a first user input device and a second user feedback from a second user input device. The controller selects the first user feedback, the second user feedback, or a combination thereof for a determination of a vehicle path of the multi-passenger ride vehicle. The controller determines the vehicle path using the first user feedback, the second user feedback, or the combination thereof based on the selection. The controller controls movement of the multi-passenger ride vehicle based on the vehicle path.

Claims

1. A control system configured to control a multi-passenger ride vehicle, the control system comprising:

a controller configured to;

receive a first passenger feedback from a first passenger input device;

receive a second passenger feedback from a second passenger input device;

select the first passenger feedback, the second passenger feedback, or a combination thereof as a selection;

determine a vehicle path using the first passenger feedback, the second passenger feedback, or the combination thereof based on the selection; and

control movement of the multi-passenger ride vehicle based on the vehicle path.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle path comprises a speed of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, a direction of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, an orientation of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, an acceleration of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, or any combination thereof.

3. The control system of claim 1, comprising the first passenger input device, wherein the first passenger input device comprises a steering wheel, a gas pedal, a brake pedal, a button, a joystick, or any combination thereof.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control a position of an axle of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, a motor of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, a brake of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, or a combination thereof to control the movement of the multi-passenger ride vehicle.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive sensor feedback relating to a ride environment or a disposition of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the vehicle path based on the sensor feedback.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to compare the sensor feedback with the first passenger feedback, and wherein the controller is configured to override the first passenger feedback in view of the comparison of the sensor feedback with the first passenger feedback.

7. The control system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to compare the sensor feedback with the first passenger feedback and the second passenger feedback, and wherein the controller is configured to override the first passenger feedback and the second passenger feedback in view of the comparison of the sensor feedback with the first passenger feedback and the second passenger feedback.

8. The control system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine an adjustment to the vehicle path based on the sensor feedback; and

revise the vehicle path based on the adjustment to the vehicle path prior to controlling the movement of the multi-passenger ride vehicle based on the vehicle path.

9. The control system of claim 5, wherein the sensor feedback comprises data relating to boundaries of a ride course the multi-passenger ride vehicle operates in, physical objects within the ride environment, other multi-passenger ride vehicles in the ride course, or any combination thereof.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to compare the first passenger feedback to corresponding data of a predetermined ideal vehicle path.

11. A method of controlling a multi-passenger ride vehicle, comprising:

receiving, via a controller, first passenger feedback from a first passenger input device of a multi-passenger ride vehicle;

receiving, via the controller, second passenger feedback from a second passenger input device of the multi-passenger ride vehicle;

determining, via the controller, a vehicle path based on the first passenger feedback, the second passenger feedback, or a combination thereof; and

controlling, via the controller, movement of the multi-passenger ride vehicle based on the vehicle path.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving, via the controller, sensor feedback related to a ride environment or a disposition of the multi-passenger ride vehicle; and

determining, via the controller, the vehicle path based on the received sensor feedback.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the vehicle path based on the received sensor feedback comprises selecting, via the controller, between the received sensor feedback and the first passenger feedback, the second passenger feedback, or the combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the vehicle path based on the received sensor feedback comprises adjusting, via the controller, the first passenger feedback, the second passenger feedback, or the combination thereof based on the sensor feedback.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the vehicle path based on the received sensor feedback comprises:

determining, via the controller, a first unadjusted vehicle path based on the received first passenger feedback, the received second passenger feedback, or the combination thereof; and

determining, via the controller, a second adjusted vehicle path based on the received sensor feedback, wherein controlling the movement of the multi-passenger ride vehicle based on the vehicle path comprises controlling, via the controller, the movement of the multi-passenger ride vehicle based on the determined second adjusted vehicle path.

16. A system, comprising:

a multi-passenger ride vehicle configured to accommodate a plurality of passengers;

a first passenger input device positioned proximate a first passenger seat of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, wherein the first passenger input device is configured to receive a first input from a first passenger of the plurality of passengers, and configured to generate a first feedback in response to the first input;

a second passenger input device positioned proximate a second passenger seat of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, wherein the second passenger input device is configured to receive a second input from a second passenger of the plurality of passengers, and configured to generate a second feedback in response to the second input from the second passenger;

a sensor configured to receive sensor feedback relating to a ride environment, a disposition of the multi-passenger ride vehicle, or a combination thereof; and

a controller configured to receive the first feedback, the second feedback, and the sensor feedback, and to control one or more operations of the multi-passenger ride vehicle based on the first received feedback, the second received feedback, and the received sensor feedback.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to control a first operation of the one or more operations based on the received first feedback, and to control a second operation of the one or more operations based on the received second feedback.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to compare the received first feedback, the received second feedback, or a combination thereof with a corresponding control threshold value.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to control the one or more operations by overriding the first feedback, the second feedback, or a combination thereof, based on the comparison of the received first feedback, the received second feedback, or the combination thereof with the corresponding control threshold value.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to control the one or more operations by determining a baseline operation in view of the received first feedback and the received second feedback, by determining an adjusted operation of the baseline operation in view of the received sensor feedback, and by executing the adjusted operation of the baseline operation.