Virtual experience monitoring mechanism

• US 10,679,412 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2018
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FANX Incorporated
• Original Assignee: UnchartedVR, Inc.
• Inventors: Griffin, Douglas, Gutierrez, Kalon Ross, Millard, Jennifer, De La Carcova, Tiburcio
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Shivang I
• Application Number:
  US16/228,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20190221036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 345419
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/27 characterised by a large display in a public venue, e.g. in a movie theatre, stadium or game arena
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/16 creating illusions of travel
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 General purpose rendering architectures
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data

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 grid-based virtual reality (VR) attraction system, comprising:

a grid aligned stage kit that corresponds to a plurality of stage plans associated with plurality of VR representations, said grid aligned stage kit comprising;

smart props, comprising fixed smart props and moveable smart props, wherein one or more of said smart props are simultaneously represented in one or more of said plurality of VR representations experienced by a VR participant;

a stage comprising a platform having a pattern of markings along at least two dimensions, wherein said stage is configured with peg holes arranged on said platform, for affixing said fixed smart props to said platform, and wherein said pattern identifies coordinates corresponding to a location of said peg holes; and

a plurality of stage sections that are configured to be interconnected according to said pattern to form said platform, wherein said platform is configurable according to said plurality of stage plans comprising at least A×

B and C×

D, wherein A, B, C, and D are different from each other;

a motion tracking system, configured to track identity, location, orientation, and movement of said smart props and said VR participant on said stage;

a merged reality engine, coupled to said motion tracking system, configured to employ said identity, location, orientation, and movement to generate said plurality of VR representations that simulate a virtual environment for said VR participant with virtually represented objects corresponding to said identity, location, orientation, and movement, and configured to overlay said identity, location, orientation, and movement with said plurality of VR representations; and

an analytics recorder, coupled to said merged reality engine, configured to record overlaid identity, location, orientation, movement, and VR representations.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said merged reality engine correlates and overlays overlay said identity, location, orientation, and movement with said plurality of VR representations such that an experience of said VR participant may be accurately simulated in both time and VR space.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said merged reality engine provides said overlaid identity, location, orientation, movement, VR representations to both said analytics recorder and an operator console.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein an operator at said operator console, in concert with said merged reality engine, detects and flags problems that arise during traversal of said VR participant through the VR attraction, and modifies VR representations to address said problems in real time.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein an operator at said operator console, in concert with said merged reality engine, issues commands to one or more of said smart props to address said problems in real time.

6. The system as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

a product generator, coupled to said analytics recorder, configured to employ said overlaid identity, location, orientation, movement, and VR representations to develop personalized products for purchase by said VR participant.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said product generator comprises an audio/video system for generation of a DVD or downloadable video of said experience.

8. A grid-based virtual reality (VR) attraction system, comprising:

a grid aligned stage kit that corresponds to a plurality of stage plans associated with plurality of VR representations, said grid aligned stage kit comprising;

smart props, comprising fixed smart props and moveable smart props, wherein one or more of said smart props are simultaneously represented in one or more of said plurality of VR representations experienced by a VR participant;

a stage comprising a platform having a pattern of markings along at least two dimensions, wherein said stage is configured with peg holes arranged on said platform, for affixing said fixed smart props to said platform, and wherein said pattern identifies coordinates corresponding to a location of said peg holes; and

a plurality of stage sections that are configured to be interconnected according to said pattern to form said platform, wherein said platform is configurable according to said plurality of stage plans comprising at least A×

B and C×

D, wherein A, B, C, and D are different from each other;

a motion tracking system, configured to track identity, location, orientation, and movement of said smart props and said VR participant on said stage;

a merged reality engine, coupled to said motion tracking system, configured to employ said identity, location, orientation, and movement to generate said plurality of VR representations that simulate a virtual environment for said VR participant with virtually represented objects corresponding to said identity, location, orientation, and movement, and configured to overlay said identity, location, orientation, and movement with said plurality of VR representations;

an analytics recorder, coupled to said merged reality engine, configured to record overlaid identity, location, orientation, movement, and VR representations; and

an operator console, coupled to said merged reality engine, configured to receive overlaid identity, location, orientation, movement, and VR representations.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein said merged reality engine correlates and overlays overlay said identity, location, orientation, and movement with said plurality of VR representations such that an experience of said VR participant may be accurately simulated in both time and VR space.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said merged reality engine provides said overlaid identity, location, orientation, movement, VR representations to both said analytics recorder and said operator console.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein an operator at said operator console, in concert with said merged reality engine, detects and flags problems that arise during traversal of said VR participant through the VR attraction, and modifies VR representations to address said problems in real time.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein an operator at said operator console, in concert with said merged reality engine, issues commands to one or more of said smart props to address said problems in real time.

13. The system as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

a product generator, coupled to said analytics recorder, configured to employ said overlaid identity, location, orientation, movement, and VR representations to develop personalized products for purchase by said VR participant.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said product generator comprises an audio/video system for generation of a DVD or downloadable video of said experience.

15. A grid-based virtual reality (VR) attraction method, comprising:

providing a grid aligned stage kit that corresponds to a plurality of stage plans associated with plurality of VR representations, the grid aligned stage kit comprising;

smart props, comprising fixed smart props and moveable smart props, wherein one or more of the smart props are simultaneously represented in one or more of the plurality of VR representations experienced by a VR participant;

a stage comprising a platform having a pattern of markings along at least two dimensions, wherein the stage is configured with peg holes arranged on the platform, for affixing the fixed smart props to the platform, and wherein the pattern identifies coordinates corresponding to a location of the peg holes; and

a plurality of stage sections that are configured to be interconnected according to the pattern to form the platform, wherein the platform is configurable according to the plurality of stage plans comprising at least A×

B and C×

D, wherein A, B, C, and D are different from each other;

via a motion tracking system, tracking identity, location, orientation, and movement of the smart props and the VR participant on the stage;

via a merged reality engine, employing the identity, location, orientation, and movement to generate the plurality of VR representations that simulate a virtual environment for the VR participant with virtually represented objects corresponding to the identity, location, orientation, and movement, and configured to overlay the identity, location, orientation, and movement with the plurality of VR representations; and

via an analytics recorder, recording overlaid identity, location, orientation, movement, and VR representations.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the merged reality engine correlates and overlays overlay the identity, location, orientation, and movement with the plurality of VR representations such that an experience of the VR participant may be accurately simulated in both time and VR space.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the merged reality engine provides the overlaid identity, location, orientation, movement, VR representations to both the analytics recorder and an operator console.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein an operator at the operator console, in concert with the merged reality engine, detects and flags problems that arise during traversal of the VR participant through the VR attraction, and modifies VR representations to address the problems in real time.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein an operator at the operator console, in concert with the merged reality engine, issues commands to one or more of the smart props to address the problems in real time.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

via a product generator, employing the overlaid identity, location, orientation, movement, and VR representations to develop personalized products for purchase by the VR participant.