Multimedia racing experience system

• US 20030130822A1
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trivinci Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Trivinci Systems Llc
• Inventors: Steele, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,265,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/16 Control of vehicles or other craft simulators G09B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/04 for teaching control of land vehicles

Abstract

A multimedia racing experience system is provided including a plurality of input devices, such as cameras, microphones, and telemetry sensors. All input devices communicate with an on-vehicle processing unit for multiplexing the input data into a data stream. The data stream is then transferred to a central location for display or recording on playback media.

Claims

1. A multimedia racing experience system, comprising:

a plurality of on-vehicle camera input sources;

a plurality of on-vehicle microphone input sources;

at plurality of on-vehicle telemetry input sources;

at least one remote input source;

an on-vehicle processing unit in operative communication with said input sources configured to multiplex input data into a multiplexed data stream; and

an on-vehicle data transfer unit in operative communication with the processing unit for transferring the multiplexed data stream to an external processing unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one camera input source further comprises a radio frequency transmitter for operative communication with the on-vehicle processing unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one microphone input source further comprises audio cabling connected to the on-vehicle control unit for operative communication with the on-vehicle control unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one on-vehicle telemetry input source comprises a biotelemetry input source.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the biotelemetry input source comprises a pulse oximeter device and cabling connected to said on-vehicle control unit for operative communication with the on-vehicle processing unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one on-vehicle telemetry input source comprises a wheel-speed indicator.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system receiver in operative communication with the on-vehicle processing unit.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wireless track-position beacon transmitters in operative communication with the on-vehicle processing unit.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing unit configured to multiplex input data is further configured to select data for inclusion in the multiplexed data stream based on proximity to a location.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one remote input source comprises a video camera.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one remote input source further comprises a radio frequency transmitter for operatively communicating with the on-vehicle processing unit.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit configured to multiplex input data is further configured to select data for inclusion in the multiplexed data stream based on a received telemetry input.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit configured to multiplex input data is further configured to synchronize the input data multiplexed into the data stream.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit configured to multiplex input data is configured to encode the multiplexed data stream.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processing unit is configured to encode the multiplexed data stream in an MPEG format.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle data transfer unit comprises a microwave radio frequency transmitter.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a central kiosk-based processing unit that receives the multiplexed data stream.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the central kiosk-based processing unit outputs the multiplexed data stream to a storage medium.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the storage medium is a DVD disk.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the central kiosk-based processing unit outputs the multiplexed data stream to a playback medium.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the playback medium is a television broadcast.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the central kiosk-based processing unit comprises a plurality of workstations in operative communication with a local area network, wherein each workstation receives a multiplexed data stream from a different on-vehicle processing unit.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein a first camera input source provides a view from the front of the vehicle, a second camera input source provides a view from the rear of the racecar, a third camera input source provides a view of the driver, a fourth camera input source provides a racing-style dependent view, and at least one remote camera input source provides a exterior view of the vehicle.

24. A multimedia racing experience system, comprising:

a plurality of on-vehicle camera input sources;

a plurality of on-vehicle microphone input sources;

at plurality of on-vehicle telemetry input sources;

at least one remote input source;

a plurality of remote beacon transmitters;

at least one on-vehicle beacon receiver in operative communication with one or more of the remote beacon transmitters for determining a current position of the vehicle;

an on-vehicle processing unit, in operative communication with said input sources and the at least one on-vehicle beacon receiver, configured to select input data provided by said input sources and multiplex the selected input data into a multiplexed data stream, wherein selection of input data from at least one input source is based on the determined current position of the vehicle; and

an on-vehicle data transfer unit in operative communication with the processing unit for transferring the multiplexed data stream to an external processing unit.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein selection of input data from at least one input source based on the determined current position of the vehicle comprises selection of data from at least one remote input source.