Apparatus and method for on-field virtual reality simulation of US football and other sports
First Claim
1. An apparatus for creating virtual reality simulations, including visual images, of sporting events that take place on a playing field and for superimposing the visual images, from the perspective of a viewer, onto an open location, such as an actual playing field, on which the viewer is located, the apparatus comprising:
- a user interface that enables specification of simulation input parameters that at least partly determine the action of the simulation, including at least one of the starting position, of at least one player, the actions of at lease one player, ball movements, ball handling strategies, and other parameters that are appropriate to the type of sporting event being simulated;
locating means that can determine location information regarding the user, including at least one of the location and orientation of the user;
a simulation generator that can generate a simulation of the sporting event based at least partly on the simulation parameters and on the location information, the simulation including visual images;
wireless transmission means that can transmit the visual images by wireless means to headgear worn by the viewer of the simulation, also referred to herein as the user; and
a visual superpimposing apparatus attached to the headgear that is able to superimpose the visual images onto the user'"'"'s field of vision.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method are disclosed for simulating United States football and other sports that are held on a playing field. The user stands in an area that at least approximates an actual playing field, and an apparatus incorporated into a football helmet or other headgear worn by the user superimposes simulation images onto the field of view of the user, creating an illusion of simulated action taking place on the actual field where the user is standing. This makes the information and skills conveyed by the simulation directly relevant and immediately useful. Preferred embodiments track the location and orientation of the user and thereby allow the user to participate in the simulation. In another aspect, essentially the same apparatus and method are used to simulate driving or flying of vehicles without the need of an expensive mockup of the interior of the vehicle.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for creating virtual reality simulations, including visual images, of sporting events that take place on a playing field and for superimposing the visual images, from the perspective of a viewer, onto an open location, such as an actual playing field, on which the viewer is located, the apparatus comprising:
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a user interface that enables specification of simulation input parameters that at least partly determine the action of the simulation, including at least one of the starting position, of at least one player, the actions of at lease one player, ball movements, ball handling strategies, and other parameters that are appropriate to the type of sporting event being simulated; locating means that can determine location information regarding the user, including at least one of the location and orientation of the user; a simulation generator that can generate a simulation of the sporting event based at least partly on the simulation parameters and on the location information, the simulation including visual images; wireless transmission means that can transmit the visual images by wireless means to headgear worn by the viewer of the simulation, also referred to herein as the user; and a visual superpimposing apparatus attached to the headgear that is able to superimpose the visual images onto the user'"'"'s field of vision. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for generating a virtual reality simulation of a sporting event, such as United States football, that involves a plurality of participants, herein referred to as players, and that takes place on a playing field, the method comprising:
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specifying the initial positions of all of the players; specifying the actions of at least one of the players; placing a viewer, herein also referred to as the user, at an appropriate location in an open area that at least approximates a playing field appropriate to the sporting event being simulated; determining at least one of the location and orientation of the user in the open area; generating a virtual reality simulation that includes visual images; transmitting the visual images to receiving means attached to headgear worn by the viewer, the headgear being equipped with visual image presentation means that is able to superimpose visual images onto the field of view of the viewer; calibrating the position, orientation, and scaling of the simulation so that it corresponds to the actual position, orientation, and location of the viewer; and superimposing the visual images onto the field of view of the viewer, such that the simulation appears to take place where the viewer is located, and the viewer has the illusion of being in the midst of the simulation.
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14. An apparatus for creating virtual reality simulations, including visual images, of the operation of vehicles, such as race cars, trucks, tanks, flying aircraft, and spacecraft, and for superimposing the visual images onto the field of view of the user, the apparatus comprising:
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a user interface that enables specification of simulation input parameters that at least partly determine the action of the simulation; locating means that can determine the orientation of the user'"'"'s head; a simulation generator that can generate a simulation of the specified environment and action, based on the simulation input parameters and the orientation of the user'"'"'s head, wherein the simulation includes visual images of action viewed through windows and windscreens and images of an enclosing environment that would surround the vehicle operator in a real-life situation; wireless transmission means that can transmit the visual images by wireless means to headgear worn by the viewer of the simulation, also referred to herein as the user; a visual superpimposing apparatus attached to the headgear that is able to superimpose the visual images onto the user'"'"'s field of vision; and control apparatus of a shape and style appropriate to the activity being simulated for transmitting the control actions of the user to the simulation generator. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification