SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SIMULATING A USER PRESENCE

• US 20150331483A1
• Filed: 05/19/2015
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iii, Richard Matthew Cieszkowski, Timothy David Smith
• Original Assignee: Iii, Richard Matthew Cieszkowski
• Inventors: Cieszkowski, Richard Matthew III, Smith, Timothy David
• Granted Patent: US 9,755,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• 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 13/428 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 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information

Abstract

A system and method for simulating a presence between a first user in a first pod at a first location and a second user in a second pod at a second location is provided. A first user suit is disposed in the first grid pod and a second user suit is disposed in the second grid pod. A first controller unit is electrically connected with the first pod and a second controller unit is electrically connected with the second pod. At least one input sensor is disposed in each of the first and second pods. Output devices are disposed in the first and second pods. A mainframe is electrically connected with the first and second controller units for receiving inputs from the input sensors and for providing instructions for activating the output devices to simulate the interaction of the first and second users with one another.

Claims

1. A system for simulating a presence between a first user at a first location and a second user at a second location, comprising:

a first pod at the first location for being entered by the first user;

a first user suit disposed in said first pod for being worn by the first user;

a first controller unit electrically connected with said first pod for receiving inputs and emitting outputs to said first pod;

at least one input sensor disposed in said first pod and electrically connected to said first controller unit for providing said first controller unit input data detected by said input sensors of said first pod;

said at least one input sensor in said first pod including at least one motion sensor for detecting movement of said first user suit within said first pod;

at least one output device disposed in said first pod electrically connected with said first controller unit for selectively being activated;

said at least one output device in said first pod including at least one output device disposed on said first user suit for providing a physical stimulus to the first user;

a second pod at the second location for being entered by the second user;

a second user suit disposed in said second pod for being worn by the second user;

a second controller unit electrically connected with said second pod for receiving inputs and emitting outputs to said second pod;

at least one input sensor disposed in said second pod and electrically connected to said second controller unit for providing said second controller unit with input data detected by said input sensors of said second pod;

said at least one input sensor in said second pod including at least one motion sensor for detecting movement of said second user suit within said second pod;

at least one output device disposed in said second pod electrically connected with said second controller unit for selectively being activated;

said at least one output device in said second pod including at least one output device disposed on said second user suit for providing a physical stimulus to the second user; and

a mainframe electrically connected with said first and second controller units receiving inputs from said first and second controller units and providing instructions to said first and second controller units to activate said output devices on said first and second user suits at locations that correspond with said movement detected by said motion sensors of said first and second pods to simulate the interaction of the first and second users with one another.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first pod includes a floor and at least one wall extending generally perpendicularly to said floor to define a first grid having a plurality of horizontal axes extending parallel to said floor and a plurality of vertical axes extending parallel to said wall, said second pod includes a floor and at least one wall extending generally perpendicularly to said floor to define a second grid having a plurality of horizontal axes extending parallel to said floor and a plurality of vertical axes extending parallel to said wall, said motion sensor of said first pod providing said first controller unit with three-dimensional coordinates of the location of said first user suit within said first grid, and said motion sensor of said second pod providing said second controller unit with three-dimensional coordinates of the location of said second user suit within said second grid to activate said output devices on said first and second user suits at locations that correspond with the three-dimensional coordinates.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one output device includes at least one robotic dummy selectively moveably disposed in at least one of said first and second pods, said robotic dummy connected to one of said first and second controllers for selectively being controlled for interacting with one of the first and second users in response to input data provided by one of said input sensors.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said at least one robotic dummy includes a first robotic dummy disposed in said first pod and electrically connected to said first controller, and said at least one robotic dummy includes a second robotic dummy disposed in said second pod and electrically connected to said second controller.

5. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said robotic dummy is generally sized and shaped like a human.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one input sensor further includes at least one of an accelerometer, a light sensor, a physical energy sleeve, a laser grid, a motion detecting glove, a virtual reality headset, and a scent detecting device.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one output device includes at least one of an air ballast, an electric impulse emitter, a vibrating device, a thermal manipulator, and a scent emitting device.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 further including a first application server electrically connecting said first controller unit and said mainframe, and a second application server electrically connecting said second controller unit and said mainframe.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8 wherein first controlling unit and said first application server and said mainframe are connected via an internet connection, and said second controlling unit and said second application server and said mainframe are connected via an internet connection.

10. The system for simulating a presence between a first user at a first location and a second user at a second location, comprising:

a first environment for containing the first user;

said first environment including a first pod and a first user suit disposed in said first pod for being worn by the first user;

said first pod including a floor and at least a pair of walls each extending generally perpendicularly to said floor to define a first grid having horizontal axes extending parallel to said floor and vertical axes extending parallel to said walls;

a first controller unit electrically connected with said first pod and said first user suit for receiving inputs and emitting outputs to said first pod and said first user suit;

a plurality of input sensors disposed in said first pod and electrically connected to said first controller unit for providing said first controller unit with input data detected by said input sensors of said first pod;

said input sensors including at least one of an accelerometer, a motion sensor, a light sensor, a physical energy sleeve, a laser grid, a motion detecting glove, and a virtual reality headset;

at least one of said input sensors being a motion sensor providing said first controller unit with three-dimensional coordinates of the location of said first user suit within said first grid;

a plurality of output devices disposed in said first pod electrically connected with said first controller unit for selectively being activated;

said output devices including at least one output device disposed on said first user suit for providing physical feedback to the first user;

said output devices including at least one of an air ballast, an electric impulse emitter, a vibrating device, a thermal manipulator, and a scent emitting device;

at least one of said output devices including a first robotic dummy selectively moveably disposed in said first pod and electrically connected to said first controller unit for selectively moving to interact with the first user;

said first robotic dummy being generally sized and shaped like a human;

a first application server electrically connected with said first controller unit for receiving said input data from said input sensors;

said first application server and said first controller unit connected by way of an internet connection;

a second environment for containing the second user;

said second environment including a second pod and a second user suit disposed in said second pod for being worn by the second user;

said second pod including a floor and at least a pair of walls each extending generally perpendicularly to said floor to define a second grid having horizontal axes extending parallel to said floor and vertical axes extending parallel to said walls;

a second controller unit electrically connected with said second pod and said second user suit for receiving inputs and emitting outputs to said second pod and said second user suit;

a plurality of input sensors disposed in said second pod and electrically connected to said second controller unit for providing said second controller unit with input data detected by said input sensors of said second pod;

at least one of said input sensors being a motion sensor providing said second controller unit with three-dimensional coordinates of the location of said second user suit within said second grid;

a plurality of output devices disposed in said second pod electrically connected with said second controller unit for selectively being activated to provide physical feedback to the second user;

said output devices including at least one output device disposed on said second user suit for providing physical feedback to the second user;

at least one of said output devices including a second robotic dummy selectively moveably disposed in said second pod and electrically connected to said second controller unit for selectively moving to interact with the second user;

said second robotic dummy being generally sized and shaped like a human;

a second application server electrically connected with said second controller unit for receiving said input data from said input sensors;

said second application server and said second controller unit connected by way of an internet connection;

a mainframe electrically connected with said first and second application servers for receiving inputs from said first and second controller units and for providing instructions to said first and second controller units for activating said output devices in said first and second pods and for moving said first and second robotic dummies based on said detected three-dimensional coordinates of said locations of said first and second user suits to simulate the interaction of the first and second users with one another; and

said mainframe and said first and second application servers connected by way of an internet connection.

11. A method for simulating a presence between a first user in a first pod at a first location and a second user in a second pod at a second location, said method comprising:

detecting a position of at least part of a first user suit in the first pod using an input sensor, and detecting a position of at least part of a second user suit in the second pod using an input sensor;

electronically transmitting the detected position of the first user suit to a mainframe, and electronically transmitting the detected position of the second user suit to a mainframe;

electronically transmitting the detected position of the first user suit from the mainframe to a second controller that is electronically connected with the second pod and the second user suit, and electronically transmitting the detected position of the second user suit from the mainframe to a first controller that is electronically connected with the first pod and the first suit; and

activating an output device disposed in the second pod at a location that correlates with the detected position of the first user suit by the second controller, and activating an output device disposed in the first pod at a location that correlates with the detected position of the second user suit by the first controller.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of detecting a position of at least part of a first user suit includes detecting three-dimensional coordinates of the first user suit within the first pod, and said step of detecting a position of at least part of a second user suit includes detecting three-dimensional coordinates of the second suit within the second pod;

and

said step of activating an output device disposed in the second pod at a location that correlates with the detected position of the first user suit includes activating the output device in the second pod at the detected three-dimensional coordinates of the first user suit, and said step of activating an output device disposed in the first pod at a location that correlates with the detected position of the second user suit includes activating the output device in the first pod at the detected three-dimensional coordinates of the second user suit.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the output device is at least one of an air ballast, an electric impulse emitter, a vibrating device, a thermal manipulator and a scent emitting device.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the output device is a robotic dummy being selectably moveable.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the input sensor includes at least one of an accelerometer, a motion sensor, a light sensor, a physical energy sleeve, a laser grid, a motion detecting glove, and a virtual reality headset.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of electronically transmitting the detected position of the first user suit to a mainframe includes electronically transmitting the detected position from the first controller to a first application server and electronically transmitting the detected position from the first application server to the mainframe, and said step of electronically transmitting the detected position of the second user suit to a mainframe includes electronically transmitting the detected position from the second controller to a second application server and electronically transmitting the detected position from the second application server to the mainframe.