Interactive Computer Program With Virtualized Participant

• US 20160293040A1
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CAE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CAE Incorporated
• Inventors: IRELAND, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 9,754,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/301 by computer-processed or -generated image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT

Abstract

An infrastructure for an interactive computer program comprising a computer generated environment. The infrastructure comprises an instrument module, a first display and a second display. At least one tangible instrument allows the user to interact within the computer generated environment, at least one virtualized instrument is not accessible to the user. The first display displays images from the computer generated environment. The second display is positioned on one side of the instrument module for displaying at least images of the virtualized instrument(s) and of a virtualized participant that has access to the virtualized participant of the interactive computer program. A method comprising providing the tangible instrument and the first display screen The method also comprises displaying images of the virtualized instrument and the virtualized participant on the second display screen.

Claims

1. An infrastructure for an interactive computer program comprising a computer generated environment, the infrastructure comprising:

an instrument module comprising;

at least one tangible instrument for at least one user to interact within the computer generated environment, the at least one tangible instrument being accessible to the at least one user of the interactive computer program, wherein the interactive computer program simulates a simulated vehicle of the computer generated environment, the at least one tangible instrument being relevant for the simulated vehicle of the computer generated environment; and

at least one virtualized instrument not accessible to the at least one user of the interactive computer program, the at least one virtualized instrument being relevant for the simulated vehicle of the computer generated environment;

a first display positioned in front of the at least one user for displaying images from the computer generated environment of the interactive computer program; and

a second display positioned on one side of the instrument module for displaying at least images of the at least one virtualized instrument and of a virtualized participant of the interactive computer program, wherein the tangible instrument is not accessible to the virtualized participant of the interactive computer program and the at least one virtualized instrument is accessible to the virtualized participant of the interactive computer program.

2. The infrastructure of claim 1 further comprising a seat for the at least one user, the at least one tangible instrument being accessible while the at least one user is one of being seated, in motion or standing.

3. The infrastructure of claim 1, wherein the virtualized participant is controlled by artificial intelligence to mimic reactions of a co-user of the interactive computer program.

4. The infrastructure of claim 3, further comprising an instructor station for allowing an instructor to participate to the interactive computer program.

5. The infrastructure of claim 4, wherein the instructor station allows the instructor to participate to the interactive computer program and to participate in at least one additional corresponding interactive computer program being performed from at least one additional infrastructure.

6. The infrastructure of claim 1, wherein the virtualized participant represents a co-user of the interactive computer program in a second infrastructure.

7. The infrastructure of claim 6, wherein the instrument module further comprises:

at least one shared tangible instrument concurrently accessible to the at least one user, a corresponding shared tangible instrument being concurrently accessible the co-user in the second infrastructure; and

a mechanical instrument driver for moving the at least one shared tangible instrument based on movements of the corresponding shared tangible instrument from the co-user in the second infrastructure.

8. The infrastructure of claim 6, further comprising an instructor station for allowing an instructor to participate to the interactive computer program.

9. The infrastructure of claim 8, wherein the instructor station allows the instructor to participate to the interactive computer program and to participate in at least one additional corresponding interactive computer program being performed from at least one additional infrastructure.

10. The infrastructure of claim 1, wherein the second display provides a virtual instructor station for managing settings of the interactive computer program.

11. The infrastructure of claim 1 further comprising a sightline tracking module for tracking at least one factor of the user'"'"'s sightline for geometry correction of the images displayed on at least one of the first display and the second display.

12. A method for providing an interactive computer program in an infrastructure comprising:

providing a tangible instrument for at least one user to interact with the interactive computer program, wherein a first display screen displays a computer generated environment of the interactive computer program and wherein the interactive computer program simulates a simulated vehicle of the computer generated environment, the at least one tangible instrument being relevant for the simulated vehicle of the computer generated environment;

displaying images of a virtualized instrument of the interactive computer program on a second display screen, the at least one virtualized instrument being relevant for the simulated vehicle of the computer generated environment; and

displaying images of a virtualized participant of the interactive computer program on the second display screen, wherein the tangible instrument is not accessible to the virtualized participant and the virtualized instrument is accessible to the virtualized participant.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling the virtualized participant by artificial intelligence to mimic reactions of a co-user of the interactive computer program.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising allowing an instructor to participate to the interactive computer program from an instructor station.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein allowing the instructor to participate to the interactive computer program further comprises allowing the instructor to participate to the interactive computer program and to participate in at least one additional corresponding interactive computer program being performed from at least one additional infrastructure.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the tangible instrument is provided in a first infrastructure and the virtualized participant represents a co-user of the interactive computer program in a second infrastructure, the method comprising:

providing a second tangible instrument for the co-user to interact with the interactive computer program from the second infrastructure, the second tangible instrument corresponding to the virtualized instrument and the second infrastructure displaying the computer generated environment of the interactive computer program to the co-user; and

displaying images of the tangible instrument from the first infrastructure as a second virtualized instrument of the interactive computer program to the co-user, wherein the tangible instrument from the first infrastructure is not accessible to the virtualized participant and the virtualized instrument is accessible to the virtualized participant.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing at least one shared tangible instrument concurrently accessible to the at least one user, a corresponding shared tangible instrument being concurrently accessible to the co-user in the second infrastructure; and

moving the at least one shared tangible instrument based on movements of the corresponding shared tangible instrument from the co-user in the second infrastructure.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising allowing an instructor to participate to the interactive computer program from an instructor station.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing an interactive computer program engine for managing settings of the interactive computer program and/or for managing settings of the infrastructure.