Vehicle simulator with low frequency sound feedback
First Claim
1. A low frequency sound system of a vehicle simulation system for simulating the physical sensation representative of the sensations produced during the operation of the simulated vehicle, comprising:
- a seat, wherein a user of the simulated vehicle sits during operation of the simulated vehicle;
a plurality of input device corresponding to input devices of the vehicle simulated by the vehicle simulation system;
a computer for receiving input signals from the input devices;
a control process executed by the computer for selectively converting the input signals into a plurality of control output signals, wherein the plurality of control output signals correspond to a plurality of events occurring during operation of the simulated vehicle in simulated universe; and
a transducer responsive to the control output signals for communicating a plurality of low frequency output signals to the seat, wherein each of the plurality of low frequency output signals produce a corresponding physical motion of the seat so as to provide the user with a physical sensation that corresponds to one of the plurality of events occurring during the operation of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A driver training system for a user of a simulated vehicle. The system includes input devices for controlling the simulated vehicle, a video display having three dimensional graphics, a computer, modeling software for determining position information based on the input devices, atmospheric effects software to simulate time-of-day and weather conditions, and realistic operating feedback software for simulating on the input devices the feedback normally experienced with operating the vehicle. One aspect of the preferred embodiment is a system including a low frequency speaker mounted on an enclosure adjacent to the simulation user'"'"'s seat through which road feel cues such as hitting an object are transmitted to the user in response to signals received from the computer. Another aspect of the invention is the a system for simulating the feel to the user of anti-lock brakes on a brake pedal in response to signals received the computer.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A low frequency sound system of a vehicle simulation system for simulating the physical sensation representative of the sensations produced during the operation of the simulated vehicle, comprising:
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a seat, wherein a user of the simulated vehicle sits during operation of the simulated vehicle; a plurality of input device corresponding to input devices of the vehicle simulated by the vehicle simulation system; a computer for receiving input signals from the input devices; a control process executed by the computer for selectively converting the input signals into a plurality of control output signals, wherein the plurality of control output signals correspond to a plurality of events occurring during operation of the simulated vehicle in simulated universe; and a transducer responsive to the control output signals for communicating a plurality of low frequency output signals to the seat, wherein each of the plurality of low frequency output signals produce a corresponding physical motion of the seat so as to provide the user with a physical sensation that corresponds to one of the plurality of events occurring during the operation of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe.
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2. A vehicle simulator for modeling physical sensations produced by occurrence of physical events during the operation of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe, comprising:
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a plurality of input devices for controlling the operation of a simulated vehicle; a controller which receives signals from at least one of said plurality of input devices that direct said simulated vehicle through a simulated universe wherein at least one of said plurality of simulated physical events occur by said simulated vehicle in a simulated universe; a computer, responsive to the controller, for determining position information of the simulated vehicle in said simulated universe and for providing a signal representing occurrence of a simulated physical events during operation of said simulated vehicle in said simulated universe; and a low frequency sound system, having a speaker positioned in the proximity to a user and responsive to the signal produced by the computer, for communicating a of frequency sound signal from the speaker which produces a physical sensation felt by the user that is representative of a sensation that said user would detect upon actual occurrence of the simulated physical event occurring during the operation of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. A simulation system for a user of a simulated vehicle for providing simulated physical sensations representative of the sensations produced during the operation of the simulated vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of simulated input devices for controlling the operation of the simulated vehicle; modeling means responsive to the input devices for determining position information of the simulated vehicle in a simulated environment; a video display for presenting the user with a view of the simulated environment as seen from said simulated vehicle; and means, responsive to the position information of the simulated vehicle in said simulated environment, for providing to the user a selected low frequency sound signal representing occurrence of a simulated physical event during operation of said simulated vehicle in said simulated environment, wherein said low frequency sound signal is selected from a plurality of low frequency sound signals stored in a signal storing means and wherein each of said low frequency sound signals is configured to produce a physical sensation that is sensed by the user and which is representative of a sensation produced during operation of a corresponding actual vehicle in a corresponding actual position and in a corresponding actual universe. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A simulation system for a user of a simulated vehicle for providing simulated physical sensations representative of the sensations produced during the operation of the simulated vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of simulated input devices for controlling operation of the simulated vehicle in a simulated universe; a computer, responsive to the plurality of simulated input devices, for determining position information of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe and for providing a plurality of control signals at least in part in response to the position information of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe; a video display responsive to the plurality of control signals for providing the user with a view of the simulated universe as seen from the simulated vehicle; and a low frequency sound system, having a speaker positioned adjacent to the user for providing the user with low frequency sound signals that are configured to produce physical sensations experienced by the user which are representative of physical sensations that occur during operation of a corresponding actual vehicle in a corresponding actual universe, wherein the low frequency sound system responsive to the control signals selects one of a plurality of low frequency sound signals stored in the computer corresponding to the determined position information, and provides the selected signal to the speaker. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A simulation system including a simulated vehicle for providing simulated physical sensations representative of the sensations produced during the operation of the simulated vehicle, the system comprising:
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a plurality of simulated input devices for controlling the operation of the simulated vehicle; a computer, responsive to the plurality of simulated input devices, for determining position information of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe and for providing a plurality of control signals in response to the determined position information; a video display, responsive to the plurality of control signals, for providing the user with a view of the simulated universe as seen from said simulated vehicle as the simulated vehicle moves through the simulated universe; and a low frequency sound feedback system, having a low frequency speaker positioned adjacent to the user for providing the user with low frequency sound signals producing a physical sensation representative of a physical sensation produced during operation of an actual vehicle in conditions corresponding to those influencing operation of the simulated vehicle in an actual universe, wherein the low frequency sound feedback system responsive to the control signals selects one of a plurality of low frequency sound signals stored in the computer corresponding to the determined position information and provides the selected signal to the low frequency speaker thereby producing the physical sensation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification