Vehicle simulator with low frequency sound feedback

• US 5,618,178 A
• Filed: 11/04/1994
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warner Bros Entertainment Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Atari Incorporated (Infogrames Entertainment SA)
• Inventors: Winblad, Wade O., Copperman, Norman S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHENG, JOE H
• Application Number:
  US08/334,874
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 434/29, 434/62, 434/307 R, 364/410, 364/578, 381/77, 381/86-89, 381/188, 188/2 R, 188/112 A, 273/85 G, 273/86 E, 273/437-442, 273/445, 273/454, 273/DIG. 28, 463/7
• US Class Current: 434/62
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/50 Lighting effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/04 for teaching control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/05 the view from a vehicle being simulated G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence

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.

Claims

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.

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:

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.

3. A simulator as defined in claim 2, further comprising a surface positionable in physical contact with the user and responsive to the sound signal such that said surface communicates said physical sensation to said user.

4. A simulator as defined in claim 2, wherein the computer selects one of a plurality of sound signals stored in a memory in response to the determined position information, and provides the selected signal to the speaker of said low frequency sound system.

5. A simulator as defined in claim 4, further comprising a video display responsive to the signals from the computer for providing the user with a view of the simulated universe.

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:

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.

7. The simulation system of claim 6, wherein the low frequency sound signal providing means comprises:

means for processing the selected low frequency sound signal retrieved from the signal storing means; and

means for transducing the selected low frequency sound signal received from the processing means into low frequency sound.

8. The simulation system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of low frequency sound signals include signals representative of the physical sensation of the simulated vehicle colliding with an object in the simulated evironment.

9. The simulation system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of low frequency sound signals comprises a plurality of digital signals and processing means comprises:

a digital to analog converter receiving the digital signals from the signal storing means;

a filter receiving analog signals from the converter; and

an amplifier receiving a filtered signals from the filter.

10. The simulation system of claim 9, wherein the filter is a low pass filter.

11. The simulation system of claim 7, wherein the transducing means comprises:

a speaker providing an audio signal to a chamber; and

a semi-rigid diaphragm connected to the chamber which vibrates in response to the audio signal.

12. The simulation system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of low frequency sound signals include signals representative of the physical sensation of the simulated vehicle colliding with objects in the simulated environment.

13. The simulation system of claim 12, wherein the simulated vehicle comprises an automobile equipped with an engine and the plurality of low frequency sound signals include signals representative of the physical sensation of the revving of the automobile engine.

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:

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.

15. The simulation system of claim 14, wherein the simulated vehicle comprises an automobile and the plurality of simulated input devices includes a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, a gear shift, and a brake pedal.

16. The simulation system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of stored low frequency sound signals include signals representative of the physical sensation produced by the simulated vehicle hitting a simulated object in the simulated universe.

17. The simulation system of claim 16, wherein the simulated vehicle comprises an automobile containing an engine and the plurality of stored low frequency sound signals representative of the physical sensation of the revving of the engine.

18. The simulation system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle simulator includes a seat mounted on a base for the user of the simulated vehicle.

19. The simulation system of claim 18, wherein the base includes an enclosure and the diaphragm of the speaker is positioned adjacent the enclosure so that when the speaker transmits a low frequency signal representative of a physical sensation produced by the operation of the simulated vehicle, the air contained within the enclosure is displaced causing the seat mounted on the base to vibrate.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the seat includes an interior hollow enclosure located in the back of the seat, said hollow enclosure containing a bladder, and wherein the speaker is mounted in the back of the seat adjacent the bladder so that when the speaker transmits a low frequency signal representative of a physical sensation produced by the operation of the simulated vehicle, the air contained within the bladder is displaced causing the seat to vibrate.

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:

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.

22. The simulation system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of stored low frequency sound signals include signals representative of a physical sensation produced by the simulated vehicle hitting a simulated object in the simulated universe.

23. The simulation system of claim 21, wherein the simulated vehicle comprises an automobile containing an engine and the plurality of stored low frequency sound signals include signals representative of the physical sensation of the revving of the engine.

24. The simulation system of claim 21, wherein the vehicle simulator includes a seat mounted on a base for the user of the simulated vehicle.

25. The simulation system of claim 24, wherein the base includes an enclosure and the diaphragm of the low frequency speaker is positioned adjacent the enclosure so that when the low frequency speaker transmits a low frequency signal, the air contained within the enclosure is displaced causing the seat mounted on the base to vibrate.

26. The simulation system of claim 24, wherein the seat includes an interior hollow enclosure located in the back of the seat, said hollow enclosure containing a bladder, and wherein the low frequency speaker is mounted in the back of the seat adjacent to the bladder so that when the low frequency speaker transmits a low frequency signal, the air contained within the bladder is displaced causing the seat to vibrate.