Scenario development system for vehicle simulators

• US 5,660,547 A
• Filed: 01/26/1994
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Warner Bros Entertainment Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Atari Incorporated (Infogrames Entertainment SA)
• Inventors: Copperman, Norman S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US08/189,119
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 434/29, 434/62, 434/61, 434/69, 434/63, 434/65, 434/71, 364/410, 364/411
• US Class Current: 434/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/47 involving branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible scenarios at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/497 Partially or entirely replaying previous game actions
• 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 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/634 for replaying partially or entirely the game actions since the beginning of the game
• 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: G09B 19/167 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 vehicle simulator including a system for development of vehicle simulation scenarios. The vehicle simulation system includes simulated vehicle controls providing input signals to a computer, and feedback devices, including a video display, providing a user with feedback on the operation and location of the simulated vehicle as it is driven through a simulated universe. One aspect of the invention is a scenario development system which uses the vehicle controls, the computer and the output devices to enable a scenario developer to develop a simulation scenario which includes other programmed vehicles. The scenario developer can determine when and where the other programmed vehicles become active in a simulated universe in which the scenario takes place, as well as determine when and where the programmed vehicles leave the simulated universe. The scenario developer can also program the path of the programmed vehicles through the simulated universe by simply driving the programmed vehicles through the simulated universe using the vehicle controls and the feedback devices to define the path that the scenario developer wishes the programmed vehicle to travel.

Claims

1. A vehicle simulation system for a user of a simulated vehicle comprising:

at plurality of user operated input devices for controlling the operation of the simulated vehicle in a simulated universe;

a central controller;

a storage medium connected to the controller containing information defining the simulated universe and a scenario;

a model process associated with the controller and responsive to signals indicative of user manipulation of the plurality of input devices, for determining position of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe;

a scenario timer which provides timing signals to said central controller;

a video display, responsive to signals from the controller, for displaying a view of the simulated universe based in part on the position of the simulated vehicle as determined by the model process; and

a scenario development process associated with the controller and responsive to signals from the model process and said scenario timer for developing and storing information in the storage medium defining the occurrence of an event in at least one location within the simulated universe as part of the scenario in response to a first user'"'"'s operation of one of the plurality of input devices while controlling operation of a simulated vehicle in the simulated universe wherein said event is programmed to occur at a selected time on the scenario timer when said scenario is replayed on said video display to a second user.

2. The vehicle simulation system of claim 1, further comprising a scenario play process which replays the scenario on the video display while simultaneously allowing a second user to control the operation of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe.

3. The vehicle simulation system of claim 2, wherein the scenario play process replays the scenario by periodically incrementing the scenario timer thereby causing said event to occur at said selected time on said scenario timer while said scenario is being replayed for said second user.

4. The vehicle simulation system of claim 3, wherein the scenario timer variably increments, when the scenario is being replayed by the scenario play process, depending upon the relative distance between the simulated vehicle controlled by the second user and a moving point defined by the first user.

5. The vehicle simulation system of claim 4, wherein said first user defines said moving point by directing said simulated vehicle along a path in said simulated universe thereby causing said path to be stored in said storage device in terms of the position in said simulated universe of the simulated vehicle at a given time on said scenario time.

6. The vehicle simulation system of claim 5, wherein the scenario play process fixedly increments said scenario timer at a fixed rate when said simulated vehicle controlled by said second user is within a pre-selected distance of said moving point.

7. The vehicle simulation system of claim 6, wherein said scenario development process records said pre-selected distances for a selected portion of the path of said moving point in response to said first user manipulating one of said plurality of input devices while directing the simulated vehicle on said portion of said path of said moving point.

8. The vehicle simulation system of claim 1, wherein said event is comprised of a stoplight, located at a first position within the simulated universe, changing from red to green.

9. The vehicle simulation system of claim 8, wherein said scenario development process enables the first user to program the stoplight to change states at a particular time on the scenario clock by directing the simulated vehicle to a position adjacent said first position and then manipulating at least one of said plurality of user operated input devices to change the state of the light and record the change as an event to occur in said scenario.

10. The vehicle simulation system of claim 9, wherein the scenario development process replays the scenario as previously recorded to the first user while the first user is recording an event to occur as part of the scenario.

11. The vehicle simulation system of claim 10, wherein said event comprises a programmed vehicle travelling along a pre-defined path in the simulated universe.

12. The vehicle simulation system of claim 11, wherein said scenario development process records the programmed vehicle travelling along the predefined path in the simulated vehicle in response to the first user manipulating one or more of the plurality of user inputs to direct the simulated vehicle along the predefined path.

13. The vehicle simulation system of claim 11, wherein said first user programs the path of said programmed vehicle using said scenario development process by directing the simulated vehicle along the path at the time on the scenario timer that said first user desires said programmed vehicle to travel along said within said scenario.

14. A vehicle simulation system comprising:

at least one user operated input device for controlling the operation of a simulated vehicle in a simulated universe;

a controller;

a storage medium operably engaged with the controller and containing information defining the simulated universe and a scenario;

a scenario clock;

a display, responsive to signals from the controller, for displaying a view of the simulated universe based in part on the position of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe;

a scenario development process, associated with the controller, for developing and storing information in the storage medium defining a scenario in response to a first user manipulating the at least one input device, wherein the first user records in the storage medium a path of a phantom vehicle in the simulated universe as part of the scenario, in terms of a position in the simulated universe at a particular time on the scenario clock, by directing the simulated vehicle along the path; and

a scenario replay process, associated with the controller, that replays the scenario for a second user while the second user simultaneously directs the simulated vehicle through the simulated universe, wherein the scenario replay process replays the scenario by variably updating the scenario clock based upon the relative positions within the simulated universe of the simulated vehicle controlled by the second user and the phantom vehicle.

15. The vehicle simulation system of claim 14, wherein the scenario development process records in the storage medium, as part of the scenario, a programmed vehicle travelling along a path in the simulated universe in response to the first user directing the simulated vehicle along said path of said programmed while.

16. The vehicle simulation system of claim 15, wherein the path of the programmed vehicle is recorded in the storage medium in terms of the position in the simulated universe of the vehicle at a particular time on the scenario clock.

17. The vehicle simulation system of claim 14, wherein the scenario development process records in the storage medium, as part of the scenario, a plurality of programmed vehicles travelling along a plurality of different paths in response to the first user repeatedly directing the simulated vehicle along the plurality of paths using the at least one user operated input device.

18. The vehicle simulation system of claim 17, wherein the scenario development process replays the scenario, as previously recorded in the storage medium, on the display to the first user while the first user simultaneously directs the simulated vehicle along one of the plurality of paths to define the path of one of the plurality of programmed vehicles.

19. The vehicle simulation system of claim 18, wherein the phantom vehicle is visible to the first user on the display when the scenario is replayed for the first user and wherein the phantom vehicle is invisible to the second user on the display when the scenario is replayed for the second user.

20. The vehicle simulation system of claim 14, wherein the scenario development process records in the storage medium, as part of the scenario, a traffic control interval in response to the first user manipulating the at least one user operated input device to designate the traffic control interval for a period of time on the scenario clock wherein, during the traffic control interval, the scenario clock fixedly increases at a pre-selected rate when the scenario is replayed for said second user provided the simulated vehicle directed by said second user is within a pre-selected radius of the phantom vehicle.

21. The vehicle simulation system of claim 20, wherein the first user designates a traffic control interval, while directing the simulated vehicle to thereby record the phantom vehicle in the storage medium as part of the scenario, by manipulating the at least one user operated input device to identify a time period on the scenario clock comprising said traffic control interval wherein the scenario clock fixedly increases at a pre-selected rate when the scenario is replayed for the second user.

22. The vehicle simulation system of claim 21, wherein the first user designates the pre-selected radius for the traffic control interval by manipulating the at least one user operated device.

23. The vehicle simulation system of claim 14, wherein the simulated vehicle comprises a simulated automobile, the at least one user operated simulated input devices include a steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal and a plurality of input switches and the simulated universe includes a plurality of intersecting streets and at least one traffic light positioned at an intersection of two of the plurality of streets.

24. The vehicle simulation system of claim 22, wherein the development process programs the at least one traffic light to change states during the scenario in response to the first user directing the simulated vehicle to a position adjacent the position of the traffic light and then manipulating an input device to signal the controller to record the change state of the traffic light in the storage medium as part of the scenario.

25. A vehicle simulation system for a user of a simulated vehicle comprising:

a plurality of user operated input devices for controlling the operation of the simulated vehicle in a simulated universe having a plurality of streets, at least two of which intersect;

a central controller;

a memory engaged with the central controller which contains information defining the simulated universe and a scenario;

a video display, responsive to signals from the controller, for displaying a view of the simulated universe based at least in part on the position of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe; and

a scenario development process associated with the controller for developing and storing information in the storage medium defining the scenario, wherein the scenario development process records the changing of states of a traffic light located at an intersection of two of the streets in the simulated universe as part of the scenario and in

response to the first user manipulating the plurality of input controls to direct the simulated vehicle to a location adjacent the traffic light.

26. The vehicle simulation system of claim 25, further comprising a scenario clock which provides timing signals to the central controller so that the scenario development process records the changing of the traffic light as occurring at a particular time on the scenario clock.

27. The vehicle simulation system of claim 26, further comprising a scenario play process which replays the scenario for a second user by incrementing the scenario clock.

28. The vehicle simulation system of claim 27, wherein the scenario development process records at least one programmed vehicle travelling through the simulated universe as part of the scenario in response to the first user directing the simulated vehicle along a path in the simulated universe using the plurality of user operated input devices.

29. The vehicle simulation system of claim 28, wherein the scenario development process records a phantom vehicle as part of the scenario in response to the first user directing the simulated vehicle along a path in the simulated universe.

30. The vehicle simulation system of claim 29, wherein the scenario clock variably increments based upon the relative positions in the simulated universe of the simulated vehicle controlled by the second user and the phantom vehicle.

31. The vehicle simulation system of claim 30, wherein the phantom vehicle is visible to the first user when the scenario is replayed for the first user but is invisible to the second user when the scenario is replayed for the second user.

32. A method for a vehicle simulation system having a central controller, simulated universe, input devices, storage medium and visual display, having the steps of:

displaying a simulated universe on the visual display to a first user;

the first user manipulating a plurality of input devices to direct a simulated vehicle to a particular location within the simulated universe;

manipulating at least one of the plurality of input devices to cause an event to occur within the simulated universe; and

recording the event on a storage medium as part of a scenario to be replayed to a second user while the second user simultaneously controls a simulated vehicle in the simulated universe.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

incrementing a scenario clock while said first user manipulates the plurality of input devices; and

recording the event on the storage medium so as to occur at a particular time on the scenario clock.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the event comprises a stoplight positioned at an intersection between two streets in the simulated universe changing from red to green.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

directing the simulated vehicle along a path in the simulated universe while the scenario clock is incrementing; and

recording the path of the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe on the storage medium in terms of the position of the vehicle in the simulated universe at a particular time on the scenario clock as a path of a programmed vehicle which is part of the scenario to be replayed to the second user.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of replaying the scenario in said vehicle simulation system for the second user.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of replaying the scenario in said vehicle simulation system for the second user comprises:

displaying the simulated universe on the visual display to the second user; and

incrementing the scenario clock to increment the display of the scenario for the second user while the second user simultaneously controls the simulated vehicle in the simulated universe.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the steps of:

the first user defining a phantom vehicle by directing the simulated vehicle along a path in the simulated universe;

recording the path of the phantom vehicle as part of the scenario; and

variably incrementing the scenario clock when the scenario is being replayed for the second user based upon the relative positions of the simulated vehicle controlled by the second user and the phantom vehicle.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of the first user designating traffic control intervals wherein the scenario clock fixedly increments while the scenario is replayed for the second user provided that the simulated vehicle controlled by the second user is within a pre-selected distance of the phantom vehicle.