Behavioral based environmental system and method for an interactive playground

• US 5,740,321 A
• Filed: 11/30/1994
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CEC Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Semborg-Recrob Corporation
• Inventors: Huffmann, Bradley L., Lang, Victor H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Downs, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey S.
• Application Number:
  US08/348,363
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 395/10, 395/3, 395/51, 395/61, 395/75, 395/76
• US Class Current: 706/61
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/00 Amusement arrangements hoop exercising apparatus driven by the user A63B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 33/00 Devices allowing competitions between several persons, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/135 Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces game background music G10H2210/026; musical game scoring or performance evaluation G10H2210/091
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/155 User input interfaces for electrophonic musical instruments graphical user interfaces specifically adapted for electrophonic musical instruments G10H2220/091; input means in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/135 Library retrieval index, i.e. using an indexing scheme to efficiently retrieve a music piece

Abstract

A behavioral based environment system and method for controlling an interactive playground. The system includes a system supervisor unit that utilizes a rule file, a scene file and a MIDI file in conjunction with a variety of sensor input to create an appropriate system response. Output control signals generated by the system supervisor unit are transmitted to other coupled computers to effectuate audio, visual and other effects in an interactive playground environment. The system supervisor has the desirable ability to load different scene, rule and MIDI files to create different system behavior in response to sensor stimuli, thereby creating a more adaptive behavioral based environment.

Claims

1. A behavioral based system for controlling an interactive playground comprising:

a playground environment;

at least one sensor for detecting changes in the playground environment;

at least one signal transmitted from the at least one sensor, the transmitted signal representing the detected changes;

a set of files, including a current rule file, at least one stored rule file, and a scene file comprising a plurality of scenes, at least one system response being associated with each scene;

a system supervisor, coupled to the at least one sensor, for maintaining the set of files, the system supervisor using the current rule file to select a scene from the scene file responsive to the at least one transmitted signal, the system supervisor further selecting a next rule file in response to the at least one transmitted signal; and

an output device, coupled to the system supervisor, for transmitting the at least one system response associated with the selected scene to the playground environment.

2. The behavioral based system according to claim 1 wherein a time signal is one transmitted signal.

3. The behavioral based system according to claim 1 wherein a date signal is one transmitted signal.

4. The behavioral based system according to claim 1 wherein a performance signal is one transmitted signal.

5. The behavioral based system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one system response includes an effects control signal and the output device includes an effects computer, the effects control signal driving the effects computer to transmit at least one system response to the interactive environment.

6. The behavioral based environment system according to claim 1 wherein the set of files includes a MIDI file containing at least one system response.

7. The behavioral based environment system according to claim 6 wherein the at least one system response includes a music control signal and the output device includes a music computer.

8. The behavioral based environment system according to claim 7 wherein the at least one system response includes a MIDI control signal and the output device includes a MIDI signal merger.

9. The behavioral based environment system according to claim 1 wherein a bidirectional modem couples the system supervisor with a remote system.

11. The method for controlling an interactive environment according to claim 1 wherein one of the at least one transmitted signals is a time signal.

12. The method for controlling an interactive environment according to claim 11 wherein one of the at least one transmitted signals is a date signal.

13. The method for controlling an interactive environment according to claim 11 wherein one of the at least one transmitted signals is a performance signal.

15. The method for controlling an interactive environment according to claim 1 wherein the set of files includes a MIDI file containing a system response.

10. A method for controlling an interactive playground comprising:

detecting at least one change in a playground environment;

transmitting at least one signal representative of the change to a system supervisor;

applying a current rule file to the at least one transmitted signal to select a scene responsive to the at least one transmitted signal;

selecting the next rule file in response to the at least one transmitted signal; and

transmitting at least one system response associated with the selected scene to an output device of the playground environment.

14. The method for controlling an interactive environment according to claim 10 wherein the at least one system response includes an effects control signal, and wherein The output device includes an effects computer.

16. The method for controlling an interactive environment according to claim 10 wherein the at least one system response includes a music control signal, and wherein the output device includes a music computer.

17. The method for controlling an interactive environment according to claim 10 wherein the at least one system response includes a music control signal and the output device includes a music computer.

18. The method for controlling an interactive environment according to claim 10 wherein the at least one system response includes a MIDI control signal and the output device includes a MIDI signal merger.