Behaviorally based environmental system and method for an interactive playground

• US 5,990,880 A
• Filed: 01/31/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CEC Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CEC Entertainment Incorporated
• Inventors: Huffman, Bradley L., Lang, Victor H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US08/791,873
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 345/302, 706/45, 706/48, 706/50, 706/52, 706/57, 706/59, 706/60, 707/501, 463/9, 463/23
• US Class Current: 345/660
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/155 User input interfaces for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/135 Library retrieval index, i.e. using an indexing scheme to efficiently retrieve a music piece

Abstract

A system and method for controlling an interactive playground in which aspects of the playground are dynamically varied based on input signals from sensors in the 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 behaviorally based environment system for controlling an interactive playground, comprising:

a plurality of sensors for sensing changes in such playground and producing a plurality of corresponding sensor outputs;

a system supervisor unit running system supervisor software and adapted to receive and utilize said plurality of sensor outputs to select a current scene file, a rule file, and an audio file to produce an output signal, said system supervisor unit using the rule file to select a scene from the scene file responsive to said plurality of sensor outputs and further being capable of selecting next rule file in response to a plurality of sensor outputs calling for it to do so;

a music computer adapted to receive, and be directed by said system supervisor unit output signal to retrieve, a stored music file containing audio instructions from a memory storage device, said music computer transmitting at least one audio output signal in accordance with said retrieved music file;

a digital audio sampler, responsive to said music computer audio output signal for accessing at least one set of sound representations and selecting one of said sound representations in order to generate a sound sequence; and

a speaker system for converting said sound sequence into sound.

2. The behaviorally based environment system of claim 1, further comprising:

an effects computer adapted to receive and be directed by said system supervisor unit output signal to access a memory storage device to retrieve a scene file containing at least one scene, said effects computer adapted to receive and be directed by said system supervisor unit output signal to retrieve a stored effects file containing control instructions from a memory storage device, said effects computer controlling at least one signal in accordance with said retrieved effects files; and

a mixing fader unit adapted to receive said effects computer output signal and controlling at least one light as directed by said effects computer output signal.

3. The behaviorally based environment system of claim 2, wherein said system supervisor unit uses said scene file to select said next rule file.

4. The behaviorally based environment system of claim 2, wherein said rule file causes said system supervisor software to replace said scene file by reading another scene file.

5. The behaviorally based environment system of claim 2, further comprising a modem coupled to said means for applying rules, said modem adapted for communicating over a telephone line.

6. The behaviorally based environment system of claim 1, wherein said system supervisor unit uses said scene file to select said next rule file.

7. The behaviorally based environment system of claim 1, wherein said rule file causes said system supervisor software to replace said scene file by reading another scene file.

8. A behaviorally based environment system for controlling an interactive playground, comprising:

a plurality of sensors for sensing changes in such playground and producing a plurality of corresponding sensor outputs;

a system supervisor unit running system supervisor software and adapted to receive and utilize said plurality of sensor output to select a current scene file, a rule file, and an audio file to produce an output signal, said system supervisor unit using the rule file to select a scene from the scene file responsive to said plurality of sensor outputs and further being capable of selecting a next rule file in response to a plurality of sensor outputs calling for it to do so; and

an output device, coupled to said system supervisor unit, for transmitting said output signal to such interactive playground.

9. The behaviorally based environment system of claim 8, wherein said system supervisor unit uses said scene file to select said next rule file.

10. The behaviorally based environment system of claim 8, wherein said rule file causes said system supervisor software to replace said scene file by reading another scene file.