Roller coaster simulator
First Claim
1. A roller coaster simulator comprising:
- a design station which can be used by a plurality of guests to design a simulated roller coaster, said design station linked to a computer shared by other similar design stations having access to pre-determined landscape images and roller coaster segments which can be selected by a guest, data representing the three dimensional size and shape of each landscape image and roller coaster segment, and predetermined rules for determining if a first roller coaster segment can be placed at a selected position on said landscape image to start a roller coaster design and if subsequent roller coaster segments selected by the guest can be joined to a free end of a placed roller coaster segment at a selected position on said landscape image as the guest designs a roller coaster, said design station including means for associating guest identification data with each roller coaster design created on said design station;
storage means shared by a plurality of design stations for storing and accessing data related to each roller coaster design completed by said guest at the design station;
a simulator vehicle for simulating the motion of a roller coaster, and including a passenger compartment, at least one passenger seat mounted in said passenger compartment, a safety harness for securing said guest in said passenger seat, and a means for moving said passenger compartment to simulate the motion of a roller coaster;
a means for creating a moving picture of a virtual ride of a selected roller coaster design stored in said storage means from the perspective of said guest when seated in said passenger seat, said means for creating a moving picture mounted outside said simulator vehicle;
a projector mounted in said simulator vehicle for displaying said moving picture to a passenger, said projector connected to said means for creating a moving picture by a cable; and
a first controller means for accessing said data stored in said storage means and for using said data to control and synchronize the motion of the passenger compartment with the moving picture to create a realistic simulation of said selected roller coaster design.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A realistic roller coaster simulator is disclosed having one or more passenger seats equipped with a safety harness and mounted for 360 degree rotational movement along at least two axes for simulating the motion of a roller coaster. A controller is provided for controlling and coordinating the motion of the simulator with a simulation controller which generates to the passenger synchronized audio and visual effects which would be experienced by a passenger on a roller coaster of a predetermined design. Linked to the simulator is a design station where a passenger can design his or her own roller coaster. Upon entering the simulator station, the passenger'"'"'s design can be accessed from memory and selected for simulation on the simulator vehicle. Upon initiation of the simulation, the passenger can experience in real time the visual, motive, audible and other effects (such as wind, heat, cold, water, etc.) of the simulated roller coaster ride which the passenger has designed.
-
Citations
39 Claims
-
1. A roller coaster simulator comprising:
-
a design station which can be used by a plurality of guests to design a simulated roller coaster, said design station linked to a computer shared by other similar design stations having access to pre-determined landscape images and roller coaster segments which can be selected by a guest, data representing the three dimensional size and shape of each landscape image and roller coaster segment, and predetermined rules for determining if a first roller coaster segment can be placed at a selected position on said landscape image to start a roller coaster design and if subsequent roller coaster segments selected by the guest can be joined to a free end of a placed roller coaster segment at a selected position on said landscape image as the guest designs a roller coaster, said design station including means for associating guest identification data with each roller coaster design created on said design station; storage means shared by a plurality of design stations for storing and accessing data related to each roller coaster design completed by said guest at the design station; a simulator vehicle for simulating the motion of a roller coaster, and including a passenger compartment, at least one passenger seat mounted in said passenger compartment, a safety harness for securing said guest in said passenger seat, and a means for moving said passenger compartment to simulate the motion of a roller coaster; a means for creating a moving picture of a virtual ride of a selected roller coaster design stored in said storage means from the perspective of said guest when seated in said passenger seat, said means for creating a moving picture mounted outside said simulator vehicle; a projector mounted in said simulator vehicle for displaying said moving picture to a passenger, said projector connected to said means for creating a moving picture by a cable; and a first controller means for accessing said data stored in said storage means and for using said data to control and synchronize the motion of the passenger compartment with the moving picture to create a realistic simulation of said selected roller coaster design. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A roller coaster simulator comprising:
-
a passenger seat with a safety harness, said passenger seat mounted for movement by a means for imparting the motion of a roller coaster to said passenger seat; a means for creating a real-time, virtual moving image of a roller coaster design retrieved from a storage means and selected for replay by a passenger before said passenger is secured by said safety harness to said passenger seat; a controller means for controlling and coordinating the means for imparting motion and the means for creating said real-time, virtual moving image of said roller coaster design during replay of a selected roller coaster design without any input from the passenger; a video display means for displaying said virtual moving image to said passenger, said video display means mounted for synchronous movement with said passenger seat and connected to said means for creating a real-time virtual moving image by a cable. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A roller coaster simulator comprising:
-
a design station including a computer having access to pre-determined landscape images and roller coaster segments which can be selected by a guest, data representing the three dimensional size and shape of each landscape image and roller coaster segment, and predetermined rules for determining if a first roller coaster segment can be placed at a selected position on said landscape image to start a roller coaster design and if subsequent roller coaster segments selected by the guest can be joined to a free end of a placed roller coaster segment at a selected position on said landscape image as the guest designs a roller coaster, and a display means operably linked to said computer for displaying a selected landscape image, roller coaster segments, and communications from the design station; storage means, operably linked to said design station and a plurality of other like design stations, for storing and accessing completed roller coaster designs transmitted from said design station; a simulator vehicle for simulating the motion of a roller coaster, and including a passenger seat, means for restraining a passenger in said passenger seat, and a means for moving said passenger seat; a means for creating a real-time, virtual reality type moving picture of a virtual ride of a selected roller coaster design stored in said storage means, said selected roller coaster design chosen in advance for replay to the passenger from a plurality of roller coaster designs stored in said storage means; a display means mounted inside said simulator vehicle for displaying said moving picture to a passenger, said display means linked to said means for creating a real-time, virtual reality type moving picture of a virtual ride; a first controller means for controlling and coordinating the motion of the passenger seat to the motion visually depicted by said display means associated with said selected roller coaster design, said first controller means operably linked to said means for creating a real-time, virtual reality type moving picture; and
,guest input means for providing passenger identification and selections to the design station and first controller. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
Specification