Soup bowl attraction

• US 6,168,531 B1
• Filed: 06/15/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyper Entertainment, Inc., Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyper Entertainment, Inc., Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Adamson, William George, Updyke, Donald Lewis Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kien T.
• Application Number:
  US09/333,197
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 472/57, 472/61, 472/63, 472/64, 472/65, 472/67, 472/68, 472/137, 404/27, 404/28
• US Class Current: 472/61
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/3055 Ovens, or other cooking means
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 5/025 Devices for making mist or smoke effects, e.g. with liquid air for camouflage F41H9/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A simulated soup bowl entertainment attraction, comprising: a bowl-shaped member having a top bounded by a top rim, a bottom permitting light transmission therethrough, and sidewalls connecting the top rim with the bottom; a fog generator producing a fog layer at the top of the bowl-shaped member; and an imaging device producing an image within the bowl-shaped member, the image viewable from a viewing position looking down into the top of the bowl-shaped member. Preferably, the bowl shaped entertainment attraction includes an image controlling apparatus coupled to the imaging device for changing the image viewable from the viewing position. Optionally, apparatus producing sound within the bowl-shaped member may be provided. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction may include a sound controlling apparatus coupled to a sound system for selectively changing the sound heard from within the bowl-shaped member.

Claims

1. A simulated soup bowl entertainment attraction, comprising:

a bowl shaped member having a top bounded by a top rim, a bottom permitting light transmission therethrough, and sidewalls connecting said top rim with said bottom;

a fog generator producing a fog layer at said top of said bowl shaped member; and

an imaging device producing an image within said bowl shaped member, the image viewable from a viewing position looking down into said top of said bowl shaped member.

2. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

an image controlling apparatus coupled to said imaging device, said image controlling apparatus adapted to change the image viewable from said viewing position.

3. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 2, wherein said imaging device comprises:

a projector projecting said image; and

a screen displaying said projected image, said screen disposed within said bowl shaped member beneath said fog layer.

4. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 2, comprising:

object sensor apparatus sensing the presence of an object positioned over said top of said bowl shaped member and generating an object presence signal routed to said image controlling apparatus; and

wherein

said image controlling apparatus is operative to change said image presented to said imaging device responsive to receiving said object presence signal.

5. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

upon receiving said object presence signal, said image controlling apparatus exchanges a current image with a replacement image.

6. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 4, comprising an image store, and wherein:

said bowl shaped member top is divided into a plurality of bowl segments;

said image store comprises a plurality of different stored images, each said stored image being associated with one of said bowl segments;

said object sensor apparatus comprises a bowl segment detector operative to identify the bowl segment over which an object is present, thereby defining an active bowl segment;

said object presence signal includes identification information representing an active bowl segment; and

said image controlling apparatus, responsive to said presence signal, is operative to instruct said imaging device to select from said image store a stored image associated with the segment represented in said object presence signal.

7. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 6, comprising:

a timer connected to said object sensor apparatus and to said image controlling apparatus for measuring the time interval between the detection of the presence of objects positioned over said bowl shaped member top, said timer generating a default object presence signal routed to said image controlling apparatus for effecting periodic image changes in the absence of object presence signals generated by actual objects being present over said bowl shaped member top.

8. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said sensor apparatus comprises a camera disposed above said bowl shaped member, said camera outputting object presence information and active bowl segment information to said image controlling apparatus.

9. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fog generator comprises:

a fog source; and

a fog distribution system for distributing fog uniformly over said bowl shaped member top.

10. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said fog source comprises an ultrasonic unit having a vibrating surface in contact with a water supply; and

said fog distributing system comprises a multi-outlet pipeline within said bowl shaped member and extending along and under said top rim, said pipeline having a fog inlet coupled to said fog source to collect fog generated by said ultrasonic unit, and having multiple outlets distributed around said bowl shaped member top rim.

11. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said fog source comprises a plurality of said fog sources; and

said pipeline comprises a like plurality of fog inlets coupled to respective ones of said fog sources.

12. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a light source within said bowl shaped member producing light that is distributed around said top rim to illuminate said fog layer.

13. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said light source produces light of different colors.

14. The simulated soup bowl attraction as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said light source comprises a lighting effects generator for altering the visual characteristics of said distributed light.

15. A bowl shaped entertainment attraction, comprising:

a bowl shaped member having a top, a bottom, and an interior;

a fog generator producing a fog layer within said bowl shaped member interior; and

an imaging device producing an image within said bowl shaped member.

16. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 15, comprising:

an image controlling apparatus coupled to said imaging device, said image controlling apparatus adapted to change the image within said bowl shaped member.

17. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 16, wherein said imaging device comprises:

a projector projecting said image; and

a screen displaying said projected image, said screen disposed within said bowl shaped member beneath said fog layer.

18. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 16, comprising:

object sensor apparatus sensing the presence of an object positioned over said top of said bowl shaped member and generating an object presence signal routed to said image controlling apparatus; and

wherein

said image controlling apparatus is operative to change said image presented to said imaging device responsive to receiving said object presence signal.

19. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

upon receiving said object presence signal, said image controlling apparatus exchanges a current image with a replacement image.

20. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 18, comprising an image store, and wherein:

said bowl shaped member top is divided into a plurality of bowl segments;

said image store comprises a plurality of different stored images, each said stored image being associated with one of said bowl segments;

said object sensor apparatus comprises a bowl segment detector operative to identify the bowl segment over which an object is present, thereby defining an active bowl segment;

said object presence signal includes identification information representing an active bowl segment; and

said image controlling apparatus, responsive to said presence signal, is operative to instruct said imaging device to select from said image store a stored image associated with the segment represented in said object presence signal.

21. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 20, comprising:

a timer connected to said object sensor apparatus and to said image controlling apparatus for measuring the time interval between the detection of the presence of objects positioned over said bowl shaped member top, said timer generating a default object presence signal routed to said image controlling apparatus for effecting periodic image changes in the absence of object presence signals generated by actual objects being present over said bowl shaped member top.

22. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said sensor apparatus comprises a camera disposed above said bowl shaped member, said camera outputting object presence information and active bowl segment information to said image controlling apparatus.

23. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 15, wherein said fog generator comprises:

a fog source; and

a fog distribution system for distributing fog uniformly over said bowl shaped member top.

24. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 23, wherein:

said bowl shaped member top comprises a peripheral top rim;

said fog source comprises an ultrasonic unit having a vibrating surface in contact with a water supply; and

said fog distributing system comprises a multi-outlet pipeline within said bowl shaped member and extending along and under said top rim, said pipeline having a fog inlet coupled to said fog source to collect fog generated by said ultrasonic unit, and having multiple outlets distributed around said bowl shaped member top rim.

25. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

said fog source comprises a plurality of said fog sources; and

said pipeline comprises a like plurality of fog inlets coupled to respective ones of said fog sources.

26. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 15, comprising:

a peripheral rim surrounding said bowl shaped member top; and

a light source within said bowl shaped member producing light that is distributed around said top rim to illuminate said fog layer.

27. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 26, wherein:

said light source produces light of different colors.

28. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 26, wherein:

said light source comprises a lighting effects generator for altering the visual characteristics of said distributed light.

29. A bowl shaped entertainment attraction, comprising:

a bowl shaped member having a top and a bottom;

fog producing means for producing a fog layer in said bowl shaped member; and

image producing means for producing an image within said bowl shaped member viewable through said fog layer.

30. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 29, comprising:

a control means coupled to said image producing means, said control means adapted to change the image produced by said image producing means and viewable in said bowl shaped member.

31. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 30, wherein said image producing means comprises:

a projector projecting said image; and

a screen displaying said projected image, said screen disposed within said bowl shaped member beneath said fog layer.

32. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 30, comprising:

sensing means for sensing the presence of an object positioned over said top of said bowl shaped member, and generating an object presence signal routed to said control means; and

wherein

said control means is operative to cause said image producing means to change said image within said bowl shaped member responsive to receiving said object presence signal.

33. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 32, wherein:

upon receiving said object presence signal, said control means exchanges a current image with a replacement image.

34. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 32, comprising an image store, and wherein:

said bowl shaped member top is divided into a plurality of bowl segments;

said image store comprises a plurality of different stored images, each said stored image being associated with one of said bowl segments;

said sensing means comprises a bowl segment detector operative to identify the bowl segment over which an object is present, thereby defining an active bowl segment;

said object presence signal includes identification information representing an active bowl segment; and

said control means, responsive to said presence signal, is operative to instruct said image producing means to select from said image store a stored image associated with the segment represented in said object presence signal.

35. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 34, comprising:

a timer connected to said object sensor apparatus and to said control means for measuring the time interval between the detection of the presence of objects positioned over said bowl shaped member top, said timer generating a default object presence signal routed to said control means for effecting periodic image changes in the absence of object presence signals generated by actual objects being present over said bowl shaped member top.

36. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 32, wherein:

said sensor apparatus comprises a camera disposed above said bowl shaped member, said camera outputting object presence information and active bowl segment information to said control means.

37. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 29, wherein said fog producing means comprises:

a fog source; and

a fog distribution system for distributing fog uniformly over said bowl shaped member top.

38. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 37, wherein:

said bowl shaped member top comprises a peripheral top rim;

said fog source comprises an ultrasonic unit having a vibrating surface in contact with a water supply; and

said fog distributing system comprises a multi-outlet pipeline within said bowl shaped member and extending along and under said top rim, said pipeline having a fog inlet coupled to said fog source to collect fog generated by said ultrasonic unit, and having multiple outlets distributed around said bowl shaped member top rim.

39. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said fog source comprises a plurality of said fog sources; and

said pipeline comprises a like plurality of fog inlets coupled to respective ones of said fog sources.

40. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 29, comprising:

a light source within said bowl shaped member producing light that is distributed around and adjacent said top to illuminate said fog layer.

41. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 40, wherein:

said light source produces light of different colors.

42. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 40, wherein:

said light source comprises a lighting effects generator for altering the visual characteristics of said distributed light.

43. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 29, comprising:

sound producing means for producing sound within said bowl shaped member.

44. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 43, comprising:

a control means coupled to said sound producing means, said control means adapted to change the sound produced by said sound producing means.

45. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 44, comprising:

sensing means for sensing the presence of an object positioned over said top of said bowl shaped member, and generating an object presence signal routed to said control means; and

wherein

said control means is operative to cause said sound producing means to change said sound within said bowl shaped member responsive to receiving said object presence signal.

46. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 45, wherein:

upon receiving said object presence signal, said control means exchanges a current sound with a replacement sound.

47. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 45, comprising a sound clip store, and wherein:

said bowl shaped member top is divided into a plurality of bowl segments;

said sound clip store comprises a plurality of different stored sound clips, each said stored sound clip being associated with one of said bowl segments;

said sensing means comprises a bowl segment detector operative to identify the bowl segment over which an object is present, thereby defining an active bowl segment;

said object presence signal includes identification information representing an active bowl segment; and

said control means, responsive to said presence signal, is operative to instruct said sound producing means to select from said sound clip store a stored sound clip associated with the segment represented in said object presence signal.

48. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 47, comprising:

a timer connected to said object sensor apparatus and to said control means for measuring the time interval between the detection of the presence of objects positioned over said bowl shaped member top, said timer generating a default object presence signal routed to said control means for effecting periodic sound clip changes in the absence of object presence signals generated by actual objects being present over said bowl shaped member top.

49. The bowl shaped entertainment attraction as claimed in claim 43, wherein said sound producing means comprises:

a sound system amplifier; and

a speaker arrangement projecting sound within said bowl shaped member beneath said fog layer.

50. An entertainment attraction, comprising:

a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion which include top and bottom openings, respectively, wherein said bottom portion is smaller in size than said top portion;

sidewalls extending downward from said top portion and inwardly toward said bottom portion to form a substantially bowl shaped configuration;

a fog generator producing a fog layer near said top portion;

an object sensor positioned near said top portion, wherein when an object is detected an object presence signal is generated;

an imaging device which generates an image within said housing responsive to said object presence signal; and

a platform positioned around said bottom portion for supporting viewers of said image.