Interactive race car simulator system

• US 6,354,838 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1998
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mariah Vision3 Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mariah Vision3 Entertainment Incorporated
• Inventors: Ambrosino, Timothy J., Tagge, James E., Alcala, Adrian, Hilchey, Gary, Rindge, Thomas L., Tagge, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US09/223,872
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 434/29, 434/60-71, 463/6, 463/7, 463/30, 463/35, 463/36, 463/39
• US Class Current: 434/62
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/04 for teaching control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/05 the view from a vehicle being simulated G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/14 controlled by fluid actuated piston or cylinder ram

Abstract

An interactive, vehicle simulator system receives input signals indicative of actions of a user who is located in a driver module. The simulator system also displays images and moves the driver module in accordance with the input signals. The simulator system comprises an input device for generating the input signals, an image generator, an image presentation apparatus, a motion base, a motion base controller and a game controller.

Claims

1. An interactive, vehicle simulator system for receiving input signals indicative of inputs of a user, and for displaying images in accordance with the input signals, the interactive, vehicle simulator system comprising:

an input device for generating the input signals;

an image generator for receiving signals indicative of a first set of processed, pre-recorded digital images, and for generating signals indicative of a second set of digital images, which second set of digital images is indicative of a select number of the first set of processed, pre-recorded digital images as seen from a desired point-of-view position;

an image presentation apparatus for receiving the signals indicative of the second set of digital images and for generating in dependence thereupon the second set of digital images, and for presenting the second set of digital images to the user; and

a controller in signal communication with the input device and the image generator, the controller for generating signals for controlling the image generator in accordance with the input signals.

2. The interactive, vehicle simulator system of claim 1, wherein the image presentation apparatus comprises:

image projection means for generating the second set of digital images; and

a mirror for receiving the second set of digital images and for reflecting the second set of digital images towards the user.

3. The simulator system of claim 1, wherein the image generator stores a number of sprite images of a visual element as seen from various viewing angles, positions and distances, and generates signals indicative of a selected sequence of the sprite images in dependence on the desired viewpoint and the desired velocity.

4. The simulator system of claim 1, in which the simulator system is connected over a communication network to and cooperates substantially contemporaneously with a second simulator system for providing a visual element which responds in accordance with the actions of a second user.

5. The simulator system of claim 1, wherein the image generator further comprises a means for rotoscoping each of the first set of pre-recorded digital images in order to determine a position and an orientation of a camera that recorded the digital image.

6. The simulator system of claim 1, wherein the image generator further comprises a means for generating a texture map from each of the first set of pre-recorded digital images.

7. The simulator system of claim 6, wherein the image generator further comprises projecting each texture map from a point-of-view position onto surface polygons of a visual element.

8. The simulator system of claim 6, wherein the image generator further comprises projecting each texture map from a plurality of point-of-view positions onto surface polygons of a visual element.

9. The simulator system of claim 1, further comprising a sound generator for generating signals indicative of audio output.

10. The simulator system of claim 1, further comprising:

a motion base connected to the driver module for moving the driver module along an axis in accordance with motion base control signals; and

a motion base controller which is in signal communication with the motion base for generating the motion base control signals.

11. The simulator system of claim 10, wherein the game controller is in signal communication with the motion base controller for generating signals for controlling the motion base controller in accordance with the input signals from the input device.

12. The simulator system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second input device for generating second user input signals received from a second user; and

the image generator further includes generating a third set of digital images from the first set of processed, pre-recorded digital images, which third set of digital images is indicative of a select number of the first set of processed, pre-recorded digital images as seen from a desired point-of-view position indicative of the second user input signals from the second input device.

13. The simulator system of claim 12, in which the second input device communicates with the controller over a communication network.