Race car simulator

• US 7,021,937 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2001
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VIRETEK
• Original Assignee: VIRETEK
• Inventors: Simpson, Barry, Bohn, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US09/835,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• Field of Search: 434/29, 434/38, 434/40, 434/43, 434/44, 434/48, 434/61, 434/62, 434/69, 472/130
• 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 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/30 characterized by output arrangements for receiving control signals generated by the game device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/02 for teaching control of vehicles or other craft

Abstract

The cockpit and external appearance of a racing car are accurately simulated. A spherical mirror display is attached to the underside of the hood of the simulator. When the hood is raised, a video presentation is projected onto a display screen via first and second mirrors and the image on the display screen is reflected off of the spherical mirror to the player “driving” the simulated racing car. In the preferred embodiment, the spherical mirror is a thin acrylic sheet molded to the desired curvature. A mirror surface is formed on the concave surface of the molded sheet and a sheet of foam plastic is scored on one side so that the foam plastic sheet conforms to the reverse concave side of the molded acrylic sheet. The foam sheet is molded to the thin acrylic sheet mirror to rigidly support the acrylic sheet mirror in the desired curvature.

Claims

1. A race car virtual reality simulator comprising:

a chassis constructed from welded steel tubes and shaped aluminum sheets;

a body of fiber-reinforced plastic;

a tube frame cockpit having a steering wheel, a floor board, and one or more seats;

a hood hinged at the front of said race car simulator;

first and second mirrors;

a computer projector mounted below or partially below the floor board of the cockpit, said projector mounted to project a computer display image onto said first mirror;

a rear projection screen;

said first mirror mounted to project the computer display image onto said second mirror and said second mirror mounted to project the computer display image onto the rear of said rear projection screen; and

a third mirror mounted to the underside of said hood, said third mirror comprising a spherical mirror to provide the viewer with an enlarged life-like image of the rear projection screen when said hood is raised, said spherical mirror comprising a thin acrylic sheet molded to the desired curvature, a mirror surface on one side of said sheet, and a sheet of foam plastic scored on one side so that the foam plastic sheet conforms to the curvature of said molded acrylic mirror, said scored foam plastic sheet bonded to the back of said acrylic mirror;

said first and second mirrors rotatably attached to said chassis and rotatable from a first position where said hood is closed to a second position where said hood is raised.

2. A race car virtual reality simulator comprising:

a chassis constructed from welded steel tubes and shaped aluminum sheets;

a body of fiber-reinforced plastic;

a tube frame cockpit having a steering wheel, other automobile controls, and one or more seats;

a hood hinged at the front of said race car simulator;

first and second mirrors;

a computer projector mounted below or partially below the floor board of the cockpit, said projector mounted to project a computer display image onto said first mirror;

a rear projection screen;

said first mirror mounted to project the computer display image onto said second mirror and said second mirror mounted to project the computer display image onto the rear of said rear projection screen; and

a third mirror mounted to the underside of said hood, said third mirror comprising a spherical mirror to provide the viewer with an enlarged life-like image of the rear projection screen when said hood is raised.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2, further comprising a dimensional sound system.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 2, said cockpit comprising a covered frame housing, and located within said covered frame housing a dimensional sound system, an optics display system, and an interface for providing communication from the user to the interactive computer system.

5. The cockpit recited in claim 4, wherein said covered frame housing is totally enclosed in said vehicle.

6. The cockpit recited in claim 3, wherein the dimensional sound system is a quadraphonic sound balanced three-dimensional (3D) localization system.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, further a display system which comprises comprising a plurality of prearranged interactive displays.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the display system is an optics display system unaffected by ambient light.