Multimedia racing experience system

• US 7,265,663 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trivinci Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Trivinci Systems Llc
• Inventors: Steele, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAI T
• Application Number:
  US10/278,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20030130822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 340/531, 340/534, 340/539.1, 340/539.12, 340/426.25, 701/28, 701/45, 701/46
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/16 Control of vehicles or other craft simulators G09B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/04 for teaching control of land vehicles

Abstract

A multimedia racing experience system is provided including a plurality of input devices, such as cameras, microphones, and telemetry sensors. All input devices communicate with an on-vehicle processing unit for multiplexing the input data into a data stream. The data stream is then transferred to a central location for display or recording on playback media.

Claims

1. A multimedia system for monitoring performance of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a first on-vehicle camera;

a first on-vehicle microphone;

an on-vehicle telemetry device;

an on-vehicle processing unit that receives input data, corresponding to the vehicle'"'"'s performance, from the first on-vehicle camera, the first on-vehicle microphone, and the telemetry device, the on-vehicle processing unit configured to multiplex and encode the input data into a multiplexed and encoded data stream; and

an on-vehicle data transfer unit in communication with the on-vehicle processing unit for transferring the multiplexed and encoded data stream to an external processing unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first on-vehicle camera further comprises a radio frequency transmitter for communication with the on-vehicle processing unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first on-vehicle microphone further comprises audio cabling connected to the on-vehicle processing unit for communication with the on-vehicle processing unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle telemetry device comprises a biotelemetry device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the on-vehicle biotelemetry device comprises a pulse oximeter connected to said on-vehicle processing unit for communication with the on-vehicle processing unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle telemetry device comprises a wheel-speed indicator.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system receiver in communication with the on-vehicle processing unit, wherein the on-vehicle processing unit is configured to determine a position of the vehicle based on data communicated from the global positioning system receiver.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of location beacons in operative communication with the on-vehicle processing unit, wherein the on-vehicle processing unit is configured to determine a position of the vehicle based on data communicated from one or more of the location beacons.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote input in communication with the on-vehicle processing unit, wherein the on-vehicle processing unit is configured to multiplex and encode data communicated from the remote input into the multiplexed and encoded data stream.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the remote input comprises a video camera that communicates video data to the on-vehicle processing unit.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the remote input comprises a radio frequency transmitter that communicates one of audio data or video data to the on-vehicle processing unit.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle processing unit is further configured to select data for inclusion in the multiplexed and encoded data stream based on proximity to a location.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle processing unit is further configured to select data for inclusion in the multiplexed and encoded data stream based on input from the telemetry device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle processing unit is further configured to synchronize the input data that is multiplexed and encoded into the data stream.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle processing unit is further configured to encode the multiplexed data stream in an MPEG format.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle data transfer unit comprises a microwave radio frequency transmitter for transferring the multiplexed and encoded data stream.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle data transfer unit comprises a removable memory device for transferring the multiplexed and encoded data stream.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a central kiosk-based processing unit configured to receive the multiplexed and encoded data stream.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the central-kiosk based processing unit outputs the multiplexed and encoded data stream to a storage medium.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the storage medium is a DVD disk.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the central-kiosk based processing unit outputs the multiplexed and encoded data stream to a playback medium.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the playback medium is a television broadcast.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the central-kiosk based processing unit comprises a plurality of workstations in communication with a local area network, wherein each of the plurality of workstations receives at least one of a plurality of multiplexed and encoded data streams, each of the plurality of multiplexed and encoded data streams being from a different on-vehicle processing unit.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the first on-vehicle camera is configured to provide a view from the front of the vehicle.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a second on-vehicle camera in communication with the on-vehicle processing unit and configured to provide a view from the rear of the vehicle;

a third on-vehicle camera in communication with the on-vehicle processing unit and configured to provide a view of a driver of the vehicle;

a fourth on-vehicle camera in communication with the on-vehicle processing unit and configured to provide a racing-style dependent view; and

a remote camera in communication with the on-vehicle processing unit and configured to provide an exterior view of the vehicle,

wherein the on-vehicle processing unit is configured to multiplex and encode data from the second, third, fourth on-vehicle cameras and the remote camera into the multiplexed and encoded data stream.

26. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second on-vehicle microphone in communication with the on-vehicle processing unit; and

a second telemetry device in operative communication with the on-vehicle processing unit,

wherein the on-vehicle processing unit is configured to multiplex and encode data from the second on-vehicle microphone and the second telemetry device into the multiplexed and encoded data stream.

27. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second on-vehicle camera;

a second on-vehicle microphone;

a second on-vehicle telemetry device;

a remote input;

a plurality of remote beacon transmitters; and

an on-vehicle beacon receiver configured for communication with one or more of the remote beacon transmitters for determining a current position of the vehicle;

wherein the on-vehicle processing unit is in communication with the second on-vehicle camera, the second on-vehicle microphone input source, the second on-vehicle telemetry input source, the remote input source, and the on-vehicle beacon receiver, the on-vehicle processing unit being configured to select input data provided by the input sources and to multiplex and encode the selected input data into the multiplexed and encoded data stream, and

wherein selection of input data from at least one input source is based on a determined current position of the vehicle.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein selection of input data from at least one input source based on the determined current position of the vehicle comprises selection of data from the remote input.

29. A method of receiving data, corresponding to a vehicle'"'"'s performance, from a multimedia racing experience system, the method comprising:

receiving, at an on-vehicle processing unit, visual data, audio data and telemetry data, corresponding to a vehicle'"'"'s performance, from on-vehicle sensors;

multiplexing and encoding into a multiplexed and encoded data streams, at the on-vehicle processing unit, the visual data, the audio data, and the telemetry data; and

transferring the multiplexed and encoded data stream to an external processing unit.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the external processing unit includes a display device.