Body and gesture recognition for water play structure

• US 9,492,758 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyturtle Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Skyturtle Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Fisher, Lance C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIEN T
• Application Number:
  US14/613,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20150217200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 472/117, 472/128, 472/129, 472/13, 239 16- 18
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/007 involving water
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/00 Swimming or splash baths or pools
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/0006 Devices for producing waves in swimming pools generating current of water in swimming pools A63B69/125
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/44 Special adaptations for subaqueous use, e.g. for hydrophone

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a gesture capture hardware to visually receive position and/or gestures and translate visual signals to actuates of a water play feature in a water play structure.

Claims

1. A water play structure body and gesture recognition system comprising:

a gesture capture device receiving visual signals from a participant;

the gesture capture device tracks the movement of the participant in three dimensions;

a translation apparatus converting the visual signals to an input electronic signal;

a computing device electronically coupled to the gesture capture device recognizing the gesture made by the participant and converting the input electronic signal to a control signal;

a water feature actuated by the control signal.

2. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising a spray nozzle and the control signal actuates the volume of water through the spray nozzle.

3. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising a spray nozzle and the control signal actuates the pressure of water through the spray nozzle.

4. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising a spray nozzle and the control signal actuates the vertical articulation of the spray nozzle.

5. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising a spray nozzle and the control signal actuates the horizontal articulation of the spray nozzle.

6. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 wherein the water feature is a dumping bucket and the control signal actuates the dumping of the bucket.

7. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 6 wherein the water feature is a dumping bucket and the control signal actuates the rotation of the bucket about a vertical axis.

8. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising:

an array of water jets in the floor of the water play structure;

a water manifold fluidly coupled to each water jet in the array;

a water pump fluidly coupled to the water manifold; and

the control signal actuates the volume or pressure of water through the water jets.

9. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 8 wherein the water manifold comprises a valve at each water jet and the control signal actuates each valve.

10. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 8 further comprising an air pump fluidly coupled to the manifold and the control signal actuates air volume or pressure through the water jets.

11. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising:

an array of jets in the floor of the water play structure;

a manifold fluidly coupled to each jet in the array;

an air pump fluidly coupled to the manifold; and

the control signal actuates the volume or pressure of air through the jets.

12. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising:

an array of LED'"'"'s in the floor of the water play structure; and

the control signal actuates the LED'"'"'s.

13. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising a wave/tide generator and the control signal actuates the wave/tide generator.

14. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising a facial recognition system configure to manipulate the control signal.

15. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising a depth sensor determining the position of the participant relative to the gesture capture device.

16. The body and gesture recognition system as recited in claim 1 comprising gesture capture hardware capable of tracking the position of the participant.

17. A water play structure body and gesture recognition system comprising:

a gesture capture device receiving visual signals from a participant among several participants within the field of view of the gesture capture device;

the gesture capture device tracks the movement of the participant in three dimensions;

a translation apparatus converting the visual signals to an input electronic signal;

a computing device electronically coupled to the gesture capture device recognizing the gesture made by the participant and converting the input electronic signal to a control signal;

a water feature actuated by the control signal.