Amusement park element tracking system

• US 10,661,184 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2017
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Stenzler, Paula
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US15/832,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20180104600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 7/00 Up-and-down hill tracks; Switchbacks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/60 relating to illumination properties, e.g. using a reflectance or lighting model
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/48 Matching video sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A system includes one or more retro-reflective markers positioned within a ride system and a tracking system that may detect the one or more retro-reflective markers to track a position of a rider. The tracking system includes an emitter that may emit light toward the one or more retro-reflective markers, a detector that may detect reflected light from the one or more retro-reflective markers, and a controller that may determine the position of the rider relative to the one or more retro-reflective markers based on detection of the reflected light and that may provide an indication of the position of the rider.

Claims

1. An amusement park attraction system comprising:

a tracking system configured to monitor ridership, rider movement, or ride readiness of a plurality of ride vehicles based at least on identification and tracking of a plurality of retro-reflective markers associated with the plurality of ride vehicles, wherein the plurality of retro-reflective markers associated with the plurality of ride vehicles comprises an array of retro-reflective markers disposed on one or more seats of a respective ride vehicle of the plurality of ride vehicles, wherein the one or more seats of the respective ride vehicle are a portion of the respective ride vehicle whereon a passenger sits, wherein the tracking system comprises;

one or more emitters configured to emit light, wherein the one or more emitters are located relative to a ride path, upon which the plurality of ride vehicles are configured to travel, such that the one or more emitters are able to emit the light toward the plurality of retro-reflective markers associated with the plurality of ride vehicles;

one or more detectors configured to detect retro-reflected light, wherein the one or more detectors are located relative to the ride path such that the one or more detectors are able to receive retro-reflected light from the plurality of retro-reflective markers associated with the plurality of ride vehicles, wherein the plurality of retro-reflective markers are configured to return the retro-reflected light to the one or more emitters; and

a controller coupled to the one or more detectors and configured to determine the ridership, the rider movement, or the ride readiness of the plurality of ride vehicles based on identification of which of the plurality of retro-reflective markers associated with the plurality of ride vehicles are retro-reflecting the light, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust an operational parameter of the plurality of ride vehicles based on the ridership, the rider movement, or the ride readiness as determined by the controller.

2. The amusement park attraction system of claim 1, comprising the plurality of ride vehicles, wherein each ride vehicle of the plurality of ride vehicles comprises a plurality of seats, and each seat of the plurality of seats comprises a corresponding retro-reflective marker of the plurality of retro-reflective markers.

3. The amusement park attraction system of claim 2, wherein each seat of the plurality of seats comprises a respective array of retro-reflective markers, and wherein the controller is configured to monitor retro-reflection by the respective array of retro-reflective markers of each seat of the plurality of seats to determine whether each seat is occupied, or to monitor a degree of movement of a respective rider within each seat.

4. The amusement park attraction system of claim 1, wherein the array of retro-reflective markers is arranged to retro-reflect light in a pattern, and wherein the controller is configured to identify changes in the pattern to determine a degree of the rider movement.

5. The amusement park attraction system of claim 1, comprising a building housing the ride path, wherein the one or more emitters and the one or more detectors are located on a ceiling of the building.

6. The amusement park attraction system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to count a total number of riders on the plurality of ride vehicles by identifying which retro-reflective markers of the plurality of retro-reflected markers are occluded by riders.

7. The amusement park attraction system of claim 1, comprising the plurality of ride vehicles, wherein each ride vehicle of the plurality of ride vehicles comprises a ride door configured to secure a rider in the ride vehicle, wherein the ride vehicle includes a respective retro-reflective marker at an interface between a ride wall and a door wall, and wherein the controller is configured to evaluate a status of the ride door by detecting a change in light retro-reflected from the respective retro-reflective marker at the interface between the ride wall and the door wall.

8. The amusement park attraction system of claim 7, wherein the interface is located on the ride wall or on the door wall.

9. The amusement park attraction system of claim 7, comprising a loading station configured to allow riders to enter the plurality of ride vehicles, and wherein the controller is configured to allow the plurality of ride vehicles to leave the loading station in response to determining that a status of all ride doors indicates that the ride doors are closed.

10. The amusement park attraction system of claim 1, comprising the plurality of ride vehicles and the plurality of retro-reflective markers associated with the plurality of ride vehicles, wherein a portion of the plurality of retro-reflective markers is positioned around a perimeter of a boundary region of each ride vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to monitor changes in the retro-reflected light retro-reflected by the portion of the plurality of retro-reflective markers to identify whether a rider has crossed into one of the boundary regions.

11. The amusement park attraction system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to cause the plurality of ride vehicles to stop in response to determining that the rider has crossed into one of the boundary regions.

12. The amusement park attraction system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to detect a wearable retro-reflective marker on a wristband worn by the rider to determine whether the rider crossed the boundary region or if the change in reflected light from the retro-reflective markers in the boundary region was due to an anomaly.

13. The amusement park attraction system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to cause a control panel associated with the plurality of ride vehicles to provide a visual and/or audible alarm in response to determining that the rider has crossed into one of the boundary regions.

14. The amusement park attraction system of claim 1, wherein an emitter of the one or more emitters and a detector of the one or more detectors are concentric to one another.

20. The amusement park attraction system of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors comprise an infrared camera.

15. A method comprising:

emitting light toward retro-reflective markers positioned on a plurality of ride vehicles using one or more emitters, the plurality of ride vehicles being positioned on a ride path, wherein the retro-reflective markers comprise an array of retro-reflective markers positioned on a seat of a respective ride vehicle of the plurality of ride vehicles, wherein the seat of the respective ride vehicle is a portion of the respective ride vehicle whereon a passenger sits, and wherein the retro-reflective markers are configured to retro-reflect the emitted light back to the one or more emitters;

monitoring retro-reflected light from the retro-reflective markers using one or more detectors located relative to the ride path such that the one or more detectors are able to receive the retro-reflected light from the retro-reflective markers of the plurality of ride vehicles;

determining ridership, rider movement, or ride readiness of the plurality of ride vehicles based on identification of which of the retro-reflective markers of the plurality of ride vehicles are retro-reflecting light using a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more detectors; and

adjusting an operational parameter of the plurality of ride vehicles based on the determined ridership, rider movement, or ride readiness using the controller.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining ridership, rider movement, or ride readiness of the plurality of ride vehicles comprises determining whether the seat of the plurality of ride vehicles is occupied or determining a degree of movement of a respective rider within the seat by monitoring retro-reflection by a respective retro-reflective marker positioned on the seat.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining whether the seat is occupied or determining the degree of movement of the respective rider within the seat comprises identifying changes in a pattern of retro-reflected light produced by the array of retro-reflective markers positioned on the seat.

18. A system, comprising:

a tracking system configured to monitor a parameter of each ride vehicle of a plurality of ride vehicles based at least on identification and tracking of retro-reflective markers positioned on each ride vehicle of the plurality of ride vehicles, wherein the retro-reflective markers comprise an array of retro-reflective markers positioned on a seat of a respective ride vehicle of the plurality of ride vehicles, wherein the seat of the respective ride vehicle is a portion of the respective ride vehicle whereon a passenger sits, wherein the tracking system comprises;

a controller configured to monitor a change in intensity of retro-reflected light from the retro-reflective markers positioned on each ride vehicle of the plurality of ride vehicles to determine ridership, rider movement, or ride readiness of each ride vehicle of the plurality of ride vehicles based on identification of which of the retro-reflective markers of each ride vehicle of the plurality of ride vehicles are retro-reflecting light, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust an operational parameter of the plurality of ride vehicles based on the determined ridership, rider movement, or ride readiness.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to identify changes in a pattern of retro-reflected light produced by the array of retro-reflective markers positioned on the seat, and to correlate the changes in the pattern to a degree of rider movement within the seat, to occupancy of the seat, or to proper securement of a rider in the seat.