System and method of distributed control of an interactive animatronic show

• US 8,060,255 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Wieland, Alexis Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holwerda; Stephen
• Application Number:
  US11/854,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 446/301, 446/355, 446/353, 446/454, 700/245, 700/257
• US Class Current: 700/257
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/007 involving water
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 7/00 Up-and-down hill tracks; Switchbacks

Abstract

A system of distributed control of an interactive animatronic show includes a plurality of animatronic actors, at least one of the actors having a processor and one or more motors controlled by the processor. The system also includes a network interconnecting each of the actors, and a plurality of sensors providing messages to the network, where the messages are indicative of processed information. Each processor executes software that schedules and/or coordinates an action of the actor corresponding to the processor in accordance with the sensor messages representative of attributes of an audience viewing the show and the readiness of the corresponding actor. Actions of the corresponding actor can include animation movements of the actor, responding to another actor and/or responding to a member of the audience. The actions can result in movement of at least a component of the actor caused by control of the motor.

Claims

1. A system for distributed control of an interactive show, the system comprising:

a plurality of actors in the interactive show, at least one of the actors comprising;

a processor, and

one or more motors controlled by the processor;

a network interconnecting each of the actors; and

a plurality of sensors providing messages to the network, wherein the messages are indicative of processed information;

wherein the processor executes software that schedules and/or coordinates an action of the actor corresponding to the processor in accordance with the messages representative of attributes of a member of interest selected from a plurality of members of an audience viewing the show, and wherein the member of interest is selected from the plurality of members of the audience based on a size of the member of interest.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the action of the corresponding actor comprises animation movements of the actor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the action results in movement of at least a component of the actor caused by control of the motor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the action of the corresponding actor comprises outputting sound or a projected effect.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the action of the corresponding actor comprises responding to another actor or responding to a member of the audience.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the actors further comprises an audio/video device and/or a transducer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one motor of the corresponding actor is configured to turn the actor toward a nearby member of the audience or to turn the actor toward another actor.

13. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising one or more show components connected to the network, at least one of the show components comprising a first processor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the show components include at least one of a show curtain, a show effects device, and show lighting.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors comprises a first processor configured to process sensor data into the messages.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a digital camera.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the sensors comprises a game controller.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the messages inhibits a particular action and/or inhibits one or more actors selected by use of the processor from performing actions.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the member of interest is selected from the plurality of members of the audience further based on a location of the member of interest.

8. A system for distributed control of an interactive show, the system comprising:

a plurality of actors in the interactive show, at least one of the actors comprising;

a processor, and

one or more motors controlled by the processor;

a network interconnecting each of the actors; and

a plurality of sensors providing messages to the network, wherein the messages are indicative of processed information;

wherein the processor executes software that schedules and/or coordinates an action of the actor corresponding to the processor in accordance with the messages representative of attributes of a member of interest selected from a plurality of members of an audience viewing the show, and wherein the member of interest is selected from the plurality of members of the audience based on being closest to a particular actor as detected by at least one of the plurality of sensors.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one of the plurality of sensors broadcasts an identical message to the network for each actor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the identical message is indicative of the location of a member of the audience that exceeds a size threshold, is moving, and is close to a particular actor.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the identical message is indicative of an attribute of a member of interest in the audience.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the attribute includes information about at least one of where the member of interest is looking, whether the member of interest is talking, what the member of interest is saying, and what the member of interest is doing.

19. A method of distributing control of an interactive show having a plurality of actors and a network, the method comprising:

selecting a member of interest from a plurality of members of an audience viewing the interactive show;

broadcasting a first message representative of an attribute of the member of interest to all the actors;

processing the first message and a location of a particular actor so as initiate actions by the particular actor responsive to the member of interest; and

broadcasting a second message representative of the actions of the particular actor to other actors so that the other actors can respond to the actions;

wherein the selecting of the member of interest from the plurality of members of the audience is based on a size of the member of interest.

20. The method of claim 19, additionally comprising acknowledging the broadcast second message by one of the other actors so as to indicate a capability to perform actions.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the selecting of the member of interest from the plurality of members of the audience is further based on a location of the member of interest.

22. A system for distributed control of an interactive show, the system comprising:

a plurality of actors in the interactive show, at least one of the actors comprising;

a processor, and

one or more motors controlled by the processor;

a network interconnecting each of the actors; and

a plurality of sensors providing messages to the network, wherein the messages are indicative of processed information;

wherein the processor executes software that schedules and/or coordinates an action of the actor corresponding to the processor in accordance with the messages representative of attributes of a member of interest selected from a plurality of members of an audience viewing the show, and wherein the member of interest is selected from the plurality of members of the audience based on a moving velocity of the member of interest.

24. A method of distributing control of an interactive show having a plurality of actors and a network, the method comprising:

selecting a member of interest from a plurality of members of an audience viewing the interactive show;

broadcasting a first message representative of an attribute of the member of interest to all the actors;

processing the first message and a location of a particular actor so as initiate actions by the particular actor responsive to the member of interest; and

broadcasting a second message representative of the actions of the particular actor to other actors so that the other actors can respond to the actions;

wherein the selecting of the member of interest from the plurality of members of the audience is based on a moving velocity of the member of interest.

25. A system for distributed control of an interactive show, the system comprising:

a plurality of actors in the interactive show, at least one of the actors comprising;

a processor, and

one or more motors controlled by the processor;

a network interconnecting each of the actors; and

a plurality of sensors providing messages to the network, wherein the messages are indicative of processed information;

wherein the processor executes software that schedules and/or coordinates an action of the actor corresponding to the processor in accordance with the messages representative of attributes of a member of interest selected from a plurality of members;

of an audience viewing the show, and wherein the member of interest is selected from the plurality of members of the audience based on being detected by at least one of the plurality of sensors as moving the most.