Optical tracking for controlling pyrotechnic show elements

• US 9,429,398 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• 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: Cortelyou, Robert J., Blum, Steven C., Kiddoo, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIEN T
• Application Number:
  US14/717,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20150338196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 472/61, 472/66, 472/130, 472/137, 463/2, 434/21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 4/00 Fireworks, i.e. pyrotechnic devices for amusement, display, illumination or signal purposes signalling by explosives G08B; advertising by fireworks G09F13/46; signalling by pyrotechnics in railway systems B61L5/20
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/0819 Primers or igniters for the initiation of rocket motors, i.e. pyrotechnical aspects thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30208 Marker matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A dynamic signal to noise ratio tracking system enables detection and tracking of amusement park equipment within the field of view of the tracking system. The tracking system may include an emitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation within an area, a detector configured to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected back from show elements within the area, and a control unit configured to evaluate signals from the detector to determine whether the show elements are to be adjusted.

Claims

1. An amusement park pyrotechnic show tracking and control system, comprising:

an emitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation into a pyrotechnic show area;

ordinance having pyrotechnic show elements encased within an enclosure, wherein the ordinance comprises a retro-reflective marker positioned on the enclosure and configured to retro-reflect the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter;

a detection camera having a view of the pyrotechnic show area and configured to detect retro-reflection of the electromagnetic radiation from the retro-reflective marker; and

a control system communicatively coupled to the detection camera and comprising processing circuitry configured to;

monitor the retro-reflected electromagnetic radiation from the retro-reflective marker to track movement of the retro-reflective marker in space and time; and

correlate movement of the retro-reflective marker to movement of the ordinance to track the movement of the ordinance through space and time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ordinance comprises a detonation charge configured to detonate the ordinance and trigger the pyrotechnic show elements in response to an applied stimulus from an internal fuse.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the detection camera is configured to detect the triggering of the pyrotechnic show elements by detecting a pattern of electromagnetic radiation associated with the pyrotechnic show elements stored in memory of the processing circuitry, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine a location at which the ordinance detonated based on the detected triggering of the pyrotechnic show elements.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry of the control system is configured to track the movement of the retro-reflective marker in space and time by monitoring the electromagnetic radiation retro-reflected by the retro-reflective marker, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to associate termination of the retro-reflection by the retro-reflective marker with detonation of the ordinance.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the detection camera is configured to detect the retro-reflected electromagnetic radiation while filtering out electromagnetic radiation that is not retro-reflected.

6. The system of claim 2, comprising:

a remote detonation system communicatively coupled to the control system;

wherein the ordinance comprises an electronic fuse mechanism having the internal fuse and communication circuitry configured to communicate with the remote detonation system and to cause the internal fuse to apply the stimulus to the detonation charge; and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause the remote detonation system to trigger the fuse to cause the ordinance to detonate based on an identified position of the ordinance obtained from tracking the movement of the retro-reflective marker.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a cannon configured to hold the ordinance, wherein a trajectory of the ordinance in the air is determined, at least in part, by the position and orientation of the cannon; and

wherein the processing circuitry of the control system is configured to track the trajectory of the ordinance through the air by tracking the electromagnetic radiation retro-reflected by the retro-reflective marker positioned on the enclosure.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the cannon comprises a robotic actuation mechanism configured to electronically adjust the position and orientation of the cannon to control, at least in part, the trajectory of the ordinance through the air, and wherein the processing circuitry of the control system is configured to compare the tracked trajectory of the ordinance through the air with a predetermined trajectory stored in a memory of the processing circuitry, and to cause the robotic actuation mechanism to adjust the position or the orientation, or both, of the cannon based on the comparison.

9. A method of tracking and controlling a pyrotechnic show in an amusement park, comprising:

directing electromagnetic radiation into a pyrotechnic show area using an emitter;

detecting wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation retro-reflected from within the pyrotechnic show area using a detection camera; and

tracking, in space and time, a movement of an ordinance having pyrotechnic show elements based on changes in the retro-reflected electromagnetic radiation from within the pyrotechnic show area using a control system communicatively coupled to the detection camera.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein tracking, in space and time, the movement of the ordinance comprises tracking retro-reflection of the electromagnetic radiation by a retro-reflective marker positioned on an enclosure of the ordinance, and associating the tracked movement of the retro-reflective marker with movement of the ordinance.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising automatically initiating detonation of the ordinance based on the tracked movement of the ordinance using an electronic fuse mechanism, a remote detonation system in wireless communication with the electronic fuse mechanism, and the control system in communication with the electronic fuse mechanism.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising:

launching the ordinance out of a robotically actuatable cannon and into the air along the trajectory, wherein a trajectory of the ordinance through the air is at least partially determined by a position and orientation of the robotically actuatable cannon;

comparing the trajectory to a reference trajectory stored on a memory of the processing circuitry; and

electronically adjusting the position and orientation of the robotically actuatable cannon to adjust the trajectory of a subsequent ordinance having the same configuration as the ordinance through the air based on the comparison using the processing circuitry.

13. An amusement park pyrotechnic show system, comprising:

ordinance having pyrotechnic show elements encased within an enclosure, wherein the ordinance comprises a retro-reflective marker positioned on the enclosure and configured to retro-reflect electromagnetic radiation outside of the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum;

wherein the ordinance comprises a detonation charge and an electronic fuse mechanism having an internal fuse, wherein the detonation charge is configured to detonate the ordinance and trigger the pyrotechnic show elements in response to an applied stimulus from the internal fuse; and

wherein the electronic fuse mechanism comprises communication circuitry configured to communicate with a remote detonation system and to initiate application of the stimulus to the detonation charge by the internal fuse in response to a control signal from the remote detonation system.

14. The system of claim 13, comprising the remote detonation system, wherein the remote detonation system comprises communication circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with the communication circuitry of the electronic fuse mechanism, and wherein the remote detonation system is communicatively coupled to a dynamic signal to noise ratio tracking system configured to track the ordinance when the ordinance is launched into the air based solely on detection of electromagnetic radiation retro-reflected by the retro-reflective marker of the ordinance.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the dynamic signal to noise ratio tracking system comprises a detection camera configured to detect the electromagnetic radiation retro-reflected by the retro-reflective marker while filtering out electromagnetic radiation that is not retro-reflected, and wherein the dynamic signal to noise ratio tracking system is configured to cause the remote detonation system to instruct the electronic fuse mechanism to apply the stimulus to the detonation charge based on the tracking.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the dynamic signal to noise ratio tracking system comprises:

an emitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation into a pyrotechnic show area, wherein the detection camera is configured to detect retro-reflection of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter and retro-reflected by the retro-reflective markers; and

a control system communicatively coupled to the detection camera and comprising processing circuitry configured to;

monitor the retro-reflected electromagnetic radiation from the retro-reflective marker to track movement of the retro-reflective marker in space and time; and

correlate movement of the retro-reflective marker to movement of the ordinance to track the movement of the ordinance through space and time.

17. A method of tracking and controlling a pyrotechnic show effect, comprising:

flooding a ride vehicle path of an amusement park attraction with electromagnetic radiation using an emission subsystem comprising one or more emitters;

detecting wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation retro-reflected from within the ride vehicle path using a detection subsystem having one or more detectors;

tracking, in space and time, a movement and a location of a ride vehicle on the ride vehicle path based on changes in the retro-reflected electromagnetic radiation with a control system having processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the detection subsystem;

triggering a pyrotechnic show effect when a tracked location of the ride vehicle has a predetermined relationship relative to the pyrotechnic show effect using a pyrotechnic show effect device coupled to the control system;

detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted by the pyrotechnic show effect using the detection subsystem;

comparing the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the pyrotechnic show effect to a reference signature of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the pyrotechnic show effect stored in a memory of the control system;

adjusting an operating parameter of the pyrotechnic show effect device based on the comparison using the control system.

18. The method of claim 17, triggering the pyrotechnic show effect comprises triggering a flame effect.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein triggering the flame effect comprises triggering detonation of an ordinance.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein triggering the pyrotechnic show effect comprises initiating the production of a flame using a flame-producing device, and wherein adjusting the operating parameter of the pyrotechnic show effect device based on the comparison using the control system comprises adjusting a flow of an oxidant to a combustion chamber of the flame-producing device, adjusting a flow of a fuel to a combustion chamber of the flame-producing device, adjusting a flow of a flame additive to a flame outlet of the flame-producing device, or any combination thereof.