U.S. patent application number 15/910915 was filed with the patent office on 2019-09-05 for network gaming ride attraction.
The applicant listed for this patent is Falcon's Treehouse LLC. Invention is credited to Syed Saham Ali, David James Consolo, Cecil D. Magpuri, David Michael Schaefer, Michael John Wallace.
Application Number | 20190270022 15/910915 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 67768382 |
Filed Date | 2019-09-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190270022 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Magpuri; Cecil D. ; et
al. |
September 5, 2019 |
NETWORK GAMING RIDE ATTRACTION
Abstract
A method for operating a ride attraction includes directing a
rider to a kiosk or a mobile application on a smart phone, with the
rider creating a character profile or accessing his/her previously
created character profile. The rider is assigned to a ride vehicle
or to a seat in a ride vehicle. The rider boards the into or onto
the assigned vehicle or seat. The ride vehicle moves along a path
in the ride attraction. At least one of the path, special effects,
onscreen graphics and scoring may be modified according to the
rider's character. A mobile application gameplay may unlock
specified game features to change a ride experience
Inventors: |
Magpuri; Cecil D.; (Orlando,
FL) ; Wallace; Michael John; (Orlando, FL) ;
Schaefer; David Michael; (Orlando, FL) ; Ali; Syed
Saham; (Orlando, FL) ; Consolo; David James;
(Orlando, FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Falcon's Treehouse LLC |
Orlando |
FL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
67768382 |
Appl. No.: |
15/910915 |
Filed: |
March 2, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63G 25/00 20130101;
A63F 13/798 20140902; A63F 13/46 20140902; A63G 33/00 20130101;
A63F 13/80 20140902; A63G 31/00 20130101; A63F 13/25 20140902; A63F
13/216 20140902; A63F 13/92 20140902; A63G 7/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63G 25/00 20060101
A63G025/00; A63F 13/80 20060101 A63F013/80; A63F 13/46 20060101
A63F013/46; A63F 13/798 20060101 A63F013/798 |
Claims
1. A method for operating a ride attraction, comprising: directing
a rider to a kiosk or a mobile application on a smart phone, with
the rider creating a character profile or accessing his/her
previously created character profile; assigning the rider to a
vehicle or to a seat in a vehicle; boarding the rider into or onto
the assigned vehicle or seat; moving the vehicle along a path in
the ride attraction; and modifying at least one of the path,
special effects, onscreen graphics and scoring based on the rider's
character profile.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the rider's character profile is
assigned and connected to the vehicle.
3. (canceled)
4. The method of claim 1 wherein mobile application gameplay
unlocks specified game features to change a ride experience.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein on-ride gameplay unlocks specified
features of a mobile application used by the rider.
6. A ride attraction, comprising: a vehicle movable along a
pathway; a first communication link between the vehicle and a
computer controller, the computer controller having a rider's
character profile stored in a memory; a second communication link
between the computer controller and a rider's smart phone or a
queue kiosk used by the rider; and the computer controller adapted
to modify at least one of the pathway, special effects, onscreen
graphics and scoring based on the rider's character profile.
7. (canceled)
8. The ride attraction of claim 6 wherein the first communication
link provides information about a rider's actions during the ride
from the ride vehicle to the computer controller, and provides
instructions to the vehicle based on the rider's character profile
and/or the rider's action during the ride, with the instructions
influencing at least one of the pathway, special effects, onscreen
graphics and scoring.
9. The ride attraction of claim 6 wherein the second communication
link provides information about the rider's character profile from
rider's smart phone or a queue kiosk to the computer
controller.
10. The ride attraction of claim 9 wherein the second communication
link provides assigned vehicle and/or seat information from the
computer controller to the rider.
11. A method for operating a ride attraction, comprising: receiving
character profile information about a rider from a wireless
appliance used by the rider, with the character profile comprising
a set of data unique to the rider; storing the character profile
information in a computer; assigning the rider to a vehicle or to a
seat in a vehicle; boarding the rider into or onto the assigned
vehicle or seat; moving the vehicle along a path in the ride
attraction; and modifying images displayed to the rider as the
vehicle moves along the path, based on the rider's character
profile.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The field of the application is rides in theme and amusement
parks. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and
equipment for providing amusement or theme park experiences.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Various amusement park rides have been created to provide
passengers with unique motion and visual gaming experiences. In one
example, rides have been built with multi-passenger vehicles that
travel along a fixed path and allow guest to shoot at real targets
in the physical environment or at virtual targets in a virtual
reality space. In addition to the excitement created by the speed
or change in direction of the vehicles as they move along the path,
the vehicles themselves may generate special effects, e.g., sound
and/or motion effects, Although a repeat rider may be familiar with
the general path of the ride, the gaming aspect may create interest
during second and subsequent rides.
[0003] However, regardless of such enhancements to these passenger
vehicle rides, repeat riders may over time feel the ride experience
is no longer interesting or exciting. Accordingly, there is a need
for an improved amusement ride vehicle and system that can offer
new effects and enhanced experiences.
[0004] Independently, mobile gaming has evolved to allow players to
create virtual characters and upgrade them through accomplishments,
in-games purchase, or other rewards. The game play evolves and is
enhanced as characters grow and obtain new attributes. This allows
for an ever-changing gaming environment.
SUMMARY
[0005] A networked gaming ride system combines elements of
electronic gaming with elements of a theme park ride, to provide
both custom gaming and custom rider experiences. The present
networked gaming ride attraction uses a unique set of steps to
connect a mobile gaming platform with a ride experience, allowing
the gaming and ride aspects to influence each other. As riders
visit the ride attraction, their mobile gaming experience may be
improved via enhanced gaming features, points, or power. And
conversely, as mobile garners play the game, their on-ride
experience can be improved with additional features, points, or
power. The combination of these gaming and ride elements creates an
ever-changing ride and gaming platform.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
present disclosure will become better understood when the following
detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein the same element number indicates the same element
in each of the views.
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ride attraction.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating operation of a network
gaming ride attraction.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, a ride attraction 10 has a path or track
12, with vehicles 14 movable along the track 12. Seats 16 of the
vehicle are attached to a floor or seating platform 18 which
optionally is supported on a motion base 26, such as a flight
simulator type of motion base 26. The motion base 26 is attached to
a chassis 24 typically having wheels which roll on a path or track
12, although the vehicle may optionally be suspended from an
overhead track, float on water, or use other support techniques
such as magnetic-levitation, hover, etc. In some designs the
vehicle may be designed to carry standing riders. The path or track
12 may be indoors to provide a dark ride, or be outdoors to provide
a coaster type of ride, or include elements of both, Stationary,
moving or animatronic figures, scenery and creative elements 34,
may be provided along the path or track 12. The path or track 12
may also pass through un-themed space 36.
[0010] The riders 101 may be provided with objects or props 38,
such as magical wands, canes, gloves, etc., or fictional weapons
such as ray guns, so-called phasors or similar objects, generally
matching a specific storyline, such as a storyline from a movie,
comic book, novel, etc. These objects 38 may be active in the sense
that the ride system can detect whether a rider using the object
has acquired or hit an intended target 40. The intended target may
be a real fixed or moving robotic target, or a projected or virtual
character or inanimate target. The objects 38 may also provide
sound, vibration and/or visual effects when activated by a
rider.
[0011] Turning to FIG. 2, in operation users or riders 101 access
the ride system either through their smart phones (i. e, via the
internet 102) or from a queue kiosk 104 while the riders are in the
ride queue. From here riders have access to a user database 105 to
create and modify their in-game character. Riders then board a ride
vehicle 14. Once on the ride vehicle, the ride system pulls
information from the user database 105 and returns results back to
the same user database 105. After a rider completes the ride, the
system records that the rider completed ride (i.e., adding to the
rider's ride count) and also records the rider's score in the
database 105. The system may then unlock features in the mobile
game or other in-park rewards (such as a front-of-the-line pass,
merchandise discounts, etc.). External applications 107, such as
additional mobile bases, games can also access user data from the
user database 105 and return information as riders increase their
scores, or abilities, A pre-load kiosk 108 may be used to assign
each rider to a specific seat or position in a specific ride
vehicle 14. Seat assignment may optionally be performed without a
pre-load kiosk, for example with the ride system providing each
rider with an electronic boarding pass, or in other ways.
[0012] Each individual rider's on-ride experience may be enhanced
via software. Typically the enhanced features vary depending on the
storyline and installation site. For example, riders reaching a
higher level of a game, or riders earning a higher score may be
provided with a more powerful magic wand or weapon. Ride effects
may also be changed, such as lighting effects (strobes, lasers,
etc.) appearing when a rider obtains a specified point score.
Similarly, other enhancements may include special effects such as
fog, wind, water spray, etc. or onscreen animation and/or character
actions and dialog.
[0013] The ride path, special effects, onscreen graphics, etc. may
be customized or specifically made for each specific rider. This
may be achieved via the riders wearing a virtual reality headset or
googles. Alternatively, some of the enhancements can be more group
or vehicle based (special effects for example) with others made
more personal such as a result from hitting a target. A vehicle may
include various quantity of riders with different character
attributes, so their powers appear differently, to help distinguish
each rider's gameplay from adjacent riders in the same vehicle. For
example, each rider's object 38 may emit light of a specific color
or character.
[0014] As used here, smart phone includes equivalent devices such
as laptops, tablets, phablets, etc. Path means a physical path,
such as a track, as well as a virtual path, such as an instruction
set saved in a memory.
[0015] Thus, novel systems and methods have been shown and
described. Various changes and substitutions may of course be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The
invention, therefore, should not be limited, except by the
following claims and their equivalents.
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