Back to results
US 10,946,882 B2Granted
Systems and methods for improved operations of ski lifts
AssigneeClone667, LLC
InventorBryan Scott Queen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for improved operations of ski lifts increase skier safety at on-boarding and off-boarding locations by providing an always-on, always-alert system that “watches” these locations, identifies developing problem situations, and initiates mitigation actions. One or more video cameras feed live video to a video processing module. The video processing module feeds resulting sequences of images to an artificial intelligence (AI) engine. The AI engine makes an inference regarding existence of a potential problem situation based on the sequence of images. This inference is fed to an inference processing module, which determines if the inference processing module should send an alert or interact with the lift motor controller to slow or stop the lift.
Claims28
A computerized method for improved ski lift operations, comprising:
- capturing, by at least one computer processor, digital video of one or more of on-boarding and off-boarding operations of a ski lift;
- generating, by at least one computer processor, as the ski lift is operating, a plurality of digital images of the one or more of on-boarding and off-boarding operations of the ski lift based on the captured digital video, wherein the plurality of digital images includes sequences of video frames, wherein each sequence of the sequences of video frames includes a plurality of individual video frames representing a sequence of events;
- automatically detecting, by at least one computer processor, in real-time as the digital video is being captured, as the ski lift is operating, a potential problem situation represented by an abnormal position of a lift rider while on-boarding or off-boarding the ski lift in one or more of an on-boarding area and an off-boarding area of the ski lift based on the plurality of digital images, wherein the automatically detecting the potential problem situation includes:
- analyzing the plurality of digital images as the ski lift is operating, including recognizing in the plurality of digital images a sequence of events that represents the abnormal position of a lift rider resulting in an abnormal on-boarding or off-boarding process at a scene of the ski lift that includes the one or more of an on-boarding area and an off-boarding area of the ski lift;
- and
- determining, based on a combined sequence of video frames of at least one of the sequences of video frames, whether a sequence of events represented by the at least one of the sequences of video frames indicates a problem situation represented by an abnormal position of a lift rider while on-boarding or off-boarding the ski lift, wherein the sequence of events that represents the abnormal position of a lift rider resulting in the abnormal on-boarding or off-boarding process includes a lift rider being in an abnormal position on a lift chair after on-boarding the ski lift;
- and
- initiating an action, by the at least one computer processor, as the ski lift is operating, to address the potential problem situation in the one or more of an on-boarding area and off-boarding area of the ski lift while the potential problem situation still exists.
5 more elements
A system for improved operations of ski lifts, comprising:
- at least one memory;
- and
- at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one memory has computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
- capture digital video of one or more of on-boarding and off-boarding operations of a ski lift;
- generate, as the ski lift is operating, a plurality of digital images of the one or more of on-boarding and off-boarding operations of the ski lift based on the captured digital video;
- automatically detect, as the ski lift is operating, a potential problem situation represented by an abnormal position of a lift rider while on-boarding or off-boarding the ski lift in one or more of the on-boarding and off-boarding area of the ski lift based on the plurality of digital images, wherein the automatically detecting the potential problem situation includes analyzing the plurality of digital images as the ski lift is operating, including recognizing in the plurality of digital images a sequence of events that represents the abnormal position of a lift rider resulting in an abnormal on-boarding or off-boarding process at a scene of the ski lift that includes the one or more of an on-boarding area and an off-boarding area of the ski lift, wherein the sequence of events that represents the abnormal position of a lift rider resulting in the abnormal on-boarding or off-boarding process includes a lift rider being in an abnormal position on a lift chair after on-boarding the ski lift;
- and
- initiate an action, as the ski lift is operating, to address the potential problem situation in the one or more of the on-boarding and off-boarding area of the ski lift while the potential problem situation still exists.
5 more elements
A ski lift controller comprising:
- a ski lift motor controller of a ski lift;
- at least one memory;
- at least one video camera;
- and
- at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, the at least one camera and the ski lift motor controller, wherein the at least one memory has computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
- capture, via the at least one video camera, digital video of one or more of on-boarding and off-boarding operations of the ski lift;
- generate, as the ski lift is operating, a plurality of digital images of the one or more of on-boarding and off-boarding operations of the ski lift based on the captured digital video;
- automatically detect, as the ski lift is operating, a potential problem situation in one or more of the on-boarding and off-boarding area of the ski lift represented by an abnormal position of a lift rider while on-boarding or off-boarding the ski lift based on the plurality of digital images, wherein the automatically detecting the potential problem situation includes analyzing the plurality of digital images as the ski lift is operating, including recognizing in the plurality of digital images a sequence of events that represents the abnormal position of a lift rider resulting in an abnormal on-boarding or off-boarding process at a scene of the ski lift that includes the one or more of an on-boarding area and an off-boarding area of the ski lift, wherein the sequence of events that represents the abnormal position of a lift rider resulting in the abnormal on-boarding or off-boarding process includes a lift rider being in an abnormal position on a lift chair after on-boarding the ski lift;
- and
- initiate an action, as the ski lift is operating, to address the potential problem situation in the one or more of the on-boarding and off-boarding area of the ski lift while the potential problem situation still exists.
7 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having computer executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
- automatically detect, as a ski lift is operating, a potential problem situation in one or more of an on-boarding and off-boarding area of the ski lift represented by an abnormal position of a lift rider while on-boarding or off-boarding the ski lift based on a plurality of digital images from captured digital video of operation of the ski lift, wherein the automatically detecting the potential problem situation includes analyzing the plurality of digital images as the ski lift is operating, including recognizing in the plurality of digital images a sequence of events that represents the abnormal position of a lift rider resulting in an abnormal on-boarding or off-boarding process at a scene of the ski lift that includes the one or more of an on-boarding area and an off-boarding area of the ski lift, wherein the sequence of events that represents the abnormal position of a lift rider resulting in the abnormal on-boarding or off-boarding process includes a lift rider being in an abnormal on a lift chair after on-boarding the ski lift;
- and
- initiate an action, as the ski lift is operating, to address the potential problem situation in the one or more of the on-boarding and off-boarding area of the ski lift while the potential problem situation still exists.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.