Method and apparatus for an amusement ride having an interactive guided vehicle

A vehicle control system for guiding a vehicle along a path defined by a centerline and left and right boundaries parallel to and spaced laterally on opposite sides thereof and in which a passenger in the vehicle can steer the vehicle for lateral movement between the boundaries, the control system comprising:

• (a) an electrical conductor carrying an electrical current creating a magnetic field, said conductor extending along the centerline of the path;
• (b) a vehicle position sensor mounted on the vehicle, said vehicle position sensor providing a vehicle position signal that is proportional to the lateral spacing of a reference point on said vehicle relative to said electrical conductor;
• (c) a steering control that allows a passenger to steer the vehicle laterally of the path;
• and
• (d) a vehicle position controller operatively coupled to said vehicle position sensor and to said steering control for confining the lateral movement of the vehicle to within the boundaries.

An amusement ride of the type in which a vehicle is guided along a path defined by a centerline and left and right boundaries parallel to and spaced laterally on opposite sides thereof and in which a passenger in the vehicle can steer it for lateral movement between the boundaries, the ride comprising:

• (a) an electrical conductor carrying an electrical current creating a magnetic field, said conductor extending along the centerline of the path;
• (b) steering control means permitting the passenger of the vehicle to steer the vehicle;
• (c) sensing means mounted on the vehicle for sensing the relative lateral distance between a reference point on the vehicle and said electrical conductor;
• and
• (d) vehicle steering means connected to said steering control means and to said sensing means, said vehicle steering means steering the vehicle along the path and confining the lateral movement of the vehicle to a predetermined distance on either side of the electrical conductor.

A method for guiding a vehicle along a path defined by a centerline and left and right boundaries parallel to and spaced laterally on opposite sides thereof and in which a passenger in the vehicle can steer the vehicle for lateral movement between the boundaries, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) causing an electric current to flow through an electrical conductor, said electrical conductor extending along the centerline of the path;
• (b) propelling the vehicle along the path, with a steering control for allowing the vehicle to be steerable by the passenger enabling the passenger to steer the vehicle laterally of the path only up to the boundaries;
• (c) sensing a steering position of said steering control and producing a steering command signal;
• (d) sensing the lateral position of a reference point on the vehicle relative to said electrical conductor and producing a vehicle position signal;
• (e) comparing said vehicle position signal with said steering command signal and producing a commanded steer angle signal, whereby said commanded steer angle signal is a measure of the lateral deviation of said reference point on the vehicle from said steering position of said steering control;
• (f) sensing the steer angle of the vehicle and producing a steer angle signal;
• (g) comparing said steer angle signal with said commanded steer angle signal and producing a steer rate command signal;
• and
• (h) moving the vehicle laterally responsive to said steer rate command signal, for guiding the vehicle along the path and for preventing the vehicle from moving laterally outside the boundaries of the path.