Enhanced interactivity in an amusement park environment using passive tracking elements
AssigneeUniversal City Studios LLC
InventorsPaula Stenzler, Robert J. Cortelyou, Brian B. McQuillian, Christopher Oliver, Steven C. Blum, Amanda K. Zielkowski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dynamic signal to noise ratio tracking system enables detection and tracking of machines and people 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 within the area, and a control unit configured to evaluate signals from the detector and control the machines or other equipment as a result of this evaluation.
Claims20
An amusement park system, comprising:
- a plurality of retro-reflective markers positioned within a guest attraction area;
- an emission subsystem configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward the plurality of retro-reflective markers;
- a detection subsystem configured to detect retro-reflection of the electromagnetic radiation from the plurality of retro-reflective markers while filtering electromagnetic radiation that is not retro-reflected;
- and
- a control system communicatively coupled to the detection subsystem and comprising processing circuitry configured to:
- monitor the retro-reflection from the plurality of retro-reflective markers;
- and
- correlate the retro-reflected electromagnetic radiation to a person and an automated amusement park machine in the guest attraction area;
- and
- track movement of the person and the amusement park machine relative to one another in space and time based on changes in the retro-reflected electromagnetic radiation detected by the detection subsystem.
A method of tracking and controlling amusement park equipment, comprising:
- flooding a guest attraction area 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 guest attraction area while filtering wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation not retro-reflected from within the guest attraction area using a detection subsystem having one or more optical filters;
- and
- tracking, in space and time, a movement and a location of an automated amusement park machine relative to a movement and a location of a person based on changes in the retro-reflected electromagnetic radiation with a control system communicatively coupled to the detection subsystem.
An amusement park system, comprising:
- an emitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation;
- a camera configured to detect the electromagnetic radiation after being retro-reflected;
- a plurality of retro-reflective markers positioned within a guest attraction area of an amusement park and configured to retro-reflect the electromagnetic radiation;
- a control system comprising processing circuitry configured to receive data indicative of retro-reflection of electromagnetic radiation by the plurality of retro-reflective markers from the camera, wherein the control system is configured to monitor the retro-reflected electromagnetic radiation to track movement of people and machines within the guest attraction area based solely on changes in the retro-reflected electromagnetic radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.