Patent Application
20250032940
There are many flying theater variants which present guests to an immersive media screen where guests are seated in straight or nearly straight rows. However, there is nothing that exists in the market which seats guests in a circular arrangement while providing guests a flying theater experience.
The current state of the art for flying theater platforms is limited to a linear seating arrangement with a common point of view to the media screen. The guest viewing experience on existing flying theaters is limited to a single viewpoint. Smaller guests are unable to ride existing flying theaters due to containment challenges and fall hazards. Flying theaters typically employ a reveal motion to move guests from the load and unload configuration to a flying configuration. Reveal motions tend to make the mechanics of the system complicated and expensive.
Various figures are included herein which illustrate aspects of embodiments of the disclosed inventions.
Referring now to
Typically, the multiple degrees of freedom comprise a predetermined set of pitch, roll, heave, yaw, surge, and sway motions.
In most embodiments guest platform 20 comprises a circular shape and inner row 24 of seats and outer row 23 of seats are arranged concentrically within guest platform 20 such that each seat faces towards display screen 50. Display screen 50 typically comprises a full 360-degree screen wrapping completely around guest platform 20 and the full 360-degree screen may comprise a spherical, toroid, or cylindrical media screen for full immersion.
The plurality of rows of seats 23,24 are typically arranged in a round or a square seating arrangement with seats facing outward towards display screen 50. In the case of a circular guest platform, outer row 23 may be arranged circumferentially proximate an outer circumferential edge of guest platform 20. In embodiments, inner row 24 of seats is configured to accommodate smaller guests who typically cannot ride a flying theater due to containment challenges and fall hazards due to mitigation of the fall hazard. Inner row 24 of seats and outer row 23 of seats amy also be configured to allow a seated passenger's feet to hang freely with respect to the seats.
In embodiments, guest platform 20 may further comprise selectively retractable portion 25 disposed proximate inner row 24 of seats and outer row 23 of seats where selectively retractable portion 25 is configured to allow a passenger's feet, for a passenger seated in inner row 24 of seats, to hang freely with respect to the inner row 24 of seats and programmable retraction controller 72 operatively connected to selectively retractable portion 25 and configured to selectively retract and extend selectively retractable portion 25.
Display screen 50 typically further comprises a predetermined set of selectively openable and closeable doors 52 configured to allow guest access to guest platform 20 and exit from guest platform 20, such as by using selectively retractable passenger load/unload platforms 40. Controlled entry and exit door 52 may be built into display screen 50, typically one such door diametrically opposed to a second such door, to allow media to be displayed on controlled entry and exit door 52 with minimal distortion.
Media screen content provider 60 typically comprises one or more visual content image projectors 62 configured to project one or more still or moving images onto an inner surface of display screen 50. Media may be displayed on display screen 50 via projectors or light emitting diodes (LED). In embodiments, media screen content provider 60 may further comprise a wind generator, a scent generator, a water sprayer, a face air blaster, a neck air blaster, or a seat vibrator, or a combination thereof.
In the operation of exemplary embodiments, a theater experience for a flying theater system that comprises a programmable, configurable motion base as described above may be provided by controlling programmable, configurable motion base 10 to achieve or otherwise be positioned to a passenger load position for guest platform 20 and allowing guests to access guest platform 20 and select a seat from inner row 24 of seats or outer row 23 of seats. At a predetermined time, further access by guests to guest platform 20 is disallowed and a media presentation sequence initiated by media screen content provider 60. Accordingly, a circular exterior seating is introduced that provides multiple viewpoints that allow multiple guest experiences simultaneously and display screen 50, typically a 360-degree media screen, provides complete guest immersion from all sides. If present, selectively retractable passenger load/unload platforms 40 retract to allow full view of display screen 50. This arrangement creates multiple views of a surrounding media scene allowing guests to experience the presented media content from different seat positions and have a unique experience each time. As noted herein, inner row 24 of seats comprise exterior facing seats which removes or otherwise ameliorates a potential of a fall hazard since the floor remains below the guests' feet. With the fall hazard mitigated, smaller guests riding with an adult companion can experience the flying theater safely.
In various embodiments, outer row 23 of seats are arranged in a circle proximate to or at an outer circumferential edge of guest platform 20 and are surrounded by display screen 20, which can be a set of 360 degree immersive media screens. Once a show starts, selectively openable and closeable doors 52 close and selectively retractable portions (25) retract, allowing guests' feet to hang freely. Once selectively retractable portions (25) are retracted, guests are fully surrounded by display screen 20 and programmable, configurable motion base (10) has its motion synchronized with media content provided by media screen content provider (60). In addition, special effects may be used to further increase the immersion into a ride experience. These include wind, scents, water spray, face air blast, neck air blast, seat vibration and others.
Motion controller 70 is used to synchronize motion of programmable, configurable motion base 10 with a media presentation sequence, typically during the duration of the media presentation sequence. Upon completion of the media presentation sequence, programmable, configurable motion base 10 is returned to the passenger load position for guest platform 20 and guests allowed to disembark from guest platform 20. Using motion controller 70 to synchronize motion of programmable, configurable motion base 10 with the media presentation sequence typically comprises imparting a predetermined set of pitch, roll, heave, yaw, surge, and/or sway motions, singly or in combination, to guest platform 20 via programmable, configurable motion base 10 and its predetermined set of motion actuators 11.
The media presentation sequence typically comprises projection of a predetermined set of still and/or moving visual images onto an inner portion of display screen 50, either singly or in combination. The media presentation sequence may also comprise generation of a wind effect, a scent effect, a water spray effect, a face air blast effect, a neck air blast effect, a seat vibration effect, or a combination thereof, where these effects are discernable by a guest seated on guest platform 20.
In certain embodiments, guest platform 20 may be dynamically reconfigured to allow a seated passenger's feet to hang freely such as by selectively retracting selectively retractable portion 25 of guest platform 20 which is disposed proximate inner row 24 of seats and outer row 24 of seats to allow a passenger's feet to hang freely by using programmable retraction controller 72 which is operatively connected to selectively retractable portion 25.
In embodiments, one or more selectively openable and closeable doors 52 may be provided, e.g., in display screen 50, and selectively openable and closeable doors 52 opened to allow guest access to guest platform 20 before initiating the media presentation sequence. Selectively openable and closeable doors 52 are then typically closed in display screen 50 to disallow further guest access to guest platform 20 during the media presentation sequence and reopened to allow guest access away from guest platform 20 after completing the media presentation sequence.
The foregoing disclosure and description of the inventions are illustrative and explanatory. Various changes in the size, shape, and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrative construction and/or an illustrative method may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
This application claims priority through U.S. Provisional Application 63/529,179 filed on Jul. 27, 2023, incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63529179 | Jul 2023 | US |
