Patent Application
20190094540
The present invention is directed to devices, systems and methods for coordinating water-related experiences with virtual reality content.
There has been a report of a virtual reality system that could potentially be used by an individual in water. U.S. Pat. No. 9,740,010, entitled “Waterproof Virtual Reality Goggle and Sensor System”, for example, allegedly reports the following: “A waterproof 3D virtual reality system is described. The virtual reality system includes several key components, such as a submersion tank, an enveloping medium, a waterproof head-mounted display system containing a sensor for tracking the user's head movements and an optical element that displays virtual reality images, waterproof hand sensors, electronic surface sensors, a computer/controller that both receives and transmits location and speed data from sensors worn by the user, and a computer-implemented virtual reality video input signal that is dynamically modified in accordance with movement of the user's head and/or hand sensors. Furthermore, a method of enhancing a user's overall virtual experience is described. This method involves the user occupying a position of partial submersion in a body of fluid, such that the fluid provides buoyancy and resistance to the user.”
Despite this report there is still a need in the art for novel devices, systems and methods for coordinating water-related experiences with virtual reality content.
In one aspect of the present invention, a method of providing a virtual reality experience to a rider moving along the surface of water is provided. The method includes the following steps: providing a headset to the rider, wherein the headset is placed over the rider's eyes; providing a surface of water along which the rider can travel; collecting data on the rider's acceleration, velocity or orientation through interaction of the headset with signals generated next to the surface of the water along which the rider travels; using the data to calculate one or more values that are used to coordinate virtual reality content with the rider's position along the water surface; presenting the virtual reality content to the rider through the headset, thereby providing a virtual reality experience to the rider.
In another aspect of the present invention, a headset for providing virtual reality content to a user is provided. The headset includes: a viewing unit attached to a dive mask, wherein the dive mask comprises lenses and lens frames that hold a glass plate, and wherein the viewing unit includes a smartphone or tablet placed in a protective housing or enclosure, and wherein there is an empty space between the viewing unit and the dive mask glass, and wherein the empty space fills with water when the headset is submerged in water, and wherein the combination of headset lenses and the water that fills the empty space between the viewing unit and dive mask glass coordinate to provide sharper images for the user.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of providing a virtual reality experience to a person in a confined body of water is provided. The method includes the steps of: providing a headset to the person, wherein the headset is placed over the person's eyes; providing a confined body of water, wherein beacons or markers are placed with respect to the confined body of water such that signals can be sent from the beacons or markers to a receiver on the headset; collecting data based on the interaction between the beacons or markers and the headset, wherein the data is used to coordinate virtual content with the person's position within the confined body of water, thereby providing a virtual reality experience to the person.
“Mixed reality content” refers to imagery, sounds and other sensations displayed by a headset worn over the eyes and potentially using other devices for sensory stimulation to simulate a user's physical presence in a digitally created environment that takes place in a physical environment where real objects are also incorporated into the virtual experience
“Synchronized” refers to the act of causing two things to occur at the same time, so that the perspective of the user in the virtual environment matches that of their position in the physical world.
“User's movements” includes, but is not limited to, any physical motion that a person generates during a virtual reality experience.
“Fusion algorithm” refers to mathematical code that combine inputs from multiple sensors to conclude a final outcome, in this case a user's ultimate position.
“Acceleration signature” refers to the recording and output of a pattern of inertial physical movements by multiple sensors, so that as a person moves down a slide and turns around each bend they are creating a unique movement signature. As a person moves along the slide or track, the change in that signature over a small finite time period, also known as the sampling time, is recorded, and this is the “acceleration signature”.
“Trained model” is the output of a machine learning algorithm that has been trained on a set of acceleration signatures, and which can be used to make judgements or predictions about future, yet unseen, acceleration signatures as they are recorded.
“External inputs” refer to any signals or information received by the headset from an outside source.
“Train/vestibule” is a device used to give a person motion during the experience, including inflatable tubes, a wheeled carriage, a motorized device, or a cable system.
Determining the positions of individual people as they move down a track or a water slide is a complex calculation. Current virtual reality systems rely on users being in a confined environment like an 11 ft×11 ft room, or larger arena with specially designed optical or infrared sensors that track user movement. These systems are designed to track people as they walk or stand and typically do not involve high speed movements or unpredictable rates of acceleration found on waterslides or track (typically around 6 ft per second). These systems commonly use light-based sensors or imaging devices to monitor the user's movements and send that information back to a headset that is wired to a terminal. Virtual reality images are displayed at a rate of between 40 and 120 times per second to ensure a comfortable experience, and so the position must be determined by the headset at a similar rate while displaying these images. To gather this information and relay it back to the headset while the user is moving quickly is complex, and the presence of water also means that light-based solutions and other common methods have a high risk of failure, due to refraction and particulate effects in water.
Individual riders complete the track or slide at different speeds, due to variations in height, weight and friction. For virtual reality content to be comfortably displayed on a headset, the headset must be aware of where it is on the track, within a few feet, (e.g., five feet, four feet, three feet, two feet or one foot), so that the images can be synchronized to the rider's motion. A series of ultrasonic sound emitting beacons are placed along the track to instruct the headset that it has passed each beacon in succession. Sensors inside the headset are also monitoring the acceleration and velocity of the rider, performing a series of calculations that help determine where the rider is on the path.
Separately, there is a need for a headset that can display virtual objects while the user is submerged under water, allowing images to be clearly displayed without the need for a large pocket of air typically required to correctly display virtual reality content. The air pocket is needed because a distance of at least several inches is required between the lens optics and the screen or visual source. This system would allow a virtual or augmented reality system to work underwater. A mask that employs soft waterproof materials such as rubber or silicone is used to seal the area around the user's face under water and eliminate the air gap that separates the screen and the optical lenses. Upon submersion, the space between the screen and lenses is filled with water, eliminating the air gap that ordinarily separates the display from the lenses. The optical properties of water can therefore be used in conjunction with the lens elements in the mask to produce a clear image.
In some implementations of using a virtual or augmented reality headset while submerged in water, there is a need for the user to stay in a stationary position, to prevent collisions with the water's containers or other swimmers. Therefore, a tether system has been designed where the user wears a belt or harness that gives him/her buoyancy in water and restricts his/her physical movement to a small radius based on the length of the tether cord. Modifications to this tether can be made, such as pressure or stress/tension other types of data measurement devices, to help inform the computational units that relay position and velocity to the virtual reality content processing devices. The tether can be held in place via fixed hardware connected to the boundaries of the container or via a significantly weighted unit that has the option to be moved or removed.
The methods described can be implemented in a wide variety of different types of water-based virtual reality attractions. The methods enable virtual reality experiences to work between two or more fluid mediums, such as air, water, or other gases and liquids. The methods to identify the user's location with ultrasound and inertial measurements have the ability to track across multiple mediums. Experiences above water, experiences below water, partially submerged experiences and in experiences that allow the user to move between air and water can be targeted. These types of attractions could include a person moving on water through the force of gravity, a person moving on or in water with the aid of a motorized vehicle, a person swimming in a determined area, a person swimming in a moving current of water, a person floating in a confined area and any experience where a user transitions from being above the surface to underneath the water, or stays in either one.
The method of this invention takes the user's current position, derived from the position and orientation of encoded transmissions from different external inputs. In one aspect of the present invention, external beacons are used to emit signals detected by the virtual reality headset. There are other potential ways to do this such as using GPS, ‘Near Field Communication’ (NFC) chips, radio signals, Bluetooth signals, or infrared detection. Other methods typically, however, either have reduced accuracy, frequency or range. Use of beacons is accordingly a preferred method. Small beacons placed at intervals along the track or waterslide act as a transmitter to emit encoded high frequency signals to a receiver that is connected to the virtual reality headset. As the rider wearing the virtual reality headset passes the high-frequency signal software that uses doppler-shift based algorithms, is used to detect the exact moment that the rider is passing this sensor and informs the system that the rider has passed the sensor. This method is special in that it employs an “inside-out” technique; using the headset to gather external information, rather than using external sensors to detect a position and relay that information back to the headset.
Others have used external sensors to detect orientation and position in environments that lack the presence of water. For environments containing water, however, high efficiency is achieved by processing in an ‘inside-out’ fashion, using signals that perform well in and around water, like sound or magnetic signals. Magnetic signals are one of the few ways to transmit information underwater (over short distances) with little to no interference from the water medium. The combination of the performance of our neural network and the analysis of the physical simulation, increases efficiency and decreases “lag” or processing time that could interfere with synchronization of the visual elements, to an order of 100 to 500 milliseconds.
In another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of internal sensors is used to detect and record the acceleration and orientation of test riders as they go down the slide or ride. Each data set for a single rider is referred to as an acceleration signature. A plurality of acceleration signatures is collected from test subjects in order to train a machine learning algorithm. Typically, between 50 and 2000 acceleration signatures would be collected for training, although as few as 10 to 50 signatures could be collected or as many as 2000 to 10000 or more acceleration signatures could be collected.
The collected acceleration signatures are used to train a machine learning model, such regression models, random forests, and artificial neural network. Artificial neural network types that could be used include feedforward neural networks, radial basis function neural networks, Kohonen self-organizing neural networks, recurrent neural networks, convolutional neural networks, and modular neural networks which combine different types of neural networks into a single network.
A machine learning model is trained from the test acceleration signatures to output a value corresponding to the rider's location on the slide. The output value is typically a number between 0 and 1 where 0 corresponds to the begging of the slide and 1 corresponds to the end of the slide, but any numeric range could be used. Discreet buckets or classifications could also be used, where the first classification corresponds to the first section of the slide, the second classification corresponds to the seconds section of the slide, and so on.
During the consumption of a virtual or augmented reality experience on the water slide, the trained neural network is used to output the rider's predicted location on the slide. This information can be actively used in conjunction with the sensors to accurately determine exactly where the rider is. Because the beacons are most effective when placed at intervals throughout the path, the sensor data allows the system to fill in the gaps left by the sensors, to create a complete model of the precise position of the rider. This complete model leaves no part of the ride unmeasured by the system. If the intervals between beacons are ‘blind spots’, the sensor data helps create a full image in between blind spots. Our system is unique in employing the use of a software controller that takes the data from these two components (beacons and internal sensors) to calculate a highly precise position of the user at any given moment, at a high frequency.
The virtual reality headset utilizes a mobile radio device, a mobile telephone, in particular a smartphone or tablet computer to power the display and combine the necessary sensors that are used to gather movement and orientation. The present invention is also unique in that it uses only sensors already found on such devices to do all the computation, without the need for any external hardware to be attached to the virtual reality headset. These sensors include a microphone, magnetometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, pressure sensors, capacitive touch sensors, proximity sensors, Near Field Communication (NFC), RFID, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GSM, and optical sensors including cameras and depth scanners.
Moreover, the tracking system can currently take in two inputs (acoustic beacons and inertial measurements), and “fuse” them together, making intelligent assumptions about possible positions of the rider. For example, on a waterslide, it is nearly impossible to move backwards, and if one or more inputs are telling the fusion system that the rider is indeed moving backwards, then those inputs are discarded. A novel feature of this fusion system is that any number of inputs can be added and existing inputs can be swapped out. This allows for it to be flexible, and adapt to new technology, without having to reinvent the underlying system. For example, if better beacon sensors are devised, then those replace the acoustic beacons, and the rest of the system functions as-is.
The purpose of the tracking system is to match the user's location in physical space with their location in virtual space in order to display the correct image on the headset display corresponding to the user's current location. The image to be displayed could either be created in real time using a game engine or other graphics rendering library, or it could be loaded from the appropriate frame of a video sequence. If loaded from a video sequence, then the video would be played at varying speeds depending on how the quickly the rider was moving through physical space. For a rider who was moving more slowly, the video would be played at a correspondingly slower rate. Similarly, for a rider moving more quickly, the video would be played at a correspondingly faster rate.
Alternatively, the slide 4 could be a slide without the presence of water 3. The tube 2 could instead be a vestibule with wheels that allows the person 1 to travel down the slide 4. The beacons 6 could be mounted or embedded into the structure of the slide 4 itself, rather than mounted on supports 7. The beacons 6 could be a range of different items; sound emitting devices, magnetic markers, optical markers, radio frequency broadcasting devices, or sensors that detect the proximity of a person 1. In this embodiment, the sensors 9 and beacons 6 work together to deliver a transmission 10, but an embodiment could be created that uses only beacons 6 to deliver the transmission 10.
In another embodiment, it is conceivable that the system involving the analysis of the active motion path 4 to previous rider's motion paths 5 could work independently, without relying on beacons 2 to authenticate the analysis.
The ‘acoustic tracking’ block 304 is able to interpret acoustic signals 342A through 342N from different beacons 341A through 341N as the rider goes past them to know which section of the slide or track the rider is on, and provides this value, 373, to 301.
The ‘physics simulator’ 303 has a general understanding of how a body would move along the slide or track at different points in time, and also has the 3D model of the track 360. It is able to provide these pieces of information to the fusion block 301 as 374.
This ‘fusion’ block is able to ingest the various inputs from 302 & 304 (position along the track, value between 0 and 1), 303 (position in 3D space, but on the track as simulated), and produces a final 3D position 370. This is provided to the 3D rendering software 305, which also has a 3D map of the track 360, and using these pieces of information, 305 is able to fully create the first person position image 371 of a person moving through a virtual world. This is viewed on a virtual reality screen 306.
302 (neural net or other machine learning algorithm) processes the input from multiple sensors, such as proximity sensor 330, camera 331, magnetometer 332, accelerometer 333, gyroscope 334, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 335 and compares it to the overall signature of the ride (which it received from 310), and is able to approximate the current position, 372.
The Bluetooth/Wi-Fi module 335 is also able to communicate directly to each beacon (341A through 341N) as well as the ‘co-ordination server’ 380, through the network 390. The server 380 holds overall information about the system.
In addition, the virtual reality headsets 480A through 480N can also communicate back to the beacon, using encoded ultrasonic sound waves 481A through 481N.
In another version of the invention, the processing unit always plays the appropriate ultrasonic signal 422, which is then converted to the correct ultrasonic sound wave 424, in the manner described above.
The RF communication unit 430 comprises of all electrical hardware required to encode and decode radio frequency waves, including protocols such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This unit allows the beacon to communicate with every virtual reality headset (480A through 480N), as well as the co-ordination server 450, via the network, 470. The co-ordination server 450 is able to change any functional aspects of each beacon. It is also able to communicate with each virtual reality headset 480A through 480N present in the system, through the network 470. 450 can receive instructions 472 to change any functional aspects, from a controller app 460, through the network 390. The co-ordination server 450 also keeps a record of all the information being transmitted throughout the system, for diagnostic purposes.
The side view of
A key component of this invention is the empty space 10 between the glass 2 and the enclosure 16, which is designed to be flooded when submerged under water. Using the properties of water as a magnification element, water works in conjunction with the lenses 1 to create a sharp image viewed by the user.
In addition to the displaying virtual reality content, the screen, smart phone, or tablet 15 can be used to display information to the ride operator. For example, when not in use, the display could be set to a certain color to indicate the amount of charge in the battery of the device (green=full charge, yellow=medium charge, red=low charge).
A combination of the devices shown in
There are many types of waterslides and water rides that are a good fit for virtual or augmented reality conversion. This encompasses but is not limited to body slides, inline tube slides, aqua loops, bowl slides, family raft slides, funnels, half pipes, multi-lane racers, speed slides and water coasters. Specifically, the AquaLoop is a slide designed by WhiteWaterWest that loads a single rider into a launch chamber where they stand with their hands across their chest. After a countdown, a trapdoor opens and the rider immediately drops 16 meters (52 ft) inside a near vertical slide. The rider accelerates to 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph) in just 2 seconds before entering the loop element. This element is a variation of the traditional vertical loop because it lies on an angle of approximately 45°. This variation of a loop is called an inclined loop. The 88.4-metre (290 ft) slide is over within 7 seconds. The experience could greatly benefit from the addition of visuals that heighten the moment of the drop and add to an otherwise short experience.
A different example is the Grizzly River Run at Disney California Adventure, a flume-style river rapids ride that is designed to hold 8 people in a single boat. By equipping passengers with waterproof headsets and installing beacons along the rapids track, we can send signals individually to each virtually reality headset and deliver an independent experience to all eight passengers in the boat.
VR experiences are commonly measured on a 5-star scale that rates entertainment value and comfort level. Entertainment value can often represent how closely the virtual experience mimics real life, or the visual quality and storytelling in the experience. Comfort level is determined by the amount of camera movement, player motion, or disorienting content and effects. Experiences can be rated as ‘Comfortable’, ‘Moderate’, ‘Intense’ or ‘Unrated’. Good experiences are less likely to make users dizzy, nauseous or scared. In certain cases, the VR experiences provided by the present invention have an average rank of 4 or better on a 5 point scale; in others, the VR experiences have an average rank of 4.5 or better on a 5 point scale.
The implementation of this technology on waterslides creates a compelling product for theme park operators. With this technology, they can leverage existing slides that have lost appeal because they are old or outdated and create an entirely new ride experience. In certain cases, implementation of this technology can increase waterslide use (number of people riding water slide per unit of time such as a week, month or year) by at least 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent, 40 percent or 50 percent. In other cases, implementation can increase use by at least 75 percent, 100 percent, 150 percent or 200 percent.
Moreover, a slide or moving water body, like a lazy river, of almost any length can be converted into a virtual reality attraction. A slide of at least 30 feet long, typically up to 300 feet, 30 to 400 feet, 30 to 500 feet, 30 to 600 feet, 30 to 700 feet, 30 to 800 feet, 30 to 900 feet, 30 to 1000 feet, 30 to 1100 feet, 30 to 1200 feet, 30 to 1300 feet, 30 to 1400 feet, 30 to 1500 feet, 30 to 1600 feet, 30 to 1600 feet, 30 to 1700 feet, 30 to 1800 feet, 30 to 1900 feet, and typically up to a mile long.
In addition, the visual content experienced in virtual reality can be changed on demand. Because many people still have not experienced virtual reality, installing this new technology on a slide is beneficial as a marketing device to get people to visit the park. Parks can charge an additional fee for guests to access the virtual reality headsets. This can, for instance, increase ride/slide revenue (gross revenue received by park for ride per unit time such as a week, month or year) by at least 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent, 40 percent or 50 percent. In other cases, ride/slide revenue can be increased by at least 75 percent, 100 percent, 150 percent or 200 percent. The slide can also be run like a regular slide without virtual reality.
By changing the experience inside the headset, park operators can keep guests coming back to experience new types of content. One business model involves charging parks exclusively for new content, on demand or on a recurring basis. New content can be released on a seasonal basis, or for special holidays, or with advertising partners that would like to integrate their brand into the experience.
The following are examples of aspects of the present invention:
In aspect one of the present invention, a method of providing a virtual/mixed reality experience to a rider on a slide is provided. The method involves the steps of: providing a headset to a rider, wherein the headset is placed over the rider's eyes; providing a chute or channel down which the rider can slide; collecting data on the rider through interaction of the headset with beacons placed at intervals along the slide; using the data to calculate one or more values that are used to coordinate virtual/mixed reality content with the rider's position along the slide; presenting the virtual/mixed reality content to the rider through the headset thereby providing a virtual/mixed reality experience to the rider on the slide.
In aspect two of the present invention, a method of increasing use of a slide by riders is provided. The method involves the steps of: providing a headset to the rider, wherein the headset is placed over the rider's eyes; providing a chute or channel down which the rider can slide; collecting data on the rider through interaction of the headset with beacons placed at intervals along the slide; using data to calculate one or more values that are used to coordinate virtual/mixed reality content with the rider's position along the slide; presenting the virtual/mixed reality content to the rider through the headset; adding a competitive scoring system by rewarding points in virtual/mixed reality; collecting and analyzing information related to the quality of the rider's virtual/mixed reality experience to provide marketing output; increasing safety on the slide by analyzing rider data patterns and throughput; publishing the marketing output thereby increasing the use of a slide by riders; generating revenue from the slide in a way that was previously not possible.
In aspect three of the present invention, a method of providing a virtual/mixed reality experience within a body of water, such as a tank or swimming pool, is provided. The method involves the steps of: providing a headset to the user, wherein the headset is placed over the user's eyes, and the headset creates a watertight seal around the face, to prevent water from entering the area where the eyes are exposed to the optical system; the optical system uses air, light, water and a lens to generate a clear magnified image from a display to the user's eye; optionally attaching the user to a tether that prevents the user from coming in contact with the sides of the pool or tank while swimming; optionally providing the user with a snorkel allowing the user to breathe easily while floating along the water surface; optionally providing the user with scuba equipment or a long breathing tube allowing the user to breathe while becoming fully submerged in the water.
In aspect four of the present invention, a method for launching applications on the virtual/mixed reality headset and for recalibrating the headset's forward direction is provided. The method involves the steps of: providing a launching pad that contains an NFC or RFID card; holding the virtual/mixed reality headset against the launching pad so that an NFC or RFID reader within the headset detects the presence of the NFC or RFID card within the launching pad; using software to launch the necessary application or experience upon detection of the NFC or RFID card; and making note of the headset's current orientation in space for the purpose of calibrating the forward direction.
In aspect five of the present invention, a method for eliminating motion sickness experienced using Virtual/Mixed Reality is provided. The method involves the steps of: providing a headset to the user, wherein the headset is placed over the user's eyes, and the headset creates a watertight seal around the face to prevent water from entering the area where the eyes are exposed to the optical system; allowing a user to be submerged in a body of water such as a tank or swimming pool; suggesting physical movement in the virtual/mixed reality application, wherein the movement would typically disrupt the user's vestibular system out of water; allowing the user to move within the water, which results in no feeling of motion sickness.
In aspect six of the present invention, a method of providing a virtual/mixed reality experience to a rider moving along the surface of water, such as on a slide, is provided. The method involves: providing a headset to a rider, wherein the headset is placed over the rider's eyes; providing a surface of water along which the rider can travel, such as a chute or channel down which the rider can slide; collecting data on the rider's acceleration, velocity or orientation through interaction of the headset with signals generated next to the surface of the water along which the rider travels, such as beacons placed along a slide; using the data to calculate one or more values that are used to coordinate virtual/mixed reality content with the rider's position along the slide; presenting the virtual/mixed reality content to the rider through the headset, thereby providing a virtual/mixed reality experience to the rider.
Regarding aspect six: The headset is typically the headset discussed in connection with aspect seven of the present invention (below). The surface of water traveled along by a user is typically provided by a water slide or water chute. Data is typically collected through the interaction of external beacons and the headset. The beacons emit encoded high frequency signals that are captured by a receiver attached to the headset. As the rider passes the beacons, algorithms are used to accurately detect the moment the rider is passing the sensor. In certain cases, a plurality of internal sensors is used to detect and record the acceleration and orientation of riders. Collected data is used to obtain acceleration signatures for the riders. The acceleration signals are usually used to train a machine learning model to provide an output related to the rider's location on the water surface (e.g., slide). The VR/Mixed reality experiences presented by aspect six of the present invention furthermore typically provide a comfort level having an average rank of 4 or better on a 5 point scale.
In aspect seven of the present invention, a headset for providing virtual/mixed reality content to a user is provided. The headset has a viewing unit attached to a dive mask. The dive mask includes lenses and lens frames that hold a glass plate. A flexible waterproof material seals the mask around the user's face. The viewing unit includes a smartphone or tablet place inside a protective housing/enclosure. There is an empty space between glass plate of the mask and the protective housing/enclosure. When the headset is submerged under water, the empty space floods with water, and the combination of headset lenses and the water that has flooded the empty space coordinate to provide sharper images for the user. The focal distance of the lenses used can range from 36 mm, 38 mm, 40 mm, 42 mm, 44 mm, 46 mm, 48 mm, 50 mm, 52 mm, 54 mm, 56 mm, 58 mm, 60 mm, 62 mm, 64 mm, 66 mm, 68 mm and up to 70 mm. The distance from the lens to the user's eye can range from 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, 50 mm. The space between the glass and the lens must be at least 1 mm. The combined distance from the display to the glass and the glass to the lens depends on the focal distance of the lens used. Using a 40 mm lens, the combined distance can range from 38 to 45 mm. Using a 50 mm lens, the combined distance can range from 40 to 65 mm, and so on. A head strap is used to fasten the headset to a user's head.
In aspect eight of the present invention, a method of increasing the use of existing water rides is provided. The method involves the fitting of existing water rides with technology such that they can support the virtual/mixed reality experience of aspect six of the present invention. Oftentimes, implementation of the method on existing water rides will increase the use of that ride by at least 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent, 40 percent or 50 percent. In other cases, implementation can increase use by at least 75 percent, 100 percent, 150 percent or 200 percent.
In aspect nine of the present invention, a method of increasing the use of existing water rides is provided. The method involves the fitting of existing water rides with technology such that they can support the virtual/mixed reality experience of aspect six of the present invention. The length of such a ride is typically at least 30 feet long. In certain cases, the length is up to 300 feet, 30 to 400 feet, 30 to 500 feet, 30 to 600 feet, 30 to 700 feet, 30 to 800 feet, 30 to 900 feet, 30 to 1000 feet, 30 to 1100 feet, 30 to 1200 feet, 30 to 1300 feet, 30 to 1400 feet, 30 to 1500 feet, 30 to 1600 feet, 30 to 1600 feet, 30 to 1700 feet, 30 to 1800 feet, 30 to 1900 feet, and sometimes up to a mile long.
In aspect ten of the present invention, a method of increasing revenue for existing water rides is provided. The method involves the fitting of existing water rides with technology such that they can support the virtual/mixed reality experience of aspect six of the present invention. This can, for instance, increase water ride/slide revenue (gross revenue received by park for ride per unit time such as a week, month or year) by at least 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent, 40 percent or 50 percent. In other cases, ride/slide revenue can be increased by at least 75 percent, 100 percent, 150 percent or 200 percent.
In aspect eleven of the present invention, a method of business is provided. The method involves implementation of aspect six of the present invention. Parks/ride owners would be charged exclusively for new content, on demand or on a recurring basis. New Virtual/Mixed reality content can be released on a seasonal basis, or for special holidays, or with advertising partners that would like to integrate their brand into the experience.
In aspect twelve of the present invention, a method of competition is provided. The method involves implementation of aspect six of the present invention. Using aspect six, the slide performance and throughput of each rider is analyzed, and each rider can compare his/her performance with that of others. This competition can also increase water ride/slide revenue (gross revenue received by park for ride per unit time such as a week, month or year) by at least 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent, 40 percent or 50 percent. In other cases, ride/slide revenue can be increased by at least 75 percent, 100 percent, 150 percent or 200 percent.
In aspect thirteen of the present invention, a method of improving safety on a water ride is provided. The method involves implementation of aspect six of the present invention. If an abnormal rider pattern suddenly exists, a notification could alert a ride operator that an error has occurred. Furthermore, whether a rider makes it safely through the complete track can be determined. Moreover, the view of the user can be switched to the view of the real world using the built-in forward facing camera, which gives the user an immediate sense of the physical environment.
In aspect fourteen of the present invention, a method of effective transmission of image-synchronized sound is provided. The method involves implementation of aspect seven of present invention. With the use of bone conduction headphones, the device is able to transmit the sound directly into the user without having to use water as the sound transmission medium, which would distort and absorb sound, unlike air. Moreover, bone-conduction transducers attached to the dive mask itself would transmit the sound vibrations to the user, via the mask. This allows the transmission of both low, medium and high frequencies of the human hearing range to be transmitted to the user, without distortion and absorption effects of using water as the transmission medium.
In aspect fifteen of the present invention, a method of providing a virtual/mixed reality experience to a person in a confined body of water is provided. The method involves: providing a headset to the person, wherein the headset is placed over the person's eyes; providing a confined body of water, such as a tank or pool, wherein beacons or markers are placed with respect to the confined body of water (e.g., inside of tank) such that signals can be sent from the beacons or markers to a receiver on the headset; collecting data based on the interaction between the beacons or markers and the headset, wherein the data is used to coordinate virtual/mixed content with the person's position within the confined body of water, thereby providing a virtual/mixed reality experience to the person.
Regarding aspect fifteen: The confined body of water can be equipped with a device to generate a current to move water over the person to aid in giving the sensation that the person is moving naturally through the water and keep the person centered in the tank. An air compressor can deliver oxygen to the person through a tube and breathing apparatus. A set of wired cables can connect the virtual/mixed reality headset and a computer terminal to deliver high-powered graphics. A tether from one of the confined body of water's inside surfaces to the person may be used in order to prevent the person from coming in contact with the sides of the tank while swimming. The tether can be affixed to the bottom of the tank or pool at an anchor point using either a suction cup, adhesive, fixed object or a weight such as a sandbag. The person may either be fully submerged within the water using scuba equipment or long breathing tube for air supply, or the person may float at the surface of the pool while breathing through a snorkel. A sensor can be used to monitor direction and force on the tether which is translated by a computing device and relayed to the headset via a special connection cable of transmitter.
In aspect sixteen of the present invention, a method of providing revenue to entities that control or own bodies of water (e.g., pools at hotels) is provided. The method involves implementation of aspect fourteen of the present invention relative to the bodies of water.
In aspect seventeen of the present invention, a method of reducing motion sickness in a person participating in a virtual/mixed reality experience is provided. The method involves implementation of aspect fourteen of the present invention. Using aspect fourteen of the present invention, motion sickness can be reduced (25% to 40% of consumers report experiencing motion sickness while participating in a virtual/mixed reality experience) at least 5 percent relative to a person participating in the same virtual/mixed reality experience out of water. In certain cases, motion sickness can be reduced at least 10 percent, at least 15 percent, at least 20 percent, at least 25 percent, at least 30 percent, at least 35 percent, at least 40 percent, at least 45 percent or at least 50 percent.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/606,492 filed Sep. 25, 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62606492 | Sep 2017 | US |
