INTERACTIVE AMUSEMENT RIDE

Abstract

An amusement ride comprises at least one sensing system adapted to control motion of the amusement ride responsive to a non-tactile input from at least one rider. The non-tactile input comprises body motion of at least one rider. The body movement may be of the rider's arms, such as flapping of the rider's arms. The amusement ride includes at least one vehicle adapted to receive the rider. The vehicle may be a gondola suspended from an overhead rotatable retaining member and the motion of the amusement ride may be raising and lowering the gondola responsive to the rider's body motion.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed invention is directed to an interactive amusement park ride in which riders communicate with the ride by using body movements to control the ride.

BACKGROUND

Amusement park rides provide entertainment, joy and excitement to thousands of riders young and old, every day. Various different types of amusement park rides exist around the world such as Ferris wheels, roller coasters and other track rides, pendulum type rides, swings, water-based rides, bumper cars, rides that are suspended from overhead systems such as overhead tracks, vertical plunge rides and so forth. In most rides, the riders are securely strapped or otherwise secured into place, as the ride travels on a predefined course and has a predetermined motion

Some rides have levers or other physical devices that allow a rider a bit of control over the motion of the ride. For example, in some systems in which the carriage carrying the rider travels along a generally horizontal path, a lever or other manipulable mechanical feature may be present to enable the rider to impart some vertical motion to the ride by physically moving the lever or other manipulable mechanical feature.

Riders enjoy the ability to control the motion of a ride because an interactive ride is known to enhance the excitement level and the overall ride experience and provides an avenue for the more daring and adventurous of riders to express their courageous nature.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide new and innovative types of interactive rides with which the rider can interact, to control various motions of the rides in various manners.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide interactive amusement rides that can be controlled using innovative techniques such as without physical touching.

The disclosed interactive amusement ride includes at least one sensing system that is capable of sensing inputs not involving physical touching. The non-tactile (non-haptic) sensing system detects and interprets body movements of the rider to control the motion of the ride. As such, the rider need not grasp, touch, press or toggle anything to effect movement of the amusement ride.

According to some aspects, provided is an amusement ride comprising at least one sensing system adapted to control motion of the amusement ride responsive to a non-tactile input from at least one rider. The non-tactile input may comprise body motion of the at least one rider. The body motion may be movement of the at least one rider's arms. In some embodiments, the velocity of the motion of the amusement ride and/or the distance travelled by the amusement ride is related to a velocity and/or frequency of the movement of the at least one rider's arms. In some embodiments, the movement of the at least one rider's arms comprises flapping. The velocity of the motion of the amusement ride is related to a frequency of the flapping, according to some aspects.

The sensing system communicates with a controller that controls motion of the amusement ride. In some aspects, the amusement ride comprises at least one vehicle adapted to receive the at least one the rider and wherein the motion of the amusement ride comprises raising and lowering the vehicle. In some aspects, the vehicle is a gondola suspended from an overhead retaining member by at least three cables. The amusement ride may include a winch associated with each gondola and wherein each winch is adapted to raise and lower the associated gondola in response to input from the sensing system.

According to some aspects, the body motion comprises flapping of the rider's arms. In some embodiments, the overhead retaining member rotates about a vertical base. The overhead retaining member may be rotatable about a vertical base and also pivotable about a horizontal axis. The overhead retaining member may be in a pivoted position not parallel to the horizontal such that each gondola travels in a non-horizontal path. In some embodiments, each winch is affixed to the overhead retaining member. In some embodiments, each winch is disposed below the overhead retaining member and connected to a pulley system that includes at least one wheel disposed on the overhead retaining member.

According to some aspects, the sensing system comprises at least a camera mounted on or over a gondola adapted to receive the at least one rider, the camera adapted to detect image data based on the non-tactile input. The camera may comprise a stereo camera, the non-tactile input may comprise movement of a body part of the at least one rider and the camera may be adapted to provide detection information to a process controller, the detection information comprising at least motion of a plurality of joints on the at least one rider's arms based on the detected image data. According to some aspects, the plurality of joints on the rider's arms comprise at least the rider's wrist and elbow.

According to some aspects, the non-tactile input comprises movement of the rider's legs. The non-tactile input may comprise rotation of arms of the at least one rider. According to some aspects, the sensing system comprises at least a laser sensor or a lidar sensor.

According to one embodiment, an amusement ride comprises at least one sensing system not involving physical touching that interprets bodily movements of a rider to control motion of the amusement ride.

According to another embodiment, a method for controlling an amusement ride comprises: a sensing system detecting movement of a body part of at least one rider in a vehicle of the amusement ride; the sensing system communicating with a controller of a control system; and the controller controlling motion of the amusement ride based upon the detected movement of the body part, as sensed by the sensing system.

According to some aspects, the sensing system includes an optical sensor. According to some aspects, the sensing system receives non-haptic input. In some embodiments, the controller controlling motion of the amusement ride comprises the controller controlling motion of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the vehicle comprises a gondola and wherein the controlling motion of the amusement ride comprises at least one of raising and lowering the gondola. The raising and lowering the gondola may be controlled by a winch, responsive to the controller.

In some aspects, the velocity of the motion of the amusement ride, for example, a gondola, is related to a velocity and/or a frequency of the movement of the body part and the movement of the body part comprises flapping of arms of the at least one rider. The velocity of the motion of the gondola and/or the distance travelled by the gondola may be related to a frequency of the flapping. In some aspects, the method includes the sensing system communicating with a controller of the control system and the sensing system delivering image data based on the detected motion, to the controller.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate the present disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure and to enable those skilled in the relevant art(s) to make and use aspects described herein.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a gondola of an amusement ride according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an expanded perspective view showing an embodiment of a gondola amusement ride according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an expanded perspective view showing another embodiment of a gondola amusement ride according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a gondola ride, the suspended gondola travelling about a hexagonal vertical tower and suspended from an overhead rotatable retaining member that is also pivotable such that the overhead rotatable retaining member is angled with respect to the horizontal, according to another aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic showing the sensing/control system responsive to motion of a rider's body according to aspects of the present disclosure

FIG. 5A is rider diagram showing a plurality of points associated with a body of a rider such as may be sensed by a sensing device; and

FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating winch velocity as a function of the rapidity of the rider's arm flaps, according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The aspects described herein, and references in the specification to “one aspect,” “an aspect,” “an exemplary aspect,” “an example aspect,” etc., indicate that the aspects described can include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every aspect may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same aspect. The same is true for the use of the term “embodiment,” e.g. “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an exemplary embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an aspect, it is understood that it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other aspects whether or not explicitly described.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “on,” “upper” and the like, can be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. In many embodiments, the apparatus can be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein can likewise be interpreted accordingly.

Terms such as “about,” “approximately,” and the like, can be used herein to indicate the value of a given quantity that can vary based on a particular technology. Based on the particular technology, the terms “about,” “approximately,” and the like can indicate a value of a given quantity that varies within, for example, 10-30% of the value (e.g., ±10%, ±20%, or ±30% of the value).

Enumerative adjectives (e.g., “first,” “second,” “third,” or the like) can be used to distinguish like elements without establishing an order, hierarchy, quantity, or permanent numeric assignment (unless otherwise noted). For example, the terms “first vehicle” and “second vehicle” can be used to facilitate the distinguishing of two vehicles without specifying a particular order, hierarchy, quantity, or immutable numeric correspondence.

Aspects of the sensing/control system of present disclosure such as the control algorithms, can be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. Aspects of the disclosure can also be implemented as instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, which can be read and executed by one or more processors. A machine-readable medium can include any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computing device). For example, a machine-readable medium can include read only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory devices; electrical, optical, acoustical or other forms of propagated signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.), and others. Furthermore, firmware, software, routines, and/or instructions can be described herein as performing certain actions. However, it should be appreciated that such descriptions are merely for convenience and that such actions result from computing devices, processors, controllers, or other devices executing the firmware, software, routines, instructions, etc. The term “machine-readable medium” can be interchangeable with similar terms, for example, “computer program product,” “computer-readable medium,” “non-transitory computer-readable medium,” or the like. The term “non-transitory” can be used herein to characterize one or more forms of computer readable media except for a transitory, propagating signal.

In one embodiment, the amusement ride is an interactive amusement ride in which riders control up and down movement of a vehicle such as a gondola that is suspended below an overhead support member that is advantageously rotatable about a central tower. The rotatable overhead support member may also advantageously pivot such that the overhead support member is angled, that is—not parallel—to the horizontal ground surface. The gondolas may be mounted using a cable system that moves the gondola up and down. In some embodiments, the gondolas suspended by the cable system from the overhead support member, have their up and down motion performed and controlled by a winch disposed on the overhead support member. The winch turns and works with a pulley system to move the cable system and therefore the gondola, up and down. Various pulley systems may be incorporated.

In other embodiments, the winch may be disposed below the overhead support member, even below the ride itself, and may cooperate with a pulley system that includes at least one wheel on the overhead support member, to move the cable system and therefore the gondola up and down.

In one embodiment, the amusement ride includes 8 gondolas with 2 riders per gondola, and each gondola is controlled by a dedicated, independent winch, which may be disposed below or on the overhead support number. In other embodiments, other numbers of gondolas may be used and the gondolas may include more or less than 2 riders. In some embodiments, the non-haptic sensing system includes at least one sensor that may include one or more cameras mounted above or on the gondolas and the interactive control of the gondola is communicated to a control system via a battery operated WiFi signal from the sensing system. In other embodiments, various other suitable optical sensors may be used as the non-haptic sensors, such as laser sensors or various lidar systems. In other embodiments, various other suitable communication methods may be used.

In some embodiments, the camera or of the sensing system detects movement of the body part of at least one rider and the detected image data is sent to a controller. In some embodiments, the cameras successively detect the positions of particular locations of a rider's body to thus detect motion of that part of the rider's body. In some embodiments in which the rider's body part is used to control motion of the amusement ride, the body part may be the rider's arms. In other embodiments, a kicking motion of the rider's legs may be used or a bending motion of the rider's knees. Other embodiments may accommodate riders with physical limitations or physically impaired riders and the sensors may sense other body motions. In some embodiments, the movement of the gondola is controlled by riders flapping their arms like a bird flaps its wings. The flapping may take place with the arms fully extended in some embodiments in which the fully extended arms are flapped up and down, but in other embodiments the flapping may entail the rider's hands held close to the rider's body such that the elbows from the extreme lateral part of the arm and the flapping is more of a flapping of the elbows, that is, the flapping comprises movement of the folded arms up and down.

In some embodiments, the movement of the gondola is based on the speed or the rapidity in which the arm flapping takes place. In some embodiments, the movement of the gondola is based on the frequency or the amplitude of the arm flapping. For example, the faster the flapping, the faster the movement of the gondola.

The sensing system is a special non-haptic, non-tactile sensing system that reads the flapping motion of the riders. Each flap will result in a pulse from the motor and the turning of the winch that moves the gondola vertically each time motion such as an arm flap, is detected. When there is a flap or other movement, the winch will raise the vehicle by a short distance and then the vehicle will remain stationary until the next flap or other movement. As such, the motor and transmission system are subject to a very high number of stops and starts each ride cycle. For example, when the rider furiously flaps their arms at a high frequency, this results in the motor pulses coming fast enough that the vehicle will raise almost continually and in some embodiments there is a maximum velocity of the gondola at which faster flapping will not exceed. Once the vehicle reaches its maximum height, it may lower back down to a predetermined low position regardless of the arm flapping.

The disclosure is described herein with respect to a suspended gondola being raised and lowered in response to a rider in the gondola flapping his or her arms, for illustrative purposes. The disclosure, however, is not so limited to this application.

Continuing with the suspended gondola being raised and lowered in response to a rider in the gondola flapping his or her arms embodiment, the amusement ride has a special sensing system for reading the flapping of the rider's arms, according to the aforementioned or other flapping embodiments.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, each gondola 2 includes two seats 6, each for retaining a rider. In some embodiments, the two seats 6 are joined by a rigid member 8 for stability and the seats and rigid member 8 are suspended by cables 10 from retaining bar 12. In some embodiments such as shown in FIG. 1, each gondola 2 is supported by three cables 4 which may be wire ropes that are installed in a redundant way. The cables 4 may be coupled to retaining bar 12 of the gondola by way of a pulley system that includes wheels 17. If there is a failure of one of the cables 4, the controls system monitors the system and will stop the ride until the problem is fixed. But in this scenario, with two cables still intact, there is no danger to the riders in the gondola. For example, if there is failure of one the leftmost or rightmost cable 4 in FIG. 1, positioning member 5 will move accordingly toward the failed cable 4, to maintain balance of gondola 2.

In other embodiments, each gondola 2 may include a different number of seats and seats 6 may be arranged in various different configurations, orientations and placements relative to the rigid member 8 and retaining bar 12.

A sensing device detects positions of the rider's body parts and in some embodiments, sensing device 19 of FIG. 1 may be a camera, but other non-haptic sensing devices may be used in other embodiments. For example, other optical sensors such as a laser system, or a lidar system may be used as the sensing device 19 instead of a camera. Sensing device/camera 19 may be mounted on or over the gondola 2 such as at position 16 of retaining bar 12 and may be directed downward at riders in the seats 6 to detect motion. In other embodiments, other sensing devices may be used and in other embodiments, the camera or other sensing device may they disposed at different positions such that this sensing device can sense the position of the rider's or riders' body parts such as the rider's or riders' arms. In some embodiments the cameras may be adapted to detect image data of each of the riders and in some embodiments, the motion of the body parts of the two riders may be additive.

Each seat 6 may include a safety bar 18 for safely retaining the rider but various other security or restraint devices may be used to fasten the rider safely into place in seat 6, in other embodiments. The safety bar 18 or other fastening members also serve to position the rider in an appropriate position so that movement of the rider's body parts can be suitably detected by the sensing device 19 in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows a particular embodiment of the amusement ride. In this illustrated embodiment, gondolas 2 each includes two seats 6, each for retaining a rider, the two seats 6 joined by a rigid member 8 (see FIG. 1) and the seats and rigid member 8 are suspended by cables 10 from retaining bar 12. Each gondola 2 is supported by three cables 4. Each gondola 2 is controlled by a dedicated, independent winch 26. Gondolas 2 are suspended from overhead retaining member 20 that is rotatable and rotates about axis 22 of vertical tower 24. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, the amusement ride includes eight gondolas 2 with two riders per gondola, and each gondola 2 is controlled by a dedicated, independent winch 26 but in other embodiments, other numbers of gondolas 2 may be used and the gondolas may include more or less than 2 riders. In some embodiments (see FIG. 4) the overhead retaining member 20 that is rotatable, may also pivot and rotate in an angled direction, i.e. not parallel to the ground, causing the gondolas 2 to travel in a non-horizontal direction.

FIG. 2 shows a plurality of gondolas 2 attached to overhead retaining member 20 at a plurality of associated connection points 30. In FIG. 2, the connection points represent points at which cables 4 are coupled to overhead retaining member 20 and the associated winches 26 disposed on overhead retaining member 20. Winches 26 rotate along with overhead retaining member 20. The plurality of gondolas in FIG. 2 are affixed to overhead retaining member 20 in a circumferential manner, forming one ring of attachments.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2 and includes a plurality of gondolas 2 suspended via cables 4, from overhead retaining member 32. In FIG. 3, the winches 36 associated with each gondola 2 are disposed beneath overhead retaining member 32. Winches 36 control the vertical motion of the gondolas 2 responsive to input from the previously described sensing and control system. Each winch 36 works with a pulley system that includes a plurality of wheels 38 disposed on overhead retaining members 32 to control the vertical motion of gondolas 2. Winches 36 rotate along with overhead retaining member 32 and may advantageously be coupled to vertical tower 24 which is rotatable.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a plurality of gondolas 2 attached to overhead retaining member 20 at a plurality of associated connection points 30. In FIG. 2, the connection points represent points at which cables 4 are coupled to overhead retaining member 20 and in FIG. 2, the location where associated winches 26 are disposed on overhead retaining member 20. In FIG. 3, connection points 30 represent points at which cables 4 are coupled to overhead retaining member 20 and an associated pulley system coupled to underlying winches 26. In each of FIGS. 2 and 3, the plurality of gondolas are affixed to overhead retaining member 20 at associated connection points 30 whereby the connection points 30 extend circumferentially in a single loop around the overhead retaining member 20 such that the gondolas 2 are arranged in a single ring orientation. In other embodiments, there may be two concentric, circumferential rings of connection points such that the gondolas are arranged in a plurality of concentric rings including at least an inner ring and an outer ring.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing gondolas 2 with seats 6 suspended from overhead retaining member 20 by cables 4. Gondolas 2 travel about a hexagonal vertical tower 24. Overhead retaining member 20 is rotatable about axis 22 and also pivotable about horizontal pivot axis 28 such that the overhead rotatable retaining member is angled with respect to the horizontal. FIG. 4 shows overhead retaining member 20 angled at angle 34 with respect to the horizontal indicated by dashed line 35.

Referring again to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, vertical tower 24 may be hexagonal in shape but various other suitable configurations may be used in other embodiments. Vertical tower 24 may be of various heights and may be an open tower but in other embodiments, panels may adorn one or more sides to provide various different themes. Each gondola 2 is associated with a winch 26, 36 that is in communication with a control system responsive to a sensing system. Winches 26, 36 control up and down movement of the associated gondola 2.

In some embodiments, the winch and transmission system used to communicate with the winch are quite robust for stops and starts. The transmission system includes at least one controller (see FIG. 5) that sends a pulse to at least one motor associated with winch 26, 36. Various winch arrangements may be used. The winch may advantageously have two independent systems for controlling the speed of the winch. Each time there is a flap of the rider's arm, the winch will raise the vehicle by a short distance responsive to the flap detected by the non-haptic sensor system and a signal sent from the controller, and then the vehicle will remain stationary until the next flap. This means that the motor and transmission system are adapted to provide a very high number of stops and starts each ride cycle. In some embodiments, flapping at a high frequency and/or at a high speed will result in the motor pulses coming to the winch fast enough that the vehicle will raise essentially continually. In some embodiments there may be a maximum velocity of the gondola past which faster or higher amplitude flapping will not cause a further increase in gondola velocity.

Once the gondola reaches a maximum height, it may lower back to a lower position regardless of the arm flapping. In some embodiments, once the gondola reaches a maximum height it may lower back down to the absolute bottom ride position but in other embodiments the lower position to which the gondola is lowered, may be an intermediate position.

In some embodiments, the sensing device 19 of the sensing system may be a stereo camera that focuses on particular points of the rider's body. The stereo camera senses successive positions of the particular points of the rider's body to therefore detect motion of the rider's body and, based on this motion, to control motion of the ride via signals sent to the control system which is in communication with and/or includes the winch. In some embodiments in which the riders flap their arms like a bird to create movement, the camera and sensing system may obtain information (image data) on the position and movement of particular locations such as the joints of the rider's arms to track motion. In this embodiment, the particular locations may be the joints such as the rider's shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand as will be seen in FIG. 5A.

FIG. 5 shows some detail of the sensing and control system. Sensor device 42 which may be a stereo camera with a wide field of view (FOV) 51 may be disposed at any suitable location on or over gondola 2 such as on bar 12 shown in FIG. 1. Other sensor devices 42 are used in other embodiments. Referring again to FIG. 5, the sensor device 42 is arranged with an FOV 51 such that seats 6 of gondola 2 are included in FOV 51, such that the sensor device 42 detects motion of either or both of the riders in seats 6.

Rider diagram 40 of FIG. 5A shows a plurality of points 45 associated with a body 43 of a rider. The camera or other sensor device 42 may be a stereo camera adapted to focus on each point associated with a part of the rider's body 43 such as points 45 identified on rider diagram 40. Points 45 include points 45 at the joints of the rider's arms such as at the wrist and elbow. The rider's arms 44 may move in a flapping motion as indicated by arrows 46. As such, the various points 45 on the rider's arms 44 will move as the arm is flapped, and the succession of locations of points 45 indicate motion that is detected by sensing system including sensing device 42.

As an example, stereo camera ZED 2i may be a suitable sensing device 42 and together with its “Large Scale 3D Skeleton Tracking” software, provide suitable means to detect the amplitude and frequency of the movement of a body part of the rider or riders. This type of camera and software provide a “skeleton” diagram of lines and points that identify determined parts of the human body as illustrated in FIG. 5A. The software enables identifying the motion and movements of the body through the indicated skeleton lines and points such as points 45.

In this manner, the flapping motion is detected and captured by image data and this detected information is provided to a process controller which may use various suitable algorithms to process the image data that is detected based on the flapping motion of the rider's arm based on movement of the various points.

This image data sensed/detected by the camera is provided by the camera or other sensor device 42 to IPC (internal process controller) 48 which communicates with PLC controller 50 which controls the turning of the winch represented by disc 60 in FIG. 5. The camera or other sensor device 42 may communicate with IPC 48 via an ethernet communication unit 52 but other forms of communication may be used in other embodiments. The PLC controller 50 controls movement of the gondola by communicating with a motor associated with the winch 26, 36 that turns to raise or lower the gondola. In some embodiments, each flap of the rider's arm will result in a pulse from the motor and a small turning of the winch.

Various suitable commercially available algorithms may be used to convert the motion represented by arrows 46 and detected by sensor device 42, to control the associated winch.

Now referring to FIG. 6, in some embodiments, the up or down velocity of the gondola is related to the amplitude of the rider's arm movement, i.e. the flapping of the arms. In some embodiments, the up or down velocity of the gondola is related to the velocity and/or frequency of the rider's arm flaps. In some embodiments, the up or down distance travelled by the gondola is related to the amplitude of the rider's arm movement, i.e. the flapping of the arms. In some embodiments, the up or down distance travelled by the gondola is related to the velocity and/or frequency of the rider's arm flaps. In other words, higher amplitude or higher frequency flapping will result in a faster upward velocity of the gondola and/or a greater upwards distance travelled by the gondola. In some embodiments, the sensing device is adapted to detect image data of one or more riders, such as two riders in a two-seat gondola, and in some embodiments the motion of the body parts of the two riders may be additive. In other words, when both of the riders are flapping their arms, a stronger signal is generated and a stronger pulse sent to the winch motor resulting in increased winch velocity and a faster raising or lowering movement of the gondola and/or a greater distance travelled by the gondola 2. In some embodiments, a synchronized arm flapping motion of two riders may increase the velocity of gondola 2 and/or the upwards distance travelled by gondola 2.

The graph of FIG. 6 illustrates winch velocity as a function of the rapidity of the rider's arm flaps, according to one exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 illustrates, on the left hand side, two successive slow arm flaps. Each time a slow arm flap is made, a signal is generated that increases the winch velocity to a local maximum point at apex 62. But because the arm flaps are slow, the winch velocity decreases down to a base value 66 in between successive slow flaps. The right hand side of FIG. 6 shows a succession of three fast arm flaps. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the fast flaps generates a signal which causes the winch velocity to increase to a local maximum point at apex 63, which may be equal to or different from apices 62, but because of the rapidity the fast flaps, the winch velocity does not decrease down to base value 66 in between successive fast flaps.

Although discussed with respect to the illustrated embodiment which includes gondolas supported from above and movable up and down by a winch responsive to movement of a rider's arms, the disclosed invention finds application in various other arrangements. In other embodiments, the amusement ride may include various other suitable vehicles for retaining a rider or riders, other than a gondola, and the movement of the vehicle may take on various other forms such as left to right movement, rotational movement, swiveling movement, hopping movement and any of various other movements suitable for amusement rides.

Furthermore, in other embodiments, the movement may be responsive to different arm motions such as rotation of the rider's arms or motions of other portions of the rider's body such as the rider's legs.

In fact, referring back to the illustrated gondola embodiments, in various embodiments, the sensors may detect movement of the rider's leg to trigger motion of the gondola. The sensor system may detect motion of the rider's knee, ankle and foot, as particular points, for example and provide a signal to the controller based on the detected movement of the particular points such that the detected image information of movement of the rider's leg may cause the gondola to be raised or lowered.

Although some aspects of the present disclosure are described in the context of a gondola-type amusement ride, it should be understood that the aspects and embodiments described herein find application in various other types of amusement rides such as nut not limited to track rides, Ferris wheels, roller coasters and other track rides, pendulum type rides, swings, water-based rides, bumper cars, rides that are suspended from overhead systems such as overhead tracks, vertical plunge rides and the like. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in the context of such alternative applications, the motion imparted to the amusement ride may be horizontal (e.g., left-to-right and vice versa) motion, angular motion, rotational motion and so on. In one embodiment, an amusement ride vehicle or carriage traveling along a horizontal surface or a rail system and the non-haptic sensing system may cooperate with the control system to move the vehicle or carriage in a left-to-right or rotational direction responsive to motion of the rider's body parts.

It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by those skilled in relevant art(s) in light of the teachings herein.

The present disclosure has been described above with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the implementation of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternate boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed. The foregoing description of specific aspects will so fully reveal the general nature of the present disclosure that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific aspects, without undue experimentation and without departing from the general concept of the present disclosure. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed aspects, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein.

It is to be understood that the Detailed Description section, and not the Summary and Abstract sections, is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The Summary and Abstract sections can set forth one or more, but not necessarily all, aspects of the present disclosure as contemplated by the inventor(s), and thus, are not intended to limit the present disclosure and the appended claims in any way. The breadth and scope of the protected subject matter should not be limited by any of the above-described aspects, but should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An amusement ride comprising at least one sensing system adapted to control motion of the amusement ride responsive to a non-tactile input from at least one rider.

2. The amusement ride as in claim 1, wherein said non-tactile input comprises body motion of said at least one rider.

3. The amusement ride as in claim 2, wherein said body motion comprises movement of said at least one rider's arms.

4. The amusement ride as in claim 3, wherein a velocity of said motion of said amusement ride is related to a velocity and/or frequency of said movement of said at least one rider's arms.

5. The amusement ride as in claim 3, wherein said movement of said at least one rider's arms comprises flapping.

6. The amusement ride as in claim 5, wherein a velocity of said motion of said amusement ride is related to a frequency of said flapping.

7. The amusement ride as in claim 1, wherein said sensing system communicates with a controller that controls said motion of said amusement ride.

8. The amusement ride as in claim 1, wherein said amusement ride comprises at least one vehicle adapted to receive said at least one said rider and wherein said motion of said amusement ride comprises raising and lowering of said vehicle.

9. The amusement ride as in claim 8, wherein said vehicle is a gondola suspended from an overhead retaining member by at least three cables.

10. The amusement ride as in claim 9, wherein said amusement ride includes a winch associated with each said gondola and wherein each said winch is adapted to raise and lower said associated gondola in response to input from said sensing system.

11. The amusement ride as in claim 10, wherein said wherein said body motion comprises flapping of said at least one rider's arms.

12. The amusement ride as in claim 9, wherein said overhead retaining member is rotatable about a vertical base or rotatable along with said vertical base.

13. The amusement ride as in claim 9, wherein said overhead retaining member is rotatable about a vertical base and pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis.

14. The amusement ride as in claim 13, wherein said overhead retaining member is in a pivoted position not parallel to the horizontal and each said gondola travels in a non-horizontal path

15. The amusement ride as in claim 10, wherein each said winch is affixed to said overhead retaining member.

16. The amusement ride as in claim 10, wherein each said winch is disposed below said overhead retaining member and connected to a pulley system that includes at least one wheel disposed on said overhead retaining member, each said winch coupled to a rotatable vertical base.

17. The amusement ride as in claim 1, wherein said sensing system comprises at least a camera mounted on or over a gondola adapted to receive said at least one said rider, said camera adapted to detect image data based on said non-tactile input.

18. The amusement ride as in claim 17, wherein said camera comprises a stereo camera, said non-tactile input comprises movement of a body part of said at least one rider and said camera is adapted to provide detection information to a process controller, said detection information comprising at least motion of a plurality of points on said at least one rider's arms based on said detected image data, said plurality of points on said at least one rider's arms comprise at least said rider's wrist and elbow.

19. The amusement ride as in claim 1, wherein said non-tactile input comprises movement of said at least one rider's legs.

20. The amusement ride as in claim 1, wherein said non-tactile input comprises rotation of arms of said at least one rider.

21. The amusement ride as in claim 1, wherein said sensing system comprises at least a laser sensor or a lidar sensor.

22. An amusement ride comprising at least one sensing system not involving physical touching that interprets bodily movements of a rider to control motion of the amusement ride.

23. A method for controlling an amusement ride, said method comprising: a sensing system detecting movement of a body part of at least one rider in a vehicle of said amusement ride;said sensing system communicating with a controller of a control system; andsaid controller controlling motion of said amusement ride based upon said detected movement of said body part, as sensed by said sensing system.

24. The method as in claim 23, wherein said sensing system includes an optical sensor.

25. The method as in claim 23, wherein said sensing system receives non-haptic input.

26. The method as in claim 23, wherein said vehicle comprises a gondola and said controller controlling motion of said amusement ride comprises at least one of raising and lowering said gondola.

27. The method as in claim 26, wherein said raising and lowering said gondola is controlled by a winch, responsive to said controller.

28. The method as in claim 23, wherein a velocity of said motion of said amusement ride is related to a velocity and/or a frequency of said movement of said body part, and wherein said movement of said body part comprises flapping of arms of said at least one rider.

29. The method as in claim 28 wherein a velocity of said motion is related to a frequency of said flapping.

30. The method as in claim 23, wherein said sensing system communicating with a controller of said control system comprises said sensing system delivering image data based on said detected motion, to said controller.