Video game ride

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10238979-B2
Application number	US-201414498357-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2014
Priority date	Sep 26, 2014
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A system in accordance with present embodiments includes a plurality of vehicles having vehicle interface circuitry and configured to accommodate one or more riders. In certain embodiments, a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to receive respective inputs from the one or more riders via the vehicle interface circuitry, and wherein the respective inputs are related to one or more game features of a game environment; and a game controller configured to receive information from the vehicle interface circuitry related to the respective inputs; and provide instructions to modify the game environment based on at least one of the respective inputs.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a plurality of vehicles configured to accommodate one or more riders, each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles associated with a game character and having vehicle interface circuitry, wherein each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to receive respective inputs from the one or more riders via the vehicle interface circuitry, and wherein one or more inputs of the respective inputs are associated with a vehicle path, and wherein the one or more riders select the vehicle path from a plurality of vehicle paths by selecting one or more of a plurality of game features of a game environment to provide the one or more inputs associated with the vehicle path, wherein the game environment comprises a plurality of locations; and
a game controller configured to:
receive information from the vehicle interface circuitry related to the one or more inputs;
determine a score for each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles based on the one or more inputs;
determine a first team score and a second team score, wherein the first team score is based at least on the score from each vehicle of a first subset of the plurality of vehicles and the second team score is based at least on the score from each vehicle of a second subset of the plurality of vehicles, and wherein when the first team score is higher than the second team score, the first subset of the plurality of vehicles is permitted access to one or more locations of the plurality of locations;
provide instructions to cause the vehicle to travel along the selected vehicle path; and
provide instructions to modify the game environment according to the inputs, wherein the respective inputs are related to game features associated with the game character, and wherein modifying the game environment comprises modifying a virtual or physical object within the game environment.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the game controller is configured to assign the first subset of the plurality of vehicles with a first game character and the second subset of the plurality of vehicles with a second game character.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each game character is associated with a predetermined game skill level, and wherein the game controller is configured to associate an individual input of an individual vehicle with the predetermined game skill level of the associated game character to determine a score of the individual vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the game controller is configured to receive inputs to dynamically determine the game skill level of the one or more riders.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the game controller is configured to: modify the game environment based on the score.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to travel on an independent vehicle path in at least a portion of the game environment.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the game controller is configured to permit entry of individual vehicles into one or more locations of the plurality of locations based on the score.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a team score based on the score from each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles and wherein a team score above a threshold permits entry of the plurality of vehicles into the one or more locations.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles having a score above a threshold is permitted entry into the one or more locations or wherein the game environment changes based on the score.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first subset and the second subset are competing against one another.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle controllers of each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles are configured to receive the instructions and automatically move the plurality of vehicles to one or more new locations in the game environment based on the instructions.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the game controller is configured to:
determine a score for each game character based on the one or more inputs; and
provide instructions to vehicle controllers for each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles to move within the game environment based on the score.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a designated entry point to the game environment for each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, wherein the designated entry point to the game environment is determined by the game character associated with each vehicle.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the game environment comprises a character training feature assigned to each game character and wherein each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to receive instructions to access the character training feature of the associated game character.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the character training feature comprises a character training room for each game character and wherein each vehicle is only permitted to enter the character training room of each vehicle's associated game character.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the game environment comprises a plurality of exit points.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein each exit point of the plurality of exit points is associated with a different game path within the game environment.

18. A system comprising:
a plurality of vehicles configured to accommodate one or more riders, each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles associated with a game character and having vehicle interface circuitry, wherein each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to receive respective inputs from the one or more riders via the vehicle interface circuitry, and wherein one or more inputs of the respective inputs are associated with a vehicle path, and wherein the one or more riders select the vehicle path from a plurality of vehicle paths by selecting one or more of a plurality of game features of a game environment to provide the one or more inputs associated with the vehicle path, wherein the game environment comprises a character training feature assigned to each game character, wherein the character training feature comprises a character training room for each game character, and wherein each vehicle is only permitted to enter the character training room of each vehicle's associated game character; and
a game controller configured to:
receive information from the vehicle interface circuitry related to the one or more inputs;
provide instructions to cause the vehicle to travel along the selected vehicle path; and
provide instructions to modify the game environment according to the one or more inputs, wherein the respective inputs are related to game features associated with the game character, and wherein modifying the game environment comprises modifying a virtual or physical object within the game environment.

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc
• Universal City Sudios LLC

Inventors

• Boyle Patrick Devin
• Osterman Ross Alan

Classifications

• A63G25/00 Primary

  Autocar-like self-drivers; Runways therefor · CPC title

• A63F13/69

  by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions · CPC title

• A63F13/65

  automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition · CPC title

• A63F13/28

  responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light · CPC title

• A63F13/27

  characterised by a large display in a public venue, e.g. in a movie theatre, stadium or game arena · CPC title