Object tracking animated figure systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11354842-B2
Application number	US-202016862158-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2020
Priority date	Dec 13, 2018
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

An animation system includes an animated figure, multiple sensors, and an animation controller that includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor. The instructions cause the animation controller to receive guest detection data from the multiple sensors, receive shiny object detection data from the multiple sensors, determine an animation sequence of the animated figure based on the guest detection data and shiny object detection data, and transmit a control signal indicative of the animation sequence to cause the animated figure to execute the animation sequence. The guest detection data is indicative of a presence of a guest near the animated figure. The animation sequence is responsive to a shiny object detected on or near the guest based on the guest detection data and the shiny object detection data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An animation system, comprising:
an animated figure;
at least one sensor; and
an animation controller comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the processor, the instructions configured to cause the animation controller to:
receive shiny object detection data from the at least one sensor, the shiny object detection data indicating a shiny object type of a plurality of shiny object types;
determine an animation sequence of a plurality of animation sequences for the animated figure based on the shiny object detection data, each of the plurality of animation sequences comprising a reaction corresponding to a respective shiny object type of the plurality of shiny object types, wherein the animation sequence indicates acknowledgement of the shiny object type detected on or near a guest based on the shiny object detection data; and
transmit a control signal indicative of the animation sequence to cause the animated figure to execute the animation sequence.

2. The animation system of claim 1 , comprising:
at least one camera configured to detect the guest via skeletal tracking, facial recognition, body recognition, or any combination thereof.

3. The animation system of claim 2 , wherein the animation controller is configured to track and react to the shiny object type among the plurality of shiny object types based on the shiny object type being closest to the detected guest.

4. The animation system of claim 3 , wherein in response to the tracking and reacting to the shiny object type, the animation controller is configured to disregard other shiny object types on or near the guest.

5. The animation system of claim 2 , wherein the animation controller is configured to select the shiny object type among the plurality of shiny object types based on the shiny object type being associated with a relatively highest level of metal detection or reflectivity.

6. The animation system of claim 1 , wherein the shiny object detection data comprises data from at least one reflectivity sensor, magnetic field, infrared, optical, or inductive metal detection sensor, shape data from at least one camera, or any combination thereof.

7. The animation system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal causes at least one actuator of the animated figure to actuate at least one feature of the animated figure to execute the animation sequence.

8. The animation system of claim 1 , wherein the animation controller is configured to remap guest tracking based on a next-strongest shiny object type or a next-closest guest after a predetermined time period has elapsed.

9. The animation system of claim 8 , wherein the animation controller is configured to change the animation sequence based on the remapped guest tracking of the next-strongest shiny object type or the next-closest guest.

10. An animation system, comprising:
an animated figure comprising one or more actuators configured to actuate at least a portion of the animated figure;
at least one sensor; and
an animation controller comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the processor, the instructions configured to cause the animation controller to:
receive shiny object detection data from the at least one sensor, the shiny object detection data indicating a shiny object type of a plurality of shiny object types;
determine an animation sequence of a plurality of animation sequences for the animated figure based on the shiny object detection data, each of the plurality of animation sequences comprising a reaction corresponding to a respective shiny object type of the plurality of shiny object types, wherein the animation sequence indicates acknowledgement of the shiny object type detected on a guest based on the shiny object detection data; and
transmit a control signal indicative of the animation sequence to cause the animated figure to activate the one or more actuators of the animated figure to execute the animation sequence.

11. The animation system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more actuators comprise an electromechanical actuator.

12. The animation system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more actuators comprise a linear actuator.

13. The animation system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more actuators are coupled to a face of the animated figure, and wherein the control signal causes the animated figure to use the one or more actuators to adjust a facial feature of the face of the animated figure to execute the animation sequence.

14. The animation system of claim 10 , wherein the animated figure further comprises a speaker, and wherein the speaker is configured to be activated as part of the animation sequence.

15. The animation system of claim 10 , wherein the animated figure comprises a second processor and a second memory storing a library of the plurality of animation sequences, and wherein the control signal causes the memory to access the animation sequence from the library of the plurality of animation sequences.

16. The animation system of claim 10 , wherein the animation controller is configured to receive guest detection data based on information from the at least one sensor.

17. The animation system of claim 16 , wherein the animation controller is configured to detect the shiny object type on the guest based on the guest detection data and the shiny object detection data.

18. A method, comprising:
receiving shiny object detection data from one or more sensors configured to detect metal objects or shiny objects, the shiny object detection data indicating a metal obect type of a plurality of metal object types or a shiny object type of a plurality of shiny object types;
determining a presence of the metal object type or the shiny object type on or near a guest based on the received shiny object detection data; and
sending a control signal to cause an animated figure to activate one or more actuators of the animated figure to execute an animation of a plurality of animations, the animation indicating acknowledgement of the presence of the metal object type or the shiny object type, wherein each of the plurality of animations comprises a reaction corresponding to a respective shiny object type of the plurality of shiny object types.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the control signal causes the animated figure to activate the one or more actuators on a face of the animated figure to adjust one or more features of the face of the animated figure to be oriented towards or fixated on the metal object type or the shiny object type.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the control signal causes the animated figure to activate the one or more actuators to move a body feature of the animated figure in conjunction with activating a speaker of the animated figure to execute the animation.

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Churchill David Michael
• Vamos Clarisse
• Bardt Jeffrey A

Classifications

• G06F3/011 Primary

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G06V40/164

  using holistic features · CPC title

• G06V40/161

  Detection; Localisation; Normalisation · CPC title

• G06V40/103

  Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition · CPC title

• G06V10/60

  relating to illumination properties, e.g. using a reflectance or lighting model · CPC title