Interactive amusement attraction system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11487349-B2
Application number	US-201715707974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2017
Priority date	Nov 11, 2013
Publication date	Nov 1, 2022
Grant date	Nov 1, 2022

Abstract

An attraction capable of incorporating user interactivity. The attraction utilizes a slide for supporting a rider, with a ride vehicle or without. The ride vehicle may support one or multiple riders that allows the riders to manipulate its position or other associated elements while on the attraction. Upon manipulating an element, a signal may be transmitted. This signal may aid in determining whether a rider has successfully manipulated the element, for example, at an appropriate time. Sensors along the attraction may also be configured to track the user and/or ride vehicle via determining vicinity of the user and/or ride vehicle at a known location. Various rewards and/or features may be enabled based upon successful manipulation and/or user position. The attraction may include one or more illuminating features. Statistics or other information may be determined, stored, and/or provided (e.g., using mobile applications and/or scoreboards) relating to user performance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ride vehicle comprising:
a body portion for a first rider and a second rider to travel thereon;
a first case configured to contain at least one electronic component therein, the first case being removably fastened with the body portion;
a first handle coupled with the first case and including a first interactive element configured to be interacted with by the first rider;
a second case configured to contain at least one electronic component therein, the second case being removably fastened with the body portion;
a second handle coupled with the second case and including a second interactive element configured to be interacted with by the second rider;
a sensor configured to interact with a sensing element; and
a processor electrically connected with the first interactive element, the second interactive element, and the sensor, the processor configured to determine if the first rider interacts with the first interactive element when the sensor is in a range of the sensing element and configured to determine if the second rider interacts with the second interactive element when the sensor is in the range of the sensing element.

2. The ride vehicle of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to establish a reward corresponding to the first rider if the first rider interacts with the first interactive element when the sensor is in the range of the sensing element and if the second rider does not interact with the second interactive element when the sensor is in the range of the sensing element.

3. The ride vehicle of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to establish a reward corresponding to the first rider if both the first rider interacts with the first interactive element when the sensor is in the range of the sensing element and the second rider interacts with the second interactive element when the sensor is in the range of the sensing element.

4. The ride vehicle of claim 1 wherein the first interactive element or the second interactive element is a button.

5. The ride vehicle of claim 1 wherein the sensing element is coupled with a flume, the flume configured to allow the body portion to slide therealong.

6. The ride vehicle of claim 1 wherein the sensing element is integrally manufactured with a flume, the flume configured to allow the body portion to slide therealong.

7. The ride vehicle of claim 1 wherein the sensing element is positioned adjacent to, but not coupled with, a flume, the flume configured to allow the body portion to slide therealong.

8. A ride vehicle for an amusement attraction comprising:
a body portion having a first seating position for a first rider along an outside perimeter of the body portion and a second seating position for a second rider at a position along the outside perimeter of the body portion;
a first handle positioned adjacent to the first seating position;
a first interactive element connected with the first handle, the first interactive element configured to be interacted with by the first rider;
a second handle positioned adjacent to the second seating position
a second interactive element connected with the second handle, the second interactive element configured to be interacted with by the second rider;
a processor in communication with the first interactive element and the second interactive element;
a housing configured to contain the processor therein, the housing connected with and extending upwardly at a center of the body portion; and
a sensor configured to interact with a sensing element of the amusement attraction,
wherein the processor is configured to determine if the first rider interacts with the first interactive element when the sensor is in a range of the sensing element and is configured to determine if the second rider interacts with the second interactive element when the sensor is in the range of the sensing element.

9. The ride vehicle of claim 8 wherein the first interactive element or the second interactive element is a button.

10. The ride vehicle of claim 8 wherein the body portion is substantially in the shape of a circle.

11. The ride vehicle of claim 10 wherein the body portion is at least partially inflatable.

12. The ride vehicle of claim 8 further comprising a first restraint for securing the first rider in the first seating position.

13. The ride vehicle of claim 8 wherein the processor is in wireless communication with the first interactive element and the second interactive element.

14. The ride vehicle of claim 8 wherein the processor is in wired communication with the first interactive element and the second interactive element.

15. The ride vehicle of claim 8 further comprising a display fastened with the housing, the display configured to indicate if the processor determines that the first rider interacts with the first interactive element when the sensor is in a range of the sensing element.

16. The ride vehicle of claim 15 wherein the display is configured to display a score associated with the first rider.

17. The ride vehicle of claim 8 wherein the housing is configured to open to allow the first rider to store an item within a portion of the housing.

18. A ride vehicle for an attraction comprising:
a body portion for a first rider and a second rider to travel thereon;
a bottom surface that is removably connected with the body portion;
a first case that connected with the body portion;
a first handle connected with the first case and including a first interactive element configured to be interacted with by the first rider;
a second case that is connected with the body portion;
a second handle connected with the second case and including a second interactive element configured to be interacted with by the second rider;
a sensor configured to interact with a sensing element of the attraction; and
a processor electrically connected with the first interactive element, the second interactive element, and the sensor, the processor configured to determine if the first rider interacts with the first interactive element when the sensor is in a range of the sensing element and configured to determine if the second rider interacts with the second interactive element when the sensor is in the range of the sensing element.

19. The ride vehicle of claim 18 further comprising a coating on at least a portion of the bottom surface for increasing the durability of the bottom surface to frictional forces.

20. The ride vehicle of claim 18 wherein the bottom surface is made of a different material than the body portion.

Assignees

• Whitewater West Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Briggs Rick
• Mendelson Aaron
• Sebulsky Rick
• Rafiq Mohammed Sahill
• Andrews William Walter
• Campden Keith James
• Fitzgibbon Mitchell Keith

Classifications

• A63G21/18

  Water-chutes · CPC title

• G06F3/011 Primary

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

• A63G33/00

  Devices allowing competitions between several persons, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A63F13/23

  for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console · CPC title

• A63F13/807

  Gliding or sliding on surfaces, e.g. using skis, skates or boards · CPC title