Systems and methods for thrust-vectored practical fluid flow effects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11559749-B2
Application number	US-202117364152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2021
Priority date	Aug 18, 2020
Publication date	Jan 24, 2023
Grant date	Jan 24, 2023

Abstract

An amusement park attraction effects system includes a dynamic display for viewing by a user traveling through an attraction, a display monitor to provide status data indicative of a status of the dynamic display, a location identification system to determine a location of the user, a thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to generate and direct a fluid flow toward any particular target location of a range of target locations, and an automation controller communicatively coupled to the display monitor, the location identification system, and the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator. The automation controller is configured to receive the status data, receive the location of the user, set a target location based on the location of the user, instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the fluid flow based on the target location, and instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to control the fluid flow based on the status data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An amusement park attraction effects system, comprising:
a dynamic display configured for viewing by a user traveling through an attraction;
a display monitor configured to monitor changes to the dynamic display and provide status data indicative of a status of the dynamic display;
a location identification system configured to determine a location of the user;
a thrust-vectoring flow effect generator configured to generate and direct a fluid flow toward any particular target location of a range of target locations within the attraction; and
an automation controller communicatively coupled to the display monitor, the location identification system, and the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator, wherein the automation controller is configured to:
receive the status data provided by the display monitor;
receive the location of the user provided by the location identification system;
set a target location based on the location of the user, wherein the target location is within the range of target locations;
instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the fluid flow based on the target location; and
instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to control the fluid flow based on the status data.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to adjust a temperature of the fluid flow or a shape of the fluid flow in response to instructions from the automation controller based on the status data.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to adjust a speed and direction of the fluid flow by modifying a configuration of a nozzle of the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator in response to instructions from the automation controller based on the status data.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location identification system is configured to determine the location as including a location of a portion of the user and the automation controller is configured to adjust the target location based on the location of the portion of the user.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the location of the portion of the user corresponds to an area of exposed skin or a body part of the user.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to generate one or more pulses of compressed air as the fluid flow.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location identification system comprises a camera configured to capture an image of a user, and wherein the location identification system is configured to determine an orientation of the user based on the image.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the automation controller is configured to instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the fluid flow based on the orientation of the user.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to control the fluid flow by including one or more of fog, smoke, or water droplets.

10. The system of claim 1 , comprising a portable device configured to be carried by the user and configured to generate a signal, wherein the location identification system comprises a sensor configured to sense the location of the user based on the signal.

11. An amusement park attraction effects system, comprising:
a dynamic display configured for viewing by a plurality of users;
a display monitor configured to monitor changes to the dynamic display and provide status data indicative of a status of the dynamic display;
a location identification system configured to determine a plurality of locations of the plurality of users;
an array of thrust-vectoring flow effect generators comprising a first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator and a second thrust-vectoring flow effect generator, the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator configured to generate and direct a first fluid flow toward a first target location of a range of target locations and the second thrust-vectoring flow effect generator configured to generate and direct a second fluid flow toward a second target location of the range of target locations; and
an automation controller communicatively coupled to the display monitor, the location identification system, and the array, wherein the automation controller is configured to:
receive the status data provided by the display monitor;
receive the plurality of locations of the plurality of users provided by the location identification system;
set the first target location and the second target location based on the plurality of locations of the plurality of users; and
instruct the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the first fluid flow based on the first target location; and
instruct the second thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the second fluid flow based on the second target location.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the automation controller is configured to instruct the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the first fluid flow based on the status data.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the automation controller is configured to instruct the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to control the first fluid flow based on the first target location.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first target location and the second target location are the same.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator comprises a nozzle configured to direct the first fluid flow via asymmetric or symmetric modification to a shape of the nozzle.

16. An amusement park attraction effects system, comprising:
a head-mounted virtual reality (VR) device comprising an electronic display configured to display an image to a user of the head-mounted VR device;
a user sensing system of the head-mounted VR device, the user sensing system configured to detect a location and orientation of the user and output data indicative of the location and orientation;
an directed airflow generator configured to generate an air effect and direct the air effect to a target location; and
an automation controller communicatively coupled to the user sensing system and the directed airflow generator, wherein the automation controller is configured to:
receive the data output by the user sensing system;
determine, based on the location and the orientation indicated by the data, the target location for directing the air effect; and
control the directed airflow generator to direct the air effect towards the target location.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the automation controller is configured to control the directed airflow generator to coordinate a timing of providing the airflow with a VR presentation being provided by the head-mounted VR device.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the automation controller is configured to control a heating element or a cooling element to change a temperature of the air effect based on a VR presentation being provided by the head-mounted VR device.

19. The system of claim 16 , comprising a plurality of directed airflow generators each configured to direct a corresponding airflow to a respective target location within a respective range of locations.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein:
the directed airflow generator comprises a matrix of smaller directed airflow generators, each of the smaller directed airflow generators configured to produce a pulse of compressed air as the air effect; and
the au

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Raij Andrew
• Treminio Geovanny
• Hare Justin
• Majdali David Gerard

Classifications

• B05B12/122

  responsive to presence or shape of target (B05B12/124 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A63J5/025

  Devices for making mist or smoke effects, e.g. with liquid air (for camouflage F41H9/06) · CPC title

• A63G31/16 Primary

  creating illusions of travel · CPC title

• A63J2005/006

  Temperature · CPC title

• B05B13/04

  the spray heads being moved during {spraying} operation · CPC title