Systems and methods for inspecting an amusement park attraction system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12472999-B2
Application number	US-202318136144-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2023
Priority date	Feb 9, 2023
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

An inspection vehicle for an attraction system of an amusement park includes one or more bogies configured to engage with a path of the attraction system, a sensor configured to capture imagery of the path, and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to receive data indicative of a detected marker, determine a path section at which the inspection vehicle is located based on the detected marker, determine target imagery associated with the path section, receive captured imagery from the sensor, and output a control signal in response to determining a difference between captured imagery received from the sensor and the target imagery is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An inspection vehicle for an attraction system of an amusement park, the inspection vehicle comprising:
one or more bogies configured to engage with a path of the attraction system; a sensor configured to capture imagery of the path; and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to:
receive data indicative of a detected marker;
determine a path section at which the inspection vehicle is located based on the detected marker;
determine target imagery associated with the path section;
receive captured imagery from the sensor; and
output a control signal in response to determining a difference between the captured imagery received from the sensor and the target imagery is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

2 . The inspection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the bogie comprises:
a first set of wheels configured to engage with the path of the attraction system; and a second set of wheels configured to engage with a guide of the path of the attraction system.

3 . The inspection vehicle of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of sensors comprising the sensor, wherein the sensor or an additional sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to identify the detected marker and transmit the data indicative of the detected marker to the controller.

4 . The inspection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
repeatedly receive additional captured imagery from the sensor; repeatedly monitor a quantity of times in which the difference between the additional captured imagery received from the sensor and the target imagery is less than the threshold value for the path section; receive data indicative of an additional detected marker; determine the inspection vehicle has completed travel of the path section in response to receiving the data indicative of the additional detected marker; and suspend monitoring of the quantity of times in which the difference between the additional captured imagery received from the sensor and the target imagery is less than the threshold value for the path section in response to determining the inspection vehicle has completed the travel of the path section.

5 . The inspection vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a total quantity of times in which the difference between the additional captured imagery received from the sensor and the target imagery is less than the threshold value for the path section; determine a target quantity for the path section; and output an additional control signal in response to determining a difference between the total quantity of times and the target quantity is greater than an additional threshold value.

6 . The inspection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the bogie comprises an extension extending about a direction of travel of the bogie about the path.

7 . The inspection vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to instruct the extension to move the sensor relative to the path.

8 . A vehicle for an attraction system of an amusement park, the vehicle comprising:
a bogie configured to engage with a path system of the attraction system; and a controller configured to:
receive data indicative of a first marker associated with a beginning of a path section of the path system;
monitor a quantity of identified target components for the path section in response to receiving the data indicative of the first marker;
receive data indicative of a second marker associated with a conclusion of the path section;
determine a total quantity of identified target components for the path section in response to receiving the data indicative of the second marker and based on monitoring of the quantity of identified target components for the path section; and
output a control signal based on the total quantity of identified target components.

9 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:
compare the total quantity of identified target components to a target quantity associated with the path section; and output the control signal based on the comparison between the total quantity of identified target components and the target quantity.

10 . The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to output the control signal in response to a difference between the total quantity of identified target components and the target quantity exceeding a threshold value.

11 . The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive data indicative of a third marker associated with a beginning of an additional path section of the path system; monitor an additional quantity of identified target components for the additional path section in response to receiving the data indicative of the third marker; receive data indicative of a fourth marker associated with a conclusion of the additional path section; determine an additional total quantity of identified target components for the additional path section in response to receiving the data indicative of the fourth marker and based on monitoring of the additional quantity of identified components for the additional path section; compare the additional total quantity of identified target components to an additional target quantity associated with the additional path section, wherein the additional target quantity associated with the additional path section is different from the target quantity associated with the path section; and output an additional control signal based on the comparison between the additional total quantity of identified target components and the additional total quantity.

12 . The vehicle of claim 8 , comprising:
a set of wheels; and an adjustable clamp configured to bias the set of wheels against a guide of the path system to engage the bogie with the path system.

13 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to output the control signal in response to the total quantity of identified target components being equal to a threshold range of quantities.

14 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive captured imagery of the path section; compare the captured imagery to target imagery; and increase the quantity of identified target components in response to determining a difference between the captured imagery and the target imagery is less than a threshold value.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to cause the processor to:
receive data indicative of a first marker associated with a beginning of a path section of an amusement park attraction system; identify target components for the path section in response to receiving the data indicative of the first marker; receive data indicative of a second marker associated with a conclusion of the path section; determine a total quantity of identified target components for the path section in response to receiving the data indicative of the second marker; and output a control signal based on the total quantity of identified target components.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the processor to output the control signal to indicate the path section in response to determining a difference between the total quantity of identified target components and a target quantity associated with the path section is above a threshold value.

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Jordan Robert Michael
• Reiter Paige Lynette
• Goergen Patrick John
• Williams Thomas Owen
• Kelley Sarah Anne
• Freedman Daniel Matthew
• Allinson Jacob David

Classifications

• B61L23/042 Primary

  Track changes detection · CPC title

• A63G7/00 Primary

  Up-and-down hill tracks; Switchbacks · CPC title

• G06T7/001

  using an image reference approach · CPC title

• G06T2207/30252

  Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle · CPC title

• B61D15/12

  power propelled · CPC title