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CA2103348A1 - Servo controlled gyroscope ride - Google Patents

Servo controlled gyroscope ride

Info

Publication number
CA2103348A1
CA2103348A1 CA 2103348 CA2103348A CA2103348A1 CA 2103348 A1 CA2103348 A1 CA 2103348A1 CA 2103348 CA2103348 CA 2103348 CA 2103348 A CA2103348 A CA 2103348A CA 2103348 A1 CA2103348 A1 CA 2103348A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
operator
support frame
testing
images generated
controls
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2103348
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
William Wallace
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA 2103348 priority Critical patent/CA2103348A1/en
Publication of CA2103348A1 publication Critical patent/CA2103348A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63GMERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
    • A63G31/00Amusement arrangements
    • A63G31/16Amusement arrangements creating illusions of travel
    • GPHYSICS
    • G09EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09BEDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
    • G09B9/00Simulators for teaching or training purposes
    • G09B9/02Simulators for teaching or training purposes for teaching control of vehicles or other craft

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Educational Administration (AREA)
  • Educational Technology (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Processing Or Creating Images (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A system which tests operator skill within a controlled environment comprises an operator station mounted within a support frame having first and second frame portions both of which are movable independently of one another to provide different motions of the operator station. A motor drive is provided for the support frame.
A visual display which receives images generated by an image generator is visible from the operator station. The system includes motor drive controls for controlling movement of the support frame in response to the images generated and further includes a systems control which receives information regarding the movement of the support frame and automatically adjusts the images generated in accordance with the different movements of the operator station.

Description

21033~g :
SJ-892~-93 : .
TITLE: SERVO CONTROLLED GYROSCQPE RIDE :

FIElLD OF T~E I~ENTION -The present invention relates to an overall system which tests operator skill within a controlled environment.
The system has both a movable operator station and a display screen where images are generated on the display screen in accordance with different movements of the operator station.
, ~

~ROUNI;) OF THE INVENTION ~ :
Computer controlled video games are not only becoming more popular but are also becoming more sophisticated with each generation of new video games. One of the most recent developments is a product referred to as ~
virtual reality where the player dawns a head set and is ' -completely surrounded by the environment in which the game is played.
"~
The Applicant of the present invention currently markets a human gyroscope under the trade mark SPACEBALL~ . - :
This human gyroscope is formed by a stationary main frame ~ -and a pair of further support frames which move relative to one another and also relative to the stationary frame. A
seat is mounted interiorly of the frame and a person supported by the seat is then moved by an operator exteriorly of the unit. The person riding within the unit has no control over its movement.
~ ~
To date, there has been very little development `
with respect to video games where the person playing the ~; ;
game not only has virtual reality but in addition, has and controls physical movement in accordance with what appears in the virtual reality surroundings.

21033~8 ~
: ::

~MMARY OF THE INVENTIQN
The present invention relates to a game playing system for testing operator skill using vicleo game concepts but taken to a much higher level than which is currently available. The system of the present invention, which operates within a controlled environment comprises an operator station mounted within a support frame having first and second frame portions, both of which are movable independently of one another and both of which provide -~
10 different motions of the operator station. A visual ;~
display is visible from the operator station and image generating means generates images provided by computer ' software is displayed at the visual display. Motor drive controls are provided for controlling movement of the support frame in response to the images generated and means are provided to automatically ad~ust the images generated ~ `
in accordance with the different motions of the operator station as provided by the support Erame. , `
. . .: .: :.:~
.: ~ ::
In very broad terms, the support frame is moved in response to what appears on the visual display and then the images on the visual display must in turn respond to motions that have occurred at the support frame. The support frame and the visual display are therefore totally ~ ;
inter-active with one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAW~NGS
The above as well as other advantages and features of the present invention will be described in greater -~
detail according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention in which; ~
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an operator skill ;
testing system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the cockpit region from the system of Figure 1;
'" ~

' . : : ' :.-:: .

21~33~8 SJ-8924-93 - 3 - ;

Figure 3 is a view of a system modified from that shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

S PETAILED DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TQ TH~ PREFERRED : ~:

EMBODIMEN~S OF THE PRESENT INVENTIQN ~ :
Figure 1 shows a system generally indicated at 1.
This system comprises a stationary frame 3, a first movable ring-like frame portion 5 and a second ring-like movable frame portion 9. Ring 5 is pivotally mounted at opposite sides of the ring to the stationary support by pivot mounts , '~'~
7. Ring 9 is pivotally mounted to the larger exterior ring 5 by means of inner ring pivot mounts 11. A cockpit 13 is ,''~' ' secured to the inner ring 9 by means of cockpit mounts 14.
' ~
The outer ring 5 is completely~,rotatable about its ' ~'', ' mounts 7 while the inner ring 9 is completely rotatable -~,',,'' about its mounts 11 so that the two rings rotate independently of one another. Furthermore, they rotate in ''' " ', 20 directions at 90 to one another. , '~.''~'. .., :. .",.-'' The inner ring mounts 11 as shown in Figure 1 are , located forwardly and rearwardly of the cockpit 13. Using ',, ;,',,'~
this orientation, the outer ring mounts 7 are located to ~i,, ~,,,' 25 opposite sides of the cockpit. ' ' ,"~' ' ' A servo motor 8 is connected through a pulley to , ' '' the extended end of one of the ring mounts 7 for rotating ,~"~
the outer ring. A further servo motor 12 is connected by a 30 pulley through inner ring mount 11 to the inner ring 9 to '~
spin or rotate the inner riny. Servo motor 8 and servo ' '~
motor 12 respond to controls within the system which may ", ,~, i either be set to an automatic mode in which the operator passively sits in the cockpit or to a more aggressive --, operator inter-active mode.
:-. ~ ~ - ': '' :., ' ~ ' ' ' ':

21~33~g ; ~
SJ-8924-93 ~ 4 ~

The outer ring, through its side to side mounting to the stationary f~ame, controls pltch of the cockpit, i.e. forward and rearward movement of the cockpit. The inner ring through its front and back mounting to the outer 5 ring controls roll or side to side movement of the cockpit. -As will be appreciated, the cockpit is able to move back and forth and side to side all at one time so that variations in pitch and roll can occur simultaneously with one another. ~ -The system of the present invention is designed to -~
simulate to the greatest extent possible, conditions as they would be in a naturally occurring environment. This environment could be automotive, water sport, cycle, Elight simulation as well as many other environments. The description below relates specifically to a flight simulation environment. ;
., ~.~.......
Cockpit 13, as shown in Figure 2, is one particular - ~ , form of an operator station. It comprises an operator seat 15 with a collimated display facing the operator seat. -- ;~
This particular display has a wrap around three dimensional construction relative to the operator seat and for the most part, where ever the operator looks, he or she will be , 25 facing the display screen. ;

The collimated display is one advanced form for presenting virtual reality. Another virtual reality device is in the form of a helmet mounted display 25 as seen in Figure 3 of the drawings. This type of display mounts directly over the face of the operator so that everywhere the operator looks he or she will be presented with images appearing on the display. A very similar effect is achieved through the use of collimated display I7.
-The person or operator to use the system enters through the frame to the cockplt seat, and although not ; . -2 :~ ~ 3 3 ~

shown, the seat is provided with seat belts or safety ~ ~ -harnesses which very effectively secure the operator within the seat. -i The system includes a systems control computer 21.
Once the system is turned on, this systems control having its own software generates images displayed on display 17.

In the particular embodiment shown, a disk 23 -~
referred to as a mission data disk is inserted into the system control 21 to record data information described later in detail. ; i ,'.,',';''",''~
As earlier described, the operator can set the ; ~ ~, system to a passive mode where the operator simply remains in the seat and lets the system controls automatically take over. The system controls will then dictate operation of the two servo motors 8 and 12 to vary the pitch and roll of the operator seat according to images displayed on the screen.

By way of example only, the particular flight environment to be used may be a simulated battle between the operators aircraft and a number of enemy aircraft. At 25 the beginning of the program, the automatic controls would~ ;
cause the frame to move as if the aircraft was taking off which would primarily produce an increase in the pitch or upward angling of the operator seat by means of servo motor 8 tilting the exterior ring 5. The system control would provide this information to the servo motor which would in turn tilt the ring. ; '~

As the craft reaches its normal flying elevation, the exterior ring would tilt back to a more horizontal position for levelling ~he flight of the operator.

" . ' ~ ,~

2 1 0 3 3 ~ 8 .
SJ-8924-93 - 6 ~

When an enemy aircraft approaches, as seen on the display screen, this information, i.e. the approach of the enemy aircraft would cause the system control to automatically react by either attacking or performing an evasive maneuver. In either case, both the pitch and roll features of the frame might automatically be activated by the systems control through a combination of forward and back as well as side to side tilting of the cockpit. The ;
automatic roll is achieved in the same manner as the 10 automatic pitch described above where ser~o motor 12 would . ~'.''' ~''."!~'''~
receive commands from the systems control to tip the inner ring frame 9 from side to side according to the maneuver to be performed;

15The mission would continue under the automated ;~
control until completed.

For a much more aggressive use of the system, it can be set to a manual control mode where the operator ;`
20 dictates events of the mission. To perform these :~
functions, a pair of hand controls 25 and 27 are provided ` :;~
to opposite sides of the seat unit in the cockpit. Control 25 is a throttle control while control 27 is a motion i control. Weaponry buttons and the like can be provided at either or both controls.

When the system is turned on, and set to the manual or operator control position, controls 25 and 27 must be used to produce flight conditions. The operator, by pushing forwardly on throttle 25 will produce a simulated increase in aircraft speed. The system is designed to ~
include sound effects consistent with the flight produced ; -so that as the throttle is pushed forward, not only will the aircraft show an increase in speed, it will also produce the sound associated with acceleration of an aircraft. As the throttle is pulled backwards, this will ~ `

2 1 ~ ~ 3 4 8 produce a simulated decrease in flight speed with associated sounds.

Motion control 27 has been designed to substantially authenticate controls found in a jet fighter.
It is a control which electronically senses pressure in the forward, rearward and side to side directions. The control ;;
itself does not move which is an extremely advantageous feature because the rings as earlier disclosed are free to completely rotate relative to one another and also may achieve very high rotational speeds. Under these -conditions, the use of a movable joy stick as found in prior art games is not highly desirable because the movement of the operator with the spinning of the frame can undesirably be transferred to the joy stick which would then throw the entire system out of control. ~ ~

However, by using a fixed position control, the ~ .
control itself is not as easily affected by movement of the operator caused by spinning of the frame rings.
~ ' ''~ '' The same technology which goes into a jet fighter control is provided in control 27. By pushing forward on the control, the forward pressure is sensed by the control~ ;~
25 which then operates servo motor 8 to pivot ring 5 ~;
downwardly producing a forward pitch of the cockpit. The more forward pressure applied, the greater the forward pitch produced.

Rearward pitch of the cockpit is provided by pulling rearwardly on control 27 which then electronically :
senses a rearward pressure driving servo motor 8 to produce a rearward tipping of frame ring 5. ~ -Side to side or roll motion of the cockpit is . -produced by the operator producing side pressure on control 27.

2 1 ~ 3 3 4 8 SJ-8924-93 - 8 - ~ ;

The operator controls the motion of the cockpit as well as the speed of the air craft in accordance with ~-images as they are presented on the display screen. The events as they occur are recorded on mission data disk 23.
The proficiency of the operator is determined in accordance with how successful he or she is in carrying out the mission which will comprise both offensive and defensive maneuvers. If the operator~s craft is shot down or destroyed during the mission, they there is still time remaining in the mission segment to completed, then the operator will return to base and restart the mission. All of these factors are recorded and analyzed by system control 21 which at the end of the mission automatically assigns a level of proficiency to the operator. This level of proficiency along with the mission data is recorded on disk 23.
, :.
At all times during the simulated flight, the maneuvers of the craft performed through controls 25 and 27 are fed back to system control 21 which then generates further images in response to the mane w ers as they are performed. A critical feature of the present invention is that the perspective of the images as they are displayed be adjusted at all times by the system control to compliment motion of the cockpit. If for example the cockpit is in a forward pitch position, the perspective of the images generated must appear as they would be seen from a diving aircraft. If the aircraft is in a rearward pitch position then the images must be displayed as if the aircraft is climbing. The same is true if the aircraft is either in a right or left roll position. Also, if the aircraft is being accelerated, the images appearing on the display screen must reflect this acceleration. The same is true of deceleration of the aircraft. All of this perspective adjustment occurs while new images are being produced on the screen.
.--~ . . ~, 21033~

..:: ..: ~- ..
As is the case wlth conventional vldeo games -programs of different skill levels can be selected by the -~
operator so that by continued practice, one can eventually 5 beat a program of one skill level and go up to a program of ,-an increased skill level.
.., ..,.~., ~.
Mission data dlsk 23 produces a number of i advantageous features in accordance with the present invention. AS earlier noted, mission data is recorded on the disk which can then be played back in any compatible computer system where the actual mission is visually displayed on a monitor such as monitor 37 shown in Figure 3 i ,,;
of the drawings. The recording of the data is formed in a manner as if it were seen through the eyes of an outside observer so that when the mission is played back on monitor -37, the actual maneuvers of the operators craft as well as the enemy craft will show on the monitor.
' :~ `' ''` ~
Another feature provided through mission data disk ;
23 is that the recording of the proficiency level allows the operator during the next and further uses of the system to forego maneuvers which are below his or her proiciency level. This is to be contrasted to a standard video game, 25 where the player with each new playing of the game must :
always start at beginner level and work his or her way up through the game.

Figure 3 of the drawings shows a very simplistic set up which demonstrates the general principles of the present invention. As earlier disclosed, this particular set up uses a helmet mounted display 26 to produce virtual reality. Images are fed to the helmet mounted display from -~
a computer base 35 and the operator reacts to those images through the use of controls 25 and 27 identical to those earlier disclosed. Information regarding the maneuvers performed through the hand controls are fed back to the .

2 1 0 3 3 4 8 ; ~ ~

computer base 35 which track this information and adjust the perspective of the visual display accordingly. At the - -same time, the computer base software system produces new images visible to the operator. To this extent the system 5 is a cycle where the operator reacts to information - ;
produced by the system control and the system control then in turn reacts to information sent from the cockpit through ~
the hand controls. Another important feature of the hand ~--controls is that they automatically sense a panic or out of control situation dictated by irrational hand grip signals of the operator on control 27. At this point, the ~-automatic controls take over until the craft is brought back to a controlled flight condition. This feature is important in that the frame in order to simulate actual flight conditions is able to freely spin in essentially all directions capable of producing very high gravitational ;~
forces on the operator. The shut down of the manual :
controls and take over by automatic controls ensures that the craft will not reach gravitational forces which might otherwise be detrimental to the safety of the operator.

The system as described above is one in which an individual operator reacts to programmed input from the system control. It can also be operated where a number of operators or participants cooperate with one another against the system control, i.e. where two or more operators are linked with one another as a team to go up against the system control.

In another embodiment, two or more testing units or systems are linked with one another such that in~ormation ;~
is fed back and forth between the systems and the operators rather than opposing the main computer control can oppose one another. In this case, the maneuvers of each of the - . ~
operators will appear on the other operators screens and each operator will maneuver accordingly.
... .

. .

.~ :.. . . ~ , , : - ~
. :::, ~:. : : :: , . -21~33~

. . . -, Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

`'' '' ;.'';''' ,' '..". ~:

~ -, , ~

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Claims (5)

1. A system for testing operator skill within a controlled environment, said system comprising an operator station mounted within a support frame having first and second frame portions both of which are movable independently of one another and both of which provide different movements of said operator station, a motor drive for said support frame, visual display means visible from said operator station, image generating means generating images displayed t said visual display means, manually motor driven controls for controlling movement of said support frame in response to the images generated and means to automatically adjust perspective of the images generated n accordance with the different movements of said operator station as provided by said support frame.
2. A system for testing operator skill within a controlled environment, said system comprising a movable operator seat mounted within a support frame having inner and outer support rings both of which are movable independently of one another and both of which provide different movements of said operator seat, said outer ring being pivotally secured to a stationary base by outer ring mounts at opposite sides of said outer ring, said inner ring being pivotally secured to said outer ring by inner ring mounts at opposite sides of said inner ring, said outer ring mounts being on opposite sides of said operator seat whereby pivotal movement of said outer ring provides variable pitch of said operator seat, said inner ring mounts being forward and rearward of said operator seat whereby pivotal movement of said inner ring provides variable roll of said operator seat, a visual display visible from said operator seat, an image generator generating images displayed at said visual display, first and second motor which move said outer and inner rings respectively, motor controls controlled by the operator from said operator sat for controlling movement of said inner and outer rings in response to the images generated and system controls which automatically adjust perspective of the images generated in accordance with variances in pitch and roll of said operator seat as determined by the operator through the use of said motor controls.
3. A system as claimed in Claims 1 or 2, including means for recording the testing and assigning operator proficiency level.
4. A system as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 including means recording the testing and assigning operator proficiency level and further providing visual playback information regarding the testing in the controlled environment.
5. A system for testing operator skill within a controlled flight simulation environment, said system comprising a cockpit mounted within a support frame having fist and second frame portions both of which are movable independently of one another providing variable pitch and roll of said cockpit, first and second motors which move said first and second frame portions respectively, a visual display in said cockpit, an image generator which generates images displayed at said visual display, motor controls which control operation of said first and second motors in response to the images generated, system controls which automatically adjust perspective of the images generated in accordance with the pitch and roll of said cockpit and a computer with data disk which records the testing and which based on the test results automatically assigns a proficiency level to the operator.
CA 2103348 1993-11-17 1993-11-17 Servo controlled gyroscope ride Abandoned CA2103348A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2103348 CA2103348A1 (en) 1993-11-17 1993-11-17 Servo controlled gyroscope ride

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2103348 CA2103348A1 (en) 1993-11-17 1993-11-17 Servo controlled gyroscope ride

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2103348A1 true CA2103348A1 (en) 1995-05-18

Family

ID=4152122

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2103348 Abandoned CA2103348A1 (en) 1993-11-17 1993-11-17 Servo controlled gyroscope ride

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2103348A1 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103886782A (en) * 2014-04-09 2014-06-25 陈京波 360-degree omni-directional overload flight simulator
CN107537154A (en) * 2016-06-23 2018-01-05 国锐(北京)科技发展有限公司 A kind of single game equipment
CN109003503A (en) * 2018-07-12 2018-12-14 武汉昱然智能科技有限公司 One kind being based on family car VR virtual driving experience apparatus
CN109126031A (en) * 2018-10-10 2019-01-04 祁映彬 A kind of self-service astronaut exercising apparatus

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103886782A (en) * 2014-04-09 2014-06-25 陈京波 360-degree omni-directional overload flight simulator
CN103886782B (en) * 2014-04-09 2016-06-01 陈京波 A kind of 360 degree of omnidirectionals overload type of flight simulator
CN107537154A (en) * 2016-06-23 2018-01-05 国锐(北京)科技发展有限公司 A kind of single game equipment
CN109003503A (en) * 2018-07-12 2018-12-14 武汉昱然智能科技有限公司 One kind being based on family car VR virtual driving experience apparatus
CN109126031A (en) * 2018-10-10 2019-01-04 祁映彬 A kind of self-service astronaut exercising apparatus
CN109126031B (en) * 2018-10-10 2023-11-10 祁映彬 Self-service astronaut training ware

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