Education and demonstration – Vehicle operator instruction or testing – Flight vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-08
2001-09-04
Cheng, Joe H. (Department: 3713)
Education and demonstration
Vehicle operator instruction or testing
Flight vehicle
C434S029000, C434S055000, C434S058000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283757
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
Motion simulators have been around for many years. However, many of these devices are extremely expensive to build, and elaborate and complex to operate. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,128 to Wachsmuth et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,375 to Samicola; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,784 to Carmein. Additionally, these patents do not have the exterior appearance and structures of the actual devices that are being simulated such as automobiles, trucks, military conveyances, and water borne vehicles.
Other patents of interest that the inventors are also aware of include U.S. Pat. Des. No. 345,178 to Peterson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,485,266 to Edinburg; U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,099 to Fett; U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,407 to Manabe and U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,766 to Touzeau et al.
All of the above patents are generally concerned with a motion simulation effect for a single user. U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,784 to Carmein in FIGS. 17-20 shows two users but limits that to an interactive application in a virtual reality environment such as “teaching dancing lessons . . . simulating wrestling . . . ” between two persons. While FIG. 20 shows two persons in a simulator, that application is for the users to only be on the receiving end of getting simulation effects, and not for independently controlling and operating the simulation effects.
None of these patents allow for full interactivity from both the driver and the passenger in a full motion simulator. None of these patents allow for both the driver and the passenger to be able to separately and independently control the simulator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The first objective of the present invention is to provide a full motion simulator where either a first player or a second player can alternate controlling the pitch and roll of a motion base for supporting the players in the simulator.
The second object of this invention is to provide a full motion simulator where a first player can control the pitch and roll of a motion base simulator while a second player can control a weapon control.
The third object of this invention is to provide a full motion simulator having foot pedals for controlling the yaw image on a display screen.
The fourth object of this invention is to provide a full motion simulator having a lever for controlling the altitude of the image on a display screen.
The fifth object of this invention is to provide two identical mechanical actuators substantially oriented perpendicular to one another for controlling pitch and roll positions of a motion base simulator.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is a full motion interactive simulator for two or more persons that includes a vehicle such as a helicopter cab positioned on a motion platform that is connected to a base. A first piston extendable actuator is both pivotally connected to both the base and the A-frame base support controls the pitch of the platform and causes the platform to tilt forward and to tilt backward. A second piston extendable actuator is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first actuator is connected to both the base and to the platform and controls the roll of the platform causing the platform to roll left and roll right. Both the first and second piston extendable actuators can be identical and each can include a lead screw piston connected to a yoke the latter of which moves up and down about one or more guide rods.
Two players can be seated on the motion platform and play a simulation game that they can view on a display screen such as a monitor, a liquid crystal display, and the like that is positioned in front of them. Both players can have control devices such as joysticks so that each player can control both the first and the second actuators. Each player can alternate controlling the actuators by their respective joystick. Both players can have a set of right and left foot pedals in front of their seats for controlling the yaw direction of a image on the display screen. The left foot pedal can control yaw movement of the image on the display screen to a left direction, and the right foot pedal can control moving the image on the display screen to the right direction.
Connected to the platform between the two players can be a mechanical spring loaded altitude control lever, where pulling the lever upward causes the image on the display screen to appear at a higher altitude and pushing the lever downward causes the image on the display screen to be at a lower altitude.
Both joystick type controls can include buttons and switches for activating weapon simulation effects, where a player can simultaneously control both actuators and the weapons to fire. Alternatively, one player can control both actuators and the second player can control the firing of the weapons.
In addition to a helicopter cab, the vehicles supported by the platform can be either an open top or covered cab covered such as but not limited to an airplane, a jet, an automobile, a motorcycle, a truck, a military tank, a speedboat, a submarine, and a jetski.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment which is illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 345178 (1994-03-01), Peterson
patent: 2485266 (1949-10-01), Edinburg
patent: 3618256 (1971-11-01), Monks
patent: 4120099 (1978-10-01), Fett
patent: 4207688 (1980-06-01), Derderian et al.
patent: 4386914 (1983-06-01), Dustman
patent: 4464116 (1984-08-01), Schoolcraft
patent: 4478407 (1984-10-01), Manabe
patent: 4584896 (1986-04-01), Letovsky
patent: 4601663 (1986-07-01), Allison et al.
patent: 4688443 (1987-08-01), Fabre et al.
patent: 4710128 (1987-12-01), Wachsmuth et al.
patent: 5129826 (1992-07-01), Munsch
patent: 5309766 (1994-05-01), Touzeau et al.
patent: 5366375 (1994-11-01), Sarnicola
patent: 5415549 (1995-05-01), Logg
patent: 5431569 (1995-07-01), Simpkins et al.
patent: 5490784 (1996-02-01), Carmein
patent: 5496220 (1996-03-01), Engstrand
patent: 5509806 (1996-04-01), Ellsworth
patent: 5678999 (1997-10-01), Cicare
patent: 5689619 (1997-11-01), Smyth
patent: 5878981 (1999-03-01), Dewey
patent: 5911634 (1999-06-01), Nidata et al.
patent: 5931739 (1999-08-01), Layer et al.
patent: 6079982 (2000-06-01), Meader
patent: 6106298 (2000-08-01), Pollak
patent: 5-11685 (1993-01-01), None
patent: WO 93/16776 (1993-09-01), None
Meghnot Rupert L. A.
Younkin John D.
Cheng Joe H.
Law Office of Brian S. Steinberger
Simulation Entertainment Group, Inc.
Steinberger Brian S.
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