Amusement devices – Illusion or stage device – Illusion caused by video – projected picture – or special...
Utility Patent
1999-06-15
2001-01-02
Nguyen, Kien T. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices
Illusion or stage device
Illusion caused by video, projected picture, or special...
C472S065000, C040S427000
Utility Patent
active
06168531
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is related to the field of entertainment, and more particularly to an interactive attraction providing entertaining activities for a participant.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Interactive entertainment attractions are generally in the nature of a video game apparatus in which a participant manipulates buttons and levers, or otherwise imparts physical movement of a device, to cause changing visual and audible effects.
Although video games differ in the visual and audible presentations, the methodology, i.e. activities of the participants, are predictable and remain basically the same, leading to familiarity, boredom and disinterest. Moreover, such entertainment attractions typically limit usage at any point in time to one or two participants.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an entertainment attraction alternative which departs from the usual button pushing, lever bending video game type of activity, and which permits several participants to take part in the attraction activity within a relatively short period of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A bowl shaped entertainment attraction is disclosed which includes a bowl shaped member having a top and a bottom. In addition, the attraction includes a fog generator which produces a fog layer in the bowl shaped member. Further, the attraction includes an image producer which produces an image within the bowl shaped member that is viewable through the fog layer.
More specifically, the present invention provides a bowl shaped entertainment attraction, comprising: a bowl shaped member having a top, a bottom, and an interior; a fog generator producing a fog layer within and/or at the top of the bowl shaped member; and an imaging device producing an image within the bowl shaped member.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a simulated soup bowl entertainment attraction, comprising: a bowl-shaped member having a top bounded by a top rim, a bottom permitting light transmission therethrough, and sidewalls connecting the top rim with the bottom; a fog generator producing a fog layer at the top of the bowl-shaped member; and an imaging device producing an image within the bowl-shaped member, the image viewable from a viewing position looking down into the top of the bowl-shaped member.
Preferably, the simulated soup bowl entertainment attraction includes an image controlling apparatus coupled to the imaging device for changing the image viewable from the viewing position.
For example, the imaging device may comprise a projector projecting an image onto a rear projection screen displaying the projected image, the screen being disposed within the soup bowl-shaped member beneath the fog layer. A sensor apparatus is provided to sense the presence of an object positioned over the top of the bowl-shaped member, and in particular the sensor apparatus will sense the presence of a participant's hand being held over the top rim of the soup bowl member. Upon sensing the presence of a participant's hand above the top rim, the image controlling apparatus changes the image being viewed, e.g. the projector changes slides.
When another participant places his or her hand above another segment of the bowl-shaped member, such action is detected by the sensing apparatus, and the image controlling apparatus causes the imaging device to again change images being displayed under the fog layer as viewed from above the bowl-shaped member.
In an embodiment of the invention, the top of the bowl-shaped member is divided into segments, e.g. six pie-shaped segments, and a particular slide in the slide projector will be selected for each of the six sectors on a correlated one-to-one basis.
Alternatively, the slide projector may include a carousel having many slides available for display, and each time a participant's hand is moved over the top rim of the bowl-shaped member into one of the segments, the sensor apparatus senses that event, causing the image controlling apparatus to change the image in the imaging device. If desired, such changing of images may be random or may be presented sequentially in any particular desired order.
Either on a time basis, or on a number of objects sensed basis, a predetermined slide will be selected for display on the screen, the image having the shape of a large arrow pointing in the direction in which the participant is requested to go for exiting the entertainment attraction and for being properly directed to another entertainment attraction.
Although a projector and slide arrangement is an embodiment for an imaging device, any visual display device can be substituted for the projector and slide arrangement, such as a video projector (similar to the system in a rear-projection television system), or an active display surface having individually eliminated pixels as controlled by a display control device (similar to the display on a laptop computer screen).
The enjoyment afforded a participant by the present invention is enhanced by optionally providing a sound system which produces a unique sound for, and correlated with, each selectable image. A store of sound clips may take the form of tracks on a compact disk or other suitable quick indexing multiple recorded sound medium. The selection of sounds to be heard by the participant functionally parallels the selection of images by the aforementioned imaging device and image control apparatus.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3432439 (1969-03-01), Dickman
patent: 4303397 (1981-12-01), Swiatosz
patent: 5156333 (1992-10-01), Worsfold
patent: 5224901 (1993-07-01), Dahl et al.
patent: 5407392 (1995-04-01), Laijoki-Puska
patent: 5951405 (1999-09-01), Eigenmann
Adamson William George
Updyke, Jr. Donald Lewis
Nguyen Kien T.
Sony Corporation
Tobin Christopher M.
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