Granted patent
Clearance envelope management for regulating vehicle movement
- Number
- 12656784
- Published
- 2026-06-16
- Filed
- 2024-07-01
- Assignee
- DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
- Inventors
- Pease; Bradley A., Parent; Kevin T., Mezzatesta, III; Frank D., Milluzzi; Andrew Jesse, Hogue, Jr.; William Bennett, Bloemsma; Allan, Rokes; Youssef Safwat, Herman; Selina L., Boyle; Bryant D.
- CPC
- G05D1/246; G05D1/242; G05D1/622; G05D1/693; G05D1/695; G05D2105/24; G05D2107/87; G05D2109/10
- Verdict
- Medium Hardware
- First reported
- 2026-W29 (2026-07-15)
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
A method may include comparing, using a virtual map, a position of a ride vehicle to a position of an obstacle in an operating environment; and querying a virtual map of an operating environment, the virtual map includi…
Abstract
A method may include comparing, using a virtual map, a position of a ride vehicle to a position of an obstacle in an operating environment; and querying a virtual map of an operating environment, the virtual map including a characteristic for an object within the operating environment; and maintaining, by a ride vehicle, a clearance envelope with respect to the object based on the object characteristic. Additional methods and associated systems are also disclosed.
Background
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION (1) The present application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 18/760,140, filed Jul. 1, 2024, and titled “VEHICLE MOVEMENT MANAGEMENT”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. FIELD (2) The present application relates generally to regulating object movement and, more specifically, to systems and methods for managing protection envelope implementation in environments with moving vehicles and dynamically changing conditions. BACKGROUND (3) Vehicles (e.g., Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) or Free Ranging Vehicles (FRVs)) operate in an environment (e.g., an attraction or ride, warehouse, factory and the like) that adheres to rider clearance envelopes (i.e., reach envelopes). Clearance envelopes define an area or volume that a rider is able to directly or indirectly contact from within a passenger location in the vehicle. Clearance envelopes are determined based on biophysical characteristics of riders, knowledge of objects that passengers may be carrying, as well as vehicle characteristics such as seating position, passenger restraints and the like. Clearance envelopes are also determined by environmental conditions in that a vehicle stays farther away from a hot object than it would to a cool object. Vehicle motion characteristics such as speed, inertia and turning can also be used to determine the size and shape of a clearance envelope (e.g., a faster moving vehicle may warrant a larger clearance envelope than a would a