High Frame Rate Light Beam Collision Detection

Number: 20250153050
Published: 2025-05-15
Filed: 2023-11-14
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Wetherell; Jack et al.
CPC: G06F3/0304; G06T19/00; G06T7/277; G06V20/50; A63F13/65; A63F13/213; A63F13/216; A63F13/837; A63F13/573; A63F13/577
Verdict: Low Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

High-frame-rate light-beam collision-detection hardware (interactive light-dueling show tech).

Abstract

A system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code, a video camera communicatively coupled to the computing platform, and a user device communicatively coupled to the computing platform, the user device including a position/location (P/L) detection unit. The hardware processor is configured to execute the software code to obtain a three-dimensional (3D) map of a physical venue, identify one or more object representations within the physical venue, and detect, using the video camera, a collision of a light beam emitted by the user device with one of the one or more object representations. The hardware processor is further configured to execute the software code to identify, based on the 3D map and an orientation data sampled from the P/L detection unit, the user device having emitted the light beam colliding with the one of the one or more object representations.

Background

BACKGROUND

Traditional shooting gallery type attractions typically use physical targets to create a game environment with which users can interact. As computer technology continues to improve, more modern versions of those types of attractions increasingly make use of projection mapping on dimensional scenery. That is to say, targets may no longer be static physical objects, but may be digital representations of objects that are capable of moving across arbitrary surfaces present in the physical venue providing the shooting gallery type attraction.

However, these modern media driven approaches that utilize projection mapping on dimensional scenery are incompatible with the technology traditionally deployed in other shooting gallery type attractions where the targets are fixed. Thus, there is a need in the art for a new method for determining where a user is aiming or otherwise pointing a projection device in use cases in which the pointing position of the user must be captured and accurately translated from the real-world space of the physical venue of the attraction to a virtual space, such as a “game space” at a high frame rate due to the contemporaneous use of many projection devices by many users.

Claims

1. A system comprising: a computing platform including a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code; a video camera communicatively coupled to the computing platform; and a user device communicatively coupled to the computing platform, the user device including a position/location (P/L) detection unit; the hardware processor configured to execute the software code to: obtain a three-dimensional (3D) map of a physical venue; identify one or more object representations within the physical venue; detect, using the video camera, a collision of a light beam emitted by the user device with one of the one or more object representations; and identify, based on the 3D map and an orientation data sampled from the P/L detection unit, the user device having emitted the light beam colliding with the one of the one or more object representations. || 11. A method for use by a system including a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code, a video camera communicatively coupled to the computing platform and a user device communicatively coupled to the computing platform, the user device including a position/location (P/L) detection unit, the method comprising: obtaining, by the software code executed by the hardware processor, a three-dimensional (3D) map of a physical venue; identifying, by the software code executed by the hardware processor, one or more object representations within the physical venue; detecting, by the software code executed by the hardware processor and using the video camera, a collision of a light beam emitted by the user device with one of the one or more object representations; and identifying, by the software code executed by the hardware processor based on the 3D map and an orientation data sampled from the P/L detection unit, the user device having emitted the light beam colliding with the one of the one or more object representations.