Selective illumination of physical scenery in amusement park rides

A selective illumination system for use with amusement park rides and other attractions. The system includes a first light source illuminating a first set of items in a physical set and also includes a second light source illuminating a second set of items in the physical set. The system further includes a first set of optical filters operating in time synchronization with the first light source to pass light from the illuminated first set of items and also includes a second set of optical filters operating in time synchronization with the second light source to pass light from the illuminated first set of items. The optical filters of the first and second sets may be shutter glasses or other filters that are operated at high rates to selectively pass received light, and the first and second light sources are operated in a time multiplexed manner synchronized with the optical filters.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Description

The present invention relates, in general, to amusement or theme park rides (often simply called “rides” herein) and illumination of the set or physical scenery surrounding or nearby the ride path, and, more particularly, to systems for selectively illuminating physical scenery in rides so as to provide differing sets of passengers on the rides differing ride experiences including visual experiences that are unique to each of the sets of passengers (even when within a single ride vehicle).

2. Relevant Background

Amusement and theme parks remain extremely popular with many thousands of people visiting these parks every year. Visitors experience a variety of attractions including rides, walk through attractions, shows, and the like. To encourage enjoyment and attendance, it can be beneficial for an attraction to provide variability in experiences so that a visitor can have multiple difference experiences on the same attraction.

For example, water-based rides may vary with each ride with the water spraying or soaking riders in a relatively random manner. In other cases, a ride experience may vary based on the rider's location in a car or train of vehicles (e.g., are you in the lead car of a roller coaster or toward the rear of the coaster train?). However, many attractions have elaborate and detailed physical scenery that has not been designed to readily change in a manner that supports experience variability.

Another approach to increasing enjoyment is to personalize the experience. For example, a ride might be operated to identify a rider, such as one having their birthday, and to provide the identified rider a personalized experience such as by announcing their name as they pass a location and so on. Similar to personalization, a ride may be operated to provide “group appropriateness” such as by attempting to give younger riders a youth-oriented experience while providing teenagers and adults a more mature experience. However, it has often been difficult for ride designers to provide differing experiences within a single ride. For example, it is a difficult challenge to design a ride so as to increase or decrease thrill or to vary imagery displayed to the riders (e.g., show bad guys or scary images to teenagers while showing good guys or much less scary images to children) as they move along a track through a themed ride. In addition to the difficult task of changing configuration of the elaborate scenery, segregating the audience is difficult and can interfere with families and friends enjoying an attraction together.

Hence, there remains a need for new ride or attraction designs or systems that facilitate personalization and selective variance of the ride or attraction experience. Preferably, such designs and/or systems are useful with existing rides and attractions as well as with completely new rides or experiences.

SUMMARY

The inventor recognized that it is relatively easy to provide different experiences to only one participant or viewer at a time, but personalization and/or variability of a ride or attraction experience becomes much more difficult when providing the experience to a large group of people such as to riders on a tracked ride or an omnimover ride. Specifically, when a group of people all view a physical scene such as a stage, a diorama, a sculpture, a painting, scenery along a ride track, or the like, they all expect to see the same thing. Since they are all viewing light reflected from a common source there typically is only slight variations based on an individual's viewing angle, but, for the most part, each person in the group or audience sees the same thing, e.g., the same set provided along a ride track.

The inventor further recognized that rides (or attractions with those terms being used interchangeably herein) may be modified to include a lighting system that is designed to selectively illuminate portions of the surrounding set (differing display items) along a ride path (or adjacent a ride track) so that two or more sets or groups of ride passengers (e.g., viewers of displayed items) each view different portions of the set. For example, the display system may include shutter glasses (or other selectively controlled eyewear such as color filter glasses) that are synchronized by a controller with lighting (such as spotlights, fill lights, backlights, and the like along the ride path/track) that is high-frequency controlled by the same or a different display system controller. The display system makes use of time multiplexing or time slicing in the real world by synchronizing lighting of display items or set portions with the riders'/passengers' eyewear so that different individuals on a single ride are given a different visual experience.

The lighting can be readily synchronized with particular glasses so that one viewer sees one lighting plan while another viewer will “concurrently” (e.g., within a fraction of a second of each other) see an entirely different lighting plan. Each lighting plan may be adapted and operated so as to cause at least some different portions of the set or display items to be illuminated for viewing by the different sets of viewers in the group. Alternatively or in addition, the different lighting plans alter lighting effects such as colors, shadows, depths, and the like so that portions of the scene appear different to different groups of viewers. Lighting, shadows, and color may be controlled in the display system either programmatically or under user control to change the light plan selected for a particular viewer or set of viewers.

In a ride with the display system, for example, riders in the same vehicle could be given differently controlled eyewear (eyewear synchronized to different illumination plans/patterns) to be given vastly or subtly different experiences based on alternative sets of illuminated items that are presented/displayed to different riders. In a museum or similar display setting, lighting could be synchronized with audio such that guests coming upon a display at different times could be seeing and hearing (through headphone audio) entirely different portions of a narrative-supporting set/display based on their time of arrival at the set/display. In an aquarium application (e.g., “ride” and “attraction” can be construed quite broadly), different fish or background features can be highlighted for different viewers at the same time (or nearly the same time via time slicing/time multiplexing control of the eyewear and light sources). As will be appreciated, the display systems (and corresponding methods) described herein can be used to convert many observational displays into story telling opportunities.

Non-entertainment applications include product selection or warehouse scenarios where particular shelves or goods can be selectively highlighted to help users find particular items. For example, a user registers items she is seeking and that information is used to cause shutter glasses or a handheld camera or other device to synchronize with a particular lighting plan among several alternative plans being used to illuminate the space. As a result, when a shopper or store employee turns into an aisle the desired items become quickly identifiable with each guest in the aisle having their own items highlighted. Alternatively, a store may augment a user's list by highlighting store-selected areas having promotional items or items related to things already selected by a particular shopper.

More particularly, a display system is provided for use with amusement park rides and other attractions. The system includes a first light source intermittently illuminating (i.e., flashing light sources (or the outputs) at a determined frequency such that it appears to be continuously on to the viewers that have their eyewear synched to the light source) a first set of items in a physical set and also includes a second light source intermittently illuminating a second set of items in the physical set. The system further includes a first set of optical filters operating in time synchronization with the first light source to pass light from the illuminated first set of items and also includes a second set of optical filters operating in time synchronization with the second light source to pass light from the illuminated second set of items.

In the display system, the optical filters of the first and second sets are shutter glasses or other filters that can be operated at high rates or frequencies to intermittently pass received light (in this case with both shutters/lenses being operated concurrently in a like manner to pass light to both the right and the left eye). The light sources are adapted for high speed control and may be, for example, light emitting diodes (LEDs) adapted for high speed control. During operation of the display system, the first and second light sources are operated in a time multiplexed manner (e.g., the light sources are operated alternately in a rapid manner) such as each being operated at a rate or frequency of at least 50 Hertz (but offset from each other). To facilitate synchronization of the light sources and corresponding ones of the optical filters, the system may further include a controller generating synchronization signals transmitted to the first and second light sources and to the first and second sets of optical filters.

In some implementations, the display system may further include a ride vehicle(s) for receiving viewers wearing the first and second sets of optical filters, and, then, the passenger vehicle is moved along a ride path adjacent the physical set. The controller or user input can be used in the display system to modify an operating state of a number of the first set of optical filters while the passenger vehicle moves along the ride path to cause the number of the first set of optical filters to operate with time synchronization with the second light source (e.g., a user may interact with a ride set to score a preset number of points and, after that time, be automatically switched to a new level or a user may be allowed to switch between viewing the items illuminated only by the first light source and those items only illuminated by the second light source). In the system the first set of items differs at least partially from the second set of items, whereby a viewer using one of the first set of optical filters has a different viewing experience than a viewer using one of the second set of optical filters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Briefly, a display system is described herein that is specially adapted to apply the theory of time slicing or time multiplexing of displayed imagery to a real world physical set such as a set along an amusement or theme park ride path (e.g., a path may be defined by a track followed by a ride vehicle or the like). The display system generally includes two or more light sources that are configured to illuminate first and second portions of the real world set (e.g., first and second sets of display items in the ride set) at differing times in a time alternating or time multiplexed manner, with a controller operating these light sources to synchronize their selective projection of light to illuminate the first and second portions of the set.

The display system also includes eyewear provided to viewers, such as passengers in a ride vehicle that is moving through the ride set, and the eyewear is operated to cause a first number of the viewers to see the illuminated first portions of the set and a second number of the viewers to see the illuminated second portions of the set. For example, the controller may time synchronize operation of the eyewear (e.g., shutter glasses) with the operation of the light sources. In brief, selectively illuminated light sources are time synchronized with shutter glasses or other controllable eyewear to allow two (or more) subsets of viewers within a group to view two or more subsets of display items or portions of a real world set while the viewers pass by the set as a group. In this way, each subset of viewers can be provided a different visual experience while on the same ride or in the same attraction.

It should be kept in mind, the system may be used to simply highlight pieces of a physical set without requiring two completely different sets. One spotlight, for instance, could be used to highlight a background character to draw attention to it for some viewers even though it would remain visible to everyone. In this way, some people see the spotlight/highlight. The spotlight could also make some things appear black and white and selectively color objects (e.g., different objects being colored differently for differing viewers). In one case, kids may see a scene with children in color while adults see the same scene but with adults in color. Hence, many of the illustrative systems and their uses teach embodiments in terms of seeing or not seeing set pieces, but it will readily be understood by those skilled in the art that the technology of the systems can be used to highlight objects for different groups of viewers in addition to or instead of making objects selectively visible/invisible to the viewers.

Prior to turning to specific implementations, it may be useful to provide a few examples of how such a display system may be used in practice to provide viewers with unique visual experiences. In one example, a group of people may participate in an amusement park ride and climb into the seats of the ride's vehicles. The group may be divided into two sets labeled Viewers A and Viewers B, and the viewers in the two sets may be interspersed in the vehicles in nearly any manner (e.g., equal number or different number from each of the two sets in each ride vehicle). A first set of eyewear (e.g., shutter glasses) may be provided to those in the Viewers A set, and a second set of eyewear (e.g., shutter glasses) may be provided to those in the Viewers B set. The display system may include two sets of light sources, such as theatrical or set lighting that can be controlled in a high frequency manner (e.g., image forming devices such as projectors with light emitting diodes (LEDs) backlights, DMD switches, or the like), and each set of light sources may be focused upon or targeted toward two different portions or sets of the display items in the set along the ride path. Then, the light sources can have their operations synchronized in time with the operation of either the first or second sets of eyewear such as with radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR) pulses, or other synch signals from the controller. In this way, the members of the Viewers A set may be shown first portions of or items in the ride set or thematic display (e.g., puppies or other friendly animals to children) while the members of the Viewers B set may be shown second portions of or items in the ride set (e.g., ghouls or aliens to teenagers/adults).

In this same or a different implementation, a storyline can be developed for the viewers/passengers of a ride or attraction. For example, a detective or mystery storyline may be created that urges the viewers/passengers to look for or find a number of clues or visual objects in the ride set or attraction display. The riders/passengers may be placed in a Viewers A set the first time they take the ride, and a first set of clues/objects may be selectively illuminated for their viewing in the ride set. The riders/passengers may later be placed in a Viewers B set when they are on their second time on the ride, and a second set of clues/objects may be selectively illuminated by the display system for their viewing in the ride set. In this way, a single set along a ride path/track may be used to sequentially present different items for the passengers/viewers to find or identify to solve a case or mystery. The storyline may be extended over two or more times on a ride as a third (or more) set of light sources may be synchronized with third (or more) set of eyewear. In this way, the riders/passengers are rewarded for multiple rides rather than just taking one ride.

In some embodiments, the assigning of different passengers/riders into differing subsets may be based on language. For example, all Spanish-speaking passengers may be provided shutter glasses that can be synchronized with illumination of light sources to illuminate signage/text in the ride set that is provided in Spanish. Passengers that speak another language such as English, Chinese, Japanese, French, Italian, or another language may be provided different shutter glasses that are synchronized with light sources that are operated to illuminate signage/text in the ride set provide in their language.

In some embodiments, the wearer of the eyewear may be able to select which set of light sources that their eyewear is synchronized with to select which portion of the ride set they can view. For example, shutter or other glasses may be configured to include a switch on the frame (or elsewhere) to cause the glasses to be operated in a time synchronized manner with one of two or more different sets of light sources that are selectively operated over time to illuminate different portions of the ride set or attraction display. This is a user-controlled display system. In other cases, system control may be used to switch the glasses to be synchronized with a different set of light sources. For example, a passenger/rider may be interacting with the ride set (e.g., shooting targets, identifying clues/object, and the like) and earn a score, and, when their score passes a preset level, the system controller may switch their glasses for synchronization with a different set of light sources to allow them to view portions or items of a ride set associated with a new or next level for the ride/attraction. Such system control may be based on numerous parameters such as the viewer's skill level, their recent performance in an interactive setting, user provided preferences (e.g., prefer to view objects/items in the ride set associated with dinosaurs or animals rather than aliens or ghosts), and so on.

FIG. 1illustrates a display system100of one embodiment that is adapted for selectively illuminating items or objects or portions of a set or display to viewers. In this example, a ride vehicle160that may be track-based moves as shown with arrow161through a ride set170with three different sets of display items172,174,176, and these display item sets172,174,176can be illuminated in a manner with the display system100such that each set is only visible to viewers/riders in the ride vehicle wearing eyewear that has its operation synchronized with the illumination of a paired one of the sets172,174, or176.

As shown, the system100includes an illumination assembly110with a set of three (or more) light sources114,116,118operating to project or output a set of light streams (or to provide output light)115,117,119. In this non-limiting example, high frequency shutters112are provided at the light source outlets/outputs to time multiplex the light streams115,117,119from the light sources114,116,118as in the past was done for output streams of projectors to time multiplex image streams. Light source114is used to illuminate with stream115a first set of display items172in the ride set170, light source116is used to illuminate with stream117a second, differing (at least partially) set of display items174in the ride set170, and light source118is used to illuminate with stream119a third set of display items176(which differs at least somewhat from the first and second item sets172,174). For example, the light sources114,116,118may be focused or targeted onto the front or back surfaces of the display items172,174,176, respectively, such that when the controller120powers via line121the light sources114,116,118and the shutters112are controlled as shown at123via shutter controller123, one of the sources at a time will selectively illuminate portions of the ride set170.

To the naked eye (without glasses142,146,150, the streams115,117,119may almost appear to be provided concurrently because the rate or frequency (controlled by signal123via shutters112) is such that there is no or little perceptible delay between the streams115,117,119. Three sources are shown in light source assembly110, but 2 to 6 or more may be used in the assembly110, and the high frequency shutters112may operate at a wide range of frequencies to open and close such as 50 to 300 Hertz (Hz) or more, with 50 Hz shown inFIG. 1as one exemplary implementation.

The system100also includes a system controller120that includes a time code module126for providing a time code signal to the light sources114,116,118as shown at121such as an SMPTE time code signal to synchronize their operation to output light streams115,117,119, and/or the time code module126may be used to generate with a major frame synchronization signal via module124such as at 50 Hz or another useful frequency that is used by shutter controller122to operate shutters112(e.g., shutters112may not be used/required in some applications where light sources of assembly110can be controlled via signals121in a high frequency manner). The controller may be set to a particular frame offset, and a synchronization signal (or timing reference pulse)132may be transmitted from the controller120to synchronize operation of eyewear such as the illustrated shuttered glasses142,146,150used by the audience/viewers (not shown) in vehicle160via controllers142,146,150as shown with signals143,147,151.

As shown, the system100also includes a plurality of optical filters or eyewear shown as shuttered glasses140,144,148that are worn by the passengers/viewers (not shown) in the ride vehicle160to view one of the sets of display items172,174,176in the ride set170when illuminated by light streams115,117,119provided by the light sources114,116,118. A glasses shutter controller142,146,150is optionally provided for each of the glasses140, and this controller142,146,150changes (as shown with signals143,147,151) the operating state (e.g., the shuttering frequency of LCD glasses) of the glasses140,144,148to choose which item set172,174,176is viewable (e.g., which others are filtered or shuttered out). The controllers142,146,150may operate in response to a channel selection signal from a channel selector operable by the wearer of the glasses140,144,144or a channel selector provided in the system controller120, which may be a wired or wireless device communicatively linked to the glasses controllers142,146,150. The channel selector may be operable remotely via signals from the controller (e.g., based on processing/interpretation of user input or a show control program or the like) and/or based on direct user input (e.g., a person wearing glasses140,144, and/or148may press a button on a selector to choose a channel or image sets172,174,176to view via time synchronization with light sources114,116, or118). As shown, the glasses140,144,148are in three differing operating states allowing vehicle passengers wearing the glasses140,144,148to view three differing illuminated sets of items172,174,176“concurrently” (as the vehicle160passes161through the ride set/display170).

Glasses140,144,148may be liquid crystal display (LCD) shutter glasses that are configured with glass lenses with liquid crystal and a polarizing filter that has the property that it becomes dark when voltage is applied but otherwise is transparent. A pair of eyeglasses can be made using this material and then operated to alternately darken one eye or lens and then the other in synchronization with signal132to view a particular set of display items172,174,176illuminated by streams115,117,119such as to view a portions of the ride set170(with both their left and right eyes as the shutters of glasses140,144,148would typically both be open or closed in a synchronized fashion with sources114,116, or118) being illuminated in an sequentially alternating manner due to operation of light source shutters112or via controlled operation with signals121from display system controller120.

When the viewer looks at the ride set through the shuttered eyewear140,144,148, the pair of shutters is synchronized to occlude the unwanted images and transmit the wanted images as shown with arrows141,145,149showing that each pair of glasses140,144,148only can view one portion172,174,176of the set170at a time. For example, the glasses140may be operable to shutter both lenses in time synchronization with light source114providing light stream115to illuminate the set of display items172to allow viewing as shown with arrows141the light reflected from or emanating from the items172in the ride set170. This same viewer wearing glasses140, though, would not be able to view sets174and176, which are only viewable via glasses144,148as shown with streams145,149. In this manner, a single ride set/display170may be selectively illuminated with differing light sources114,116,118that have their operations time synchronized with shutter glasses140,144, or148so as to provide wearers of such glasses in the vehicle160one or three differing visual experiences.

FIG. 2shows a portion of an amusement park ride200, shown in simplified and partial form, to illustrate use of a display system of the present description, such as those shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, for use in selectively illuminating portions of scenery or a thematic set210along the path of the park ride200. The path of the ride200is defined, in this case, by a track206upon which a passenger vehicle204rides, with travel along the path shown with arrow205. In the vehicle204, two passenger (or “viewers”)208,209are positioned to move205with the vehicle204along with the vehicle204. The ride200is configured to provide a visual experience that may be thematic and/or be adapted to provide a storyline. The ride set or scenery210adjacent or nearby the track206(ride path) of ride200may generally be visible to either of the passengers208,209as the vehicle204passes by on track206as long as it is adequately illuminated.

However, as discussed above, it may be useful to provide display system/assembly in the ride200such that while much of the scenery210is visible to both passengers208,209in the vehicle204portions of the scenery210are only selectively illuminated for viewing by a subset of the vehicle passengers208,209, e.g., by passenger208or by passenger209but not both. In this way, a storyline such as a quest to complete (e.g., a treasure hunt) or a mystery to solve can be presented to the ride passengers208,209over two or more trips in the vehicle204along the track204through the scenery210. In other words, the passengers208,209may have to pass by the scenery210two or more times to view all the “hidden” or selectively illuminated objects/display items in the scenery/ride set210.

To this end, the display system components provided in the ride200include a first optical filter or eyewear (e.g., shutter glasses, color filter glasses, or the like)220worn by the first passenger/viewer208and a second optical filter or eyewear224worn by the second passenger/viewer209. Both filters/eyewear220,224are configured to intermittently pass light (e.g., at frequency of 50 to 300 Hz or the like) through to the viewers208,209, and the timing of the passing of light may be controlled (such as with RF, IR, or other synchronization signal) so as to be synchronized with intermittent (or time slices or time multiplexed) operation of lighting to illuminate portions of the scenery210.

Specifically, in this example, a first light source230is provided that intermittently is operated (e.g., at a frequency of 50 to 300 Hz or the like) to output or project light232onto a first display object or scenery/set portion212and onto a second display object or scenery/set portion214. The reflected light (in this case, but back lighting may be used, too) is directed as shown at233,235to the eyewear220worn by viewer208(and also the eyewear224worn by viewer209), and these eyewear220are synchronized with the timing of operation of the source230such that the light233,235is passed through for receipt by the eyes of viewer208(but not by viewer209as the eyewear224is operated to block light when light232is output by source230).

Concurrently or nearly so (e.g., in a next time slot or at a second time nearly immediately after the time of operation of source230), a second light source240is operated intermittently (in a multiplexed or alternating manner with source230) to output or project light242that is used to illuminate third display objects or scenery/set portions218. The reflected light (again, backlighting can be used to provide “illuminating light” for objects in scenery210) is directed as shown at247to the eyewear224worn by viewer208(and also the eyewear220worn by viewer208), and these eyewear224are synchronized with the timing of operation of the source240such that the light247passes through for receipt by the eyes of viewer209(but not by viewer208as the eyewear220operates to block light when source240is operated to output light242).

In addition to projected lighting, various special effects such as simulated flames, explosions, and lightening are created with lights integrated into a special effect apparatus. A set piece such as a fireplace might display a roaring fire to one viewer and smoldering logs to an adjacent viewer based on which lighting source is selected for each viewer. Lightening might flash outside a window for some viewers while others only see images of the sky in the physical set.

In operation, passenger208may be a first time rider and, as such, be provided eyewear220synchronized with light source230(or sources) to view a first set of display objects such as objects212,214. Riders such as passengers209on their second ride may be provided eyewear224synchronized to operate with light source240(or sources) to view a second set of display objects such as objects218. In other rides200, third, fourth, or more light sources may be provided and operated in a time sliced or time multiplexed (or wavelength multiplexed) manner with sources230,240to present third, fourth, or more sets of display objects to wearers of third, fourth, or more sets of eyewear time synched (or wavelength matched) with these additional light sources. The assigning of the eyewear to passengers may be random or may be performed based on operator-defined parameters (e.g., how many times have you taken this ride, what is your age group, and so on) or based on user preference (e.g., “choose the purple glasses for a thrill ride or the orange glasses for an adventure with character “X” and so on).

The light232,242is typically targeted onto subsets/portions of the scenery210as shown in this example ride200so that no passenger208,209sees all of the scenery210so that they are encouraged to repeat the ride200to get the full visual experience. The targeting or focusing of the light232,242may be achieved by positioning of the light sources230,240, by using different output lens with the same or different focusing adjustments, choosing differing brightness for light sources230,240, and so on. The light232,242may be white light or may be colored/tinted light to achieve a desired effect. Further, the surfaces of the objects212,214,218may be varied to achieve a desired effect such as to present a glowing or glittery display item. The light sources230,240may also in some cases be high speed projectors providing a video stream with light232,242to achieve an animation effect with surfaces of the objects212,214,218.

FIG. 3illustrates another display system300(e.g., that may be used in ride200). The system300includes a lighting assembly310with: (a) a first light source311intermittently operated, via control signals338from controller320, at a first set of times to output light312to illuminate a first set of scenery objects or items313; (b) a second light source314intermittently operated, via control signals338from controller320, at a second set of times to output light314to illuminate a second set of scenery objects or items315(that typically differ at least in part from items in set313); and (c) a third light source317intermittently operated, via control signals338from controller320, at a third set of times to output light318to illuminate a third set of scenery objects or items319(that typically differ at least in part from items in sets313and316). The operating times, which are set by control signals338, for the sources311,314,317are typically alternating and only slightly offset such as with the sources311,314,317having their operations time sliced or time multiplexed (e.g., operate at frequencies of up to 300 Hz or the like). For example, source311is operate at T1for a short duration, source314is operated at a later T2for a short duration, source317is operated at a yet later T3for a short duration, and this is repeated over and over during operation of the display system300to intermittently and repeatedly illuminate scenery item sets313,316,319with light streams312,315,318.

The system300is shown to include a plurality of optical filters350, which may be worn by different viewers of the scenery sets313,316,319or be positioned between the viewers and a set/scenery of an attraction. The filters350are used to filter all but one stream of light312,315,318after it illuminates objects such that only one of the scenery item sets313,316,319is visible through any one of the filters350(e.g., depending on which operating state352the filter is in to synchronize its operation with one of the sources311,314,317). For example, the optical filters may be glasses/goggles or a helmet shield worn by the audience members (e.g., passengers in vehicles on a ride) or may be provided in other forms such as windows that are shared among two to four or more audience members for viewing an image on a display (e.g., a windshield of a vehicle in a theme ride).

An important factor being that each filter350is adapted for having two or more operating states352to affect filtering of all but one light stream312,315,318from illuminated item sets313,316,319and not necessarily how this filtering is achieved. As noted above, the optical filters350may take the form of LCD or other shuttering glasses where both lenses are operated in a like manner (instead of alternating between left and right eye shutters as in prior 3D systems). Alternatively or in addition, color filter glasses are used for the filters350and/or polarizing glasses of various configurations may be used for the filters350. The selection of the optical filters350affects the selection of the light sources311,314,317to support the proper operation, filtering, and then viewing of the illuminated items313,316,319. The light source is selected to pass through one type of filter used by the target glasses and to be blocked by other types of filters used in the non-target glasses. Also, these wavelength and polarization techniques are not based on time multiplexing (although they could possibly do time as well) such that they do not necessarily need the sync signals described in the following description.

The optical filters350have their operating states352set by control signals or operation of optical filter controllers354, and the operating states352may be the same such that the filters350operate to pass light associated with the same set or portion of the scenery313,316,319to all audience members. In other cases, though, the operating states352may differ such that audience members or viewers receive or are shown differing scenery items313,316, or319. Each of the optical filter controllers354may receive a time synchronization signal340from interactive display system controller320and operate to set the channel or operating state352(e.g., set which source311,314,317the filter350is time synched with) based on an operating state selection signal357received or chosen by the system320or an operating state selector356based upon user input358.

The interactive display system controller320may be embodied in a number of computers or electronic devices such as a computer device/server with a CPU322. The CPU322controls user input/output devices324and optionally provides a graphical user interface (GUI)326on a monitor or the like that allows an operator to manually issue selector control signals342to change the operating state352of one or more of the optical filters350. More typically, though, the controller320acts to transmit a shutter control signal339and a synchronization signal340to the filter controllers354to allow these devices to work to allow the filters350to properly allow light from one of the object sets313,316,319to pass to differing viewers.

An interactive module328(e.g., a software program or application) may be provided to facilitate audience interaction with the display system300and, in response, to transmit the selector control signals342. For example, the module328may include user input processor329to process user input358to determine which operating state352to place the filters350. In one exemplary embodiment, the user input358involves the audience members pressing a button or moving a switch and the input processor329processes this input and responsively selects an operating state352to choose a corresponding one of the light sources311,314,317for synchronizing with operation of the filters350.

The controller320may also include memory330storing a game/show/storyline routine332that includes time settings for transmitting selector control signals342to the operating state selectors356. In one case, when these signals342are sent to a set of selectors356the associated audience members may provide user input358to choose the operating states352(e.g., to change the channel to view a differing one of the “concurrently” illuminated or available illuminated scenery sets313,316,319). In other cases, the game/show routine332may be configured to process user input358at particular times during transmittal of streams (when control signals338are being sent by controllers320) and then transmit selector control signals342. For example, audience interaction may be requested (visually or via audio systems (not shown)) at one or more locations along a ride path of a theme park ride. The user input processor329may process this input and, in response or based on such processing, choose a particular illuminated object set313,316,319and send a corresponding selector control signal342to the filter controllers354(or a subset of such controllers354).

In some cases, the game/show routine includes a set of system-based state changes336that cause particular selector control signals342to be transmitted during operation of the light sources311,314,317(e.g., during a particular display activity or event such as an interactive game) so as to choose a particular object/item set313,316,319for viewing by the audience members (the same or differing illuminated items for the audience members via filters350). In this later operating mode, the changes in operating state are not performed in response to user inputs but are performed during the illumination of a particular set of objects313,316, or319to cause a change by altering operation of the local optical filters350and, typically, to cause the viewing experience to differ for at least some of the audience members.

FIG. 4illustrates a display method400that may be implemented during operation of the display systems100and300ofFIGS. 1 and 3and/or the operation of the ride200ofFIG. 2. As shown, the method400starts at410such as with planning a desired display effect with or without a storyline that may extend over two or more viewings of a display space (e.g., a thematic set or scenery along an amusement park ride). This planning in step410may involve selecting which portions of a ride set/scenery or other display space will be selectively illuminated in two or more sets. Further, the planning in step410may involve setting decision parameters for which viewers or audience members will be able to view which sets of the scenery portions or objects or whether this will be a random assignment or will be selectable via user input (e.g., switches on the optical filters that may be operable before or during the viewing experience provided by a display system or user selection of a set of glasses associated with a particular experience).

At step420, the display method400includes positioning two or more sets of light sources within or near a display space. Typically, each set will include one-to-many light sources that are each adapted for high speed control for intermittent output of light streams (e.g., at 50 to 300 Hz or the like), which enables them to be synchronized with shutter glasses or other optical filters (to provide the output light streams in the short time periods in which the glasses/filters allow light to pass). The method400continues at step430with configuring, adjusting, focusing, and the like each light source so as to target or focus their output light streams onto a predefined portion of the scenery/ride set or onto a number of objects/items in the display space. For example, a first set of light sources may be focused onto a first set of clues while a second set of sources is focused on a second set of clues to facilitate a mystery or treasure hunt-type viewing experience such that viewers may be shown the first set of clues on a first trip through the display space and the second set on the second trip/visit to the display space (while wearing first and then second optical filters such as shutter glasses synched in operation of the first and then second sets of light sources).

At step440, the method400continues with providing first and second sets of optical filters to first and second numbers of an audience or set of viewers (e.g., riders in a train of ride vehicles). Each of the filters (e.g., shutter glasses) in the first set is operated in a time synchronized manner with the operation of the sources in the first set of light sources while the filters in the second set are operated to be synchronized with providing of light by the second set of light sources. As with the light sources, the optical filters are intermittently operable in a high speed manner so as to be synchronized to pass light when the corresponding light sources are being operated (at the same start time and for the same or similar time durations) so that they pass light from a corresponding set of light sources after it has been used to illuminate portions of the display space while blocking light from other, non-corresponding light sources.

The method400continues at450with placing the viewers wearing or using the optical filters in the display space. More typically, the viewers are moved through the display space over a period of time or at a particular rate, e.g., the viewers are in a passenger vehicle on an amusement park ride and the display space is the set or scenery provided along the ride path. Concurrently, the method400involves performance of steps460and470. In step460, the first set of light sources are operated for a predefined duration (small fraction of a second) to illuminate a first portion of the display space (e.g., first set of objects/items in the scenery of a ride). This operation is halted, and the method400continues at470with operating the second set of light sources for the predefined duration (again, a small fraction of a second) to illuminate a second portion of the display space (e.g., second set of objects/items in the ride scenery).

The method400continues with repeating steps460and470to intermittently and repeatedly illuminate the first and second portions of the display space while the viewers are present in or are moved through the display space at step450. Concurrently with steps450,460, and470the optical filters provided in step440are operated to intermittently pass light from the illuminated portions of the display space in a manner that is synchronized with the time multiplexed operation of the two light sources. The method400then ends at step490(such as with the viewers moving out of the display space). Note, only two sets of light sources and optical filters are used in method400but three or more of these components may be used to selectively illuminate and allow viewing of three or more portions of the display space.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the combination and arrangement of parts can be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as hereinafter claimed. The light sources may take many forms to practice the invention. For example, LEDs may be controlled in a high speed or high frequency manner to be synchronized with shutter glasses. In other cases, the light sources may be high speed projectors. The lighting may be white or may be colored. The lighting effect provided by the light source may be varying levels of brightness or illumination levels for differing display objects/items, may include shimmering and/or glowing light, and/or may include a video effect (e.g., can animate an illuminated item with video projection).