Motion simulator operating system and method

A control system for a motion simulator and the associated method of operating the motion simulator. The control system contains a memory. Within the memory is a plurality of pre-programmed maneuvers that are capable of being simulated by the motion simulator. An interface is provided that enables a person to select some of the pre-programmed maneuvers from the memory in a desired sequence, prior to that person entering the motion simulator. Once a certain sequence of maneuvers is selected, the motion simulator simulates those maneuvers in the chosen sequence. This enables each rider of the motion simulator to design his/her own simulation each time that person uses the motion simulator. The control system also enables a rider to program the motion simulator at the sight of the motion simulator or at home, via a personal computer. As such, a rider can select a sequence of maneuvers and create a ride at home and carry the selected sequences to the motion simulator on disk or send the selected sequences to the motion simulator via a telecommunications link.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to the operating systems used to control 
motion simulators and the methods used to program the movements of a 
motion simulator. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Motion simulators are used in many applications to both train and entertain 
people. In both training based simulators and entertainment based 
simulators, motion mechanisms are used to physically move the person in 
the simulator in a variety of different directions. The primary difference 
between training simulators and entertainment simulators is typically the 
control systems used to operate the simulator. In training simulators, 
such as flight simulators, the controls for operating the simulator are 
mostly occupant controlled. As a result, the motion of the simulator 
depends directly from the operation of the controls within the simulator 
by the simulator occupant. Such prior art simulator systems are 
exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,011 to Feuer et al., entitled FLIGHT 
SIMULATOR and U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,261 to Pancoe, entitled MOTION SYSTEM 
FOR A FLIGHT SIMULATOR. 
Entertainment based motion simulators typically assume that the occupant of 
the simulator is unskilled. As such, entertainment based motion simulators 
differ from training based simulators in that they often do not provide 
the simulator occupant with any operational controls. Entertainment based 
motion simulators are often configured to simulate traditional amusement 
park rides, such as roller coasters and the like, that do not have 
occupant controls. In such simulators, the occupant is merely a rider who 
receives amusement from the ride. As a result, in such simulators the 
occupant experiences a sequence of movements that are pre-programmed into 
the motion simulator. Each time a rider enters the motion simulator, the 
rider experiences the exact same ride. Such entertainment based motion 
simulators are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,238 to Baxter et al., 
entitled AMUSEMENT K ATTRACTION; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,990 to 
Anderson et al, entitled RIDE VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM. 
It is well known in the art that in a motion simulator there are three 
separate systems that must be coordinated in order to properly simulate 
movement. These systems include the visual imagery system, the audio sound 
system and the physical motion system. If any one of these three systems 
is not synchronized with the other two, then the realism of the simulation 
is compromised. Entertainment based motion simulators tend to be much less 
sophisticated and expensive than are training based motion simulators 
because in entertainment based motion simulators the visual images, audio 
sounds and physical motions are exactly the same in every simulation. 
Since the simulated ride remains constant, the visual images, audio sounds 
and physical movements are easily stored and retrieved by the control 
system of the motion simulator. However, in order to change the simulated 
ride, new imagery must be obtained, a new audio track must be recorded and 
the motion simulator must be reprogrammed with new movements. As a result, 
if an amusement provider wants to make a change in a set simulated ride, 
there is a significant amount of labor and cost involved in the process. 
Training based motion simulators do not have one set visual system, audio 
system or motion sequence. As a result, no two simulations need to be the 
same. This however, requires a highly sophisticated operational control 
system so that the changing visual, audio and motions systems can be kept 
coordinated. The sophisticated operational control system is expensive, as 
is the upkeep to the associated equipment. 
Simulated rides are becoming more popular forms of entertainment. Owners of 
simulated rides recognize the benefit of simulated rides in that they are 
far less expensive than building real rides and they are safer than real 
rides. A problem with all amusement rides is that of rider familiarity. 
After a person rides a ride, that ride becomes familiar. As such, there is 
less of a reason for that person to ride that ride again for the second or 
third time. Furthermore, as a ride is repeatedly rode upon, the excitement 
and sense of anticipation provided by the ride is diminished. Eventually, 
the sense of thrill is lost and there is no incentive for a person to ride 
that ride or even return to the location that provides that ride. 
A need therefore exists in the art for a simulated ride that can be 
inexpensively manufactured that would enable the simulated ride to be 
varied every time a person rides the ride. In such a ride, the sense of 
thrill and anticipation provided by the ride is never lost and a rider is 
provided with an incentive to ride the ride over and over. 
A need also exists for a simulated ride that enables the occupant to 
selectively alter the ride prior to its start, without requiring a 
complex, expensive operating system to provide the coordinated visual, 
audio and movement sequences needed to produce the simulation. 
These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed 
below. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is a control system for a motion simulator and the 
associated method of operating the motion simulator. The present invention 
is used in association with a motion simulator that is capable of 
simulating certain maneuvers. The control system contains a memory. Within 
the memory is a plurality of pre-programmed maneuvers that are capable of 
being simulated by the motion simulator. An interface is provided that 
enables a person to select some of the pre-programmed maneuvers from the 
memory in a desired sequence, prior to that person entering the motion 
simulator. Once a certain sequence of maneuvers is selected, the motion 
simulator simulates those maneuvers in the chosen sequence. This enables 
each rider of the motion simulator to design his/her own simulation each 
time that person uses the motion simulator. The control system also 
enables a rider to program the motion simulator at the sight of the motion 
simulator or at home, via a personal computer. As such, a rider can select 
a sequence of maneuvers and create a ride at home and carry the selected 
sequences to the motion simulator on disk or send the selected sequences 
to the motion simulator via a telecommunications link.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
Although the present invention motion simulator control system can be used 
with any motion simulator that is capable of simulating an amusement ride, 
by way of example the present invention simulator control system will be 
described in association with a motion simulator that is designed to 
simulate a roller coaster. Such a configuration is presented merely for 
exemplary purposes and is not intended in any manner to limit the 
application of the present invention simulator control system to just one 
type of ride. 
Referring to FIG. 1., a motion simulator 10 is shown. The motion simulator 
10 can be of any type known in the art. However, in the preferred 
embodiment, the motion simulator 10 is of the type described in U.S. 
patent application Ser. No. 08/383,992, entitled IMPROVED MOTION 
SIMULATOR, which is assigned to the assignee herein and is herein 
incorporated into this disclosure by reference. The motion simulator 10 is 
coupled to a central controller 12 that contains the present invention 
control system and performs the present invention operating method. 
In the shown embodiment, the central controller 12 acts as the interface 
that enables a rider to selectively program the motion simulator 10 to a 
custom specification. In accordance with the present invention, the 
central controller 12 can be programmed in at least one of three different 
ways by each rider. The first way to program the central controller 12 is 
to program the central controller 12 at the sight of the motion simulator 
10. To program the central controller 12 on-sight, an interface system 14 
such as a touch screen 16 or a key board 18 is provided on the central 
controller 12. Using the interface system 14, a rider can selectively 
create and/or select a simulated ride to be preformed by the motion 
simulator 10. A second way to program the central controller 12 is to 
provide the central controller 12 with a disk drive 20 or a similar device 
capable or reading recorded data. The disk drive 20 enables a rider to 
download a previously created program for a simulated ride that was 
created at a remote location and was carried to the motion simulator 10. 
Lastly, the rider can retrieve a previously created program that was 
downloaded to the central controller 12 through a modem 21, via the 
internet or a direct telephone connection from the rider's own personal 
computer. Each of these programming options will be further explained in 
the course of this disclosure. 
Referring to FIG. 2, a segment of an exemplary embodiment of the central 
controller's interface system is illustrated. In the shown embodiment, the 
interface system is a touch screen 16. At the top of the touch screen 16 
is a simulated ride display box 22. The simulated ride display box 22 is 
segmented into ten sections 24 by way of example. However, any plurality 
of segments can be used. By presenting a simulated ride display box 22 
with ten sections 24, a rider is provided with the ability to select ten 
different aspects of the simulated ride. In each of the sections 24 of the 
simulated ride display box 22 is contained a graphical representation that 
illustrates a preprogrammed maneuver that the motion simulator 10 (FIG. 1) 
will eventually follow. By stringing together ten separate maneuvers in 
the simulated ride display box 22, a graphical representation is obtained 
that illustrates all the maneuvers the motion simulator 10 (FIG. 1) will 
follow from start to finish. 
Below the simulated ride box 22 is the selection field 26. In the selection 
field 26 there is contained a plurality of maneuver boxes 28, wherein each 
of the maneuver boxes 28 contains a different maneuver. Since the 
exemplary embodiment shown is for a roller coaster simulator, each of the 
maneuver boxes 28 in the selection field 26 contains a different segment 
of roller coaster track. Each segment of track is different. As a result, 
each maneuver box 28 in the selection field 26 represents a different 
motion maneuver to be performed by the motion simulator 10 (FIG. 1). 
Each of the plurality of different maneuvers represented by the images in 
the maneuver boxes 28 of the selection field 26 contains a combination of 
physical movements capable of being performed by the motion simulator 10 
(FIG. 1). As such, if the motion simulator used was limited to only 
certain motions, maneuvers containing only those motions would be 
presented. 
When first accessed by a rider, the different sections 24 of the simulated 
ride box 22 are empty or contain some popular default maneuvers. By 
selecting the different sections 24 in the simulated ride box 22 and then 
selecting different maneuver boxes 28 in the selection field 26, any 
desired string of maneuvers boxes 28 can be created in the simulated ride 
box 22. In order for the maneuvers represented by any two maneuver boxes 
28 to work together, the maneuvers represented by each maneuver box 28 
must begin and end with the motion simulator 10 (FIG. 1) in the same 
orientation. By beginning and ending each motion simulator maneuver at the 
same orientation, there is no sudden change in motion simulator's 
orientation as the maneuver represented by one maneuver box ends and the 
maneuver represented by a second selection box begins. This provides for a 
continuous simulated ride that does not have disruptions from its 
beginning to its end, regardless of the sequence of maneuvers selected. In 
the shown embodiment, each maneuver box 28 starts and ends with a maneuver 
that places the motion simulator in a horizontal forward facing 
orientation. Such an orientation is exemplary and it should be understood 
that any orientation can be used provided that orientation begins and ends 
each of the maneuvers represented by the maneuver boxes 28. 
Referring to FIG. 3, it can be seen that once the segments of the simulated 
ride box 22 (FIG. 2) are filled with a selected sequence of maneuvers, the 
central controller reads the selected sequence, as indicated by box 30. 
Once read, the central controller downloads data from a memory source 32 
that corresponds to each of the maneuvers selected. For each maneuver 
selected, the corresponding visual information, audio information and 
motion sequence information is retrieved. Since the only choices of 
maneuvers are those represented in the maneuver boxes 28 (FIG. 2) in the 
selection field 26 (FIG. 2), the memory source 32 contains a finite number 
of maneuvers. Accordingly, a large memory capacity is not required, nor is 
the sophisticated programming required of simulators that do not have 
limited maneuver choices. 
Once the appropriate visual, audio and motion information is retrieved from 
the memory source 32 and sequenced, the data is loaded into motion 
simulator as is indicated by block 34. The central controller waits for an 
indication that the rider has entered the motion simulator and has been 
safety seated within the motion simulator. Such an indication can come 
from a ride operator or can come from sensors within the motion simulator. 
Once safely positioned within the motion simulator, the motion simulator 
begins to execute the selected maneuvers while coordinated images and 
sound are viewed and heard by the rider within the simulator. This is 
shown by block 36. 
Returning to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the interface system 14 also 
optionally contains an alpha-numeric keypad 18. By using the alpha-numeric 
keypad 18, a rider can retrieve a sequence of maneuvers created on a home 
computer and carried to the motion simulator on a disk 40. The program 
needed to create the simulated ride at home can be mailed to the rider or 
downloaded via the modem 21 either from the internet or directly from the 
motion simulator owner. 
An amusement provider can therefore have each rider custom program the 
motion simulator 10 to that rider's own specifications each time that 
rider rides the motion simulator 10. Consequently, the rider does not grow 
familiar with the ride offered by the motion simulator 10 and the 
simulator owner does not have to periodically reprogram the motion 
simulator 10 to keep the ride interesting. Furthermore, by providing 
riders with the ability to program the motion simulator 10 at home, the 
amusement provider is providing a great incentive for that rider to travel 
to the location of the motion simulator time and time again in order to 
try the ride sequence that the rider has created. 
It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention 
specifically shown and described are merely exemplary and that a person 
skilled in the art can make alternate embodiments using different 
configurations and functionally equivalent components. All such alternate 
embodiments are intended to be included in the scope of this invention as 
set forth in the following claims.