The Walt Disney Company

William G Redmann

Scott Frazier Watson

Jon Hayes Snoddy

David W Spencer, Ii

Marshall M Monroe

William L Wolf

David G Fink

Anthony W Baxter

Kerry M Perkins

Eric Charles Haseltine

Gordon E Liljegren

Mark J Xitco, Jr

John D Gory

Christopher Outwater

Methods and systems for rendering and displaying in a real time 3-D computer graphic system a sequence of images of a subject using a plurality of time-sequenced textures such that at least a portion of the subject appears animated. The time-sequenced textures are derived from sources such as digitized frames or fields captured from a video recording of a live actor who may be engaged in a scripted performance, or a digitally-recorded cartoon animation sequence, and can be mapped in different ways to different types of surface geometries to achieve animation.

Method and apparatus for providing animation in a three-dimensional

A method and system are provided which allow sounds emanated by objects in a viewer-interactive, computer-generated graphic virtual world, and other virtual world sounds (e.g., a music score), to be reproduced using flexibly and automatically scheduled resources of a virtual world sound system. Sound system resources are allocated in accordance with priority values associated with sounds, sound-emanating objects or requests for sound channel allocation.

Method and apparatus for providing a virtual world sound system

A dynamic ride vehicle for executing a sequence of distinct motion patterns and for providing unique ride experiences in an amusement park attraction or other environment includes a movable chassis and a body having a passenger seating area. A motion apparatus, including computer controlled actuators, imparts motion to the body along a plurality of axes independent of any motion of the chassis as it moves along a path. As the vehicle travels along the path, articulation of the body and appropriate steering of the vehicle enables the vehicle to execute, in cooperation with the motion apparatus, a sequence of distinct motion patterns. Execution of the motion patterns enhances the passengers' sensation of vehicle movement that is actually taking place, as well as the sensation of a realistic moving ride vehicle experience that is actually not happening.

Dynamic ride vehicle

This disclosure relates to a ride vehicle for use in an amusement attraction. The ride vehicle mounts a passenger supporting structure upon a motion base, so that the passenger supporting structure may be articulated about one or more axes as the vehicle moves. Thus, this 'simulator ride' carries passengers through three-dimensional scenery and articulates the passenger supporting structure in synchronism with motions of the ride vehicle, the motions of moving show sets, which are external to the vehicle, sound, projection and other effects. The ride vehicle is programmably-controlled by a redundant, two computer control system aboard each vehicle, which controls motions of the ride vehicle in synchronism with actions of the motion base and other special effects in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of ride programs. The external body of the vehicle and the plurality of ride programs, which are created using a special programming console and an offline editor, may thus be quickly adapted and reprogrammed to provide an infinite variability in ride experience, for nearly any desired environment. Thus, a plurality of ride vehicles may be governed by a computerized central controller that utilizes radio frequency communication to orchestrate the progress of each vehicle and report digitally transmitted status and fault conditions to a human operator of the attraction.

Programming device and method for controlling ride vehicles in an

A negative bust illusion is formed of a surface (representing a negative of an object) that presents a concave side to viewers to generate an illusion that the object always gazes at viewers as they move within an enlarged field of view. The negative bust is analogous to a mold of the object, with its depth flattened to impart a wider effective range the illusion. The rigid shell has a cavity that defines the bust and is formed of a thin, translucent styrene material such that rear projection is readily imparted to the convex side for imparting animation to the gaze effect.

Negative bust illusion and related method

An amusement park attraction having a dynamic ride vehicle for executing a sequence of distinct motion patterns and for providing unique ride experiences in the amusement park attraction or other environment. The ride vehicle includes a movable chassis and a body having a passenger seating area. A motion apparatus, including Ycomputer controlled actuators, imparts motion to the body along a plurality of axes independent of any motion of the chassis as it moves along a path in the amusement park attraction. As the vehicle travels along the path, articulation of the body and appropriate steering of the vehicle enables the vehicle to execute, in cooperation with the motion apparatus, a sequence of distinct motion patterns. Execution of the motion patterns enhances the passengers' sensation of vehicle movement that is actually taking place, as well as the sensation of a realistic moving ride vehicle experience that is actually not happening.

Amusement park attraction

An innovative communication device and learning tool that enables marine mammals, such as dolphins, to communicate with humans and with each other. The communication device includes a keyboard having a plurality of hollow keys. Each key includes a switch which can be activated by the dolphin, and a two- or three-dimensional object which can be distinguished by dolphins from other objects in other keys both visually and through echolocation. A microprocessor based controller can be used to associate audible feedback, such as unique words or phrases, with each key and to generate that word or phrase when the proper key is selected. Thus, a dolphin can select a word or phrase by locating the associated key and by activating the switch for that key to communicate with humans or with another dolphin. Likewise, a human can activate the switch to generate a spoken word or phrase to communicate with a dolphin. A photosensor switch can be advantageously used as a non-contact switch to enable the dolphin to use its rostrum or other body parts to select a key by breaking an optical beam generated across the opening of the key. Thus the dolphin simply swims towards the object in the key to activate the switch by breaking the beam. In addition to controlling the audible feedback when a key is selected, the controller can be used to record a log of events of the session, including the keys selected and the time at which such selections occurred, as well as observer comments.

Marine mammal communication device

Methods and systems are presented in which at least one geometric distortion function is separately determined for application to a particular primary color component of a color video display to cause a geometric distortion that compensates for lateral chromatic aberration in an optical system used to view the display.

Electronic and computational correction of chromatic aberration

A method and apparatus for displaying an image that is subject to multiple distortions substantially without distortion is provided. The image is recorded from a first viewpoint and subject to a first distortion and played back from a second viewpoint and subject to a second distortion. The display surface may also be distorted (e.g., curved). By mapping back through the projector to the screen and through the camera (at the viewpoint), the image is transformed so that it can be viewed from the viewpoint with little or no distortion.

Growing community of inventors

Simi Valley, CA, United States of America

William G Redmann