IP Library Granted Patent US 12678697
Granted Patent B2
US 12678697 · App. 17/880,174 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Robotic arm integrated immersive reality

Inventors: Nathaniel David Helmick, IV (Winter Park, FL); Bryan Zebleckes (Clermont, FL)
Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
A63G31/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12678697
App. No.
17/880,174
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An attraction system includes a ride vehicle configured to move within the attraction system, a display coupled to the ride vehicle, and a control system communicatively coupled to the display. The control system is configured to determine a position and/or orientation of the display within the attraction system and operate the display to present an image based on the position and/or orientation of the display.

Claims (54)

1 . An attraction system, comprising:

a ride vehicle configured to move within the attraction system;

a display directly coupled to the ride vehicle, wherein the display is configured to concurrently present imagery to a plurality of guests; and

a control system communicatively coupled to the display, wherein the control system is configured to perform operations comprising:

determining a position of the display and an orientation of the display within the attraction system; and

operating the display to present an image of the imagery based on the position of the display and the orientation of the display.

2 . The attraction system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to perform operations comprising:

determining image data based on the position of the display and the orientation of the display; and

transmitting the image data to the display to cause the display to present the image based on the image data.

3 . The attraction system of claim 2 , wherein the control system is configured to perform operations comprising:

referencing data associating a plurality of image data to respective corresponding positions of the display and respective corresponding orientations of the display, wherein the plurality of image data comprises the image data; and

selecting the image data from plurality of image data based on the image data being associated with the position of the display and the orientation of the display.

4 . The attraction system of claim 1 , wherein the ride vehicle is configured to move along a path within the attraction system to drive movement of the display.

5 . The attraction system of claim 1 , comprising an actuator, wherein the control system is communicatively coupled to the actuator, and the control system is configured to instruct the actuator to cause movement of the ride vehicle within the attraction system.

6 . The attraction system of claim 5 , wherein the actuator comprises a robotic arm.

7 . The attraction system of claim 1 , wherein the ride vehicle is configured to move within a physical space of the attraction system, and wherein determining the position of the display and the orientation of the display within the attraction system comprises:

determining the position of the display and the orientation of the display within a three-dimensional (3-D) coordinate system of the physical space, wherein the 3-D coordinate system of the physical space is associated with a 3-D model of a virtual space; and

determining image data from the 3-D model of the virtual space based on the position of the display and the orientation of the display within the 3-D coordinate system of the physical space and a correlation between the 3-D coordinate system of the physical space and the 3-D model of the virtual space, wherein the image is based on the image data.

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform operations comprising:

instructing an actuator of an attraction system to move a display coupled to the actuator within a physical space, wherein the display is configured to concurrently present imagery to a plurality of guests;

determining a positioning of the display and an orientation of the display within a three-dimensional (3-D) coordinate system of the physical space, wherein the 3-D coordinate system of the physical space is associated with a 3-D model of a virtual space;

determining image data from the 3-D model of the virtual space based on the positioning of the display and the orientation of the display within the 3-D coordinate system of the physical space and a correlation between the 3-D coordinate system of the physical space and the 3-D model of the virtual space; and

instructing the display to present an image of the imagery based on the image data.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the actuator is coupled to a ride vehicle of the attraction system, the display is coupled to the actuator, and the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to instruct an additional actuator to move the ride vehicle, and movement of the ride vehicle via the additional actuator causes corresponding movement of the actuator and the display.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform operations comprising:

determining an updated positioning of the display and an updated orientation of the display in response to instructing the actuator to move the display or in response to instructing the additional actuator to move the ride vehicle;

determining additional image data based on the updated positioning of the display and the updated orientation of the display; and

instructing the display to present an additional image based on the additional image data.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform operations comprising:

receiving data from a sensor; and

determining the positioning of the display and the orientation of the display based on the data received from the sensor.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform operations comprising:

determining a positioning of a guest of the plurality of guests within the attraction system; and

instructing the actuator to move the display based on the positioning of the guest.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform operations comprising:

determining a positioning of a ride vehicle within the attraction system; and

instructing the actuator to move the display based on the positioning of the ride vehicle.

14 . An attraction system, comprising:

a display directly coupled to an actuator, wherein the display is configured to concurrently present imagery to a plurality of guests;

a ride vehicle directly coupled to the actuator, wherein the ride vehicle is configured to move and cause movement of the actuator and the display; and

a control system communicatively coupled to the display, wherein the control system is configured to perform operations comprising:

instructing the actuator to move the display;

determining a position of the display and an orientation of the display within the attraction system; and

operating the display to present an image of the imagery based on the position of the display and the orientation of the display within the attraction system.

15 . The attraction system of claim 14 , wherein the control system is configured to instruct the actuator to move the display relative to the ride vehicle.

16 . The attraction system of claim 14 , wherein the control system is configured to present the image based on a correlation between the position of the display and the orientation of the display and an aspect of a virtual space defined by a three-dimensional (3-D) model.

17 . The attraction system of claim 14 , wherein the control system is configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving a user input; and

instructing the actuator to move the display based on the user input.

18 . The attraction system of claim 14 , comprising a sensor, wherein the control system is communicatively coupled to the sensor, and the control system is configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving data from the sensor; and

determining the position of the display and the orientation of the display based on the data received from the sensor.

19 . The attraction system of claim 18 , wherein the sensor comprises a position sensor, a movement sensor, or both.

20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the positioning of the display and/or the orientation of the display is customizable for different ride cycles based on a user input.