Physical navigation through virtual course within virtual environment
View Patent ↗The present invention embodies a novel navigational system that enhances the experience of pilots and passengers of physical aircraft (and other physical vehicles) traveling through actual three-dimensional space. In addition to facilitating the creation of a virtual course through which physical aircraft will travel while flying through actual three-dimensional space, the present invention also facilitates the creation of a virtual environment (modeling remote, inaccessible and imaginary locations) into which the virtual course is integrated, and manages the synchronization of the physical aircraft to the virtual course within the virtual environment during actual physical flight. In this manner, the present invention enhances the experience of pilots and passengers by illustrating dynamic views of the physical aircraft traveling along the virtual course within the virtual environment. The present invention enables competitive, sightseeing, educational, entertaining and various other types of experiences.
1 . A navigational system that facilitates the navigation of a virtual course by a pilot of a physical aircraft flying through actual three-dimensional space, the system comprising:
(a) a virtual course generator that enables a user of the system to design a virtual course through which the pilot navigates the physical aircraft while flying through actual three-dimensional space;
(b) a virtual environment generator that enables the user of the system to model a plurality of virtual environments into which the virtual course is integrated;
(c) a VR headset worn by one or more passengers on the physical aircraft, wherein the VR headset enables the one or more passengers to select one of the plurality of virtual environments into which the virtual course is integrated, and displays the navigational path of the physical aircraft through the virtual course integrated into the selected virtual environment while the pilot navigates the physical aircraft through actual three-dimensional space; and
d) a navigation manager that synchronizes the position of the physical aircraft in actual three-dimensional space to a position of the virtual course within the virtual environment while the pilot is flying through actual three-dimensional space.
2 . A navigational system that facilitates the navigation of a virtual course by a pilot of a physical aircraft flying through actual three-dimensional space, the system comprising:
(a) a virtual course generator that enables a user of the system to design a virtual course through which the pilot navigates the physical aircraft while flying through actual three-dimensional space;
(b) a virtual environment generator that enables the user of the system to model a plurality of virtual environments into which the virtual course is integrated;
(c) a display device enabling the pilot to select one of the plurality of virtual environments into which the virtual course is integrated, and view the navigational path of the physical aircraft through the virtual course integrated into the selected virtual environment while flying through actual three-dimensional space; and
(d) a navigation manager that synchronizes the position of the physical aircraft in actual three-dimensional space to a position of the virtual course within the virtual environment while the pilot is flying through actual three-dimensional space.
3 . A navigational system that facilitates the navigation of a virtual course by a pilot of a physical aircraft flying through actual three-dimensional space, the system comprising:
(a) a virtual course generator that enables a user of the system to design a virtual course through which the pilot navigates the physical aircraft while flying through actual three-dimensional space;
(b) a display device enabling the pilot, while flying through actual three-dimensional space, to view the real-time navigational path of the physical aircraft as it traverses the virtual course in a competitive time trial race, while simultaneously viewing a superimposed transparency of the same or another pilot's previous traversal of the same virtual course; and
(c) a navigation manager that synchronizes the position of the physical aircraft in actual three-dimensional space to a position of the virtual course while the pilot is flying through actual three-dimensional space.
4 . A method of navigating a virtual course by a pilot of a physical aircraft flying through actual three-dimensional space, the method comprising the following steps:
(a) enabling a user of the system to design a virtual course through which the pilot navigates the physical aircraft while flying through actual three-dimensional space;
(b) enabling the pilot, while flying through actual three-dimensional space, to view the real-time navigational path of the physical aircraft as it traverses the virtual course in a competitive time-trial race, while simultaneously viewing a superimposed transparency of the same or another pilot's previous traversal of the same virtual course; and
(c) synchronizing the position of the physical aircraft in actual three-dimensional space to a position of the virtual course while the pilot is flying through actual three-dimensional space.