Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S17/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. lidar systems
  • G01S17/02—Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
  • G01S17/06—Systems determining position data of a target
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S17/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. lidar systems
  • G01S17/02—Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
  • G01S17/06—Systems determining position data of a target
  • G01S17/42—Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S17/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. lidar systems
  • G01S17/02—Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
  • G01S17/06—Systems determining position data of a target
  • G01S17/46—Indirect determination of position data
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S17/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. lidar systems
  • G01S17/66—Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
  • G01S7/003—Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
  • G01S7/48—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S17/00
  • G01S7/4808—Evaluating distance, position or velocity data
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04B—TRANSMISSION
  • H04B10/00—Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication
  • H04B10/11—Arrangements specific to free-space transmission, i.e. transmission through air or vacuum
  • H04B10/112—Line-of-sight transmission over an extended range
  • H04B10/1121—One-way transmission
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04B—TRANSMISSION
  • H04B10/00—Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication
  • H04B10/50—Transmitters
  • H04B10/501—Structural aspects
  • H04B10/502—LED transmitters
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64U2201/00—UAVs characterised by their flight controls
  • B64U2201/10—UAVs characterised by their flight controls autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64U2201/00—UAVs characterised by their flight controls
  • B64U2201/20—Remote controls

Definitions

• An automatic tracking system may have various applications (e.g., tracking objects and making alarms based on the tracked objects) in certain places (e.g., amusement parks, buildings, parking lots).
• One type of automatic tracking system may be an optical tracking system that may utilize a variety of optical sensors for detecting light reflected from one or more tracked objects. Based on the detected light, the optical tracking system may generate position data indicative of respective positions of the one or more tracked objects.
• a system in an embodiment, includes an optical sensor configured to detect an object in an area.
• the system also includes a controller configured to receive first data indicative of a first location of the object from the optical sensor, receive second data indicative of a second location of the optical sensor, compute position data based on the first location and the second location, and transmit the position data to the object via an optical signal.
• an optical tracking system includes an optical sensor configured to detect a first object and a second object in an area.
• the system also includes a controller configured to receive first data indicative of a first location of the first object from the optical sensor.
• the controller also receives second data indicative of a second location of the second object from the optical sensor, and receives third data indicative of an additional location of the optical sensor.
• the controller computes first position data for the first object based on the first location and the additional location, and computes second position data for the second obj ect based on the second location and the additional location.
• the controller also instructs a light emitter to transmit the first position data to the first object via a first optical signal, and instructs the light emitter to transmit the second position data to the second object via a second optical signal.
• a method includes receiving, at one or more processors, location data from an optical sensor configured to detect light from an object in an area. The method also includes computing, via the one or more processors, position data indicative of a relative position between the object and the area based on the location data. The method further includes sending, via an optical transmitter, the position data to the object.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an optical tracking system that includes a controller coupled to multiple optical sensors equipped with light emitters that facilitate tracking an object with a retroflector, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure
• FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the optical tracking system that includes the controller coupled to the multiple optical sensors that detect light emitted from light emitters coupled to the object, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure
• FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the optical tracking system that includes the controller coupled to an object (e.g., a head-mounted display [HMD]) worn by a guest, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
• an object e.g., a head-mounted display [HMD]
• FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the optical tracking system that includes one optical sensor with a light emitter that facilitates tracking multiple objects, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure
• FIG. 5 is an example application in an amusement park using the optical tracking system of FIG. 4, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method for using the optical tracking system to track the object, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
• optical tracking systems such as a motion capture system may be useful.
• One common type of motion capture system uses a set of infrared (IR) cameras, and each IR camera includes a lens and IR light sources pointing the same direction as the lens.
• Object(s) to be tracked have retro-reflective markers.
• the IR light sources emit IR light, and the light bounces off the retro-reflective markers and back to the lenses of the IR cameras. All the IR cameras send their images to a controller that calculates relative position of all the IR cameras and the object(s) in three-dimensional (3D) space.
• the controller transmits data using wires, wireless and/ or radiofrequencies to other devices for use in a larger system.
• One of the downsides of this type of motion capture system is that if the obj ect(s) being tracked is to receive its own position data, the object(s) needs to have a wired, wireless connection or a radio frequency connection.
• the wired connection may limit movement of the object(s).
• the amount of latency between the images being captured and the object(s) receiving its position data may sometimes be high due to the limits of transmitting data wirelessly via radiofrequencies. Keeping latency low is especially important for certain uses, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
• AR augmented reality
• VR virtual reality
• HMD headmounted display
• the present disclosure is related to an optical tracking system that may track one or more objects (e.g., portable devices, including wearable devices; vehicles) and provide position data to the one or more objects.
• the optical tracking system may be utilized in any of a variety of environments, such as amusement parks, theatres, restaurants, working places, residential places, parking places, and/or storage places, for example.
• the optical tracking system may utilize a variety of optical sensors (e.g., cameras, light detectors, LiDAR) for detecting light (e.g., IR light; visible light) reflected or emitted from the one or more objects.
• Each optical sensor of the optical sensors may send the signal to a controller (e.g., communicatively coupled to the camera or built into the camera), which may process the signal and generate position data (e.g., including a relative position between the object and the optical sensor; a relative position between the object and the environment, which may be derived from or determined based on the relative position between the object and the optical sensor as well as a known relationship between the optical sensor and the environment).
• the controller may send the position data to the object via a light signal (e.g., using the one or more illuminators; modulated light signal to encode the position data).
• the object may use an optical receiver to receive the light signal, such that the object may be aware of the location of the object (e.g., the location with respect to the optical sensor and/or the environment).
• the one or more objects may have coupled emitters (e.g., LEDs, an array of LEDs or other type of actively powered illuminators, light sources shining in a bright but brief, sudden, or intermittent way, such as flashing LEDs) that may emit light (e.g., IR light, visible light).
• the emitted light may be detected by the optical sensors within proximity of the one or more objects.
• each optical sensor of the one or more optical sensors may send a signal indicative of a location of the particular object to the controller, which may process the signal and generate position data for the particular object.
• the controller may instruct one or more illuminators in the environment to emit a light signal including the position data.
• the object may receive the position data via an optical receiver.
• the optical tracking system may have certain advantages, such as improved data transmission and reduced signal interference. For example, since the optical sensors utilize line of sight to the one or more objects to detect the one or more objects, that same line of sight may be used to send data using one or more illuminators at the optical sensors to the one or more objects. Using light for data transmission also decreases the chances of interference from other devices, such as cell phones (e.g., as compared to using radiofrequency for data transmission).
• FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an optical tracking system 12 that includes a controller (e.g., control system, electric controller) 16 coupled to optical sensors 18 equipped with light emitters 24 for tracking an object 20 located in an area 14 (e.g., an amusement park, theatre, restaurant, working place, residential place, parking place, storage place).
• the controller 16 may be located in a control room and communicatively coupled (e.g., wired or wireless) to the optical sensors 18.
• the object 20 may be any optically trackable object, such as a portable object configured to be worn or carried by a guest.
• the portable object may include any handheld and/or wearable device (e.g., head-mounted display [HMD], cellphones, tablets, souvenirs, toys, bands, wands).
• HMD head-mounted display
• the object 20 may include other types of objects, such as furniture, vehicles (e.g., amusement park ride vehicles), and the like.
• the object 20 may include a retroreflector 36 (e.g., at least one; a retro-reflective marker, a reflection device, or a reflection surface) that reflects radiation (e.g., light) back to the light emitters 24 (e.g., with limited scattering).
• the retroreflector 36 may be coupled to or integrated into the object 20 (e.g., via fasteners, such as adhesive, threads, bolts; woven, painted, machined, molded).
• the optical sensors 18 e.g., optical sensors 18A-18D may detect the light (e.g., light emitted from the light emitters 24 and reaching the object 20) reflected back from the object 20.
• the optical sensor 18A may detect reflected light 40 (e.g., a portion of the light 30 emitted from the light emitter 24A and reflected back from the retroreflector 36 of the object 20).
• the optical sensor 18B may detect reflected light 70 (e.g., a portion of the light 60 emitted from the light emitter 24B and reflected back from the retroreflector 36 of the object 20).
• the optical sensors 18 may generate signals indicative of a location of the object 20.
• the optical sensor 18A may generate a signal 42A based on the detected light 40 (e.g., based on arriving time, direction, light intensity, and/or other attributes, such as frequency and/or polarization, of the light 40).
• the signal 42A may be indicative of a relative position between the object 20 and the optical sensor 18 A.
• the optical sensor 18B may generate a signal 42B based on the detected light 70 (e.g., based on arriving time, direction, light intensity, and/ or other attributes of the light 70).
• the signal 42B may be indicative of a relative position between the object 20 and the optical sensor 18B.
• other optical sensors e.g., 18C, 18D
• may generate corresponding signals e.g., 42C, 42D based on the detected light reflected from the retroreflector 36 of the object 20.
• each of the signals may include additional information.
• the signal 42A may include information indicative of a location of the optical sensor 18A (e.g., a relative location between the optical sensor 18A and the area 14, such as according to a local coordinate system established for the area 14; an identifier of the optical sensor 18A that links to the location of the optical sensor 18A).
• a location of the optical sensor 18A e.g., a relative location between the optical sensor 18A and the area 14, such as according to a local coordinate system established for the area 14; an identifier of the optical sensor 18A that links to the location of the optical sensor 18A.
• Such information may be used for computing locations of the object 20 with respect to the area 14 based on the signals (e.g., 42A-42D).
• the optical sensors 18 may transmit (e.g., via communication lines, such as electric cables 46 or fiber optic cables) the signals (e.g., 42A-42D) to the controller 16.
• the controller 16 may include one or more processors 82, a memory device 84, and a communication component 86.
• the controller 16 may include additional components, such as receivers and transmitters for receiving or transmitting data (e.g., via radiofrequency, optical frequency, other communication frequencies, or any combination thereof).
• the controller 16 may include input/output devices and/or displays that may enable a user (e.g., a guest) associated with the object 20 to interact with certain data (e.g., position maps, images).
• each of the optical sensors 18 may send a simplified version of data indicative of the location of the object 20 to the controller 16.
• the optical sensor 18A (including a camera) may do a basic blob detection to identify where the retroreflector 36 is in captured image frames and then transmit only the image frames with identified retroreflector 36 to the controller 16, thereby reducing an amount of transmitted data and increasing an overall bandwidth of the optical tracking system 12.
• the processors 82 may process instructions for execution within the controller 16.
• the processors 82 may include single-threaded processor(s), multi -threaded processor(s), or both.
• the processors 82 may process instructions stored in the memory 84.
• the processors 82 may also include hardware-based processor(s) each including one or more cores.
• the processors 82 may include general purpose processor(s), special purpose processor(s), or both.
• the processors 82 may include one or more general purpose microprocessors, one or more application specific processors (ASICs), one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or any combination thereof.
• the special purpose processor(s) may include artificial intelligence processor(s) designed on the basis of machine learning and artificial neural network.
• the artificial intelligence processor(s) may read various position data associated with the object 20, other objects close to the object 20, and the optical sensors 18, and perform computations based on the position data.
• the processors 82 may be communicatively coupled to other internal components (such as the memory 84, the communication component 86, input/output devices, and displays).
• the memory 84 may be any suitable articles of manufacture that may serve as media to store processor-executable code, data, or the like. These articles of manufacture may represent computer-readable media (e.g., any suitable form of memory or storage) that may store the processor-executable code used by the processors 82to perform the presently disclosed techniques.
• applications may include any suitable computer software or program that may be installed onto the controller 16 and executed by the processors 82.
• the memory device 84 may represent non-transitory computer-readable media (e.g., any suitable form of memory or storage) that may store the processorexecutable code used by the processors 82 to perform various techniques described herein.
• the memory device 84 may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), rewritable non-volatile memory such as flash memory, hard drives, optical discs, and/or the like. It should be noted that non-transitory merely indicates that the media is tangible and not a signal.
• the communication component 86 may be a wireless or wired communication component that may facilitate communication between the controller 16 and other devices (e.g., the optical sensors 18) via a network.
• the communication component 86 may allow the controller 16 to obtain data from the variety of data sources, such as the optical sensors 18, one or more databases (e.g., optical sensor location database, controller location database, a map database), user devices (e.g., the object 20, HMDs, smart phones, tablets), vehicle systems (e.g., driving systems on or in ride vehicles), and the like.
• the communication component 86 may receive and send notifications to the user devices and/or the vehicle systems.
• the communication component 86 may use a variety of communication protocols, such as Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), TCP/IP Protocol, Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA) protocol, Database Change Protocol (DCP), HTTP protocol, other suitable current or future protocols, or combinations thereof.
• ODBC Open Database Connectivity
• DRDA Distributed Relational Database Architecture
• DCP Database Change Protocol
• HTTP protocol other
• the processors 82 may be configured to receive (e.g., via the communication component 86) the signals 42A-42D transmitted from the optical sensors 18A-18D. In response, the processors 82 may compute position data associated with the object 20. For example, based on the signal 42A, the processors 82 may compute the position data of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18A. Computing the position data may include analyzing the attributes of the light 40, computing a relative distance and orientation between the object 20 and the optical sensor 18 A, retrieving coordinates 22 of the optical sensor 18A, and computing coordinates 26 of the object 20 (e.g., relative coordinates between the object 20 and the area 14).
• the coordinates 22 may include coordinate data of the optical sensor 18A, such as Cartesian coordinates (Xc, Yc, and Zc) measured with respect to a Cartesian coordinate system including axis 52, axis 53, and axis 56. Additionally, the coordinate data may include orientation data, such as YAWc, PITCHc, and ROLLc indicative of the orientation of the optical sensor 18 A.
• the coordinates 22 may be relative coordinates (e.g., in a local coordinate system established for the area 14) or non-relative coordinates (e.g., in a global coordinate system, such as a global positioning system [GPS] coordinate).
• GPS global positioning system
• the coordinates 26 may include coordinate data of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensors 18.
• the coordinates 26 may include Cartesian coordinates (Xo, Yo, and Zo) of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18A.
• the coordinate data of the object 20 may include orientation data, such as YAWo, PITCHo, and ROLLo indicative of the orientation of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18 A.
• the signals may not include the location of the optical sensors (e.g., 18A-18D)).
• the controller 16 may store (e.g., via the memory device 84) the respective coordinates for each of the optical sensors 18. In such case, the controller 16 may use the stored location of the optical sensors (e.g., 18A- 18D) to compute the coordinates 26 of the object 20.
• the controller 16 may send (e.g., via the communication component 88) the coordinates 26 to the optical sensors 18.
• the controller 16 may send a portion of the coordinates 26 (e.g., a portion corresponding to the relative coordinate of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18 A) to the optical sensor 18 A.
• the optical sensor 18A may send an optical signal to the object 20.
• the optical signal may include the relative coordinate of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18A.
• the optical sensor 18A may use an optical transmitter 44A to generate the optical signal and transmit the optical signal via a light 48 (e.g., IR or visible light; modulated light signal to encode the position data).
• a light 48 e.g., IR or visible light; modulated light signal to encode the position data.
• the object 20 may include an optical receiver 54 configured to receive the light 48 carrying the position data (e.g., relative coordinate of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18A).
• the object 20 may utilize the position data and enable the object 20 to be aware of a location of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18A and/or the area 14.
• the optical sensor 18A may use the emitter 24A to generate the optical signal and transmit the optical signal via the light 48 (e.g., IR or visible light; modulated light signal to encode the position data).
• the optical sensor 18A may include the emitter 24A to emit the light 30 to be reflected back from the retroreflector 36 of the object 20, and also to emit the light 48 that provides the position data to the object 20 (e.g., the optical sensor 18A includes the emitter 24A and is devoid of a separate optical transmitter, such as devoid of the optical transmitter 44A shown in FIG. 1; the emitter 24A is or operates as the optical transmitter 44A).
• the optical sensors 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D may utilize respective emitters 24 A, 24B, 24C, 24D to track the object 20 and also to provide the position data to the object 20.
• the controller 16 may send a different portion of the coordinates 26 (e.g., a portion corresponding to the relative coordinate of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18B) to the optical sensor 18B.
• the optical sensor 18B may send a different optical signal to the object 20.
• the different optical signal may include the relative coordinate of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18B.
• the optical sensor 18B may use an optical transmitter 44B (or the emitter 24B) to generate the optical signal and transmit the optical signal via a light 78 (e.g., IR or visible light).
• the object 20 may use the optical receiver 54 to receive the light 78 carrying the position data (e.g., relative coordinate of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18B).
• the object 20 may utilize the position data and enable the object 20 to be aware of a location of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18A and/or the area 14. Further, it should be appreciated that the controller 16 may determine the coordinates 26 of the object 20 (e.g., relative to the area 14) and instruct one or more of the optical sensors (e.g., 18A and/or 18B) to provide the coordinates 26 of the object 20 to the object 20 via respective optical signals (e.g., light 48 and/or 78).
• the optical sensors e.g., 18A and/or 18B
• the light emitters 24 on or in the optical sensors 18 may include digital projectors or similar directional light sources. Such directional light sources may allow each of the optical sensors 18 to transmit the position data to specific tracked objects (e.g., to the object 20) without sending the same data to other tracked objects (e.g., other than the object 20), thereby increasing the overall bandwidth of the optical tracking system 12.
• the object 20 may utilize certain devices (e.g., on the object 20 and/or connected devices, such as a ride vehicle controller that is on-board a ride vehicle and wired to the object 20) to further process and/or utilize the position data.
• the object 20 may be an HMD that utilizes the coordinates 26 to retrieve and to display imagery via the HMD to enable a guest wearing the HMD to view the imagery overlaid onto a real-world environment in the area 14 in a coordinated manner (e.g., the imagery is overlaid to appear integrated into the real-world environment).
• the position data may trigger effects (e.g., lights, sounds, haptics) on the object 20 (e.g., the object 20 is programmed to output certain effects based on the position and/or the orientation of the object 20).
• the object 20 may be a mobile phone case that supports a mobile phone and communicatively couples (e.g., wired or wireless) to the mobile phone. Then, the mobile phone case may communicate the position data to the mobile phone, and an application on the mobile phone may utilize the position data to display relevant information, enable interaction with the area 14 via inputs on the mobile phone, and so forth.
• the position data may enable the object 20 and/or the connected devices to obtain and/or to determine enhanced position data, such as a position map indicative of a relative position of the object 20 with respect to other objects (e.g., other HMDs in the ride vehicle) in the area 14.
• the optical tracking system 12 may enable certain coordinated events (e.g., theme park events including multiple guests and/or multiple rider cars) based on the relative positions of multiple objects, including the object 20.
• controller 16 and the optical sensors 18 are described as being communicatively coupled to each other via the electrical cables 46, it should be noted that, in an embodiment, the controller 16 and the optical sensors 18 may be communicatively coupled to each other via radiofrequency signals, optical signals (e.g., using visible light or IR light). In an embodiment, the controller 16 or the optical sensors 18 may transmit the position data using wired or radiofrequency signals, in addition to the light signals (e.g., via the light 48 and 78) to the object 20. Such additional data transmissions may act as backup communications (e.g., when default communications are malfunctioned, interfered, or obstructed).
• the optical tracking system 12 may be implemented using different methods with more or less devices (e.g., tracking devices, such as the optical sensors 18) or components (e.g., the light emitters 24).
• the light emitters 24 may be coupled to one or more structures in the area 14, such that the optical sensors 18 may not include the light emitters 24. This may enable the light emitters 24 to be hidden from view of the guests in the area 14.
• the object 20 may be on, in, or covering a tabletop for visualization by the guests in the area 14, and at least a portion of the object 20 (e.g., a base of the object 20) with the optical receiver 54 may be exposed to a space below the tabletop.
• the light emitters 24 may be hidden under the tabletop communicate the position data for detection by the optical receiver 54.
• a single optical sensor 18 may be used to track the object 20 in the area 14.
• certain devices or components may be combinations of tracked objects and tracking devices.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the optical tracking system 12 that includes the controller 16 coupled to the optical sensors 18 (e.g., optical sensors 18A-18D).
• the optical sensors 18 are configured to receive light 48 and/or 78 emitted from a light emitter 24F coupled to the object 20.
• the optical sensors 18 may not include the light emitters (e g., the light emitters 24 shown in FIG. 1) that emit light 48 and/or 78 (e.g., visible or IR light) illuminating the object 20.
• the object 20 may have the light emitter 24F that may emit light 48 and/or 78 (e.g., visible or IR light) that is detectable by the optical sensors 18.
• the light emitter 24F may be coupled to and/or integrated into the object 20.
• the light emitter 24F may emit light 48 and/or 78 (e.g., visible or IR light). A portion of the light (e.g., light 110) may reach the optical sensor 18A.
• the optical sensor 18A may detect the light 110 and generate a signal indicative of a location of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18A. For example, the optical sensor 18A may generate the signal 42A based on the detected light 110 (e.g., based on arriving time, direction, light intensity, and/or other attributes of the light 110).
• the signal 42A may be indicative of a relative position between the object 20 and the optical sensor 18 A.
• a different portion of the light may reach the optical sensor 18B.
• the optical sensor 18B may detect the light 120 and generate a signal indicative of a location of the object 20 with respect to the optical sensor 18B.
• the optical sensor 18B may generate the signal 42B based on the detected light 120 (e.g., based on arriving time, direction, light intensity, and/or other attributes of the light 120).
• the signal 42B may be indicative of a relative position between the object 20 and the optical sensor 18B.
• other optical sensors e.g., 18C, 18D
• may generate corresponding signals e.g., 42C, 42D based on the detected light emitted from the light emitter 24F of the object 20.
• the processors 82 receive (e.g., via the communication component 86) the signals 42A-42D transmitted from the optical sensors 18A-18D and compute position data (e.g., the coordinates 26) associated with the object 20.
• the controller 16 may send (e.g., via the communication component 88) the coordinates 26 to one or more of the optical sensors 18.
• the one or more of the optical sensors 18 may send (e.g., via a corresponding optical transmitter 44) an optical signal to the object 20 via corresponding light (e.g., the light 48 or 78).
• the object 20 may use the optical receiver 54 to receive the light 48 and/or 78 carrying the position data (e.g., the coordinates 26 of the object 20). As described herein, based on the position data received via the optical receiver 54, the object 20 may utilize certain devices to further process and/or utilize the position data. For example, the position data may trigger effects (e.g., lights, sounds, haptics) on the object 20 (e.g., the object 20 is programmed to output certain effects based on the position and/or the orientation of the object 20).
• effects e.g., lights, sounds, haptics
• FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the optical tracking system 12 that includes the controller 16 coupled to an object (e.g., a head-mounted (HMD) 160) worn by a guest 170 in the area 14.
• the optical sensors 18 may not include the light emitters 24 that emit light (e.g., visible or IR light) illuminating the HMD 160 and the guest 170.
• the HMD 160 may include the light emitter 24F (e.g., as a built-in device) that may emit light (e.g., visible or IR light) that is detectable by the optical sensors 18.
• the controller 16 may be a part of the HMD 160.
• the HMD 160 may display the corresponding imagery in coordination with effects, such as sound effects, visual effects, and/or haptic effects in the area 14 (e.g., AR or VR imagery of a dragon in coordination with heat from a heat source; AR imagery of a bird that appears to be perched on a rooftop due to coordination with background imagery of the rooftop on a display in the real-world environment).
• effects such as sound effects, visual effects, and/or haptic effects in the area 14
• the optical tracking system 12 may enable or improve certain coordinated events (e.g., theme park events including the guest 170 and other guests) based on the relative positions of multiple guests including the guest
• the HMD 160 may include AR devices providing an enhanced, interactive version of the real -world environment (e.g., the area 14) achieved through imagery displayed on the HMD 160 overlaid with and/or in coordination with other digital visual elements, sounds, and/or other sensory stimuli (e.g., via haptic technology).
• the HMD 160 may utilize the location of the HMD 160 to provide more accurate overlay of the imagery onto the real-world environment, which may further improve the experience of the guest 170 via certain coordinated events and effects.
• the HMD 212 may have a retroreflector 36A (e.g., coupled to a frame, visor, and/or band of the HMD 212) that may reflect light (e.g., IR or visible light) emitted from the light emitter 24H of the optical sensor 18H.
• the HMD 222 may have a retroreflector 36B (e.g., coupled to a frame, visor, and/or band of the HMD 222) that may reflect light (e.g., IR or visible light) emitted from the light emitter 24H of the optical sensor 18H.
• the retroflectors 36A and 36B may each represent or include multiple distinct retroflectors.
• the controller 16 may send (e.g., via the communication component 88) the coordinates 26 of the HMD 212 to the optical sensor 18H.
• the optical sensor 18H may send (e.g., via an optical transmitter 44H or the emitter 24H) a first optical signal to the HMD 212 via light 218.
• the first optical signal may include the coordinates 26 of the HMD 212.
• the HMD 212 may use an optical receiver 54A to receive the light 218 carrying the first optical signal.
• FIG. 5 is an example application 250 in an amusement park using the optical tracking system 12.
• the guests 210 and 220 may wear the HMDs 212 and 222, respectively, when riding a ride vehicle 256 (e.g., traveling on a path 258) in the area 14 (e.g., an amusement park).
• the HMD 212 may have the retroreflector 36A that may reflect a portion of the light 214 emitted from the light emitter 24H. Reflected light (e g., the light 216) may reach the optical sensor 18H that may detect the light 216 and generate the first signal indicative of the relative position between the HMD 212 and the optical sensor 18H.
• the carried vehicle 256 may have a retroreflector 36M that may reflect a portion of light 270 emitted from the light emitter 24H. Reflected light (e.g., light 276) may reach the optical sensor 18H that may detect the light 276 and generate a third signal indicative of the relative position between the carried vehicle 256 and the optical sensor 18H.
• the controller 16 may be configured to receive (e.g., via the communication component 86) the third signal from the optical sensor 18H.
• the controller 16 may compute position data associated with the ride vehicle 256.
• the position data may include coordinates of the ride vehicle 256 (e.g., relative to the optical sensor 18H, the HMDs 212 and 222, and/or the area 14).
• the object may include (or couple with) a light emitter (e.g., the light emitter 24F) that may emit active light (e.g., IR or visible light).
• a light emitter e.g., the light emitter 24F
• active light e.g., IR or visible light.
• the optical sensor may detect the active light and generate the location data based on the active light emitted from the light emitter the object.
• the optical tracking system may receive additional location data from the optical sensor detecting light from an additional object.
• the additional object may include another object (e.g., HMD 222) with proximity of the first object (e.g., HMD 212) or participating in the coordinated events with the first object.
• the additional object may include the ride vehicle (e.g., ride vehicle 256) ridden by the guest and the additional guest.

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• 2024
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