Patents by Inventor Alexis Paul Wieland

Alexis Paul Wieland has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8744627
    Abstract: A system of distributed control of an interactive animatronic show includes a plurality of animatronic actors, at least one of the actors a processor and one or more motors controlled by the processor. The system also includes a network interconnecting each of the actors, and a plurality of sensors providing messages to the network, where the messages are indicative of processed information. Each processor executed software that schedules and/or coordinates an action of the actor corresponding to the processor in accordance with the sensor messages representative of attributes of an audience viewing the show and the readiness of the corresponding actor. Actions of the corresponding actor can include animation movements of the actor, responding to another actor and/or responding to a member of the audience. The actions can result in movement of at least a component of the actor caused by control of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexis Paul Wieland
  • Publication number: 20120150346
    Abstract: A system of distributed control of an interactive animatronic show includes a plurality of animatronic actors, at least one of the actors a processor and one or more motors controlled by the processor. The system also includes a network interconnecting each of the actors, and a plurality of sensors providing messages to the network, where the messages are indicative of processed information. Each processor executed software that schedules and/or coordinates an action of the actor corresponding to the processor in accordance with the sensor messages representative of attributes of an audience viewing the show and the readiness of the corresponding actor. Actions of the corresponding actor can include animation movements of the actor, responding to another actor and/or responding to a member f the audience. The actions can result in movement of at least a component of the actor caused by control of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventor: Alexis Paul Wieland
  • Patent number: 8060255
    Abstract: A system of distributed control of an interactive animatronic show includes a plurality of animatronic actors, at least one of the actors having a processor and one or more motors controlled by the processor. The system also includes a network interconnecting each of the actors, and a plurality of sensors providing messages to the network, where the messages are indicative of processed information. Each processor executes software that schedules and/or coordinates an action of the actor corresponding to the processor in accordance with the sensor messages representative of attributes of an audience viewing the show and the readiness of the corresponding actor. Actions of the corresponding actor can include animation movements of the actor, responding to another actor and/or responding to a member of the audience. The actions can result in movement of at least a component of the actor caused by control of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexis Paul Wieland
  • Patent number: 7706920
    Abstract: A method for controlling movement of movable object having a plurality of movable subcomponents comprises receiving an instruction configured to generate a defined movement of a selected subcomponent of the movable object between a first state and a second state. The method further comprises determining whether execution of the defined movement results in the selected subcomponent leaving a motion space associated with the selected subcomponent. The motion space is defined by a motion space boundary. The method further comprises producing a modified instruction configured to generate a modified movement of the selected subcomponent between the first state and the second state. Execution of the modified movement results in the selected subcomponent remaining within the motion space. At least a portion of the modified movement deviates from the defined movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexis Paul Wieland
  • Publication number: 20090076652
    Abstract: A method for controlling movement of movable object having a plurality of movable subcomponents comprises receiving an instruction configured to generate a defined movement of a selected subcomponent of the movable object between a first state and a second state. The method further comprises determining whether execution of the defined movement results in the selected subcomponent leaving a motion space associated with the selected subcomponent. The motion space is defined by a motion space boundary. The method further comprises producing a modified instruction configured to generate a modified movement of the selected subcomponent between the first state and the second state. Execution of the modified movement results in the selected subcomponent remaining within the motion space. At least a portion of the modified movement deviates from the defined movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc
    Inventor: Alexis Paul Wieland
  • Publication number: 20090069935
    Abstract: A system and method of distributed control of an interactive animatronic show is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of animatronic actors, at least one of the actors comprising a processor and one or more motors controlled by the processor. The system also includes a network interconnecting each of the actors, and a plurality of sensors providing messages to the network, where the messages are indicative of processed information. Each processor executes software that schedules and/or coordinates an action of the actor corresponding to the processor in accordance with the sensor messages representative of attributes of an audience viewing the show and the readiness of the corresponding actor. Actions of the corresponding actor can comprise animation movements of the actor, responding to another actor and/or responding to a member of the audience. The actions can result in movement of at least a component of the actor caused by control of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexis Paul Wieland