Patents by Inventor Asa K. Kalama

Asa K. Kalama 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: 10500510
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a customized amusement ride experience are disclosed herein. Such a system can include a simulation vehicle that can transit at least one passenger from a starting position to a terminating position of the amusement ride, a memory including a content database and a token database, and a sensor that can receive data identifying at least one token. The system can include a processor that can: receive data from the sensor identifying the at least one token; retrieve ride data from the token database based on the data identifying the at least one token, which ride data identifies an attribute associated with the token; select content for delivery based on the ride data; retrieve the selected content for delivery from the content database; and provide the selected content to the at least one passenger of the simulation vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Asa K. Kalama, Casey Ging, Peter Stepniewicz, Robert E. Huebner
  • Patent number: 10332503
    Abstract: Systems and methods for active acoustic compensation in proximate theaters are disclosed herein. Such a system can include a first theater including a first content presentation system and a second theater including a second content presentation system. The system can include a processor in communicating connection with the first content presentation system and the second content presentation system. The processor can be controlled to: direct presentation of first content in the first theater via the first content presentation system; direct presentation of second content in the second theater via the second content presentation system; identify an impending first acoustic event in the first theater; and control the second content presentation system to generate a second acoustic event to mitigate the detectability of the first acoustic event in the second theater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Asa K. Kalama, Robert Scott Trowbridge
  • Patent number: 9483115
    Abstract: A control system for selectively operating a sound system provided in a walk-around character costume. e.g., to play audio files in an order defined by a dialog tree that can be navigated by a performer wearing the costume. The control system includes a trigger mechanism provided in the costume operable by a performer wearing the costume to generate and transmit at least one trigger signal to navigate through a dialog tree. A controller receives the trigger signal and transmits a control signal causing the sound system to playback pre-recorded dialog. The system includes a trigger processing module run by the controller for processing the trigger signal and, in response to such processing, for navigating pre-recorded audio for a show to select the set of pre-recorded dialog. The trigger mechanism includes a first and a second pressure sensor in a thumb and index finger of a glove of the costume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Holger Irmler, Brent David Strong, Asa K. Kalama, Raymond J. Scanlon, Cory Joseph Rouse, Renee M. Johnson, Tina Y. Shioji, Abigail F. Tamayo, David Frederick Beaudry
  • Patent number: 9244525
    Abstract: There is provided an interactive device capable of providing input data to a computer program in response to user interactions, the interface device comprising a first position sensor reading a sensed location of the interface device having a free roaming movement in a three-dimensional space, a direction vector determination device determining a direction vector indicating an aiming direction, and a transmission system communicating aim information to an external device implementing the computer program. The transmission system may include a transmitter for the direction vector and/or a transmitter for the sensed location. The computer program can use the aim information and input data to support a projected 3D game environment or other application providing sensory feedback in response to the user interactions. Multiple interactive devices having unique identifiers may also be supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: David Crawford, Edward Nemeth, Asa K. Kalama, Mark R. Mine
  • Patent number: 9213935
    Abstract: A coordination processor receives data from a simulated role-play environment having a performer that is assigned a role. Further, the coordination processor composes an instruction to the performer to perform an action in the simulated role-play environment. The instruction is selected to implement a narrative possibility in a role-playing simulation. In addition, the instruction is sent to an interface that provides the instruction to the performer in the simulated role-play environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Asa K. Kalama, Cory J. Rouse, Michael Ilardi, Reid Swanson
  • Publication number: 20140358263
    Abstract: A control system for selectively operating a sound system provided in a walk-around character costume. e.g., to play audio files in an order defined by a dialog tree that can be navigated by a performer wearing the costume. The control system includes a trigger mechanism provided in the costume operable by a performer wearing the costume to generate and transmit at least one trigger signal to navigate through a dialog tree. A controller receives the trigger signal and transmits a control signal causing the sound system to playback pre-recorded dialog. The system includes a trigger processing module run by the controller for processing the trigger signal and, in response to such processing, for navigating pre-recorded audio for a show to select the set of pre-recorded dialog. The trigger mechanism includes a first and a second pressure sensor in a thumb and index finger of a glove of the costume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Holger Irmler, Brent David Strong, Asa K. Kalama, Raymond J. Scanlon, Cory Joseph Rouse, Renee M. Johnson, Tina Y. Shioji, Abigail F. Tamayo, David Frederick Beaudry
  • Patent number: 8874444
    Abstract: A method is provided for a simulated conversation by a pre-recorded audio navigator, with particular application to informational and entertainment settings. A monitor may utilize a navigation interface to select pre-recorded responses in the voice of a character represented by a performer. The pre-recorded responses may then be queued and sent to a speaker proximate to the performer. By careful organization of an audio database including audio buckets and script-based navigation with shifts for tailoring to specific guest user profiles and environmental contexts, a convincing and dynamic simulated conversation may be carried out while providing the monitor with a user-friendly navigation interface. Thus, highly specialized training is not necessary and flexible scaling to large-scale deployments is readily supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Holger Irmler, Asa K. Kalama, Raymond J. Scanlon, Brent D. Strong, Cory J. Rouse, Renée M. Johnson, Andrew Stone
  • Publication number: 20130226588
    Abstract: A method is provided for a simulated conversation by a pre-recorded audio navigator, with particular application to informational and entertainment settings. A monitor may utilize a navigation interface to select pre-recorded responses in the voice of a character represented by a performer. The pre-recorded responses may then be queued and sent to a speaker proximate to the performer. By careful organization of an audio database including audio buckets and script-based navigation with shifts for tailoring to specific guest user profiles and environmental contexts, a convincing and dynamic simulated conversation may be carried out while providing the monitor with a user-friendly navigation interface. Thus, highly specialized training is not necessary and flexible scaling to large-scale deployments is readily supported.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Holger Irmler, Asa K. Kalama, Raymond J. Scanlon, Brent D. Strong, Cory J. Rouse, Renée M. Johnson, Andrew Stone
  • Publication number: 20130066608
    Abstract: A coordination processor receives data from a simulated role-play environment. Further, the coordination processor composes an instruction to a performer to perform an action in the simulated role-play environment. In addition, the instruction is sent to an interface that provides the instruction to the performer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Asa K. Kalama, Cory J. Rouse, Michael Ilardi, Reid Swanson
  • Publication number: 20100210361
    Abstract: There is provided an interactive device capable of providing input data to a computer program in response to user interactions, the interface device comprising a first position sensor reading a sensed location of the interface device having a free roaming movement in a three-dimensional space, a direction vector determination device determining a direction vector indicating an aiming direction, and a transmission system communicating aim information to an external device implementing the computer program. The transmission system may include a transmitter for the direction vector and/or a transmitter for the sensed location. The computer program can use the aim information and input data to support a projected 3D game environment or other application providing sensory feedback in response to the user interactions. Multiple interactive devices having unique identifiers may also be supported.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: David Crawford, Edward Nemeth, Asa K. Kalama, Mark R. Mine