Patents by Inventor Justin Michael Schwartz

Justin Michael Schwartz 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: 10656704
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a system includes a virtual reality attraction system. The virtual reality attraction system includes virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) headgear configured to display AR images and/or VR images to a user, and at least one user-assisted vehicle configured to accommodate the user. The vehicle includes a frame configured to permit the user to provide at least partial motor power to move the vehicle within the attraction. The frame defines a boundary about the user. The vehicle also includes a harness coupled to the frame and configured to provide support to the user when the user is in the vehicle, and a vehicle controller configured to communicate the AR and/or VR images to the virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) headgear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Justin Michael Schwartz, Ross Alan Osterman
  • Publication number: 20200086220
    Abstract: A ride vehicle system includes a ride track and a ride vehicle. The ride track includes a vehicle rail and an accessory rail. The ride vehicle includes a ride vehicle base, a show element coupled to the ride vehicle base, and a mechanical linkage. The ride vehicle base is configured to interface with the vehicle rail of the ride track and to move along the vehicle rail of the ride track. The show element coupled to the ride vehicle base is configured to actuate with respect to the ride vehicle base. The mechanical linkage includes a first end coupled to the show element and a second end coupled to the accessory rail of the ride track. The mechanical linkage is configured to move along the accessory rail and to actuate the show element based at least in part on a position of the accessory rail with respect to the vehicle rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Scott David Sabens, Christine Marie Sorrentino, Justin Michael Schwartz, Eric Shawn Thomas, Eric Alan Vance
  • Patent number: 10589182
    Abstract: A water attraction dispatch system includes a water attraction having a plurality of sensors and a dispatch controller. The dispatch controller is configured to receive attraction condition data from the plurality of sensors of the water attraction and determine a dispatch status of the water attraction based on the attraction condition data. The dispatch status may be a permit dispatch status or a deny dispatch status. The dispatch controller is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the dispatch status to a controller of the water attraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: David Helmick, Elliot Taylor, Justin Michael Schwartz
  • Patent number: 10580244
    Abstract: A system in accordance with present embodiments includes a plurality of wearable devices and a virtual queue control system configured to maintain respective virtual queues for respective attractions and in communication with the plurality of virtual queuing attraction stations. The virtual queue control system is configured to receive communications from the plurality of virtual queuing stations and add guests to the respective virtual queues based on the communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Geraghty, Justin Michael Schwartz
  • Patent number: 10528123
    Abstract: A ride system includes a ride vehicle configured to accommodate a passenger and travel along a ride path during a ride in an amusement park, a head mounted display connected to the ride vehicle and configured to be worn by the passenger, and a ride and game control system integrated with the ride vehicle and configured to coordinate a ride experience of the passenger with events occurring during the ride using at least the head mounted display and the ride vehicle. The ride and game control system includes a user interface, a ride controller, and a monitoring system. The ride and game control system also includes a computer graphics generation system communicatively coupled to the head mounted display and configured to selectively generate AR features for display on the head mounted display based on data received from the ride controller, the monitoring system, the user interface, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Sean David McCracken, Justin Michael Schwartz, Thomas Martin Geraghty
  • Publication number: 20190362623
    Abstract: A system in accordance with present embodiments includes a source of electromagnetic radiation that operates to emit electromagnetic radiation into an active playing area. The system also includes a sensing device that operates to receive the electromagnetic radiation after being reflected from a retro-reflective material of an article positioned in the active playing area and operable to generate data based on receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation from a series of article positions. Further, the system includes a controller that operates to process the data generated by the sensing device to determine whether the series of article positions correlate to a stored gesture and output a control signal to actuate an effect when the series of article positions correlate to the stored gesture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Sameer Kawash, Justin Michael Schwartz, Steven C. Blum
  • Publication number: 20190358550
    Abstract: A water attraction dispatch system includes a water attraction having a plurality of sensors and a dispatch controller. The dispatch controller is configured to receive attraction condition data from the plurality of sensors of the water attraction and determine a dispatch status of the water attraction based on the attraction condition data. The dispatch status may be a permit dispatch status or a deny dispatch status. The dispatch controller is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the dispatch status to a controller of the water attraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: David Helmick, Elliot Taylor, Justin Michael Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20190272695
    Abstract: A queue management system in accordance with present embodiments may include a data server system including a processor and memory. The queue management system may include an interface system of the data server system configured to receive a reservation request including an indication of a general time period of arrival of a guest to an area. Additionally, the queue management system may include a reservation right allotment system of the data server system configured to correlate a reservation slot for accessing an attraction to identification information for the guest. Further, the queue management system may include a detection system of the data server system configured to determine when a portable identification feature associated with the identification information has arrived to the area, and a reservation assignment system of the data server system configured to establish a reservation to access the attraction at a specific time window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Justin Michael Schwartz, Ross Alan Osterman, Jeffrey Lamar Polk
  • Patent number: 10380884
    Abstract: A system in accordance with present embodiments includes a source of electromagnetic radiation that operates to emit electromagnetic radiation into an active playing area. The system also includes a sensing device that operates to receive the electromagnetic radiation after being reflected from a retro-reflective material of an article positioned in the active playing area and operable to generate data based on receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation from a series of article positions. Further, the system includes a controller that operates to process the data generated by the sensing device to determine whether the series of article positions correlate to a stored gesture and output a control signal to actuate an effect when the series of article positions correlate to the stored gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Sameer Kawash, Justin Michael Schwartz, Steven C. Blum
  • Patent number: 10357722
    Abstract: A motion simulator ride assembly including a motion base and a rider support assembly positioned beneath and coupled to the motion base. The rider support assembly includes a plurality of rider support units each including a saddle having a leading end, a tail end, and a superior surface that may support a rider in a facedown position and a restraint system that may secure the rider onto the rider support. The restraint system includes a rotating restraint having an attachment point on the saddle, and the rotating restraint may move relative to the superior surface to move the rotating restraint from an unrestrained configuration to a restrained configuration, and the rotating restraint may abut against a posterior surface of a torso of the rider when the rotating restraint is in the restrained configuration. The motion simulator ride assembly also includes a display screen that may project a simulated environment. The display screen is positioned below the motion base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Nathanael G. White, Ted W. Van Winkle, Daniel Freedman, Justin Michael Schwartz, Dwain South, Michael Tresaugue, Gregory Hall
  • Patent number: 10304276
    Abstract: A queue management system in accordance with present embodiments may include a data server system including a processor and memory. The queue management system may include an interface system of the data server system configured to receive a reservation request including an indication of a general time period of arrival of a guest to an area. Additionally, the queue management system may include a reservation right allotment system of the data server system configured to correlate a reservation slot for accessing an attraction to identification information for the guest. Further, the queue management system may include a detection system of the data server system configured to determine when a portable identification feature associated with the identification information has arrived to the area, and a reservation assignment system of the data server system configured to establish a reservation to access the attraction at a specific time window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Justin Michael Schwartz, Ross Alan Osterman, Jeffrey Lamar Polk
  • Patent number: 10293837
    Abstract: A control system to control a multi-passenger ride vehicle includes a controller. The controller receives a first user feedback from a first user input device and a second user feedback from a second user input device. The controller selects the first user feedback, the second user feedback, or a combination thereof for a determination of a vehicle path of the multi-passenger ride vehicle. The controller determines the vehicle path using the first user feedback, the second user feedback, or the combination thereof based on the selection. The controller controls movement of the multi-passenger ride vehicle based on the vehicle path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Ross Alan Osterman, Justin Michael Schwartz
  • Patent number: 10289194
    Abstract: A ride system for an amusement park includes a ride vehicle configured to accommodate a rider and configured to travel along a ride path, a head mounted display configured to be worn by the rider, and a control system. The control system is configured to display a virtual instruction to the rider via the head mounted display, receive a signal from a user input device associated with the rider, determine that the signal received from the user input device corresponds to the virtual instruction, and trigger a movement of the ride vehicle in response to determining that the signal corresponds to the virtual instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Sean David McCracken, Eric Lawrence Merz, Patrick Devin Boyle, Justin Michael Schwartz, Thomas Martin Geraghty
  • Publication number: 20190108705
    Abstract: A system in accordance with present embodiments includes a plurality of wearable devices and a virtual queue control system configured to maintain respective virtual queues for respective attractions and in communication with the plurality of virtual queuing attraction stations. The virtual queue control system is configured to receive communications from the plurality of virtual queuing stations and add guests to the respective virtual queues based on the communications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Geraghty, Justin Michael Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20190073897
    Abstract: A system in accordance with present embodiments includes a source of electromagnetic radiation that operates to emit electromagnetic radiation into an active playing area. The system also includes a sensing device that operates to receive the electromagnetic radiation after being reflected from a retro-reflective material of an article positioned in the active playing area and operable to generate data based on receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation from a series of article positions. Further, the system includes a controller that operates to process the data generated by the sensing device to determine whether the series of article positions correlate to a stored gesture and output a control signal to actuate an effect when the series of article positions correlate to the stored gesture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Sameer Kawash, Justin Michael Schwartz, Steven C. Blum
  • Patent number: 10152840
    Abstract: A system in accordance with present embodiments includes a plurality of wearable devices and a virtual queue control system configured to maintain respective virtual queues for respective attractions and in communication with the plurality of virtual queuing attraction stations. The virtual queue control system is configured to receive communications from the plurality of virtual queuing stations and add guests to the respective virtual queues based on the communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Geraghty, Justin Michael Schwartz
  • Patent number: 10134267
    Abstract: A system in accordance with present embodiments includes a source of electromagnetic radiation that operates to emit electromagnetic radiation into an active playing area. The system also includes a sensing device that operates to receive the electromagnetic radiation after being reflected from a retro-reflective material of an article positioned in the active playing area and operable to generate data based on receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation from a series of article positions. Further, the system includes a controller that operates to process the data generated by the sensing device to determine whether the series of article positions correlate to a stored gesture and output a control signal to actuate an effect when the series of article positions correlate to the stored gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL CITY STUDIOS LLC
    Inventors: Sameer Kawash, Justin Michael Schwartz, Steven C. Blum
  • Publication number: 20180329480
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a system includes a virtual reality attraction system. The virtual reality attraction system includes virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) headgear configured to display AR images and/or VR images to a user, and at least one user-assisted vehicle configured to accommodate the user. The vehicle includes a frame configured to permit the user to provide at least partial motor power to move the vehicle within the attraction. The frame defines a boundary about the user. The vehicle also includes a harness coupled to the frame and configured to provide support to the user when the user is in the vehicle, and a vehicle controller configured to communicate the AR and/or VR images to the virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) headgear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Justin Michael Schwartz, Ross Alan Osterman
  • Publication number: 20180304160
    Abstract: A motion simulator ride assembly including a motion base and a rider support assembly positioned beneath and coupled to the motion base. The rider support assembly includes a plurality of rider support units each including a saddle having a leading end, a tail end, and a superior surface that may support a rider in a facedown position and a restraint system that may secure the rider onto the rider support. The restraint system includes a rotating restraint having an attachment point on the saddle, and the rotating restraint may move relative to the superior surface to move the rotating restraint from an unrestrained configuration to a restrained configuration, and the rotating restraint may abut against a posterior surface of a torso of the rider when the rotating restraint is in the restrained configuration. The motion simulator ride assembly also includes a display screen that may project a simulated environment. The display screen is positioned below the motion base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Nathanael G. White, Ted W. Van Winkle, Daniel Freedman, Justin Michael Schwartz, Dwain South, Michael Tresaugue, Gregory Hall
  • Publication number: 20180170399
    Abstract: A control system to control a multi-passenger ride vehicle includes a controller. The controller receives a first user feedback from a first user input device and a second user feedback from a second user input device. The controller selects the first user feedback, the second user feedback, or a combination thereof for a determination of a vehicle path of the multi-passenger ride vehicle. The controller determines the vehicle path using the first user feedback, the second user feedback, or the combination thereof based on the selection. The controller controls movement of the multi-passenger ride vehicle based on the vehicle path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Ross Alan Osterman, Justin Michael Schwartz