Patents by Inventor William Dale Mason

William Dale Mason 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: 11918925
    Abstract: A ride vehicle includes a riding assembly configured to carry a rider, a base configured to couple to the riding assembly, and a control system configured to control the coordination of movements of the ride vehicle with movements of separate ride vehicles. The base includes a surface movement system configured to move the ride vehicle along a surface, a vertical movement system configured to move the riding assembly vertically relative to the base, and a roll system configured to move the riding assembly angularly relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Lara Larberg MacLean, William Dale Mason, Eric Alan Vance, Justin Michael Schwartz, Ross Alan Osterman
  • Patent number: 11918924
    Abstract: A carousel ride system includes a first rotatable platform and multiple second rotatable platforms. Each second rotatable platform of the multiple second rotatable platforms is positioned within a respective opening in the first rotatable platform. A first drive system is configured to drive rotation of the first rotatable platform and multiple second drive assemblies are configured to drive rotation of the multiple second rotatable platforms. Multiple figures extend over the multiple second rotatable platforms and multiple figure drive assemblies are configured to independently lift and rotate the multiple figures relative to the multiple second rotatable platforms. One or more processors are configured to coordinate operation of the first drive system, the multiple second drive assemblies, and the multiple figure drive assemblies to maintain the multiple figures in a forward-facing orientation relative to a direction of travel of the first rotatable platform during operation of the carousel ride system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Jerrell Andrew Loudon, Rick A Dias, David Wayne Komives, William Dale Mason
  • Publication number: 20230191266
    Abstract: A carousel ride system includes a first rotatable platform and multiple second rotatable platforms. Each second rotatable platform of the multiple second rotatable platforms is positioned within a respective opening in the first rotatable platform. A first drive system is configured to drive rotation of the first rotatable platform and multiple second drive assemblies are configured to drive rotation of the multiple second rotatable platforms. Multiple figures extend over the multiple second rotatable platforms and multiple figure drive assemblies are configured to independently lift and rotate the multiple figures relative to the multiple second rotatable platforms. One or more processors are configured to coordinate operation of the first drive system, the multiple second drive assemblies, and the multiple figure drive assemblies to maintain the multiple figures in a forward-facing orientation relative to a direction of travel of the first rotatable platform during operation of the carousel ride system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Jerrell Andrew Loudon, Rick A. Dias, David Wayne Komives, William Dale Mason
  • Publication number: 20230100263
    Abstract: A ride vehicle includes a riding assembly configured to carry a rider, a base configured to couple to the riding assembly, and a control system configured to control the coordination of movements of the ride vehicle with movements of separate ride vehicles. The base includes a surface movement system configured to move the ride vehicle along a surface, a vertical movement system configured to move the riding assembly vertically relative to the base, and a roll system configured to move the riding assembly angularly relative to the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Lara Larberg MacLean, William Dale Mason, Eric Alan Vance
  • Patent number: 11583780
    Abstract: A carousel ride system includes a first rotatable platform and multiple second rotatable platforms. Each second rotatable platform of the multiple second rotatable platforms is positioned within a respective opening in the first rotatable platform. A first drive system is configured to drive rotation of the first rotatable platform and multiple second drive assemblies are configured to drive rotation of the multiple second rotatable platforms. Multiple figures extend over the multiple second rotatable platforms and multiple figure drive assemblies are configured to independently lift and rotate the multiple figures relative to the multiple second rotatable platforms. One or more processors are configured to coordinate operation of the first drive system, the multiple second drive assemblies, and the multiple figure drive assemblies to maintain the multiple figures in a forward-facing orientation relative to a direction of travel of the first rotatable platform during operation of the carousel ride system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Jerrell Andrew Loudon, Rick A. Dias, David Wayne Komives, William Dale Mason
  • Patent number: 11517828
    Abstract: A ride vehicle includes a riding assembly configured to carry a rider, a base configured to couple to the riding assembly, and a control system configured to control the coordination of movements of the ride vehicle with movements of separate ride vehicles. The base includes a surface movement system configured to move the ride vehicle along a surface, a vertical movement system configured to move the riding assembly vertically relative to the base, and a roll system configured to move the riding assembly angularly relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Lara Larberg MacLean, William Dale Mason, Eric Alan Vance
  • Publication number: 20220008833
    Abstract: A carousel ride system includes a first rotatable platform and multiple second rotatable platforms. Each second rotatable platform of the multiple second rotatable platforms is positioned within a respective opening in the first rotatable platform. A first drive system is configured to drive rotation of the first rotatable platform and multiple second drive assemblies are configured to drive rotation of the multiple second rotatable platforms. Multiple figures extend over the multiple second rotatable platforms and multiple figure drive assemblies are configured to independently lift and rotate the multiple figures relative to the multiple second rotatable platforms. One or more processors are configured to coordinate operation of the first drive system, the multiple second drive assemblies, and the multiple figure drive assemblies to maintain the multiple figures in a forward-facing orientation relative to a direction of travel of the first rotatable platform during operation of the carousel ride system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Jerrell Andrew Loudon, Rick A. Dias, David Wayne Komives, William Dale Mason
  • Publication number: 20200398173
    Abstract: A ride vehicle includes a riding assembly configured to carry a rider, a base configured to couple to the riding assembly, and a control system configured to control the coordination of movements of the ride vehicle with movements of separate ride vehicles. The base includes a surface movement system configured to move the ride vehicle along a surface, a vertical movement system configured to move the riding assembly vertically relative to the base, and a roll system configured to move the riding assembly angularly relative to the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Lara Larberg MacLean, William Dale Mason, Eric Alan Vance
  • Patent number: 9770665
    Abstract: A functional mat racer in accordance with present embodiments includes a mat configured to accommodate a rider, wherein the mat comprises a ride surface configured to contact a ride floor or slide surface and an opposing surface configured to hold the rider. The functional mat racer also includes one or more handles coupled to the mat and a functional module coupled to the mat, wherein the functional module comprises one or more light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: University City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Justin Michael Schwartz, Ross Alan Osterman, William Dale Mason
  • Publication number: 20160325187
    Abstract: A functional mat racer in accordance with present embodiments includes a mat configured to accommodate a rider, wherein the mat comprises a ride surface configured to contact a ride floor or slide surface and an opposing surface configured to hold the rider. The functional mat racer also includes one or more handles coupled to the mat and a functional module coupled to the mat, wherein the functional module comprises one or more light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Justin Michael Schwartz, Ross Alan Osterman, William Dale Mason