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).
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Patent number: 11918925Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 5, 2022Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Universal City Studios LLCInventors: Lara Larberg MacLean, William Dale Mason, Eric Alan Vance, Justin Michael Schwartz, Ross Alan Osterman
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Patent number: 11918924Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 20, 2023Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Universal City Studios LLCInventors: Jerrell Andrew Loudon, Rick A Dias, David Wayne Komives, William Dale Mason
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Publication number: 20230191266Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2023Publication date: June 22, 2023Inventors: Jerrell Andrew Loudon, Rick A. Dias, David Wayne Komives, William Dale Mason
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Publication number: 20230100263Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventors: Lara Larberg MacLean, William Dale Mason, Eric Alan Vance
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Patent number: 11583780Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 2, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Universal City Studios LLCInventors: Jerrell Andrew Loudon, Rick A. Dias, David Wayne Komives, William Dale Mason
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Patent number: 11517828Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 16, 2019Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: Universal City Studios LLCInventors: Lara Larberg MacLean, William Dale Mason, Eric Alan Vance
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Publication number: 20220008833Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: Jerrell Andrew Loudon, Rick A. Dias, David Wayne Komives, William Dale Mason
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Publication number: 20200398173Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2019Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Lara Larberg MacLean, William Dale Mason, Eric Alan Vance
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Patent number: 9770665Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 5, 2015Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: University City Studios LLCInventors: Justin Michael Schwartz, Ross Alan Osterman, William Dale Mason
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Publication number: 20160325187Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2015Publication date: November 10, 2016Inventors: Justin Michael Schwartz, Ross Alan Osterman, William Dale Mason