SYSTEM, METHOD, OR APPARATUS RELATING TO A RECONFIGURABLE COMMUNAL SPACE
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and systems associated with a reconfigurable communal space are disclosed.
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Embodiments relate to the field of communal spaces, and more specifically to a reconfigurable communal space.
BACKGROUNDA wide variety of entertainment typically may occur in a theater. For example, viewers may be treated to a concert, a movie, a stand-up routine, or a play in a theater or concert hall. Typically, a stage set-up may be changed depending on what type of show is involved. For example, a stage may be set up one way for a particular concert, while having a different configuration for a play. In addition, while some aspects of an audience seating section may be modified depending at least in part on a type of show at a particular theater, e.g., seats may be added, moved, or removed depending at least in part on a particular stage configuration for a show, audience members typically remain in a relatively static position as a show progresses.
Subject matter is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. Claimed subject matter, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference of the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which:
A wide variety of events typically may occur in one or more communal spaces. In an embodiment, audience members may experience a concert, a movie, a stand-up routine, or a play in a communal space, such as in an entertainment structure like a theater or concert hall, an educational venue such as a lecture hall, or the like. Typically, a stage set-up may be changed depending on a particular type of show that is involved. In an embodiment, a stage may be set up one way for a particular concert, while having a different configuration for a play. However, the relationship between audience members and the show remains relatively static. Here, cast members may move around a stage during a play, but audience members typically do not move relative to the stage during a performance. In addition, while some aspects of an audience seating section may be modified depending on a type of show at a particular theater, e.g., seats may be added, moved, or removed depending at least in part on a particular stage configuration for a show, an audience member's perception of a show is typically not directed as that show progresses. In one example, audience members may move on one or more vehicles to one or more portions of a show, such as riding a vehicle from one part of a show to a second part of a show. Guests experiencing a park ride may ride in one or more vehicles to reach one or more portions of show. However, in these examples, a vantage point location of one or more audience members is typically not altered or directed as a show progresses in a communal space.
One or more of the forthcoming embodiments may, at least in part, address one or more of the above described issues.
In an embodiment, it may be desirable to reconfigure a communal space as an event progresses. As used herein, a “communal space” may refer to a building or at least partial structure capable of hosting one or more events. For example, a communal space may comprise an entertainment structure such as a theater, stadium, concert hall, arena, convention center, or the like, capable of hosting one or more events, such as concerts, movies, plays, sporting events, theme park attractions, etc. In addition, a communal space may refer to any venue capable of hosting one or more audience members for one or more functions, such as events. In an embodiment, an aspect of a vantage point location of one or more audience members may be adjusted by the reconfiguration, at least in part, so that a perspective of one or more individual audience members, such as an auditory or a visual perspective, may be directed or changed as an event progresses. As used herein, a “vantage point location” may refer to a place from which an event may be perceived. In an embodiment, a vantage point location may comprise a particular position where an audience member may be able to perceive an event occurring, such as visually or auditorily perceiving an entertainment event. In one or more embodiments, audience members may be seated in seats, in a vehicle, standing on a mobile platform, etc. As used herein, an “event” may refer to something that occurs at one or more locations during one or more time intervals. An event may, under some circumstances, comprise a show, a play, a concert, an amusement park attraction, or the like. As used herein, an “aspect” of vantage point location may refer to one or more characteristics associated with a vantage point location. An aspect of a vantage point location may comprise a position or direction of a vantage point location within one or more coordinate systems. Furthermore, an aspect of a vantage point location may comprise a rotational position or direction of a vantage point location.
It should be noted that a vantage point location(s), no matter how adjusted, e.g., positional or rotational, may at least in part alter a perspective of one or more audience members associated with a particular vantage point location(s). As used herein, the term “perspective” may refer to one or more aspects of an event that are capable of being perceived by an audience member. In an embodiment, by adjusting visual or auditory perspective, acceleration, or position in space associated with one or more audience members, such audience members may be directed to one or more aspects of an event that were previously not perceptible or that were previously less perceptible, for example. In an embodiment, a vertical position of a seating vehicle of an audience member may be adjusted as an event progresses, such as by raising or lowering a vertical position of the seating vehicle, at least in part to direct a perspective of one or more audience members associated with the seating vehicle as an event progresses. It should be noted that these are merely illustrative examples relating to an embodiment of a reconfigurable communal space and that claimed subject matter is not limited in this regard. In addition, adjusting a position of a seating vehicle may comprise adjusting a horizontal position of a seating unit. One or more seating vehicles may comprise one or more moveable seating vehicles, such as one or more remotely guided vehicles, one or more wire guided vehicles, or one or more magnetically guided vehicles, to name but a few examples. In an embodiment, a seating vehicle may comprise a group of seats for a plurality of audience members. Furthermore, changing an aspect of a seating vehicle may change or direct a perspective of one or more other seating vehicles. In an embodiment, a horizontal position within a communal space of one or more seating vehicles may be adjusted to direct a visual or auditory, perspective, acceleration or position in space, of one or more audience members associated with a seating vehicle. A seating vehicle may be moved from one area of a communal space embodiment to a second area of a communal space embodiment at least in part to change a visual or auditory perspective of audience members associated with the seating vehicle. It should be noted that, although described in terms of groups of seating, a perspective of one or more audience members within a group may not be altered in the same way as others within the group. Furthermore, altering an aspect of one or more vantage point location(s) may alter a perspective of one or more audience members associated with one or more other vantage point locations. For example, one group of seats may become a portion of an event from a perspective of one or more other groups of seats.
Furthermore, an embodiment of a communal space may, under some circumstances, a vantage point location may be reconfigurable in response to progression of an event. In this embodiment, the vantage point locations may be reconfigured by reconfiguring one or more aspects of a communal space to alter an entertainment experience for at least some audience members, such as by adjusting a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction, of some vantage point locations as an event progresses. Furthermore, an embodiment of a communal space may, under some circumstances, be reconfigured as an event progresses at least in part so that one or more audience members may interact with an event as it progresses. In this context, the term “interact with” if used with respect to an event and an audience, is intended to refer to a change occurring in at least one, such as an event, for example, due at least in part to an interaction with the other, such as, for example, a particular audience, where the change would not have occurred if the other, in this example, the particular audience, had not been present for the interaction. In an embodiment, an event may affect an audience member, and may include at least any one of the following: having the ability to effect changes for themselves or other members of the audience in terms of perspective, e.g., visual or auditory, perceptible acceleration or position in space, of the event as the event progresses; having the ability to effect changes regarding the progression of the event; or playing an active role in the event as the event progresses from their own perspective or from the perspective of other members of the audience. In one embodiment, one or more audience members may be moved to a stage portion of a communal space, such as for playing one or more interactive games, such as a game show, that other audience members may view. In another embodiment, during an event, one or more seating vehicles may be adjusted approximately in time with a song, play, or movie, such as by adjusting a vertical or horizontal position of a seating vehicle. In this particular example, other audience members may perceive the seating vehicles adjusted approximately in at least partial synchronization with a song, play, or movie as forming at least a portion of an experience of the song, play, or movie.
In addition, the one or more seating vehicles described above may, under some circumstances, be rotated about an axis of the respective seating vehicles. In an embodiment, a seating vehicle may be coupled to one or more rotating devices, such as one or more electrical motors, mechanical linkage systems, or hydraulic systems so that such rotating devices may be operable to rotate such a seating vehicle about one or more axis, such as in response to one or more control signals. A seating vehicle facing a central stage may be rotated so that individual audience members in that seating vehicle are now facing a different portion of an embodiment of a communal space such as a wall of a communal space. In this example, a perspective of those audience members may be directed so that they are viewing or interacting with a different portion of an event, such as a side stage, a different viewing screen, or the like. In addition, individual seating vehicles may likewise be coupled to one or more lifting and lowering mechanisms, such as hydraulic systems, scissor lift systems, mechanical linkage systems, or the like. In an embodiment, individual seating vehicles may be raised or lowered relative to respective concentric rings by one or more lifting or lowering mechanisms in response to one or more control signals. Again, it should be noted that particular size and power requirements for lifting or lowering mechanisms may depend on aspects of individual seating vehicles, such as a size, a weight, and a desired configuration associated with such seating vehicles.
It should be noted that the above is merely one example relating to an embodiment of a reconfigurable communal space. Within the context of this example, it should be further noted, that although described in terms of two discrete configurations, the reconfigurable communal space shown in
Furthermore, in at least one embodiment, an entertainment base of a communal space may likewise be altered or directed. As used herein, an “entertainment base” may refer to a location where entertainment associated with an event may occur within a communal space. An entertainment base may, under some circumstances comprise one or more display screens, one or more stages, or the like. In an embodiment, an aspect of an entertainment base, such as a position, direction, shape, structure, etc. of a communal space may be changed or directed as an event progresses. Furthermore, a shape or position of a stage may be changed as an event progresses.
Furthermore, with regard to box 606, a system or process may adjust a vantage point location of at least one audience member so that at least one audience member becomes of a part of an event from a perspective of at least one other audience member. For example, in one embodiment, one or more audience members may be moved to a stage area of an embodiment of a communal space, such as for playing one or more interactive game, such as a game show; that other audience members may view. For another example, during an event, one or more seating vehicles may be adjusted approximately in at least partial synchronization with a song, play, or movie, such as by adjusting a vertical or horizontal position of a seating vehicle. In this example, other audience members may perceive the seating vehicles adjusted approximately in at least partial synchronization with a song, play, or movie as forming at least a portion of a visual experience of the song, play, or movie. It should, however, be noted that these are merely illustrative examples relating to an embodiment of a reconfigurable communal space and that claimed subject matter is not limited in this regard.
It should be noted that, although aspects of the above method or process have been described in a particular order, the specific order is merely an example of a process and claimed subject matter is of course not limited to the order described. It should also be noted that the methods and processes described herein, may be capable of being performed by one or more computing platforms. In addition, the methods or processes described herein may be capable of being stored on a storage medium as one or more machine readable instructions, that if executed may enable a computing platform to perform one or more actions. “Storage medium” as referred to herein relates to media capable of storing information or instructions which may be operated on, or executed by, by one or more machines. For example, a storage medium may comprise one or more storage devices for storing machine-readable instructions or information. Such storage devices may comprise any one of several media types including, for example, magnetic, optical or semiconductor storage media. For further example, one or more computing platforms may be adapted to perform one or more of the processed or methods in accordance with claimed subject matter, such as the methods or processes described herein. However, these are merely examples relating to a storage medium and a computing platform and claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects.
For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, systems and/or configurations were set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. However, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that claimed subject matter may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, features that would be understood by one of ordinary skill were omitted or simplified so as not to obscure claimed subject matter. While certain features have been illustrated or described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications or changes as fall within the true spirit of claimed subject matter.
Claims
1. A system comprising:
- a reconfigurable communal space;
- said reconfigurable communal space comprising vantage point locations for members of an audience;
- wherein said vantage point locations comprise a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction defining locations of audience members relative to an event; and
- wherein said vantage point locations are reconfigurable in response to progression of said event to thereby reconfigure said communal space and to alter an entertainment experience for said at least some of said audience members at least in part by adjusting a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction, of said at least some vantage point locations as said event progresses.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein altering an entertainment experience for at least some of said audience members comprises altering a perspective for said at least some of said audience members.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein said perspective comprises an auditory perspective, a visual perspective, a perceptible acceleration, and/or a position in space.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said communal space is further reconfigurable so that a perspective of a plurality of said audience members are capable of being directed and changed as said event progresses.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein said perspective comprises an auditory perspective, a visual perspective, a perceptible acceleration, and/or a position in space.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein said communal space is further reconfigurable so that at least one or more of said audience members are able to interact with said event as it progresses.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of said audience members becomes a portion of the event from a perspective of at least one other of said audience members.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein said vantage point locations comprise one or more accommodations for one or more of said audience members.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein said one or more accommodations comprise one or more movable vehicles.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein said one or more moveable vehicles comprise a plurality of individual seats.
11. The system of claim 1, and further comprising one or more adjustable floor pieces.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein said one or more adjustable floor pieces are operable to adjust at least a vertical position of said at least some vantage points locations.
13. The system of claim 1, and further comprising one or more lifting mechanisms.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein said one or more lifting mechanisms are operable to adjust a vertical position, a horizontal position, a direction, or combinations thereof, of one or more of said at least some vantage points locations.
15. The system of claim 9, wherein said moveable seating vehicles comprises one or more guided vehicles.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein said one or more guided vehicles comprises at least a guest controlled vehicle or a vehicle controlled by a control system.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein said vehicle controlled by a control system comprises a wire guided vehicle, a tracked vehicle, and/or a magnetically guided vehicle.
18. A method comprising:
- reconfiguring one or more portions of a communal space as an event progresses at least in part to direct a vantage point location of one or more individual audience members as said event progresses;
- wherein said vantage point location comprises a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction defining a location of said one or more individual audience members relative to said event; and
- wherein said vantage point location is reconfigurable in response to progression of said event to thereby reconfigure said communal space and to alter an entertainment experience for said one or more individual audience members at least in part by adjusting a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction, of said vantage point location as said event progresses.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein directing or changing said vantage point location of one or more individual audience members comprises directing or changing a perspective of said one or more individual audience members.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein said perspective of said one or more individual audience members comprises an auditory perspective, a visual perspective, a perceptible acceleration, and/or a position in space.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein said vantage point locations comprise one or more moveable vehicles.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein said one or more moveable vehicles comprise a plurality of individual seats.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein said one or more moveable seating vehicles comprise at least a guest or rider controlled vehicle or a control system controlled vehicle.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein said control system controlled vehicle comprises a wire guided vehicle, a tracked vehicle, and/or a magnetically guided vehicle.
25. The method of claim 19, and further comprising: adjusting an aspect of at least one vantage point location so that at least one audience member interacts with said event as it progresses.
26. The method of claim 18, and further comprising: adjusting a vantage point location of at least one audience member so that said audience member becomes a portion of said event from a perspective of at least one other audience member.
27. An apparatus comprising:
- means for establishing one or more vantage point locations in a communal space defining a perspective of audience members;
- means for reconfiguring said one or more vantage point locations of a communal space as an event progresses;
- wherein said one or more vantage point locations comprise a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction defining locations of said audience members relative to said event; and
- wherein said one or more vantage point locations are reconfigurable in response to progression of said event to thereby reconfigure said communal space and to alter an entertainment experience for said at least some of said audience members at least in part by adjusting a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction, of said at least some vantage point locations as said event progresses.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein reconfiguring one or more vantage point locations as said event progresses comprises adjusting an aspect of at least one vantage point location associated with at least one spectator.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said aspect of at least one vantage point locations comprises at least a horizontal position, a vertical position, and/or a direction.
30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said one or more vantage point locations comprise one or more moveable vehicles.
31. The apparatus of claim 28, and further comprising: means for adjusting a vantage point location associated with at least one audience member so that said at least one audience member interacts with the event as it progresses.
32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said one or more moveable vehicles comprise one or more guided vehicles.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said one or more guided vehicles comprise at least a quest or rider controlled vehicle or a control system controlled vehicle.
34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said control system controlled vehicle comprises at least a wire guided vehicle, a tracked vehicle, and/or a magnetically guided vehicle.
35. An apparatus comprising:
- a reconfigurable communal space;
- said reconfigurable communal space comprising vantage point locations for audience members;
- wherein said vantage point locations comprise a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction defining locations of said audience members relative to an event; and
- one or more lifting, lowering, and/or rotating mechanisms operable to adjust a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a rotational position of one or more of said vantage point locations as said event progresses, to thereby direct said one or more of said vantage point locations, reconfigure said communal space, and/or to alter an entertainment experience for said audience members as said event progresses.
36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said one or more lifting, lowering, and/or rotating mechanisms are further operable to alter a perspective at least some of said audience members.
37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said perspective comprises an auditory perspective, a visual perspective, a perceptible acceleration, and/or a position in space.
38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein at least one of said audience members becomes a portion of the event from a perspective of at least one other of said audience members.
39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said vantage point locations comprise one or more accommodations for one or more of said audience members.
40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said one or more accommodations comprise one or more movable vehicles.
41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more moveable vehicles comprise a plurality of individual seats.
42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said one or more moveable vehicles comprises at least a guest controlled vehicle or a vehicle controlled by a control system.
43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said vehicle controlled by a control system comprises a wire guided vehicle, a tracked vehicle, and/or a magnetically guided vehicle.
44. An article comprising: a storage medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein said instructions, if executed by a computing platform, enable said computing platform to:
- reconfigure one or more portions of an communal space as an event progresses at least in part to direct a vantage point location of one or more individual audience members as said event progresses;
- wherein said vantage point location comprises a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction defining a location of said one or more individual audience members relative to said event; and
- wherein said vantage point location is reconfigurable in response to progression of said event to thereby reconfigure said communal space and to alter an entertainment experience for said one or more individual audience members at least in part by adjusting a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction, of said vantage point location as said event progresses.
45. An apparatus comprising:
- a computing platform;
- said computing platform adapted to reconfigure one or more portions of a communal space as an event progresses at least in part to direct a vantage point location of one or more individual audience members as said event progresses;
- wherein said vantage point location comprises a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction defining a location of said one or more individual audience members relative to said event; and
- wherein said vantage point location is reconfigurable in response to progression of said event to thereby reconfigure said communal space and to alter an entertainment experience for said one or more individual audience members at least in part by adjusting a vertical position, a horizontal position, and/or a direction, of said vantage point location as said event progresses.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 9, 2008
Publication Date: Jun 10, 2010
Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc., a Delaware Corporation (Burbank, CA)
Inventors: Charles A. Flueck (Glendale, CA), Todd P. Camill (Glendale, CA), Michael R. Wallden (Pasadena, CA), Anthony J. Driscoll (Los Angeles, CA)
Application Number: 12/331,315
International Classification: E04H 3/10 (20060101);