Including Marionette Patents (Class 446/84)
  • Patent number: 10723455
    Abstract: An aerial show system that includes unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), show systems onboard the UAVs, non-UAV or “ground” show systems, and a global ground control system. The control system is configured to actively track a UAV's operations during a show performance and to react to make the UAV truly a part of the larger show performance. The system achieves dynamic show participation of the UAV with the distributed show systems, which may include other UAVs and non-UAV show systems on the ground but launch or provide effects in the airspace through which the UAV flies. For example, the control system may track a UAV with a show effect element to determine whether the UAV properly hits its cue or mark with respect to position and orientation in the show space and with respect to timing and, in response to location tracking, trigger show effects early, late, or on time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Pehr L. Hovey, Madeline R. Zupan, Anthony Paul Dohi, David Loyal Christensen, Jon Hayes Snoddy, Morgan T. Pope
  • Patent number: 8876571
    Abstract: A system for performing an aerial display. The system includes a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and a ground control system with a processor executing a fleet manager module and with memory storing a different flight plan for each of the UAVs. The system further includes a marionette with a body and articulatable appendages attached to the body. The body and appendages are supported with tether lines extending between the marionette and the UAVs. Then, during a display time period, the UAVs concurrently execute the flight plans to position and articulate the marionette within a display air space. In some embodiments, the UAVs each is a multicopter, and each of the multicopters includes a local controller operating to move the multicopter through a series of way points defined by the flight plan associated with the multicopter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Scott Trowbridge, James Alexander Stark, Clifford Wong
  • Publication number: 20030216101
    Abstract: An electric puppet includes a hollow tube installed on the top of a base while a mechanism is disposed on the top of the hollow tube. The mechanism comprises of a plurality of rotatable shaft lever set around and each connected with a double-crossed control rod. The limbs of puppets are connected to the double-crossed control rod by pieces of string. The mechanism drives shaft lever so as to make the double-crossed control rod swing and the puppets are animated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventor: Paul Chang
  • Patent number: 4690655
    Abstract: An amusement device comprising a marionette possessing lifelike qualities, including the appearance of ability to speak through a coordination of head movements and audio input to a speaker disposed in the mouth area of the marionette, provided with a theatre setting for use with the marionette when a realistic setting is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1987
    Inventor: Samuel G. Bailey