Simulation device

Abstract

 A simulation device which comprises a cabin (14) mounted for movement in one or more senses, control means such as a joystick (32) in the cabin to at least in part control cabin movement produced by one or more motors (20, 22), display means (26, 27) in the cabin producing a window-type and/or radar-type display, means (36, 38) for sensing cabin movement, and one or more CPUs (40, 41) responsive to the sensing means for causing the display to change at least in part in synchronised relationship to the cabin movements.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a simulation device.

[0002] Arcade games are known in which a cabin houses a VDU which is microprocessor controlled to change the display at least in part responsively to movement of a joystick or the like in the cabin. In one example of a game of this type the VDU display simulates the view seen from the driving seat of a racing car, and the display changes responsively to operation of an accelerator pedal and a steering wheel. Disadvantageously, the game is lacking in realism at least in part due to the static condition of the cabin. The user has no physical sense of movement corresponding to the changing display, which only occupies a part of the user's field of view. In order to provide the physical sense of movement, other types of apparatus wherein the display covers the whole of the field of view of the user, as in a panoramic cinema enclosure, have been devised.

[0003] Also known, for example, from U.S. Patent No. 4207688, are pilot training simulators in which a motion generator controls both movements of a cabin and of a TV generated picture which is projected on to a viewing screen in the cabin. Such simulation systems are complex and the relationship between the cabin movements and the changes in the display are not consistently realistic.

[0004] It is an object of this invention to provide a different type of simulation device which enables a more realistic physical sense of movement to be obtained in an improved manner.

[0005] According to the invention, there is provided a simulation device which comprises a user-occupancy means, a base on which the said means is mounted with freedom for movement in at least one direction or sense, control means carried by the occupancy means for at least one motor which drives the said means, a display means carried by the] occupancy means, at least one sensor for sensing the movement of the occupancy means, and a controller which at least partly controls the display means responsively to signals received from the at least one sensor so as to cause the display at least in part to change in synchron­ised relationship to the movement of the occupancy means. Preferably, the user occupancy means is a cabin.

[0006] The controller, for example one or more computers or microcomputers, will preferably control the display means, for example one or more VDUs or television monitors, so that one or more changing displays spatially matches the cabin movement, e.g. so that a VDU appears to constitute a window to the cabin exterior, presenting a changing view matched to the changing position of the window as the cabin moves, and/or so that a VDU provides a radar-­type display changing responsively to the cabin movement. For example, if the cabin is turned about a vertical axis, the VDU display may be scrolled sideways in the appropriate direction. The change in display is consistently realistic, because it is derived directly from the movement of the cabin, and the picture signals are computer generated.

[0007] The simulation device of this invention may be arranged to act as a real life simulator, for example with the cabin representing an aircraft or racing car cockpit or a space capsule, or may be arranged to play a game, for example a type of chase and fire game. In the latter case, a computer or microcomputer will be programmed or programmable to move alien objects across the window screen and/or radar display, which objects can be followed and brought into the field of artificial firing sights by movement of the cabin. The display which enables the game, e.g., the alien objects, may be superimposed at the window screen on a background display of the sky or other simulated external environment which changes with movement of the cabin in the manner previously described, and correspondingly at the radar screen. In this instance the device may be considered to combine a real life and a game simulation, and the game display will generally include items, again for example, the alien objects, which move relatively to the real life background display, i.e. in part move on the VDU independently of changes thereof due to cabin movement. It may be preferred to use one processing unit to control the window display and another to control the radar-type display. One of these units, or possibly a further separate such unit, may control a display representing indicators and meters (altimeter, horizon, landing system indicators etc.), the computer unit deriving the appropriate indicator signals from a built-in algorithm.

[0008] The cabin may also include a control panel, additional to the movement control means, which has switches or other elements at least some of which are employed by the user to enable interaction with the display. Other switches or the like on the panel may control cabin lighting and the like. Sound effects may be controlled by the computer(s), for example to indicate "hits" and collisions. The control panel may also include various further indicators, appropriate to the simulation.

[0009] The movement control means may conveniently be constituted by a joystick, possibly with one or more in-built control buttons, for example to control firing. The joystick or other movement control will preferably be situated in front of a user's seat, conveniently placed for viewing the display and access to the control panel. A steering wheel and pedals may be appropriately used in some instances. In general, the form of manual control means employed will be appropriate to the simulation.

[0010] The cabin will preferably have at least two degrees of freedom of movement relative to the base, conveniently at least two possible rotational or other spatial movements about mutually perpendicular axes, more especially to enable the movements commonly known as pitch and yaw. A limited translatory movement on the base, more especially in the vertical direction, may also be provided for, as may be rotation about a third non-­intersecting horizontal axis, for the purpose of simulating roll.

[0011] In general, a sensor will be provided for each freedom of movement and these sensors will supply signals to the computer means for at least in part controlling the display on the VDU or VDUs.

[0012] It is to be noted that, since the sensor(s) respond to any cabin movement, the window display will reflect all cabin movements, including applied vibrational effects and/or simulated hits by aliens and/or cabin movement due to movement of the user which disturbs the balance of the cabin on its mountings.

[0013] A convenient mechanical arrangement comprises an upstanding yoke mounted for rotational movement on the base about a vertical axis, the cabin being suspended between the arms of the yoke on a mounting which defines a horizontal axis of rotation. An angular swing of up to 90 degrees for pitch and possibly up to 360 degrees for yaw, will usually be sufficient for most types of simulation. These limitations facilitate movement sensing and matching of the display on the VDU to the cabin movements. In a modified arrangement, the yoke is mounted to the base via a swivel pin on which movements such as a simulated roll movement can be performed by means of inclined rams.

[0014] In the case of a game, the device may be coin operable, and be activated for a limited period only when a genuine coin is inserted and accepted.

[0015] The drive to the cabin is preferably by one or more electric motors, but a pneumatic, hydraulic or other suitable drive may be employed instead.

[0016] An embodiment of simulator device in accordance with the invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 shows the device in elevation, with a partial view into the cabin through an access opening from which the door has been removed;

Figure 2 is a block circuit diagram of the device; and

Figure 3 illustrates a modification.

[0017] In the illustrated embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, a yoke 10 is mounted for rotation about a vertical shaft 12. The yoke 10 supports a cabin 14 for rotation about a horizontal axis defined by stub shafts 16. The cabin 14 is thereby movable relative to a base 18 to undergo pitch and yaw movements under the respective drives of a pitch motor 20 and a yaw motor 22 (see Figure 2).

[0018] Within the cabin 14 is a user seat 24 conveniently placed to view VDUs 26 and 27 and a control panel 28, the latter including indicators and user operable switches generally referenced 30. A joystick control 32 is located adjacent the user seat 24.

[0019] The cabin is arranged to be a total enclosure as far as the occupant's field of view is concerned, so that the only apparent contact the user has with the external environment is at the VDU display.

[0020] Referring to Figure 2 in particular, the joystick 32 controls the pitch and yaw movements of the cabin 14 via an attitude motor controller 34 which controls the pitch and yaw motors 20, 22.

[0021] The rotational movements of the cabin 14 are sensed by a yaw attitude sensor 36 and a pitch attitude sensor 38. These sensors 36, 38 provide output signals to CPUs 40 and 41, which in turn control the on-board VDUs 26 and 27. Also connected to the CPUs 40 and 41 is a game program generator 42, which is also connected to a sound generator 43 and a vibration generator 45.

[0022] The CPUs 40 and 41 which are of a conventional kind including RAM and EPROM memories, are programmed to cause the display on the VDUs 26 and 27 to change in synchronised directional relationship to the cabin movements, respons­ively to the input to the CPUs of the sensor output signals. The general aim of the relationship between the cabin movements and the display is for the user to see the VDU 26 as a window to the external environment, the display changing in matched relationship to the cabin movements which the user is producing and to which the user is being physically subjected, while the VDU 27 provides an appropriate radar-type display covering a wider or more extensive field. The physical sense of movement is heightened by the in-built vibration generator 45 and the in-built sound generator 43, which respond to impacts, collisions etc. which occur in the course of the game. Such impacts or collisions may result in a programmed limited loss of control. In this connection it is important to note that the sensors are responsive to all cabin movement, and control the picture display accordingly, and are not simply responsive to movement produced by the joystick.

[0023] The game generator 42 can act through the CPU 40 to superimpose a game, such as an alien-intruders type game, on the basic display, whereby the user may track the moving objects in the game by moving the cabin in the appropriate manner. If the game generator is not operated, the device may act as a simple real-life flight simulator.

[0024] In the modification shown in Figure 3, wherein the same references are employed for similar parts, the yoke 10 supporting the cabin 14 is mounted to the base 18 on a link pin or swivel pin 54. The freedom for rotational movement of the cabin is thereby replaced by freedom to perform roll movements sensed by a roll sensor 50. The drive for effecting movement of the yoke on the swivel pin is conveniently constituted by a pair of inclined hydraulic or pneumatic rams 52. It is apparent that, by use of an intermediate base mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, provision may be made for pitch, yaw and roll movements.

[0025] Figure 3 also shows, instead of the sound, game and vibration generators of Figure 2, a computer interface 56 for manual controls such as steering wheel, pedals, flaps, etc., exemplified by the joystick 32, together with an interface 58 for meters, indicators and like instruments, driven by the computer 40, possibly via a slave computer (not shown). By means of a suitable algorithm appropriate to the simulation, the computer generates the appropriate input signals for the instruments. In the arrangement of Figure 3, the motor controller 34 and the rams 52 receive inputs via the linked CPUs 40, 41, instead of directly from the manual control means.

[0026] The embodiments described with reference to the drawings can be further modified in various ways within the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the cabin or other user occupancy means may be mounted for movement in other ways and be driven pneumatically or hydraulically. The movements of the cabin may be in part dictated by the computer means. However, the essential requirements for the invention are for the movement of the cabin to be at least in part controllable, and for these at least in part controlled movements to be sensed to enable control of an on-board display unit such that the display is changed responsively to the cabin movements.

Claims

1. A simulation device which comprises a user-occupancy means such as a cabin, manual control means carried by the occupancy means, a VDU carried by the occupancy means, said VDU being capable of displaying a picture changed at least in part as a result of operation of the manual control means, characterised by a base (18) on which the user-occupancy means (14) is mounted with freedom for movement in at least one rotational sense, a prime mover (20, 22, 52) for moving the user-occupancy means in said at least one rotational sense, the manual control means (32) being operable for causing the prime mover to drive the occupancy means in a controlled manner, at least one sensor (36, 38, 50) for sensing movement of the occupancy means, and a computer (40, 41) which is fed from said sensor(s) and which generates picture signals fed to the VDU (26, 27) so as to cause the display at least in part to scroll in synchronised relationship to operational movement of the occupancy means.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterised by a window-type display (26) and at least one other computer controlled display, respectively controlled by a plurality of computer processors (40, 41) at least one of which receives inputs from the sensors and at least one of which receives inputs from the manual control means.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, character­ised by a game program generator for superimposing a supplementary scene on at least part of the display.

4. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, characterised in that the user occupancy means (14) has at least two degrees of freedom of movement relative to the base (18), including a second freedom for movement in a rotational sense.

5. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that the user-occupancy means also has a third degree of freedom of movement, preferably a third freedom for movement in a rotational sense, thereby to enable simulation of pitch, yaw and roll, a sensor being provided for each freedom of movement.

6. A device according to any of claims 1 to 5, character­ised by an upstanding yoke (10) mounted on the base (18) for enabling rotational movement about a first axis, the user-­occupancy means in the form of a cabin (14) being suspended between the arms of the yoke on a mounting which defines a second axis of rotation.

7. A device according to claim 6, characterised in that the yoke (10) is mounted on the base (18) for rotational movement relative thereto about a vertical axis and the cabin (14) is suspended from the yoke (10) for rotation about an intersecting horizontal axis.

8. A device according to claim 6 or 7, character­ised in that the yoke (10) is mounted to the base (18) on a swivel pin (54) and inclined rams (52) are provided for moving the yoke on the swivel pin.

9. A device according to any of claims 1 to 8, character­ised in that the cabin drive is at least partly by one or more electric motors controlled by a motor controller (34) fed with control signals generated by the computer at least partly in response to the sensor outputs.

10. A device according to any of claims 1 to 9, character­ised in that a vibration generator (45) and an audio generator (43) are provided.

Drawing