Systems and methods for generating stereoscopic, augmented, and virtual reality images

Abstract

A ride system includes eyewear configured to be worn by a user. The eyewear includes a display having a stereoscopic feature configured to permit viewing of externally projected stereoscopically displayed images. The ride system includes a computer graphics generation system communicatively coupled to the eyewear, and configured to generate streaming media of a real world environment based on image data captured via the camera of the eyewear, generate one or more virtual augmentations superimposed on the streaming media of the real world environment, and to transmit the streaming media of the real world environment along with the one or more superimposed virtual augmentations to be displayed on the display of the eyewear, and project stereoscopic images into the real world environment.

1 . A ride system, comprising:
 eyewear configured to be worn by a user, wherein the eyewear comprises a display having a stereoscopic feature configured to permit viewing of externally generated stereoscopically displayed images; and   a computer graphics generation system communicatively coupled to the eyewear, and configured to:
 generate streaming media of a real world environment based on image data of the real-world environment; 
 generate one or more virtual augmentations superimposed on the streaming media of the real world environment; 
 transmit the streaming media of the real world environment along with the one or more superimposed virtual augmentations to be displayed on the display of the eyewear; and 
 project stereoscopic images into the real world environment. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the display of the eyewear comprises a first display and a second display, and wherein the first display is configured to display the streaming media to a first eye of the user and the second display is configured to display the streaming media to a second eye of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The ride system of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first display and the second display comprises a light field display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display. 
     
     
         4 . The ride system of  claim 2 , comprising a first polarized filter on or in the first display oriented differently than a second polarized filter on or in the second display. 
     
     
         5 . The ride system of  claim 2 , comprising a first color filter on or in the first display configured to filter light of a different wavelength than a second color filter on or in the second display. 
     
     
         6 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the eyewear comprises one or more cameras configured to obtain the image data of the real world environment. 
     
     
         7 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the user is a passenger in a ride vehicle and wherein the computer graphics generation system is configured to generate the one or more virtual augmentations when the ride vehicle travels to a predetermined location, travels a predetermined distance, after a predetermined lapse of time, or any combination thereof, during a ride cycle. 
     
     
         8 . The ride system of  claim 7 , comprising a rollercoaster including a track, and wherein the computer graphics generation system is configured to generate the one or more virtual augmentations when the ride vehicle travels to the predetermined location along the track, travels the predetermined distance along the track, after the predetermined lapse of time, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer graphics generation system is configured to generate the streaming media of the real world environment based on an orientation of the eyewear, a position of the user, a point of view of the user, profile information of the user, a character associated with the user, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The ride system of  claim 9 , comprising a positioning sensor within the eyewear for detecting the orientation of the eyewear. 
     
     
         11 . The ride system of  claim 9 , comprising a monitoring system configured to monitor physical attributes of the eyewear to determine the orientation of the eyewear. 
     
     
         12 . The ride system of  claim 9 , comprising a sensor configured to detect the position of the user within the ride system, wherein the ride system comprises a ride vehicle or an arena. 
     
     
         13 . The ride system of  claim 1 , comprising a second eyewear configured to be worn by a second user, wherein the second eyewear comprises a display having a stereoscopic feature configured to permit viewing of the externally generated stereoscopically displayed images. 
     
     
         14 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer graphics generation system is configured to stop generating the streaming media of the real world environment based on an orientation of the eyewear, a position of the user, a point of view of the user, or a combination thereof and to start operating in a mode that permits viewing of stereoscopic images through the display. 
     
     
         15 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer graphics generation system is configured to:
 receive an indication of a lighting, a contrast, a brightness, or a combination thereof, associated with the real world environment; and   generate the streaming media of the real world environment and the one or more superimposed virtual augmentations adjusted to reflect the lighting, the contrast, the brightness, or the combination thereof, of the real world environment.   
     
     
         16 . A wearable electronic device, comprising:
 a frame comprising a frame front;   a left eye display lens and a right eye display lens coupled to the frame front;   a first filter on the left eye display lens;   a second filter on the right eye display lens, wherein the first filter is different than the second filter; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 receive a signal from the computer graphics generation system, wherein the signal comprises a video stream of a virtualization of a real world environment along with at least one augmented reality (AR) image or at least one virtual reality (VR) image included in the video stream; and 
 cause the left eye display and the right eye display to display the video stream. 
   
     
     
         17 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 16 , comprising a camera coupled to the frame front and configured to capture image data of the real world environment in real time. 
     
     
         18 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to transmit the video stream to the left eye display and the right eye display to cause a stereoscopic video display including the augmented reality (AR) image. 
     
     
         19 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 16 , comprising an orientation sensor, a position sensor, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a gyroscope, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein image data of the real world environment is generated by a camera positioned in the real world environment or is historical image data. 
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 receiving or accessing environmental image data via a computer graphics generation system,   generating a virtualization of a real world environment of the amusement park based on the environmental image data;   overlaying an augmented reality (AR) image or a virtual reality (VR) image onto the virtualization of the real world environment;   transmitting the overlaid AR image or the VR image along with the virtualization of the real world environment to the eyewear during the cycle of the amusement park ride;   transmitting a signal to the eyewear to permit viewing through displays of the eyewear;   projecting stereoscopic images onto a surface of the real-world environment after transmitting the signal; and   causing the stereoscopic images to be reflected through filters in the eyewear into a left and right eye of a user to generate an illusion of a 3D image.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising receiving data associated with a position of a ride passenger of the amusement park ride, an orientation of the ride passenger, a point of view of the ride passenger, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , receiving an identification signal associated with the eyewear and wherein the overlaid AR image or the VR image is selected based on the identification signal. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , receiving a second identification signal associated with second eyewear and transmitting a second overlaid AR image or the VR image along with the virtualization of the real world environment to the eyewear during the cycle of the amusement park ride, wherein the second overlaid AR image or the VR image is selected based on the second identification signal. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , receiving or accessing environmental image data comprises receiving real-time image data from a camera coupled to the eyewear.