Instructor-lead training environment and interfaces therewith

Abstract

An infantry training simulation system comprising at least one firing lane, with at least one display arranged substantially near the end of the firing lane. A trainee experiencing the simulation can carry at least one physical or virtual weapon, which is typically similar to a traditional infantry weapon. To facilitate navigation and other interaction with the simulation, the weapon is preferably outfitted with at least one controller. At least one computer is communicatively coupled to the display and the weapon. The computer can monitor input from the at least one controller, and modifies the training simulation displayed on the display based on the input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A training simulation system, comprising:
 a computer to generate an immersive virtual environment;   a display in communication with the computer to display the computer-generated immersive virtual environment; and   a controller in communication with the computer to allow a user to interact with the computer-generated immersive virtual environment;   wherein the display is configured to display a viewpoint within the computer-generated immersive virtual environment corresponding to each user,   wherein the computer monitors inputs from the controller to simulate movements and interactions of a user within the computer-generated immersive virtual environment,   wherein the computer-generated immersive virtual environment represents the movements and interactions of one or more users within the same computer-generated immersive virtual environment, and   wherein the immersive virtual environment comprises an instructor station to serve as the control station, server, and network host for the computer-generated immersive virtual environment, the instructor station receiving and propagating inputs from each controller associated with a user and controlling, modifying, and recording the computer-generated immersive virtual environment.   wherein the instructor station comprises a scenario editor configured to edit the computer-generated immersive virtual environment in real-time during the training simulation, the scenario editor configured to allow the taking over of an entity represented within the computer-generated immersive virtual environment during the training simulation.   
     
     
         2 . The training simulation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of communication channels to allow communication among users of the computer-generated immersive virtual environment, wherein the communications channels allows users to coordinate simulated movement within the computer-generated immersive virtual environment 
     
     
         3 . A training simulation system, comprising:
 a computer to generate an immersive virtual environment;   a trainee station in communication with the computer to host a user, comprising:
 a display in communication with the computer to display the computer-generated immersive virtual environment; and 
 a controller in communication with the computer to allow the user to interact with the computer-generated immersive virtual environment, 
 wherein the display is configured to display a viewpoint within the computer-generated immersive virtual environment corresponding to the user; and 
   an instructor station in communication with the computer to serve as the control station, server, and network host for the trainee station and the computer-generated immersive virtual environment, the instructor station receiving and propagating inputs from each trainee station and controlling, modifying, and recording the computer-generated immersive virtual environment,   wherein the instructor station comprises a scenario editor configured to edit the computer-generated immersive virtual environment in real-time during the training simulation, the scenario editor configured to allow the taking over of an entity represented within the computer-generated immersive virtual environment during the training simulation,   wherein the computer monitors inputs from the trainee station to simulate movements and interactions of the user within the computer-generated immersive virtual environment,   
     
     
         4 . The training simulation system of  claim 3 , wherein the training simulation system comprises two or more trainee stations, and wherein the computer-generated immersive virtual environment represents the movements and interactions of each trainee station within the same computer-generated immersive virtual environment, and the display of each trainee station displays a representation of the movements and interactions of the users in the other trainee stations. 
     
     
         5 . A method of interacting with a training simulation, comprising
 generating a computer-generated immersive virtual environment;   displaying the computer-generated immersive virtual environment in a trainee station;   monitoring the trainee station for user inputs through a controller associated with the trainee station;   modifying the computer-generated immersive virtual environment displayed in the trainee station according to the user inputs, wherein the user inputs correspond to simulated movements and interactions of the user within the computer-generated immersive virtual environment; and   modifying the computer-generated immersive virtual environment displayed in the trainee station according to instructor inputs through an instructor station, the instructor station configured to serve as a control station, server, and network host for the computer-generated immersive virtual environment, the instructor station receiving and propagating inputs from the trainee station and controlling, modifying, and recording the computer-generated immersive virtual environment, wherein the instructor station comprises a scenario editor configured to edit the computer-generated immersive virtual environment in real-time during the training simulation, the scenario editor configured to allow the taking over of an entity represented within the computer-generated immersive virtual environment during the training simulation.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the monitoring of the trainee station comprises the monitoring of two or more trainee stations,
 wherein the modifying of the computer-generated immersive virtual environment displayed in the trainee station according to the user inputs comprises modifying the computer-generated immersive virtual environment according to the user inputs from the two or more trainee stations, and   wherein the displaying of the computer-generated immersive virtual environment in the trainee station comprises displaying the movements and interactions of each user of a trainee station within the same computer-generated immersive virtual environment, the display in each trainee station corresponding to the viewpoint of each user of a trainee station.