Controllers with asymmetric tracking patterns

• US 10,007,339 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2015
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: META Platforms Technologies LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Inventors: Long, Clare Regimbal
• Primary Examiner(s): SOTO LOPEZ, JOSE R
• Application Number:
  US14/934,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20170131767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/292 Multi-camera tracking

Abstract

A pair of handheld controllers with asymmetric tracking patterns for use with a tracking camera. The pair of controllers includes a right-hand controller and a left-hand controller. The right-hand and the left-hand controllers are substantially symmetric with respect to each other with the exception of their respective tracking patterns. A right-hand pattern of lights is disposed on the right-hand controller and a left-hand pattern of lights is disposed on the left-hand controller. The right-hand pattern of lights and the left-hand pattern of lights are asymmetric with respect to each other. The right-hand controller includes a right-hand handle portion and a surrounding right-hand ring portion and the left-hand controller includes a left-hand handle portion and a surrounding left-hand ring portion. The right-hand pattern of lights and the left-hand pattern of lights are disposed on the right-hand ring portion and the left-hand ring portion, respectively.

Claims

1. A pair of handheld controllers for use with a tracking camera, the pair of controllers comprising:

a right-hand controller and a left-hand controller, wherein the right-hand and the left-hand controllers are substantially symmetric with respect to each other when adjacent to each other in a similar orientation relative to a plane between the left-hand and right-hand controllers; and

a right-hand pattern of lights trackable by the tracking camera disposed on the right-hand controller and a left-hand pattern of lights trackable by the tracking camera disposed on the left-hand controller, wherein the right-hand pattern of lights and the left-hand pattern of lights are asymmetric with respect to each other when the left-hand and right-hand controllers are adjacent to each other in the similar orientation;

wherein the right-hand controller includes a right-hand handle portion connected to a right-hand ring portion positioned to extend laterally from and around at least a portion of the right-hand handle portion, and wherein the left-hand controller includes a left-hand handle portion connected to a left-hand ring portion positioned to extend laterally from and around at least a portion of the left-hand handle portion, wherein the right-hand pattern of lights and the left-hand pattern of lights are disposed on the right-hand ring portion and the left-hand ring portion, respectively.

2. The pair of handheld controllers of claim 1, wherein the right-hand pattern of lights and the left-hand pattern of lights each comprises first and second rows of lights positioned around the outer circumference of their respective ring portions.

3. The pair of handheld controllers of claim 2, wherein the first row of lights is positioned adjacent a forward edge of the respective ring portion, the lights of the first row of lights are positioned at alternating first and second distances from the forward edge.

4. The pair of handheld controllers of claim 2, wherein the second row of lights is positioned adjacent a rear edge of the respective ring portion, the lights of the second row are positioned at approximately the same distance from the rear edge.

5. The pair of handheld controllers of claim 1, wherein the right-hand and left-hand handle portions include a right-hand handle pattern of lights and a left-hand handle pattern of lights, respectively, wherein the right-hand and left-hand handle patterns are symmetric with respect to each other when the left-hand and right-hand controllers are adjacent to each other in the similar orientation.

6. The pair of handheld controllers of claim 1, wherein the right-hand pattern of lights and the left-hand pattern of lights each comprise a plurality of infrared light emitting diodes.

7. A pair of handheld controllers for use with a tracking camera, the pair of controllers comprising:

a right-hand controller, including;

a right-hand handle portion,

a first right-hand pattern of tracking features disposed on the right-hand handle, and

a surrounding right-hand ring portion positioned to surround at least a portion of the right-hand handle portion;

a left-hand controller, including;

a left-hand handle portion,

a first left-hand pattern of tracking features disposed on the left-hand handle, and

a surrounding left-hand ring portion positioned to surround at least a portion of the left-hand handle portion;

wherein the right-hand and the left-hand controllers and the first right-hand and first left-hand pattern of tracking features are substantially symmetric with respect to each other when adjacent to each other in a similar orientation relative to a plane between the left-hand and right-hand controllers;

a second right-hand pattern of tracking features disposed on the right-hand ring portion; and

a second left-hand pattern of tracking features disposed on the left-hand ring portion, wherein the second right-hand pattern of tracking features and the second left-hand pattern of tracking features are asymmetric with respect to each other when the left-hand and right-hand controllers are adjacent to each other in the similar orientation.

8. The pair of handheld controllers of claim 7, wherein the second right-hand pattern of tracking features and the second left-hand pattern of tracking features each comprises first and second rows of tracking features positioned around the outer circumference of their respective ring portions.

9. The pair of handheld controllers of claim 8, wherein the first row of tracking features is positioned adjacent a forward edge of the respective ring portion, the tracking features of the first row are positioned at alternating first and second distances from the forward edge.

10. The pair of handheld controllers of claim 9, wherein the second row of tracking features is positioned adjacent a rear edge of the respective ring portion, the tracking features of the second row are positioned at approximately the same distance from the rear edge.

11. The pair of handheld controllers of claim 7, wherein the tracking features comprise lights trackable by the tracking camera.

12. A handheld controller for use with a tracking camera, comprising:

a controller, including;

a handle portion including a plurality of handle tracking features,

a surrounding ring portion connected to the handle portion and positioned to surround at least a portion of the handle portion; and

first and second rows of ring tracking features positioned around the outer circumference of the ring portion;

wherein the ring tracking features of the first row of ring tracking features are positioned adjacent a forward edge of the ring portion at alternating first and second distances from the forward edge, and wherein the ring tracking features of the second row of ring tracking features are positioned adjacent a rear edge of the respective ring portion at approximately the same distance from the rear edge.

13. The handheld controller of claim 12, wherein the ring tracking features of the second row of ring tracking features are positioned at alternating circumferential distances between the ring tracking features.

14. The handheld controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is a first controller and further comprising a second controller, wherein the first and second controllers are substantially symmetric with respect to each other when adjacent to each other in a similar orientation relative to a plane between the first and second controllers.

15. The handheld controller of claim 14, wherein the first and second rows of ring tracking features define a first pattern of ring tracking features and further comprising a second pattern of ring tracking features disposed on the second controller, wherein the first pattern of ring tracking features and the second pattern of ring tracking features are asymmetric with respect to each other when the first and second controllers are adjacent to each other in the similar orientation.

16. The handheld controller of claim 15, wherein the ring tracking features comprise lights trackable by the tracking camera.