Distributed augmented reality system

• US 10,061,352 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2017
• 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: Trail, Nicholas Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US15/676,626
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 36167903
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0161 characterised by the relative positioning of the constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 3/006 Arrangements for fitting and securing to the head or neck not in the position of use
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 3/04 Arrangements for supporting by hand, e.g. lorgnette, Arrangements for supporting by articles by walking-sticks A45B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones

Abstract

A distributed augmented reality system for producing rendered environment includes a neckband formed from a first arm, second arm, and computation compartment. A power source is embedded in the first and/or second arm, while a processor is embedded in the computation compartment of the neckband. The neckband may be capable of producing an AR, VR or MR environment, or any combination thereof. The neckband device may be used with a coupled eyewear device system encompassing a Near-Eye Display (NED) and/or secondary user device, which may also produce an AR, VR or MR environment, or any combination thereof. The neckband device may provide power and computation to the eyewear device, allowing for a reduced form factor AR/VR/MR eyewear device.

Claims

1. A neckband device comprising:

a first arm and a second arm;

a power source embedded in the first arm, the power source configured to power an eyewear device that includes at least one sensor;

a computation compartment connected to the first arm and the second arm, the computation compartment, the first arm and the second arm configured to conform to a user'"'"'s neck;

a processor embedded in the computation compartment, the processor configured to compute at least one value from the at least one sensor; and

wherein the neckband device is communicatively coupled with the eyewear device.

2. The neckband device of claim 1, wherein the first arm and the second arm are removable from the computation compartment.

3. The neckband device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first arm, the second arm and the computation compartment contains a multifunction compartment that interfaces with a functional unit, the functional unit comprising at least one of:

a memory unit;

a processing unit;

a microphone array;

a projector; and

a camera.

4. The neckband device of claim 3, wherein the functional unit of the first arm comprises the camera, the camera configured to provide an image of the user interacting with an object to the eyewear device.

5. The neckband device of claim 3, wherein the functional unit of the first arm comprises the projector, the projector configured to project visual content onto a surface.

6. The neckband device of claim 1, further comprising a microphone array, the microphone array configured to record the user'"'"'s voice and provide audio data to the processor.

7. The neckband device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless gateway, the wireless gateway configured to communicatively couple the neckband device with the eyewear device.

8. The neckband device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless gateway, the wireless gateway configured to communicatively couple the neckband device with at least a mobile device.

9. The neckband device of claim 1, further comprising a connector having:

a first connector junction and first connector arm latched near a first end tip of the eyewear device;

a second connector junction and second connector arm latched near a second end tip of the eyewear device; and

a third connector junction and third connector arm latched near the computation compartment of the neckband device.

10. The neckband device of claim 9, the connector further comprising:

an adjustable tension slider configured to secure the eyewear device to the user'"'"'s head by compressing the first connector arm to the second connector arm, and wherein the connector provides power and information from the neckband device to the eyewear device.

11. The neckband device of claim 1, further comprising:

a vitals sensor configured to determine a vital sign of the user.

12. The neckband device of claim 1, wherein;

the at least one sensor is an Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) sensor; and

the at least one value is a position of the eyewear device relative to the user'"'"'s environment.

13. The neckband device of claim 1, further comprising:

an IMU sensor configured to determine a position of the neckband device relative to the user'"'"'s environment.

14. A neckband device comprising:

a first arm and a second arm;

a power source embedded in the first arm, the power source configured to power at least one sensor on the neckband device;

a computation compartment connected to the first arm and the second arm, the computation compartment, the first arm and the second arm configured to conform to a user'"'"'s neck;

a processor embedded in the computation compartment, the processor configured to compute at least one value from the at least one sensor; and

a microphone array embedded in the first arm and configured to provide audio content to a user.

15. The neckband device of claim 14, wherein the first arm and the second arm are removable from the computation compartment.

16. The neckband device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first arm, the second arm and the computation compartment contains a multifunction compartment that interfaces with a functional unit, the functional unit comprising at least one of:

a memory unit;

a processing unit;

a microphone array;

a projector; and

a camera.

17. The neckband device of claim 15, wherein the functional unit of the first arm comprises the camera, the camera configured to provide an image of the user interacting with an object to the processor.

18. The neckband device of claim 14, further comprising:

a wireless gateway, the wireless gateway configured to communicatively couple the neckband device with at least a mobile device.

19. The neckband device of claim 14, further comprising:

a vitals sensor configured to determine a vital sign of the user.

20. The neckband device of claim 14, further comprising:

an IMU sensor configured to determine a position of the neckband device relative to the user'"'"'s environment.