Virtual reality headset connected to a mobile computing device

• US 10,102,674 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2016
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Nartker, Andrew, Bavor, Jr., Clayton Woodward, Faaborg, Alexander James, Murphy, Glen, Doronichev, Andrey, Plagemann, Christian, Chen, Shiqi, Wiley, Jon Michael, Clement, Manuel Christian, Stein, Murphy, Matson, Samuel Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery A
• Application Number:
  US15/052,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20160267712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• 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 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• 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 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• 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 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers

Abstract

In one general aspect, a system for providing a virtual reality (VR) space can include a mobile computing device, and a VR headset operatively coupled to the mobile computing device and including a screen. The mobile computing device can be configured to execute a VR application, and provide content for display on the screen of the VR headset in the VR space.

Claims

1. A system for providing a virtual reality (VR) space comprising:

a mobile computing device including a touchscreen including a plurality of infrared (IR) pixels embedded within the touchscreen; and

a VR headset operatively coupled to the mobile computing device, the VR headset including a screen and an infrared (IR) sensor configured to detect output from the plurality of IR pixels;

the mobile computing device being configured to;

execute a VR application; and

provide content for display on the screen of the VR headset in the VR space.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is coupled to the VR headset using a tethered wired connection.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the tethered wired connection includes a shape sensing cable configured to determine a position of the mobile computing device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is coupled to the VR headset using a wireless connection.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the VR headset includes another mobile computing device.

6. The system of claim 5,

wherein a display device included in the other mobile computing device included in the VR headset is the screen, and

wherein the other computing device is configured to render the provided content for display on the display device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the VR headset further includes a position detection device configured to determine a position of the mobile computing device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the position detection device is a camera.

9. The system of claim 8,

wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to display a Quick Response (QR) code on the touchscreen, and

wherein the camera detects an orientation of a QR code displayed on the touchscreen of the mobile computing device.

10. The system of claim 1,

wherein the VR application determines a position of the mobile computing device based on detecting output from the plurality of IR pixels.

11. A method for providing a virtual reality (VR) space comprising:

operatively coupling a mobile computing device including a touchscreen including a plurality of infrared (IR) pixels embedded within the touchscreen to a VR headset including a screen and an infrared (IR) sensor configured to detect output from the plurality of IR pixels;

executing, by the mobile computing device, a VR application, the VR application determining a position of the mobile computing device based on the output from the plurality of IR pixels as detected by the IR sensor; and

providing, by the mobile computing device, content for display on the screen of the VR headset in the VR space.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

rendering an aspect of the mobile computing device for inclusion in the VR space based on a detected position of the mobile computing device; and

integrating the rendered aspect of the mobile computing device with the content for display on the screen of the VR headset.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting an interaction of a user with the mobile computing device; and

altering the content for display on the screen of the VR headset based on the detected interaction.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein providing content for display on the screen of the VR headset in the VR space comprises:

rendering, by the mobile computing device, an aspect of the mobile computing device for inclusion in the VR space; and

integrating the rendered aspect of the mobile computing device with content for display as integrated content in the VR space, wherein the rendered aspect of the mobile computing device is different from content displayed on a display device included in the mobile computing device.

15. A non-transitory, machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause a mobile computing device to:

operatively interface with a VR headset coupled to the mobile computing device that includes a plurality of infrared (IR) pixels, the VR headset including a screen and an infrared (IR) sensor configured to detect output from the plurality of IR pixels;

execute a VR application, the VR application determining a position of the mobile computing device relative to the VR headset based on the output from the plurality of IR pixels as detected by the IR sensor; and

provide content for display on the screen of the VR headset in a virtual reality (VR) space.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, further cause the mobile computing device to:

render an aspect of the mobile computing device for inclusion in the VR space based on a detected position of the mobile computing device; and

integrate the rendered aspect of the mobile computing device with the content for display on the screen of the VR headset.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, further cause the mobile computing device to:

detect an interaction of a user with the mobile computing device; and

alter the content for display on the screen of the VR headset based on the detected interaction.