Vestibular anchoring

• US 10,268,263 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bronder, Matthew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sasinowski, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US15/492,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20180307304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

Methods and devices for presenting a virtual reality image may include receiving head motion information from a positional tracking system that tracks a position and orientation of a head of a user and receiving virtual motion information independent from the head motion information for a virtual reality simulation. The methods and devices may include generating a first scene of the virtual reality simulation based on the virtual motion information and the head motion information. The methods and devices may also include generating a set of visual cues based on the head motion information and rendering a frame including the set of visual cues and the first scene of the virtual reality simulation. The methods and devices may include transmitting the frame of the virtual reality simulation for presentation on a display device.

Claims

1. A computer device, comprising:

a memory storing at least one application configured to run a virtual reality simulation;

a processor in communication with the memory and configured to execute the at least one application to run the virtual reality simulation; and

an operating system in communication with the memory and the processor, wherein the operating system, processor, and at least one application are operable to;

receive head motion information from a positional tracking system that tracks a position and orientation of a head of a user;

receive virtual motion information independent from the head motion information for a virtual reality simulation;

generate a first scene of the virtual reality simulation based at least on the virtual motion information and the head motion information;

generate a set of visual cues that have an amount of motion corresponding to the head motion information over a set of frames, wherein the set of visual cues include geometric and textural structure to insert into the virtual reality simulation;

render the set of frames including the set of visual cues and the first scene of the virtual reality simulation; and

transmit the set of frames frame of the virtual reality simulation for presentation on a display device.

2. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system, processor, and at least one application are further operable to remove the set of visual cues from the virtual reality simulation when all sources of motion input other than head motion have stopped for a period of time.

3. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the operating system, processor, and at least one application are further operable to reinsert the set of visual cues into the virtual reality simulation upon receiving sources of motion input other than the head motion information.

4. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system, processor, and at least one application are further operable to:

render a second scene independent from the first scene for the virtual reality simulation, wherein the second scene includes the set of visual cues.

5. The computer device of claim 4, wherein the second scene is a peripheral scene around the first scene.

6. The computer device of claim 5, wherein the virtual reality simulation includes a transition effect between the first scene and the second scene.

7. The computer device of claim 5, wherein the operating system, processor, and at least one application are further operable to dynamically expand the first scene to cover an entire view area of the display device and remove the second scene from the view area when all sources of motion input other than the head motion information have stopped for a period of time.

8. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the operating system, processor, and at least one application are further operable to dynamically reduce a size of a view region of the first scene and reinsert the second scene with the set of visual cues into the virtual reality simulation upon receiving motion input independent of the head motion information.

9. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system, processor, and at least one application are further operable to:

receive video information from one or more video cameras;

form motion input-based visual cues from the video information, or from an environmental reconstruction based upon the video information.

10. A method for presenting a virtual reality image, comprising:

receiving head motion information from a positional tracking system that tracks a position and orientation of a head of a user;

receiving virtual motion information independent from the head motion information for a virtual reality simulation;

generate a first scene of the virtual reality simulation based at least on the virtual motion information and the head motion information;

generating a set of visual cues that have an amount of motion corresponding to the head motion information over a set of frames, wherein the set of visual cues include geometric and textural structure to insert into the virtual reality simulation;

rendering, at an operating system executing on a computer device, the set of frames including the set of visual cues and the first scene of the virtual reality simulation; and

transmitting the set of frames frame of the virtual reality simulation for presentation on display device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

removing the set of visual cues from the virtual reality simulation when all sources of motion input other than head motion have stopped for a period of time.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

reinserting the set of visual cues into the virtual reality simulation upon receiving sources of motion input other than the head motion information.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

rendering a second scene independent from the first scene for the virtual reality simulation, wherein the second scene includes the set of visual cues.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second scene is a peripheral scene around the first scene.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the virtual reality simulation includes a transition effect between the first scene and the second scene.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

dynamically expanding the first scene to cover an entire view area of the display device; and

removing the second scene from the view area when all sources of motion than the head motion information have stopped for a period of time.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

dynamically reducing a size of a view region of the first scene and reinserting the second scene with the set of visual cues into the virtual reality simulation upon receiving motion input independent of the head motion information.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving video information from one, or more video cameras;

forming motion input-based visual cues from the video information, or from an environmental reconstruction based upon the video information.

19. A computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer device, comprising:

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to receive head motion information from a positional tracking system that tracks a position and orientation of a head of a user;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to receive virtual motion information independent from the head motion information for a virtual reality simulation;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to generate a first scene of the virtual reality simulation based at least on the virtual motion information and the head motion information;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to generate a set of visual cues that have an amount of motion corresponding to the head motion information over a set of frames, wherein the set of visual cues include geometric and textural structure to insert into the virtual reality simulation;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to render the set of frames including the set of visual cues and the first scene of the virtual reality simulation; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to transmit the set of frames frame of the virtual reality simulation for presentation on a display device.