Horizontal perspective hands-on simulator

• US 20050219240A1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Infinite Io, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Infinite Io, Inc.
• Inventors: Vesely, Michael A., Clemens, Nancy
• Application Number:
  US11/098,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20050219240A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/302 for viewing without the aid of special glasses, i.e. using autostereoscopic displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 using viewer tracking

Abstract

Thus the present invention discloses a hands-on simulator system using horizontal perspective display. The hands-on simulator system comprises a real time electronic display that can project horizontal perspective images into the open space and a peripheral device that allow the end user to manipulate the images with hands or hand-held tools.

Claims

1. A 3-D horizontal perspective simulator system comprising

a horizontal perspective display using horizontal perspective to display a 3-D image onto an open space;

and

a peripheral device to manipulate the display image by touching the 3-D image.

2. A simulator system as in claim 1 further comprising a processing unit taking the input from the peripheral device and providing output to the horizontal perspective display.

3. A simulator system as in claim 1 further comprising a means to track the physical peripheral device to the 3-D image.

4. A simulator system as in claim 1 further comprising a means to calibrate the physical peripheral device to the 3-D image.

5. A 3-D horizontal perspective simulator system comprising

a processing unit;

a horizontal perspective display using horizontal perspective to display a 3-D image onto an open space;

a peripheral device to manipulate the display image by touching the 3-D image; and

a peripheral device tracking unit for mapping the peripheral device to the 3-D image.

6. A simulator system as in claim 5 wherein the horizontal perspective display further display a portion of the 3-D image onto an inner-access volume, whereby the image portion in the inner-access volume cannot be touched by the peripheral device.

7. A simulator system as in claim 5 wherein the horizontal perspective display further comprises automatic or manual eyepoint tracking.

8. A simulator system as in claim 5 wherein the horizontal perspective display further comprises a means to zoom, rotation or movement of the 3-D image.

9. A simulator system as in claim 5 wherein the horizontal perspective display projects the 3-D image onto a substantial horizontal surface.

10. A simulator system as in claim 5 wherein the peripheral device is a tool, a handheld tool, a space glove or a pointing device.

11. A simulator system as in claim 5 wherein the peripheral device comprises a tip wherein the manipulation corresponds to the tip of the peripheral device.

12. A simulator system as in claim 5 wherein the manipulation comprises the action of modifying the display image or the action of generating a different image.

13. A simulator system as in claim 5 further comprising a 3-D sound system.

14. A simulator system as in claim 5 wherein the peripheral device mapping comprises inputting the position of the peripheral device to the processing unit.

15. A simulator system as in claim 5 wherein the peripheral device tracking unit comprises a triangulation or infrared tracking system.

16. A simulator system as in claim 5 further comprising a means to calibrate the coordinate of the display image to the peripheral device.

17. A simulator system as in claim 16 wherein the calibration means comprises a manual input of a reference coordinate.

18. A simulator system as in claim 16 wherein the calibration means comprises an automatic input of a reference coordinate through a calibration procedure.

19. A simulator system as in claim 5 wherein the horizontal perspective display is a stereoscopic horizontal perspective display using horizontal perspective to display a stereoscopic 3-D image.

20. A multi-view 3-D horizontal perspective simulator system comprising

a processing unit;

a stereoscopic horizontal perspective display using horizontal perspective to display a stereoscopic 3-D image onto an open space; and

a peripheral device to manipulate the display image by touching the 3-D image; and

a peripheral device tracking unit for mapping the peripheral device to the 3-D image.