Systems and methods for using a movable object to control a computer

• US 20060119576A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Naturalpoint Incorporated (Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Naturalpoint Incorporated (Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Richardson, Jim, Davison, Eric Wesley, Zimmer, Birch
• Granted Patent: US 8,179,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements

Abstract

A system and method for controlling operation of a computer based on movements and/or position of a movable object. The system includes a sensing apparatus configured to obtain positional data based on movements of a sensed object. Engine software may process the positional data and generate control commands to produce a virtual position in an application running on the computer. A visual comparator is operatively coupled with the engine software and configured to display an actual indicator and a virtual indicator to provide a visual comparison between the virtual position and the actual position of the sensed object.

Claims

1. A method of controlling operation of a computer, comprising:

sensing an actual position of a head of a user;

producing, in a rendered scene of a program running on the computer, a virtual position in response to the actual position of the head of the user;

producing, in the rendered scene, a virtual movement in response to a change in the actual position of the head of the user; and

simultaneously displaying an actual indicator and a virtual indicator to provide a visual comparison between the virtual position and the actual position of the head of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, where producing a virtual movement in the rendered scene includes translating the rendered scene in response to a translational movement of the head of the user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a user-operable adjustment to enable user adjustment of how much the rendered scene is translated in response to the translational movement of the head of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, where producing a virtual movement in the rendered scene includes rotating the rendered scene in response to a rotational movement of the head of the user.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing a user-operable adjustment to enable user adjustment of how much the rendered scene is rotated in response to the rotational movement of the head of the user.

6. A system for controlling operation of a computer, comprising:

a position sensing apparatus configured to sense an actual position of a sensed object and produce positional data based on such actual position of the sensed object;

engine software operatively coupled with the position sensing apparatus and configured to output control commands based on the positional data, the control commands being operable to produce, in a software application running on the computer, a virtual position in response to the actual position of the sensed object, the control commands being further operable to produce a virtual motion in response to a change in the actual position of the sensed object; and

a visual comparator operatively coupled with the engine software and configured to display an actual indicator and a virtual indicator to provide a visual comparison between the virtual position and the actual position of the sensed object.

7. The system of claim 6, where the sensed object is a portion of a user'"'"'s body.

8. The system of claim 7, where the portion of the user'"'"'s body is the user'"'"'s head.

9. The system of claim 7, where the engine software is configured so that, when the user'"'"'s head is in a first rotational position, the control commands produced by the engine software for a selected translational movement of the user'"'"'s head produce virtual motion in a virtual direction that is different than that produced for such selected translational movement when the user'"'"'s head is in a second rotational position

10. The system of claim 7, where the actual position of the user'"'"'s head is used to control presentation of a rendered virtual reality scene to the user.

11. The system of claim 10, where the position sensing apparatus and engine software are configured to cause the rendered virtual reality scene to be translated in response to a translation of the user'"'"'s head.

12. The system of claim 11, where the engine software is user-adjustable to enable adjustment of how much the rendered virtual reality scene is translated in response to a translation of the user'"'"'s head.

13. The system of claim 10, where the position sensing apparatus and engine software are configured to cause the rendered virtual reality scene to be rotated in response to a rotation of the user'"'"'s head.

14. The system of claim 13, where the engine software is user-adjustable to enable adjustment of how much the rendered virtual reality scene is rotated in response to a rotation of the user'"'"'s head.