Open-loop controller

• US 20070070072A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Templeman, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,528,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/473
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/30 characterized by output arrangements for receiving control signals generated by the game device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling the movements of an avatar in a virtual environment includes a user input means, such as a gamepad with a plurality of joystick-controlled and button-controlled outputs, a tracker, and optional sliding foot pedals; a processor for running virtual environment (VE) software that includes an avatar moving through the VE; and a control mapping algorithm. The algorithm maps the gamepad, tracker, and optional sliding foot pedal outputs to the avatar'"'"'s course, heading, displacement, and view, with the joysticks mapped to provide open loop directional control over the course and heading of the avatar, the tracker providing open loop control over the view, and the optional sliding foot pedals providing open loop control over displacement. The operator-controlled movement of the avatar in the virtual environment is displayed to the operator on a computer desktop display or a head mounted display.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the movements of an avatar in a virtual environment, comprising:

a gamepad including a first joystick and a second joystick and having a plurality of outputs responsive to user-controlled movements of each joystick and user-controlled buttons;

a processor for running a virtual environment software program including an avatar programmed to move in the virtual environment with a course, heading, and displacement;

a control mapping algorithm for mapping the outputs of the gamepad to the avatar course, heading, and displacement, wherein the first joystick is mapped to provide an open loop directional control over the steering of the avatar and the second joystick is mapped to provide an open loop directional control over the offset of the avatar to thereby provide an open-loop control over the course and heading of the avatar; and

a display for displaying the movement of the avatar in the virtual environment.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the second joystick is mapped to provide a course-offset.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the second joystick is mapped to provide a heading-offset.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a tracker attached to said gamepad to direct a head-pose of the avatar as an open-loop control.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the display is a head mountable display and further comprising a tracker attached thereto to direct a head-pose of the avatar as an open-loop control.

6. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein the avatar moves in accordance to a computed situated-heading and the head-pose.

7. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the avatar moves in accordance to a computed situated-heading and the head-pose.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the display is a head-mountable display and further comprising a video rendering system for providing a mono or stereo video image to the head-mountable display.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the display is a desk-top monitor display and further comprising a video rendering system for providing a mono or stereo video image to the desk-top monitor display.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a pair of sliding foot pedals mapped for open-loop translational control of a displacement of the avatar.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the movements of the avatar are three dimensional.

12. A control mapping system for mapping a plurality of a user-controlled dual joystick gamepad outputs to a movement of an avatar in a virtual environment, comprising:

a control mapping algorithm for mapping the gamepad outputs, generated by the movements of a first joystick and a second joystick and user-controlled buttons, to an avatar course, heading, and displacement, and wherein the first joystick is mapped to provide a directional steering control of the avatar and the second joystick is mapped to provide a directional offset control of the avatar to thereby provide an open-loop control over the avatar'"'"'s course and heading.

13. A control mapping system as in claim 12, further comprising a processor for running a virtual environment software program displaying the avatar wherein the avatar is programmed to move in the virtual environment with a course, heading, and displacement.

14. A control mapping system as in claim 12, wherein the second joystick is mapped to provide a course-offset.

15. A control mapping system as in claim 12, wherein the second joystick is mapped to provide a heading-offset.

16. A control mapping system as in claim 12, wherein the avatar moves in accordance to a computed situated-heading and the head-pose.

17. A method of controlling the movements of an avatar in a virtual environment on a processor from a user-controllable gamepad including a first joystick and a second joystick and having a plurality of outputs responsive to user-controlled movements of each joystick and user-controlled buttons, comprising:

programming the processor with a control mapping algorithm for mapping the user-controlled movements of each joystick to an avatar course, heading, and displacement wherein the first joystick is mapped to provide a steering control of the avatar and the second joystick is mapped to provide an offset control of the avatar to thereby provide an open-loop control over the avatar; and

displaying the movement of the avatar in the virtual environment.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein the second joystick is mapped to provide a course-offset.

19. A method as in claim 17, wherein the second joystick is mapped to provide a heading-offset.

20. A method as in claim 17, further comprising mapping a head-pose of the avatar to the movement of a tracker attached to the gamepad.

21. A method as in claim 20, wherein the avatar moves in accordance to a computed situated-heading.

22. A method as in claim 17, further comprising mapping a head-pose of the avatar to the movement of a tracker attached to a head-mountable display.

23. A method as in claim 22, wherein the avatar moves in accordance to a computed situated-heading.

24. A method as in claim 17, further comprising providing a mono or stereo video image to a desk-top monitor display.

25. A method as in claim 17, further comprising providing a mono or stereo video image to a head-mountable display.

26. A method as in claim 17, further comprising control mapping an output of a pair of sliding foot pedals to provide open-loop control of a translational displacement of the avatar.

27. A method as in claim 17, wherein the movements of the avatar are three dimensional.

28. An apparatus for controlling the movements of an avatar in a virtual environment, comprising:

a pair of dual-axis directional input control devices having a plurality of outputs responsive to user-controlled operations of the directional control axes and user-controlled buttons;

a processor for running a virtual environment software program including an avatar programmed to move in the virtual environment with a course, heading, and displacement;

a control mapping algorithm for mapping the outputs of the directional input control devices to the avatar course and heading, wherein the directional control axes are mapped to provide open loop directional control of the avatar'"'"'s course and heading; and

a display for displaying the movement of the avatar in the virtual environment.

29. An apparatus as in claim 28, wherein the first directional input control device is mapped to provide open loop directional control over steering the avatar and the second directional input control device is mapped to provide open loop directional control over a heading offset.

30. An apparatus as in claim 28, wherein the first directional input control device is mapped to provide open loop directional control over steering the avatar and the second directional input control device is mapped to provide open loop directional control over a course offset.

31. An apparatus as in claim 28, wherein the first directional input control device is mapped to provide open loop directional control over the avatar'"'"'s heading and the second directional input control device is mapped to provide open loop directional control over the avatar'"'"'s course.

32. An apparatus as in claim 28, further comprising a third directional input control device.

33. An apparatus as in claim 32, wherein the third directional input control device is mapped to provide a course or heading offset not directed by the second directional input control device.

34. An apparatus as in claim 32, wherein the third directional input control device is mapped to direct a head-pose of the avatar as an open-loop control.

35. An apparatus as in claim 28, further comprising a tracker attached to said gamepad to direct a head-pose of the avatar as an open-loop control.

36. An apparatus as in claim 28 wherein the display is a head mountable display and further comprising a tracker attached thereto to direct a head-pose of the avatar as an open-loop control.