SYSTEM, HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY, AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090033588A1
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kajita, Yoshiki, Tsujimoto, Takuya, Miyata, Kazuhide
• Granted Patent: US 10,635,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/2.300
• 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 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

An HMD (10a) generates region information indicating a region having, as an axis, a line which passes through the position of the HMD (10a) and that of a wireless I/F (105a). The HMD acquires position information of each of wireless I/Fs of other image processing apparatuses (11b, 11c). The HMD determines if the position indicated by the acquired position information is included in the region indicated by the region information. The HMD selects one of the wireless I/F (105a) and other wireless I/Fs as a wireless communication partner according to the determination result, and receives images via wireless communication with the selected wireless I/F.

Claims

1. A system which comprises a plurality of head-mounted displays, a plurality of communication devices which make wireless communications with the head-mounted displays, and a plurality of image processing apparatuses which transmit images to the head-mounted displays via the communication devices, and allows the image processing apparatuses to communicate with each other,

each image processing apparatus comprises:

a unit which transmits position information of the head-mounted display as a current wireless communication partner of the communication device which is in use by the self image processing apparatus to another image processing apparatus other than the self image processing apparatus, and receives position information, which is transmitted from the other image processing apparatus, of another head-mounted display as a current wireless communication partner of the communication device which is in use by the other image processing apparatus; and

a transmission unit which transmits the received position information of the other head-mounted display to the head-mounted display as the current wireless communication partner of the communication device which is in use by the self image processing apparatus, and

each head-mounted display comprises;

a generation unit which generates region information indicating a region having, as an axis, a line which passes through a position of the self head-mounted display and a position of a communication device of interest as a current wireless communication partner of the self head-mounted display;

an acquisition unit which acquires position information transmitted from said transmission unit;

a determination unit which determines whether or not a position indicated by the position information acquired by said acquisition unit is included in the region indicated by the region information generated by said generation unit; and

a reception control unit which selects one of the communication device of interest and the communication device other than the communication device of interest as a wireless communication partner according to a determination result of said determination unit, and receives images via a wireless communication with the selected communication device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said generation unit generates first region information indicating a first region having the line as an axis, and second region information indicating a second region including the first region.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said determination unit executes inside/outside determination processing between the position indicated by the position information acquired by said acquisition unit and the first region indicated by the first region information, and inside/outside determination processing between the position indicated by the position information acquired by said acquisition unit and the second region indicated by the second region information.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein when said determination unit determines that the position indicated by the position information acquired by said acquisition unit falls outside the first region and inside the second region, said reception control unit establishes a link to at least one communication device other than the communication device of interest, and receives images via a wireless communication with the wireless communication of interest.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein when said determination unit determines that the position indicated by the position information acquired by said acquisition unit falls outside the second region while the link is established, said reception control unit releases the link.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein when said determination unit determines that the position indicated by the position information acquired by said acquisition unit falls inside the first region, said reception control unit receives images via a wireless communication with the communication device to which the link has already been established.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communication device of interest is included in the self image processing apparatus.

8. A head-mounted display in a system which comprises a plurality of head-mounted displays, a plurality of communication devices which make wireless communications with the head-mounted displays, and a plurality of image processing apparatuses which transmit images to the head-mounted displays via the communication devices, and allows the image processing apparatuses to communicate with each other, said head-mounted display comprising:

a generation unit which generates region information indicating a region having, as an axis, a line which passes through a position of the self head-mounted display and a position of a communication device of interest as a current wireless communication partner of the self head-mounted display;

an acquisition unit which acquires position information of another head-mounted display other than the self head-mounted display;

a determination unit which determines whether or not a position indicated by the position information acquired by said acquisition unit is included in the region indicated by the region information generated by said generation unit; and

a reception control unit which selects one of the communication device of interest and the communication device other than the communication device of interest as a wireless communication partner according to a determination result of said determination unit, and receives images via a wireless communication with the selected communication device.

9. A method of controlling a head-mounted display in a system which comprises a plurality of head-mounted displays, a plurality of communication devices which make wireless communications with the head-mounted displays, and a plurality of image processing apparatuses which transmit images to the head-mounted displays via the communication devices, and allows the image processing apparatuses to communicate with each other, said method comprising:

a generation step of generating region information indicating a region having, as an axis, a line which passes through a position of the self head-mounted display and a position of a communication device of interest as a current wireless communication partner of the self head-mounted display;

an acquisition step of acquiring position information of another head-mounted display other than the self head-mounted display;

a determination step of determining whether or not a position indicated by the position information acquired in the acquisition step is included in the region indicated by the region information generated in the generation step; and

a reception control step of selecting one of the communication device of interest and the communication device other than the communication device of interest as a wireless communication partner according to a determination result of the determination step, and receiving images via a wireless communication with the selected communication device.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for making a computer execute a control method according to claim 9.