DYNAMIC FIELD OF VIEW THROTTLING AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING USER EXPERIENCE IN HEAD MOUNTED VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20140268356A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Southern California
• Original Assignee: University of Southern California
• Inventors: Bolas, Mark, McDowall, Ian, Jones, J. Adam, Suma, Evan
• Granted Patent: US 9,645,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• 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

Abstract

A head-mounted display (HMD) allows a user to view a virtual environment. The HMD displays a field of view to the user. However, the user may experience simulator sickness or motion sickness from viewing the field of view. The HMD is connected to a sensor which can monitor the user. By monitoring the user'"'"'s physiological state, the user'"'"'s simulator sickness can be detected or predicted. To reduce the negative effects, the field of view can be throttled. The field of view can also be throttled in order to provide a better user experience even if the user does not experience sickness.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium containing a program of instructions that cause a computer system running the program of instructions to:

display, on a display of the computer system, a field of view (FOV) of a virtual environment, the FOV configured to project onto a human retina to approximate a human FOV;

determine a throttle condition based on measurable parameters; and

manipulate the FOV based on the throttle condition.

2. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the program of instructions further causes the computer system to:

detect, using a sensor configured to monitor a user state in response to viewing the FOV, the user state; and

dynamically throttle the FOV in response to the user state being in an abnormal physiological state or an expected abnormal physiological state.

3. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein manipulating the FOV includes occlusion of an area of a visual field in the FOV.

4. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the occlusion includes an opaque polygon.

5. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the occlusion includes partial occlusion of the area of the visual field.

6. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the partial occlusion includes a screen mesh pattern.

7. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein manipulating the FOV includes rendering a visual effect that alters an appearance of an area of a visual field in the FOV.

8. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein manipulating the FOV includes symmetric FOV manipulation.

9. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein manipulating the FOV includes asymmetric FOV manipulation.

10. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein manipulating the FOV includes rendering the FOV to a textured polygon and manipulating the textured polygon.

11. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein detecting the user state further comprises to detecting, using the sensor, physiological measurements of the user.

12. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the sensor is further configured to detect at least one of a behavior of the user, a head and body posture of the user, and a cognitive state of the user.

13. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein manipulating the FOV further comprises automatic FOV throttling to prevent expected motion sickness.

14. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the measurable parameters include at least one of a virtual environment content, a system parameter, and a system performance.

15. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the measurable parameters include an amount of time elapsed.

16. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the measurable parameters include a user'"'"'s previous virtual environment experience.

17. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the throttle condition is further based on influencing a user'"'"'s experience of the virtual environment, influencing a task performance of the user, or completed tasks within the virtual environment.

18. The non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the measurable parameters include a user preference or a user selection.

19. A method for displaying a virtual environment, the method comprising:

displaying, on a stereoscopic display, a field of view (FOV) of a virtual environment;

determining, based on historical data and a current user physiological state, a visual alteration to the FOV; and

rendering, on the stereoscopic display, the visual alteration to the FOV.

20. A virtual environment viewing device comprising:

a sensor for detecting physiological parameters; and

a stereoscopic display connected to the sensor and configured to display a field of view (FOV) of a virtual environment, wherein the FOV is visually altered based on the physiological parameters.