ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL VIA WEARABLE COMPUTING SYSTEM

• US 20160091877A1
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Fullam, Scott, Corlett, Barry John
• Granted Patent: US 10,345,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• 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 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/00 Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

Various embodiments relating to controlling ambient environmental conditions to affect one or more human subjects wearing wearable computing systems are disclosed. In one example, a head-mounted computing system includes a see-through display configured to present an augmented reality image in front of an environment when viewed through the see-through display, a logic subsystem, and a storage subsystem. The storage subsystem may hold instructions executable by the logic subsystem to present the augmented reality image via the see-through display, and during presentation of the augmented reality image, send a command to control an environmental control system external to the head-mounted computing system. The command may be configured to trigger adjustment of an environmental parameter of the environment to enhance presentation of the augmented reality image.

Claims

1. A head-mounted computing system comprising:

a see-through display configured to present an augmented reality image in front of an environment when viewed through the see-through display;

a logic subsystem; and

a storage subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to;

present the augmented reality image via the see-through display; and

during presentation of the augmented reality image, send a command to control an environmental control system external to the head-mounted computing system, wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of an environmental parameter of the environment to enhance presentation of the augmented reality image.

2. The head-mounted computing system of claim 1, wherein the environmental control system comprises a remote-controlled lighting system, and wherein the command is configured to trigger an adjustment of one or more of an ambient light intensity and an ambient light color provided by the remote-controlled lighting system.

3. The head-mounted computing system of claim 1, wherein the environmental control system comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and wherein the command is configured to trigger an adjustment of an ambient temperature provided by the HVAC system.

4. The head-mounted computing system of claim 1, wherein the storage subsystem holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to:

during presentation of the augmented reality image, detect a content-based trigger; and

in response to the content-based trigger, send a command to control the environmental control system, wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of an environmental parameter of the environment to enhance presentation of content corresponding to the content-based trigger.

5. The head-mounted computing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor subsystem including one or more biometric sensors configured to provide biometric data of a human subject wearing the head-mounted computing system, wherein the storage subsystem holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to determine a comfort characteristic of the human subject based on the biometric data, and during presentation of the augmented reality image, send a command to control the environmental control system, wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of an environmental parameter of the environment to change the comfort characteristic of the human subject.

6. The head-mounted computing system of claim 5, wherein the comfort characteristic comprises a stress level, and wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of the environmental parameter of the environment to increase the stress level of the human subject.

7. The head-mounted computing system of claim 5, wherein the comfort characteristic comprises an estimated eye strain level, and wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of the environmental parameter of the environment to decrease the estimated eye strain level of the human subject.

8. The head-mounted computing system of claim 1, wherein the storage subsystem holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to:

determine that a display parameter of the see-through display has reached an end of an adjustment range; and

send a command to the environmental control system, wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of the environmental parameter based on the display parameter.

9. A wearable computing system, comprising:

a sensor subsystem including one or more biometric sensors configured to provide biometric data of a human subject wearing the wearable computing system in an environment;

a logic subsystem; and

a storage subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to

receive biometric data from the one or more biometric sensors of the sensor subsystem;

determine a comfort characteristic of the human subject based on the biometric data; and

send a command to an environmental control system external to the wearable computing system, wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of an environmental parameter of the environment to change the comfort characteristic of the human subject.

10. The wearable computing system of claim 9, wherein the sensor subsystem comprises one or more of a temperature sensor to provide a temperature of the human subject, a galvanic skin response (GSR) sensor to provide a skin conductance of the human subject, an optical sensor to provide an optical characteristic of an eye of the human subject, a heart rate sensor to provide a heart rate of the human subject, and a carbon dioxide (CO₂) sensor to provide a CO₂ level of breath exhaled by the human subject.

11. The wearable computing system of claim 9, wherein the environmental control system comprises one or more of a remote-controlled window shade and a remote-controlled lighting system, wherein the environmental parameter comprises an ambient light intensity of the environment, and wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of the ambient light intensity provided by the one or more of the remote-controlled window shade and the remote-controlled lighting system to change the comfort characteristic of the human subject.

12. The wearable computing system of claim 11, wherein the comfort characteristic comprises an estimated eye strain level of the human subject.

13. The wearable computing system of claim 12, wherein the wearable computing system is a head-mounted computing system including a see-through display, and wherein the storage subsystem holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to determine that a display parameter of the see-through display has reached an end of an adjustment range, and send a command to control the one or more of the remote-controlled window shade and the remote-controlled lighting system to adjust the ambient light intensity of the environment based on the display parameter.

14. The wearable computing system of claim 9, wherein the environmental control system comprises an HVAC system, wherein the environmental parameter comprises an ambient temperature of the environment, and wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of the ambient temperature provided by the HVAC system to change the comfort characteristic of the human subject.

15. The wearable computing system of claim 14, wherein the comfort characteristic comprises a thermal level of the human subject.

16. On a computing system, a method for controlling ambient environmental conditions in an environment, the method comprising:

receiving biometric data from a plurality of wearable computing systems, each wearable computing system including one or more biometric sensors configured to provide the biometric data of a human subject wearing the wearable computing system in the environment, and for each wearable computing system the biometric data representing a comfort characteristic of the human subject wearing the wearable computing system;

determining a collective comfort characteristic of a plurality of human subjects in the environment based on the biometric data; and

controlling an environmental control system external to the plurality of wearable computing systems to adjust an environmental parameter of the environment to change the collective comfort characteristic of the plurality of human subjects.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the environmental control system comprises one or more of a remote-controlled window shade and a remote-controlled lighting system, wherein the environmental parameter comprises an ambient light intensity of the environment, and wherein the one or more of the remote-controlled window shade and the remote-controlled lighting system are controlled to adjust the ambient light intensity of the environment to change the collective comfort characteristic of the plurality of human subjects.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the collective comfort characteristic comprises an estimated eye strain level of the plurality of human subjects.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the environmental control system comprises an HVAC system, wherein the environmental parameter comprises an ambient temperature of the environment, and wherein the HVAC system is controlled to adjust the ambient temperature of the environment to change the collective comfort characteristic of the plurality of human subjects.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the collective comfort characteristic comprises an average thermal level of the plurality of human subjects.