WATERPROOF VIRTUAL REALITY GOGGLE AND SENSOR SYSTEM

• US 20160154241A1
• Filed: 11/28/2014
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mahmoud A. Alhashim
• Original Assignee: Mahmoud A. Alhashim
• Inventors: ALHASHIM, Mahmoud A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,740,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0129 comprising devices for correcting parallax
• 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 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 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• 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 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays

Abstract

A waterproof 3D virtual reality system is described. The virtual reality system includes several key components, such as a submersion tank, an enveloping medium, a waterproof head-mounted display system containing a sensor for tracking the user'"'"'s head movements and an optical element that displays virtual reality images, waterproof hand sensors, electronic surface sensors, a computer/controller that both receives and transmits location and speed data from sensors worn by the user, and a computer-implemented virtual reality video input signal that is dynamically modified in accordance with movement of the user'"'"'s head and/or hand sensors. Furthermore, a method of enhancing a user'"'"'s overall virtual experience is described. This method involves the user occupying a position of partial submersion in a body of fluid, such that the fluid provides buoyancy and resistance to the user.

Claims

1. :

A 3D virtual reality system, comprising;

a submersion tank comprising an enveloping medium to partially submerge a user and to provide buoyancy to the user;

a waterproof head-mounted display system comprising at least one sensor for tracking the user'"'"'s head movements and at least one optical element that displays virtual reality images to the user;

a plurality of waterproof hand sensors attached to the user to track the user'"'"'s hand movements;

at least three electronic surface sensors positioned on the surface of the enveloping medium contained in the submersion tank that define a submersible area;

a computer/controller that both receives location and speed data from a plurality of sensors worn by the user and transmits said location and speed data into the waterproof head-mounted display unit worn by the user;

a computer-implemented virtual reality video input signal that is dynamically modified in accordance with movement of the user'"'"'s head and/or hand sensors.

2. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the submersion tank is a container comprising a cavity capable of holding liquid selected from a group consisting of a swimming pool, wading pool, bathtub, and a hot tub.

3. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the enveloping medium is water.

4. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the waterproof head-mounted display further comprises;

a head strap to secure the display to the head of the user;

a 3D stereoscopic camera with two lenses to provide a source of real-world images;

a screen to show virtual images;

a plurality of lenses to enlarge and view the screen image in parallax, so that the user may see a 3D virtual image, a real image, boot image, or combinations thereof;

at least one sensor to send location and speed data to the computer/controller;

an outer-membrane, outer-wrapping, outer-compartment, coating, or sealant to protect the electronic components in the head-mounted display from liquid damage.

5. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the waterproof head-mounted display further comprises a waterproof containment area for the computer/controller.

6. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 1 wherein two hand sensors are attached to the user to send location and speed data to the computer/controller.

7. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of sensors are attached to the user to track the user'"'"'s movements.

8. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronic surface sensors are positioned on the surface of the enveloping medium and send horizontal and vertical position data to the computer/controller to define the submersible area and liquid level.

9. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the submersible area is defined by four electronic surface sensors.

10. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computer/controller further comprises;

a communication link for communicating with all of the sensors in the virtual reality system;

a graphics processing unit to generate the virtual reality video input signal sent to the waterproof head-mounted display;

a microprocessor-controlled transceiver that both receives real-time rate of change, horizontal, and vertical positional data from a plurality of sensors worn by the user, and also transmits the positional data in real-time to the waterproof head-mounted display;

an input device the user can use for selecting and viewing virtual reality environments.

11. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the communications link is selected from the group consisting of a wired connection and a wireless connection.

12. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the head-mounted display and computer/controller are linked through wireless communication.

13. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the head-mounted display is connected to and powered by the computer/controller.

14. :

The 3D virtual reality system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the computer/controller is a mobile cellular telephone.

15. :

The 3D virtual reality system according to claim 1 wherein the user is partially submerged and is not attached to a breathing apparatus.

16. :

A method, comprising

applying the 3D virtual reality system according to claim 1, wherein the user adopts a position within the submersible area such that one or more sensors are submerged while one or more sensors are not submerged.

17. :

The method, according to claim 16, wherein the user experiences a virtual reality of partial submersion while the enveloping medium provides buoyancy and resistance to the user.

18. :

The method, according to claim 16, wherein the virtual reality system is applied for gaming, exercising, education, simulation, or entertainment purposes.