SPARSE PROJECTION FOR A VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEM

• US 20160259168A1
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: META Platforms Technologies LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Inventors: KATZ, Dov, LUCKEY, Palmer Freeman, D'AMICO, Samuel Redmond, RICHARDS, Evan M., SHEN, Shizhe, DOLSON, Jennifer Leigh
• Granted Patent: US 10,073,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2027/0174 holographic
• 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 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/14 Details
• 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: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

A virtual reality (VR) includes a sparse projection system configured to generate a plurality of clusters using one or more diffractive optical elements. Each generated cluster has a unique configuration that corresponds to a unique location in a virtual mapping of a local area. The sparse projection system projects the generated clusters throughout the local area. A VR console receives a series of images of the local area from the imaging device, with at least one image includes at least one cluster. The VR console determines a location of a VR headset within the virtual mapping of the local area based at least in part on a configuration of the at least one cluster included in the series of images. Content is generated based at least in part on the determined location of the VR headset and is provided to the VR headset for presentation.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a sparse projection system configured to;

generate a plurality of clusters using one or more diffractive optical elements, each cluster having a unique configuration that corresponds to a unique location in a virtual mapping of a local area, and

project the generated clusters throughout the local area; and

a virtual reality (VR) headset comprising;

an imaging device configured capture a series of images of portions of the local area, at least one image including at least one cluster, and

an electronic display configured to output video information based at least in part on the virtual mapping of the local area; and

a VR console comprising;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive the series of images from the imaging device;

determine a location of the VR headset within the virtual mapping of the local area based at least in part on a configuration of the at least one cluster;

generate content based at least in part on the determined location of the VR headset within the virtual mapping of the local area; and

provide the content to the VR headset for presentation by the electronic display.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a diffractive optical element of the one or more diffractive optical elements, is a computer generated hologram, and the sparse projection system is configured to generate a plurality of clusters by performing an inverse Fourier transform of light output from the diffractive optical element.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the unique configuration for a given cluster is a combination of a spatial configuration that describes a number and arrangement of illuminated regions within the given cluster and a reflectance type that specifies a band of light used to generate the given cluster.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sparse projection system comprises:

a source assembly configured to generate a beam of light and an additional beam of light;

a projection assembly configured to;

generate a set of clusters of the plurality of clusters using a diffractive optical element of the one or more diffractive optical elements and the beam of light, and

project the generated set of clusters throughout a portion of the local area; and

a second projection assembly configured to;

generate an additional set of clusters of the plurality of clusters using an additional diffractive optical element of the one or more diffractive optical elements and the additional beam of light, and

project the generated additional set of clusters throughout an additional portion of the local area.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the beam of light and the additional beam of light have different wavelengths so a reflectance type associated with the set of clusters is different from a reflectance type associated with the additional set of clusters.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the diffractive optical element and the additional diffractive optical elements are configured so spatial configurations for the first set of clusters are the same as spatial configurations for the additional set of clusters.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the beam of light and the additional beam of light are configured a reflectance type associated with the set of clusters is the same as a reflectance type associated with the additional set of clusters.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the diffractive optical element and the additional diffractive optical element are different, so spatial configurations for the set of clusters differ from and spatial configurations for the additional set of clusters.

9. A system comprising:

a sparse projection system comprising;

a source assembly configured to generate one or more beams of light, and

a projection assembly configured to;

generate a plurality of clusters using a diffractive optical element and a beam of the one or more beams of light, each cluster having a unique configuration that corresponds to a unique location in a virtual mapping of a local area, and

project the generated clusters throughout the local area; and

a virtual reality (VR) headset comprising

an imaging device configured capture a series of images of portions of the local area, at least one image including at least one cluster, and

an electronic display configured to output content based at least in part on the virtual mapping of the local area; and

a VR console comprising;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive the series of images from the imaging device;

determine a location of the VR headset within the virtual mapping of the local area based at least in part on a configuration of the at least one cluster;

generate content based at least in part on the determined location of the VR headset within the virtual mapping of the local area; and

provide the content to the VR headset for presentation by the electronic display.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the diffractive optical element is a computer generated hologram, and the sparse projection system is configured to generate the plurality of clusters by performing an inverse Fourier transform of light output from the diffractive optical element.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the unique configuration for a given cluster is a combination of a spatial configuration that describes a number and arrangement of illuminated regions within the given cluster and a reflectance type that specifies a band of light used to generate the given cluster.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sparse projection system further comprises:

an additional projection assembly configured to;

generate an additional plurality of clusters using an additional diffractive optical element and an additional beam of light of the one or more beams of light, and

project the generated additional plurality of clusters throughout the local area.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the beam of light and the additional beam of light are different wavelengths such that a reflectance type associated with the plurality of clusters is different from a reflectance type associated with the additional plurality of clusters.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the diffractive optical element and the additional diffractive optical element are the same, so spatial configurations for the plurality of clusters and spatial configurations for the additional plurality of clusters are the same.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the beam of light and the additional beam of light are the same such that a reflectance type associated with the set of clusters is the same as a reflectance type associated with the additional set of clusters.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the diffractive optical element and the additional diffractive optical element are different, so spatial configurations for the plurality of clusters and spatial configurations for the additional plurality of clusters are different.

17. A system comprising:

a sparse projection system comprising;

a source assembly configured to generate one or more beams of light, and

a projection assembly configured to;

generate a plurality of clusters using a diffractive optical element and a beam of the one or more beams of light, each cluster having a unique configuration that corresponds to a unique location in a virtual mapping of a local area, and

project the generated clusters throughout the local area; and

a VR console comprising;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive the series of images from an imaging device, at least one image including at least one cluster;

determine a location of a VR headset within the virtual mapping of the local area based at least in part on a configuration of the at least one cluster;

generate content based at least in part on the determined location of the VR headset within the virtual mapping of the local area; and

provide the content to the VR headset for presentation by the electronic display.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a diffractive optical element of the one or more diffractive optical elements is a computer generated hologram, and the sparse projection system is configured to generate the plurality of clusters by taking an inverse Fourier transform of light output from the diffractive optical element.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the sparse projection system further comprises:

a source assembly configured to generate the beam of light and an additional beam of light;

a projection assembly configured to;

generate a set of clusters of the plurality of clusters using a diffractive optical element of the one or more diffractive optical elements and the beam of light, and

project the generated set of clusters throughout a portion of the local area; and

an additional projection assembly configured to;

generate an additional set of clusters of the plurality of clusters using an additional diffractive optical element of the one or more diffractive optical elements and the additional beam of light, and

project the generated additional set of clusters throughout an additional portion of the local area.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the unique configuration for a given cluster is a combination of a spatial configuration that describes a number and arrangement of illuminated regions within the given cluster and a reflectance type that specifies a band of light used to generate the given cluster.