Hand-Held Controllers with Light-Emitting Diodes Synchronized to an External Camera

• US 20160364910A1
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Published: 12/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2015
• 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, Higgins, Jason Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 10,532,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• 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: 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A hand-held controller for a virtual-reality system includes an antenna, a grip, a cage coupled to the grip, and a plurality of LEDs on an outer surface of the cage. Wireless signals are received from a remote camera via the antenna. The plurality of LEDs is duty-cycled, which includes turning on the plurality of LEDs at times determined using the wireless signals. The times when the plurality of LEDs is turned on correspond to times when the remote camera captures images of the hand-held controller.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a hand-held controller for a virtual-reality system, the hand-held controller comprising an antenna, a grip, a cage coupled to the grip, and a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on an outer surface of the cage;

receiving wireless signals from a remote camera via the antenna; and

duty-cycling the plurality of LEDs, the duty-cycling comprising turning on the plurality of LEDs at times determined using the wireless signals;

wherein the times when the plurality of LEDs is turned on correspond to times when the remote camera captures images of the hand-held controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the receiving comprises receiving a first wireless signal from the remote camera; and

the duty cycling comprises turning on at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs in response to the first wireless signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first wireless signal is a respective beacon signal in a sequence of beacon signals transmitted periodically by the remote camera.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein turning on at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs in response to the first wireless signal comprises turning on at least a portion of the LEDs for a specified duration in response to the first wireless signal.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the receiving further comprises receiving a second wireless signal from the remote camera after receiving the first wireless signal; and

the duty cycling further comprises, in response to the second wireless signal, turning off the LEDs that were turned on in response to the first wireless signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the hand-held controller further comprises a clock;

the method further comprising synchronizing the clock with the remote camera using the wireless signals; and

duty-cycling the plurality of LEDs comprises turning on the plurality of LEDs at specified clock times.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein duty-cycling the plurality of LEDs further comprises turning off the plurality of LEDs at specified clock times.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein duty-cycling the plurality of LEDs comprises turning on the plurality of LEDs at the specified clock times for a specified duration.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the remote camera is positioned in front of a user; and

the duty-cycling comprises duty-cycling LEDs on a portion of the cage that faces the remote camera when the user holds the hand-held controller in a neutral position.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the remote camera is positioned on a head-mounted display worn by a user; and

the duty-cycling comprises duty-cycling LEDs on a portion of the cage that faces the head-mounted display when the user holds the hand-held controller in a neutral position.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before receiving the wireless signals from the remote camera, establishing a wireless connection with the remote camera.

12. A hand-held controller for a virtual-reality system, the hand-held controller comprising:

a grip;

a cage coupled to the grip;

a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on an outer surface of the cage;

an antenna to receive wireless signals; and

an LED driver to duty-cycle the plurality of LEDs in accordance with wireless signals received from a remote camera via the antenna.

13. The hand-held controller of claim 12, wherein the LED driver is to turn on at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs in response to a first wireless signal received from the remote camera.

14. The hand-held controller of claim 13, wherein, in response to a second wireless signal received from the remote camera after the first wireless signal, the LED driver is to turn off the LEDs that were turned on in response to the first wireless signal.

15. The hand-held controller of claim 12, wherein the LED driver is to turn on at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs for a specified duration in response to a first wireless signal received from the remote camera.

16. The hand-held controller of claim 12, further comprising a clock to be synchronized with the remote camera using the wireless signals;

wherein the LED driver is to turn on and off the plurality of LEDs at specified times provided by the clock.

17. The hand-held controller of claim 12, further comprising a clock to be synchronized with the remote camera using the wireless signals;

wherein the LED driver is to turn on the plurality of LEDs at specified times provided by the clock for a specified duration.

18. The hand-held controller of claim 12, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises a plurality of infrared LEDs.

19. The hand-held controller of claim 12, further comprising one or more batteries to power the plurality of LEDs, the antenna, and the LED driver.

20. A hand-held controller for a virtual-reality system, the hand-held controller comprising:

a grip;

a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) positioned to be visible to a remote camera; and

means for duty-cycling the plurality of LEDs in synchronization with image capturing performed by the remote camera.