METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A VIRTUAL SPACE WITH REDUCED MOTION SICKNESS

• US 20170076496A1
• Filed: 08/26/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colopl, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Colopl, Inc.
• Inventors: SHIRAISHI, Taichiro, INOMATA, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 10,139,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A method includes generating a visual field image to be visually recognized by a user within a virtual space image, the virtual space image forming a virtual space within which the user is immersed. The method also includes generating a transitional image to be visually recognized by the user during a transitional period, the visual field image being updated during the transitional period. The method further includes displaying the visual field image and the transitional image using a head mounted display. Generating the transitional image includes one or more of updating the visual field image in synchronization with a movement of the head mounted display; or updating the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display by generating a transitional image having a reduced information amount to be visually recognized by the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a visual field image to be visually recognized by a user within a virtual space image, the virtual space image forming a virtual space within which the user is immersed;

generating a transitional image to be visually recognized by the user during a transitional period, the visual field image being updated during the transitional period; and

displaying the visual field image and the transitional image using a head mounted display,

wherein

generating the transitional image comprises one or more of;

updating the visual field image in synchronization with a movement of the head mounted display; and

updating the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display by generating the transitional image having a reduced information amount to be visually recognized by the user.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein updating the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display further comprises:

updating the visual field image by moving a virtual camera configured to define the visual field image; and

generating the transitional image if a movement amount of the virtual camera exceeds a predetermined amount.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

updating the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display further comprises updating the visual field image by moving a virtual camera configured to define the visual field image toward a direction of a visual axis of the virtual camera, and

the transitional image comprises an image obtained by reducing the information amount to be visually recognized by the user within an area excluding a predetermined range including the visual axis.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein updating the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display further comprises updating the visual field image by moving a virtual camera configured to define the visual field image at a predetermined speed.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined speed is at least 200°

/second if the virtual camera moves so as to revolve about a predetermined point within the virtual space.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined speed is at least 300°

/second if the virtual camera moves so as to revolve about a predetermined point within the virtual space.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to:

generate a visual field image to be visually recognized by a user within a virtual space image, the virtual space image forming a virtual space within which the user is immersed;

generate a transitional image to be visually recognized by the user during a transitional period, the visual field image being updated during the transitional period; and

display the visual field image and the transitional image using a head mounted display,

wherein

to generate the transitional image, the apparatus is caused to one or more of;

update the visual field image in synchronization with a movement of the head mounted display; and

update the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display by generating a transitional image having a reduced information amount to be visually recognized by the user.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein to update the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display, the apparatus is further caused to:

update the visual field image by moving a virtual camera configured to define the visual field image; and

generate the transitional image if a movement amount of the virtual camera exceeds a predetermined amount.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein

to update the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display, the apparatus is further caused to update the visual field image by moving a virtual camera configured to define the visual field image toward a direction of a visual axis of the virtual camera, and

the transitional image comprises an image obtained by reducing the information amount to be visually recognized by the user within an area excluding a predetermined range including the visual axis.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein to update the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display, the apparatus is further caused to update the visual field image by moving a virtual camera configured to define the visual field image at a predetermined speed.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined speed is at least 200°

/second when the virtual camera moves so as to revolve about a predetermined point within the virtual space.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined speed is at least 300°

/second when the virtual camera moves so as to revolve about a predetermined point within the virtual space.

13. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to;

generate a visual field image to be visually recognized by a user within a virtual space image, the virtual space image forming a virtual space within which the user is immersed;

generate a transitional image to be visually recognized by the user during a transitional period, the visual field image being updated during the transitional period; and

display the visual field image and the transitional image using a head mounted display,

wherein

to generate the transitional image, the apparatus is caused to one or more of;

update the visual field image in synchronization with a movement of the head mounted display; and

update the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display by generating a transitional image having a reduced information amount to be visually recognized by the user.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein to update the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display, the apparatus is further caused to:

update the visual field image by moving a virtual camera configured to define the visual field image; and

generate the transitional image if a movement amount of the virtual camera exceeds a predetermined amount.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

to update the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display, the apparatus is further caused to update the visual field image by moving a virtual camera configured to define the visual field image toward a direction of a visual axis of the virtual camera, and

the transitional image comprises an image obtained by reducing the information amount to be visually recognized by the user within an area excluding a predetermined range including the visual axis.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein to update the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display, the apparatus is further caused to update the visual field image by moving a virtual camera configured to define the visual field image at a predetermined speed.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined speed is at least 200°

/second when the virtual camera moves so as to revolve about a predetermined point within the virtual space.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined speed is at least 300°

/second when the virtual camera moves so as to revolve about a predetermined point within the virtual space.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

at least one sensor configured to detect a position of the head mounted display,

wherein the processor is configured to determine an amount of movement of the head mounted display based on the position of the head mounted display detected by the at least one sensor.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the at least one sensor is a component of a sensor unit having a plurality of sensors configured to determine an orientation of the head mounted display, and the apparatus is further configured to determine a direction of movement of the head mounted display based at least on the amount of movement and the orientation of the head mounted display.