RF TRACKING WITH ACTIVE SENSORY FEEDBACK

• US 20170372524A1
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Position Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Position Imaging, Inc.
• Inventors: Hill, Edward L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,269,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 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: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/292 Multi-camera tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0003 Software-defined radio [SDR] systems, i.e. systems wherein components typically implemented in hardware, e.g. filters or modulators/demodulators, are implented using software, e.g. by involving an AD or DA conversion stage such that at least part of the signal processing is performed in the digital domain digital baseband systems H04L25/00; digital modulation/demodulation H04L27/00; CDMA H04B1/707; TDMA H04B7/2643; image transmission H04N5/00

Abstract

A system includes a wireless device having a radio frequency (RF) receiver, an RF transmitter, and means for producing sensory feedback to a user of the wireless device. A position-tracking system includes at least three antennae. The position-tracking system computes a multi-dimensional position of the wireless device using triangulation or trilateration based on time of arrival information from radio signals transmitted by the RF transmitter of the wireless device and received by each of the at least three antennae. A processor receives the multi-dimensional position of the wireless device determined by the position-tracking system, correlates the multi-dimensional position to a point of interest registered with an interactive software program that produces a virtual reality environment, and generates, in response to the multi-dimensional position correlated with the registered point of interest, data configured to activate the sensory feedback producing means of the wireless device.

Claims

1. A system for providing sensory feedback to a wireless device, the system comprising:

a system controller including a processor configured to receive data representing a physical multi-dimensional position of an object within a physical three-dimensional environment, to correlate, when the data are received, the physical multi-dimensional position of the object to a point of interest registered within a computer program, and to generate haptic data in response to the physical multi-dimensional position of the object being correlated with the registered point of interest; and

an interface, including a radio frequency (RF) transmitter that transmits radio signals with the haptic data generated by the processor of the system controller to the wireless device, to produce sensory feedback.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface, includes an RF receiver that receives haptic input from the wireless device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device comprises the object, and further comprising an RF tracking system including at least three receiver antennae and a computing device, the at least three receiver antennae receiving radio signals from the wireless device, the computing device being configured to compute the physical multi-dimensional position based on the radio signals received by the at least three receiver antennae.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least three antennae are located on at least two separate base stations.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the interface, comprises a given one of the at least one receiver antennae of the RF tracking system, and the given receiver antennae receives haptic input from the wireless device.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the interface is a first interface, and further comprising a second interface that includes an RF receiver that receives radio signals with haptic input from the wireless device.

7. A method of providing sensory feedback to a wireless device, the method comprising:

registering points of interest within a software program;

receiving radio signals with haptic input transmitted by the wireless device over an RF communication link;

transmitting radio signals to the wireless device with timing information acquired from the received radio signals;

computing, by the wireless device, a physical position of an object within a physical three-dimensional environment based on the timing information transmitted to the wireless device;

correlating the physical position of the object within the physical three-dimensional environment to one of the points of interest registered within the software program; and

generating haptic data configured to activate a particular sensory feedback on the wireless device in response to correlating the physical position of the object to one of the points of interest.