Head tracker system

• US 7,046,215 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2000
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Inventors: Bartlett, Christopher T
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US09/914,838
• Time in Patent Office: 2,267 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 359/630, 359/632, 359/629, 359/815, 382/103
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/163 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/307 by helmet-mounted projector or display G09B9/36 takes precedence; optical parts of head-up displays G02B27/01

Abstract

A head tracker system for determining a user'"'"'s head orientation relative to a datum (22) comprises: a head mounting (2) for attachment to the user'"'"'s head; an optical sensor (12) which in use is located in fixed relation with a known fixed point relative to the head mounting (2) and a plurality of distinguishable markings (18a–18j) each of which when in use is located in fixed relation with a respective known point which is fixed relative to the datum (22). The head tracker further comprises an optical correlator (26) for optically correlating the optical image from the optical sensor (12) with an optical image representative of at least one of said markings (18a–18j); and means (28) for determining the orientation of the head mounting using the output from the optical correlator when it detects that there is correlation between the images.

Claims

1. A head tracker system for determining a user'"'"'s head orientation relative to a datum comprising:

a head mounting for attachment to the user'"'"'s head;

an optical sensor located in fixed relation with a known fixed point relative to the head mounting;

a plurality of distinguishable markings each of which is located in fixed relation with a respective known point which is fixed relative to the datum;

an optical correlator for optically correlating the optical image from the optical sensor with an optical image representative of at least one of said markings; and

means for determining the orientation of the head mounting responsive to an output from the optical correlator detecting that there is correlation between the images.

2. A head tracker system according to claim 1 in which the optical correlator is of the joint transform type.

3. A head tracker according to claim 1, wherein said distinguishable marking comprises a spatial pattern.

4. A head tracker system according to claim 1, wherein said distinguishable marking is defined in part at least by the colour of the marking.

5. A head tracker system according to claim 1 and further comprising one or more marking generators for generating the distinguishable markings.

6. A head tracker system according to claim 5 in which the colour of the markings is defined by the wavelength of the light produced by each marking generator.

7. A head tracker according to claim 1 in which each marking is a substantially collimated image having an axis which is predetermined and which passes through said respective known fixed point.

8. A head tracker system according to claim 1 in which the plurality of markings comprises features of the environment around the user.

9. A head tracker system according to claim 1 in which the optical correlator is operable to sequentially, optically correlate the optical image from the optical sensor with an optical image representative of each of the markings.

10. A head tracker system according to claim 1 in which the means for determining the orientation of the head mounting determines the head mounting orientation by determining where within the field of view of the optical sensor a marking is located.

11. A head tracker system according to claim 1 in which the optical sensor comprises a video camera for capturing the optical image and producing an electrical signal representative of it and converting the electrical signal back to an optical image.

12. A head tracker system according to claim 1 and further comprising a second optical sensor located at a second known fixed point relative to the head mounting or to the fixed datum.

13. A head tracker system according to claim 1 in which the optical correlator is a Vander Lugt type correlator.

14. A head tracker system for determining a user'"'"'s head orientation relative to a datum comprising:

a head mounting for attachment to the user'"'"'s head;

a plurality of distinguishable markings each of which is located in fixed relation with a respective known point which is fixed relative to the head mounting;

an optical sensor located in fixed relation with a known fixed point relative to the datum;

an optical correlator for optically correlating the optical image from the optical sensor with an optical image representative of at least one of said markings; and

means for determining the orientation of the head mounting responsive to an output from the optical correlator detecting that there is correlation between the images.

15. A head tracker system for determining a user'"'"'s head orientation relative to a datum comprising:

a head mounting for attachment to the user'"'"'s head;

an optical sensor located at a known point fixed relative to the head mounting and operable to collect optical scene data representative of the user'"'"'s environment;

an optical correlator for correlating said optical scene data with optical scene data previously captured by said optical sensor to determine the relative movement of the head mounting between the capture of said optical scene data; and

means for determining the orientation of the head mounting from said relative movements.

16. A head tracker system according to claim 15 wherein the environment comprises at least a part of an aircraft cockpit.

17. A head tracker system according to claim 15 and further comprising providing one or more visibly distinguishable markings at respective known points which are fixed relative to the datum.