Moveable headrest for viewing images from different directions

• US 7,453,451 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2000
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Susan C. Maguire
• Original Assignee: Francis J. Maguire
• Inventors: Maguire, Francis J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro; Leonid
• Application Number:
  US09/524,491
• Time in Patent Office: 3,172 Days
• Field of Search: 345/32, 345/205, 345/7, 345 8- 9, 345/39, 359/464, 359/466, 359/472, 359/476, 359/477, 359630-631, 348/115, 348/121
• US Class Current: 345/205
• 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 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A moveable headrest is mounted on or with respect to a support for supporting a user in viewing images in a standing, seated, or reclining posture. The headrest is for supporting the head of the user in executing head movements with a changing direction-of-view. A display mounted with respect to the user'"'"'s head provides the images. An actuator can be provided for moving the moveable headrest for a passive user. A sensor can be provided for sensing movements of the moveable headrest, i.e., for sensing said movements from a changing direction. The moveable headrest apparatus may include either or both the actuator and the sensor.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

a sensor coupled to a moveable headrest for supporting a user'"'"'s head with respect to a support, responsive to head movements of the user with respect to said support, for providing a sensed signal having a magnitude indicative of differing directions-of-view corresponding to said head movements;

a reality engine, responsive to said sensed signal, for providing an image signal indicative of a sequence of images from differing directions-of-view selected according to said sensed signal and corresponding thereto; and

a display, responsive to said image signal, for providing said sequence of images for viewing by said user from said differing directions-of-view.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said differing directions-of-view include differing left and right directions-of-view.