Head mounted display device with automated positioning

• US 9,094,677 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mendis, Indika Charles, Lee, Steven John
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US13/951,086
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0159 with mechanical means other than scaning means for positioning the whole image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• 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 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/332 Displays for viewing with the aid of special glasses or head-mounted displays [HMD]

Abstract

A head mountable display that has an automatic positioning mechanism configured to move a display toward a user'"'"'s resting line of sight when it detects the user is engaging the display. Engagement is detected by comparing the instantaneous eye orientation with the instantaneous display position to see if they are aligned. Upon detecting user engagement, the device may delay a predetermined amount of time prior to moving the display.

Claims

1. A head mountable display device comprising:

a display unit including a display, the display unit being configured to present information to a user via the display;

a mount coupled to the display unit, the mount configured to be worn on the head of the user with the display positionable adjacent to an eye of the user;

a positioning mechanism attached between the mount and the display, the positioning mechanism being configured to move the display relative to the mount;

an eye tracking unit configured to obtain an image of the eye to which the display is adjacent; and

a processor in communication with the eye tracking unit and the positioning mechanism, the processor being configured to;

cause the positioning mechanism to move the display toward an engaged viewing position during a period when an instantaneous eye orientation is aligned with an instantaneous display position; and

cause the positioning mechanism to move the display toward an original viewing position during a period when the instantaneous eye orientation is not aligned with the instantaneous display position.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the engaged viewing position of the display is a position where an ocular resting gaze line intersects a portion of the display.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the original viewing position of the display is a position where the display is in a periphery of the user'"'"'s field of vision when the instantaneous eye orientation is aligned with an ocular resting gaze line.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine the instantaneous display position from data obtained from the positioning mechanism;

determine the instantaneous eye orientation from data obtained from the eye tracking unit;

compare the instantaneous position of the display and the instantaneous eye orientation to determine whether the instantaneous eye orientation is aligned with the instantaneous display position; and

cause the positioning mechanism to move the display toward the engaged viewing position after a determination that the instantaneous eye orientation has been aligned with the instantaneous display position for a predetermined period of time.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the predetermined period of time is greater than a threshold period of time.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor causes the positioning mechanism to move the display toward the engaged viewing position at a first average speed, and wherein the processor causes the positioning mechanism to move the display toward the original viewing position at a second average speed that is greater than the first average speed.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein a ratio of the second average speed to the first average speed is at least 10:

1.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor causes the positioning mechanism to move the display toward the engaged viewing position by movement that is configured to be imperceptible to the user.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to move the display along a semi-spherical plane, the semi-spherical plane having a center positionable near a focal center of the eye of the user.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to move the display along a plurality of axes.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to move the display by causing rotation of the display about an axis.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein determining the instantaneous eye orientation includes inferring a gaze line of the eye, and wherein a determination that the instantaneous eye orientation is aligned with the instantaneous display position includes a determination that the inferred gaze line intersects a portion of the image being displayed.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the mount comprises:

a center support extending in generally lateral directions;

a first side arm extending from a first end of the center support;

a second side arm extending from a second end of the center support; and

an extension arm configured to present the information to the user via the display, the extension arm extending at least partially along the first side arm on a first side of the center support and further extending from the first side arm to a display end that supports the display in a position on a second side of the center support.

14. A head mountable display device comprising:

a mount structure including a center support extending in generally lateral directions, a first side arm extending from a first end of the center support, and an extension arm configured to present the information to the user via the display, the extension arm extending at least partially along the first side arm on a first side of the center support and further extending from the first side arm;

with the display;

a display unit affixed on the side arm and positionable adjacent an eye of the user when the mount structure is worn on the head of a user, the display unit including a display configured to present information to a user via the display;

an eye tracking unit configured to obtain an image of the eye to which the display is adjacent; and

a positioning mechanism attached between the mount and the display, the positioning mechanism being configured to move the display relative to the mount such that the display moves toward an engaged viewing position during a period when an instantaneous eye orientation is aligned with an instantaneous display position, and moves the display toward an original viewing position during a period when the instantaneous eye orientation is not aligned with the instantaneous display position.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the positioning mechanism includes at least one rail.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to translate the display unit relative to the extension arm.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to rotate the extension arm relative to the mounting structure and to rotate the display unit relative to the extension arm.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to translate the extension arm relative to the mounting structure.

19. The device of claim 14, further comprising a processor in communication with the eye tracking unit and the positioning mechanism, the processor being configured to:

determine the instantaneous display position from data obtained from the positioning mechanism;

determine an the instantaneous eye orientation from data obtained from the eye tracking unit;

compare the instantaneous display position and the instantaneous eye orientation to determine whether the instantaneous eye orientation is aligned with the instantaneous display position;

cause the positioning mechanism to move the display toward the engaged viewing position during the period when the instantaneous eye orientation is aligned with the instantaneous display position; and

cause the positioning mechanism to move the display toward an original viewing position during a period when the instantaneous eye orientation is not aligned with the instantaneous display position.

20. A method of positioning a display of a head mountable device, the method comprising:

determining an instantaneous position of a display from data obtained from a positioning mechanism attached between the display and a mount, the mount configured to secure the display to a head of a user and adjacent an eye of the user;

determining an instantaneous eye orientation from data received from an eye tracking unit directed at the eye;

comparing the instantaneous position of the display and the instantaneous eye orientation to determine if the instantaneous eye orientation is aligned with the instantaneous display position;

instructing the positioning mechanism to move the display toward an engaged viewing position during a period when the instantaneous eye orientation is aligned with the instantaneous display position; and

instructing the positioning mechanism to move the display toward an original viewing position during a period when the instantaneous eye orientation is not aligned with the instantaneous display position.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein instructing the positioning mechanism to move the display toward the engaged viewing position is performed after a determination that the instantaneous eye orientation has been aligned with the instantaneous display position for a predetermined period of time.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the movement of the display toward the engaged viewing position is performed at a first average speed, and wherein movement of the display toward the original viewing position is performed at a second average speed that is greater than the first average speed.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the movement of the display toward the engaged viewing position is imperceptible to the user.