Moveable headrest for viewing images from different directions

• US 9,274,596 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Susan C. Maguire
• Original Assignee: Susan C. Maguire
• Inventors: Maguire, Francis J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boddie, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro, Leonid
• Application Number:
  US12/273,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20090127899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,660 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 345/32, 345/205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

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 the movements from a changing direction. The moveable headrest apparatus may include either or both the actuator and the sensor.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

a support for supporting a body of a user in viewing images;

a moveable headrest mounted on said support for moving with rotational movements including at least yaw movements with respect to the support and for supporting a head of the user in executing corresponding rotational movements including at least yaw movements with respect to the body of the user while supported by said support and while viewing the images provided from correspondingly changing directions; and

a display for providing the images from the correspondingly changing directions for the viewing by the head of the user from the changing directions in said executing corresponding rotational movements,

an actuator, responsive to a headrest control signal, for causing the moveable headrest to execute the rotational movements with respect to the support including at least yaw movements to guide the head of the user to execute the corresponding rotational movements including at least yaw movements in acting as a passive viewer of the images.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support itself is continuously positionable.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor for sensing movements from a changing direction and providing a sensed signal having a magnitude indicative thereof.