Sedentary virtual reality method and systems

• US 9,298,283 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Connectivity Lab Inc.
• Original Assignee: Connectivity Lab Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Rocky Chau-Hsiung, Kanda, Koichiro, Yamasaki, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttram, Todd
• Application Number:
  US14/850,843
• Time in Patent Office: 201 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/10 Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels

Abstract

Method and devices for creating a sedentary virtual-reality system are provided. A user interface is provided that allows for the intuitive navigation of the sedentary virtual-reality system based on the position of the users head. The sedentary virtual-reality system can render a desktop computing environment. The user can switch the virtual-reality system into an augmented reality viewing mode or a real-world viewing mode that allow the user to control and manipulate the rendered sedentary environment. The modes can also change to allow the user greater situational awareness and a longer duration of use.

Claims

1. A device for creating a sedentary virtual-reality system, comprising:

a display with a plurality of pixels;

a mounting apparatus configured to attach the display to a user'"'"'s head and position the display in front of a user'"'"'s eyes;

a position sensor capable of detecting an angle of use of the display;

a camera capable of capturing live images;

a memory component capable of storing electronic information;

one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, memory component, and camera, and configured to analyze a default angle of the device and a first angle of the device and determine a first viewing mode for using the device;

wherein the first viewing mode is a virtual-reality viewing mode and the one or more processors render three horizontally-placed monitors and a completely rendered background behind the three horizontally-placed monitors that are displayed on the display when in the virtual-reality viewing mode;

the one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, memory component, and camera, are further configured to analyze a second and third angle of the device and determine a second and third viewing mode for using the device;

wherein the second viewing mode is an augmented-reality viewing mode and the one or more processors render a composite image, comprised of two or fewer monitors and a background behind the two or fewer monitors comprised of images captured by the camera in real-time, that are displayed on the display when in the augmented-reality viewing mode; and

wherein the third viewing mode is a real-world mode where images captured by the camera in real time with no rendered content are displayed on the display.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the second viewing angle is one to ten degrees less than the first viewing angle; and

the third viewing angle is one to fifteen degrees less than the second viewing angle.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a networking interface communicatively coupled to the one or more computer processors;

wherein the one or more computer processors has determined the second or third viewing mode for using the device; and

wherein the one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, memory component, and camera, are further configured to perform radio frequency detection, and connect with an input device through the networking interface when the input device is detected by the one or more computer processors.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a networking interface communicatively coupled to the one or more computer processors;

wherein the one or more computer processors has determined the second or third viewing mode for using the device; and

wherein the one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, memory component, and camera, are further configured to analyze one or more images captured by the camera and perform computer vision detection on the one or more images captured by the camera, and connect with an input device through the networking interface when the input device is detected by the one or more computer processors.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a networking interface communicatively coupled to the one or more computer processors;

wherein the one or more computer processors has determined the second or third viewing mode for using the device; and

wherein the one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, memory component, and camera, are further configured to analyze one or more images captured by the camera and perform optical character recognition detection on the one or more images captured by the camera, and connect with an input device through the networking interface when the input device is detected by the one or more computer processors.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the display, the position sensor, the camera, the memory component, and the one or more computer processors are contained within a mobile device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the position sensor, the camera, the memory component, and the one or more computer processors are contained within a mobile device;

and the camera is positioned on the edge of the mobile device such that the camera can face down when the display is positioned in front of a user'"'"'s eyes.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the display, the position sensor, and the camera are contained within a headset.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a networking interface communicatively coupled to the one or more computer processors;

wherein the one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, memory component, and camera, are further configured to detect other devices capable of sharing content; and

wherein the one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, memory component, and camera, are further configured the processor is further configured to render the virtual-reality content to share with the other devices capable of sharing.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the display is partitioned into a left-eye viewing area and a right-eye viewing area that each display different images.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the first, default angle of the device can be set by a user when the user is lying down.

12. A device for creating a sedentary virtual-reality system, comprising:

a display with a plurality of pixels;

a position sensor capable of detecting an angle of use of the display;

a camera capable of capturing live images;

a memory component capable of storing electronic information;

a networking interface capable of wirelessly communicating with other devices;

one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, position sensor, cameras, memory component, and networking interface;

wherein the display, position sensor, camera, memory component, networking interface, and one or more computer processors are contained within a mobile device;

a mounting apparatus configured to hold the mobile device position the display in front of a user'"'"'s eyes;

wherein, the one or more computer processors are configured to analyze angle of use of the display information received from the position sensor, and determine if the angle is between a first angle range, second angle range, or third angle range;

wherein the first angle range corresponds to a virtual-reality viewing mode and the one or more processors render three monitors that are displayed on the display when in the virtual-reality viewing mode;

wherein the second angle range corresponds to an augmented-reality viewing mode and the one or more processors render two or fewer monitors when in the virtual-reality viewing mode;

wherein the third angle range corresponds to a real-world viewing mode and the one or more processors render one or more images captured by the camera in the real-world viewing mode; and

wherein the one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, position sensor, cameras, memory component, and networking interface are further configured to detect an input device when in the third angle range and connect with an input device through the networking interface when the input device is detected by the one or more computer processors.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein:

the one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, position sensor, cameras, memory component, and networking interface are further configured to detect an input device by analyzing one or more images captured by the camera and perform computer vision detection or optical character recognition detection on the one or more captured images.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein:

the one or more computer processors, communicatively coupled to the display, position sensor, cameras, memory component, and networking interface are further configured to detect an input device by performing radio frequency detection.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the display is partitioned into a left-eye viewing area and a right-eye viewing area that each display different images.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein:

wherein the first angle range is zero to ten degrees below a default angle;

wherein the second angle range is eleven to fifteen degrees below the default angle; and

wherein the third angle range is sixteen to forty degrees below the default angle.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the default angle of the device can be set by a user when the user is lying down.