Head-tracking based selection technique for head mounted displays (HMD)

• US 9,500,867 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: Hennelly, Sean, Andrews, Nathan, Parkinson, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H
• Application Number:
  US14/540,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

A method of performing a hands-free selection of an object on a display includes displaying various objects within a screen view on a display, and moving a pointer-timer, in response to movements of the headset computer, to a selectable object within the screen view. The method further includes selecting the selectable object if the pointer-timer overlaps the selectable object for a predetermined amount of time. The method may further include transitioning the pointer-timer from a first state to a second state over a predetermined period of time. The pointer-timer may include a collection of elements that sequentially transitions from the first state to the second state, such that the collection of elements gradually changes from all being in the first state to all being in the second state.

Claims

1. A headset computer comprising:

a display having screen views showing various objects; and

a processor coupled to the display and operating a graphical user interface in the screen view, the graphical user interface including a pointer-timer, displayed within a screen view and movable within the screen view in relation to movements of the user'"'"'s head, that indicates working of object selection in the screen view;

the pointer-timer transitions from a first state to a second state over a first predetermined period of time while the pointer-timer overlaps a selectable object within the screen view, and the pointer-timer reverts to the first state gradually over a second predetermined period of time when the pointer-timer ceases to overlap the selectable object.

2. The headset computer of claim 1, wherein the pointer-timer includes a collection of elements that sequentially transition from the first state to the second state, such that the collection of elements gradually changes from all being in the first state to all being in the second state.

3. The headset computer of claim 2, wherein the pointer-timer is circular, and the collection of elements is distributed along the perimeter of the pointer-timer.

4. The headset computer of claim 1, wherein the first state is a substantially complete absence of a characteristic, and the second state is a substantially complete presence of the characteristic.

5. The headset computer of claim 4, wherein the characteristic is one or more of color, shading, cross-hatching, visual texturing.

6. The headset computer of claim 1, wherein if the pointer-timer remains overlapped with the selectable object when the pointer-timer reaches the second state, the selection of the selectable object is consummated.

7. A method of performing a hands-free selection of an object on a display, comprising:

on headset computer, including a processor,

displaying various objects within a screen view on a display;

moving a pointer-timer displayed within the screen view, in response to movements of the headset computer, to a selectable object within the screen view;

selecting the selectable object if the pointer-timer overlaps the selectable object for a predetermined amount of time;

the pointer-timer transitioning from a first state to a second state over a first predetermined period of time while the pointer-timer overlaps a selectable object within the screen view, and the pointer-timer reverting to the first state gradually over a second predetermined period of time when the pointer-timer ceases to overlap the selectable object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the pointer-timer includes a collection of elements that sequentially transition from the first state to the second state, such that the collection of elements gradually changes from all being in the first state to all being in the second state.

9. The headset computer of claim 8, wherein the pointer-timer is circular, and the collection of elements is distributed along the perimeter of the pointer-timer.

10. The headset computer of claim 7, wherein the first state is a substantially complete absence of a characteristic, and the second state is a substantially complete presence of the characteristic.

11. The headset computer of claim 10, wherein the characteristic is one or more of color, shading, cross-hatching, visual texturing.

12. The headset computer of claim 7, further including consummating the selection of the selectable object if the pointer-timer remains overlapped with the selectable object when the pointer-timer reaches the second state.