Interactive virtual reality systems and methods

• US 9,542,011 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EON Reality, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EON Reality, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Yazhou, Li, Erbo, Kjallstrom, Jan, Johansson, Mats
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph G
• Application Number:
  US14/247,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20150283460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 434/11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 3/0308 comprising a plurality of distinctive and separately oriented light emitters or reflectors associated to the pointing device, e.g. remote cursor controller with distinct and separately oriented LEDs at the tip whose radiations are captured by a photo-detector associated to the screen
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

An immersive virtual reality system for larger, theater-sized audiences is disclosed. The system enables multiple users to collaborate or work together as a group, or enable groups to compete. Users interact with the virtual reality system through the manipulation of handheld interactive devices. Each device has multiple lights forming a pattern. Tracking sensors monitor the handheld devices, and the system interprets the motions of the users and dynamically changes the virtual reality environment based on the motions of the users. The system may assign unique roles for users within a group.

Claims

1. A system for tracking a plurality of handheld interactive devices, the system comprising:

a virtual reality environment for a plurality of users;

a plurality of interactive devices, each interactive device comprising;

a housing having a barrel section and a handle section;

a plurality of light emitting markers positioned within the barrel section, the light emitting markers spaced apart forming a pattern generally aligned with an expected trajectory of a virtual projectile, wherein

a combination of the light emitting markers are encoded to emit a unique light pattern representing respective interactive devices, and wherein

a first light emitting marker within the plurality of light emitting markers for each interactive device blinks in a first pulsing rate according to a first encoded frequency different than a second pulsing rate and a second encoded frequency of a second light emitting marker within the plurality of light emitting markers of the same interactive device,

the first light emitting marker is uniquely identifiable from any other light emitting markers in the system by the first pulsing rate, and

the interactive device is uniquely identifiable from any other interactive devices in the system when at least one of the light emitting markers attached to the interactive device is uniquely identified;

a translucent cover essentially surrounding the light emitting markers and allowing light to radiate in nearly 360 degree far field emission pattern;

a trigger mechanism positioned on the handle section; and

,

a controller coupled to the trigger mechanism and providing electrical current to the light emitting markers, the controller communicating trigger events;

a plurality of sensors monitoring the interactive devices for light signals and trigger events, the plurality of sensors outputting real-time device current status for each of the interactive devices; and

,

a system controller configured to;

receive the real-time current status for each of the devices, and

update the virtual reality environment.

2. The system for tracking a plurality of handheld interactive devices of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting markers for each interactive device comprises a first and a second light positioned co-linearly and parallel with the expected trajectory of the virtual projectile.

3. The system for tracking a plurality of handheld interactive devices of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting markers for each interactive device comprises a first, a second, and a third light positioned co-linearly and parallel with the expected trajectory of a virtual projectile.

4. The system for tracking a plurality of handheld interactive devices of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting markers for each interactive device comprises a first and a second light positioned co-linearly and parallel with an expected trajectory of the virtual projectile, and a third light positioned offset from expected trajectory of the virtual projectile.

5. The system for tracking a plurality of handheld interactive devices of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting markers for each interactive device comprises a first and a second light positioned co-linearly and parallel with an expected trajectory of a virtual projectile, and a third and a fourth light positioned offset from expected trajectory of the virtual projectile.

6. The system for tracking a plurality of handheld interactive devices of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors monitoring the interactive devices for light signals and trigger events monitor the light signals asynchronously from the monitoring of the trigger events.

7. The system for tracking a plurality of handheld interactive devices of claim 1, wherein the system controller is further configured for disabling a specific interactive device.

8. The system for tracking a plurality of handheld interactive devices of claim 1, wherein the system controller is further configured for permanently enabling a specific interactive device.

9. The system for tracking a plurality of handheld interactive devices of claim 1, where updating the virtual reality environment comprises altering a virtual object in the virtual reality environment.

10. A handheld interactive device comprising:

a housing having a barrel section and a handle section;

a plurality of lights positioned within the barrel section, the lights spaced apart and encoded so that in combination, each of the plurality of lights is encoded to emit light according to a unique blinking pulse rate that is different from other lights in the plurality of lights;

a translucent cover essentially surrounding the lights and allowing light to radiate in a nearly 360 degree far field emission pattern;

a trigger mechanism positioned on the handle section; and

,

a handheld interactive device controller coupled to the trigger mechanism and providing electrical current to the lights, the handheld interactive device controller communicating trigger events to a system controller.

11. The handheld interactive device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of lights are a first and a second light positioned co-linearly and parallel with the expected trajectory of the virtual projectile.

12. The handheld interactive device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of lights are a first, a second, and a third light positioned co-linearly and parallel with the expected trajectory of a virtual projectile.

13. The handheld interactive device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of lights are a first and a second light positioned co-linearly and parallel with an expected trajectory of the virtual projectile, and a third light positioned offset from expected trajectory of the virtual projectile.

14. The handheld interactive device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of lights are a first and a second light positioned co-linearly and parallel with an expected trajectory of a virtual projectile, and a third and a fourth light positioned offset from expected trajectory of the virtual projectile.

15. The handheld interactive device of claim 10, wherein the controller providing electrical current to the lights further comprising providing a pulsed signal representing a unique identification for the interactive handheld device.

16. A method for providing tracking information of an interactive device, the method comprising:

encoding at least a first marker light and a second marker light for each of a plurality of interactive devices with greater than 2-bit coding, wherein the greater than 2-bit coding for the first marker light is different than the greater than 2-bit coding for the second marker light;

providing the plurality of interactive devices having encoded marker lights to a plurality of users;

generating pulsed light signals based on the respective greater than 2-bit coding in a unique combination of blinking patterns representing respective encoded marker lights of each interactive device, the pulsed light signal representing a unique identification for each interactive device;

tracking emitted pulsed light from the interactive devices;

determining the lights associated with a particular interactive device based on the pulsed light signal;

determining if one or more lights have been occluded; and

calculating the position and orientation of said interactive device based on the lights of said interactive device which are not occluded.

17. The method for providing tracking information of an interactive device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of marker lights are lights spaced apart forming a configuration generally aligned with an expected trajectory of a virtual projectile.

18. The method for providing tracking information of an interactive device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of lights for each interactive device comprises a first, a second, and a third light positioned co-linearly and parallel with the expected trajectory of a virtual projectile.

19. The method for providing tracking information of an interactive device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of lights for each interactive device comprises a first and a second light positioned co-linearly and parallel with an expected trajectory of a virtual projectile, and a third and a fourth light positioned offset from expected trajectory of the virtual projectile.