Remote controlled vehicle with a head-mounted display apparatus

• US 9,563,202 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2016
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MONKEYmedia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MONKEYmedia, Inc.
• Inventors: McKee, Jim, Strickland, Rachel M., Bear, Eric Justin Gould
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, Ryan R
• Application Number:
  US15/186,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20170031357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 232 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• 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 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 : Geometric effects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 : Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 : Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2215/16 : Using real world measurements to influence rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 : using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 : environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 : Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 : Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 : involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 : involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 : Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 : Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 : defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

In some embodiments, extemporaneous control of remote objects can be made more natural using the invention, enabling a participant to pivot, tip and aim a head-mounted display apparatus to control a remote-controlled toy or full-sized vehicle, for example, hands-free. If the vehicle is outfitted with a camera, then the participant may see the remote location from first-person proprioceptive perspective.

Claims

1. A remote controlled vehicle system, comprising a remote vehicle with an on-board camera and a head-mounted apparatus, wherein the head-mounted apparatus comprises a microprocessor, a visual display and one or more sensors, wherein the head-mounted apparatus is positioned on a person'"'"'s face such that the visual display is positioned in front of the eye(s) of the person and the person'"'"'s line of sight aligns more closely with the z-axis of the visual display than with the y-axis of the visual display, wherein the head-mounted apparatus is configured to:

a. generate a signal to display video from the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera;

b. generate a signal to control the movement of the remote vehicle;

c. generate a signal to establish an orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera;

d. generate a signal to update the location of the remote vehicle along the axis of the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera using x-axisometer data from at least one of the sensors indicating pivot down or pivot up of the head-mounted apparatus and an x-axisometer sensor reference data, wherein said use of x-axisometer sensor data to update the location of the remote vehicle is effectively decoupled from use of v-axisometer sensor data, thereby enabling v-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to be used independently of x-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to update the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera; and

e. generate a signal to update the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera using v-axisometer data from at least one of the sensors indicating pivot left or pivot right of the head-mounted apparatus and a v-axisometer sensor reference data, wherein said use of v-axisometer sensor data to update the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera is effectively decoupled from use of x-axisometer sensor data, thereby enabling x-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to be used independently of v-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to update the location of the remote vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the video from the vehicle'"'"'s camera is produced to appear three-dimensional.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the video from the vehicle'"'"'s camera comprises a videoconference stream.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

a. the updated location of the vehicle is established in the direction of the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera if the x-axisometer data indicates a pivot down posture relative to the x-axisometer sensor reference data; and

b. the updated location of the vehicle is established in the opposite direction of the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera if the x-axisometer data indicates a pivot up posture relative to the x-axisometer sensor reference data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the x-axisometer sensor reference data comprises one or more neutral zone thresholds.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnitude of vehicle'"'"'s location change is based on the x-axisometer data relative to the x-axisometer sensor reference data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

a. the updated orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera is established left if the v-axisometer data indicates an aim left posture relative to the v-axisometer sensor reference data; and

b. the updated orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera is established right if the v-axisometer data indicates an aim right posture relative to the v-axisometer sensor reference data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the v-axisometer sensor reference data comprises one or more neutral zone thresholds.

9. The system of claim 1, further configured to generate a signal to update the location of the vehicle using z-axisometer data from at least one of the sensors indicating tip left or tip right of the head-mounted apparatus and a z-axisometer sensor reference data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

a. the updated location of the vehicle is established in the direction perpendicularly left of the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera if the z-axisometer data indicates a tip left posture relative to the z-axisometer sensor reference data; and

b. the updated location of the vehicle is established in the direction perpendicularly right of the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera if the z-axisometer data indicates a tip right posture relative to the z-axisometer sensor reference data.

11. The system of claim 1, further configured to generate a signal to jump the vehicle to a new location.

12. The system of claim 1, further configured to generate a signal to establish a view lock of the vehicle, wherein control of the location of the vehicle is blocked or control of the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera is blocked or control of both the location of the vehicle and the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera is blocked.

13. A remote controlled vehicle system, comprising a remote vehicle with an on-board camera and a head-mounted apparatus, wherein the head-mounted apparatus comprises a microprocessor, a visual display and one or more sensors, wherein the head-mounted apparatus is positioned on a person'"'"'s face such that the visual display is positioned in front of the eye(s) of the person and the person'"'"'s line of sight aligns more closely with the z-axis of the visual display than with the y-axis of the visual display, wherein the head-mounted apparatus is configured to:

a. generate a signal to display video from the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera;

b. generate a signal to control the movement of the remote vehicle;

c. generate a signal to establish an orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera; and

d. generate a signal to update the location of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera using z-axisometer data from at least one of the sensors indicating tip left or tip right of the head-mounted apparatus and a z-axisometer sensor reference data, wherein said use of z-axisometer sensor data to update the location of the remote vehicle is effectively decoupled from use of v-axisometer sensor data, thereby enabling v-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to be used independently of z-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to update the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera, and;

i. the location of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera is established in the direction perpendicularly left of the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera if the z-axisometer data indicates a tip left posture relative to the z-axisometer sensor reference data; and

ii. the location of the remote vehicle is established in the direction perpendicularly right of the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera if the z-axisometer data indicates a tip right posture relative to the z-axisometer sensor reference data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the video from the vehicle'"'"'s camera is produced to appear three-dimensional.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the z-axisometer sensor reference data comprises one or more neutral zone thresholds.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the magnitude of vehicle change is based on the z-axisometer data relative to the z-axisometer sensor reference data.

17. A remote controlled vehicle system, comprising a remote vehicle with an on-board camera and a head-mounted apparatus, wherein the head-mounted apparatus comprises a microprocessor, a visual display and one or more sensors, wherein the head-mounted apparatus is positioned on a person'"'"'s face such that the visual display is positioned in front of the eye(s) of the person and the person'"'"'s line of sight aligns more closely with the z-axis of the visual display than with the y-axis of the visual display, wherein the head-mounted apparatus is configured to:

a. generate a signal to display video from the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera;

b. generate a signal to control the movement of the remote vehicle;

c. generate a signal to establish an orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera;

d. generate a signal to update the location of the remote vehicle along the axis of the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera using x-axisometer data from at least one of the sensors indicating pivot up or pivot down of the head-mounted apparatus and an x-axisometer sensor reference data, wherein said use of x-axisometer sensor data to update the location of the remote vehicle is effectively decoupled from use of v-axisometer sensor data, thereby enabling v-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to be used independently of x-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to update the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera, and;

i. the location of the remote vehicle is established in the direction of the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera if the x-axisometer data indicates a pivot down posture relative to the x-axisometer sensor reference data;

ii. the location of the remote vehicle is established in the opposite direction of the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera if the x-axisometer data indicates a pivot up posture relative to the x-axisometer sensor reference data; and

iii. the magnitude of remote vehicle location change is based on x-axisometer data relative to x-axisometer sensor reference data; and

e. generate a signal to update the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera using v-axisometer data from at least one of the sensors indicating pivot left or pivot right of the head-mounted apparatus and a v-axisometer sensor reference data, wherein said use of v-axisometer sensor data to update the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera is effectively decoupled from use of x-axisometer sensor data, thereby enabling x-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to be used independently of v-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to update the location of the remote vehicle, and;

i. the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera is established left if the v-axisometer data indicates an aim left posture relative to a v-axisometer sensor reference data; and

ii. the orientation of the remote vehicle'"'"'s camera is established right if the v-axisometer data indicates an aim right posture relative to the v-axisometer sensor reference data.

18. The system of claim 17, further configured to generate a signal to update the location of the vehicle'"'"'s camera using z-axisometer data from at least one of the sensors indicating tip left or tip right of the head-mounted apparatus and a z-axisometer sensor reference data, and:

i. the location of the vehicle is established in the direction perpendicularly left of the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera if the z-axisometer data indicates a tip left posture relative to the z-axisometer sensor reference data;

ii. the location of the vehicle is established in the direction perpendicularly right of the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera if the z-axisometer data indicates a tip right posture relative to the z-axisometer sensor reference data; and

iii. the magnitude of vehicle location change is based on z-axisometer data relative to z-axisometer sensor reference data.

19. The system of claim 17, further capable configured to generate a signal to jump the vehicle to a new location in response to a movement sequence.

20. The system of claim 17, further configured to generate a signal to establish a view lock of the vehicle in response to a movement sequence, wherein the location of the vehicle is locked or the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera is locked or both the location of the vehicle and the orientation of the vehicle'"'"'s camera are locked.