Augmented reality proximity sensing

• US 9,606,612 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2010
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Milford, Peter N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boddie, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARKER, JEFFREY ALAN
• Application Number:
  US13/148,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20120056847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,443 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• 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 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/02 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for employing proximity sensing mechanisms in augmented reality (AR) systems. Sensors strategically placed on AR eyeglasses in locations such as right and/or left arms, bridge, or flip-up feature of the eyeglasses may be used to detect AR eyeglass usage for power management and/or to provide user interface elements like volume control, display controls, user input, and comparable ones. According to some examples, the sensors may be mechanical sensors, capacitive sensors, optical sensors, inductive sensors, magnetic sensors, and/or similar components.

Claims

1. A system configured to adaptively power a wearable augmented reality (AR) display based on proximity sensors, the system comprising:

a plurality of proximity sensors attached to one or more of a left arm, a right arm, a bridge, and a rim of the wearable AR display, wherein the proximity sensors are configured to generate a detection signal, wherein the detection signal indicates one or more of a position of a wearer'"'"'s head, and a status of the wearable AR display; and

a processor configured to;

determine the position of the wearer'"'"'s head based on the detection signal from the proximity sensors based on;

construction of filtered time averages <

M1>

, <

M2>

, <

M3>

, <

M 4>

, for capacitance measurements determined by at least one of the proximity sensors based on a capacitance associated with the wearer'"'"'s head and a capacitance associated with the wearer'"'"'s shoulder, wherein;

at least four capacitance sensors are employed to determine the capacitance measurements such that at least four capacitance measurements, M1, M2, M3, and M4, are determined, and

filtered signals based on the capacitance measurements and the filtered time averages are determined by formula;

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the proximity sensors include one or more of an inductive sensor, a magnetic sensor, a sonar sensor, an optical sensor, an Eddy-current sensor, a mechanical switch, or a thermal infrared sensor.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the proximity sensors includes a capacitance sensor configured to allow for determination of the capacitance measurements.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of the proximity sensors are configured to receive user input to control at least one operational parameter of the wearable AR display.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a movable part attached to the rim of the wearable AR display through at least one hinge, wherein the movable part includes at least one additional sensor.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the movable part includes one of a display or a cover that blocks a see-through component of the wearable AR display.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the status of the wearable AR display includes the movable part being in one of a flipped up position and a flipped down position.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the position of the movable part is determined based on detection by one of the at least one hinge and the at least one additional sensor.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the capacitance measurement, C_total, is determined by formula, C_shoulder+C_head, wherein C_shoulder includes the capacitance associated with the wearer'"'"'s shoulder and C_head includes the capacitance associated with the wearer'"'"'s head.

9. A system configured to adaptively power a wearable augmented reality (AR) display based on proximity sensors, the system comprising:

a plurality of proximity sensors attached to one or more of a left arm, a right arm, a bridge, and a rim of the wearable AR display;

at least one of the proximity sensors includes a capacitance sensor that is coupled to a reference node, wherein the capacitance sensor is configured to measure a value difference in capacitance between the reference node and an external node, and wherein the at least one of the proximity sensors is configured to determine capacitance measurements based on a capacitance associated with a wearer'"'"'s head and a capacitance associated with the wearer'"'"'s shoulder; and

a voltage measurement device coupled to the capacitance sensor, wherein the voltage measurement device is configured to receive the value difference and the capacitance measurements as input, and is further configured to provide data output that allows for a determination as to when to provide power to the wearable AR display, the data output including at least a position of the wearer'"'"'s head determined by;

construction of filtered time averages <

M1>

, <

M2>

, <

M3>

, <

M4>

, for the capacitance measurements determined by the at least one of the proximity sensors, wherein;

at least four capacitance sensors are employed to determine the capacitance measurements such that at least four capacitance measurements, M1, M2, M3, and M4, are determined, and

filtered signals based on the capacitance measurements and the filtered time averages are determined by formula;

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the reference node includes a reference capacitance.

11. The system according to claim 9 wherein the external node includes a person.

12. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a processor coupled to the voltage measurement device, wherein the processor is configured to receive the data output from the voltage measurement device, compare the data output to a plurality of stored values in a look-up table, and make the determination when to provide power to the wearable AR display.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to transition the wearable AR display into a low power mode in response to the comparison of the data output to the plurality of stored values.

14. A method to control operational aspects of a wearable augmented reality (AR) display through proximity sensors, the method comprising:

receiving a sense signal from at least one of a plurality of proximity sensors attached to one or more of a left arm, a right arm, a bridge, and a rim of the wearable AR display, wherein the at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors includes a capacitance sensor configured to measure a value difference in capacitance between a reference capacitance and a wearer of the wearable AR display to determine a value of the received sense signal, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors is configured to determine capacitance measurements based on a capacitance associated with the wearer'"'"'s head and a capacitance associated with the wearer'"'"'s shoulder, the capacitance sensor powered by an oscillator through the reference capacitance;

determining one or more of a position of the wearer'"'"'s head, a user input, and a status of the wearable AR display based on at least one of the received sense signal and the capacitance measurements, wherein the value of the received sense signal is compared to expected values in a look-up table to determine the user input and the status of the wearable AR display, and wherein the position of the wearer'"'"'s head is determined based on the capacitance measurements by constructing filtered time averages <

M1>

, <

M2>

,<

M3>

, <

M4>

, for the capacitance measurements determined by the at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors, wherein;

at least four capacitance sensors are employed to determine the capacitance measurements such that at least four capacitance measurements, M1, M2, M3, and M4, are determined, and

filtered signals based on the capacitance measurements and the filtered time averages are determined by formula;

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the action associated with the operational aspect of the wearable AR display includes one or more of powering up the wearable AR display, powering down the wearable AR display, transitioning the wearable AR display into a low power mode, adjusting audio controls, and adjusting display controls.

16. A computer-readable memory device having instructions stored thereon to control operational aspects of a wearable augmented reality (AR) display through sensors, the instructions being executable to perform operations comprising:

at a plurality of proximity sensors attached to one or more of a left arm, a right arm, a bridge, and a rim of the wearable AR display, wherein at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors includes a capacitance sensor, to sense one or more of a position of a wearer'"'"'s head, a user input, and a status of the wearable AR display based on a received sense signal;

at a processor, determine whether to power up or power down the wearable AR display based on the status of the wearable AR display, wherein the status is determined by comparision of a value of the received sense signal to expected values in a look-up table, the value of the received sense signal determined by the capacitance sensor by measurement of a value difference in capacitance between a reference capacitance and the wearer;

at the processor, determine the position of the wearer'"'"'s head based on capacitance measurements determined by the at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors that includes the capacitance sensor based on a capacitance associated with the wearer'"'"'s head and a capacitance associated with the wearer'"'"'s shoulder by;

construction of filtered time averages <

M1>

, <

M2>

, <

M3>

, <

M4>

, for the capacitance measurements determined by the at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors, wherein;

at least four capacitance sensors are employed to determine the capacitance measurements such that at least four capacitance measurements, M1, M2, M3, and M4, are determined, and

filtered signals based on the capacitance measurements and the filtered time averages are determined by formula;

17. The computer-readable memory device of claim 16, wherein the status of the wearable AR display includes one or more of arms of the wearable AR display being in one of an open position or a closed position and a movable part of the wearable AR display being in one of a flipped up position or a flipped down position.