Head movement controlled navigation among multiple boards for display in a headset computer

• US 9,817,232 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: Lindley, Craig, Woodall, James, Niland, David, Jacobsen, Jeffrey J., Parkinson, Christopher, Pombo, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US14/827,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20150346489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 345156
• 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: 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 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

To assist with hands-free computing, the Head Mounted Display or Headset Computer utilizes a series of user configurable Home Pages that contain the shortcuts and widgets the user wants and one or more head movements. This allows the user to design a user interface environment which gives desired information, in the desired order.

Claims

1. A navigation and control method for a headset computer comprising:

displaying at a microdisplay of the headset computer a plurality of boards;

receiving at the headset computer an input comprising one or more head movements of a user of the headset computer; and

navigating between the boards in response to the input of the one or more head movements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the boards each include at least one user selected shortcut and operative widget.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying at a headset computer a plurality of boards comprises displaying one board at a time at the headset computer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more head movements are selected from the group consisting of a rotational head movement, a lateral head movement, and a flexion head movement.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein navigating between the boards includes switching between boards that are adjacent in a series of the boards.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the series is user configurable.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein navigating between the boards in response to the input of the one or more head movements includes navigating between the boards at a speed based on the one or more head movements.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein each board is user configurable.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at the headset computer an input comprising one or more head movements includes using an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at the headset computer an input comprising one or more head movements includes using an optical sensor.

11. The method of claim 1, further including navigating within at least one of the boards in response to the input of the one or more head movements.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein navigating within at least one of the boards includes panning or zooming within the board.

13. A headset computer system comprising:

a microdisplay;

a user interface configured to display via the microdisplay a plurality of boards; and

a processor configured to receive an input comprising one or more head movements of a user and navigate between the boards for display in response to the input of the one or more head movements.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the boards each include at least one user selected shortcut and operative widget.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface is configured to display via the microdisplay one board at a time.

16. The system of claim 13, further including an accelerometer for use in determining the one or more head movements of the user.

17. The system of claim 13, further including a gyroscope for use in determining the one or more head movements of the user.

18. The system of claim 13, further including an optical sensor for use in determining the one or more head movements of the user.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more head movements are selected from the group consisting of a rotational head movement, a lateral head movement, and a flexion head movement.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to navigate between the boards in response to the input of the one or more head movements at a speed based on the one or more head movements.