Compensating for ambient light in augmented or virtual reality systems

• US 9,996,977 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2015
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Connor, Philip, Miller, Samuel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Merouan, Abderrahim
• Application Number:
  US14/705,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20150302658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• 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 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0179 Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• 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 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 : Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 : of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 : 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 : Geometric effects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 : Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 : Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 : involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2213/08 : Animation software package
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2215/16 : Using real world measurements to influence rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/024 : Multi-user, collaborative environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 : Analysis of geometric attributes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 : Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 : Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 : in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/653 : by matching three-dimensional models, e.g. conformal mapping of Riemann surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 : Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/11 : Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field H04S2420/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/15 : Aspects of sound capture and related signal processing for recording or reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/304 : For headphones

Abstract

An augmented reality device comprises one or more sensors to detect a property pertaining to an ambient light, a processor communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors to modify a characteristic associated with a virtual image to be projected to the user of a head-mounted augmented reality system based at least in part on the detected property, and an optical sub-system to project light associated with the virtual image having the modified characteristic.

Claims

1. An augmented reality device, comprising;

one or more sensors to detect at least one property pertaining to an ambient light;

a processor communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors to modify a location of a virtual image to be projected to the user of a head-mounted augmented reality system based at least in part on the at least one detected property; and

an optical sub-system to project light associated with the virtual image at the modified location to the user of the augmented reality device.

2. The augmented reality device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprises a photodiode.

3. The augmented reality device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured for identifying a dark area in the user'"'"'s field of vision based at least in part on the at least one detected property, and wherein the location of the projected virtual image corresponds to the dark area of the user'"'"'s field of vision.

4. The augmented reality device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured for modifying a color intensity of the virtual image based at least in part on the at least one detected property.

5. The augmented reality device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured for selecting one or more additional virtual objects to project to the user based at least in part on the at least one detected property.

6. The augmented reality device of claim 5, wherein the one or more additional virtual objects comprises a halo.

7. The augmented reality device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured for selecting a filter to change an intensity of the light associated with the virtual image based at least in part on the at least one detected property.

8. The augmented reality device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured for selectively illuminating the virtual image based at least in part on the at least one detected property.

9. The augmented reality device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured for modifying a speed of delivery of multiple frames corresponding to the virtual image.

10. The augmented reality device of claim 1, further comprising a spatial backlight configured for selectively illuminating a portion of the projected light, wherein the processor is configured for modifying the spatial backlight based on the at least one detected property.

11. The augmented reality device of claim 10, further comprising a variable focus element (VFE) configured for altering a perceived depth of the light, wherein the processor is configured for modifying the VFE based on the at least one detected property.

12. The augmented reality device of claim 11, wherein the VFE shapes a wavefront associated with the virtual image synchronously with the spatial backlight.

13. The augmented reality device of claim 1, further comprising a low pass filter to identify a movement of the user'"'"'s head relative to the world.

14. The augmented reality device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured for modifying the location of the virtual image based at least in part on the identified head movement.

15. The augmented reality device of claim 1, wherein the ambient light is perceivable by the user.

16. The augmented reality device of claim 15, wherein the ambient light is capable of affecting a quality of the visibility of the virtual image to the user.

17. The augmented reality device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured for modifying the location of the virtual image to improve the visibility of the virtual image to the user in view of the ambient light.

18. The augmented reality device of claim 1, wherein the detected property is a brightness of the ambient light.

19. The augmented reality device of claim 1, wherein the augmented reality device has no control over the ambient light.