Focus control for virtual objects in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) displays

• US 9,996,984 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2016
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Haseltine, Eric C., Goslin, Michael P., Olson, Joseph L., Smith, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Frank
• Application Number:
  US15/202,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20180012417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6653 for altering the visibility of an object, e.g. preventing the occlusion of an object, partially hiding an object
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• 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 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• 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 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts

Abstract

Embodiments described herein include an optical system, and associated method and computer program product. The optical system comprises one or more display devices, and one or more computer processors configured to transmit display signals comprising at least one virtual object for updating imagery displayed by the display devices, and to selectively defocus a focus of the virtual object.

Claims

1. An optical system comprising:

one or more display devices configured to display imagery;

an optical arrangement comprising one or more optical elements, the optical arrangement defining a field of view relative to an optical reference point, wherein the one or more optical elements comprise;

a beam-splitter disposed within the field of view and configured to cause the displayed imagery to appear in a focal plane within the field of view; and

one or more computer processors configured to;

transmit display signals for updating the displayed imagery, wherein the displayed imagery comprises a virtual object having a computed depth; and

selectively defocus a focus of the virtual object, wherein selectively defocusing a focus of the virtual object comprises;

adjusting a viewer parameter responsive to determining that the computed depth of the virtual object is outside a predetermined eye comfort range defined relative to the focal plane.

2. The optical system of claim 1, wherein selectively defocusing a focus of the virtual object is based on stored mental or emotional state information.

3. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the viewer parameter comprises an inter-pupillary distance.

4. The optical system of claim 1, wherein selectively defocusing a focus of the virtual object comprises adjusting properties of the one or more optical elements.

5. The optical system of claim 4, wherein the one or more optical elements further comprise:

an eyepiece having a positive optical power; and

an objective having a negative optical power,

wherein adjusting the one or more optical elements comprises adjusting a distance between the eyepiece and the objective.

6. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the viewer parameter comprises a horizontal skew.

7. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to perform a calibration process comprising:

transmitting display signals to display an external fiducial mark on the one or more display devices;

adjusting a position of a virtual calibration object responsive to input received from a user of the optical system; and

setting the viewer parameter responsive to input indicating that the virtual calibration object is aligned with the external fiducial mark.

8. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to perform a calibration process comprising:

transmitting display signals to display an external fiducial mark on the one or more display devices; and

setting the viewer parameter responsive to input indicating which of a plurality of virtual objects are closest to the external fiducial mark.

9. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer processers are further configured to:

adjust the computed depth of the virtual object to within the predetermined eye comfort range.

10. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the one or more display devices and the one or more computer processors are included in a mobile computing device, the optical system further comprising:

a headset comprising a mobile device adapter,

wherein, when the mobile computing device is coupled with the mobile device adapter, the one or more display devices have a predefined positioning relative to the field of view defined by the optical arrangement.

11. A method for operating an optical system comprising one or more optical elements that define a field of view relative to an optical reference point, the method comprising:

using display signals transmitted by one or more computer processors, updating imagery displayed by one or more display devices, wherein the displayed imagery comprises a virtual object having a computed depth, wherein the displayed imagery appears in a focal plane within the field of view using a beam-splitter of the one or more optical elements; and

selectively defocusing, by operation of the one or more computer processors, a focus of the virtual object, wherein selectively defocusing a focus of the virtual object comprises;

adjusting a viewer parameter responsive to determining that the computed depth of the virtual object is outside a predetermined eye comfort range defined relative to the focal plane.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein selectively defocusing a focus of the virtual object is based on stored mental or emotional state information.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the viewer parameter comprises one of an inter-pupillary distance and a horizontal skew.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein selectively defocusing a focus of the virtual object comprises adjusting properties of the one or more optical elements.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more optical elements further comprise:

an eyepiece having a positive optical power; and

an objective having a negative optical power,

wherein adjusting the one or more optical elements comprises adjusting a distance between the eyepiece and the objective.

16. A computer program product for operating an optical system comprising one or more optical elements that define a field of view relative to an optical reference point, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable device having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code executable by one or more computer processors to;

update, using generated display signals, imagery displayed by one or more display devices, wherein the displayed imagery comprises a virtual object having a computed depth, wherein the displayed imagery appears in a focal plane within the field of view using a beam-splitter of the one or more optical elements; and

selectively defocus a focus of the virtual object, wherein selectively defocusing a focus of the virtual object comprises;

adjusting a viewer parameter responsive to determining that the computed depth of the virtual object is outside a predetermined eye comfort range defined relative to the focal plane.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein selectively defocusing a focus of the virtual object is based on stored mental or emotional state information.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the viewer parameter comprises one of an inter-pupillary distance and a horizontal skew.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein selectively defocusing a focus of the virtual object comprises adjusting properties of the one or more optical elements.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the one or more optical elements further comprise:

an eyepiece having a positive optical power; and

an objective having a negative optical power,

wherein adjusting the one or more optical elements comprises adjusting a distance between the eyepiece and the objective.