Methods and apparatus to align components in virtual reality environments

• US 10,475,254 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2019
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Dearman, David, Li, Chun Yat Frank, Morse, Erica
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Tony O
• Application Number:
  US16/240,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20190139323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 345690
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• 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 27/017 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 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• 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 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2004 Aligning objects, relative positioning of parts

Abstract

Systems, devices, methods, computer program products, and electronic apparatuses for aligning components in virtual reality environments are provided. An example method includes detecting a first input from a handheld controller of a virtual reality system, responsive to detecting the first input, instructing a user to orient a handheld controller in a designated direction, detecting a second input from the handheld controller; and responsive to detecting the second input, storing alignment data representative of an alignment of the handheld controller.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

instructing a user to orient a handheld controller in a targeted direction by;

displaying a target within a scene displayed by a head-mounted display; and

instructing the user to aim the handheld controller at the target;

detecting an input from the handheld controller; and

responsive to detecting the input;

determining an orientation of the handheld controller;

determining an orientation associated with the head-mounted display; and

storing alignment data representative of an alignment of the handheld controller, the alignment data including data representative of an offset between the determined orientation of the handheld controller and the determined orientation associated with the head-mounted display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising aligning at least a portion of a scene displayed by the head-mounted display based on the alignment data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an orientation of the handheld controller with respect to a scene displayed by the head-mounted display based on the alignment data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing alignment data representative of the alignment of the handheld controller comprises storing at least one of a forward/back position, an up/down position, a left/right position, a pitch, a roll, and a yaw.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the head-mounted display is communicatively coupled to the handheld controller.

6. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the computer program product including code that, when executed by processing circuitry, causes the processing circuitry to perform a method comprising:

instructing a user to orient a handheld controller in a designated direction by;

displaying a target within a scene displayed by a head-mounted display that is communicatively coupled to the handheld controller; and

instructing the user to aim the handheld controller at the target;

detecting an input from the handheld controller; and

responsive to detecting the input;

determining an orientation of the handheld controller;

determining an orientation associated with the head-mounted display that is communicatively coupled to the handheld controller; and

storing alignment data representative of an alignment of the handheld controller, the alignment data including data representative of an offset between the determined orientation of the controller and the determined orientation associated with the head-mounted display.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the determining an orientation associated with a head-mounted display includes determining an orientation of the head-mounted display.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the determining an orientation associated with a head-mounted display includes determining a direction in which the user is gazing.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the method further includes aligning at least a portion of a scene displayed by the head-mounted display based on the alignment data.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, the method further includes determining an orientation of the handheld controller with respect to a scene displayed by the head-mounted display based on the alignment data.

11. The computer program product of claim 6, the method further includes determining based on the alignment data an object within a scene displayed by the head-mounted display at which the handheld controller is pointed.

12. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the instructing a user to orient a handheld controller in a designated direction comprises displaying instructions within a scene displayed by the head-mounted display.

13. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

controlling circuitry coupled to the memory and configured to;

detect a first input from a handheld controller;

responsive to detecting the first input;

display a target within a scene displayed by a head-mounted display; and

instruct a user to aim the handheld controller at the target detect a second input from the handheld controller; and

responsive to detecting the second input;

determine an orientation of the handheld controller;

determine an orientation associated with the head-mounted display; and

store alignment data representative of an alignment of the handheld controller, the alignment data including data representative of an offset between the determined orientation of the controller and the determined orientation associated with the head-mounted display.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the detecting the first input comprises detecting an actuation of an input device of the handheld controller.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the detecting the actuation of the input device comprises detecting a press of a button of the handheld controller.

16. The electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the detecting the second input comprises detecting a release of an input device of the handheld controller.

17. The electronic apparatus of claim 16, wherein the detecting the release of an input device comprised detecting the release of a button.

18. The electronic apparatus of claim 13, the controlling circuitry being further configured to coordinate movement of the handheld controller and the head-mounted display in a scene based on the stored alignment data.