Mobile Virtual Reality Projector

• US 20090046140A1
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Joshua O., Sprague, Randall B., DeJong, Christian Dean, Lashmet, David, Schaaf, Michael L., Rosen, Andrew T.
• Application Number:
  US12/134,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/51
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0261 in the context of movement of objects on the screen or movement of the observer relative to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3161 using laser light sources using laser beams scanning the display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability

Abstract

A spatially aware apparatus includes a projector. Projected display contents can change based on the position, motion, or orientation of the apparatus. The apparatus may include gyroscope(s), accelerometer(s), global positioning system (GPS) receiver(s), radio receiver(s), or any other devices or interfaces that detect, or provide information relating to, motion, orientation, or position of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a stereo projection apparatus to produce left and right display images that when combined produce a stereoscopic image; and

a spatially aware processing device to cause the stereo projection apparatus to change the stereoscopic image based at least in part on movement of the stereo projection apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one sound output device responsive to the spatially aware processing device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the at least one sound output device comprises a stereo output device, and the spatially aware processing device is operable to modify sound produced by the stereo output device in response to the movement of the stereo projection apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spatially aware processing device is operable to modify an apparent inter-ocular distance between the left and right display images.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one sensor to provide a representation of a real world object, and wherein the spatially aware processing device is operable to synthesize the representation of the real world object with a virtual world to produce the first and second display images.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stereo projection apparatus comprises a micro-electrical mechanical system (MEMS) mirror.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stereo projection apparatus comprises two projectors with polarized outputs.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the two projectors are operable to produce circularly polarized outputs.

9. A projection display apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor to sense a real world object and to provide a real world object representation;

a data source to provide a virtual world representation;

a motion sensor;

a processing element to synthesize the real world object representation and the virtual world representation in response to the motion sensor; and

a three-dimensional (3D) projection apparatus to display a 3D image provided by the processing element.

10. The projection display apparatus of claim 9 wherein the 3D projection apparatus comprises a micro-electrical mechanical system (MEMS) mirror.

11. The projection display apparatus of claim 9 wherein the 3D projection apparatus comprises two projectors with polarized outputs.

12. The projection display apparatus of claim 11 wherein the two projectors are operable to produce circularly polarized outputs.

13. The projection display apparatus of claim 11 wherein the processing element is operable to modify an apparent inter-ocular distance between images produced by the two projectors.

14. The projection display apparatus of claim 9 further comprising at least one sound input device, wherein the processing element is operable to modify the 3D image based on received sound.

15. The projection display apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a stereo sound output device, wherein the processing element is operable to modify a stereo sound output based on information received from the motion sensor.

16. A method comprising:

detecting motion of a projector displaying a three dimensional (3D) image; and

modifying the 3D image in response to the motion.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising modifying a binaural audio output in response to the motion.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

sensing a real world object to produce a representation of the real world object; and

synthesizing the representation of the real world object with a representation of a virtual world to create the 3D image.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising modifying an apparent inter-ocular distance used to generate the 3D image.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising providing tactile force feedback in response to the motion.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising modifying the 3D image based on received sound.