FIDUCIAL RINGS IN VIRTUAL REALITY

• US 20180120936A1
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Published: 05/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: META Platforms Technologies LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Inventors: Keller, Sean Jason, Perek, David R., Trutna, Tristan Thomas, Ochs, Garett Andrew, Corson, Nicholas Roy, King, Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 10,088,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2027/0187 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: 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 3/012 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 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• 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 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0693 Calibration of display systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092

Abstract

A virtual reality system enables a user to interact with virtual objects. The system includes a fiducial ring, an imaging device and a console. The fiducial ring includes a ring body that includes a plurality of fiducial markers that each correspond to a different location on the ring body. An imaging device is configured to capture one or more images of the fiducial ring. The console receives the images that include an image of one or more fiducial markers. Based on the received images of the fiducial markers, the console determines a location on the fiducial ring that corresponds to the imaged fiducial marker. The console determines a position of the fiducial ring based on the determined location of the fiducial marker on the fiducial ring. The console provides content to a head mounted display (HMD) based on the determined position of the fiducial ring.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a fiducial ring including;

a ring body that includes a plurality of fiducial markers that each are positioned at different locations on the ring body and each are active devices emitting light, the ring body configured to fit on a portion of a user'"'"'s finger;

an imaging device configured to capture one or more images of the fiducial ring by capturing the light emitted from at least one of the fiducial markers; and

a console comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive the one or more images from the imaging device, the one or more images including an image with a fiducial marker, of the plurality of fiducial markers,

determine a location on the fiducial ring that corresponds to the imaged fiducial marker,

determine a position of the fiducial ring based at least in part on the determined location of the fiducial marker on the fiducial ring, and

provide content to a head-mounted display (HMD) based on the determined position of the fiducial ring.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fiducial ring further comprises a sensor coupled to the ring body, the sensor configured to determine a fine motor movement of the user'"'"'s finger by sensing a motion on the fiducial ring coupled to the user'"'"'s finger.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the fiducial ring further comprises a sensor configured to:

determine a force on the ring body, and

in response to the determination,

generate an information signal including a value of the force, and

transmit the information signal to the system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sensor detects a change in pressure on the sensor to determine the force applied on the ring body.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the fiducial marker is a stationary locatable active device.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a haptic apparatus configured to receive a haptic feedback signal including an actuation signal and an amount of actuation; and

an actuation device coupled to the haptic apparatus, the actuation device configured to actuate the haptic apparatus to provide haptic feedback to a user wherein the haptic feedback is equal to an amount of actuation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fiducial markers are configured in unique combinations.

6. (canceled)

9. A system comprising:

a fiducial ring including;

a ring body that includes a plurality of fiducial markers that each are positioned at different locations on the ring body and each are active devices emitting light;

an imaging device configured to capture one or more images of the fiducial ring by capturing the light emitted from at least one of the fiducial markers; and

a console comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive the one or more image images from the imaging device, the one or more images including an image with a fiducial marker, of the plurality of fiducial markers,

determine a location on the fiducial ring that corresponds to the imaged fiducial marker,

determine a position of the fiducial ring based at least in part on the determined location of the fiducial marker on the fiducial ring, and

provide content to a head-mounted display (HMD) based on the determined position of the fiducial ring.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the fiducial ring further comprises a sensor coupled to the ring body, the sensor configured to determine a movement of a portion of the user'"'"'s body, and wherein the ring body is attached to the portion of the user'"'"'s body.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the fiducial ring further comprises a sensor configured to:

determine a force on the ring body, and

in response to the determination,

generate an information signal including a value of the force, and

transmit the information signal to the system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor detects a change in pressure on the sensor to determine the force applied on the ring body.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the fiducial marker is a stationary locatable active device.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a haptic apparatus configured to receive a haptic feedback signal including an actuation signal and an amount of actuation; and

an actuation device coupled to the haptic apparatus, the actuation device configured to actuate the haptic apparatus to provide haptic feedback to user wherein the haptic feedback is equal to an amount of actuation.

14. (canceled)

16. The system of claim wherein the plurality of fiducial markers are configured in unique combinations.

17. A system comprising:

a fiducial ring including;

a ring body that includes a plurality of fiducial markers that each are positioned at different locations on the ring body and each are active devices emitting light, the ring body configured to fit on a portion of a user'"'"'s finger;

an imaging device configured capture one or more images of the fiducial ring; and

a console configured to provide content to a head-mounted display (HMD) based in part on the one or more images of the fiducial ring.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the fiducial ring further comprises a sensor coupled to the ring body, the sensor configured to determine a fine motor movement of the user'"'"'s finger by sensing a motion on the fiducial ring coupled to the user'"'"'s finger.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the fiducial ring further comprises a sensor configured to:

determine a force on the ring body, and

in response to the determination,

generate an information signal including a value of the force, and

transmit the information signal to the system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the sensor detects a change in pressure on the sensor to determine the force applied on the ring body.