Motion sensing display apparatuses

• US 9,110,502 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Texas Technology Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Atheer, Inc.
• Inventors: Fink, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolotin, Dmitriy
• Application Number:
  US13/329,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20120280903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 345/156
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• 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

Abstract

Motion-sensing display apparatuses supported near a user'"'"'s eye including partially transparent screens at least partially disposed within the user'"'"'s field of vision, image generators positioned to display an image on a first side of the screen, motion capture devices positioned near the screen and configured to capture a user gesture occurring beyond the screen in the user'"'"'s field of vision, and processors in data communication with the image generator and the motion capture device, the processors configured to execute computer executable instructions in response to the user gesture. In some examples, motion-sensing display apparatuses include cameras. In some further examples, image generators display user interfaces on screens.

Claims

1. A motion-sensing display apparatus supported near a user'"'"'s eye, the motion-sensing display apparatus comprising:

a partially transparent screen at least partially disposed within the user'"'"'s field of vision;

an image generator positioned to display an image on a first side of the screen;

a user interface displayed by the image generator on the screen comprised of at least one element which overlays so as to obscure a portion of the scene naturally viewed through the screen;

a motion capture device positioned near the screen and configured to capture user gestures occurring beyond the screen in the user'"'"'s field of vision wherein a first user gesture interacts with at least one of the overlaid user interface elements, and a second user gesture interacts with at least one of the overlaid user interface elements; and

a processor in data communication with the image generator and the motion capture device, the processor configured to execute computer executable instructions in response to the first user gesture in concert with the second user gesture.

2. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute computer executable instructions to manipulate the user interface in response to user gestures.

3. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to execute computer executable instructions to adjust the position of a selected element of the user interface in response to the user moving a finger from a first point to a second point spaced from the second point, wherein the second point is aligned with the user interface within the user'"'"'s field of vision.

4. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion capture device includes a motion capture accessory configured to augment capturing the gesture.

5. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the accessory includes a glove.

6. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the accessory is in data communication with the processor and is configured to communicate with the processor wirelessly.

7. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute computer executable instructions for distinguishing the user from the remainder of a captured scene.

8. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor executes computer executable instructions in response to a portion of the remainder of the captured scene.

9. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to distinguish between gestures made by the user and gestures made by a person other than the user, and execute computer executable instructions in response to the gestures made by the person other than the user.

10. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an eyewear article configured to support the screen and the motion capture device.

11. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion capture device includes an image sensor.

12. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a light source producing illumination substantially aligned with the image sensor, wherein the light source improves the accuracy of the motion capture device without altering the naturally viewed scene'"'"'s appearance.

13. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the light source produces light outside the visual spectrum.

14. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the image sensor includes a depth sensor configured to detect the illumination produced by the light source.

15. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a microphone in data communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute computer executable instructions in response to audio captured by the microphone.

16. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second user gesture is performed by a different hand than the hand performing the first user gesture.

17. The motion-sensing display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the overlaid user interface elements the second user gesture interacts with is different from the at least one of the overlaid user interface elements the first user gesture interacts with.

18. A motion-sensing display apparatus for interpreting a user'"'"'s motion to control software applications, comprising:

an eyewear article including a substantially transparent lens;

an image generator in a position to display an image on the lens;

a user interface displayed by the image generator on the screen comprised of a plurality of elements which overlay so as to obscure a portion of the scene naturally viewed through the screen;

a motion capture device comprising a camera positioned proximate the screen and configured to capture user gestures made in front of the lens; and

a processor in data communication with the image generator and the motion capture device;

wherein a first user gesture performed by a first hand interacts with at least one of the plurality of elements of the overlaid user interface elements, a second user gesture performed by a second hand and in concert with the first user gesture interacts with a second of the plurality of elements of the overlaid user interface elements, and the processor is configured to execute a first set of computer executable instructions in response to the first user gesture, and a second set of computer executable instructions in response to the second user gesture, and the motion capture device can be configured to distinguish between gestures made by the user and gestures made by a person other than the user.

19. A motion-sensing display apparatus for interpreting a user'"'"'s motion to control software applications, comprising:

a partially transparent screen at least partially disposed within the user'"'"'s field of vision;

an image generator in a position to display a user interface on the screen;

a user interface displayed by the image generator on the screen comprised of at least one element which overlays so as to obscure a portion of the scene naturally viewed through the screen;

a motion capture device mounted near the screen and configured to capture a user gesture occurring beyond the screen in the user'"'"'s field of vision and interacting with at least one of the overlaid user interface elements; and

a processor in data communication with the image generator and the motion capture device, the processor configured to manipulate the user interface in response to the user gesture, and configured to execute computer executable instructions to select a screen element generated by the image generator of the user interface in response to the user extending two fingers in parallel and substantially aligning the parallel extended fingers with the selected element in the user'"'"'s field of vision.