Apparatus with moveable headrest for viewing images from a changing direction-of-view

• US RE45,114 E1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Susan C. Maguire
• Original Assignee: Susan C. Maguire
• Inventors: Maguire, Francis J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/832,597
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 348113-124, 345 7- 9, 434 34- 44
• US Class Current: 348/121
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A head guide with a display is attitudinally controlled for guiding the head of a passive viewer wherein the display is for viewing images that are emulative of images viewed by a cameraman with head mounted cameras whose head attitude is monitored for controlling the head guide in synchronism with the images gathered by the cameras. Additionally, the viewer'"'"'s eyes may be induced to follow a sequence of visual fixations at the same time as the passive viewer'"'"'s head is induced to execute attitudinal movements consistent therewith.

Claims

1. Apparatus for assisting a user in viewing images in a standing, seated, or reclining posture, comprising:

a moveable headrest mounted on or with respect to a body support for supporting a body of said user, said moveable headrest attitudinally moveable with respect to said body support for supporting a head of said user in executing attitudinal head movements from a changing direction with respect to said body of said user supported on said body support;

a light source, responsive to a light control signal, for providing light for image viewing by an eye in a said head of the said user acting as a passive viewer; and

an actuator, responsive to a headrest control signal, for causing the said moveable headrest to execute attitudinal movements for emulution by with respect to said body support in urging said attitudinal head movements of said the head of the said user acting as a passive viewer in emulation of said attitudinal movements of said moveable headrest when said head of said user is coupled to said moveable headrest.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said light for image viewing by said eye in said head of said user acting as a passive viewer is of said images provided from said changing direction with respect to said body support while executing said attitudinal head movements and while viewing said images from said changing direction with respect to said body support corresponding to said changing direction of said attitudinal head movements.

3. Apparatus, comprising:

a support for supporting a body of a user in viewing images in a standing, seated, or reclining posture; and

a moveable headrest mounted on or with respect to said support, for moving with rotational movements with respect to said support and supporting a head of said user in executing said rotational movements with respect to said body of said user while viewing said images from a changing direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a display for providing said images for said viewing from said changing direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an actuator for moving said moveable headrest.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a sensor for sensing movements of said moveable headrest.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a sensor for sensing said movements from a changing direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said support is moveable by an actuator.

15. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said rotational movements include left and right rotational movements.

9. Apparatus, comprising a headrest for supporting a head of a user and a support for supporting a body of said user viewing images in a reclining posture with said head of said user resting on said headrest mounted on or with respect to said support, said headrest comprising a movable headrest for supporting said head of said user in executing head movements in a changing direction of said head of said user while viewing images provided from a correspondingly changing direction of view, said head and said headrest moving together in said changing direction with respect to said body and said support.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an actuator connected to said movable headrest for moving said movable headrest with respect to said support for changing said direction of said head of said user in executing head movements with respect to said support.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said actuator is responsive to a command signal from a reality engine for said moving said movable headrest.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a sensor for sensing movements of said movable headrest for providing a sensed signal to said reality engine.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said support is itself positionable.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said support is continuously positionable.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said changing direction includes left and right changes in direction.