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US 10,596,478 B2Granted
Head-mounted display for navigating a virtual environment
AssigneeMONKEYmedia, Inc.
InventorsEric Justin Gould Bear, Rachel M. Strickland, Jim McKee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In some embodiments, a head-mounted display apparatus with a visual display and one or more sensors may make navigation of virtual environments more natural. The invention enables a participant to pivot, tip and aim the apparatus to orient and move through virtual space hands-free.
Claims51
A virtual environment navigation system comprised of a head-mounted display apparatus, one or more microprocessors, one or more visual displays, and one or more sensors associated with the head-mounted display apparatus, wherein the system is configured to:
- a. generate a virtual environment;
- b. generate a signal to establish a location of a virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- c. generate a signal to establish an orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- and
- d. generate a signal to update the location of the virtual camera in the virtual environment wherein:
- i. a forward velocity of the virtual camera increases as a pivot of the head-mounted display apparatus around its x-axis transitions from (a) a pivot angle corresponding with a pivot down neutral zone threshold to (b) a pivoted down angle corresponding with a maximum forward movement speed;
- and
- ii. the forward velocity of the virtual camera decreases as the pivot of the head-mounted display apparatus around its x-axis transitions from (b) the pivoted down angle corresponding with the maximum forward movement speed to (a) the pivot angle corresponding with the pivot down neutral zone threshold.
5 more elements
A virtual environment navigation system comprised of a head-mounted display apparatus, one or more microprocessors, one or more visual displays, and one or more sensors associated with the head-mounted display apparatus, wherein the system is configured to:
- a. generate a virtual environment;
- b. generate a signal to establish a location of a virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- c. generate a signal to establish an orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- and
- d. generate a signal to update the orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment wherein:
- i. a leftward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis matches a leftward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as a leftward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (k) a forward-facing posture to (m) an aim angle corresponding with an aim left threshold for amplification;
- ii. the leftward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis increases at a greater rate of change than the leftward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as the leftward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (m) the aim angle corresponding with the aim left threshold for amplification to (n) a maximum leftward-facing aim posture;
- iii. a rightward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis matches a rightward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as a rightward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (k) a forward-facing posture to (p) an aim angle corresponding with an aim right threshold for amplification;
- and
- iv. the rightward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis increases at a greater rate of change than the rightward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as the rightward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (p) the aim angle corresponding with the aim right threshold for amplification to (q) a maximum rightward-facing aim posture.
7 more elements
One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer having one or more sensors and associated with a head-mounted display apparatus for navigating a virtual environment, are capable of causing the computer to:
- a. generate a virtual environment;
- b. generate a signal to establish a location of a virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- c. generate a signal to establish an orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- and
- d. generate a signal to update the location of the virtual camera in the virtual environment wherein:
- i. a forward velocity of the virtual camera increases as a pivot of the head-mounted display apparatus around its x-axis transitions from (a) a pivot angle corresponding with a pivot down neutral zone threshold to (b) a pivoted down angle corresponding with a maximum forward movement speed;
- and
- ii. the forward velocity of the virtual camera decreases as the pivot of the head-mounted display apparatus around its x-axis transitions from (b) the pivoted down angle corresponding with the maximum forward movement speed to (a) the pivot angle corresponding with the pivot down neutral zone threshold.
5 more elements
One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer having one or more sensors and associated with a head-mounted display apparatus for navigating a virtual environment, are capable of causing the computer to:
- a. generate a virtual environment;
- b. generate a signal to establish a location of a virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- c. generate a signal to establish an orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- and
- d. generate a signal to update the orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment wherein:
- i. a leftward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis matches a leftward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as a leftward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (k) a forward-facing posture to (m) an aim angle corresponding with an aim left threshold for amplification;
- ii. the leftward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis increases at a greater rate of change than the leftward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as the leftward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (m) the aim angle corresponding with the aim left threshold for amplification to (n) a maximum leftward-facing aim posture;
- iii. a rightward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis matches a rightward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as a rightward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (k) a forward-facing posture to (p) an aim angle corresponding with an aim right threshold for amplification;
- and
- iv. the rightward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis increases at a greater rate of change than the rightward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as the rightward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (p) the aim angle corresponding with the aim right threshold for amplification to (q) a maximum rightward-facing aim posture.
7 more elements
A method of navigating a virtual environment with a head-mounted display apparatus comprising the acts of:
- a. generating a virtual environment;
- b. generating a signal to establish a location of a virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- c. generating a signal to establish an orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- and
- d. generating a signal to update the location of the virtual camera in the virtual environment wherein:
- i. a forward velocity of the virtual camera increases as a pivot of the head-mounted display apparatus around its x-axis transitions from (a) a pivot angle corresponding with a pivot down neutral zone threshold to (b) a pivoted down angle corresponding with a maximum forward movement speed;
- and
- ii. the forward velocity of the virtual camera decreases as the pivot of the head-mounted display apparatus around its x-axis transitions from (b) the pivoted down angle corresponding with the maximum forward movement speed to (a) the pivot angle corresponding with the pivot down neutral zone threshold.
5 more elements
A method of navigating a virtual environment with a head-mounted display apparatus comprising the acts of:
- a. generating a virtual environment;
- b. generating a signal to establish a location of a virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- c. generating a signal to establish an orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment;
- and
- d. generating a signal to update the orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment wherein:
- i. a leftward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis matches a leftward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as a leftward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (k) a forward-facing posture to (m) an aim angle corresponding with an aim left threshold for amplification;
- ii. the leftward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis increases at a greater rate of change than the leftward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as the leftward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (m) the aim angle corresponding with the aim left threshold for amplification to (n) a maximum leftward-facing aim posture;
- iii. a rightward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis matches a rightward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as a rightward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (k) a forward-facing posture to (p) an aim angle corresponding with an aim right threshold for amplification;
- and
- iv. the rightward change in aim angle of the virtual camera around its v-axis increases at a greater rate of change than the rightward change in aim angle of the head-mounted display apparatus around its v-axis as the rightward aim of the head-mounted display apparatus transitions from (p) the aim angle corresponding with the aim right threshold for amplification to (q) a maximum rightward-facing aim posture.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.