US 11,112,932 B2Granted

Light-emitting user input device

AssigneeMagic Leap, Inc.

InventorsJames M. Powderly, Savannah Niles, Christopher David Nesladek, Isioma Osagbemwenorue Azu, Marshal Ainsworth Fontaine, Haney Awad, William Wheeler, Brian David Schwab, Brian Edward Oliver Bucknor

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Abstract

A light emitting user input device can include a touch sensitive portion configured to accept user input (e.g., from a user's thumb) and a light emitting portion configured to output a light pattern. The light pattern can be used to assist the user in interacting with the user input device. Examples include emulating a multi-degree-of-freedom controller, indicating scrolling or swiping actions, indicating presence of objects nearby the device, indicating receipt of notifications, assisting pairing the user input device with another device, or assisting calibrating the user input device. The light emitting user input device can be used to provide user input to a wearable device, such as, e.g., a head mounted display device.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An augmented reality system comprising:

a wearable display device configured for placement in front of eyes of a user, the wearable display device configured to depict a virtual environment including one or more virtual objects;
a user input device comprising:
a touch component configured to accept a user input;
a light emitting assembly configured to output a plurality of light patterns, the light emitting assembly at least partially surrounding the touch component;
and
a hardware processor communicatively coupled to the touch component and the light emitting assembly, and programmed to:
receive contextual information from the wearable display device, the contextual information indicating at least a first virtual object of the one or more virtual objects that the user is interacting with;
access information indicating user interface options associated with respective contextual information;
identify a user interface operation supported by the touch component based at least partly on user interface options associated with interactions with the first virtual object indicated in the accessed information;
determine a first light pattern associated with the user interface operation;
generate and transmit instructions to the light emitting assembly to display the first light pattern;
receive a user input on the touch component;
and
generate and transmit instructions to the light emitting assembly to display a second light pattern indicating the user input.

11 more elements

A method comprising:

under control of a hardware processor:
receiving, by a user input device, contextual information from a wearable display device communicatively coupled to the user input device, the contextual information indicating at least a first virtual object of a plurality of virtual objects being presented through the wearable display device;
accessing information indicating user interface options associated with respective contextual information;
identifying a type of user input supported by the user input device based at least partly on user interface options associated with interactions with the first virtual object indicated in the accessed information, wherein the user input device comprises a first element for illuminating a plurality of light patterns and a second element for receiving user inputs;
determining a first light pattern associated with the type of user input supported;
generating and transmitting instructions to the first element to illuminate a halo having the first light pattern;
determining a second light pattern based on a user input on the user input device;
and
generating and transmitting instructions to the first element to update the halo to the second light pattern in response to the user input.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/965,696Filed 27 Apr 2018 · us provisional application
Priority: 27 Apr 2017
Published: US 2018/0314416 A11 Nov 2018
Granted: 7 Sep 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification36 codes

G06F 3/04815
Based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like…:…
G02B 27/017
Head-up displays: head mounted
G02B 27/0172
Head mounted: characterised by optical features
G06F 3/011
Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer: arrangements for interaction with the…