System for continuous tracking of input devices in a virtual reality environment

A computer program product for improving tracking within a virtual reality system, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions embodied therein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform the steps of:

• continuously tracking a position of a user input device in a surrounding environment with at least one first sensor of a head-mounted display, the at least one first sensor having a first field-of-view, wherein the first field-of-view is substantially front-facing with respect to the head-mounted display;
• rendering a virtual object in a virtual environment based on the position of the user input device in the surrounding environment determined by the at least one first sensor, wherein the virtual environment is a simulated hazardous working environment and the virtual object is virtual representations of a user hand, wherein the virtual user hand is being rendered adjacent to a virtual control interface;
• determining that the user input device has left the first field-of-view of the at least one first sensor and entered a second field-of-view of at least one second sensor of the head-mounted display, wherein the second field-of-view is substantially rear-facing with respect to the head-mounted display, wherein the first field-of-view and the second field-of-view overlap to form a combined field-of-view of at least 340° for tracking the user input device in the surrounding environment, wherein the head-mounted display is facing a direction such that the user input device is outside the substantially front-facing first field-of-view;
• in response to determining that the user input device has left the first field-of-view and entered the second field-of-view, continuously tracking the position of the user input device in the surrounding environment with the at least one second sensor;
• and
• rendering the virtual object in the virtual environment based on the position of the user input device determined by at least one second sensor comprising rendering manipulation of the virtual control interface by the virtual hand based on the position of the user input device determined by the at least one second sensor while the head-mounted display is facing a direction such that the user input device is outside the substantially front-facing first field-of-view.

A virtual reality system comprising:

• a user input device comprising an orientation sensor configured for collecting orientation data associated with the user input device;
• and
• a wearable head-mounted display in communication with the user input device, the head-mounted display being configured for rendering and displaying a virtual environment, the head-mounted display further comprising:
• at least one sensor for tracking a position of the user input device, the at least one sensor having a field-of-view;
• a processing device;
• a memory device;
• and
• computer-readable instructions stored in the memory device, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to:
• continuously track the position of the user input device in a surrounding environment with the at least one sensor;
• calculate a rotational offset based on the orientation data of the user input device;
• render a virtual object in the virtual environment based on the position of the user input device in the surrounding environment determined by the at least one sensor, wherein the virtual environment is a simulated hazardous working environment;
• determine that the user input device has left the field-of-view of the at least one sensor, the user input device being positioned such that it is outside the field of view of all sensors of the head-mounted display;
• in response to determining that the user input device has left the field-of-view of the at least one sensor, determine, while the input device is positioned such that it is outside the field of view of all the sensors of the head-mounted display, a new position of the user input device in the surrounding environment based on the orientation data collected from the orientation sensor, wherein determining the new position of the user input device in the surrounding environment comprises:
• determining an angular position of the user input device from the orientation data;
• and
• simulating a translational position of the user input device based on the angular position of the user input device and the rotational offset;
• and
• render the virtual object in the virtual environment based on the new position of the user input device in the surrounding environment.