Peripheral devices having dynamic weight distribution to convey sense of weight in HMD environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10022625-B2
Application number	US-201715690094-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2017
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

Methods and systems for adjusting a weight of a peripheral device while presenting content to a head mounted display are disclosed. One method includes processing instructions for rendering a virtual reality scene in the head mounted display. The virtual reality scene includes a virtual object. The method also includes receiving pairing of the peripheral device for use with the head mounted display for rendering the virtual reality scene and determining a movement of the virtual object. The method causes sending of instructions to the peripheral device for execution by a controller of the peripheral device to move a weight in the peripheral device. The weight is moved to provide a correlation to the determined movement of the virtual object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A peripheral device for use in interfacing with a virtual reality scene generated for presentation on a head mounted display, comprising,
a housing;
a weight integrated into the housing;
a controller for causing movement of the weight within the housing, the movement of the weight is configured to cause changes a weight distribution for the peripheral device, a change in the weight distribution is correlated to a movement of a virtual object in the virtual reality scene as presented on the head mounted display; and
a move mechanism for enabling the weight to move based on instructions received from the controller, the move mechanism is configured apply a rate of movement of the weight based on processing by the controller, the rate of movement of the weight is at least partially controlled based on a weight adjusting profile that is associated with the virtual object in the virtual reality scene.

2. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a chamber and the weight is disposed in the chamber, the weight being movable within the chamber.

3. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the move mechanism includes at least one of a compressed gas, an electric motor, a linear motor, an electromagnet, a pump, a spring, one or more memory metals, one or more electroactive polymers, or one or more phase changing materials.

4. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured provide instructions to the move mechanism for moving the weight based on a linear direction of movement of the virtual object, or a rotational direction of movement of the virtual object; or an amount of movement of the virtual object.

5. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the weight is a fluid.

6. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein an inertial sensor is integrated into the housing and interfaced with the controller.

7. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein moving the weight includes moving the weight in at least one of a longitudinal direction along at least a portion of a length of the peripheral device, or a lateral direction along at least a portion of a width of the peripheral device, or an oscillating motion, or a rotating motion, or along a curved direction.

8. Method for adjusting a weight of a peripheral device while presenting content to a head mounted display, comprising:
processing instructions for rendering a virtual reality scene in the head mounted display, the virtual reality scene includes a virtual object;
receiving pairing of the peripheral device for use with the head mounted display for rendering the virtual reality scene;
determining a movement of the virtual object;
sending instructions to the peripheral device for execution by a controller of the peripheral device to move a weight in the peripheral device, the weight being moved to provide a correlation to the determined movement of the virtual object;
wherein the weight is moved based on the instructions.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the virtual object is associated with a weight adjustment profile that is used in the processing of the instructions to the controller, such that the weight moves to approximate said movement of the virtual object.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the weight adjusting profile includes at least one of a rate of movement of the virtual object, or at least one linear direction of movement of the virtual object, or at least one rotational direction of movement of the virtual object, or an amount of movement of the virtual object.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein a movement mechanism receives commands from said controller to cause said movement of the weight.

12. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein the peripheral device further includes at least one inertial sensor that is interfaced with the controller; and
wherein the peripheral device further includes communication circuitry for processing wireless communication.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising examining an inertial signal from an inertial sensor of the peripheral device to make an adjustment to the weight adjusting profile.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein a move mechanism of the peripheral device is used to move the weight, the move mechanism is configured to implement one or more of compressed gas, an electric motor, a linear motor, an electromagnet, a pump, a spring, one or more memory metals, one or more electroactive polymers, or one or more phase changing materials.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein moving said weight includes movement in one of a longitudinal direction along at least a portion of a length of the peripheral device, or a lateral direction along at least a portion of a width of the peripheral device, or an oscillating motion, or a rotating motion, or along a curved direction.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein a computer is interfaced with the head mounted display for executing the processing, receiving, determining and sending.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the computer is integrated as part of the head mounted display or is attached to the head mounted display, or is coupled via a wire or wirelessly to the head mounted display.

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Black Glenn
• Umminger Frederick

Classifications

• A63F13/25

  Output arrangements for video game devices · CPC title

• G06T19/006

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title

• A63F13/285 Primary

  Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback · CPC title

• G02B27/0172

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• A63F13/28 Primary

  responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light · CPC title