Foot operated navigation and interaction for virtual reality experiences

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10416756-B2
Application number	US-201816173636-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2018
Priority date	Dec 2, 2015
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus for creating movement in a virtual reality for a user includes a computer includes a virtual reality headset in communication with the computer that is worn on the head of the user so the user sees the virtual reality shown by the headset and produced by the computer in the headset. The apparatus includes a foot controller in communication with the computer against which the user moves at least one of his feet to create control signals with the foot to cause movement in the virtual reality. A method for creating movement in a virtual reality for a user having the steps of the user seeing the virtual reality shown by a virtual headset and produced by a computer in the headset, a virtual reality headset in communication with the computer that is worn on the head of the user. There is the step of the user moving at least one of his feet against a foot controller to create control signals with the foot to cause movement in the virtual reality by the computer, the foot controller in communication with the computer. A computer software program for creating movement in a virtual reality for a user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for creating movement in a virtual reality for a user comprising:
a computer;
a virtual reality headset in communication with the computer that is worn on the head of the user so the user sees the virtual reality shown by the headset and produced by the computer in the headset; and
a foot controller in communication with the computer against which the user moves at least one of his feet to create control signals with the foot to cause movement in the virtual reality shown by the headset, the control signals from a time-varying pressure variation on the bottoms of the feet of the user are used by the computer to create a moving vehicle in virtual reality, the movement of the vehicle created by the computer in virtual reality is either a rolling, sliding, sailing, hovering or flying moving vehicle, the control signals provide controls that always maintain static balance for the user's body and are used together with visual feedback from visuals in the virtual reality created by the computer which convey a degree and direction of physical tilt and roll consistent with a reactive force to an illusory lateral movement that the user perceives as downward with respect to the user's body, wherein the control signals are created with isometric gestures with each individual foot of the user, the control signals provide a total number of linearly separable dimensions of control that the user can impart to a pressure imaging surface of the foot controller is at least 12, six dimensions per foot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein for each foot of the user, the six dimensions fall into two classes, with a first class having three kinematic dimensions: one kinematic dimension for forward or rearward position of the foot upon the foot controller, one kinematic direction for side to side position of the foot upon the foot controller, and one kinematic dimension of turning the foot inward or outward about a vertical axis of the users ankle, and a second, class having three dynamic dimensions: one dynamic dimension for a total pressure of the foot upon the foot controller, one dynamic dimension for how weight of the foot is distributed back onto a heel versus forward onto a forefoot, and one dynamic dimension for how the weight of the foot is distributed onto the inner edge of the foot, otherwise called pronation, versus an outer edge of the foot, otherwise called supination.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the control signals are created using intermittent control gesture events by lifting 1 foot off of the foot controller and placing the foot back down onto the foot controller.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the foot controller is disposed only within the user's shoes or foot apparel.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 including a hand controller from which control signals are provided to the computer for the virtual reality.

6. A method for creating movement in a virtual reality for a user comprising the steps, of:
the user seeing the virtual reality shown by a virtual headset and produced by a computer in the headset, the virtual reality headset in communication with the computer that is worn on the head of the user; and the user moving at least one of his feet against a foot controller to create control signals with the foot to cause movement in the virtual reality by the computer, the foot controller in communication with the computer, including the step of using by the computer control signals from a time-varying pressure variation on the bottoms of the feet of the user to create a moving vehicle in virtual reality, including the step of the computer moving the vehicle created by the computer in virtual reality is either rolling, sliding, sailing, hovering or flying, including the step of the control signals providing controls that always maintain static balance for the user's body and are used together with visual feedback from visuals in the virtual reality created by the computer which convey a degree and direction of physical tilt and roll consistent with a reactive force to an illusory lateral movement that the user perceives as downward with respect to the user's body, including the step of creating the control signals with isometric gestures with each individual foot of the user, the control signals provide a total number of linearly separable dimensions of control that the user can impart to a pressure imaging surface of the foot controller is at least 12, six dimensions per foot.

7. The method of claim 6 including the step of using a hand controller by the user to create control signals.

8. A computer software program for creating movement in a virtual reality for a user stored in a non-transient memory comprising the computer-generated steps of:
creating the virtual reality shown by a virtual headset and produced by the computer in the headset for the user to see, the virtual reality headset in communication with the computer that is worn on the head of the user, and
causing movement in the virtual reality by the computer based on control signals created by the user moving at least one of the user's feet against a foot controller, the foot controller in communication with the computer, including the step of using by the computer control signals from a time-varying pressure variation on the bottoms of the feet of the user to create a moving vehicle in virtual reality, including the step of the computer moving the vehicle created by the computer in virtual reality is either rolling, sliding, sailing, hovering or flying, including the step of the control signals providing controls that always maintain static balance for the user's body and are used together with visual feedback from visuals in the virtual reality created by the computer which convey a degree and direction of physical tilt and roll consistent with a reactive force to an illusory lateral movement that the user perceives as downward with respect to the user's body, including the step of creating the control signals with isometric gestures with each individual foot of the user, the control signals provide a total number of linearly separable dimensions of control that the user can impart to a pressure imaging surface of the foot controller is at least 12, six dimensions per foot.

Assignees

• Perlin Kenneth
• Hendee Charles
• Univ New York
• Tactonic Tech Llc

Inventors

• Perlin Kenneth
• Hendee Charles

Classifications

• G02B2027/0187

  slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye · CPC title

• G02B2027/0141

  characterised by the informative content of the display · CPC title

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G06F3/011 Primary

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title