Temperature controlled headset apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10613630-B2
Application number	US-201615281809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

A head mounted display (HMD) including a lens of optics configured for viewing virtual reality (VR) content. The HMD includes a display screen disposed behind the lens of optics such that the lens of optics is between the display screen and an eye of a user when the HMD is worn by the user, wherein the display screen is configured for rendering the VR content. The HMD includes a support structure configured to fit around a head of the user when worn, wherein the lens of optics and display screen is disposed within the support structure such that the display screen is located in front of the eye when the HMD is worn. The HMD includes a heating component disposed in the support structure, wherein the heating component is controllable to provide heat in response to an environmental cue in the VR content displayed on the display screen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head mounted display (HMD), comprising:
optics configured for viewing virtual reality (VR) content;
a display screen disposed behind the optics such that the optics is between the display screen and an eye of a user when the HMD is worn by the user, wherein the display screen and optics are part of a display housing, and the display screen is configured for rendering the VR content;
a support structure configured to fit around a head of the user and connect to the display housing when worn, wherein the display housing places the display screen in front of the eye when the HMD is worn; and
a heating component being part of the display housing, the heating component being disposed in a perimeter region around the optics and opposite the display screen, wherein the heating component is controllable to generate heat in response to an environmental cue in the VR content displayed on the display screen,
wherein the environmental cue provides a visualization of heat in a VR environment, the VR content providing a view into the VR environment.

2. The head mounted display of claim 1 ,
wherein the support structure includes a head attachment configured for support on the head when the HMD is worn; and
wherein the display housing is attached to the head attachment and configured to rest proximate to a face of the user so that the display screen is positioned in front of the face of the user when the HMD is worn;
wherein the heating component is interfaced with the display housing such that heat from the heating component is exposed in a direction towards the face.

3. The head mounted display of claim 2 , wherein the display housing comprises:
a facial interface in the perimeter region and surrounding an inside surface of the display housing, the facial interface including a front side facing the user and a back side, wherein the heating component is configured adjacent to the back side of the facial interface.

4. The head mounted display of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second heating component being part of the display housing and disposed in the perimeter region, wherein the second heating component is individually controllable to generate heat in response to the environmental cue.

5. The head mounted display of claim 4 , wherein the heating component and the second heating component are controllable to provide heat over a period of time in response to the environmental cue.

6. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the heating component comprises:
a resistive element.

7. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the heating component comprises:
a heating panel.

8. The head mounted display of claim 7 , wherein the heating component further comprises a multilayer heating component comprising:
a first layer including the heating panel; and
a second layer including an array of heat filtering elements, wherein the second layer is positioned between a face of the user and the first layer when the HMD is worn, wherein each of the heat filtering elements is configured to pass or block heat from the heating panel, wherein each of the heat filtering elements is individually controllable within the array of heat filtering elements to provide a heat image in response to the environmental cue in the VR content displayed on the display screen.

9. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the heating component comprises:
a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) device.

10. The head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the heating component comprises:
a heating element; and
a thermally transmissive layer mounted on a first layer, wherein the heating element is disposed on the thermally transmissive layer, such that heat from the heating element is diffused through the thermally transmissive layer before being exposed to the face.

11. A head mounted display (HMD), comprising:
optics configured for viewing virtual reality (VR) content;
a display screen disposed behind the optics such that the optics is between the display screen and an eye of a user when the HMD is worn by the user, wherein the display screen and optics are part of a display housing, and the display screen is configured for rendering the VR content, wherein the display housing is configured to rest proximate to a face of the user so that the display screen is positioned in front of the face of the user when the HMD is worn;
a facial interface in a perimeter region and surrounding an inside surface of the display housing, the facial interface including a front side facing the user and a back side; and
an array of heating components being a part of the display housing adjacent to the back side of the facial interface, the array of heating components being disposed around the perimeter region around the optics and opposite the display screen, wherein each heating component of the array of heating components is individually controllable to generate heat to provide a heat image in response to an environmental cue in the VR content displayed on the display screen,
wherein the environmental cue provides a visualization of heat in a VR environment, the VR content providing a view into the VR environment.

12. The head mounted display of claim 11 , wherein the support structure further comprises:
a head attachment configured for support on a head of the user when the HMD is worn, wherein the display housing is attached to the head attachment, and wherein heat from the array of heating components is exposed in a direction towards the face.

13. The head mounted display of claim 12 , wherein the array of heating components is part of the head attachment and display housing.

14. The head mounted display of claim 11 , wherein the array of heating components is controllable to provide a plurality of heat images over a period of time in response to changes in the environmental cue.

15. The head mounted display of claim 11 , wherein each heating component of the array of heating components comprises:
a resistive element.

16. The head mounted display of claim 11 , wherein each heating component of the array of heating components comprises:
a heating element; and
a thermally transmissive layer mounted on a first layer, wherein the heating element is disposed on the thermally transmissive layer, such that heat from the heating element is diffused through the thermally transmissive layer before being exposed to the face.

17. The head mounted display of claim 11 , wherein heating components in the array of heating components are distributed evenly.

18. The head mounted display of claim 11 , wherein heating components in the array of heating components are distributed unevenly.

19. The head mounted display of claim 11 , wherein the array of heating components is configurable to provide heat to at least one of the following regions of the user including:
a front of the face or
a left side of the face or
a right side of the face or
a bottom of the face or
a top of the face.

20. A method for virtual reality simulation, comprising:
rendering virtual reality (VR) content on a display screen behind optics, wherein the display screen and optics are part of a display housing, wherein a support structure of a head mounted display (HMD) is configured to fit around of a head of a user and connect to the display housing when worn, wherein the display screen is located in front of an eye of the user when the HMD is worn;
determining a heat image of an environmental cue in the VR content with respect to an interaction of the user wi

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Omote Masanori

Classifications

• G02B27/022

  Viewing apparatus (G02B27/04, G02B27/06, G02B27/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/011

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

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G02B27/028

  characterised by the supporting structure · CPC title