Method and system for calibrating a virtual reality system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10762714-B2
Application number	US-201816226437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2018
Priority date	May 18, 2015
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

A virtual reality system includes a platform, a headset, a mount, and a control unit. The headset includes a motion-sensing unit and a display unit configured to display a video of a virtual environment. The mount is positioned on the platform and configured to releasably engage the headset. While the headset is engaged with the mount, the headset is positioned in a first position. While the headset is disengaged from the mount, the headset is positioned in a second position. The control unit is connected to the headset and configured to receive first data representing the first position and associate the first position with a predetermined first perspective of the virtual environment. The control unit is also configured to receive second data representing the second position, determine a second perspective of the virtual environment corresponding to the second position, and provide video of the virtual environment from the second perspective.

First claim

We claim:

1. A virtual reality system for an amusement park ride, comprising:
a headset having a headset sensor unit and a display, wherein the headset sensor unit is integral with a structure of the headset;
a platform sensor unit associated with a platform of the amusement park ride; and
one or more processors connected to the headset and the platform sensor unit, the one or more processors configured to:
calibrate a perspective of a virtual environment displayable in a video on the display of the headset, wherein calibrating the perspective comprises:
receiving, from the platform sensor unit, platform data representing characteristics indicative of a platform position;
receiving, from the headset sensor unit, headset data representing characteristics indicative of a headset position;
determining, based on the platform data and the headset data, the perspective of the virtual environment; and
displaying, on the display of the headset, the video with the perspective of the virtual environment; and

determine a changed perspective of the virtual environment, wherein determining the changed perspective comprises:
receiving, from the headset unit, additional headset data representing characteristics indicative of an additional headset position;
determining, without additional feedback from the platform sensor unit and based on the perspective and the additional headset data, the changed perspective of the virtual environment; and
displaying, on the display of the headset, the video with the changed perspective of the virtual environment.

2. The virtual reality system of claim 1 , wherein the headset sensor unit comprises a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, or any combination thereof.

3. The virtual reality system of claim 1 , wherein the headset sensor unit is configured to capture, in the additional headset data representing the characteristics indicative of the additional headset position, movement of the platform and movement of the headset independent from the movement of the platform.

4. The virtual reality system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors is configured to calibrate a re-calibration perspective of the virtual environment displayable in the video on the display of the headset, wherein calibrating the re-calibration perspective comprises:
receiving, from the platform sensor unit, re-calibration platform data representing characteristics indicative of a re-calibration platform position;
receiving, from the headset sensor unit, re-calibration headset data representing characteristics indicative of a re-calibration headset position;
determining, based on the re-calibration platform data and the re-calibration headset data, the re-calibration perspective of the virtual environment; and
displaying, on the display of the headset, the video with the re-calibration perspective of the virtual environment.

5. The virtual reality system of claim 4 , wherein a duration between calibrating the perspective and calibrating the re-calibration perspective is dependent on expected movement of the platform.

6. The virtual reality system of claim 5 , wherein the duration is calculated by the one or more processors.

7. The virtual reality system of claim 1 , wherein determining, based on the platform data and the headset data, the perspective of the virtual environment comprises:
determining a frame of reference of the virtual environment based on the platform data;
determining a relative headset position based on a difference between the platform position and the headset position; and
determining the perspective of the virtual environment within the frame of reference based on the relative headset position.

8. The virtual reality system of claim 1 , wherein the video provided by the one or more processors to the display of the headset comprises augmented reality content.

9. A method of operating a virtual reality system for an amusement park ride, comprising:
calibrating a perspective of a virtual environment displayable in a video and on a display of a headset of the virtual reality system, wherein calibrating the perspective comprises:
receiving, at one or more processors of the virtual reality system and from a platform sensor unit of the virtual reality system, platform data representing characteristics indicative of a platform position of a moving platform of the amusement park ride;
receiving, at the one or more processors and from a headset sensor unit of the virtual reality system, headset data representing characteristics indicative of a headset position of the headset; and
determining, via the one or more processors and based on the platform data and the headset data, the perspective of the virtual environment; and

determining a changed perspective of the virtual environment, wherein determining the changed perspective comprises:
receiving, at the one or more processors and from the headset sensor unit, additional headset data representing characteristics indicative of an additional headset position; and
determining, without additional feedback from the platform sensor unit and based on the perspective and the additional headset data, the changed perspective of the virtual environment.

10. The method of claim 9 , comprising:
displaying, on the display of the headset, the video with the perspective of the virtual environment; and then
displaying, on the display of the headset, the video with the changed perspective of the virtual environment.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the headset sensor unit captures, in the additional headset data representing the characteristics indicative of the additional headset position, movement of the moving platform and movement of the headset independent from the movement of the moving platform.

12. The method of claim 9 , comprising calibrating a re-calibration perspective of the virtual environment displayable in the video on the display of the headset, wherein calibrating the re-calibration perspective comprises:
receiving, from the platform sensor unit, re-calibration platform data representing characteristics indicative of a re-calibration platform position;
receiving, from the headset sensor unit, re-calibration headset data representing characteristics indicative of a re-calibration headset position; and
determining, based on the re-calibration platform data and the re-calibration headset data, the re-calibration perspective of the virtual environment.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising:
displaying, on the display of the headset, the video with the perspective of the virtual environment; and then
displaying, on the display of the headset, the video with the changed perspective of the virtual environment; and then
displaying, on the display of the headset, the video with the re-calibration perspective of the virtual environment.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein a duration between calibrating the perspective and calibrating the re-calibration perspective is dependent on expected movement characteristics of the moving platform.

15. The method of claim 14 , comprising calculating the duration.

16. The method of claim 9 , comprising including augmented reality content in the video.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the additional headset data includes gyroscope data, accelerometer data, magnetometer data, or a combination thereof.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for operating a virtual reality system of an amusement park ride, the computer-executable instructions comprisin

Assignees

• Dreamworks Animation L L C
• Dreamworks Animation Llc

Inventors

• Herman Brad Kenneth
• Colón St John

Classifications

• G02B27/017 Primary

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G02B2027/0187

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

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title

• G06T19/20

  Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts · CPC title

• G06F2203/012

  Walk-in-place systems for allowing a user to walk in a virtual environment while constraining him to a given position in the physical environment · CPC title