Virtual reality immersion with an architectural design software application

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10783284-B2
Application number	US-201515518378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2015
Priority date	Oct 15, 2014
Publication date	Sep 22, 2020
Grant date	Sep 22, 2020

Abstract

A virtual reality system can comprise a virtual reality headset, one or more position tracking sensors, and a computerized architectural design environment. The position tracking sensors can identify a relative location of the user with respect to a physical space. The computerized architectural design environment can comprise a computer-implemented method for displaying a three-dimensional view of an architectural design to a user through the one or more virtual reality components. The method can comprise receiving a communication from the one or more position tracking sensors, rendering at least a portion of an architectural design file, and transmitting to the virtual reality headset the rendered portion of the architectural design file.

First claim

We claim:

1. A virtual reality system, comprising:
one or more virtual reality components, wherein the one or more virtual reality components comprise: (i) a virtual reality module coupled to a display screen, and (ii) one or more position tracking sensors, wherein the one or more position tracking sensors identify a relative location of a user with respect to a physical space; and
computer-executable instructions of a design program loaded into memory and processed at a central processing unit to cause the virtual reality system to display a three- dimensional view of an architectural design to the user through the one or more virtual reality components, the computer-executable instructions including instructions that are executable to cause the virtual reality system to perform at least the following:
access an architectural design file that includes an architectural design that is renderable to create a three-dimensional image of the architectural design, wherein the architectural design comprises a design for a particular physical space;
receive a communication from the one or more position tracking sensors, wherein the communication comprises an indication of a relative direction that the virtual reality module is facing, and a location of the user with respect to the one or more position tracking sensors, wherein the user is located within the particular physical space;
associate the user with a first bookmark within the architectural design file, wherein:
the first bookmark comprises a virtual pre-determined position and virtual view direction within the architectural design file,
the first bookmark is associated with a particular physical location and physical view direction within the particular physical space,
the particular physical location and the virtual pre-determined position comprising the same relative position within the architectural design file and an architectural space surrounding the user, and
the physical view direction and the virtual view direction comprising the same relative view direction within the architectural design file and the architectural space surrounding the user;

render at least a portion of an architectural design file, wherein the rendered portion of the architectural design file comprises a three-dimensional image that corresponds with the relative direction that the virtual reality module is facing; and
transmit to the virtual reality module the rendered portion of the architectural design file.

2. The virtual reality system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further include instructions that are executable to cause the virtual reality system to:
identify a second bookmark within the architectural design file; and
transmit to the virtual reality headset a rendered portion of the architectural design file that corresponds with the second bookmark.

3. The virtual reality system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further include instructions that are executable to cause the virtual reality system to:
transition a user's view within the virtual reality module directly from the first bookmark to the second bookmark when receiving a communication associated with changing the user's physical position from the first bookmark to the second bookmark.

4. The virtual reality system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further include instructions that are executable to cause the virtual reality system to:
identify through the one or more position tracking sensors that the user has changed physical positions;
render a corresponding change for the user within the three-dimensional view of the architectural design; and
transmit the corresponding change to the virtual reality module.

5. The virtual reality system as recited in claim 4 , wherein identifying through the one or more position tracking sensors that the user has changed physical positions comprises determining a change in at least one of:
a direction in which the user has moved;
a direction that the user is facing;
a tilt of the user's head; and
a position of the user's head.

6. The virtual reality system as recited in claim 5 , wherein determining the change in the position of the user's head comprises determining that the user is in a crouched position.

7. The virtual reality system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the at least a portion of the architectural design file is rendered such that a view of the user is from a perspective of a crouched position in response to determining that the user is in the crouched position.

8. A method, implemented at a computer system that includes one or more processors, for displaying a three-dimensional view of an architectural design to a user through one or more virtual reality components, the method comprising:
accessing an architectural design file that includes an architectural design that is renderable to create a three-dimensional image of the architectural design, wherein the architectural design comprises a design for a particular physical space;
receiving a communication from one or more position tracking sensors, wherein the communication comprises an indication of a relative direction that a virtual reality module is facing, and a location of the user with respect to the one or more position tracking sensors, wherein the user is located within the particular physical space, wherein the virtual reality module is coupled to a display screen;
associating the user with a first bookmark within the architectural design file, wherein:
the first bookmark comprises a virtual pre-determined position and virtual view direction within the architectural design file,
the first bookmark is associated with a particular physical location and physical view direction within the particular physical space,
the particular physical location and the virtual pre-determined position comprising the same relative position within the architectural design file and the architectural space surrounding the user, and
the physical view direction and the virtual view direction comprising the same relative view direction within the architectural design file and the architectural space surrounding the user;

rendering at least a portion of the architectural design file, wherein the rendered portion of the architectural design file comprises a three-dimensional image that corresponds with the relative direction that the virtual reality module is facing; and
transmitting to the virtual reality module the rendered portion of the architectural design file.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:
identifying a second bookmark within the architectural design file, the second bookmark comprising a second pre-determined position and a second view within the architectural design file; and
transmitting to the virtual reality module a rendered portion of the architectural design file that corresponds with the second bookmark.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , further comprising:
transitioning a user's view within the virtual reality module directly from the first bookmark to the second bookmark when receiving a communication associated with changing the user's physical position from the first bookmark to the second bookmark.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:
identifying through the one or more position tracking sensors that the user has changed physical positions;
rendering a corresponding change for the user within the three-dimensional view of the architectural design; and
transmitting the corresponding change to the virtual reality module.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein id

Assignees

• Dirtt Env Solutions Inc
• Dirtt Environmental Solutions

Inventors

• Loberg Barrie
• Howell Joseph
• Blodgett Robert
• Smith Sheldon
• West Tyler

Classifications

• G02B2027/0141

  characterised by the informative content of the display · CPC title

• G06F3/013

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title

• G06F17/00

  Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions (information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00) · CPC title