Method and system for operating at least one pair of virtual reality glasses in a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11024081-B2
Application number	US-201816755404-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2018
Priority date	Oct 12, 2017
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A predefined virtual theme defines a specific virtual way of movement within a virtual environment. A route is selected which best matches the predefined virtual theme Movements of the motor vehicle are detected during a journey along the selected route. The virtual reality glasses are controlled so that a vehicle occupant wearing the virtual reality glasses moves virtually within the virtual environment according to the detected movements of the motor vehicle and according to the predefined virtual way of movement of the predefined virtual theme.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating at least one pair of virtual reality glasses in a motor vehicle, comprising:
storing a predefined virtual theme of a specific virtual way of movement within a virtual environment;
selecting a real route which best matches the predefined virtual theme;
detecting movements of the motor vehicle during a journey along the selected real route; and
controlling a first pair of the virtual reality glasses so that a first vehicle occupant wearing the first pair of the virtual reality glasses moves virtually within the virtual environment according to the movements of the motor vehicle detected by said detecting and according to the virtual way of movement of the predefined virtual theme.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual theme concerns one of:
a virtual journey with a virtual motor vehicle;
a virtual flight with a flying vehicle;
a virtual journey with a watercraft.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the real route selected depends upon a path within the virtual theme, adapted beforehand.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the real route selected includes curve courses best matching the predefined virtual theme.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the real route selected has a height profile best matching the predefined virtual theme.

6. The method according to claim 5 ,
wherein a plurality of virtual themes are provided for selection, each defining different virtual ways of movement within respective virtual environments, and
wherein the method further comprises selecting the predefined virtual theme for the journey depending on a selection by a user.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the motor vehicle drives along the real route, selected by said selecting, at least partly autonomously.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising obtaining the method from a service provider.

9. The method according to claim 8 ,
wherein at least two pair of virtual reality glasses are controlled, and
further comprising virtually moving a second vehicle occupant, wearing a second pair of the virtual reality glasses, within the virtual environment according to the detected movements of the motor vehicle and according to the predefined virtual way of movement of the predefined virtual theme.

10. The method according to claim 9 ,
further comprising detecting the first and second vehicle occupants, and
wherein said controlling includes displaying respective virtual representations of the first and second vehicle occupants by the at least two pair of virtual reality glasses.

11. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein a plurality of virtual themes are provided for selection, each defining different virtual ways of movement within respective virtual environments, and
wherein the method further comprises selecting the predefined virtual theme for the journey depending on a selection by a user.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the motor vehicle drives along the real route, selected by said selecting, at least partly autonomously.

13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the method from a service provider.

14. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least two pair of virtual reality glasses are controlled, and
further comprising virtually moving a second vehicle occupant, wearing a second pair of the virtual reality glasses, within the virtual environment according to the detected movements of the motor vehicle and according to the predefined virtual way of movement of the predefined virtual theme.

15. The method according to claim 14 ,
further comprising detecting the first and second vehicle occupants, and
wherein said controlling includes displaying respective virtual representations of the first and second vehicle occupants by the at least two pair of virtual reality glasses.

16. A system for operating at least one pair of virtual reality glasses in a motor vehicle, comprising:
a storage configured to store a predefined virtual theme of a specific virtual way of movement within a virtual environment;
a detector configured to detect movements of the motor vehicle during a journey; and
at least one processor configured to
determine a selected real route best matching the predefined virtual theme, and
control a first pair of the virtual reality glasses so that a first vehicle occupant wearing the first pair of the virtual reality glasses moves virtually within the virtual environment according to the movements of the motor vehicle and according to the virtual way of movement of the predefined virtual theme.

17. The system according to claim 16 ,
wherein the storage stores a plurality of virtual themes are provided for selection, each defining different virtual ways of movement within respective virtual environments, and
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to select the predefined virtual theme from among the plurality of virtual themes in the storage in response to selection by a user.

18. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one pair of virtual reality glasses includes at least two pair of virtual reality glasses, and
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control a second pair of the virtual reality glasses so that a second vehicle occupant wearing the second pair of the virtual reality glasses moves virtually within the virtual environment according to the movements of the motor vehicle and according to the virtual way of movement of the predefined virtual theme.

19. The system according to claim 18 ,
wherein the detector is further configured to detect the first and second vehicle occupants, and
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the at least two pair of virtual reality glasses to display respective virtual representations of the first and second vehicle occupants.

20. A motor vehicle for operation with at least one occupant wearing at least one pair of virtual reality glasses, comprising:
at least one processor configured to at least partly control movement of the motor vehicle autonomously; and
a removable system for operating the at least one pair of virtual reality glasses, including
a storage configured to store a predefined virtual theme of a specific virtual way of movement within a virtual environment;
a detector configured to detect movements of the motor vehicle during a journey; and
a controller configured to
determine a selected real route best matching the predefined virtual theme, and
control the at least one pair of the virtual reality glasses so that the at least one vehicle occupant respectively wearing the at least one pair of the virtual reality glasses moves virtually within the virtual environment according to the movements of the motor vehicle and according to the virtual way of movement of the predefined virtual theme.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Kühne Marcus
• Profendiner Daniel
• Wollny Nils

Classifications

• G06V20/59

  inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions · CPC title

• G06V20/20

  in augmented reality scenes · CPC title

• G06F3/04815

  Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object · 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

• A63G31/16

  creating illusions of travel · CPC title