Wearable visualization device with a retractable cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11839829-B2
Application number	US-202117340279-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2021
Priority date	Jun 11, 2020
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

A wearable visualization device includes a housing, one or more lenses coupled to the housing and configured to display virtual features for visualization by a user of the wearable visualization device, and a cover coupled to the housing and configured to adjust between an extended configuration in which the cover extends over at least a portion of the one or more lenses and a retracted configuration in which the cover does not extend over at least the portion of the one or more lenses. The wearable visualization device also includes a controller and one or more sensors. The controller is configured to receive sensor data from the one or more sensors and to provide control signals to an actuator to adjust the cover between the extended configuration and the retracted configuration based on the sensor data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wearable visualization device, comprising:
a housing;
one or more lenses coupled to the housing and configured to display virtual features for visualization by a user of the wearable visualization device;
a cover coupled to the housing and configured to adjust between an extended configuration in which the cover extends over at least a portion of the one or more lenses and a retracted configuration in which the cover does not extend over the at least the portion of the one or more lenses; and
a controller and one or more sensors, wherein the controller is configured to:
receive sensor data from the one or more sensors,
receive ride data related to a ride cycle, show data related to the virtual features to be presented via the one or more lenses, or both; and
provide control signals to an actuator to adjust the cover between the extended configuration and the retracted configuration based on the sensor data and based on the ride data, the show data, or any combination thereof.

2. The wearable visualization device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data is indicative of a position of the wearable visualization device relative to an interface device that is configured to affix to a head of the user.

3. The wearable visualization device of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to provide the control signals to the actuator to adjust the cover to the retracted configuration in response to the sensor data indicating that the wearable visualization device is coupled to the interface device.

4. The wearable visualization device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data is indicative of a position of the wearable visualization device relative to a head of the user.

5. The wearable visualization device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data is indicative of an acceleration of the wearable visualization device, and the controller is configured to provide the control signals to the actuator to adjust the cover to the extended configuration in response to the acceleration of the wearable visualization device being outside of an acceleration range.

6. The wearable visualization device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a proximity sensor, an optical sensor, a mechanical switch, or any combination thereof.

7. The wearable visualization device of claim 1 , wherein the cover is opaque.

8. The wearable visualization device of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a reflective surface that is configured to face toward the user as the user applies the wearable visualization device onto a head of the user.

9. The wearable visualization device of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a panel that is configured to slide relative to the one or more lenses or rotate relative to the one or more lenses to move between the extended configuration and the retracted configuration.

10. The wearable visualization device of claim 1 , wherein the cover is positioned on an outer surface of the wearable visualization device, and the outer surface is configured to face away from the user while the user wears the wearable visualization device on a head of the user.

11. The wearable visualization device of claim 1 , comprising one or more magnets configured to couple to an additional one or more magnets of an interface device that is configured to affix to a head of the user.

12. The wearable visualization device of claim 1 , comprising a first visible marker, wherein the sensor data is indicative of an alignment between the first visible marker and a second visible marker on an interface device that is configured to couple to the wearable visualization device and to affix to a head of the user.

13. A cover system for a wearable visualization device, the cover system comprising:
a cover configured to couple to a housing of the wearable visualization device and to adjust between an extended configuration in which the cover extends over at least a portion of one or more lenses of the wearable visualization device and a retracted configuration in which the cover does not extend over the at least the portion of the one or more lenses of the wearable visualization device, wherein the cover comprises a reflective surface that is configured to face toward a user as the user moves the wearable visualization device to mate with an interface device that is configured to affix to a head of the user;
an actuator configured to adjust the cover between the extended configuration and the retracted configuration; and
a controller configured to provide control signals to the actuator to adjust the cover from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration in response to the wearable visualization device mating with the interface device.

14. The cover system of claim 13 , comprising a sensor configured to detect the mating of the wearable visualization device with the interface device and to provide sensor data indicative of the mating of the wearable visualization device with the interface device to the controller.

15. The cover system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to receive ride data related to an amusement park attraction and to provide the control signals to the actuator to adjust the cover between the extended configuration and the retracted configuration based on the ride data.

16. The cover system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to receive show data related to virtual features to be presented to the user via the one or more lenses and to provide the control signals to the actuator to adjust the cover between the extended configuration and the retracted configuration based on the show data.

17. The cover system of claim 13 , wherein the cover comprises one or more fluid-filled portions configured to expand via a pump to cover the at least the portion of the one or more lenses or contract to expose the at least the portion of the one or more lenses.

18. A method of operating a cover system for a wearable visualization device, the method comprising:
receiving, at a controller, a first indication that the wearable visualization device is coupled to an interface device that is configured to affix to a head of a user;
controlling, via the controller, an actuator to adjust a cover from an extended configuration in which the cover is positioned over at least a portion of one or more lenses of the wearable visualization device to a retracted configuration in which the cover is not positioned over the at least the portion of the one or more lenses of the wearable visualization device in response to receiving the first indication that the wearable visualization device is coupled to the interface device,
receiving, at the controller, a second indication that the wearable visualization device has experienced an acceleration outside of an expected acceleration range; and
controlling, via the controller, the actuator to adjust the cover from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration in response to receiving the second indication.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising:
receiving, at the controller, a third indication that the wearable visualization device is decoupled from the interface device; and
controlling, via the controller, the actuator to adjust the cover from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration in response to receiving the third indication that the wearable visualization device is decoupled from the interface device.

20. The method of claim 18 , comprising:
receiving, at the controller, a third indication of ride data related

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Chung Christopher Wai Yin
• Goodner Douglas Evan
• Hare Justin Allen
• Raij Andrew
• Boyles Jeffrey Scott

Classifications

• A63G31/06 Primary

  with undulatory motion of the substructure · CPC title

• G02B27/0172

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G06F3/012 Primary

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title

• A63G7/00

  Up-and-down hill tracks; Switchbacks · CPC title

• G02B2027/0141

  characterised by the informative content of the display · CPC title