Peripheral Devices having Dynamic Weight Distribution to Convey Sense of Weight in HMD Environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016175702-A1
Application number	US-201414579839-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2014
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method of simulating weight of a virtual object in a virtual environment includes receiving a weight adjusting profile in a handheld peripheral device. The weight adjusting profile corresponding to at least one weight characteristic and/or a movement characteristics of the virtual object presented in the virtual environment where the handheld peripheral device represents the virtual object. The handheld peripheral device includes a movable weight. The weight adjusting profile is stored in the handheld peripheral device and a position of the movable weight in the handheld peripheral device is adjusted to correspond to a movement of the virtual object in the virtual environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A peripheral device for use in interfacing with a virtual reality scene generated by a computer for presentation on a head mounted display, comprising, a housing;
a weight coupled to the housing, the weight being movable; a movement controller for processing instructions for moving the weight, the movement controller receiving the instructions from the computer so that movement of the weight changes a weight distribution for the peripheral device, the changes in the weight distribution are correlated to movements of a virtual object in the virtual reality scene as presented on the head mounted display; and a move mechanism for causing the weight to move based on the instructions received from the movement controller, the move mechanism is configured apply a rate of movement of the weight based on the instructions processed by the movement controller.

2 . The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a chamber and the movable weight is disposed in the chamber, the weight being movable within the chamber.

3 . The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the move mechanism includes at least one of:
a compressed gas; an electric motor; a linear motor; an electromagnet; a pump; a spring; one or more memory metals; one or more electroactive polymers; or one or more phase changing materials.

4 . The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions for moving the weight includes at least one of:
a linear direction of movement of the virtual object; a rotational direction of movement of the virtual object; or an amount of movement of the virtual object.

5 . The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the movable weight is a fluid.

6 . The peripheral device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one inertial sensor coupled to the movement controller.

7 . The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein moving the movable weight includes moving the movable weight in at least one of:
a longitudinal direction along at least a portion of a length of the handheld peripheral device; a lateral direction along at least a portion of a width of the handheld peripheral device; an oscillating motion; a rotating motion; or along a curved direction.

8 . The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the movable weight is disposed externally from the housing of the handheld peripheral device.

9 . Method of simulating weight of a virtual object in a virtual environment presented in a head mounted display, comprising:
receiving a weight moving instruction in a handheld peripheral device, the weight moving instruction corresponding to at least one of a plurality of weight characteristics and a plurality of movement characteristics of the virtual object presented in the virtual environment, the handheld peripheral device representing the virtual object, the handheld peripheral device including a movable weight; and adjusting a position of the movable weight in the handheld peripheral device to correspond to a movement of the virtual object in the virtual environment.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the weight moving instruction is included in weight adjusting profile.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising storing the weight adjusting profile in the handheld peripheral device.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the weight adjusting profile includes at least one of:
a rate of movement of the virtual object; at least one linear direction of movement of the virtual object; at least one rotational direction of movement of the virtual object; or an amount of movement of the virtual object.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the handheld peripheral device includes:
a move mechanism capable of moving the movable weight; and a movement controller coupled to the move mechanism.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the handheld peripheral device further includes at least one inertial sensor coupled to the movement controller.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising comparing an inertial signal output from the inertial sensor to the weight adjusting profile to produce a weight adjustment difference signal and adjusting the position of the movable weight to correspond to the weight adjustment difference signal.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the move mechanism includes at least one of:
a compressed gas; an electric motor; a linear motor; an electromagnet; a pump; a spring; one or more memory metals; one or more electroactive polymers; or one or more phase changing materials.

17 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the movable weight is a fluid.

18 . The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the position of the movable weight includes moving the movable weight in at least one of:
a longitudinal direction along at least a portion of a length of the handheld peripheral device; a lateral direction along at least a portion of a width of the handheld peripheral device; an oscillating motion; a rotating motion; or along a curved direction.

19 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the weight moving instruction is sent from a computing device.

20 . The method of claim 9 , moving the weight changes a weight distribution of the peripheral device.

Assignees

• Sony Computer Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Black Glenn
• Umminger Frederick

Classifications

• A63F13/28 Primary

  responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light · CPC title

• G02B27/0172

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G06T19/006

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title

• A63F13/25

  Output arrangements for video game devices · CPC title

• A63F13/285 Primary

  Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback · CPC title