System and method for controlling immersiveness of head-worn displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016196694-A1
Application number	US-201614988286-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 5, 2016
Priority date	Jan 5, 2015
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling immersiveness of head-worn displays. A virtual-reality headset includes at least one panel on the virtual reality headset that is capable of being adjusted to increase or decrease opacity of the panel. A control device in communication with the at least one panel is capable of adjusting the opacity of the at least one panel in response to a command to increase or decrease the opacity of the panel so that a system user's immersiveness in the virtual world displayed by the virtual-reality headset is capable of being automatically controlled while the system user wears the virtual-reality headset.

First claim

1 . A virtual-reality headset, comprising:
at least one panel on the virtual reality headset, with the at least one panel being capable of being adjusted to increase or decrease opacity of the panel; and a control device in communication with the at least one panel, with the control device being capable of adjusting the opacity of the at least one panel in response to a command to increase or decrease the opacity of the panel, and with the control device including at least one of a computer-based control device or an electrical control device, whereby a system user's immersiveness in the virtual world displayed by the virtual-reality headset is capable of being automatically controlled while the system user wears the virtual-reality headset.

2 . The virtual-reality headset of claim 1 , wherein the at least one panel is disposed on a front of the virtual-reality headset, such that the opacity of the panel can be controlled to allow the system user to see the real world when the user is wearing the virtual-reality headset.

3 . The virtual-reality headset of claim 1 , wherein the at least one panel comprises a first panel disposed on a first side of the virtual-reality headset and a second panel disposed on a second side of the virtual-reality headset.

4 . The virtual-reality headset of claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second panels can be controlled individually, simultaneously, or any combination thereof.

5 . The virtual-reality headset of claim 1 , wherein the at least one panel is a liquid crystal display panel that can be adjusted to control the opacity of the panel.

6 . The virtual-reality headset of claim 1 , wherein the control device is disposed on the virtual reality headset so that the system user can manually adjust the opacity of the at least one panel.

7 . The virtual-reality headset of claim 1 , wherein the control device is a computing device located remote from the virtual-reality headset so that the control device can automatically control the headset based on one or more preconfigured triggers.

8 . A computerized method for controlling a system user's immersiveness in a virtual world displayed by a virtual-reality headset, the computerized method being stored in machine-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
receive an instruction to adjust the opacity of at least one panel on the virtual reality headset, the at least one panel being capable of being adjusted to increase or decrease opacity of the panel; adjust the opacity of the at least one panel in response to the instruction, whereby the system user's immersiveness in the virtual world displayed by the virtual-reality headset is automatically controlled while the system user wears the virtual-reality headset.

9 . The computerized method of claim 8 , wherein:
the instruction comprises an instruction to increase the opacity of the at least one panel, an instruction to decrease the opacity of the at least one panel, or both; and adjusting the opacity of the at least one panel comprises increasing the opacity of the at least one panel, decreasing the opacity of the at least one panel, or both, in response to the instruction.

10 . The computerized method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving the instruction from a computing device located remote from the virtual-reality headset so that the control device can automatically control the headset based on one or more preconfigured triggers.

11 . The computerized method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving the instruction from a control device disposed on the virtual reality headset so that the system user can manually adjust the opacity of the at least one panel.

12 . The computerized method of claim 8 , wherein:
the at least one panel is disposed on a front of the virtual reality headset; and adjusting the opacity of the at least one panel comprises adjusting a front of the virtual-reality headset to control the opacity of the front of the virtual-reality headset to allow the system user to see the real world when the user is wearing the virtual-reality headset.

13 . The computerized method of claim 8 , wherein:
the at least one panel comprises a first panel disposed on a first side of the virtual-reality headset and a second panel disposed on a second side of the virtual-reality headset; and adjusting the opacity of the at least one panel comprises controlling each of the first and second panels individually, simultaneously, or any combination thereof.

14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions operable to cause an apparatus to:
receive an instruction to adjust the opacity of at least one panel on a virtual-reality headset, the at least one panel being capable of being adjusted to increase or decrease opacity of the panel; and adjust the opacity of the at least one panel in response to the instruction, whereby a system user's immersiveness in a virtual world displayed by the virtual-reality headset is automatically controlled while the system user wears the virtual-reality headset.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein:
the instruction comprises an instruction to increase the opacity of the at least one panel, an instruction to decrease the opacity of the at least one panel, or both; and adjusting the opacity of the at least one panel comprises increasing the opacity of the at least one panel, decreasing the opacity of the at least one panel, or both, in response to the instruction.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the apparatus to receive the instruction from a computing device located remote from the virtual-reality headset so that the control device can automatically control the headset based on one or more preconfigured triggers.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the apparatus to receive the instruction from a control device disposed on the virtual reality headset so that the system user can manually adjust the opacity of the at least one panel.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein:
the at least one panel is disposed on a front of the virtual reality headset; and adjusting the opacity of the at least one panel comprises adjusting a front of the virtual-reality headset to control the opacity of the front of the virtual-reality headset to allow the system user to see the real world when the user is wearing the virtual-reality headset.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein:
the at least one panel comprises a first panel disposed on a first side of the virtual-reality headset and a second panel disposed on a second side of the virtual-reality headset; and adjusting the opacity of the at least one panel comprises controlling each of the first and second panels individually, simultaneously, or any combination thereof.

20 - 40 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Worcester Polytech Inst

Inventors

• Lindeman Robert W

Classifications

• G06T19/006 Primary

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

• G02B2027/0138

  comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera · CPC title

• A63F13/25 Primary

  Output arrangements for video game devices · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title