Head-mounted display tracking using corner reflectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018364483-A1
Application number	US-201715665180-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 31, 2017
Priority date	Jun 14, 2017
Publication date	Dec 20, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A head-mounted display (HMD) is provided, including the following: an emitter configured to emit a scanning beam into an interactive environment in which the HMD is disposed, the scanning beam being configured to continuously trace a predefined scan pattern; a detector configured to detect reflections of the scanning beam back to the HMD by each of a plurality of reflectors; a processor configured to, for each reflector, determine a time at which the reflection of the scanning beam by the reflector occurred, wherein the time is used to determine a location or orientation of the HMD in the interactive environment; a display device configured to render a view of a virtual space that is determined based on the determined location or orientation of the HMD.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A head-mounted display (HMD), comprising:
an emitter configured to emit a scanning beam into an interactive environment in which the HMD is disposed, the scanning beam being configured to continuously trace a predefined scan pattern; a detector configured to detect reflections of the scanning beam back to the HMD by each of a plurality of reflectors; a processor configured to, for each reflector, determine a time at which the reflection of the scanning beam by the reflector occurred, wherein the time is used to determine a location or orientation of the HMD in the interactive environment; a display device configured to render a view of a virtual space that is determined based on the determined location or orientation of the HMD.

2 . The HMD of claim 1 , wherein the emitter includes a beam generator and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirror, the beam generator configured to generate and direct the scanning beam towards the MEMS mirror, wherein the MEMS mirror is controlled to steer the scanning beam to continuously trace the predefined scan pattern.

3 . The HMD of claim 2 , wherein the predefined scan pattern is defined by a raster scan pattern or a Lissajous scan pattern.

4 . The HMD of claim 2 , wherein the scanning beam is defined by an infrared (IR) beam that is generated by the beam generator.

5 . The HMD of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of reflectors is configured to reflect the scanning beam back to the HMD along a return path that is substantially parallel and substantially coincident to an emission path along which the scanning beam was emitted from the emitter.

6 . The HMD of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of reflectors is defined by a corner reflector.

7 . The HMD of claim 1 , wherein the detector includes at least one photosensor configured to detect the reflections of the scanning beam.

8 . The HMD of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reflectors includes three or more reflectors.

9 . The HMD of claim 1 , wherein determining the location or orientation of the HMD includes, for each reflector, determining a position of the scanning beam at the time that the reflection of the scanning beam from the reflector occurred.

10 . A system, comprising:
a plurality of reflectors; a head-mounted display (HMD), including, an emitter configured to emit a scanning beam into an interactive environment in which the HMD is disposed, the scanning beam being configured to continuously trace a predefined scan pattern; a detector configured to detect reflections of the scanning beam back to the HMD by each of a plurality of reflectors; a processor configured to, for each reflector, determine a time at which the reflection of the scanning beam by the reflector occurred, wherein the time is used to determine a location or orientation of the HMD in the interactive environment; a display device; a computing device, the computing device configured to generate a view of a virtual space that is determined based on the determined location or orientation of the HMD in the interactive environment; wherein the display device of the HMD is configured to render the view of the virtual space.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the emitter includes a beam generator and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirror, the beam generator configured to generate and direct the scanning beam towards the MEMS mirror, wherein the MEMS mirror is controlled to steer the scanning beam to continuously trace the predefined scan pattern.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of reflectors is configured to reflect the scanning beam back to the HMD along a return path that is substantially parallel and substantially coincident to an emission path along which the scanning beam was emitted from the emitter.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of reflectors is defined by a corner reflector.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the detector includes at least one photosensor configured to detect the reflections of the scanning beam.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of reflectors includes three or more reflectors.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein determining the location or orientation of the HMD includes, for each reflector, determining a position of the scanning beam at the time that the reflection of the scanning beam from the reflector occurred.

17 . A method, comprising:
emitting, from a head-mounted display (HMD), a scanning beam into an interactive environment in which the HMD is disposed, the scanning beam being configured to continuously trace a predefined scan pattern; detecting, at the HMD, reflections of the scanning beam back to the HMD by each of a plurality of reflectors; for each reflector, determining a time at which the reflection of the scanning beam by the reflector occurred, wherein the time is used to determine a location or orientation of the HMD in the interactive environment; rendering through the HMD a view of a virtual space that is determined based on the determined location or orientation of the HMD.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the predefined scan pattern is defined by a raster scan pattern or a Lissajous scan pattern.

19 . The HMD of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of reflectors is configured to reflect the scanning beam back to the HMD along a return path that is substantially parallel and substantially coincident to an emission path along which the scanning beam was emitted from the HMD.

20 . The HMD of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of reflectors is defined by a corner reflector.

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Mallinson Dominic
• Zalewski Gary

Classifications

• G06F3/012

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title

• A63F13/212

  using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity · CPC title

• A63F13/213

  comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells (A63F13/219 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0187

  slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye · CPC title

• G01S17/42 Primary

  Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) · CPC title