Stereoscopic display responsive to focal-point shift

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9313481-B2
Application number	US-201414184482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2014
Priority date	Feb 19, 2014
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A method for displaying virtual imagery on a stereoscopic display system having a display matrix. The virtual imagery presents a surface of individually renderable loci viewable to an eye of the user. The method includes, for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a pixel of the display matrix. The illuminated pixel is chosen based on a pupil position of the eye as determined by the stereoscopic display system. For each locus of the viewable surface, a virtual image of the illuminated pixel is formed in a plane in front of the eye. The virtual image is positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the pupil position. In this manner, the virtual image tracks change in the user's pupil position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for displaying virtual imagery on a stereoscopic display system having one or more display matrices the virtual imagery presenting a surface of individually renderable loci viewable to right and left eyes of a user, the method comprising:
for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a right pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated right pixel chosen based on a right pupil position of the right eye as determined by the stereoscopic display system;
for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a left pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated left pixel chosen based on a left pupil position of the left eye as determined by the stereoscopic display system;
forming a virtual image of the right pixel in a plane in front of the right eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the right pupil position, and tracking change in the right pupil position; and
forming a virtual image of the left pixel in a plane in front of the left eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the left pupil position, and tracking change in the left pupil position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the right pupil position is a sensed right pupil position, the method further comprising:
sensing the right pupil position of the right eye by acquiring and analyzing an image of the right eye with eye-tracking componentry of the stereoscopic display system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the right pupil position is a predicted right pupil position, the method further comprising:
predicting the right pupil position to be a point on the right eye lying closest to a predetermined target locus of the virtual imagery.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
predicting the right pupil position during a first operating mode of the stereoscopic display system; and
sensing the right pupil position during a second operating mode of the stereoscopic display system.

5. A method for displaying virtual imagery on a stereoscopic display system having one or more display matrices, the virtual imagery presenting a surface of individually renderable loci viewable to right and left eyes of a user, the method comprising:
predicting a right pupil position of the right eye to be a point on the right eye lying closest to a predetermined target locus of the virtual imagery;
predicting a left pupil position of the left eye to be a point on the left eye lying closest to a predetermined target locus of the virtual imagery;
for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a right pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated right pixel chosen based on the predicted right pupil position;
for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a left pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated left pixel chosen based on the predicted left pupil position;
forming a virtual image of the right pixel in a plane in front of the right eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the predicted right pupil position; and
forming a virtual image of the left pixel in a plane in front of the left eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the predicted left pupil position.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising identifying the target locus based on a heuristic.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the target locus is a centroid of the virtual imagery.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the target locus is a nearest, brightest, or most prominent locus of the virtual imagery.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising computing the predicted right pupil position based on coordinates of the target locus and on a stored parameter value responsive to variation in right eye position among different users.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predicted right pupil position is computed further based on a stored parameter value responsive to variation in right eye dimensions among different users.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the stored parameter value is determined based on feedback from the user as to position or clarity of the virtual imagery as displayed.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the stored parameter value is mathematically reducible to an interpupilary distance of the user when the user is focused forwardly on a distant object.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising storing the stored parameter value in one of a plurality of a user profiles of the stereoscopic display system.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising matching the user to a corresponding user profile.

15. A method for displaying virtual imagery on a stereoscopic display system having one or more display matrices the virtual imagery presenting a surface of individually renderable loci viewable to right and left eyes of a user, the method comprising:
sensing a right pupil position of the right eye and a left pupil position of the left eye;
for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a right pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated right pixel chosen based on the sensed right pupil position;
for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a left pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated left pixel chosen based on the sensed left pupil position;
forming a virtual image of the right pixel in a plane in front of the right eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the sensed right pupil position, and tracking change in the sensed right pupil position; and
forming a virtual image of the left pixel in a plane in front of the left eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the sensed left pupil position, and tracking change in the sensed left pupil position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein sensing the right pupil position includes acquiring and analyzing an image of the right eye with eye-tracking componentry of the stereoscopic display system.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the eye-tracking componentry includes:
a right-eye camera configured to acquire an image of a right eye of the user;
a left-eye camera configured to acquire an image of a left eye of the user; and
logic configured to identify an ocular feature in the image of the right eye and in the image of the left eye.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising relating the images of the right and left eyes to a frame of reference in which the virtual imagery is displayed.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Sylvan Roger Sebastian
• Tomlin Arthur
• Mcculloch Daniel Joseph
• Mount Brian
• Ambrus Tony

Classifications

• G02B27/0093 Primary

  with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G02B2027/0134

  of stereoscopic type · CPC title

• G02B2027/0187

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

• H04N13/344

  with head-mounted left-right displays · CPC title