Environmental interrupt in a head-mounted display and utilization of non field of view real estate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9437159-B2
Application number	US-201414283083-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2014
Priority date	Jan 25, 2014
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A wearable computing device includes a head-mounted display (HMD) that generates a virtual reality environment. Through the generation and tracking of positional data, a the virtual environment may be interrupted or paused. Upon pausing the environment, a user may access a number of ancillary menus and controls not otherwise available during normal operation of the virtual environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for interrupting a virtual environment in a head-mounted display, the method comprising:
storing information in memory regarding at least one control setting that associates a function with a change in position of the head-mounted display;
calibrating the head-mounted display, wherein a start position of the head-mounted display is identified;
generating positional data that tracks movement of the head-mounted display;
determining that a current position of the head-mounted display is indicative of a change from the start position that exceeds the change in position of the control setting;
executing the function associated with the control setting, wherein the function comprises interrupting the virtual environment in the head-mounted display by pausing the environment; and
offering menu functionality in a peripheral vision area once the environment has been paused.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating positional data includes processing data from a gyroscope.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating positional data includes processing data from an accelerometer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating positional data includes processing data from a magnetometer.

5. A system for interrupting a virtual environment in a head-mounted display, the system comprising:
memory that stores information regarding at least one control setting that associates a function with a change in position of the head-mounted display;
at least one of a gyroscope, magnetometer, and an accelerometer that:
calibrates the head-mounted display, wherein a start position of the head-mounted display is identified, and
generates positional data that tracks movement of the head-mounted display;

a processor that executes instructions stored in memory to:
determine that a current position of the head-mounted display is indicative of a change from the start position that exceeds the change in position of the control setting; and
execute the function associated with the control setting; and

a head-mounted display including at least one lens to display the virtual environment, wherein execution of the function interrupts the environment by pausing the environment; and wherein the head-mounted display further offers menu functionality in a peripheral vision area once the environment has been paused.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein generating positional data includes processing data from the gyroscope.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein generating positional data includes processing data from the accelerometer.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein generating positional data includes processing data from the magnetometer.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for interrupting a virtual environment in a head-mounted display, the method comprising:
storing information regarding at least one control setting that associates a function with a change in position of the head-mounted display;
calibrating the head-mounted display, wherein a start position of the head-mounted display is identified;
generating positional data that tracks movement of the head-mounted display;
determining that a current position of the head-mounted display is indicative of a change from the start position that exceeds the change in position of the control setting;
executing the function associated with the control setting, wherein the function comprises interrupting the virtual environment in the head-mounted display by pausing the environment; and
offering menu functionality in a peripheral vision area once the environment has been paused.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein generating positional data includes processing data from a gyroscope.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein generating positional data includes processing data from an accelerometer.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein generating positional data includes processing data from a magnetometer.

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment America Llc

Inventors

• Moravetz Justin

Classifications

• G02B2027/0187

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

• G09G3/003

  to produce spatial visual effects · CPC title

• G09G2370/10

  Use of a protocol of communication by packets in interfaces along the display data pipeline · CPC title

• G06T7/70

  Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title