Menu navigation in a head-mounted display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9588343-B2
Application number	US-201414283032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2014
Priority date	Jan 25, 2014
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

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 focal point may be tracked with respect to one or menu navigation elements. Following the fixated positioning of the focal point over the menu navigation element for a predetermined amount of time, a process corresponding to the menu navigation element is executed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for menu navigation in a head-mounted display, the method comprising:
generating positional data of the head-mounted display;
displaying a virtual environment that includes a focal point of the head-mounted display;
tracking a position of the displayed focal point of the head-mounted display, wherein the position of the displayed focal point is moved over one or more other visual elements displayed within the virtual environment;
detecting that the displayed focal point is within an operational range of a displayed menu navigation element in the virtual environment, wherein the operational range of the displayed menu navigation element corresponds to a defined area that extends around the displayed menu navigation element, and wherein detecting that the focal point is within the operational range of the displayed menu navigation comprises detecting that the focal point is located within the defined area;
executing a fixation timer corresponding to the displayed menu navigation element, wherein the fixation timer counts down a predetermined amount of time when the displayed focal point is within the operational range of the displayed menu navigation element, and wherein the fixation timer stops counting when the displayed focal point moves out of the operational range of the displayed menu navigation element; and
implementing a corresponding function of the displayed menu navigation element upon expiration of the predetermined amount of time as indicated by the fixation timer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the 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. The method of claim 1 , wherein the focal point comprises an associated area around the focal point, and wherein determining that the focal point is within the operational range of the menu navigation comprises determining that the associated area is within the operational range of the menu navigation element.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the focal point and the menu navigation element each includes an associated area, and wherein determining that the focal point is within the operational range of the menu navigation comprises determining that the associated area of the focal point overlaps the associated area of the menu navigation element.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the fixation timer corresponding to the navigation element comprises determining whether the focal point has moved out of the operational range since the fixation timer began execution.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein executing the fixation timer corresponding to the navigation element further comprises confirming that the focal point remains within the operational range of the menu navigation element.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein executing the fixation timer corresponding to the navigation element further comprises confirming that an area associated with the focal point remains within the operational range of the menu navigation element.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein executing the fixation timer corresponding to the navigation element further comprises confirming that an area associated with the focal point continues to overlap an area associated with the menu navigation element.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing an appearance of the focal point during the execution of the timer.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing an appearance of the navigation element during execution of the timer.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing an appearance of an area associated with the focal point during execution of the timer.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing an appearance of an area associated with the navigation element during execution of the timer.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing an appearance of the focal point and the navigation element during execution of the timer.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing an appearance of the focal point and an area associated with the navigation element during execution of the timer.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing an appearance of an area associated with the focal point and the navigation element during execution of the timer.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for menu navigation in a head-mounted display, the method comprising:
generating positional data of the head-mounted display;
displaying a virtual environment that includes a focal point of the head-mounted display;
tracking a position of the displayed focal point of the head-mounted display, wherein the position of the displayed focal point is moved over one or more other visual elements displayed within the virtual environment;
detecting that the displayed focal point is within an operational range of a displayed menu navigation element in the virtual environment, wherein the operational range of the displayed menu navigation element corresponds to a defined area that extends around the displayed menu navigation element, and wherein detecting that the focal point is within the operational range of the displayed menu navigation comprises detecting that the focal point is located within the defined area;
executing a fixation timer corresponding to the displayed menu navigation element, wherein the fixation timer counts down a predetermined amount of time when the displayed focal point is within the operational range of the displayed menu navigation element, and wherein the fixation timer stops counting when the displayed focal point moves out of the operational range of the displayed menu navigation element; and
implementing a corresponding function of the displayed menu navigation element upon expiration of the predetermined amount of time as indicated by the fixation timer.

19. A system for menu navigation, the system comprising:
at least one of a gyroscope, magnetometer, and an accelerometer that generate positional data;
a head-mounted display including at least one lens to display a virtual environment that includes a focal point and a menu navigation element;
a processor that executes instructions stored in memory to:
process the positional data to track the position of the displayed focal point of the head-mounted display, wherein the position of the displayed focal point is moved over one or more other visual elements displayed within the virtual environment,
detect that the displayed focal point is within an operational range of the displayed menu navigation element in the virtual environment, wherein the operational range of the displayed menu navigation element corresponds to a defined area that extends around the displayed menu navigation element, and wherein detecting that the focal point is within the operational range of the displayed menu navigation comprises detecting that the focal point is located within the defined area,
execute a fixation timer corresponding to the displayed menu navigation element, wherein the fixation timer counts down a predetermined amount of time when the displayed focal point is within the operational range of the displayed menu navigation element, and wherein the fixation timer stops counting when the displayed focal

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment America Llc

Inventors

• Moravetz Justin

Classifications

• G06F3/013 Primary

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 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

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title

• G06F3/048

  Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• G06F3/012

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title