IP Library Granted Patent US 12710661
Granted Patent B2
US 12710661 · App. 18/863,660 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Head-mounted display and content display system

Inventors: Masanori Nomura (Tokyo, JP); Yasuo Takahashi (Tokyo, JP); Shoi Yonetomi (Tokyo, JP); Yurika Mulase (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
G02B27/0176G02B27/0172G02B2027/014G02B2027/0141
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12710661
App. No.
18/863,660
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lower outer surface of a housing of an HMD is furnished with a power button and a function button. The power button is a button to turn on and off the supply of power from a predetermined power source to the components of the HMD. The function button is a button that can selectively be assigned one of a plurality of functions regarding the operation of the HMD.

Claims (38)

1 . A content display system comprising:

a head-mounted display, wherein the head-mounted display includes a power button; and

a function button different from the power button, the function button being able to be selectively assigned one of a plurality of functions regarding an operation of the head-mounted display; and

processing circuitry configured to:

display, at the head-mounted display, a screen for prompting a user to select the function to be assigned to the function button, and

set the function according to the function assigned to the function button on the screen,

wherein the plurality of functions include a function of controlling screen transition of content displayed on the head-mounted display, wherein, in a case where content that progresses without the user holding an input device is displayed on the head-mounted display, the function setting section automatically performs a process of assigning to the function button a function of controlling screen transition of the content.

2 . The content display system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

capture an image of a front direction of a user wearing the head-mounted display, and

display an image in front of eyes of the user,

wherein the plurality of functions include a function to display the image of the front direction of the user.

3 . The content display system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the head-mounted display further includes a microphone, and

wherein the plurality of functions include a mute function that mutes sound input to the microphone.

4 . The content display system according to claim 1 , wherein the head-mounted display has the power button and the function button positioned adjacent to each other.

5 . The content display system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

capture an image of a front direction of a user wearing the head-mounted display,

display an image in front of eyes of the user, and

wherein the head-mounted display further includes a microphone,

wherein the functions selectable on the screen include;

a function of causing the display to display the image of the front direction of the user,

a mute function that mutes sound input to the microphone, and

a function of controlling screen transition of content displayed on the display.

6 . The content display system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

dynamically set the function of the function button according to a type of content being displayed on the head-mounted display.

7 . The content display system according to claim 1 , wherein the screen for prompting the user displays a plurality of selectable options corresponding to the plurality of functions, wherein one of the plurality of selectable options is set as a default option, and wherein the default option corresponds to a function that causes the head-mounted display to display an image of a front direction of a user captured by the head-mounted display.

8 . The content display system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

maintain the function assigned to the function button until a new function is selected on the screen for prompting the user to select the function.

9 . A content display system, comprising:

processing circuitry; and

a head-mounted display, wherein the head-mounted display includes a power button; and

a function button different from the power button, the function button being able to be selectively assigned one of a plurality of functions regarding an operation of the head-mounted display,

wherein the plurality of functions include a function of controlling screen transition of content displayed on a display,

wherein, in a case where the function of controlling the screen transition of the content is assigned to the function button, an operation of pressing the function button for less than a first time period constitutes an operation of causing a screen of the content to transition in a first direction, and an operation of pressing the function button for at least a second time period longer than the first time period constitutes an operation of causing the screen of the content to transition in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and

wherein, in a case where a state of the function button being pressed is continued, the processing circuitry is configured to display an image indicating that the state of the function button being pressed is continued.

10 . The content display system according to claim 9 , wherein the first time period is 0.5 seconds, and the second time period is 2 seconds.

11 . The content display system according to claim 9 , wherein the image indicating that the state of the function button being pressed is continued includes a circular indicator that completes when a time associated with the function button being pressed reaches the second time period.

12 . The content display system according to claim 9 , wherein in a case where the function button is released after the first time period and before the second time period, the screen transition in the second direction is cancelled.