IP Library Granted Patent US 10,475,254
Granted Patent B2
US 10,475,254 · App. 16/240,176 · Granted Nov 12, 2019

Methods and apparatus to align components in virtual reality environments

Inventors: David Dearman (Mountain View, CA); Chun Yat Frank Li (Mountain View, CA); Erica Morse (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Google LLC
G06T19/20G02B27/017G06F3/011G06F3/012G06F3/02G06F3/0383G02B2027/014G02B2027/0187G06F3/013G06F3/0346G06T2219/2004
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,475,254
App. No.
16/240,176
Granted
Nov 12, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, devices, methods, computer program products, and electronic apparatuses for aligning components in virtual reality environments are provided. An example method includes detecting a first input from a handheld controller of a virtual reality system, responsive to detecting the first input, instructing a user to orient a handheld controller in a designated direction, detecting a second input from the handheld controller; and responsive to detecting the second input, storing alignment data representative of an alignment of the handheld controller.

Claims (44)

1. A method comprising:

instructing a user to orient a handheld controller in a targeted direction by:

displaying a target within a scene displayed by a head-mounted display; and

instructing the user to aim the handheld controller at the target;

detecting an input from the handheld controller; and

responsive to detecting the input:

determining an orientation of the handheld controller;

determining an orientation associated with the head-mounted display; and

storing alignment data representative of an alignment of the handheld controller, the alignment data including data representative of an offset between the determined orientation of the handheld controller and the determined orientation associated with the head-mounted display.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising aligning at least a portion of a scene displayed by the head-mounted display based on the alignment data.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an orientation of the handheld controller with respect to a scene displayed by the head-mounted display based on the alignment data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing alignment data representative of the alignment of the handheld controller comprises storing at least one of a forward/back position, an up/down position, a left/right position, a pitch, a roll, and a yaw.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the head-mounted display is communicatively coupled to the handheld controller.

6. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the computer program product including code that, when executed by processing circuitry, causes the processing circuitry to perform a method comprising:

instructing a user to orient a handheld controller in a designated direction by:

displaying a target within a scene displayed by a head-mounted display that is communicatively coupled to the handheld controller; and

instructing the user to aim the handheld controller at the target;

detecting an input from the handheld controller; and

responsive to detecting the input:

determining an orientation of the handheld controller;

determining an orientation associated with the head-mounted display that is communicatively coupled to the handheld controller; and

storing alignment data representative of an alignment of the handheld controller, the alignment data including data representative of an offset between the determined orientation of the controller and the determined orientation associated with the head-mounted display.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the determining an orientation associated with a head-mounted display includes determining an orientation of the head-mounted display.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the determining an orientation associated with a head-mounted display includes determining a direction in which the user is gazing.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the method further includes aligning at least a portion of a scene displayed by the head-mounted display based on the alignment data.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 , the method further includes determining an orientation of the handheld controller with respect to a scene displayed by the head-mounted display based on the alignment data.

11. The computer program product of claim 6 , the method further includes determining based on the alignment data an object within a scene displayed by the head-mounted display at which the handheld controller is pointed.

12. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the instructing a user to orient a handheld controller in a designated direction comprises displaying instructions within a scene displayed by the head-mounted display.

13. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

controlling circuitry coupled to the memory and configured to:

detect a first input from a handheld controller;

responsive to detecting the first input:

display a target within a scene displayed by a head-mounted display; and

instruct a user to aim the handheld controller at the target detect a second input from the handheld controller; and

responsive to detecting the second input:

determine an orientation of the handheld controller;

determine an orientation associated with the head-mounted display; and

store alignment data representative of an alignment of the handheld controller, the alignment data including data representative of an offset between the determined orientation of the controller and the determined orientation associated with the head-mounted display.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the detecting the first input comprises detecting an actuation of an input device of the handheld controller.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the detecting the actuation of the input device comprises detecting a press of a button of the handheld controller.

16. The electronic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the detecting the second input comprises detecting a release of an input device of the handheld controller.

17. The electronic apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the detecting the release of an input device comprised detecting the release of a button.

18. The electronic apparatus of claim 13 , the controlling circuitry being further configured to coordinate movement of the handheld controller and the head-mounted display in a scene based on the stored alignment data.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 2, 2019
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 050610/0686 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2019
From: DEARMAN, DAVID; LI, CHUN YAT FRANK; MORSE, ERICA
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 047923/0488 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15594186 · May 12, 2017
Provisional Application 62335829 · May 13, 2016
Related Publication 20190139323A1 · May 9, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,513,280