IP Library Granted Patent US 11,036,292
Granted Patent B2
US 11,036,292 · App. 16/943,694 · Granted Jun 15, 2021

Menu navigation in a head-mounted display

Inventor: Justin Moravetz (Foster City, CA)
Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
G06F3/013G02B27/017G02B27/0172G02B27/0179G06F3/012G06F3/0346G06F3/0482G02B2027/014G02B2027/0178G02B2027/0187
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,036,292
App. No.
16/943,694
Granted
Jun 15, 2021
Kind
B2
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.

Claims (41)

1. A method for navigation in a head-mounted display (HMD), the method comprising:

generating positional data of the HMD, the positional data including a focal point;

tracking the position of the focal point relative to motion of the HMD;

determining an operational range extending from the focal point with respect to an operational range extending from a navigational element rendered on a display panel of the HMD; and

implementing a function corresponding to the navigational element when the operational range extending from the focal point overlaps with the operational range extending from the navigational element.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating passage of a predetermined period of time with respect to the time that the operational range extending from the focal point overlaps with the operational range extending from the navigational element, the passage of the predetermined period of time required prior to implementation of the function corresponding to the navigational element.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising displaying the calculated passage of the predetermined time with respect to the time that the operational range extending from the focal point overlaps with the operational range of the navigational element.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the display of the calculated passage of the predetermined time includes a timer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational range extending from the focal point includes an associated area that may overlap with the operational range extending from the navigational element.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational range extending from the navigational element includes an associated area that may overlap with the focal point.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational range extending from the focal point includes an associated area that may overlap with an associated area of the operational range extending from the navigational element.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational range extending from the focal point or navigational elements corresponds to a shape.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational range extending from the focal point or navigational element corresponds to a color.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the focal point corresponds to a line-of sight of one or more eyes of a wearer of the HMD relative to the display panel.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a field of view of the display panel relative to the eyes of the wearer of the HMD includes more than 90 degrees along a horizontal thereby creating an immersive environment.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein a field of view of the display panel relative to the eyes of the wearer of the HMD includes more than 110 degrees along a diagonal thereby creating an immersive environment.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein a displayed image for each eye of the wearer of the HMD is pin-cushioned thereby generating a spherical image for each eye.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the navigational element is rendered in a virtual reality environment where a wearer of the HMD is isolated from any visual contact with a real world.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the navigational element is rendered in an augmented reality environment that includes a portion of a real-world environment displayed in conjunction with one or more rendered images in a computer generated environment.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein tracking the position of the focal point relative to motion of the HMD is based on a gyroscope that measures orientation from on angular momentum.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein tracking the position of the focal point relative to motion of the HMD is based on an accelerometer that detects magnitude and direction of acceleration as a vector quantity.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein tracking the position of the focal point relative to motion of the HMD is based on a magnetometer that identifies disturbances in a magnetic field relative to the HMD.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon instructions executable by a processor to perform a method for navigation in a head-mounted display (HMD), the method comprising:

generating positional data of the HMD, the positional data including a focal point;

tracking the position of the focal point relative to motion of the HMD;

determining an operational range extending from the focal point with respect to an operational range extending from a navigational element rendered on a display panel of the HMD; and

implementing a function corresponding to the navigational element when the operational range extending from the focal point overlaps with the operational range extending from the navigational element.

20. A head-mounted display (HMD) device allowing for navigation in a computer generated environment, the HMD device comprising:

a panel that displays at least one navigational element;

a processing device that renders the at least one navigational element on the panel;

at least one sensor that generates and tracks positional data of the HMD, the positional data including a focal point;

memory that stores instructions executable by the processing device to:

determine an operational range extending from the focal point with respect to the navigational element displayed on the panel; and

implement a function corresponding to the navigational element when the operational range extending from the focal point overlaps with an operational range extending from the navigational element.

21. The HMD device of claim 20 , wherein a field of view of the display panel relative to one or more eyes of a wearer of the HMD includes more than 110 degrees along a diagonal thereby creating an immersive environment.

22. The HMD device of claim 21 , wherein the field of view of the panel relative to the eyes of a wearer of the HMD includes more than 90 degrees along a horizontal thereby creating an immersive environment.

23. The HMD device of claim 20 , wherein the navigational element is rendered in a virtual reality environment where a wearer of the HMD is isolated from any visual contact with a real world.

24. The HMD device of claim 20 , wherein the navigational element is rendered in an augmented reality environment that includes a portion of a real-world environment displayed in conjunction with one or more rendered images in a computer generated environment.

25. The HMD device of claim 20 , wherein the at least one sensor tracking the position of the focal point relative to motion of the HMD is a gyroscope that measures orientation from angular momentum.

26. The HMD device of claim 20 , wherein the at least one sensor tracking the position of the focal point relative to motion of the HMD is an accelerometer that detects magnitude and direction of acceleration as a vector quantity.

27. The HMD device of claim 20 , wherein the at least one sensor tracking the position of the focal point relative to motion of the HMD is a magnetometer that identifies disturbances in a magnetic field relative to the HMD.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2021
From: MORAVETZ, JUSTIN
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 054935/0347 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 15, 2021
From: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LLC
To: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 054937/0944 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 15, 2021
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LLC
To: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 055012/0181 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15447342 · Mar 2, 2017
Continuation 14283032 · May 20, 2014
Provisional Application 61931582 · Jan 25, 2014
Related Publication 20200379556A1 · Dec 3, 2020