IP Library Granted Patent US 9,313,481
Granted Patent B2
US 9,313,481 · App. 14/184,482 · Granted Apr 12, 2016

Stereoscopic display responsive to focal-point shift

Inventors: Roger Sebastian Sylvan (Seattle, WA); Arthur Tomlin (Kirkland, WA); Daniel Joseph McCulloch (Kirkland, WA); Brian Mount (Seattle, WA); Tony Ambrus (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
H04N13/0429G02B27/0093G02B27/017G02B27/2228G06F3/013H04N13/0445H04N13/0472H04N13/0484G02B2027/0181G02B2027/0185G02B2027/0187
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,313,481
App. No.
14/184,482
Granted
Apr 12, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for displaying virtual imagery on a stereoscopic display system having a display matrix. The virtual imagery presents a surface of individually renderable loci viewable to an eye of the user. The method includes, for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a pixel of the display matrix. The illuminated pixel is chosen based on a pupil position of the eye as determined by the stereoscopic display system. For each locus of the viewable surface, a virtual image of the illuminated pixel is formed in a plane in front of the eye. The virtual image is positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the pupil position. In this manner, the virtual image tracks change in the user's pupil position.

Claims (40)

1. A method for displaying virtual imagery on a stereoscopic display system having one or more display matrices the virtual imagery presenting a surface of individually renderable loci viewable to right and left eyes of a user, the method comprising:

for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a right pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated right pixel chosen based on a right pupil position of the right eye as determined by the stereoscopic display system;

for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a left pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated left pixel chosen based on a left pupil position of the left eye as determined by the stereoscopic display system;

forming a virtual image of the right pixel in a plane in front of the right eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the right pupil position, and tracking change in the right pupil position; and

forming a virtual image of the left pixel in a plane in front of the left eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the left pupil position, and tracking change in the left pupil position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the right pupil position is a sensed right pupil position, the method further comprising:

sensing the right pupil position of the right eye by acquiring and analyzing an image of the right eye with eye-tracking componentry of the stereoscopic display system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the right pupil position is a predicted right pupil position, the method further comprising:

predicting the right pupil position to be a point on the right eye lying closest to a predetermined target locus of the virtual imagery.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

predicting the right pupil position during a first operating mode of the stereoscopic display system; and

sensing the right pupil position during a second operating mode of the stereoscopic display system.

5. A method for displaying virtual imagery on a stereoscopic display system having one or more display matrices, the virtual imagery presenting a surface of individually renderable loci viewable to right and left eyes of a user, the method comprising:

predicting a right pupil position of the right eye to be a point on the right eye lying closest to a predetermined target locus of the virtual imagery;

predicting a left pupil position of the left eye to be a point on the left eye lying closest to a predetermined target locus of the virtual imagery;

for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a right pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated right pixel chosen based on the predicted right pupil position;

for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a left pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated left pixel chosen based on the predicted left pupil position;

forming a virtual image of the right pixel in a plane in front of the right eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the predicted right pupil position; and

forming a virtual image of the left pixel in a plane in front of the left eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the predicted left pupil position.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising identifying the target locus based on a heuristic.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the target locus is a centroid of the virtual imagery.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the target locus is a nearest, brightest, or most prominent locus of the virtual imagery.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising computing the predicted right pupil position based on coordinates of the target locus and on a stored parameter value responsive to variation in right eye position among different users.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predicted right pupil position is computed further based on a stored parameter value responsive to variation in right eye dimensions among different users.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the stored parameter value is determined based on feedback from the user as to position or clarity of the virtual imagery as displayed.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the stored parameter value is mathematically reducible to an interpupilary distance of the user when the user is focused forwardly on a distant object.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising storing the stored parameter value in one of a plurality of a user profiles of the stereoscopic display system.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising matching the user to a corresponding user profile.

15. A method for displaying virtual imagery on a stereoscopic display system having one or more display matrices the virtual imagery presenting a surface of individually renderable loci viewable to right and left eyes of a user, the method comprising:

sensing a right pupil position of the right eye and a left pupil position of the left eye;

for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a right pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated right pixel chosen based on the sensed right pupil position;

for each locus of the viewable surface, illuminating a left pixel of the one or more display matrices, the illuminated left pixel chosen based on the sensed left pupil position;

forming a virtual image of the right pixel in a plane in front of the right eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the sensed right pupil position, and tracking change in the sensed right pupil position; and

forming a virtual image of the left pixel in a plane in front of the left eye, the virtual image positioned on a straight line passing through the locus, the plane, and the sensed left pupil position, and tracking change in the sensed left pupil position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein sensing the right pupil position includes acquiring and analyzing an image of the right eye with eye-tracking componentry of the stereoscopic display system.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the eye-tracking componentry includes:

a right-eye camera configured to acquire an image of a right eye of the user;

a left-eye camera configured to acquire an image of a left eye of the user; and

logic configured to identify an ocular feature in the image of the right eye and in the image of the left eye.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising relating the images of the right and left eyes to a frame of reference in which the virtual imagery is displayed.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2015
From: SYLVAN, ROGER SEBASTIAN; TOMLIN, ARTHUR; MCCULLOCH, DANIEL JOSEPH; MOUNT, BRIAN; AMBRUS, TONY
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037384/0375 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2015
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 039025/0454 →
Continuity (1)
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