Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Aaron Burns

Ben J Sugden

Tom G Salter

Alexandre Da Veiga

Laura K Massey

Kenneth Liam Kiemele

Christian Klein

Christian Michael Sadak

John Benjamin Hesketh

Michael Robert Thomas

Charlene Mary Jeune

Roger Sebastian Sylvan

Gregg Robert Wygonik

Jeffrey Sipko

Donna Katherine Long

Bryant Daniel Hawthorne

Sophors Khut

Roger Sebastian Kevin Sylvan

Benjamin John Sugden

Greg Alt

Ricardo Arturo Espinoza Reyes

Brian James Mount

Kathleen Patricia Mulcahy

Aaron Daniel Krauss

Brian E Keane

Michael Scavezze

Gerhard A Schneider

Tony Ambrus

Quentin Simon Charles Miller

Scott Robert Ramsby

Ian Douglas McIntyre

James Tichenor

Todd Omotani

Riccardo Giraldi

Jamie R Cabaccang

Nikolai Michael Faaland

Matthew Steven Johnson

Timothy David Kviz

Bede Jordan

Abby Lin Lee

Jeff Cole

Katelyn Doran

Jamie Marconi

Jeff Sutherland

Bharat Ahluwalia

Felicia Stephanie Williams

Tim Psiaki

John Benjamin George Hesketh

Yevdokia K Mashak

Russ McMackin

Brent J Elmer

Robert Ferrese

Scott G Wade

Adolfo Hernandez Santisteban

Adolfo H Santisteban

Felicia Williams

A head mounted display (HMD) device operating in a real world physical environment is configured with a sensor package that enables determination of an intersection of a device user's projected gaze with a location in a virtual reality environment so that virtual objects can be placed into the environment with high precision. Surface reconstruction of the physical environment can be applied using data from the sensor package to determine the user's view position in the virtual world. A gaze ray originating from the view position is projected outward and a cursor or similar indicator is rendered on the HMD display at the ray's closest intersection with the virtual world such as a virtual object, floor/ground, etc. In response to user input, such as a gesture, voice interaction, or control manipulation, a virtual object is placed at the point of intersection between the projected gaze ray and the virtual reality environment.

Gaze-based object placement within a virtual reality environment

Examples are disclosed herein that relate to receiving virtual reality input. An example provides a head-mounted display device comprising a sensor system, a display, a logic machine, and a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine. The instructions are executable to execute a 3D virtual reality experience on the head-mounted display device, track, via the sensor system, a touch-sensitive input device, render, on the display, in a 3D location in the 3D virtual reality experience based on the tracking of the touch-sensitive input device, a user interface, receive, via a touch sensor of the touch-sensitive input device, a user input, and, in response to receiving the user input, control the 3D virtual reality experience to thereby vary visual content being rendered on the display.

Virtual reality input

An HMD device is configured to vertically adjust the ground plane of a rendered virtual reality environment that has varying elevations to match the flat real world floor so that the device user can move around to navigate and explore the environment and always be properly located on the virtual ground and not be above it or underneath it. Rather than continuously adjust the virtual reality ground plane, which can introduce cognitive dissonance discomfort to the user, when the user is not engaged in some form of locomotion (e.g., walking), the HMD device establishes a threshold radius around the user within which virtual ground plane adjustment is not performed. The user can make movements within the threshold radius without the HMD device shifting the virtual terrain. When the user moves past the threshold radius, the device will perform an adjustment as needed to match the ground plane of the virtual reality environment to the real world floor.

Ground plane adjustment in a virtual reality environment

Techniques are described herein that are capable of making a state-based determination of information to be displayed on a screen region of a hinge that is coupled to other screen regions. For instance, a state of a hinge that is coupled between a first screen region and a second screen region may be determined. Information that is to be displayed on a third screen region that is provided on the hinge may be determine based at least in part on the state of the hinge.

Device having a screen region on a hinge coupled between other screen regions

In various embodiments, methods and systems are provide for detecting a physical configuration of a device based on sensor data from one or more configuration sensors. The physical configuration includes a position of a first display region of the device with respect to a second display region of the device, where the position is physically adjustable. A configuration profile is selected from a plurality of configuration profiles based on the detected physical configuration of the device. Each configuration profile is a representation of at least one respective physical configuration of the device. An interaction mode corresponding to the selected configuration profile is activated, where the interaction mode includes a set of mode input/output (I/O) features available while the interaction mode is active. Device interfaces of the device are managed using at least some mode I/O features in the set of mode I/O features based on the activating of the interaction mode.

Physical configuration of a device for interaction mode selection

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a foldable display device that includes a user interface surface located on an exterior cover section of the foldable display device that allows a user to interact with the user interface surface while the foldable display device is in a closed state. Interaction on the user interface surface during the closed state of the foldable display device may allow the user to select content to be shown on at least one display screen of the foldable display device on the interior section during a subsequent open state of the foldable display device. Additionally, the user interface surface may be configured to allow an object produced (e.g., drawn or written) on the user interface surface to be stored for display on at least one of the first display screen, the second display screen, or the user interface surface.

Foldable display device with interactable user interface surface on the external shell

Modifying a tether linked to a cursor based on depth volatility of the cursor is disclosed. Multiple displays show a three-dimensional image that seems to be at the same real world location regardless of the location of the display. One person operates a cursor in the three-dimensional image. Volatility of depth of the cursor from the viewpoint of the cursor operator is tracked. The appearance of the tether is changed in other displays in response to the depth volatility. The tether may include a line from the cursor towards the cursor operator. The tether is not necessarily displayed all of the time so as to not obscure the view of the three-dimensional image. When there is not any depth volatility for some time, the tether is not displayed. In response to high depth volatility, the tether may be displayed as a long line from the cursor.

Volatility based cursor tethering

Tracking a user head position detects a change to a new head position and, in response, a remote camera is instructed to move to a next camera position. A camera image frame, having an indication of camera position, is received from the camera. Upon the camera position not aligning with the next camera position, an assembled image frame is formed, using image data from past views, and rendered to appear to the user as if the camera moved in 1:1 alignment with the user's head to the next camera position.

Apparatus and method of 1:1 matching head mounted display view to head movement that controls articulated camera

A field of view of a virtual environment is visually presented via a near-eye display from a first perspective. A begin-adjustment command is received. A peripheral region of the field of view that surrounds a wearer's gaze target is dimmed, via the near-eye display, based on the begin-adjustment command. A navigation command is received. The field of view of the virtual environment is adjusted from the first perspective to a second perspective based on the navigation command. An end-adjustment command is received. The peripheral region of the field of view is brightened, via the near-eye display, based on the end-adjustment command. The field of view of the virtual environment is visually presented, via the near-eye display, from the second perspective.

Virtual-reality navigation

Techniques are described herein that are capable of providing an updated acoustic response for a device based at least in part on a hinge angle. For instance, an angle of a hinge that is coupled between first and second members of a device may be determined. The angle is defined between first and second surfaces of the respective first and second members. A spectral signal has a frequency spectrum that includes multiple portions. An amplitude of each portion of the frequency spectrum is selectively modified to change an acoustic response of the device to an updated acoustic response based at least in part on the angle of the hinge. The acoustic response of the device is associated with a resonance chamber, which is defined by the first surface, the second surface, and a third surface.

Device having updated acoustic response based on hinge angle

A method to display a virtual object includes receiving virtual-object data representing a virtual object, a first rendering of the virtual object being displayed on a display screen during a first interval. The method also includes receiving display-screen data indicating a physical size, position, and orientation of the display screen, and receiving display-device data indicating a position and orientation of a near-eye display device. The method includes composing a second, 3D rendering of the virtual object based on the virtual-object data and on the relative position and orientation of the display screen versus the near-eye display device, as indicated by the display-screen and display-device data, and, displaying the second rendering binocularly on the near-eye display device during a subsequent second interval, such that the second rendering coincides with the first rendering in an augmented field of view of the user.

Virtual object hand-off and manipulation

Technology for stabilizing an interaction ray based on variance in head rotation is disclosed. One aspect includes monitoring orientation of a person's head, which may include monitoring rotation about an axis of the head, such as recording an Euler angle with respect to rotation about an axis of the head. The logic determines a three-dimensional (3D) ray based on the orientation of the head. The 3D ray has a motion that precisely tracks the Euler angle over time. The logic generates an interaction ray that tracks the 3D ray to some extent. The logic determines a variance of the Euler angle over time. The logic stabilizes the interaction ray based on the variance of the Euler angle over time despite some rotation about the axis of the head. The amount of stabilizing may be inversely proportional to the variance of the Euler angle.

Stabilizing motion of an interaction ray

An HMD device is configured to check the placement of newly introduced objects in a virtual reality environment such as interactive elements like menus, widgets, and notifications to confirm that the objects are significantly present within the user's field of view. If the intended original placement would locate the object outside the field of view, the HMD device relocates the object so that a portion of the object is viewable at the edge of the HMD display closest to its original placement. Such smart placement of virtual objects enables the user to readily discover new objects when they are introduced into the virtual reality environment, and then interact with the objects within a range of motions and/or head positions that is comfortable to support a more optimal interaction and user experience.

Smart placement of virtual objects to stay in the field of view of a head mounted display

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Newcastle, WA, United States of America

Aaron Burns