Penumbra, Inc.

Sixense Entertainment, Inc.

Sixense Enterprises Inc.

Alejandro Santiago Diaz

Amir Rubin

Oded Y Zur

Owen Walter Pedrotti

Cameron J Mahon

Michael D Collins

Ron Barak

Danny G Woodall

Ran Bar-On

Steven L Braman

William R Herrera

Danilo Moura Silva

Branislav Vasilijevic

Joel Breton

Ariel Z Rubin

Scott C Duensing

Christian Laursen

Andrew Yumul Huertas

Real-time two-way communication between a user immersed in a virtual reality (VR) environment and another party who is not in the VR environment. The sequence of video frames being presented to the VR user on, e.g., a head mounted display, i.e., the VR user's 'field of view' in the VR environment, is shown to a guest user on their computing device. Simultaneously, video from a camera in a guest user computing device is shown to the VR user in a window in the VR environment. Audio is also exchanged in real time between the VR user and guest user by use of a microphone and loudspeaker in both the VR system and the guest user computing device. The VR user's system can also support both rotational and translational user movement thus properly changing the VR user's apparent distance from objects displayed in the VR environment.

Method and apparatus for real-time data communication in full-presence immersive platforms

A method and apparatus for reducing magnetic tracking error in the position and orientation determined in a magnetic tracking system having a magnetic field generator. In some embodiments, the measured position and orientation of a sensor is compared to an expected theoretical position and orientation. Any error is assumed to be from 'floor distortion,' i.e., eddy currents in the floor caused by the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field transmitter. The floor distortion is modeled as being caused by eddy currents caused by a second magnetic field transmitter that is a reflection of the actual transmitter. An algorithm iteratively searches over a parameter space to minimize the difference between the measured position and orientation and the theoretical position and orientation, and applies a correction to the measured position and orientation. The measurements and corrections of the position and orientation run in real-time with no additional hardware or calibration required.

Method and apparatus for reducing magnetic tracking error due to floor distortion

A system and method that can automatically select a frequency of a magnetic field in a magnetic tracking system. A magnetic tracking system emits an alternating magnetic field using a set of three frequencies. In the present approach, a transmitter is capable of generating multiple sets of three frequencies. A processor selects a first set of frequencies to use and causes the receiver to measure the amplitude of the magnetic field at those frequencies. In one embodiment, the frequency set having the lowest energy is selected. The processor then compares an estimated jitter at those frequencies to the actual jitter experienced using the frequencies. If the actual jitter exceeds the estimated jitter by a predetermined amount, the processor switches to a different set of frequencies and causes the receiver to measure the magnetic field at the new set of frequencies. The process may repeat using the additional sets of frequencies.

Method and apparatus for automatic frequency selection in magnetic tracking systems

A method and apparatus for reducing magnetic tracking error in the position and orientation determined in an electromagnetic tracking system is disclosed. In some embodiments, a corrected position and orientation is blended with an uncorrected position and orientation based upon the calculated probability of each. To determine a corrected position and orientation, data from an IMU in the receiver is used to obtain a constraint on the orientation. In other embodiments, the amount of detected error due to electromagnetic distortion is measured. Any error is first assumed to be from 'floor distortion,' and a correction is applied. If the error is still deemed too great, a constraint is again obtained from IMU data. Using this constraint, another correction for the distortion is made. The solution from this correction may be blended with a standard solution and the solution from the floor distortion to arrive at a final solution.

Method and apparatus for reducing magnetic tracking error

A system and method for performing synchronization of a magnetic field transmitter and receiver to resolve received signal phase ambiguity based upon the phases of the magnetic fields. Three orthogonal field frequencies are selected. A Fourier transform extracts the sine and cosine of the received signal, which provides the received signal phases and results in a complex signal matrix ('Sigmat'). A search is made for a phase rotation of the frequencies to achieve convergence of the Sigmat at a point it is real-valued; the search may be limited by aligning the Sigmat such that the major element becomes real-valued and rotating the other two frequencies. The correct phase is the one in which the Sigmat has a positive determinant and minimizes any remaining imaginary portion. A transmitter and receiver may be calibrated to account for any analog phase shift. Distortion of the magnetic field may also be detected and corrected.

Method and apparatus for phase-based synchronization in magnetic tracking systems

A method and apparatus for self-relative body tracking in virtual reality systems using magnetic tracking is disclosed, which allows more accurate tracking of a user's body relative to the user's field of vision. A head-mounted magnetic tracking (HMMT) system is used, in which other parts of a user's body are tracked relative to the HMD on the user's head, rather than relative to a base station. This results in less distortion of the magnetic field used for tracking and thus allows for more accurate determination of the position and orientation of a user's body parts relative to the user's field of vision, so that a more accurate avatar may be presented on the HMD to the user. This allows the avatar of the user's body part to be shown in a location that corresponds closely to its physical position. In an alternative embodiment, multiple portions of the user's body may be tracked.

Method and apparatus for multiple user self-relative tracking for augmented reality systems using magnetic tracking

Method and apparatus for multiple user self-relative tracking using magnetic tracking

Method and apparatus for self-relative tracking using magnetic tracking

Method and apparatus for self-relative body tracking for virtual reality systems using magnetic tracking

A method and apparatus is disclosed for assisting a user, wearing a head mounted display (HMD) that covers a user's field of vision and has a tracker providing information regarding the position and orientation of the HMD, in locating a physical controller located on a physical base station. A processor causes the HMD to display a virtual world, including a virtual representation of the physical base station and physical controller along with a virtual hand that helps guide the user to the physical base station to allow the user to pick up the physical controller. Another embodiment allows an area in the physical world to be defined within which the user should remain, for example to avoid physical obstacles. The processor causes the HMD to display a warning, such as a virtual fence, to alert the user if the user approaches to within a preselected distance of the boundary.

System and method for assisting a user in remaining in a selected area while the user is in a virtual reality environment

System and method for assisting a user in locating physical objects while the user is in a virtual reality environment

Growing community of inventors

Ross, CA, United States of America

Alejandro Santiago Diaz