Facebook Technologies, LLC

Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC

Khaled Boulos

Lorenz Henric Jentz

Jason Andrew Higgins

Derrick Readinger

Peter Wesley Bristol

Glen Jason Tompkins

Robert Carey Leonard

Elizabeth Tu

Chunli Chen

Chun Li Chen

Nicholas Friele Everist

Yan Gouts

Marcus Peterson

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a universal tracking module (UTM) capable of tracking six degrees of freedom of objects. In artificial reality environments, six degrees of freedom tracking refers to the ability to track an object moving and rotating freely in three-dimensional space along three axes of movement and rotation. Six degrees of freedom tracking provides high precision in tracking movement and rotation in 3D space, enabling more accurate and realistic representations of objects and interactions in virtual and augmented reality environments, thereby allowing for more realistic and immersive experiences. In examples, the UTM includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes such that an image of the UTM can be utilized to determine the position and orientation of the UTM and the object to which the UTM is attached.

Universal tracking module

A controller includes a housing, and a handle extends from a portion of the housing. The housing defines an internal cavity. The housing includes a thumb plate, wherein the thumb plate comprises a touchpad, one or more actuators, and/or a joystick. The one or more actuators comprise buttons. The controller includes a logic board including a processor oriented in the internal cavity. The controller comprises a switch assembly oriented in the internal cavity and configured to engage the logic board. The handle comprises at least one trigger oriented for movement into the internal cavity. The trigger can include a magnet and magnetic sensor.

Two stage triggering in a handheld device

The disclosed system may include a substructure configured to support various components, an actuator configured to provide substantially linear motion along a specified axis in response to an electrical input, an input component hingedly coupled to the substructure, where the input component is configured to receive input from a user, and a mechanical linkage coupled to the input component and to at least a portion of the actuator. The mechanical linkage may be configured to translate the substantially linear motion provided by the actuator to a rotary force applied to the input component via the mechanical linkage. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Variable-resistance actuator

A hand-held controller includes a handle extending in a longitudinal direction. The handle is shaped and dimensioned to be grasped by a hand of a user. A ring is attached to an end of the handle and surrounds a thumb of the user when the handle is grasped by the hand of the user. The ring has an annular surface defining a plane that forms a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction. The ring also has a curved outer surface. A sensor is embedded within the ring or mounted on a side surface of the handle to detect whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is a right hand of the user or a left hand of the user.

Hand-held controller using sensors for hand disambiguation

The disclosed handheld controllers may include a multi-degree of freedom sensor module, a mouse module, and a switch. The mouse module may include a mouse sensor and a proximity sensor. The switch may be configured to activate the mouse sensor and deactivate the multi-degree of freedom sensor module when the proximity sensor indicates that the mouse sensor is proximate to a physical surface and to deactivate the mouse sensor and activate the multi-degree of freedom sensor when the proximity sensor indicates that the mouse sensor is not proximate to the physical surface. Various other related methods, systems, and devices are also disclosed.

Handheld controllers for artificial reality and related methods

The disclosed apparatus may include a support structure that holds a portion of the apparatus in physical contact with a user's fingertip, a feedback mechanism that provides tactile feedback to the user's fingertip, a position tracking element that facilitates tracking the position of the user's fingertip, and a communication component that facilitates communication between the apparatus and a control device. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Khaled Boulos