Hrl Laboratories, LLC

Raytheon Systems Limited

Mike Daily

David W Payton

Howard Neely, Iii

Craig A Lee

Mike Howard

Jason Fox

Bruce Hoff

David Aaron Schwartz

Kevin R Martin

Ronald Tadao Azuma

Peter Allmond Tinker

Jerry Isdale

Mathias Kolsch

Matt Shomphe

Jason Jarald

Timothy Hirzel

Ron Azuma

Chris Furmanaki

A system is disclosed for receiving, categorically storing, and supplying different types of location-specific audio information to either fixed or mobile users. The audio information is categorically stored by geographical location. As users travel through different environments (i.e., cities, freeway systems, airports) they can access audio information that is specific to their geographical location. Users may also annotate locations with real-time audio information. This audio information is accessible to mobile users using cellular phones, or other transceivers, and by fixed users using phones or computers.

Audio on location

A real-time, group interactive, augmented-reality system for monitoring an area, suitable for enhancing the enjoyment of entertainment events, is presented. The system comprises a sensor data acquisition system for receiving sensor data, in real-time, from a plurality of data acquisition sensors disposed about an area to be monitored, and a plurality of display centers communicatively coupled with the data acquisition system for receiving sensor data therefrom. A display center includes an user input, a data acquisition sensor selector, an interaction interface for communicating in real-time with users of other display centers, an interface for connecting a display device, and a local display device augmenting system, which are configured to allow a user to interactively augment in real-time his/her local display of events with user-inputted doodles, user requested information and statistics, and user selected viewing angles. The system allows users to interactively share the locally augmented-reality display with users of other display centers.

Method and apparatus for real-time group interactive augmented-reality area monitoring, suitable for enhancing the enjoyment of entertainment events

The present invention relates to a system, method and computer program product for navigating within a virtual environment (VE). More specifically, the present invention relates to navigating large distances in a VE, without becoming disoriented and without becoming cybersick due to exposure to excessive amounts of optical flow. In one embodiment, the present invention combines jumping and flying to allow for quick navigation of large distances, while preserving a sense of orientation and limiting optical flow.

System and method for navigating operating in a virtual environment

The present invention relates to a system, method and computer program product for enabling user interaction with objects in a virtual environment independently of apparent virtual viewpoint altitude, by non-linearly scaling the virtual actuator. In doing so, the system receives a virtual-viewpoint position and a virtual actuator position from a virtual environment processing subsystem, and a real-viewpoint position and a real-actuator position from a real-world environment tracking subsystem. An xy-scale factor is then calculated based on the virtual-viewpoint position. A non-linear mapping is thereafter calculated between a real dataset and a virtual dataset based on the xy-scale-factor. The real dataset comprises the real-actuator position and the real-viewpoint position in the real-world environment, and the virtual dataset comprises the virtual-actuator position and the virtual-viewpoint position in the virtual environment.

System and method for operating in a virtual environment

An apparatus configured to obtain, process, and relay data to a user in a coherent and useful manner. An active fiducial is equipped with an interface for receiving and transmitting data. The fiducial may transmit its position using a satellite-based position sensing device such as a GPS. Active fiducials may also be equipped with battery power pack regenerated with solar cells. Similarly, the fiducials can be equipped with at least one video camera or other device having a focal plane array and a computer software system, configured to recognize shapes. The fiducials may also be equipped with inductive coils or other means for sensing metal containing compounds. The active fiducials may be equipped with a gas chromatograph. The active fiducials may use a variety of propulsion means including motor driven tracks, motor driven wheels, propellers, or other device or a combination of devices.

Distributed display composed of active fiducials

A method, apparatus and computer program product for parallel speculative rendering of synthetic images in an image rendering system are presented. The operations include obtaining measurements regarding scene characteristics. The measurements are provided to predictors, each predicting a future state for a measurement. The future states are provided to a renderer that renders graphical entities, each rendering resulting from a different predicted future state. Subsequently, a new set of measurements is obtained regarding the scene characteristics. Then each measurement of the new set of measurements is compared with a corresponding one of the predicted future states produced by the predictors. The predicted future state that most closely matches with the new measurements is then selected. Then, the graphical entities associated with the predicted future state that most closely match with the new measurements are selected. The selected graphical entities displayed on a display device.

Method and apparatus for parallel speculative rendering of synthetic images

The present invention relates to an enhanced perception lighting (EPL) system for providing enhanced perception of a user's physical environment. The EPL system comprises a sensor module for detecting and sampling a physical aspect from at least one point in a physical environment and for generating an observation signal based on the physical aspect; a processor module coupled with the sensor module for receiving the observation signal, processing the observation signal, and generating an output signal based on the observation signal; and a projection display module located proximate the sensor module and communicatively connected with the processor module for projecting a display onto the at least one point in the physical environment based upon the output signal. The system allows a user to gather information from the physical environment and project that information onto the physical environment to provide the user with an enhanced perception of the physical environment.

Enhanced perception lighting

A method and an apparatus are presented for selectively locking controls from operators operating equipment. The invention actively detects when an operator accesses a control for which lockout is desired. After detection, the invention locks the control to prevent the operator from operating the control. Thus, operators are permitted selective access to controls. The active detection of when an operator is accessing a control is performed by first generating a signal, which is passed to a plate, where it is then coupled through the operator to a receiver. The signal is detected at a signal detector attached with a control so the control can react to the signal. In an automotive situation, the plate may be in a vehicle seat, with the signal coupling through a driver or passenger upon actuation of a control. Based on the signal received, the function of the control may be eliminated, altered, or reduced.

Selective equipment lockout

A method and apparatus for computing properties of a physical environment is provided, using a plurality of agents forming a distributed network embedded within the environment. The method comprises determining an initiating agent transmitting a signal including a cumulative cost value to neighboring agents and processing the signal at each neighboring agent to augment the cumulative cost value with local information If multiple signals are received, determining which has the best cumulative cost value for generating a new signal then treating the neighboring agent as an initiating agent and transmitting the new signal to neighboring agents and retaining the best augmented cost value in memory Methods further include determining paths using shortest path computations, using dual gradients for aligning agents on a path between two reference agents, and discovering and converging agents on choke points.

Method and apparatus for terrain reasoning with distributed embedded processing elements

A method for controlling the movement of agents using local communications is provided. Generally, each agent maintains an optimal distance from other local neighbor agents by, for each agent selecting a local agent measuring the distance and angle to the agent performing a distance maintenance calculation and repeating the distance maintenance calculation for each local agent. In the distance maintenance calculation an attraction/repulsion map is used in order to determine whether an agent is attracted to or repelled from other agents. A motion vector is used to determine agent responses to the attraction or repulsion. Over time, the agents settle into a neutral configuration where each is optimally distanced from the other agents. Reference agents and leader agents can be designated to direct the movement of other agents, and agents can be designated as blocking beacons to repel other agents from undesirable areas.

Method and apparatus for controlling the movement of a plurality of agents

A mobile user collaborator discovery method and system that tracks and correlates user position and gaze direction information in a physical environment in order to determine common interests. The physical environment is represented by an array divided into a plurality of elements, each representing a particular physical area of the environment. The mobile user collaborator discovery method and system includes an activity monitor to track user position and gaze direction information, an entry processor to process the user position and gaze direction information to determine the elements of the array corresponding to physical areas viewed by the user, and to provide the information to a match database, and a matcher to correlate information regarding elements of the array corresponding to physical areas viewed by the user in order to determine portions of the array representing areas of common interest to the users.

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Thousand Oaks, CA, United States of America

Mike Daily