Sixense Enterprises Inc.

Sixense Entertainment, Inc.

Owen Walter Pedrotti

Amir Rubin

Oded Y Zur

Alejandro Santiago Diaz

Danny G Woodall

Steven L Braman

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

A method and apparatus is disclosed for synchronizing a magnetic field transmitter and receiver to resolve phase ambiguity so that phase information for the position and orientation of the receiver may be derived and maintained. A synchronization process allows for the phase information to be initially derived based upon known information from other sources, and then tracked from one measurement to the next. In another embodiment, information from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) is used to determine the phase information or to correct for errors in the determination from receiver data of the position and orientation of a receiver, and prevent such errors from accumulating as the receiver moves away from a transmitter.

Method and apparatus for correcting magnetic tracking error with inertial measurement

Method and apparatus for self-relative tracking using magnetic tracking

Method and apparatus for synchronizing a transmitter and receiver in a magnetic tracking system

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

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Daly City, CA, United States of America

Owen Walter Pedrotti