U.S. patent application number 14/708021 was filed with the patent office on 2015-11-12 for adapter for attaching a motion capture device to a head mounted display.
This patent application is currently assigned to LEAP MOTION, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Leap Motion, Inc.. Invention is credited to Kyle A. HAY, Barry JU.
Application Number | 20150320189 14/708021 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54366695 |
Filed Date | 2015-11-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150320189 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JU; Barry ; et al. |
November 12, 2015 |
Adapter for Attaching a Motion Capture Device to a Head Mounted
Display
Abstract
The technology disclosed relates to providing devices and
methods for attaching motion capture devices to head mounted
displays (HMDs) using existing features of the HMDS, with no
modification to the design of the HMDs. A motion capture device is
attached with an adapter to a wearable device that can be a
personal HMD having a goggle form factor. The motion capture device
is operable to be attached to or detached from an adapter, and the
adapter is operable to be attached to or detached from an HMD. The
motion capture device is attached to the HMD with an adapter in a
fixed position and orientation. In embodiments, the attachment
mechanism coupling the adapter to the HMD utilizes existing
functional or ornamental elements of an HMD. Functional or
ornamental elements of the HMD include; air vents, bosses, grooves,
recessed channels, slots formed where two parts connect, openings
for head straps etc.
Inventors: |
JU; Barry; (San Francisco,
CA) ; HAY; Kyle A.; (San Francisco, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Leap Motion, Inc. |
San Francisco |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
LEAP MOTION, INC.
San Francisco
CA
|
Family ID: |
54366695 |
Appl. No.: |
14/708021 |
Filed: |
May 8, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61991337 |
May 9, 2014 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
224/181 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45F 2200/0533 20130101;
A42B 1/24 20130101; A45F 2200/0525 20130101; A42B 3/042 20130101;
A45F 5/00 20130101; A45F 2200/0516 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A45F 5/00 20060101
A45F005/00; A42B 1/24 20060101 A42B001/24 |
Claims
1. A device for attaching a motion capture device to a head mounted
display comprising: a main body portion including an opening that
is configured to removably receive and hold the motion capture
device; a pair of opposing flanged ends on opposite sides of the
main body portion; and at least one retaining clip located on each
flanged end configured to be received by detents on surfaces of the
head mounted display.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the detents are air vents on
opposite sides of the head mounted display.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the main body portion comprises a
mounting flange configured to create a friction fit with the motion
capture device.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the mounting flange includes a
channel that allows for insertion of a power or data cable into the
motion capture device.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the main body portion comprises
at least one aperture configured to allow a radiation emitter on a
surface of the head mounted display covered by the main body to
emit radiation through the main body portion.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the main body portion is
configured to receive adapter plates that attach the motion capture
device to the head mounted display.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the detents are bosses on the
head mounted display.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the detents are grooves on the
head mounted display.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the detents are recessed channels
on the head mounted display.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the detents are slots formed
where two parts of the head mounted display connect.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein the detents are openings for
head straps of the head mounted display.
12. The device of claim 1, further including attaching the motion
capture device to the head mounted display using adhesives.
13. The device of claim 1, further including attaching the motion
capture device to the head mounted display using magnets.
14. The device of claim 1, wherein the main body portion is
curved.
15. The device of claim 1, wherein the main body portion includes
curved surfaces.
16. The device of claim 1, wherein the main body portion includes
surface features configured to be complementary to surface features
of a surface of the head mounted display.
17. A device for attaching a motion capture device to a head
mounted display comprising: a main body portion including an
opening that is configured to removably receive and hold the motion
capture device, wherein the main body portion is configured to
receive adapter plates that attach the motion capture device to the
head mounted display; a pair of opposing flanged ends on opposite
sides of the main body portion; and at least one retaining clip
located on each flanged end configured to be received by detents on
surfaces of the head mounted display.
18. A device for attaching a motion capture device to a head
mounted display comprising: a main body portion including an
opening that is configured to removably receive and hold the motion
capture device; a pair of opposing flanged ends on opposite sides
of the main body portion and at least one retaining clip located on
the main body portion; and at least one adapter plate attached to
the head mounted display and configured to receive the flanged ends
and the retaining clip.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
Patent Application No. 61/991,337, entitled, "ADAPTER FOR ATTACHING
A MOTION CAPTURE DEVICE TO A HEAD MOUNTED DISPLAY," filed 9 May
2014 (Attorney Docket No. LEAP 1053-1). The provisional application
is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY DISCLOSED
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to attaching motion
capture devices to head mounted displays and other portable
devices.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The subject matter discussed in this section should not be
assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in this
section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in this section or
associated with the subject matter provided as background should
not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art.
The subject matter in this section merely represents different
approaches, which in and of themselves can also correspond to
implementations of the claimed technology.
[0004] Head mounted displays (HMDs) are wearable devices that
contain one or more displays positioned in the field of vision of
the user wearing the device. Uses for HMDs include virtual and
augmented reality applications. HMDs may include various sensors to
detect motion of the HMD. The detected motion may be used as an
input to a computer system providing visual data displayed by the
HMD. There are HMDs that only contain sensors to detect motion of
the HMD and do not contain sensors or systems capable of detecting
gestures of a user.
[0005] Motion capture devices include systems for capturing image
data that may be used for detecting gestures. Motion capture device
may include any number of cameras and radiation emitters coupled to
a sensory processing system. Motion capture device can be used for
detecting gestures from a user which can be used as an input for a
computer system.
[0006] A user wearing an HMD may have the desire to provide inputs
to a computer system in communication with the HMD free of the
encumbrances associated with contact-based input devices such as a
mouse, joystick, touch pad, or touch screen, or non-contact based
input devices such as a stationary motion capture device.
Consequently there is a need for allowing users of HMDs and similar
devices to be able to provide input to a computer system without
encumbrances.
SUMMARY
[0007] Implementations of the technology disclosed address these
and other problems by providing devices and methods for attaching
motion capture devices to HMDs. A motion capture device is
preferably attached with an adapter to a wearable device that can
be a personal head mounted display (HMD) having a goggle form
factor.
[0008] In one implementation, a motion capture device is operable
to be attached to or detached from an adapter, and the adapter is
operable to be attached to or detached from an HMD. The motion
capture device is attached to the HMD with an adapter in a fixed
position and orientation. In embodiments, the attachment mechanism
coupling the adapter to the HMD utilizes existing functional or
ornamental elements of an HMD. Functional or ornamental elements of
the HMD include; air vents, bosses, grooves, recessed channels,
slots formed where two parts connect, openings for head straps,
etc. Advantageously by using existing features of the HMD to attach
the adapter, no modification to the design of the HMD is needed to
attach a motion capture device.
[0009] Advantageously, coupling a motion capture device to an HMD
with an adapter enables gesture recognition while a user is wearing
an HMD. Further, implementations can provide improved interfacing
with computing systems, such as using the motion capture device to
detect motion of the HMD. With these advantages there is a reduced
need for contact-based input devices and stationary contactless
input devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer
to like parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings
are not necessarily to scale, with an emphasis instead generally
being placed upon illustrating the principles of the technology
disclosed. In the following description, various implementations of
the technology disclosed are described with reference to the
following drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adapter in accordance
with the technology disclosed.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a front view of an adapter in accordance with the
technology disclosed.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a side view of an adapter in accordance with the
technology disclosed.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a rear view of an adapter in accordance with the
technology disclosed.
[0015] FIG. 5 is an end view of an adapter in accordance with the
technology disclosed.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an end view of an adapter in accordance with the
technology disclosed.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an adapter in accordance
with the technology disclosed.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a detailed view of section A of FIG. 3.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a detailed view of section B of FIG. 7.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a detailed view of section C of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Among other aspects, the technology described herein with
reference to example implementations can provide a means for
attaching a motion capture device to an HMD using an adapter.
Implementations can enable gesture detection, virtual reality and
augmented reality, and other machine control and/or machine
communications applications using portable devices, e.g., head
mounted displays (HMDs), wearable goggles, watch computers,
smartphones, and so forth, or mobile devices, e.g., autonomous and
semi-autonomous robots.
[0022] The terminology "top", "side", "rear", and "end" are used
consistent with the drawings to identify respective elements of the
device. It is understood that the adapter and elements of the
adapter could be rotated in other orientations without going
outside of the scope of the technology disclosed.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, an adapter 100 is illustrated. The
adapter 100 includes a main body portion 102. The main body portion
102 includes a mounting portion 104 comprising an opening 106
configured to receive and secure a motion capture device. The
mounting portion 104 further comprises a mounting flange 108 on the
top surface of the main body located around the perimeter of the
opening 106. The mounting flange 108 includes an inner surface 110
configured to provide a secure friction fit with an outer perimeter
of a motion capture device creating a friction fit or compression
fit. In embodiments, other attachment mechanisms for securing the
motion capture device to the adapter are envisioned including
magnets, clips, adhesives, etc. The mounting portion 104 may be
configured to receive a motion capture device through the rear
portion of the main body, the front portion of the main body or
both. The mounting portion 104 may be configured to accommodate
various motion capture devices with different form factors. Further
the mounting portion may be configured to receive adapter plates
configured to allow different motion capture devices to be attached
to the adapter 100. In embodiments, the mounting portion may
comprise a recess or cavity operable to selectively encapsulate a
motion capture device.
[0024] The mounting portion 104 further comprises a cable channel
112. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cable channel 112 is
formed by a discontinuity of the mounting flange 108 at an end of
the mounting portion 104. The cable channel 112 allows access to a
portion of a motion capture device for attaching a power and/or
data cable to a motion capture device when the motion device is in
attached to the adapter 100. The mounting flange 108 further
includes one or more indicate light ports 114 configured to allow
indicator lights on portions of a motion capture device covered by
the mounting flange 108 to be visible when the motion capture
device is attached to the adapter 100.
[0025] At the ends of the main body of the adapter are first and a
second opposing flanged ends 116 and 118. On the inner surface of
each end 116 and 118 are one or more retaining clips 120 configured
to couple to a feature of the HMD in order to secure the adapter
100 to the HMD. The main body 102, flanged ends 116 and 118,
retaining clips 120, or any combination therefore are configured to
be resilient enough to allow the flanged ends and retaining clips
to spread apart from each other, yet rigid enough to hold the
adapter in place when the retaining clips 120 are engaged with a
feature of the HMD.
[0026] To attach an adapter to an HMD the adapter is positioned so
that outer edges of the HMD contact the retaining clips. The
adapter and HMD are pressed together causing the retaining clips
and the flanged edges to spread apart and flex outward allowing the
adapter to slide onto the HMD. The adapter slides onto the HMD
until the retaining clips engage with a feature of the HMD and
cause the adapter to spring back so that the flanged ends and
retaining clips are no longer spread apart. In embodiments, the
retaining clips are configured to engage with air vents on side
surfaces of an HMD. The retaining clips may be configured so that
there is only one possible position and orientation that the
adapter may be attached to the HMD. The retaining clips may be
configured so that there is more than one possible position and
orientation that the adapter may be attached to the HMD.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the main body is generally
flat on the rear side 122. When the adapter 100 is attached to an
HMD, or other device, portions of the flat rear side 122 may be in
direct contact with a surface of an HMD. The main body of the
adapter may be curved, have curved surfaces, or have surface
features configured to be complementary to surface features of a
surface of an HMD.
[0028] In embodiments, the adapter includes guide mechanisms
configured to align and maintain alignment of the adapter in a
particular orientation with respect to the HMD. The guide mechanism
may include guide features, the flanged ends 116 118, the retention
clips 120, the rear side 122 or any combination thereof. A single
adapter may be configured to be coupled to more than one type
device, for example two differently designed HMDs or an HMD and a
tablet.
[0029] In embodiments, the adapter may be configured to have one or
more openings to expose sensors or emitters located on a surface of
the HMD. For example the HMD may include radiation emitters such as
infrared LEDs that are detected by an external motion sensing
device. To accommodate the radiation emitters, the adapter may
include openings configured to allow the LEDs to emit radiation in
a similar way as if the adapter and motion capture device were not
attached to the HMD. Further, the adapter may be configured so that
no sensors or emitters are covered by the adapter when the adapter
is attached to the HMD. Further, the adapter may be constructed of
materials that do not affect the operation of sensors or emitters
of the HMD that are covered by the adapter.
[0030] Thus, although the disclosed technology has been described
with respect to specific implementations, it will be appreciated
that the disclosed technology is intended to cover all
modifications and equivalents with the scope of the following
claims.
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