Tracking location and resolving drift in augmented reality head mounted displays with downward projection

Number: 10621789
Published: 2020-04-14
Filed: 2018-10-24
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Davis; Randall S., Baumbach; Elliott H., Nocon; Nathan D., Graham; Todd Michael
CPC: G06F3/011; G06T19/006; G06F3/012; G06T7/20; G02B27/0176; G02B27/0172; G06T7/70; G06F3/0304
Verdict: Low Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

AR HMD position-tracking hardware with downward projection.

Abstract

Embodiments provide for tracking location and resolving drift in Augmented Reality (AR) devices. The AR devices includes computing devices having screens on a first face and cameras on a second, opposite face to project an image onto optical arrangements for viewing by wearers of the AR devices. The AR devices map locations for real objects in the environment to a virtual environment; anchor virtual objects at anchor locations within the virtual environment; capture station keeping images of the environment from a first Field of View via the camera; determine a second, different Field of View in the environment for the wearer of the AR device based on the relative locations of real objects present in the station keeping images; and output images depicting the virtual objects at positions on the screen to depict the virtual objects in the physical environment at the anchor locations.

Background

BACKGROUND(1) Augmented Reality (AR) includes the provision of virtual objects over a view of the real-world environment to provide operational information, gameplay experiences, and information overlays to users. Various devices may be used to provide AR experiences to users. Some of these AR devices project virtual objects onto a reflecting medium to overlay virtual objects onto a real-world environment visible to a user. Other examples of AR devices provide a video feed into which the virtual objects are inserted for display to the user. In each case, the AR device may determine an orientation of the Field of View (FOV) for the user in the environment and identify various real objects, so that virtual objects may be displayed in consistent and appropriate locations for the intended AR experience.SUMMARY(2) In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an Augmented Reality (AR) device is provided, the AR device comprising: a viewport; a mount assembly configured to capture a mobile computing device, the mount assembly including: a lower surface that is transmissive to light; an upper surface, located above the lower surface and configured to capture the mobile computing device between the upper surface and the lower surface, the upper surface including a region transmissive to light; an optical arrangement configured to receive light transmitted through the lower surface and reflect light onto the viewport for reflection to a wearer of the AR device; and an additional optic,

Claims

1. An Augmented Reality (AR) device, comprising: a viewport; a mount assembly configured to capture a mobile computing device, the mount assembly including: a lower surface that is transmissive to light; an upper surface, located above the lower surface and configured to capture the mobile computing device between the upper surface and the lower surface, the upper surface including a region transmissive to light; an optical arrangement configured to receive light transmitted through the lower surface and reflect light onto the viewport for reflection to a wearer of the AR device; and an additional optic, arranged above the region of the upper surface and configured to direct light from the environment outside of a field of view of the wearer. 8. An Augmented Reality (AR) system, comprising: a viewport; a computing device, including a screen on a first face and a camera on a second face opposite to the first face; an optical arrangement configured to receive light generated by the screen and reflect the light onto the viewport for reflection to a wearer of the AR system; and an additional optic, arranged above the camera to direct light from the environment outside of a field of view of the wearer to the camera. 15. A method for tracking location and resolving drift in an Augmented Reality (AR) device, the AR device including a computing device having a screen on a first face and a camera on a second face opposite to the first face mounted in a mounting assembly to project an image from the screen onto an optical arrangement for viewing by a wearer of the AR device, the method comprising: mapping locations for real objects in a physical environment in which the AR device resides to a virtual environment; anchoring a virtual object at an anchor location within the virtual environment, based on the mapped locations of the real objects; capturing a station keeping image of the environment from a first Field of View via the camera; determining a second Field of View in the environment for the wearer of the AR device that is different from the first Field of View based on the relative locations of real objects present in the station keeping image; and in response to determining that the second Field of View includes an area of the physical environment corresponding to the anchor location in the virtual environment, outputting an image depicting the virtual object at a position on the screen to display the image depicting the virtual object in the physical environment at the anchor location.