Spatial position calculation system for objects in virtual reality or augmented reality environment

Number: 10818097
Published: 2020-10-27
Filed: 2017-12-12
Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Inventors: Chapman; Steven, Hager; Joseph, Popp; Joseph, Agyemang; Calis, Patel; Mehul
CPC: G01S17/04; G01S17/89; G06T19/006; G01S7/4817; G06T19/20; G01S7/4814
Verdict: Low Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

LIDAR-based spatial position sensing for AR/VR objects.

Abstract

A user control apparatus has a laser emitter that emits a laser beam in a real-world environment. Further, the user control apparatus has an optical element that receives the laser beam and generates a plurality of laser beams such that a starting point and a plurality of endpoints, each corresponding to one of the plurality of laser beams, form a laser frustum. In addition, the user control apparatus has an image capture device that captures an image of a shape of the laser frustum based on a reflection of the plurality of laser beams from an object in the real-world environment so that a spatial position of the object in the real-world environment is determined for an augmented reality or virtual reality user experience.

Background

BACKGROUND1. Field(1) This disclosure generally relates to the field of user experiences. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a virtual reality (“VR”) and/or an augmented reality (“AR”) environment.2. General Background(2) VR and AR configurations typically involve a determination of user control and consumption devices (e.g., a remote control) with respect to three-dimensional (“3-D”) locations of objects in the real world. Such configurations thereby allow for an augmented user experience. Yet, multiple sensors and transmitters are often used in current configurations to perform such analyses. The multitude of sensors and transmitters often leads to a cumbersome and expensive user experience. As a result, current configurations do not provide an optimal VR and/or AR user experience.SUMMARY(3) In one aspect, a user control apparatus has a laser emitter that emits a laser beam in a real-world environment. Further, the user control apparatus has an optical element that receives the laser beam and generates a plurality of laser beams such that a starting point and a plurality of endpoints, each corresponding to one of the plurality of laser beams, form a laser frustum. In addition, the user control apparatus has an image capture device that captures an image of a shape of the laser frustum based on a reflection of the plurality of laser beams from an object in the real-world environment so that a spatial position of the object in the real-world environment is determine

Claims

1. A user control apparatus comprising: a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam in a real-world environment; an optical element configured to receive the laser beam defining a starting point for the laser beam and generate a plurality of laser beams ending in separate endpoints of a plurality of endpoints, wherein the starting point and the plurality of endpoints form a laser frustum; an image capture device configured to capture an image of the plurality of endpoints of the plurality of laser beams reflected from an object in the real-world environment; a processor configured to: determine a shape of the laser frustum based on the image of the plurality of endpoints, determine a spatial position of the object in the real-world environment, based on the shape of the laser frustum; and render an augmented reality or virtual reality environment based on the spatial position of the object in the real-world environment. 9. A system comprising: a storage device configured to store one or more dimensions of a real-world environment; a receiver configured to receive an image of a plurality of endpoints of a laser frustum reflected from an object in the real-world environment; a processor configured to: determine a shape of the laser frustum based on the image of the plurality of endpoints, determine a spatial position of the object in the real-world environment based on the one or more dimensions of the real-world environment and the shape of the laser frustum, and render an augmented reality or virtual reality environment based on the spatial position of the object. 16. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage device having a computer readable program stored thereon, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to: store, at a storage device, one or more dimensions of a real-world environment; receive, at a receiver, an image of a plurality of endpoints of a laser frustum reflected from an object in the real-world environment; determine, with a processor, a shape of the laser frustum based on the image of the plurality of endpoints; and determine, with the processor, a spatial position of the object in the real-world environment based on the one or more dimensions of the real-world environment and the shape of the laser frustum, and render an augmented reality or virtual reality environment based on the spatial position of the object in the real-world environment.