CALIBRATION OF A MAGNETOMETER FOR AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCE

Number: 20190126139
Published: 2019-05-02
Filed: 2017-10-26
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: GOSLIN; Michael P., RYAN; Matthew W., BAUMBACH; Elliott H., CROCKER; John, CHIDGEY; Lee, PANEC; Timothy M.
CPC: A63F13/22; A63F13/428; G06T19/006; A63F13/655; A63F13/533; A63F13/211; A63F13/80
Verdict: Low Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Calibration of magnetometer for AR experience (sensor calibration).

Abstract

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture relating to calibration of a magnetometer in an electronic device suitable for use in an augmented reality (AR) and/or virtual reality (VR) video game. An electronic video game device includes a magnetometer. A prompt is displayed in the video game requesting a user-performed first gameplay motion using the electronic video game device where the first gameplay motion is a pre-defined motion used for calibrating the magnetometer. A first plurality of measurements is received from the magnetometer relating to a magnetic field in a physical gameplay environment, where the first plurality of measurements is taken by the magnetometer during the first gameplay motion. The first plurality of measurements is analyzed to detect a magnetic bias in the magnetometer. The magnetometer is calibrated to offset the magnetic bias.

Background

BACKGROUNDField of the Invention

The present disclosure generally relates to calibration of a magnetometer in an electronic device suitable for use in an augmented reality (AR) and/or virtual reality (VR) system.Description of the Related Art

Computer graphics technology has significantly progressed since the first video games were developed. Relatively inexpensive 3D graphics engines now provide nearly photo-realistic interactive gameplay on hand-held video game, home video game, and personal computer hardware platforms costing only a few hundred dollars. These video game systems typically include a hand-held controller, game controller, or, in the case of a hand-held video game platform, an integrated controller. A user interacts with the controller to send commands or other instructions to the video game system to control a video game or other simulation. For example, the controller may include a joystick and buttons operated by the user.

While video games allow the user to interact directly with the video game system, such interactions primarily influence the graphical depiction shown on the video game device (or on a connected display), and rarely influence any other objects outside of the virtual world. That is, a user may specify an input to the video game system, indicating that the user's avatar should perform a jump action, and in response the video game system could display the user's avatar jumping. However, such interactions are typically limite

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a magnetometer in an electronic video game device, the method comprising: displaying a prompt in a video game requesting a user-performed first gameplay motion using the electronic video game device, wherein the first gameplay motion is a pre-defined motion used for calibrating the magnetometer; receiving a first plurality of measurements from the magnetometer relating to a magnetic field in a physical gameplay environment, wherein the first plurality of measurements is taken by the magnetometer during the first gameplay motion; analyzing the first plurality of measurements to detect a magnetic bias in the magnetometer; and calibrating the magnetometer to offset the magnetic bias. 9. A computer program product for calibrating a magnetometer in an electronic video game device, the computer program product comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code comprising: computer-readable program code configured to display a prompt in a video game requesting a user-performed first gameplay motion using the electronic video game device, wherein the first gameplay motion is a pre-defined motion used for calibrating the magnetometer; computer-readable program code configured to receive a first plurality of measurements from the magnetometer relating to a magnetic field in a physical gameplay environment, wherein the first plurality of measurements is taken by the magnetometer during the first gameplay motion; computer-readable program code configured to analyze the first plurality of measurements to detect a magnetic bias in the magnetometer; and computer-readable program code configured to calibrate the magnetometer to offset the magnetic bias. 15. A system, comprising: an electronic video game device, comprising: a magnetometer; a mobile device comprising: a processor; and a memory storing a program, which, when executed on the processor, performs an operation, the operation comprising: displaying a prompt in a video game requesting a user-performed first gameplay motion using the electronic video game device, wherein the first gameplay motion is a pre-defined motion used for calibrating the magnetometer; receiving a first plurality of measurements from the magnetometer relating to a magnetic field in a physical gameplay environment, wherein the first plurality of measurements is taken by the magnetometer during the first gameplay motion; analyzing the first plurality of measurements to detect a magnetic bias in the magnetometer; and calibrating the magnetometer to offset the magnetic bias.