Head-mounted display apparatus for navigating a virtual environment

摘要

In some embodiments, a head-mounted apparatus with a visual display and one or more sensors may make navigation of virtual environments more natural. The invention enables a participant to pivot, tip and aim the apparatus to orient and move through virtual space hands-free.

主权项

1. A virtual environment navigation system comprising a head-mounted apparatus, wherein the head-mounted apparatus comprises a microprocessor, a visual display and one or more sensors, wherein the head-mounted apparatus is positioned on a person's face such that the visual display is positioned in front of the eye(s) of the person and the person's line of sight aligns more closely with the z-axis of the visual display than with the y-axis of the visual display, wherein the head-mounted apparatus is configured to:
a. generate a virtual environment; b. generate a signal to establish a location of a virtual camera in the virtual environment; c. generate a signal to establish an orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment; d. generate a signal to update the location of the virtual camera in the virtual environment along the axis of the orientation of the virtual camera using x-axisometer data from at least one of the sensors indicating pivot down or pivot up of the head-mounted apparatus and an x-axisometer sensor reference data, wherein said use of x-axisometer sensor data to update the location of the virtual camera is effectively decoupled from use of v-axisometer sensor data, thereby enabling v-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to be used independently of x-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to update the orientation of the virtual camera; and e. generate a signal to update the orientation of the virtual camera in the virtual environment using v-axisometer data from at least one of the sensors indicating pivot left or pivot right of the head-mounted apparatus and a v-axisometer sensor reference data, wherein said use of v-axisometer sensor data to update the orientation of the virtual camera is effectively decoupled from use of x-axisometer sensor data, thereby enabling x-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to be used independently of v-axisometer sensor data of the head-mounted apparatus to update the location of the virtual camera.