Patents Assigned to Oculus VR, LLC
  • Patent number: 9910282
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) (e.g., VR headset or AR headset) displays a 3D virtual scene and includes a mirror to increase a field of view (FOV). The HMD includes an electronic display that further includes a primary display and an extended display, where the content displayed on the primary display is presented to the user's eye at an exit pupil through a lens and content displayed on the extended display is presented at the exit pupil through reflections of the mirror. The mirror is positioned between the exit pupil and the electronic display such that the mirror reflects light originating from the extended display and provides the reflected light to the exit pupil to increase the FOV. The combination of the content viewed through the lens and that of the reflected light of the extended display results in an FOV larger than when the content is viewed only through the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventor: Yury Anatolievich Petrov
  • Patent number: 9909740
    Abstract: A headset for virtual reality applications includes an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) emitting light captured by a camera included in a virtual reality system, allowing the virtual reality system to detect the position and orientation of the headset in three-dimensional space. To manufacture the headset, a flexible strip including a circuit having the LEDs is molded into an outer shell of the headset using a casting material that is transmissible to wavelengths of light transmitted by the LEDs. An interior surface of the outer shell of the headset is within a specified distance of the LEDs. The outer shell may also include fabric that is also molded into the outer shell in the same or in a similar process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventor: Matt Lee Thomas
  • Patent number: 9905168
    Abstract: A method for correcting non-uniformities of one or more display panels of a HMD (e.g., a VR headset or an AR headset) is disclosed, where the method is based on a luminance level of content being displayed. The method includes obtaining the calibration data for correcting non-uniformity of a display panel of the HMD at various brightness levels and storing the data. In response to receiving a request for providing content to be presented on the HMD, the host applies the calibration data based on a luminance level of content being rendered to correct for any non-uniformities of the one or more display panels while rendering the content for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Evan M. Richards, Andrew T. Forsyth, Shizhe Shen
  • Patent number: 9904054
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) device includes a plurality of deformation sensors attached to a liner formed around a periphery of a HMD, adopted for direct or indirect contact a user's face. The deformation sensors measure deformations of the liner caused by movement of an upper portion of a user's face when the user is wearing the HMD. The deformation sensors are strain gauges embedded in or otherwise coupled to the liner of the HMD. The sensors translate muscle movements of the upper face of the user to changes in the bending strain and radius of curvature on the surface of the strain gauges. The HMD includes a module that reconstructs and projects a facial animation model of the user based on signals from the deformation sensors while the HMD is in use by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Tristan Thomas Trutna, Laura Cristina Trutoiu, William Aaron Nicholls
  • Patent number: 9897812
    Abstract: A strap system and a method for wearing the strap system are disclosed. The strap system includes a first flexible segment comprising a first stretchable band; a first semi-rigid segment to conform to a portion of the user's head and comprising a first arc portion to extend from above a user's first ear to below the user's occipital lobe; and a first rigid guide segment connected to the first flexible segment and the first semi-rigid segment. The first flexible segment extends beyond a first end of the first rigid guide segment and the first semi-rigid segment extends from a second end of the first rigid guide segment, the first and second ends of the first rigid guide segment being opposite to each other in a lateral dimension. The first flexible segment is stretchable within the first rigid guide segment along the lateral dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC.
    Inventors: Robin Michael Miller, Joseph Patrick Sullivan, Jared Drinkwater
  • Patent number: 9897807
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of and apparatus for predictive tracking for a head mounted display. The method comprises obtaining one or more three-dimensional angular velocity measurements from a sensor monitoring the head mounted display and setting a prediction interval based upon the one or more three-dimensional angular velocity measurements such that the prediction interval is substantially zero when the head mounted display is substantially stationary and the prediction interval increases up to a predetermined latency interval when the head mounted display is moving at an angular velocity of or above a predetermined threshold. The method further includes predicting a three-dimensional orientation for the head mounted display to create a predicted orientation at a time corresponding to the prediction interval, and generating a rendered image corresponding to the predicted orientation for presentation on the head mounted display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Steve LaValle, Peter Giokaris
  • Patent number: 9898091
    Abstract: A virtual-reality system includes a head-mounted display (HMD), a forward-looking camera coupled to the HMD and a hand-held controller communicatively coupleable to the HMD. The hand-held controller includes a first user-input key, a grip, and an outward-facing surface coupled to the grip. The outward-facing surface includes a plurality of illumination sources which provide light that is detectable by the camera for sensing a position of the controller based on a user motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Wesley Bristol, Yi-yaun Chen, Jason Andrew Higgins, Benjamin E. Tunberg Rogoza, Sharvil Shailesh Talati, Neil Warren Konzen, James S. Webb
  • Patent number: 9887319
    Abstract: There is herein described light generating electronic components with improved light extraction and a method of manufacturing said electronic components. More particularly, there is described LEDs having improved light extraction and a method of manufacturing said LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: James Ronald Bonar, Zheng Gong, James Small, Gareth John Valentine, Richard I. Laming
  • Patent number: 9874755
    Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a first display screen and a second display screen to display images to respective eyes of a user. The head-mounted display further includes a first member comprising a first rack and a second member comprising a second rack. The first member is coupled to the first display screen, and the second member is coupled to the second display screen. The head-mounted display includes a button and a gear train to transfer a linear sliding motion of the button to a linear motion of the first rack in a first direction and a linear motion of the second rack in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The gear train includes a first gear engaged with the first rack and a second gear concurrently engaged with the first gear and the second rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: OCULUS VR, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Alan Tempel, Jared I. Drinkwater, Robin Michael Miller, Joseph Patrick Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9870052
    Abstract: There is provided a hand-held controller for a virtual-reality system. The hand-held controller includes a grip extending from a proximal end to a distal end and a first user-input key mounted at least in part on the grip. The first user-input key includes a casing depressible by one or more fingers of a user, and a switch coupled to the casing. The switch includes a sensor configured to detect and distinguish between a range of pressures applied to the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: OCULUS VR, LLC
    Inventors: Jason Andrew Higgins, Benjamin E. Tunberg Rogoza
  • Patent number: 9866286
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure support a head-mounted display (HMD) wirelessly coupled to a console. The HMD includes a positional tracking system, a beam controller and a transceiver. The positional tracking system tracks position of the HMD and generates positional information describing the tracked position of the HMD. The transceiver communicates with a console via a wireless channel, in accordance with communication instructions, the communication instructions causing the transceiver to communicate over one directional beam of a plurality of directional beams. The beam controller determines a change in the positional information. Based on the change to the positional information, the beam controller determines a directional beam of the plurality of directional beams. The beam controller further generates the communication instructions identifying the determined directional beam, and provides the communication instructions to the transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Qi Qu, Ganesh Venkatraman, Hongyu Zhou, Ryan Hamilton Brown, Oskar Linde, Lyle David Bainbridge, Matthew James Devoe, Ali Yazdan, Sam Padinjaremannil Alex, Nirav Rajendra Patel
  • Patent number: 9864406
    Abstract: A strap system for a head-mounted display is disclosed. The strap system includes a rigid segment and a cylindrical structure to couple the rigid segment to the head-mounted display. The strap system also includes a flat circuit within the rigid segment and the cylindrical structure, to couple to the head-mounted display through the cylindrical structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: OCULUS VR, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Michael Miller, Jared I. Drinkwater, Lesley Ribble Magrath, Peter Wesley Bristol, Joseph Patrick Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9857596
    Abstract: Head mounted displays are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, a head mounted display includes a front display module and a strap assembly. The strap assembly includes first and second connector arms coupling the strap assembly to the front display module. The head mounted display further includes a flex circuit for providing power and control to an electronic component coupled to the strap assembly. The flex circuit can deflect to allow the strap assembly to move relative to the front display module without damaging the flex circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Jared I. Drinkwater, Robin Michael Miller, Lesley Ribble Magrath, Blake Francis Andersen
  • Patent number: 9858672
    Abstract: A depth camera assembly (DCA) determines distances between the DCA and objects in a local area within a field of view of the DCA. The DCA includes an illumination source that projects a known spatial pattern modulated with a temporal carrier signal into the local area. An imaging device capture the modulated pattern projected into the local area. The imaging device includes a detector that comprises different pixel groups that are each activated to captured light at different times. Hence, different pixel groups capture different phases of the temporally modulated pattern from the local area. The DCA determines times for light from the illumination source to be reflected and captured by the imaging device from the phases captured by the different pixel groups and also determines distances between the DCA and objects in the local area based on deformation of the spatial pattern captured by the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventor: Nicholas Daniel Trail
  • Patent number: 9857839
    Abstract: Technology is provided for a housing assembly with a membrane-covered frame for use with head mounted displays. The head mounted display includes a housing assembly having a frame. The frame includes a first loop structure, a second loop structure offset along a central axis from the first loop structure, and a plurality of beams extending between the first loop structure and the second loop structure. A flexible membrane extends around the frame to enclose the housing assembly and the components therein. One or more display devices are positioned within the housing assembly, and a strap assembly connects to the housing assembly for supporting the head mounted display on a user's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Wesley Bristol, Joseph Patrick Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9859527
    Abstract: An electronic display includes a substrate and a thin-film transistor (TFT) layer deposited on a top surface of the substrate. The TFT layer includes a plurality of driving TFTs that are configured to provide current to one or more organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). The electronic display also includes an emission layer deposited on a top surface of the TFT layer. The emission layer includes emission areas and non-emission areas that separate the emission areas. The emission areas include a plurality of OLEDs and each of the OLEDs are configured to be driven by one or more of the TFTs to emit light. The electronic display also includes a reflective layer formed on a bottom surface of the substrate. The reflective layer is configured to reflect at least some of the light emitted from the OLEDs toward the non-emission areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Shizhe Shen, Evan M. Richards
  • Patent number: 9854340
    Abstract: A detachable coupling structure for an audio system is disclosed. The detachable coupling structure includes a base and a plurality of posts, extending from the base, to couple to a strap. The detachable coupling structure also includes a spring, contacting the base, to detach the plurality of posts from the strap when the plurality of posts decouple from the strap. The detachable coupling structure further includes a spacer through which the plurality of posts extends. The spring contacts the spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Michael Miller, Jared I. Drinkwater, Peter Wesley Bristol, Blake F. Andersen, Joseph Patrick Sullivan, Lesley Ribble Magrath
  • Patent number: 9851799
    Abstract: A haptic device configured to provide haptic feedback to a user. In one aspect, a user or part of a user is located on the haptic device including actuators and damping elements. A haptic feedback wave is generated by an actuator and propagated to the user or part of the user on the haptic device. Damping elements receive the haptic feedback wave and suppress the haptic feedback wave to reduce a reflection thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Jason Keller, Tristan Thomas Trutna, Ravish Mehra, Christoph Omid Hohnerlein, Elia Gatti, Riccardo DeSalvo, David R. Perek
  • Patent number: D807354
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Phillip Yee, Julian James Hammerstein, Quintin Morris
  • Patent number: D810743
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Phillip Yee, Julian James Hammerstein, Quintin Morris, Joseph Patrick Sullivan