Patents by Inventor Hayes S. Raffle

Hayes S. Raffle has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11347061
    Abstract: Optical assemblies for use in virtual and augmented reality environments are described. The optical assemblies may include lenses, filter stacks, cameras, and image projecting devices. For example, the optical assemblies may include at least one lens, a first filter stack between the at least one lens and an image projecting device, a second filter stack between the first filter stack and the image projecting device, and a camera configured to capture images of an infrared reflection of light through the at least one lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Serge Bierhuizen, Hayes S. Raffle, Xinda Hu, Jerome Carollo, Yi Qin, Oscar Martinez
  • Patent number: 10890941
    Abstract: A headset for experiencing an augmented and/or a virtual reality environment may include a housing defining an interior cavity, with optical components received in the interior cavity of the housing. A front face may be rotatably coupled to a front portion of the housing to selectively enclose the interior of the housing. A computing device including a display may be received in a slot defined between the front portion of the housing and the front face. A face pad may be removably coupled to the housing, opposite the front face, so as to enclose the optical components in the housing. A user may view an augmented/virtual reality environment displayed on the display through the optical components received in the housing. An adjustable head strap assembly may adjustably position the headset on the head of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Hayes S. Raffle, Andrew Nartker, Sandeep Waraich, Phan Thao Benno Dang, Gerald Kirk McGinty, Jr., Albert Lee, Byeong Seon Oh, Dan Odell, Eric Allan MacIntosh, Erik Hubert Dolly Goossens, Michael Simonian, Maaike Evers, Xinda Hu, Xiaohui Tao, Ronghui Zhu
  • Publication number: 20200124857
    Abstract: Optical assemblies for use in virtual and augmented reality environments are described. The optical assemblies may include lenses, filter stacks, cameras, and image projecting devices. For example, the optical assemblies may include at least one lens, a first filter stack between the at least one lens and an image projecting device, a second filter stack between the first filter stack and the image projecting device, and a camera configured to capture images of an infrared reflection of light through the at least one lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Serge Bierhuizen, Hayes S. Raffle, Xinda Hu, Jerome Carollo, Yi Qin, Oscar Martinez
  • Publication number: 20200092625
    Abstract: A cover for a smart speaker may include a body defining an interior cavity to be fitted over a smart speaker. A plurality of openings may be defined in the body of the cover. The plurality of openings may be positioned on the body so as to provide access to various input and/or output devices of the smart speaker on which the cover is fitted. The cover may also include features, such as facial features and the like associating the cover with a character. The cover may include an electronics module, providing for animation and/or illumination of the various features of the cover, output of audio content, and the like, triggered in response to detection of keywords, output content, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventor: Hayes S. Raffle
  • Patent number: 10592048
    Abstract: A method for aligning an image on a mobile device disposed within a head-mounted display (HMD) housing includes: detecting a request to align an image on a touchscreen of a mobile device; detecting, on the touchscreen, a first detected location corresponding to a first touchscreen input event; determining a first displacement of the first detected location with respect to a first target location of the first touchscreen input event; and transposing the image on the touchscreen based on the first displacement. A virtual reality system includes: a mobile device having a touchscreen configured to display an image; and a HMD housing having a first contact configured to generate a first input event at a first location on the touchscreen when the mobile device is disposed within the HMD housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Chun Yat Frank Li, Hayes S. Raffle, Eric Allan MacIntosh
  • Patent number: 10545347
    Abstract: Optical assemblies for use in virtual and augmented reality environments are described. The optical assemblies may include lenses, filter stacks, cameras, and image projecting devices. For example, the optical assemblies may include at least one lens, a first filter stack between the at least one lens and an image projecting device, a second filter stack between the first filter stack and the image projecting device, and a camera configured to capture images of an infrared reflection of light through the at least one lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Serge Bierhuizen, Hayes S. Raffle, Xinda Hu, Jerome Carollo, Yi Qin, Oscar Martinez
  • Patent number: 10545584
    Abstract: A controller configured to control a pointer in a virtual reality environment includes a multi-axis magnetic field sensor, a multi-axis accelerometer, a gyroscope, a touchpad, and a wireless communications circuit. The controller can also include a processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to obtain geomagnetic field data from the multi-axis magnetic field sensor, obtain acceleration data describing a direction and a magnitude of force affecting the controller from the multi-axis accelerometer, and obtain angular velocity data describing a rotational position of the controller from the gyroscope. The processor can communicate movement data to a computing device configured to generate a rendering of the virtual reality environment, the movement data describing an orientation of the controller wherein the movement data is based on at least one of the geomagnetic field data, the acceleration data, or the angular velocity data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Basheer Tome, Hayes S. Raffle, Chun Yat Frank Li
  • Patent number: 10403327
    Abstract: Systems and methods for playing back content based on external content are provided. An example system and method may identify content based on an environment in which a content-playback device is located. The example system and method may also detect a playback-initiation action performed by a user of the content-playback device and identify a content-playback position based on the playback-initiation action. The example system and method may also trigger playback of the content on the content-playback device based on the identified content-playback position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Seth Raphael, Hayes S. Raffle, Xavier Benavides Palos
  • Patent number: 10365491
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a diffractive combiner having a front side, a back side, and a combiner optical axis running substantially through the diffractive combiner and normal to the back side. A display unit having a display optical axis that directs the display light along the display optical axis toward the diffractive combiner. An eye-tracking sensor having a sensor optical axis that is positioned to receive eye-tracking radiation reflected by the diffractive combiner along the sensor optical axis. The combiner optical axis, the display optical axis, and the sensor optical axis intersect each other at the diffractive combiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Bernard C. Kress, Hayes S. Raffle
  • Patent number: 10302945
    Abstract: Embodiments are described of an apparatus including an eyepiece having a front surface, a back surface spaced apart from the front surface, and an edge forming a perimeter of the eyepiece. The eyepiece includes an angled surface to direct light eye-measurement light reflected from an eye into the eyepiece and to direct display light out of the eyepiece to the eye. A first waveguide is formed in the eyepiece and extending from the angled surface to the edge, the first waveguide being optically coupled to a first portion of the angled surface having a first surface treatment. And a second waveguide is formed in the eyepiece and extending from the angled surface to the edge, the second waveguide being optically coupled to a second portion of the angled surface having a second surface treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Hayes S. Raffle, Ozan Cakmakci, Oscar A. Martinez
  • Patent number: 10275023
    Abstract: In a virtual reality system, an optical tracking device may detect and track a user's eye gaze direction and/or movement, and/or sensors may detect and track a user's head gaze direction and/or movement, relative to virtual user interfaces displayed in a virtual environment. A processor may process the detected gaze direction and/or movement as a user input, and may translate the user input into a corresponding interaction in the virtual environment. Gaze directed swipes on a virtual keyboard displayed in the virtual environment may be detected and tracked, and translated into a corresponding text input, either alone or together with user input(s) received by the controller. The user may also interact with other types of virtual interfaces in the virtual environment using gaze direction and movement to provide an input, either alone or together with a controller input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Chris McKenzie, Chun Yat Frank Li, Hayes S. Raffle
  • Patent number: 10095307
    Abstract: Eye tracking methods and systems for virtual reality (VR) environments are disclosed herein. An example method includes receiving light through a lens positioned in an opening defined through a surface of a head-mounted display (HMD), reflecting an infrared light portion of the light off a display device of the HMD, the display device oriented generally parallel to the lens, and performing eye tracking based on the reflected infrared portion of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Hayes S. Raffle, Xinda Hu
  • Publication number: 20180247676
    Abstract: Systems and methods for playing back content based on external content are provided. An example system and method may identify content based on an environment in which a content-playback device is located. The example system and method may also detect a playback-initiation action performed by a user of the content-playback device and identify a content-playback position based on the playback-initiation action. The example system and method may also trigger playback of the content on the content-playback device based on the identified content-playback position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Seth Raphael, Hayes S. Raffle, Xavier Benavides Palos
  • Publication number: 20180239146
    Abstract: Optical assemblies for use in virtual and augmented reality environments are described. The optical assemblies may include lenses, filter stacks, cameras, and image projecting devices. For example, the optical assemblies may include at least one lens, a first filter stack between the at least one lens and an image projecting device, a second filter stack between the first filter stack and the image projecting device, and a camera configured to capture images of an infrared reflection of light through the at least one lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Serge Bierhuizen, Hayes S. Raffle, Xinda Hu, Jerome Carollo, Yi Qin, Oscar Martinez
  • Publication number: 20180095498
    Abstract: A headset for experiencing an augmented and/or a virtual reality environment may include a housing defining an interior cavity, with optical components received in the interior cavity of the housing. A front face may be rotatably coupled to a front portion of the housing to selectively enclose the interior of the housing. A computing device including a display may be received in a slot defined between the front portion of the housing and the front face. A face pad may be removably coupled to the housing, opposite the front face, so as to enclose the optical components in the housing. A user may view an augmented/virtual reality environment displayed on the display through the optical components received in the housing. An adjustable head strap assembly may adjustably position the headset on the head of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Hayes S. RAFFLE, Andrew NARTKER, Sandeep WARAICH, Phan Thao Benno DANG, Gerald Kirk MCGINTY, JR., Albert LEE, Byeong Seon OH, Dan ODELL, Eric Allan MACINTOSH, Erik Hubert Dolly GOOSSENS, Michael SIMONIAN, Maaike EVERS, Xinda HU, Xiaohui TAO, Ronghui ZHU
  • Patent number: D834016
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Hayes S. Raffle, Phan Thao Benno Dang, Maaike Evers, Albert Lee, Erik Hubert Dolly Goossens, Byeong Seon Oh, Dan Odell, Michael Simonian, Gerald Kirk McGinty, Jr., Basheer Tome
  • Patent number: D835102
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Hayes S. Raffle, Erik Hubert Dolly Goossens, Michael Simonian, Maaike Evers, Albert Lee, Byeong Seon Oh, Phan Thao Benno Dang, Gerald Kirk McGinty, Jr., Dan Odell, Basheer Tome
  • Patent number: D835396
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Hayes S. Raffle, Albert Lee, Eric Allan MacIntosh, Aviv Shoval, David Bibl, Carmela Guizar-Sanchez, Stuart Douglas, Sandeep Waraich, Michael Simonian, Darcy Grinolds, HongWei Zheng
  • Patent number: D860199
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Gerald Kirk McGinty, Jr., Phan Thao Benno Dang, Hannes Harms, Maaike Evers, Hayes S. Raffle, Albert Lee, Erik Hubert Dolly Goossens, Byeong Seon Oh, Dan Odell, Michael Simonian, Basheer Tome
  • Patent number: D860200
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Gerald Kirk McGinty, Jr., Phan Thao Benno Dang, Hannes Harms, Maaike Evers, Hayes S. Raffle, Albert Lee, Erik Hubert Dolly Goossens, Byeong Seon Oh, Dan Odell, Michael Simonian, Basheer Tome