Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-07
2003-09-23
Mengistu, Amare (Department: 2673)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
C463S036000, C463S031000, C273S109000, C273S14800B
Reexamination Certificate
active
06624802
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for detecting certain states of movement of the body of a user and for generating signals corresponding to the result of the detection for subsequent processing in a data processing system, and utilizes a bearing device for the body of the user, which device includes a support unit which is mounted in a tiltable manner on a base part and has a support surface for supporting the body of the user, and a sensor device for detecting the direction and the magnitude of the position of the projection of the body's center of gravity into the support surface relative to a predetermined original position in the support surface from the direction and the magnitude of a tilt of the support surface and for generating corresponding sensor signals.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Generally known devices for detecting certain states of movement of a user are designed to be operated by hand (e.g. mouse, joystick or trackball) or by foot (see, for example, DE 43 36 153 C1 or DE 44 45 861 A1) and simply require the motoricity of individual extremities. This is of advantage when operating a data processing system with a conventional visual display unit in so far as the user is thus able to keep his head still and fix his eyes on the screen of the visual display unit.
However where certain applications are concerned, for example in the case of computer games or computer-aided design (CAD), visual output will in future take place to an increasing degree via visual display units which are secured to the user's head, fill his entire field of vision, detect the movements of the user's head and adapt the screen display to the detected head movements (so-called cyber-helmets). The purpose of this technology is to give the user the impression that he is in a virtual space (cyberspace) and thus create the illusion of virtual reality.
However the user of cyber-helmets of this kind no longer has to adopt a certain posture relative to the visual display unit. The impression of virtual reality is more likely to suffer if locomotion in this virtual space cannot be controlled by corresponding real movements of the legs and of the body of the user. Particularly unsatisfactory solutions are those which employ so-called cyber-gloves to detect hand or arm movements in order to control not just manual actions in virtual space, but also locomotion in this virtual space by, for example, indicating the desired direction.
A great many devices have therefore been proposed in the prior art which are able to detect movements of the legs and the body of the user and provide corresponding detection signals for subsequent processing in a data processing system, for example a personal computer. A device of this kind is known from WO-A-96/06664. In this device a support surface for supporting the body of the user is mounted in a tiltable manner on a base plate by a universal joint, which prevents the support surface from turning about a vertical axis. A conventional joystick, to the operating lever of which a ball is secured, is disposed at some distance from the universal joint. The ball is held in a sliding manner in a shaft which is connected to the support surface, so that, by using the joystick, shifts of the center of gravity of the user can be detected on the basis of the resulting tilting of the support surface. However this known device is restricted to detecting two degrees of freedom of movement, for example direction and magnitude of the shift of the center of gravity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,950, U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,017, U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,152, WO-A-96/35494, EP-A-0 761 266 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,226 disclose further known devices which, like the device according to WO-A-96/06664, serve to detect only just two degrees of freedom of a shift of the center of gravity of the user, although in each case different mounting and sensor mechanisms are used.
The device known from WO-A-96/35494 differs from the other devices of the prior art in particular by the interpretation of the sensor signals at the subsequent data processing stage.
The devices described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,152 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,226 are not only formed as a sensor device for detecting the shift of the center of gravity of the user, but also comprise actuating devices which enable the user to be physically informed of changing boundary conditions of the computer simulation, for example a change from flat to hilly terrain, reactions of the computer simulation to his movements, etc.
WO-A-96/36955 discloses a device which enables the user to execute actual walking movements and, according to the deviation of the user, due to the walking, from a predetermined original position, actuating devices provided in the support surface are operated such that the user is returned to the predetermined original position, in spite of the walking movement.
GB-A-2 038 597 discloses a device of a similar type in which just one degree of freedom of the movement of the user, for example a rotation about a vertical axis, is detected and converted into a corresponding signal.
Since the known devices discussed above only enable two degrees of freedom to be detected, or even just one in the case of GB-A-2 038 597, quite a number of types of movement, for example jumps, have to be input manually, for example by pressing a button, which affects the impression of virtual reality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a device of the type initially mentioned which enables the user's impression of virtual reality to be reinforced.
The invention provides for a device of which has a support surface mounted on a base part such that it can also rotate about a substantially vertical axis or/and move in the direction of a substantially vertical axis, and that a sensor device is also formed to detect the direction and the magnitude of a rotational movement of the body of the user about the substantially vertical axis and/or to detect at least the magnitude of a vertical movement of the body's center of gravity, as well as to generate corresponding sensor signals. The unit according to the invention, is called “CYBERSURFER” by the applicants, and enables not just shifts of the body weight of the user to be detected and used to control locomotion in virtual space, but also rotational and vertical movements of the user. This is of particular interest in connection with computer games in which it is possible to simulate branches of sports such as surfing, snowboarding or skate-boarding or in which the virtual body of the user has to jump over virtual obstacles such as streams, gorges, etc. or climb rock faces, etc.
The user generally stands on the CYBERSURFER, so that he does not in fact have to move from a spot in real space in order to control his locomotion in virtual space. This is important in so far as—because he takes in his entire field of vision through the cyber-helmet—the user is blind to his real environment and therefore could not move safely in the latter. However the device according to the invention can in effect reinforce the user's impression of virtual reality without endangering his safety in the process.
The support surface may, for example, be provided at a standing plate, preferably of relatively large dimensions, of the support unit of the bearing device. However it is also possible to provide two relatively small rest surfaces, disposed at a common connecting tube or similar device for supporting the user's two feet. The provision of a relatively large support surface is advantageous in so far as it can also be used to sit or kneel on.
The support part is formed by the standing plate, the rest surfaces-connecting tube unit or similar device can be connected to an intermediate part, which is disposed between the base part and the support part, such that it tilts with this intermediate part, yet it is also allowed to turn relative to it. The intermediate part is in this case is preferably connected to a base part in a rotation
Klein Maximilian
Lutz Peter
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Mengistu Amare
Nguyen Jimmy H.
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