Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Image superposition by optical means – Operator body-mounted heads-up display
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-24
2001-01-16
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Image superposition by optical means
Operator body-mounted heads-up display
C345S007000, C358S296000, C358S302000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175343
ABSTRACT:
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an interactive viewing aid. More particularly, this invention relates to a device that provides a method and apparatus for navigating a viewer in multiple degrees of freedom while it presents a live exhibit integrated with position-correlated, computer-generated sound and visual effects. Additionally, this method and apparatus enables on-demand presentation of overlays that can be operated and controlled by the unskilled public.
2. Background of the Invention
Many historical, natural, and physical exhibit sites, such as exhibit sites found in state parks, rely on kiosks, simple poster art, or human narration to convey the historical events that occurred at the exhibit site. Although cost-effective, these exhibit aids fail to provide visitors with realistic re-enactments of historical events that are staged on the actual exhibit site. In fact, only “human-intensive” re-enactments, such as those performed at Civil War battle sites using actors, provide visitors with an effective “site-staged” presentation of historical events. However, these human-intensive re-enactments are expensive, difficult to schedule, and often result in damage to the exhibit site. When re-enactments are scheduled, visitors often flock to the exhibits sites creating congestion problems within the exhibit site. For these reasons, human re-enactments are rarely scheduled at exhibit sites.
Moreover, the human-intensive re-enactment methods cannot be used to recreate natural phenomena such as the eruption of Mount St. Helen's, mythical encounters such as sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, or human achievements such as the construction of Mount Rushmore. For those types of exhibits, exhibitors typically rely on films, photographs, or animation to re-create the historical events. However, instead of focusing the visitor's attention on the exhibit site, those exhibit aids typically direct the viewer's attention to a TV monitor. Thus, there is a need for an exhibit aid which provides re-enactments with exceptional realism, while maintaining the visitor's interest focused on the exhibit site. There is a further need for an exhibit aid that does not require a “human-intensive” re-enactment.
Exhibit aids for viewing exhibit sites, other than those described above, are also available. One exhibit aid sometimes used is a coin-operated magnification device. For example, the magnification device may be installed on a scenic overlook or a tall building to allow users a magnified view of the natural settings. Although these magnification devices do provide a magnified view of the present-day exhibit site to the user, they do not re-create or re-enact historical events at the actual exhibit site. Thus, there is a need for an exhibit aid that provides a view of the exhibit site and presents an historical re-enactment in conjunction with the magnified view.
Virtual reality head-mounted displays or boom-mounted virtual reality devices are sometimes used as exhibit aids. However, these virtual reality devices do not interact with the present-day exhibit site to provide the user with an historical re-enactment. Moreover, these virtual reality devices are typically not rugged enough for long-term use in seasonal outdoor environments. Thus, there is a need for a rugged viewing device that creates virtual reality re-enactments in conjunction with an actual exhibit site.
There are known processes for generating computer images for real-time overlay on natural sites through user driven free navigation. For example, there are several ongoing military applications that provide this capability for infantry training applications. However, all known products of this type use expensive liquid crystal display (LCD) technology for overlaying the imagery. Furthermore, none of those existing devices enable the use of low cost technologies that can also be interchanged with higher end components for virtual reality overlays. Moreover, none of these processes have integrated the overlay-process with synchronized audio and video effects processing. Existing technology is not integrated into an exhibit aid structure to allow the public to interact with it, nor does it facilitate a structured procedure to allow visitor interaction Existing devices also do not support physically removable content. Thus, there is a need for an inexpensive exhibit aid that overlays computer-generated images onto a viewed image to provide a suitable device and procedure for user interactions, field replaceable content, and applications of synchronized audio and video effects processing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention satisfies the above described needs by providing an apparatus and method for allowing the public to operate an exhibit aid device that overlays computer-generated visual and audio effects onto a live image. Embodiments of the invention allow virtual reality re-enactments and augmented reality re-enactments that can be presented on-demand to users.
Aspects of the invention enable users to interact with an exhibit site better than prior art exhibit aids. Aspects of the invention allow users to view the actual exhibit site through a viewing device and create on-demand re-enactments at points of interest in the exhibit site. While viewing the exhibit site, it may be determined which location the person is viewing and visual and audio information may be presented to the user including simulation of effects, historical film footage overlays, and tutorial type animation of important facts. These capabilities have never before been available for operation and presentation to users while a user is examining the actual exhibit site. Only the present invention provides a device suitable for public use (indoors and outdoors) and a procedure that can allow users to interactively operate and request overlay effects that can embellish what is seen by the naked eye and heard by the unaided ear to make the exhibit site appear as it did or will in another time.
In one aspect, the invention operates by providing a viewing device including a viewing portion known as an image head. The user inserts a token if the invention is configured to require such. After inserting a token, the user may step up to the viewing portion, aim it at any point of interest in the exhibit site, and push a start button. When the user pushes the start button, a timer displays the viewing time remaining. The viewing device initializes by determining its position relative to its initial orientation and determines the animated content that needs to be displayed to the user. The viewing device then provides a natural “through-the-lens” view of the exhibit site. An audio narration sequence may begin to tell the viewer about the exhibit site. Information is provided to guide the user to the proper viewing point on the exhibit site. As the proper viewing point becomes visible or centered in the viewing screen, the viewing device recognizes the user's request for additional information. The viewing device may then display computer-generated effects over the “through-the-lens” view of the exhibit location.
In another aspect, the invention is an exhibit viewing device including an image head for housing an integrated electronics system. The integrated electronics system is re-configurable for the dynamic and correlated generation and overlay of visual and audio effects onto a natural light source exhibit viewed through the exhibit viewing device. The exhibit viewing device also includes a head mount for user-controlled navigation of the image head. The exhibit viewing device may also include a stand connected to the head mount for stability of the exhibit viewing device and user access to the exhibit viewing device. The integrated electronic system may be operative to generate audio signals and the image head may include a speaker system for broadcasting the audio signals.
In still another aspect, the exhibit viewing device may include a position tracking system for determining the viewing elevation and viewing azimuth of
Mitchell Brian K.
Wells Robert V.
AniVision, Inc.
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Gache Russell Carter
Marc-Coleman Marthe
Sirote & Permutt P.C.
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