Abstract:
A method for operating virtual reality spectacles, having the steps of: display of at least one virtual object, arranged in virtual surroundings, by means of the virtual reality spectacles from a first observation position that is prescribed within the virtual surroundings; display of at least one position symbol at a position within the virtual surroundings that corresponds to a second observation position prescribed within the virtual surroundings; identification of a virtual standard line of vision to the virtual object from the second observation position; selection of the displayed position symbol as soon as a predetermined selection action has been sensed; and display of the virtual object from the second observation position as soon as a predetermined confirmation action for the selected position symbol has been sensed. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system having virtual reality spectacles.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is based on and hereby claims priority to German Application No. 10 2014 009 299.2 filed on Jun. 26, 2014, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a method for operating virtual reality spectacles and to a system having virtual reality spectacles. 
         [0003]    Virtual reality spectacles are a particular form of what is known as a head mounted display, which is a visual output appliance worn on the head. Said output appliance presents images on a screen close to the eyes or projects them directly onto the retina. In this case, virtual reality spectacles additionally have sensors for sensing the movement of the head. This allows the display of the computed graphics to be matched to the movements of the wearer of the spectacles. The physical proximity means that the displayed image areas from head mounted displays have the effect of being substantially larger than the freestanding screens and, in extreme cases, even cover the entire field of view of the user. Since the display follows all head movements by the wearer as a result of the posture of the head, the user is provided with the feeling of moving directly in an image landscape generated by a computer. 
         [0004]    Virtual reality spectacles of this kind can thus be used to present a virtual reality, virtual reality usually denoting the presentation and simultaneous perception of reality in its physical properties in interactive virtual surroundings that are computer-generated in real time. 
         [0005]    In virtual reality surroundings, a particular challenge is to provide a suitable opportunity for interaction in order to determine or to alter the virtual position of the wearer of such spectacles in relation to an object presented by the virtual reality spectacles. Free movements within the presented virtual reality, in particular, for example brought about by a controller or joystick, can quickly lead to nausea in the wearer of virtual reality spectacles, since during the virtual movement an inconsistency arises between the visual impressions and the lack of movement feedback from the vestibular system in the inner ear. 
         [0006]    Furthermore, it is sometimes difficult for a wearer of virtual reality spectacles to be able to gauge how his line of vision to a displayed virtual object alters if he alters his observation position within the virtual surroundings. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    It is therefore one possible object to provide a method for operating virtual reality spectacles and a system having virtual reality spectacles that allow improved alteration of the virtual position of a wearer of the spectacles within virtual surroundings displayed by the virtual reality spectacles. 
         [0008]    The inventors propose a method for operating virtual reality spectacles, at least one virtual object arranged in virtual surroundings is displayed by the virtual reality spectacles from a first observation position prescribed within the virtual surroundings. Furthermore, at least one position symbol is displayed at a position within the virtual surroundings that corresponds to a second observation position prescribed within the virtual surroundings. In addition, a virtual standard line of vision to the virtual object from the second observation position is identified. The displayed position symbol is selected as soon as a predetermined selection action has been sensed. Furthermore, the virtual object is displayed from the second observation position as soon as a predetermined confirmation action for the selected position symbol has been sensed. 
         [0009]    In other words, the proposed method thus provides for a wearer of virtual reality spectacles to be able to move, particularly to be able to skip, from a prescribed observation position to another observation position within the virtual surroundings by selecting an appropriately displayed position symbol and confirming the selection thereof. In this case, one or more possible skip positions can be displayed to him in the form of the displayed position symbol or further position symbols in their physically correct position within the virtual surroundings. In other words, the prescribed observation positions are thus virtual viewpoints at which the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles is situated virtually within the displayed virtual surroundings, the virtual reality spectacles or the display device thereof being actuated such that the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles is provided with the impression that he is currently looking at the virtual object from the correspondingly prescribed observation position. 
         [0010]    The problem mentioned at the outset that can arise with free movements within a virtual reality is remedied by the proposed solution since the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles no longer moves freely within the displayed virtual surroundings according to his visual perception. Instead, the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles can use the method to skip from one virtual observation position to the next and hence alter his virtual viewpoint within the displayed virtual surroundings in fits and starts and hence to alter the perspective on the currently displayed virtual object likewise by leaps and bounds. This prevents any inconsistency from arising between the visual impressions and the actually provided movement feedback from the vestibular system of the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles, which means that it is possible to prevent the occurence of nausea in a wearer of the virtual reality spectacles. 
         [0011]    The solution also tells a user wearing the virtual reality spectacles, on the basis of the identification of the standard line of vision, which starts from the second observation position, even before the virtual change of position is activated or confirmed, the position that he is in after the change of position and how he will look at the virtual object from this new virtual observation position. 
         [0012]    In one advantageous refinement, the displayed position symbol is selected as soon as the predetermined selection action that has been sensed is that a selection symbol displayed within the virtual surroundings has been made to at least partially overlap the displayed position symbol. The movement of the selection symbol can be controlled by the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles as appropriate, which allows him to prompt selection of the displayed position symbol in a particularly simple and convenient manner. By way of example, the displayed selection symbol, which is also intended to be understood as a selective symbol, may be a crosshair, a mouse pointer or the like. 
         [0013]    In a further advantageous refinement, the selection symbol is moved on the basis of a sensed head movement by a wearer of the virtual reality spectacles within the virtual surroundings. By way of example, the virtual reality spectacles may have a combination of a three-axis gyrometer and acceleration sensors that can be used to reliably sense the head movement of the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles. Since the selection symbol is moved on the basis of the sensed head movement of the wearer within the virtual surroundings, the selection symbol can be moved in a particularly simple and convenient manner by the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles within the virtual surroundings. 
         [0014]    According to a further advantageous embodiment, the selection symbol is moved on the basis of a sensed eye movement by the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles within the virtual surroundings. For this, the virtual reality spectacles can have a sensing device, for example, that is designed to sense eye movements, particularly the line of vision of the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles. Eye-movement-controlled movement of the selection symbol within the virtual surroundings gives rise to the particular advantage that the selection symbol can be moved particularly quickly and easily. In this case, the selection symbol can also be moved either on the basis of the sensed head movement or on the basis of the sensed eye movement of the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles. This results in a particularly convenient and intuitive control option for the selection symbol for the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles. This is because the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles simply needs to just look at the position symbol in question that is displayed to him in the virtual surroundings in order to select the position symbol. 
         [0015]    In a further advantageous refinement, the virtual standard line of vision to the virtual object from the second observation position is identified by virtue of the selection symbol having a direction sign that is oriented from the second observation position to the virtual object as soon as the selection symbol has been made to at least partially overlap the displayed position symbol. By way of example, the direction sign can be displayed in the form of an arrowhead, an arrow, a triangle or the like, so that the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles can easily recognize the line of vision from the second observation position with which he will look at the displayed virtual object after a certain change of position. 
         [0016]    According to a further alternative advantageous embodiment, the standard line of vision to the virtual object from the second observation position is identified by virtue of the position symbol having a direction sign that is oriented from the second observation position to the virtual object. This likewise allows a wearer of the virtual reality spectacles to easily be able to recognize the line of vision with which he will look at the virtual object from the second observation position as soon as he has changed position from the first to the second observation position. 
         [0017]    In this case, provision may be made for the direction sign to be displayed only when the position symbol has been selected. As a result, the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles is additionally provided with the information that he has currently selected the position symbol. Alternatively, it is also possible for the direction sign always to be displayed together with the position symbol. In this case, the advantage is that as soon as the position symbol is displayed, the user is also always provided with a display of how he will look at the displayed virtual object after a change of position from the first to the second observation position. 
         [0018]    In a further advantageous refinement, the virtual standard line of vision to the virtual object from the second observation position is identified in a plane defined by the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of the virtual surroundings. In other words, a wearer of the virtual reality spectacles is thus provided with a piece of two-dimensional direction information when the standard line of vision is identified. 
         [0019]    In a further advantageous embodiment, the respective virtual angle of vision from which the virtual object is displayed from the respective observation positions is altered on the basis of a sensed swiveled position of the head of the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles. By swiveling his head up or down or left or right, the user can thus alter his respective virtual angle of vision with respect to the currently displayed virtual object. This results in particularly simple control of the virtual reality spectacles, which alters the angle of vision with respect to the currently displayed virtual object subsequent to the swivel movement of the head of the wearer as appropriate. 
         [0020]    According to a further advantageous embodiment, the virtual line of vision and the virtual standard line of vision match if the sensed swiveled position of the head corresponds to a prescribed standard swiveled position. By way of example, the procedure may thus be that the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles first of all performs a kind of calibration operation by moving his head, after putting on the virtual reality spectacles, into the head posture that corresponds to his standard head posture. This standard head posture is then stored as the standard swiveled position. If, following a sudden change of position from the first to the second observation position, the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles adopts this standard orientation of his head again, then the currently displayed virtual line of vision corresponds to the virtual standard line of vision marked previously. 
         [0021]    Preferably, the virtual object displayed is a motor vehicle, with the position symbol being arranged and displayed outside or inside the motor vehicle. The wearer of the virtual reality spectacles can therefore skip from one virtual observation position to the next and look at the virtual motor vehicle from a wide variety of different perspectives. In so doing, he can also skip to a virtual observation position inside the motor vehicle in order to be able to display the interior from the driver&#39;s seat or else from other seat positions inside the motor vehicle, for example. This means that, at sales sites or showrooms for motor vehicles, for example, it is no longer necessary to keep a diverse array of different motor vehicle variants with a wide variety of special equipment, since a potential customer can particularly easily use the virtual reality spectacles to display vehicle variants with a wide variety of equipment inside and outside and for a wide variety of angles of vision. 
         [0022]    The system comprises virtual reality spectacles that are designed to display at least one virtual object arranged in virtual surroundings from a first observation position that is prescribed within the virtual surroundings. Furthermore, the virtual reality spectacles are designed to display at least one position symbol within the virtual surroundings at a position within the virtual surroundings that corresponds to a second observation position that is prescribed within the virtual surroundings. In addition, the virtual reality spectacles are designed to identify a standard line of vision to the virtual object from the second observation position. The system additionally comprises a control device that is designed to select the displayed position symbol as soon as a predetermined selection action has been sensed. Furthermore, the control device is designed to actuate the virtual reality spectacles such that the virtual object is displayed from the second observation position as soon as a predetermined confirmation action for the selected position symbol has been sensed. Advantageous refinements of the method can be regarded as advantageous refinements of the system, the system carries out the method. 
         [0023]    Further advantages, features and details will become evident from the description that follows for preferred exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawings. The features and combinations of features cited in the description above and the features and combinations of features shown in the description of the figures below and/or in the figures alone can be used not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in other combinations or on their own without departing from the scope. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic illustration of a system for displaying virtual surroundings, wherein the system comprises virtual reality spectacles worn by a user, a control device for controlling the virtual reality spectacles and a remote control for controlling the image contents displayed by the virtual reality spectacles; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic illustration of virtual surroundings within which a virtual motor vehicle is displayed to the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles from a first virtual observation position; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic illustration in which the virtual observation position of the wearer of the virtual reality spectacles with respect to the virtual motor vehicle, as shown in  FIG. 2 , is displayed; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  again shows the virtual motor vehicle within the virtual surroundings, wherein additionally a selection symbol in a form like an arrow head and a position symbol represented as a circle in a solid line are shown; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  shows substantially the same illustration as  FIG. 4 , wherein the selection symbol has been made to overlap the circular position symbol; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  shows a further illustration of the virtual surroundings, wherein the virtual motor vehicle is now displayed from a second virtual observation position; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  shows substantially the same illustration as  FIG. 1 , wherein the position symbol has a direction sign that is directed at the virtual motor vehicle from the second observation position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0032]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0033]    A system—denoted as a whole by  10 —for displaying virtual surroundings is shown in  FIG. 1 . The system  10  comprises virtual reality spectacles  12  that are designed to display virtual surroundings and also one or more virtual objects within the virtual surroundings. By way of example, the virtual reality spectacles  12  may have two individual displays that are arranged in front of respective eyes of a wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12 , so that the two displays can be used to bring about a three-dimensional effect for the wearer  14  when the virtual surroundings are displayed. 
         [0034]    In addition, the virtual reality spectacles  12  may have a combination of a three-axis gyrometer and acceleration sensors that can be used to sense particularly swivel movements of the head of the wearer  14  about respective spatial axes x 1 , y 2  and z 1 . This allows a respective virtual angle of vision of the wearer  14 , from which one or more virtual objects are displayed within the virtual surroundings, to be altered from respective observation positions within the virtual surroundings on the basis of a sensed swiveled position of the head of the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12 . 
         [0035]    The system  10  additionally comprises a control device  16  that is coupled to the virtual reality spectacles  12  for the purpose of information interchange. By way of example, the control device  16  may be a computer having a piece of software installed thereon as appropriate, so that the control device  16  can control the display of the virtual surroundings by the virtual reality spectacles  12 . 
         [0036]    Furthermore, the system  10  also has a remote control  18  that is coupled both to the virtual reality spectacles  12  and to the control device  16 , preferably via a radio link, for the purpose of information interchange. The remote control  18  can be used by the wearer  14 , for example by operating a key  20  on the remote control  18 , to control the virtual reality spectacles  12  in order to alter displayed virtual contents as appropriate. 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  shows virtual surroundings  22 , with a virtual motor vehicle  24  being displayed within the virtual surroundings  22  by the virtual reality spectacles  12 . Corresponding coordinate axes within the virtual surroundings  22  are denoted by x 2  and z 2  and also by y 2 . The letter A denotes a first observation position, that is to say a type of virtual viewpoint, within the virtual surroundings  22 , from which the wearer  14  is currently looking at the motor vehicle  24 . 
         [0038]    The circle  26  shown in a dashed line is a position symbol that is arranged at the first virtual observation position. Preferably, the position symbol  26  is not displayed within the virtual surroundings  22  at all in the view shown here. In the present case, the position symbol  26  is shown only to improve understanding of the explanations below. 
         [0039]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic illustration of the virtual observation position A of the wearer  14  together with the position symbol  26  in a side view. According to the illustration shown in  FIG. 2 , the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  is thus virtually standing next to the motor vehicle  24  and is looking at the motor vehicle  24  from the side. By swiveling his head, the wearer  14  can alter a respective virtual angle of vision from which the motor vehicle  24  is displayed from the observation position  26 . In this case, the virtual viewpoint of the wearer  14  remains unchanged; the wearer  14  can alter a respective angle of vision with respect to the motor vehicle  24  only by swiveling his head left and right or up and down. 
         [0040]    If the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  wishes to alter his observation position A in order to view the motor vehicle  24  from a different virtual position, for example from the front or from behind, he merely needs to touch the key  20  on the remote control  18 . This activates a type of movement or skip mode. 
         [0041]    As  FIG. 4  shows, a position symbol  28  and a selection symbol  30  are then displayed within the virtual surroundings  22 . The position symbol  28 , displayed here in the form of a circular mark on the virtual ground of the virtual surroundings  22 , is displayed at a position within the virtual surroundings  22  that corresponds to a second observation position B prescribed within the virtual surroundings  22 , that is to say a further virtual viewpoint. In this case, the arrowhead-like selection symbol  30  is moved within the virtual surroundings  22  on the basis of a sensed head movement by the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12 . Alternatively or in addition, provision may also be made for the selection symbol  30  to be moved within the virtual surroundings  22  on the basis of a sensed eye movement by the wearer  14 . 
         [0042]    Should the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  now wish to be able to look at the motor vehicle  24  from the further observation position B, he merely needs to make the selection symbol  30  overlap the position symbol  28  in part or in full by an appropriate head and/or eye movement. 
         [0043]    As soon as the selection symbol  30  has been made to overlap the position symbol  28 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , the controller  16  registers that the position symbol  28  has been selected. In other words, it registers that the wearer  14  might wish to alter his virtual observation position, since he has moved the selection symbol  30  over the position symbol  28 . Preferably, appropriate visual feedback can be displayed as soon as the position symbol  28  has been selected. By way of example, the color of the position symbol  28  and/or of the selection symbol  30  can also be altered, so that the wearer  14  is provided with visual feedback about the selection of the position symbol  28  in a simple manner. 
         [0044]    In this case, the selection symbol  30  in arrowhead-like form is swiveled anticlockwise as soon as it has been made to overlap the position symbol  28 . This identifies a virtual standard line of vision to the virtual motor vehicle  24  from the second observation position B. On the basis of the orientation of the selection symbol  30 , the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  thus recognizes the line of vision with which he will look at the virtual motor vehicle  24  as soon as he has changed his position from the observation position A to the observation position B. In this case, the standard line of vision corresponds to the line of vision with which the virtual motor vehicle  24  is displayed if the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  keeps his head straight. In this context, “straight” means that he has swiveled his head neither left nor right and also neither up nor down. In this case, the virtual standard line of vision to the virtual motor vehicle  24  from the second observation position B is identified in the plane defined by the longitudinal direction x 2  and the transverse direction y 2  of the virtual surroundings  22 . The wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  is thus provided with a piece of two-dimensional directional information that identifies a standard line of vision from the second observation position B. 
         [0045]    Should the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  now actually wish to change his virtual observation position from the observation position A to the observation position B, he merely needs to press the key  20  on the remote control  18 . By way of example, the key  20  may have an appropriate key travel with a stop, the change of position from the virtual observation position  26  to the virtual observation position  28  being confirmed only when the key has been depressed by the wearer  14  as far as its stop, for example. 
         [0046]      FIG. 6  shows the motor vehicle  24  from the observation position B that has been virtually adopted at present after a virtual change of position from the observation position A to the observation position B has been made. The wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  thus does not move continuously around the motor vehicle  24  in order to get from the observation position A to the observation position B. Instead, the wearer  14  skips virtually from the observation position A to the observation position B shown in  FIG. 6  as soon as he has confirmed the change of position by pressing the key  20  on the remote control  18  after he has made the selection symbol  30  overlap the position symbol  28 . 
         [0047]    The position symbol  28  is subsequently shown only in a dashed line, and preferably, following the change of position, it is no longer displayed at all and is depicted in this case only to improve understanding. Should the wearer  14  still keep his thumb on the key  20 , that is to say still touch it, for example, after the sudden change of position, the selection symbol  30  and the position symbol  26  continue to be displayed. As soon as the wearer  14  releases the key  20  on the remote control  18 , that is to say no longer touches it at all, the position symbol  26  and the selection symbol  30  are hidden. 
         [0048]    In the present case, the wearer  14  can look at the motor vehicle  24  diagonally from the side at the rear from the observation position B, and in this case too, the angle of vision with respect to the motor vehicle  24  is altered on the basis of sensed swivel movements of the head of the wearer  14 , the observation position remaining firmly at the observation position B. 
         [0049]    Should the wearer  14  again desire a change of position, he can again activate the movement or skip mode by touching the key  20  on the remote control  18 , which again shows the selection symbol  30  and the position symbol  26 . As soon as the wearer  14  has made the selection symbol  30  overlap the position symbol  26  by an appropriate head or eye movement, said position symbol is selected. As soon as the wearer  14  then presses the key  20 , a virtual change of position is again carried out from the observation position B to the observation position A, as a result of which the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  again looks at the motor vehicle  24  purely from the side, as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 . 
         [0050]    In the case of a change of position from the observation position B to the observation position A too, the virtual standard line of vision from the first position position A to the virtual motor vehicle  24  is identified in a similar manner to the procedure already explained by virtue of the selection symbol  30  being swiveled clockwise in the present case as soon as said selection symbol has been made to overlap the position symbol  26 . 
         [0051]    Apart from at the observation positions A and B, it is also possible for further position symbols, not shown here, to be shown within the virtual surroundings  22 , so that the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  can change his virtual observation position within the virtual surroundings  22  in a similar manner to the procedure already described. Such position symbols can be displayed firstly in a distributed arrangement around the motor vehicle  24  and also in a distributed arrangement inside the motor vehicle  24 . The wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  can therefore not only virtually skip from one observation position to the next, which is situated outside the motor vehicle  24 , but can also relocate his virtual observation position into the motor vehicle  24 , for example into the driver&#39;s seat of the motor vehicle  24 . 
         [0052]    The wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  therefore does not move around the displayed motor vehicle  24  continuously; instead, he skips from one virtual observation position to the next within the virtual surroundings  22  in order to change his angle of vision or his perspective with respect to the displayed motor vehicle  24 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 7  shows substantially the same situation as  FIG. 1 , the position symbol  28  in the present situation having a direction sign  32 . In the present case, the standard line of vision from the second observation position B to the virtual motor vehicle  24  is identified by virtue of the direction sign  32  of the position symbol  28  being oriented from the second observation position B to the virtual motor vehicle  24 . In this case, provision may be made for the direction sign  32  to be displayed only when the position symbol  28  has been selected, for example by virtue of the selection symbol  30  again having been made to overlap the position symbol  28 . Alternatively it is also possible for the direction sign  32  always to be displayed together with the position symbol  28 . This has the advantage that the wearer  14  of the virtual reality spectacles  12  can—particularly if a large number of further position symbols are displayed that likewise have the direction sign  32 —directly recognize how the respective standard line of vision from the respective position symbols will be. 
         [0054]    The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention covered by the claims which may include the phrase “at least one of A, B and C” as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 69 USPQ2D 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).