GB2522401A

GB2522401A - Hexa lens accessory that allows the use of a mobile device as a stereoscopic virtual reality eyewear device

Info

Publication number: GB2522401A
Application number: GB1319667.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Liviu Berechet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-11-07
Filing date: 2013-11-07
Publication date: 2015-07-29
Also published as: GB201319667D0

Abstract

A hexa lens 1 accessory with a mobile device holder 7, where the mobile device 3 can slide in place. The hexa lens block 6 is made out of circular frames 2 that hold the lenses together in sets of three lenses for each eye, just a few millimetres apart, and can be taken apart to clean or replace. The mobile device holder is made out of two plates 4,5 that can be adjusted to match the thickness of the mobile device. The two blocks are held in place through a number of metal rods) that allow the user to adjust the distance between them to compensate for any optical deficiency. The accessory is intended to be used as a head mounted virtual reality device for use with mobile phones.

Description

Hexa lens accessory that allows the use of a mobile device as a virtual reality eyewear device.

The invention relates to a hexa lens accessory that allows the use of a mobile device as a virtual reality device.

In the past decade, stereo 3D vision technologies have become necessity rather then a novelty for moving visual images and video games. With the advancements made in the computer science and engineering industries, todays mobile devices are powerful enough to run a virtual reality simulation in the form of a sofiware. In terms of technology, everything is ready to make the next step to enhance the virtual reality experience, except there is no affordable solution that can make virtual reality mainstream.

In order to make virtual reality to become an affordable experience for anyone, the present invention proposes the use of chap magnifring glasses, stacked together in sets of two or three layers for each eye, to create low cost hexa or quad lens accessory that allows the use of a mobile device as a virtual reality eyewear device.

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows the invention as an assembled clement from an isometric view Figure 2 shows the invention from a perspective angle, showing the underneath of the accessory Figure 3 shows the invention from a side perspective, with the lens and the mobile device blocks at the optimum distance Figure 4 shows the invention as separate elements and how they come together The lenses (1) used are low cost magnifying glass of 50mm in diameter with a magnification value in-between five and twenty times. The lenses are stacked together a few mm apart in sets of three for each eye, held in place by circular frames (2) that can be taken apart for cleaning and replacing any of the six lenses (1). The mobile device (3) slides in place by a front (4) and back frame (5), similar to the lens frames but with a rectangular shape. Just 111cc the lens block (6), the mobile device bock (7) can be adjusted to allow mobile devices of different thickness. The two blocks are connected through metal rods (8) that allow the adjustment of the distance between the lenses and the mobile device screen, an essential feature for people who are farsighted or nearsighted.

The virtual image formed by the lens assembly has to be formed at a distance greater than 100 cm away from the eye. This allows the viewer to look through the lenses with what is called a relaxed vision'.

The relaxed vision means that the muscle in the eyes pupil does not need to contract in order to focus on the display. This is an important feature of the accessory for two reasons: it minimises the chances of headaches and it gives a very eversive sense of depth. Unlike conventional stereoscopic devices where the sense of depth in perspective is done solely by the use of two images with a slight change of perspective, the invention utilises one of the most basic functions of the human eye: the adjustment of convexity of the human eye cornea through the use of the ciliary muscle. This allows for a sense of depth even when the assembly is used with a single eye. In nontechnical terms, the assembly allows the eyes to change focus naturally while tracking an object that comes from very far away close to the virtual eye in a virtual environment, giving the perception of depth even without the use of stereo.

Thc presence of a gyroscope on the mobile device is of great importance. The accessory is not aimed to deliver a simple stereoscopic experience, but a virtual reality one. A significant part of the success of this invention is developing the tools necessary to create a virtual reality experience. This means the developing of software plugins and programing packages that synehronises the movement of the mobile device with the movement of a virtual 3D cameras through the use of the gyroscope inside the mobile device. This allows the user to rotate the 3D virtual camera just by rotating their heads together with the assembly with exact precision. For example if the user is facing north at 10 degrees east at a 20 degrees angle with the ground and a 10 degrees tilt to the right in relation to the horizon line, the 3D virtual camera will have the exact same coordinates. These simple to use plugin and programing toolkit packages are developed to be used with some of the most used 3D engines in the gaming and 3D visualisation industries. Examples of 3D engine packages that can provide real time feedback control over a 3D camera in a computer generated 3D virtual environment include, hut are not limited to, Unity Technologies Engine, Epic Games Unreal Engine and (llytek CryEngine. The use oftlie software tools developed as part of this invention is as simple as deploy-ing the developed 31) camera in any virtual envIronment optimized to successfully run, but not limited to, on the mobile device that the 3D engine in use can export to. For example, but not limited to the use of pre existing application, a game developer can easily adapt any of his Previous released games to work with the invention by simply replacing his virtual 31) camera with the stereo 31) camera package developed as part of this invention.

The use of a second device as a controller is an optional but significant part for the use of the accessory together with tile primary mobile device. As part of the invention is the developing of software plugins and programing packages that allow the connection of a secondary device to the primary device used as pad of the assembly. The sole purpose of the secondary device is to provide additional movement controls to the virtual experience such as, bu.t not limited, to, the ability to move forward. and backward.s in a virtual environment, side movement, a number of action buftons, and, in the case where the second device has a gyroscope, to be used as a 3 directional joystick if the virtual reality application has any use for this.

Claims

Claims I. A mobile device accessory that allows the use of the mobile device as a stereoscopic device through the use of six magniting glasses.
2. A mobile device accessory according to claim 1, in which the accessory together with the mobile device can be used as a virtual reality device.
3. A mobile device accessory according to claim 2, in which the accessory together with the mobile device can be used as a hands free assembly.
4. A mobile device accessory according to claim 2 or 3, in which a second mobile device can be connected wireless as a controller to the main mobile device.
5. A mobile device accessory according to claim 2 or 3, in which a computer or mobile computer can be connecter either wireless or wired as a controller to the main mobile device.