KR101899263B1 - Surrounding Sensible and Safty Alerting System For Safe VR Service - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a VR system with a warning means for the safety of a user in an immersive virtual reality system. The present invention provides a warning system for a virtual reality apparatus which includes infrared depth camera modules arranged on the front side, left and right sides, and rear side of a head mounted display (HMD) provided for implementing virtual reality and a control module for generating a safety warning sign on a display by processing data recognized by the infrared depth camera module. The control module sends the warning sign to the user if an object is within a predetermined threshold distance from the user who experiences the virtual reality. The warning sign includes one or more of a character and a mark displayed on the virtual reality display, and a voice message. Accordingly, the present invention can increase the safety of a virtual reality experiencer.

Description

[0001] Surrounding Sensible and Safty Alerting System for Safe Virtual Reality [

The present invention relates to a virtual reality (VR) device based on a head mounted display (HMD), and more particularly, to a fully immersive VR device capable of detecting the surroundings and warning about safety The present invention relates to a safety warning system for a VR apparatus.

Recently, a variety of contents such as sports, education, and cultural experiences using virtual reality are being developed. When the HMD with the smartphone is worn and the contents are operated, the user can enjoy the contents in a realistic manner through the displayed image and the sound effect. In contrast to the virtual reality, mixed reality (a generic name of reality-based multiple overlapping technology including augmented reality and augmentation virtual) that combines a virtual image and a sound in a real environment is consumed. However, the immersive content, VR, . Registration No. 10-1094858 describes five-sensory VR content, and many other applications have been filed for virtual reality and mixed reality related technologies.

In the case of the virtual reality contents, since the user's view is completely shielded from the see-closed state unlike the mixed reality, the user can not detect the actual environment at all. As a result, the user has a fatal problem in which the safety threat due to the change of the surrounding environment is completely defenseless. For example, you can immerse yourself in virtual reality, and then collide with things around you, or you can fall where there is a drop like a stairway. Hot or sharp objects may cause physical contact, resulting in injury, and the cable of the device may twist or hang during use of the content. It is vulnerable to exposure to other hazards. Especially, when the user is designed to enjoy the contents by moving his or her body, there is a risk of collision with surrounding objects, thus increasing the safety risk.

There is an attempt to overlay the actual environment image on the virtual reality screen and display it on the display. However, such an attempt tends to deteriorate the immersion feeling of the content and greatly hinders the virtual reality service concept itself, which is difficult to apply.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a VR system equipped with warning means for user safety in an immersive virtual reality system.

According to the above object, the present invention provides an immersion type virtual reality apparatus for realizing a virtual reality, which comprises an HMD (Head Mounted Display), an infrared depth camera (Depth Camera And a control module for processing the data recognized by the infrared depth camera module and issuing a safety warning sign to the display, wherein the control module is configured to detect proximity to a user who is experiencing the virtual reality within a predetermined critical distance Wherein the warning sign includes at least one of a character, a cover, or a voice message displayed on a virtual reality display.

Also, in the above, the control module determines the shape of the object within a predetermined threshold distance and issues a warning sign when there is an object showing a predetermined threshold curvature or apex angle.

Also, in the above, the depth camera module may be added to the top and bottom surfaces of the HMD.

Also, in the above, the control module issues a warning sign when the stepped stairs or jaws are within a critical distance from the user.

In addition, in the above case, when there is an object having a speed higher than a critical speed, the control module issues a warning sign to the user even if the object is outside the critical distance to the stopped object.

In addition, in the above, the control module may be mounted on a control board in the HMD itself, installed in a computer to which the HMD is connected, receive data of the depth camera module by wired or wireless communication using a communication module in the HMD, Let them swim.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a virtual reality realization content implemented with a smartphone, wherein a window is formed in a portion of a front side of an HMD on which a smartphone is mounted and a camera module of a smart phone is placed, A control module for controlling a camera module of a smartphone to allow a user to experience a virtual reality in a camera module of the smart phone, Provide virtual reality implementation content that triggers a warning sign.

The alert sign includes one or more of a character, a cover, or a voice message displayed on a virtual reality display.

According to the present invention, a warning sign can be given to the safety of a user experiencing immersive virtual reality without breaking the immersive content, thereby preventing a user from experiencing a safety accident while maintaining the virtual reality experience.

In particular, in the case of a high-end VR device, it is possible to issue a danger warning warning on the front, rear, left, top, and bottom, thereby enhancing safety prevention of a virtual reality user.

In addition, HMD devices for low end VRs that rely on smartphones can secure users' safety in a very simplified manner by arranging a safety warning module in the VR-implemented application using the camera at the back of the smartphone .

Figure 1 is an image showing a high end VR device.
2 is an image showing mounting a smart phone in a low-end VR device.
3 is an image showing an example of arranging an infrared depth camera module in a high end VR device according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining that a window is formed in a part where a rear camera module of a smart phone is placed on the front side of an HMD according to the present invention, and a user peripheral sensing and warning sign is displayed.
FIG. 5 is an image for explaining user peripheral detection and warning signs using a rear camera module of a smart phone in a low-end VR device according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is an image showing a high end VR device.

In the case of a high-end virtual machine, it connects to a console or computer to use virtual reality content. Most of these virtual reality devices are currently connected to a computer through a wired network, and the user can only recognize virtual reality contents. Accordingly, when an object including an object, an animal, or another person, which may threaten the safety of the user, approaches the user near the user, a notification means is needed.

Accordingly, in the present invention, an infrared depth camera module is arranged on the front, left, right, and rear surfaces of an HMD (Head Mounted Display) to monitor the user's surrounding environment. When there is an object coming within a predetermined radius from the user, (See FIG. 3). That is, when a control module is placed on a circuit board built in the HMD itself to calculate an interval between the object image sensed by the IR depth camera module and a user within a predetermined threshold distance in real time, To be displayed on the display or to cause a voice message to be generated. The voice message can be generated as a beep or a language message. The control module may be installed in a computer hardware connected to the HMD, and a communication chip may be disposed on a circuit board built in the HMD so that image information detected from the infrared depth camera module may be transmitted to the control module . The infrared depth camera module includes a transmitter and a receiver, thereby detecting the distance and depth of the object. The critical distance according to the approach of the object may be arbitrarily varied, but may be set to approximately 1 to 2 m.

Also, the control module discriminates the shape of the object within a predetermined threshold distance and issues a warning sign when there is an object having a sharp shape, that is, an object having a predetermined critical curvature or apex angle. At this time, the commercialized shape recognition program can be introduced to the control module. For example, when a corner of a desk that is at right angles, a protruding hanger, and the like are close to each other, a warning sign is generated.

Meanwhile, in order to enhance the safety of the user, the infrared depth camera module can be additionally arranged on the top surface and the bottom surface in addition to the front, left, right and rear sides of the HMD. Such a configuration can give more effective warning to objects such as falling objects, stairs, and steps.

In particular, the accessibility of moving objects can be considered as a high risk even if they are a little far from users. Accordingly, the control module calculates the speed of the moving object and generates a warning signal even if the speed is higher than the critical distance applied to the stationary object. In this case too, it is possible to vary with respect to the critical velocity, and one of the velocities of 7 to 10 m / sec may be set as the critical velocity.

On the other hand, for the low-end virtual reality device (see FIG. 2), there is a problem that the price competitiveness is lost by installing the infrared depth camera module as described above, and the method as shown in FIG. 4 or 5 is used.

That is, the virtual reality device 200 implemented by mounting the smartphone 100 has a window 500 formed at a portion where the rear camera module 400 of the smart phone is placed on the front cover of the HMD on which the smartphone is mounted Thereby allowing the rear camera module 400 of the smart phone to detect a large extent of the front of the user (see FIG. 5). The rear camera module 400 of the smartphone may be a dual camera. FIG. 4 shows the case where there is no cover for covering the smartphone, and the rear surface of the smart phone is exposed so that the rear camera module of the smart phone detects the user's front surface to a considerable extent without having to construct a window.

In this way, when detecting the user's surroundings using the camera module of the smartphone, the detection range can not be achieved on the user's back but it is comparatively simple, and to some extent prevent the risk factors And is efficient. In this case, a control module for safety warning is placed in the virtual reality implementation contents (app), and an object is detected at a predetermined threshold distance from the user, from the image detected for the front side of the user experiencing the virtual reality in the camera module of the smartphone , The control module causes a warning sign to be issued while implementing the virtual reality. The alert sign includes at least one of a character, a warning sign, or a voice message in a virtual reality display.

In addition, as described above, the control module can implement a warning according to the speed of a moving object, a proximity warning to a sharp shape, and the like.

Thus, it is possible to implement a warning system that can notify the user of the immersive virtual reality device while maintaining the virtual reality experience, and can inform the surrounding dangerous situation.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment, but is capable of many modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims. It is self-evident.

100: Smartphone
200: HMD body
400: camera module
500: Window

Claims (10)

An HMD (Head Mounted Display) provided for realizing a virtual reality;
Depth camera modules arranged on the front, left, right, rear, top and bottom surfaces of the HMD; And
And a control module for processing the data recognized by the depth camera module and generating a safety warning sign on the display,
The control module includes:
A warning sign is generated to the user when there is an object within a predetermined threshold distance from the user experiencing the virtual reality,
A shape recognition program is provided to determine the shape of an object within a predetermined threshold distance and to generate a warning sign for a user when the object exhibits a predetermined threshold curvature or apex angle,
If a stair or step with a step falls within a critical distance from the user, a warning sign is generated,
When there is an object having a speed equal to or higher than the critical speed, a warning sign is generated even if the object is outside the critical distance to the stopped object,
Wherein the alert sign includes one or more of a character, a cover, or a voice message displayed on a virtual reality display. delete delete delete delete The HMD according to claim 1, wherein the control module is mounted on a control board in the HMD itself, or installed in a computer to which the HMD is connected, receives data of the depth camera module by wired or wireless communication using a communication module in the HMD, The warning sign for the virtual reality device. A warning system for a virtual reality apparatus, which is implemented by mounting a smart phone,
And a safety alert control module installed in the virtual reality implementation contents,
Wherein the control module allows a rear camera module of the smartphone to monitor an image of a front face of a user experiencing a virtual reality,
A warning sign is generated to the user when there is an object within a predetermined threshold distance from the user experiencing the virtual reality,
A shape recognition program is provided to determine the shape of an object within a predetermined threshold distance and to generate a warning sign for a user when the object exhibits a predetermined threshold curvature or apex angle,
If a stair or step with a step falls within a critical distance from the user, a warning sign is generated,
When there is an object having a speed equal to or higher than the critical speed, a warning sign is generated even if the object is outside the critical distance to the stopped object,
Wherein the alert sign includes one or more of a character, a cover, or a voice message displayed on a virtual reality display.

delete delete The system of claim 7, further comprising: a window formed on a portion of the cover where the camera module of the smart phone is placed when the smart phone is mounted and the cover covers the smart phone on the front surface of the HMD Warning system for appliances.

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