KR20230117964A - Virtual reality controller - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an object controller capable of manipulating the movement or rotation of an object. Disclosed is an object controller capable of manipulating the motion of an object, including a main body, a manipulator that does not contact the main body, and a control unit that controls the motion of the object based on a relative position of the manipulator with respect to the main body. .

Description

Virtual Reality Controller {VIRTUAL REALITY CONTROLLER}

The present invention relates to a virtual reality controller, and more particularly, to a virtual reality controller that can be manipulated simply and intuitively and can be suitably employed to manipulate various objects.

Controllers for remotely controlling objects such as drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, robots, game machines, and model cars have been commercialized. In general, a remote control controller includes one or more analog sticks or buttons, and manipulation signals generated through these sticks or buttons are transmitted to a receiver inside a control target object through a transmitter mounted inside the controller.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment of a conventional controller.

Referring to FIG. 1 , movements such as back and forth, left and right movement, left turn and right turn, ascent and descent of the object to be controlled may be controlled using left and right sticks. However, this control method is very intuitive, and a lot of practice is required for the user to freely manipulate the object.

In particular, in the case of a controller that controls a drone, etc., the complexity of the control method is increasing as it is developed to enable precise control such as acrobatics of the drone. Such a controller has aspects that are not suitable for application to the manipulation of various objects due to the difficulty of its manipulation.

Meanwhile, various remote control controllers such as wireless mice, game pads, and move controllers for remotely controlling objects or objects in computer programs implemented in computers and game consoles are commercially available. This controller does not control a physical object such as a drone, but is the same as the remote controller described above with reference to FIG. 1 in that it remotely controls the movement of a target object to be controlled.

Controllers such as wireless mice and game pads are held by a user's hand to move on a mostly flat surface regardless of various shapes, sizes, and designs, and operation signals are generated by the movement of the user's wrist and/or arm. In particular, in the case of a wireless mouse, a laser sensor mounted on the lower side detects a relative movement with respect to the surface, and calculates and transmits this displacement as a manipulation signal of a pointer on a display screen. However, most of these controllers are limited to manipulating objects or objects on a two-dimensional screen, and have limitations in that they cannot be applied beyond the two-dimensional screen.

Recently, a motion recognition controller for remotely controlling an object or objects in a three-dimensional space has been proposed, and is being applied as an input device for virtual reality (VR) games. A motion recognition controller is a controller that detects a user's motion and allows the user to operate a game, etc., and is configured to operate in a manner such as holding a controller equipped with a motion recognition function in a hand and moving it around.

Unlike conventional controllers that are difficult to get used to, these motion-recognition controllers have a great advantage in that users can enjoy games by simply holding and swinging them, but controllers that exist only for performing specific movements in a specific game Most of them. In addition, since the recently proposed motion recognition controller only works by combining known sensors such as an accelerometer sensor and a gyroscope sensor, it has limitations in controlling fine and precise motions and standardizes the manipulation of various objects. The problem is that it cannot be applied.

Therefore, as the field of application of the controller expands, there is a need for a virtual reality controller that can be operated more conveniently and intuitively even by those who have not received separate training for controller operation, and that can be appropriately employed for controlling various objects. this is emerging

The present invention has been devised in the course of the above research, and is intended to provide a virtual reality controller that can be easily operated with one hand without the need for a user to control the controller while holding it with both hands.

In addition, it is to provide an object controller that can be manipulated more conveniently and intuitively and can be appropriately employed for controlling various objects.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the tasks mentioned above, and other tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to solve the above problems, a virtual reality controller according to an embodiment of the present invention is a virtual reality controller capable of manipulating the movement of an object, including a main body, a manipulation unit that is non-contact with the main body, and a relative position of the manipulation unit relative to the main body. Based on the control unit for controlling the movement of the object.

According to another feature of the present invention, the main body may be formed so that a user can easily grip the main body. According to another feature of the present invention, a display is disposed on the upper part of the main body, and the display can display the location and direction of movement of the manipulation unit.

According to another feature of the present invention, the upper portion of the main body may protrude toward the outside to form a support surface. According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit is supported on the support surface and is movable, and the support surface can be operated by pressing when a certain pressure or more is pressed toward the center of the main body.

According to another feature of the present invention, the main body may include a separation prevention bump protruding on the support surface along the circumference of the upper portion of the main body.

According to another feature of the present invention, the main body may include a user input unit capable of inputting a signal to enable other control of an object other than manipulation according to a relative position between the manipulation unit and the main body.

According to another feature of the present invention, the controller may set a relative initial position (Zero Point) between the control unit and a surface of one side of the main body based on a predetermined user input input to the user input unit. .

According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit sets the relative initial position of the manipulation unit with respect to the main body, and then sets the X-axis for movement of the manipulation unit moving based on the relative initial position according to a preset input. , Y-axis and Z-axis linear calibration (Calibration) for at least one axis can be performed and stored. According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit generates a signal for moving the object based on a relative position between the manipulation unit and one side of the main body based on the initial position setting value and a reference value resulting from the calibration. can

According to another feature of the present invention, the degree of displacement between the manipulation unit and one side of the main body is divided into two or more areas or received linearly, and when the operation unit is located in one of the areas, the It is possible to generate signals with the same size as displacing the object.

According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit, when the displacement of any one of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the manipulation unit is greater than the displacement of the other two axes within a predetermined range, the other two axes of the object. The displacement value can be set to 0.

According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit may increase or decrease a ratio of a displacement size of an object occurring in each region based on a predetermined user input to the user input unit.

According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit controls at least one of different auditory, visual, and tactile sensations according to a signal generated to control the object so that the user can easily grasp the size of the signal by which the object is controlled. signal can be generated.

According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit, when the manipulation unit and the upper portion of the main body deviate more than a preset displacement or the main body receives an external force equal to or greater than a preset pressure, maintain the object in its current position. signal can be generated.

According to another feature of the present invention, the main body may include a storage space capable of accommodating the operation unit. According to another feature of the present invention, the storage space may be formed to accommodate the operation unit inside the main body, or may be formed to detachably insert the operation unit outside the main body.

According to another feature of the present invention, the main body may include a connection member coupled to the manipulation unit on an upper surface of the main body so that the manipulation unit is not separated from the main body during manipulation.

According to another feature of the present invention, the user input unit may include at least one of a scroll button, a wheel button, a slide button, and a push button.

According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit may generate a signal for rotating the object based on a predetermined user input being applied to the user input unit.

According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit is detachable from the user's finger, using a restoring force to press the user's finger so as to be attached to or detached from the user's finger, and holding means held by the finger, the user's finger It may include at least one of a tightening means capable of being tightened according to the thickness and a fitting means capable of inserting a finger.

According to another feature of the present invention, a communication module capable of transmitting and receiving information about an object, information about a control signal, and a signal about setting the main body to and from an external terminal may be further included.

According to another feature of the present invention, the main body may further include a display capable of displaying information about objects, information about control signals, and signals about settings of the main body.

According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit, based on a preset user input, a sync (Sync) function for setting a control signal of the main body to communicate with another object to enable control of a new object. can include

According to another feature of the present invention, the object may be at least one of a drone, an unmanned airplane, a manned airplane, a game machine, an object in a computer program, and a car.

According to another feature of the present invention, the virtual reality controller may detect a relative position of the manipulation unit with respect to the main body using a position sensor.

According to another feature of the present invention, it further includes at least one sensor for outputting a sensor value according to a relative position with the manipulation unit, wherein the control unit performs the above-mentioned information on the main body based on the sensor value obtained from the sensor. The relative position of the control unit can be calculated.

According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit, based on a table prepared in advance to include the sensor value obtained from the sensor and the sensor value output from the sensor when the operation unit is located in a specific position, the control unit for the main body relative positions can be calculated.

According to another feature of the present invention, the table may include a plurality of data sets in which relative position values of the manipulation unit with respect to the main body when the manipulation unit is located at a specific position and expected sensor values corresponding to the position values are matched. there is.

According to another feature of the present invention, the control unit searches for at least one similar data set including an expected sensor value similar to the sensor value obtained from the sensor in the table, and searches the at least one similar data set according to a predetermined criterion. Any one similar data set among the data sets may be determined as a reference data set, and a position value of the reference data set may be determined as a relative position of the control unit with respect to the main body.

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to control the movement of the 3D moving object only with the movement of the controller, and thus has the advantage of imparting intuition to the user.

In addition, there is an advantage that fine manipulation is possible and the accuracy of moving object control can be improved.

A further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description that follows. However, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples such as preferred embodiments of the present invention are given as examples only.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a conventional virtual reality controller.
2 is a perspective view for explaining a virtual reality controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram for explaining a virtual reality controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating that the virtual reality controller of FIG. 2 recognizes a recognition area of a manipulation unit.
5A to 5D are conceptual views illustrating various examples of a manipulation method of controlling an object using the virtual reality controller of FIG. 2 .
6A and 6B are conceptual diagrams illustrating that a control unit is accommodated in a main body of a virtual reality controller according to different embodiments of the present invention.
7A to 7C are perspective views illustrating virtual reality controllers according to different embodiments of the present invention.
8 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a control unit according to different embodiments of the present invention.
9 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a virtual reality controller according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a method for the virtual reality controller of FIG. 2 to determine a relative position of a control unit with respect to the main body.
11 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an object controllable using the virtual reality controller of the present invention by way of example.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them, will become clear with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various different forms, only these embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and common knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the holder of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

The shapes, sizes, ratios, angles, numbers, etc. disclosed in the drawings for explaining the embodiments of the present invention are illustrative, so the present invention is not limited to the details shown. In addition, in describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known technologies may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted. When 'includes', 'has', 'consists of', etc. mentioned in this specification is used, other parts may be added unless 'only' is used. In the case where a component is expressed in the singular, the case including the plural is included unless otherwise explicitly stated.

In interpreting the components, even if there is no separate explicit description, it is interpreted as including the error range.

In the case of a description of a positional relationship, for example, 'on top of', 'on top of', 'at the bottom of', 'next to', etc. Or, unless 'directly' is used, one or more other parts may be located between the two parts.

When an element or layer is referred to as (on) another element or layer, it includes all cases where another element or layer is directly on top of another element or another layer or other element is interposed therebetween.

Although first, second, etc. are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. Therefore, the first component mentioned below may also be the second component within the technical spirit of the present invention.

Like reference numbers designate like elements throughout the specification.

The size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are shown for convenience of description, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to the size and thickness of the illustrated components.

Each feature of the various embodiments of the present invention can be partially or entirely combined or combined with each other, and as those skilled in the art can fully understand, various interlocking and driving operations are possible, and each embodiment can be implemented independently of each other. It may be possible to implement together in an association relationship.

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

2 is a perspective view for explaining a virtual reality controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a block diagram for explaining a virtual reality controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , the virtual reality controller 1000 includes a main body 100, a manipulation unit 200, and a control unit 300 that are operated without contact with each other.

The body 100 includes a sensor unit 110, a user input unit 120, an output unit 130, a communication unit 140, and a storage unit 150. In addition, the controller 300 may be disposed inside the main body 100 . Meanwhile, a mark may be etched on the upper surface of the main body 100 to guide a region where the manipulation unit 200 is vertically spaced apart.

The sensor unit 110 may be disposed on one surface of the main body 100, specifically, inside close to the upper surface of the main body 100. The sensor unit 110 disposed on the main body 100 and another sensor included in the manipulation unit 200 may measure displacement relative to each other. The controller 300 may determine a manipulation signal to be transmitted to the object 10 based on the measured displacement.

The user input unit 120 is disposed on the main body 100 so as to be able to input a signal to enable other control of the object 10 other than manipulation according to the relative position between the manipulation unit 200 and the main body 100 . Specifically, the user input unit 120 is a control unit

Inputting a manipulation signal of the object 10 that is not determined by the relative displacement of the object 200 and the main body 100, or calibrating a signal determined by the relative displacement of the manipulation unit 200 and the main body 100, It can be used as a role of adjusting the size and ratio of the signal determined by the relative displacement of the manipulation unit 200 and the main body 100. The manipulation signal of the object 10 that is not determined by the relative displacement of the manipulation unit 200 and the main body 100 may be a rotation signal of the object 10 .

Meanwhile, the user input unit 120 may be formed such that fingers other than the user's thumb are disposed on the front surface of the main body 100 . However, it is not limited thereto, and the user input unit 120 may be formed at another location of the main body 100 or at the manipulation unit 200 .

In addition, the user input unit 120 may include at least one of a scroll button, a wheel button, a slide button, and a push button. Based on the drawing, the uppermost button is a wheel button, below it is a slide button, and below it is a push button.

The output unit 130 means a component that outputs various signals generated by the control unit 300 so that the user can recognize them. The virtual reality controller 1000 may be used to guide usage or the like through the output unit 130 or to allow the user to recognize the type or size of a signal transmitted to the object 10 . For example, the output unit 130 may be a light source such as an LED that emits light, a speaker 131 that outputs sound, a vibration module that vibrates the main body 100, and the like.

Meanwhile, the display 132 may be one of the output units 130 . The display 132 may be disposed on the main body 100 so that a user can view it. The display 132 may display information about the object 10 , information about a control signal, and a signal about setting the main body 100 .

The communication unit 140 can transmit and receive information about the object 10, information about control signals, and signals about settings of the main body 100 to and from the external terminal 20. That is, the communication unit 140 may communicate with the object 10 for which the virtual reality controller 1000 is to manipulate, set or display 132 information related to the main body 100 and/or the object 10. It is possible to communicate with an external terminal 20 capable of communicating.

The storage unit 150 stores the relative initial position between the main body 100 and the control unit 200 measured by the control unit 300 or the calibration measured when the user performs a control test with the control unit 200 as the center. can be saved In addition, the storage unit 150 is a signal that can be used when the object controller 1000 manipulates other types of objects 10, such as drones, unmanned airplanes, manned airplanes, game machines, objects in computer programs, and cars. Systems, programs, etc. may be stored.

The main body 100 may be formed so that a user can hold it with one hand. Referring to FIG. 2 , a user may use the virtual reality controller 1000 with one hand. Specifically, the user may attach the control unit 200 to the thumb and then grip the main body 100 using the remaining four fingers and the palm of the hand. The user can more easily control the object 10 with one hand through such gripping of the virtual reality controller 1000 . On the other hand, it is not limited to the above description, and the control unit 200 may be used while the main body 100 is placed on the floor or the like, or the control unit 200 may be used with the other hand while holding the main body 100 with the other hand. there is.

The control unit 200 is non-contact with the main body 100 and can be moved in a spaced apart state from the main body 100 . At this time, the controller 300 may move the object 10 based on the relative positions of the main body 100 and the manipulation unit 200 .

The control unit 200 may be attached to a user's hand. Specifically, referring to FIG. 2 , it may be attached to a user's thumb. The control unit 200 may be formed in a ring shape, but is not limited thereto, and a means capable of being attached to the user's hand is sufficient. This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 8 .

Meanwhile, the relative position of the control unit 200 and the main body 100 may be detected using a 3D magnetic sensor. Specifically, the body 100 has a built-in 3D magnetic sensor, and the manipulation unit 200 has a built-in magnet so that mutual displacements can be grasped. In addition, the position sensor capable of detecting the relative position between the manipulation unit 200 and the main body 100 includes an acceleration sensor, a magnetic sensor, an impedance sensor, a hybrid sensor for an impedance sensor and a magnetic sensor, a hybrid sensor, Gravity sensor (G-sensor), gyroscope sensor (gyroscope sensor), motion sensor (motion sensor), infrared sensor (IR sensor: infrared sensor), ultrasonic sensor (ultrasonic sensor), optical sensor (for example, camera) may be at least one of them.

A specific method for the controller 300 to determine the relative positions of the main body 100 and the control unit 200 using these sensors will be described later with reference to FIG. 10 .

The controller 300 is disposed inside the main body 100 and controls the movement of the object 10 based on the relative position of the manipulation unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 .

For example, the control unit 300 sets a relative initial position (zero point) between the control unit 200 and the surface of one side of the main body 100 based on a preset user's input input to the user input unit 120. can Specifically, since the size of each user's hand may be different, the point at which the control unit 200 is comfortably placed on the upper body 100 may be different when the main body 100 is gripped while the control unit 200 is inserted into the finger. there is. In this case, the place where the manipulation unit 200 can be placed is marked, but it may be difficult for the user to accurately place his or her manipulation unit 200 there. Therefore, when the user inputs a predetermined input to the user input unit 120 in a state where the control unit 200 is placed above the main body 100 in a comfortable state, the control unit 300 controls the control unit 200 and the main body ( 100) can be identified as a basic distance, that is, a relative initial position.

In addition, after setting the relative initial position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100, the control unit 300 moves the control unit 200 to at least one of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis according to a preset input. , calibration may be performed based on the relative initial position. Specifically, when the finger moves slowly in the X-, Y-, and Z-axis directions from the relative initial position, the controller 300 determines that the displacement and trajectory of the user is the displacement and trajectory of the user, and controls based on this. judge the action.

Meanwhile, the control unit 300 may generate a holding signal to maintain the object 10 at the current position when the upper part of the manipulation unit 200 and the main body 100 deviate more than a preset displacement. Specifically, while the user is wearing the control unit 200 on a finger, the body 100 may be separated from the user's hand. In the process of the main body 100 falling, the main body 100 and the control unit 200 are separated from each other by a large displacement. For example, if a drone is being operated, the control unit 300 can determine this as a rising signal of the drone. do. In order to prevent this case, when the relative initial position and the calibrated value measured earlier deviate from the predetermined value or more, a holding signal that keeps the object 10 at the position where it was located, that is, a shutdown signal (Shut-Down ) can occur.

In addition, the control unit 300 sets a control signal of the main body 100 to be able to communicate with another object 10 so as to control a new object 10 based on a preset user input. ) function can be included. Specifically, the virtual reality controller 1000 may be synchronized with a new object 10 (eg, an object in a computer program, a car, etc.) so as to be operable. In this case, the new object 10 and the virtual reality controller 1000 may be synchronized by performing a preset input to the user input unit 120 .

In addition, the control unit 300 may set the transmission of the communication unit 140 to an OFF state so that the object 10 maintains a hovering state based on a preset user input being applied. .

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram for the virtual reality controller of FIG. 2 to determine a recognition area of a manipulation unit.

Referring to FIG. 4 , it can be seen that the area in which the control unit 200 moves relative to the main body 100 is divided in the Y-axis direction. When the user moves the control unit 200 while wearing the control unit 200, it is difficult to fine-tune the control unit 200, so the output of the control unit 300 can be divided into several steps by designating this area. . Separation of these areas reduces the probability of malfunction due to user's inexperience or fatigue.

This area can be set in the user's calibration step. Specifically, each user has a different finger length or sensory displacement for movement. Accordingly, when using the virtual reality controller 1000, a relative initial position may be set, and the displacement may be calibrated and stored step by step with respect to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. Specifically, it is as follows.

After the user wears the control unit 200, the user grips the main body 100. After that, a relative initial position is set through the user input unit 120 or the like. After setting the relative initial position, the virtual reality controller 1000 may request the user to automatically set the displacement step by step with respect to the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis. For example, the virtual reality controller 1000 prompts the user to “move one step to the right.” can be output through the output unit 130. After that, “Go right two steps.” can be output through the output unit 130. Accordingly, the user moves the manipulation unit 200 one step to the right. After that, the operation unit 200 is moved to the right two steps, that is, in a state of moving to the right more than the first step. Areas for the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis can be set through a method such as repeating this process.

In other words, the settings of the first region 310, the second regions 320a and 320b, and the third regions 330a and 330b may vary according to the size of the user's hand. Accordingly, the control unit 300 may set a relative initial position and perform calibration for each area at the beginning of operation of the virtual reality controller 1000 . Such relative initial position setting and calibration for each area may be performed when a predetermined signal is input to the user input unit 120 .

That is, the calibration of the signal determined by the relative displacement of the control unit 200 and the main body 100 is as follows. The control unit 300 may set a relative initial position (Zero Point) between the control unit 200 and the surface of one side of the main body 100 based on a predetermined user input input through the user input unit 120 . After setting the relative initial position, the user may move the manipulation unit 200 with respect to at least one of the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis of the manipulation unit 200 . At this time, the sensor unit 110 and the control unit 300 may perform calibration by comparing the displacement of the manipulation unit 200 with the relative initial position.

Specifically, referring to FIG. 4 , when the manipulation unit 200 is positioned in the first region along the Y axis, a signal for moving the object 10 in the Y axis direction may not be generated by the control unit 300 . When the control unit 200 is located in the second area, a signal for moving the object 10 in the Y-axis direction at a predetermined speed is generated by the control unit 300 . Also, when the manipulation unit 200 is located in the third area, a signal for moving the object 10 in the Y-axis direction at a speed faster than the moving speed generated in the second area may be generated by the control unit 300 . In this case, when the manipulation unit 200 is located in one of the regions, the control unit 300 may generate a signal having the same size to displace the object 10 . That is, the controller 300 can move the object 10 with an output of the same size when the manipulation unit 200 is located in one area.

Meanwhile, the area for each axis may be further divided into three or more areas or two areas. Also, it may be set linearly without being divided into a plurality of areas.

In addition, the controller 300 controls the displacement of the other two axes of the object 10 when the displacement of any one of the X, Y, and Z axes of the manipulation unit 200 is greater than the displacement of the other two axes within a preset range. You can set the value to 0. For example, when the control unit 200 is attached to a user's thumb and moved, it may be difficult to move the control unit 200 linearly along the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis due to the joint and structure of the finger. Accordingly, when the displacement of any one of the X, Y, and Z axes is larger than the preset range than the displacements of the other two axes, the object 10 may be set to move only along the axis larger than the preset range.

At this time, the controller 300 generates a signal for moving the object 10 based on the displacement between the manipulation unit 200 and one side of the main body based on the calibration value. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a signal for moving the object 10 may be generated with a reference value other than the calibration value. The reference value at this time may be a value newly calculated by reflecting the error range in the calibration value.

5A to 5D are conceptual views illustrating various examples of a manipulation method of controlling an object using the virtual reality controller of FIG. 2 .

First, referring to FIG. 5A , a state in which the virtual reality controller 1000 moves the object 10 in a relative coordinate mode is illustrated. The user moves the manipulation unit 200 to the vector value of arrow a in the first direction. In this situation, the object 10 continues to move with the vector value of a in the first direction. This can be seen as the virtual reality controller 1000 moving the object 10 in a relative coordinate mode.

Specifically, the control unit 200 of the virtual reality controller 1000 is moved by a distance of a in the first direction in the relative coordinate mode. Accordingly, the object 10 moves in the first direction at a speed proportional to the absolute value of the distance a (or a speed of a value obtained by applying a predetermined ratio). That is, in the relative coordinate mode, the object 10 continues to move at a speed proportional to a.

Next, referring to FIGS. 5B and 5C , the virtual reality controller 1000 moves the object 10 in an absolute coordinate mode. In both cases, the user moved the manipulation unit 200 to the vector value of the arrow a in the first direction. At this time, in FIG. 5B, the object 10 moves in the first direction with a vector value of c. And, in FIG. 5C, the object 10 moves in the first direction with the vector value of d.

First, the absolute coordinate mode stops after the object 10 moves as much as the output corresponding to the movement of the manipulation unit 200 . Accordingly, in FIG. 5B , the object 10 moves in the first direction with the vector value of c and then stops. And, in FIG. 5C, the object 10 moves in the first direction with the vector value of d and then stops.

In addition, the controller 300 may increase or decrease the ratio of the displacement size of the object 10 generated in each area based on a preset user input to the user input unit 120 . Specifically, it may be adjusted to move the object 10 with a value obtained by applying a predetermined ratio to the relative displacement of the manipulation unit 200 among the user input units 120 . For example, when the second user input key 122 of FIG. 5B is pushed in one direction, the object 10 can be moved with a relatively small vector value. And, in FIG. 5C , the second user input key 122 is not pushed in one direction. In this case, the object 10 may move with a vector value obtained by multiplying the distance moved by the manipulation unit 200 by a relatively large value when compared to FIG. 5B.

Next, referring to FIG. 5D , a state in which the object 10 is rotated using the virtual reality controller 1000 is illustrated. The controller 300 may generate a signal for rotating the object 10 based on a preset user input applied to the user input unit 120 .

Specifically, the first user input key 121 is composed of a wheel key. In this case, when the wheel key is turned, the object 10 can be rotated in the corresponding direction. Even at this time, the virtual reality controller 1000 may control the movement of the object 10 in a relative coordinate mode or an absolute coordinate mode.

The relative coordinate mode and the absolute coordinate mode are among various manipulation operations such as pressing manipulations, the number of pressing manipulations, and pressing manipulation times for the first to fourth user input keys 121, 122, 123, and 124. When the determined operation method is input, it can be changed to each other.

On the other hand, the control unit 300 generates at least one of different auditory, visual, and tactile signals according to the signal generated to control the object 10 so that the user can easily grasp the size of the signal by which the object 10 is controlled. can cause That is, these changes can be output through the output unit 130 to be recognizable to the user. For example, in the case of the relative coordinate mode in FIG. 5A , a medium-sized sound may be heard through the speaker 131 . In addition, in the absolute coordinate mode of FIGS. 5B and 5C, the volume of sound may be determined corresponding to the magnitude of the vector through which the object 10 is moved. In addition, in the rotation mode of FIG. 5D, sound may be emitted periodically. However, visual output through the display 132 is also possible, and tactile output through vibration is also possible.

6A and 6B are conceptual diagrams illustrating that a control unit is accommodated in a main body of a virtual reality controller according to different embodiments of the present invention.

The main body 100 of the virtual reality controller 1000 of the present invention may include a storage space 90 capable of accommodating the manipulation unit 200 . Specifically, the accommodating space 90 may be formed to accommodate the manipulation unit 200 inside the main body 100 or to detachably fit the manipulation unit 200 to the outside of the main body 100.

For example, referring to FIG. 6A , the body 100 may be formed to be separable from each other into an upper body 100 and a lower body 100 . A screw thread is formed in the upper body 100 so that it can be coupled to and separated from the lower body 100 through relative rotation. However, it is not limited to this coupling method.

When the upper body 100 and the lower body 100 are separated from each other, an internal space is formed inside the lower body 100 . The manipulation unit 200 may be accommodated in this internal space. However, the inner space may be formed in the upper body 100 without being limited to the inner space formed in the lower body 100 .

Next, referring to FIG. 6B , a storage space 1090 is recessed outside the main body 1100 of the virtual reality controller 2000 . The accommodating space 1090 may be formed to correspond to the shape of the manipulation unit 1200 so that the manipulation unit 1200 can be seated therein. In addition, after the manipulation unit 1200 is seated and stored, a separation preventing member may be further added to prevent the manipulation unit 1200 from being easily separated.

7A to 7C are perspective views illustrating virtual reality controllers according to different embodiments of the present invention.

First, referring to FIG. 7A , the main body 2100 may include a connecting member coupled to the manipulation unit 2200 on an upper surface of the main body 2100 so that the manipulation unit 2200 is not separated from the main body 2100 during manipulation. . The connection member is connectable to a ring formed on the upper surface of the main body 2100 . The connection member can be coupled to a ring formed on the control unit 2200 as well as a ring formed on the upper surface of the main body 2100 .

When the control unit 2200 and the upper part of the main body 2100 are displaced by more than a preset displacement or the main body 2100 receives an external force equal to or greater than a preset pressure, the control unit maintains the object 10 in its current position by providing a maintenance signal. can cause This is because it is difficult for the control unit 2200 to be separated from the main body 2100 by the connecting ring, so when the user loses both the main body 2100 and the control unit 2200 at the same time, the control unit 2200 dropped to the floor and the main body 2100 are relatively This is to prevent the object 10 from being manipulated by the distance.

Meanwhile, the connection member may simply connect the manipulation unit 2200 and the main body 2100, but information related to the control of the object 10 may be obtained by pressure applied from the ring 2192 on the main body 2100 side.

The main body 3100 may include a strap that surrounds a user's hand or may have a curved shape so that the user can easily grip the main body 3100 . Specifically, referring to FIG. 7B , a bent portion 3170 is formed in the main body 3100 . The bent portion 3170 not only guides the position where the user's fingers are placed on the main body 3100, but also allows the user's hand to come into close contact with the main body 3100. That is, since the user's hand is drawn into the inside of the bent portion 3170 and comes into close contact with the body 3100, the contact area between the user's hand and the main body 3100 is widened. In addition to this, the finger inserted into the bent portion 3170 can receive the force for the main body 3100 to fall down due to gravity, so that the supporting force for the main body 3100 can be increased.

Next, referring to FIG. 7C , the upper surface of the body 4100 may convexly protrude outward. This protruding surface is referred to as a support surface 4107 . The control unit 4200 may be supported on the support surface 4107 and may be movable. Fatigue when a user operates the control unit 4200 while being spaced apart from the upper part of the main body 4100 through the support surface 4107 can be reduced. In addition, the separation distance between the control unit 4200 and the main body 4100 can be maintained relatively constant through the support surface 4107 . In addition, the sophistication of control of the object 10 through the manipulation unit 4200 may be increased.

In addition, the support surface 4107 can be pressed when it is pressed toward the center of the main body 4100 with a certain pressure or higher. That is, when the support surface 4107 is pressed toward the center of the main body 4100 (-Z axis in terms of coordinates), the support surface 4107 itself can be pushed downward with a designed predetermined degree of displacement. Through these operations of the manipulation unit 4200 and the support surface 4107, a signal for the object 10 to move downward may be generated.

Meanwhile, the main body 4100 may include a breakaway bump protruding on the support surface 4107 along the upper circumference of the main body 4100 . This is to prevent the manipulation unit 4200 from moving out of the main body 4100 during manipulation.

8 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a control unit according to different embodiments of the present invention.

The manipulation unit 6200 of the present invention may include at least one of a holding means, a fastening means 5220, and a fitting means 7220 so as to be detachable from a user's finger.

First, (a) of FIG. 8 is an embodiment in which the control unit 6200 includes a tightening means 5220 made of a strap. After placing a finger on the inside of the manipulation unit 6200, the user connects both sides of the tightening means 5220 to couple them.

8(b) is an embodiment in which the manipulation unit 6200 presses the user's finger using a restoring force and is held by the finger. This manipulation unit 6200 has a shape in which a part is deleted from the ring shape. Since the diameter of the manipulation unit 6200 is narrow, the manipulation unit 6200 can be held by the user's finger by a restoring force.

8(c) relates to an embodiment in which the manipulation unit 7200 includes a fitting means 7220 capable of being tightened according to the thickness of a user's finger.

9 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a virtual reality controller according to another embodiment of the present invention.

A top display 8101 is disposed on the top of the main body 8100, and information such as the position and direction of the control unit 8200 may be displayed on the top display 8101.

Specifically, referring to FIG. 9 , a top display 8132 is disposed above the main body 8100 . A center point may be displayed on the display 8132 . The center point is a point displayed when the control unit 8200 is disposed on the upper part of the main body 8100.

At this time, the smaller the size of the center point is, the longer the vertical distance between the main body 8100 and the control unit 8200 is, and the larger the size of the center point is, the shorter the vertical distance between the main body 8100 and the control unit 8200 is. When the size of the center point is less than a certain size, that is, when the vertical distance between the main body 8100 and the manipulation unit 8200 is long, a signal to rise may be transmitted to the object 10 . When the size of the center point is greater than a certain size, that is, when the vertical distance between the main body 8100 and the manipulation unit 8200 is short, a signal to descend may be transmitted to the object 10 . In addition, vector values for the moving direction and moving speed of the drone may be visualized and expressed as an arrow A on the display 8132 .

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a method for the virtual reality controller of FIG. 2 to determine a relative position of a control unit with respect to the main body.

The virtual reality controller 1000 of the present invention may include two sensors 111 in the main body 100 that output sensor values sensed according to a change in distance from the manipulation unit 200 . When using at least two or more sensors 111, the relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 can be more accurately calculated. The control unit 300 calculates the relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 based on the sensor value obtained from the sensor 111 .

The sensor 111 built into the body 100 may be a 3D magnetic sensor, and the magnet 201 may be built into the manipulation unit 200 . However, the sensor 111 is not limited thereto, and as described above, any known sensor such as a UV sensor may be used, but hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the sensor 111 is a 3D magnetic sensor and the control unit 200 It will be described as having a magnet 201 built in.

A 3D magnetic sensor refers to a sensor that detects magnetic flux in the X, Y, and Z directions and outputs a value. In FIG. 10 , output values of one magnetic sensor are referred to as S1x, S1y, and S1z, and output values of the other magnetic sensor are referred to as S2x, S2y, and S2z.

The sensor 111 may be disposed to be located on the upper side of the main body. A space in which a control unit is placed on the main body so that the sensor 111 can sense magnetic flux from the control unit may be divided into unit cells. For each unit cell, a center coordinate value of the cell is determined based on a preset origin point (eg, a center point of two sensors). The relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 may be determined by any one of coordinate values of unit cells formed on the main body 100 .

Although the virtual space and unit cell are exemplified in the form of a hexahedron in this embodiment, this is only an example, and it is also possible to transform the 3-dimensional space and unit cell into a spherical shape.

Referring to FIG. 10 , the control unit 300 creates a table T prepared in advance to include sensor values S obtained from the sensor 111 and sensor values output from the sensor when the manipulation unit 200 is located at a specific position. Based on, the relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 is calculated.

Specifically, the control unit 300 determines which area of the virtual space the magnet 201 of the manipulation unit 200 belongs to based on the sensor value S obtained from the sensor 111, and determines the area of the partitioned area. A relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 is calculated using the center coordinate value.

In the pre-created table T, a plurality of data sets matched with expected sensor values corresponding to the position values (ie, center coordinate values of the partitioned areas) when the magnet is located in each partitioned space. dogs included.

The table T can be created by obtaining sensor values from a 3D magnetic sensor multiple times in a state where the magnet is located at any one partitioned point, and acquiring sensor values while moving the magnet to all the partitioned points. there is. When the same sensor value is obtained for the same position value, the table may be created by increasing the frequency value of the corresponding dataset without duplicating the data set in the table. Accordingly, the table may include a plurality of datasets including location values, predicted sensor values, and frequency values.

Here, even if the magnet is located at the same position from the sensor, the sensor value measured by the sensor changes by a predetermined width due to the influence of the change in the slope of the magnetic field axis of the magnet with respect to the sensor or the intervention of external geomagnetic factors. , The table includes a plurality of different predicted sensor values for any one position value (eg, (x1, y1, z1)).

A specific method for calculating the relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 by the control unit 300 of the virtual reality controller 1000 using the table T is as follows.

When the magnetic 201 of the manipulation unit 200 is located at a certain point on the main body 100 by the user's manipulation, each sensor 111 is operated by the magnetic flux of the magnetic field formed from the magnetic 201 of the manipulation unit 200. flux) and transmits the measured sensor value (S) to the control unit 300.

In order to determine which center coordinate value of the unit cell the magnet 201 of the manipulation unit 200 is closest to, the control unit 300 uses the sensor value S obtained from the sensor 111 and stored in the table T. The similarity of the sensor values between the respective expected sensor values is determined (S10).

Here, the degree of similarity of the sensor values may be determined by comparing, for example, the Manhattan distance or the Euclidean distance between the sensor value S obtained from the sensor and the predicted sensor value stored in the table T. .

The control unit 300 selects, as a similar data set, a data set including expected sensor values having a high degree of similarity with the sensor value S obtained from the sensor 111 according to the similarity determination between the two sensor values (S20).

When the similarity of the sensor values is determined as the Manhattan distance or the Euclidean distance, the similar data set may be selected as a data set including an expected sensor value included within a predetermined Manhattan or Euclidean distance from the sensor value S.

The high similarity between the sensor value S from the sensor 111 and the expected sensor value stored in the table T indicates that the actual position of the magnet 201 of the manipulation unit 200 matches the position value matched to the expected sensor value. It can mean that there is a high possibility of Therefore, the control unit 300 may select a data set including expected sensor values having a high degree of similarity with the sensor value S as a similar data set, and use the data set to calculate the relative positions of the main body 100 and the control unit 200. there is.

Meanwhile, when selecting similar data sets, the control unit 300 first selects a data set with a relatively high possibility from the table T for the efficiency of data processing, and selects a similar data set from among the data sets with a relatively high possibility. can also be selected.

Here, the relatively high possibility data set may mean a data set including a position value having position continuity with the relative position of the manipulation unit 2000 with respect to the main body 100 at at least one previous time point. .

The positional continuity may be determined by considering how close to the position of the manipulation unit at the previous point of view, whether the moving direction and direction of the manipulation unit at the previous point of view coincide, and the like. For example, a position simply adjacent to the previous position may be referred to as having high positional continuity, or a position where a progressing path is maintained in consideration of a traveling path that has been moved to the immediately preceding position may be regarded as having high positional continuity.

For example, when the relative position of the control unit with respect to the main body determined immediately before is (x0, y0, z0), the control unit 300 determines (x1, y1, z1 ), a similar dataset can be selected as a dataset with a relatively high probability. In this case, the control unit 300 first determines the similarity between the expected sensor value of another data set and the sensor value obtained from the sensor unit, and first determines the expected sensor value of the data sets including the position values of (x1, y1, z1). By comparing the similarity between the value and the sensor value obtained from the sensor unit, it is possible to first determine the similarity with respect to a more likely expected sensor value.

Meanwhile, a data set having a relatively high probability may mean a data set including a frequency value higher than a predetermined value.

In this case, the controller 300 may select a similar data set by considering a data set having a higher frequency value than a preset value as a data set having a relatively high possibility. In this case, the control unit 300 first determines the similarity between the expected sensor values of other datasets and the sensor values obtained from the sensor unit, and prioritizes the expected sensor values of the datasets having a frequency value greater than 30 and the sensor values obtained from the sensor unit. By comparing the similarity of the values, it is possible to first determine the similarity of the expected sensor value with a higher possibility.

If a similar data set is selected by partially searching for a data set with a relatively high possibility and then expanding and searching the data set, reliability can be improved even if the similarity between all expected sensor values and sensor values in the table is not judged. It is preferable in that it is possible to select a data set having a high , and therefore, the data processing speed of the control unit 300 can be increased.

Next, the controller 300 determines one similar data set among at least one similar data set as a reference data set according to a predetermined criterion (S30).

A predetermined criterion for determining a reference data set in a similar data set is a position value having position continuity with the relative position of the manipulation unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 (preferably immediately before) at least one previous time point. The included dataset may be determined as a reference dataset.

This decision criterion is based on the premise that the relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 changes linearly. Since position continuity is preferable in controlling the motion of an object rather than a rapid change in the relative position of the manipulation unit 200 compared to the previous time point, the selection criterion for the reference data improves reliability in controlling the motion of the object. can

If one or more datasets still exist as similar datasets even after considering the location continuity, the controller 300 compares the frequency values of each similar dataset and selects a dataset with a high frequency as one reference data. It can also be determined as a set. This is because, if each data set has a position value having position continuity, selecting a data set having a statistically high probability can improve reliability in controlling the movement of an object.

The control unit 300 calculates the determined location value of the reference data set as the relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 (S40).

For example, in the table, if a dataset with position value (x2, y2, z2), expected sensor value (-26, 15, 66, 7, -102, 32), and frequency value 34 is determined as the reference dataset, The controller 300 may calculate the coordinates of (x2, y2, z2), which are the position values of the reference data set, as the relative position of the control unit with respect to the main body.

On the other hand, the control unit 300, prior to performing the method shown in FIG. 10 in order to exclude the influence of external geomagnetism and determine the position of the operation unit in the environment where the main body 100 and the operation unit 200 are located, the sensor ( The sensor value (S) obtained from 111) may be corrected and used.

For example, the control unit 300 obtains an initial sensor value, which is a sensor value in a state in which the control unit 200 is removed from the main body 100, from the sensor 111, and the control unit 200 is placed on the main body 100. The control unit ( 200) can be calculated.

In addition, the virtual reality controller of the present invention is further provided with a sensor that measures only external geomagnetism, separate from the sensor that detects the magnetism of the control unit, so that the control unit 300 has a sensor value for excluding the influence of external geomagnetism. You may want to make corrections.

According to the above method, the control unit 300 determines which region of the virtual space the magnet 201 of the manipulation unit 200 belongs to based on the sensor value S obtained from the sensor 111 and the table T. It can be determined, and the relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 can be calculated using the position value of this area.

Meanwhile, the control unit 300 is not limited to the method of FIG. 10 described above, and may calculate the relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 using a preset formula.

Here, the predetermined formula may be a function configured to derive a point having the same magnetic flux based on the sensor value S obtained from the sensor 111 .

The principle of the control unit 300 calculating the relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 using a preset formula is as follows.

When the magnet is positioned apart from the sensor by a certain distance, the total amount of magnetic flux formed by the magnet is independent of the angle formed by the sensor and the magnet. Accordingly, when a certain sensor value is measured by the sensor, the control unit may determine that the magnet is located at one point of an imaginary sphere having the same magnetic flux around the sensor.

If the control unit acquires sensor values from the two sensors, the control unit may determine that the magnet is located in a tangent area of two imaginary spheres.

That is, the position of the magnet predicted through the sensor values (S1x, S1y, S1z) obtained from one of the two sensors can be located on a sphere with the same magnetic flux centered on the sensor, and obtained from the other sensor. The position of the magnet expected through one sensor value (S2x, S2y, S2z) may be located on a sphere having the same magnetic flux with the sensor as the center. Accordingly, the control unit may determine that the magnet, which outputs the sensor value, is located on the tangential line of the two spherical surfaces, based on the sensor values obtained through the two sensors.

Since the calculation process of the control unit 300 can be summarized by a preset formula, the control unit 300 determines the relative position of the control unit 200 with respect to the main body 100 when obtaining the sensor value S from the sensor 111. The expected area of can be calculated.

Furthermore, when the tilting angle of the magnetic 201 and the sensor 111 (that is, the angle at which the thumb holding the control unit 200 moves on the body 100) is limited to a preset angle, the control unit ( Since the exact position where the magnet 201 of 200 is located can be determined, the control unit 300 can calculate the relative position of the control unit with respect to the main body.

Meanwhile, the object 10 to be controlled by the virtual reality controller 1000 of the present invention may be a physical object such as a drone, an unmanned airplane, a robot, a game machine, a model car, etc. as described with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5D. However, the object 10 to be controlled by the virtual reality controller 1000 of the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be an object in a program implemented in a computer, console game machine, or the like, or an object in a 3D hologram image.

11 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an object controllable using the virtual reality controller of the present invention by way of example. Referring to FIG. 11 , an object 10′ 10″ controlled by the virtual reality controller 1000 of the present invention may be an object implemented by a program and displayed in a display device such as a monitor.

For example, the object 10' may be a mouse cursor or pointer displayed in a display device. At this time, the object controller 1000 of the present invention may be configured to serve as an input device such as a mouse for manipulating a cursor or pointer. Meanwhile, as another example, when a game program is executed by a computer, the object 10'' may be a specific character of a game displayed on a display device. For example, if a game in which a drone is flying is executed by a computer, the object 10'' may be an object of a drone image displayed in a display device, and the virtual reality controller 1000 of the present invention controls such an object. It can be configured to serve as an input device to control the input device.

In this way, when the objects 10' and 10'' are implemented by a program and displayed on a display device such as a monitor, the virtual reality controller 1000 of the present invention is interlocked with a control unit that controls the operation of the corresponding program. The objects 10' and 10'' may be controlled according to the control method of the virtual reality controller 1000 described above.

In addition, the object controllers 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, and 8000 according to various embodiments described above may be employed without limitation in order to control the objects 10' and 10'' shown in FIG. 11. Of course.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments, and may be variously modified and implemented without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. . Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention, but to explain, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be construed according to the claims below, and all technical ideas within the equivalent range should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

10, 10', 10'' : object
20: external terminal
90: storage space
100: body
102: thread
105: upper body
106: mark
107: support surface
108: breakaway bump
110: sensor unit
120: user input unit
121: first user input key
122: second user input key
130: output unit
131: speaker
132: display
140: Ministry of Communication
150: storage unit
160: strap
170: bend
190: connecting member
S: sound
200: control panel
300: control unit
1000: virtual reality controller

Claims (1)

A virtual reality controller capable of manipulating movement of an object, comprising: a main body;
a control unit that is non-contact with the main body; and
and a control unit disposed inside the main body and controlling a motion of the object based on a relative position of the manipulation unit with respect to the main body.