Systems and methods for virtual and augmented reality

Abstract

An apparatus configured to be head-worn by a user, includes: a transparent screen configured to allow the user to see therethrough; a sensor system configured to sense a characteristic of a physical object in an environment in which the user is located; and a processing unit coupled to the sensor system, the processing unit configured to: cause the screen to display a user-controllable object, and cause the screen to display an image of a feature that is resulted from a virtual interaction between the user-controllable object and the physical object, so that the feature will appear to be a part of the physical object in the environment or appear to be emanating from the physical object.

1 . An apparatus configured to be head-worn by a user, comprising:
 a transparent screen configured to allow the user to see therethrough;   a sensor system configured to sense a characteristic of a physical object in an environment in which the user is located; and   a processing unit coupled to the sensor system, the processing unit configured to:
 cause the screen to display a user-controllable object, and 
 cause the screen to display an image of a feature that is resulted from a virtual interaction between the user-controllable object and the physical object, so that the feature will appear to be a part of the physical object in the environment or appear to be emanating from the physical object. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the image of the feature comprises an image of a burnt mark for the physical object. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the image of the feature comprises an image of an explosion for the physical object. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the image of the feature comprises an image of a destroyed structure for the physical object. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the image of the feature comprises an image of smoke for the physical object. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the screen to display a transformation of the feature so that the feature disappears over time. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the screen to display the image of the feature as a permanent overlay over the physical object. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to change a configuration of the image of the feature based on a viewing orientation of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual interaction between the user-controllable object and the physical object comprises a direction interaction or an indirect interaction. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the image of the feature comprises a heat visualization. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a configuration of the heat visualization is variable depending on a virtual distance between a reference position associated with the user-controllable object and the physical object. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the heat visualization has a first configuration when a virtual distance between a reference position associated with the user-controllable object and the physical object has a first value; and
 wherein the heat visualization has a second figuration when the virtual distance between the reference position associated with the user-controllable object and the physical object has a second value that is different from the first value.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the heat visualization has a first configuration when a virtual distance between the reference position associated with the user-controllable object and the physical object is less than a first threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the heat visualization has a second configuration that is different from the first configuration when the virtual distance between the reference position associated with the user-controllable object and the physical object is less than a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is less than the first threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first configuration of the heat visualization comprises a first burnt mark, and the second configuration of the heat visualization comprises a second burnt mark that is more severe than the first burnt mark. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first configuration of the heat visualization comprises a burnt mark, and the second configuration of the heat visualization comprises an image of fire, an image of a destroyed structure, or an image of an explosion. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises a depth sensor configured to provide a sensor output; and
 wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a position of the physical object based on the sensor output.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises a camera configured to provide an image of the environment; and
 wherein the processing unit is configured to identify the physical object in the image.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the user-controllable object comprises an image of a vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the user-controllable object comprises an image of a thrust. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the user-controllable object comprises an image of a vehicle, and wherein the processing unit is also configured to receive a user input, and to cause the screen to display a thrust visualization in association with the image of the vehicle in response to the user input. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the screen to display a change in the thrust visualization in response to a change in the user input. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to receive a user input, and to adjust a position of the user-controllable object being displayed on the screen based on the user input.