Head Mounted Display With Remote Control

Abstract

A head mounted display device that includes a housing that secures a mobile device, which fits on the head of a human viewer, the mobile device including a display, an eyepiece, connected to the housing, onto which images displayed by the mobile device focus for display to the viewer, and a remote control, that includes a wireless transceiver for communicating with the mobile device, and controls operable by the viewer that when activated by the viewer the remote control generates a command that indicates the status or position of the control and transmits the command to the mobile device via the wireless transceiver.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A head mounted display device, comprising:
 a housing that secures a mobile device and fits on the head of a human viewer, the mobile device comprising a display and a wireless transceiver;   an eyepiece, connected to the housing, onto which images displayed by the mobile device focus for display to the viewer; and   a remote control, comprising:
 a wireless transceiver for communicating with the mobile device; and 
 a plurality of controls operable by the viewer, wherein upon activation of a control by the viewer the remote control generates a command that indicates the status or position of the control and transmits the command to the mobile device via the wireless transceiver. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the mobile device further comprises:
 a processor; and 
 a memory in communication with the processor for storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the mobile device:
 to receive a command from the mobile device; and 
 to launch a corresponding application and to provide the command to the application. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the mobile device further comprises:
 a processor; 
 a camera that receives images that substantially cover the field of view of the human viewer; and 
 a memory in communication with the processor for storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the mobile device:
 to receive images from the camera; and 
 to determine, based on the received images, the location of the remote control within the field of view of the viewer. 
 
 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the remote control further comprises at least one sensor for determining the geographic position of the remote control. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a magnetometer. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the remote control sends sensor data from the at least one sensor specifying its absolute position to the mobile device. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the remote control is detachably connected to the housing such that it can be detached from the housing by the viewer and operated by hand. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of controls is selected from the group consisting of forward, backward, and select. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of controls is a joystick. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the remote control further comprises a marker capable of emitting light and wherein the remote control is operable to receive commands for the marker. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein at least one of the commands for the marker is selected from the group consisting of the color of light to emit, the duration of the illumination period, the intensity of the light, and whether to flash. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the wireless transceiver communicates with the mobile device using a near field communications method. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the mobile device is a smartphone. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the components of the mobile device are integrated with the head mounted display.