System and method for cleaning a head-mounted device

Abstract

A system for cleaning components of a head-mounted device may include a reader to read identification information from a plurality of interface devices used in conjunction with or as components of the head-mounted device. Each interface device may include an RFID tag that includes respective identification information of the interface device. The system may also include a cleaning system. Further, the system may include a controller with a processor and a memory, where the controller may receive identification information from the reader or purge cycle information from the purge system to determine whether the interface device has reached a threshold degradation level.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 350,723, filed on June 9, 2022, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WASHING HEAD-MOUNTED DEVICES,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to the field of virtual reality and / or augmented reality. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for cleaning user contact members of a head mounted device (HMD). Background Art

[0004] This paragraph is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the technology that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure described and / or claimed below. It is believed that this discussion helps to provide the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of various aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements are understood in this light, rather than admitting prior art.

[0005] A variety of recreational rides have been created to provide passengers with unique motion and visual experiences. For example, virtual reality and / or augmented reality (VR / AR) systems may be used in conjunction with amusement park rides and may be implemented with multi-passenger vehicles that travel along a fixed path. A head-mounted device such as an HMD may include a display and may be implemented to give the wearer a VR / AR experience in a given ride. Because the HMD is in close contact with the user, there is a need to clean the HMD regularly. Summary of the invention

[0006] Certain embodiments comparable in scope to the originally proposed subject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the proposed subject matter, but rather, these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the subject matter. Indeed, the subject matter may include a variety of forms that may be similar or different from the embodiments described below.

[0007] In an embodiment, a system may include a reader to read identification information from an interface device of a plurality of interface devices. The interface device may include a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag storing identification information of the interface device. Additionally, the system may include a cleaning system and a controller. The controller may include a processor and a memory, and may receive identification information from the reader or cleaning cycle information of the interface device from the cleaning system to determine whether the interface device has reached a threshold degradation level.

[0008] In an embodiment, a system may include an interface device that reversibly mates with a display. The interface device may include a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with the interface device that stores identification information of the interface device. The system may also include a reader for reading the identification information from the RFID tag, a cleaning system, and a controller including a processor and a memory. The controller may receive the identification information from the reader and the cleaning cycle information from the cleaning system. In addition, the controller may associate the cleaning cycle information with the identification information. In addition, the controller may determine that the interface device has reached a threshold degradation level based on the associated cleaning cycle information and generate a notification that the interface device has reached the threshold degradation level.

[0009] In an embodiment, a method may include receiving identification information from an interface device, initiating a cleaner to perform a wash cycle to clean the interface device, associating wash cycle information from the wash cycle with the identification information, and determining a degradation state of the interface device based on the associated wash cycle information and the identification information. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the drawings, and in which:

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a workflow of HMD management including a cleaning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 2 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it can be used Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the two-part HMD workflow;

[0013] Figure 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary cleaning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 4 According to the embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 3 A flowchart of the operation of the cleaning system; and

[0015] Figure 5 According to the embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a cleaning system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] One or more specific embodiments are described below. In order to provide a brief description of these embodiments, not all features of the actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be recognized that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, many implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as complying with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. In addition, it should be recognized that such development work may be complex and time-consuming, but is still a routine task of design, construction, and manufacture for ordinary technicians who benefit from this disclosure.

[0017] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles "a," "an," and "the" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive, and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

[0018] The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for cleaning / washing parts of an HMD. In the amusement park industry, VR / AR devices have become a promising way to provide visitors with a more immersive entertainment experience. Specifically, an HMD with VR / AR functionality can be connected to a specific ride or attraction to generate a VR / AR experience for the ride or attraction. In some cases, the HMD may be composed of two separable parts: a visitor interface device and a display. The interface device may be made of plastic or other washable and reusable materials and may be washable between visitor uses. The separate display may be electronic and, in some cases, may be tethered to a specific ride vehicle or kept with the attraction. In an embodiment, the interface device and the display are separated before cleaning the interface device to protect the electronic components of the display from exposure to fluids. That is, only the interface device is cleaned in the cleaning system. The display portion may be cleaned or processed separately.

[0019] Techniques for interface device cleaning are provided herein that monitor and manage properties of an interface device as it undergoes a cleaning cycle. For example, as individual interface devices undergo a cleaning cycle, the materials or individual components of the interface device may degrade due to the cleaning conditions of the cycle or reuse. Thus, monitoring the properties of the interface device may notify park staff that a given interface device has reached its shelf life and should be disposed of or refurbished.

[0020] As an introduction, Figure 1is a schematic diagram of a workflow for HMD management including a cleaning system as provided herein. The workflow may begin with HMD distribution 10. In the example shown, employee 12 distributes an HMD or a portion of an HMD (shown as interface device 14) to visitor 16. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments may also be used in conjunction with an integral or inseparable HMD device.

[0021] When the visitor 16 enters the amusement park, the interface device 14 may be distributed to the visitor 16 by the employee 12. In some embodiments, the time and place of HMD distribution may be different. For example, in an embodiment where a portion of the amusement park is dedicated to VR / AR experience, HMD distribution may occur at the entrance of the VR / AR portion of the amusement park. Alternatively, HMD distribution may be performed when the visitor 16 enters a designated vehicle or other means of transportation to the amusement park or a portion of the amusement park. For example, if the visitor 16 is transported to the amusement park by bus or ferry, HMD distribution may be performed when traveling to the amusement park via bus or ferry (or other appropriate means). It should be understood that the examples described are for illustrative purposes only, and there may be other situations where HMD distribution may be performed.

[0022] Furthermore, although the employee 12 is shown handing the interface device 14 to the guest 16, other methods may be used. For example, a mechanical dispenser may dispense the interface device 14 to the guest 16. The dispensers may be located at key entry points to the amusement park to ensure that the guest 16 has an opportunity to receive the interface device 14. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the interface device 14 may be left at a seat in a VR / AR ride or at another location designated for a given guest 16. Thus, in some embodiments, the employee 12 may strategically place the interface device 14 so that the guest 16 may receive the interface device 14 before the VR / AR ride begins. In another embodiment, the distribution may include the distribution of the entire HMD, rather than the distribution of detachable components.

[0023] After receiving the interface device 14, the visitor 16 may enter the ride vehicle 20. In the example shown, the visitor 16 may sit in a seat 22. The seat 22 is intended to illustrate any station that the visitor 16 may be located at during the course of a ride or amusement park experience. For example, the seat 22 may be a standing position with or without armrests, a bed or other horizontal lying structure, or other station.

[0024] The display 24 component of the HMD may be tethered to the seat 22 via a tether 26. In some embodiments, the display 24 may include a transparent screen to provide a VR / AR experience. The display 24 may be configured to be detachably coupled to the interface device 14 to form a complete HMD (see HMD 50, Figure 2). For example, when entering the attraction 20, the visitor 16 or operator may attach the display 24 to the interface device 14 to prepare for the VR / AR experience. At the end of the VR / AR experience, the visitor 16 or operator may be prompted to remove the display 24 from the interface device 14. Therefore, after the visitor 16 removes the display 24 from the interface device 14, the display 24 may remain tethered to the seat 22. Therefore, as the visitors 16 move in line, relatively cheaper and more robust interface devices 14 can be distributed to them because the potential for damage (e.g., falling, operating too hard) is lower. More expensive and fragile display portions can be provided to visitors when they are seated or less mobile. However, in this arrangement, as the visitors 16 wait in the queue and move toward the ride vehicle 20, they will have more direct contact with the interface device 14, and therefore, the interface device 14 may need to be cleaned after each use. In addition, as described with reference to Figure 2 As discussed, when in use, the display portion 24 may be fully or partially disconnected from direct contact with the visitor through the interface device 14. As a result, the display 24 may experience less operation from the visitor 16.

[0025] In some embodiments, visitors 16 may visit several attractions during their visit to the amusement park. For example, after leaving a first VR / AR experience (such as a roller coaster), visitors 16 may continue to another VR / AR enhanced ride or attraction. At the end of their visit to the amusement park or when a separate attraction is finished, visitors 16 may carry their user interface device 14 into a drop-off area 30, and visitors 16 may store the interface device 14 in a container or cart 32. For example, in some embodiments, cart 32 may be located at the exit of attraction 20.

[0026] At some point in time (e.g., after the park closes for the day or after the cart 32 is filled to a threshold level), the cart 32 may be transferred to a cleaning area 40 that includes a cleaning system 42. For example, in some embodiments, an employee may transport the interface device 14 to the cleaning system 42 along with the container 32. Once in the cleaning area, the interface devices 14 may be loaded into the cleaning system individually or in batches. Additionally or alternatively, as will be discussed herein, an automated system may transport the interface devices to the cleaning system 42. Furthermore, the cleaning system 42 may be configured to track the availability of the interface devices 14 for cleaning and to mark interface devices 14 that have exceeded their shelf life for removal.

[0027] Now go to Figure 2, an exemplary HMD 50 is shown in component or separated view, which includes an interface device 14 and a display 24. In some embodiments, the interface device 14 can be configured to be adjustably worn on the top of the head of the visitor 16. For example, the interface device 14 can be worn on the head of the visitor 16 using a knob, buckle, strap or other reversible fastening mechanism. In addition, the interface device 14 may include an identifier 52 to uniquely identify the interface device 14. In some embodiments, the identifier 52 may be an RFID tag or other identifier. In an embodiment, the identifier 52 is located on or in the interface device 14. In one embodiment, the identifier 52 is an RFID tag embedded in the material of the interface device 14, and the material of the interface device 14 allows radio frequency penetration transmission.

[0028] Of particular importance, the identifier 52 may store data associated with the interface device 14, such as a unique identifier for the interface device 14. In addition, in some embodiments, the identifier 52 may also store cleaning cycle data. Additionally or alternatively, the identifier 52 may be read by a reader to access cleaning cycle data stored on the cleaning system 42. The cleaning cycle data may include a variety of data. For example, the cleaning cycle data may include a counter to indicate how many cleaning cycles the interface device 14 has undergone. The data may also include detailed information on the temperature, water pressure, cleaning time, chemical usage, and other settings for each cleaning cycle experienced by the interface device 14. The cleaning cycle data may further include any other details of the cleaning cycles experienced by the interface device 14 to determine the degree of degradation of the interface device 14 due to the cleaning cycles.

[0029] Although embodiments of the present disclosure are discussed in the context of RFID tags, it should be understood that other identifiers may be used. For example, identifier 52 may be a barcode, a visible mark, or an optical transmitter that provides a signal that can be read by a reader (e.g., an optical sensor or reader).

[0030] The interface device 14 may be configured to be removably connected to the display 24. For example, the display 24 may be connected to the front portion of the interface device 14 to form the HMD 50. Additionally or alternatively, the display 24 may be attached to the side or rear portion of the interface device 14. In addition, the display 24 may be connected to the interface device 14 via a suitable coupling technique. For example, the interface device 14 may have a snap feature, and the display 24 may be snapped onto the snap feature to fix the connection. In addition, the display 24 may also be connected to the interface device 14 using Velcro or other adhesive measures. In a particular embodiment, the interface device 14 includes one or more integral magnets 54, which are coupled to the corresponding magnets 56 of the display 24 to attach the interface device 14 and the display 24. The number and relative positions of the magnets 54, 56 are shown by way of example, and it should be understood that other arrangements may also be conceivable. When coupled together and used as the HMD 50, the interface device 14 may at least partially disconnect the display portion 24 from direct visitor contact.

[0031] Display 24 may include screen 58. Screen 58 may be transparent, translucent, or opaque in nature. In embodiments where the screen is transparent or translucent, when activated, screen 58 may allow a visitor to view a real-world environment (e.g., a physical structure in an attraction) with certain virtual features (e.g., AR features) superimposed on screen 58 such that visitor 16 perceives the virtual features as integrally integrated into the real-world environment.

[0032] In some embodiments, tether 26 may be attached to display 24 to tether display 24 to the ride. Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , the tether 26 may be connected to a seat 22 of the ride. However, the tether 26 may be connected to any portion of the ride. For example, in some embodiments, the tether 26 may be tethered to an electronic system of the ride. For example, the tether 26 may include an HDMI or other data transmission connector to supply AR / VR data from the electronic system to the display 24.

[0033] As discussed herein, the disclosed HMD 50 may be processed by a cleaning system 42. Although the illustrated embodiment is directed to the cleaning of an interface device 14 that is separate from the display 24 in an embodiment of a detachable or two-part HMD 50, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments may also encompass cleaning an HMD 50 including electronic components implemented in a waterproof or water-resistant housing. As provided herein, the cleaning system 42 collects identification information from each cleaned interface device 14, so that the total number of cleanings and, in an embodiment, the cleaning conditions of the interface devices 14 may be tracked. Based on the tracked information, individual interface devices 14 whose shelf life has expired may be identified.

[0034] In an embodiment, when the interface device 14 is coupled to the display 24, the life cycle status of the interface device 14 may be accessed through the display 24. In one instance, the display 24 may read the status directly from the identifier 52. In another instance, the display 24 may read the identification information of the interface device 14 from the identifier and communicate with the cleaning system 42 or another device to access the status information of the interface device 14 using the identification information. The status may include an acceptable status or an unacceptable status. An acceptable status may indicate that the interface device 14 is within its useful life (e.g., has not yet experienced a threshold number of cleaning cycles) or is above a threshold degradation state. An unacceptable status may be associated with an individual interface device 14 whose shelf life has expired, for example, a threshold degradation state has been reached. Upon coupling, any interface device 14 of an attraction having an unacceptable status will be marked for replacement by an operator before the ride is started.

[0035] Now go to Figure 3 As discussed above, the cleaning system 42 may interact with data from the identifier 52 of the interface device 14. Thus, the cleaning system 42 may include a reader 60. The reader 60 may obtain data from the identifier 52. For example, in embodiments where the identifier 52 is an RFID tag, the reader 60 may be an RFID reader configured to read data stored on the RFID tag. The data may include a unique identifier for the interface device 14. Additionally, in some embodiments where the data for each interface device 14 is stored locally, the data may include cleaning cycle data for the interface device 14. For example, if the interface device 14 has undergone five cleaning cycles, the data may include identification information for the interface device 14 and cleaning cycle data for each of the five cleaning cycles that the interface device 14 has undergone.

[0036] The reader 60 may transmit the acquired data to a control system 62 of the cleaning system 42. In some embodiments, the control system may include one or more processors 64 and one or more memory devices 66. The one or more processors 64 may execute software programs and / or instructions to track cleaning information or shelf life information of one or more interface devices 14. In addition, the processor 64 may include multiple microprocessors, one or more "general purpose" microprocessors, one or more special purpose microprocessors, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICS) and / or one or more reduced instruction set (RISC) processors. The memory device 66 may include one or more storage devices and may store machine-readable and / or processor-executable instructions (e.g., firmware or software) for execution by the processor 64. In some embodiments, the processor 64 and the memory device 66 may be located external to the control system 62. The memory device 66 may include tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media, such as volatile memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM)) and / or non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, hard drive and / or any other suitable optical, magnetic or solid-state storage media). In an embodiment, the memory device 66 may store a lookup table of the interface devices 14 and may organize the cleaning cycle information associated with each interface device 14. For example, the cleaning cycle information may be stored in a database. The memory device 66 may also store threshold information for designating an interface device status as expired or allowed to continue use.

[0037] In some embodiments, the control system 62 may be configured to receive the interface device identification data from the reader 60, and the control system 62 may be configured to determine the status of the interface device 14 based on the stored data (e.g., stored identification information) associated with each interface device 14 stored in the memory device 66 of the control system 62. For example, if the memory device 66 does not include a profile for the interface device 14 associated with the identification information, a profile may be created and stored in the memory device 66. This may indicate that the interface device 14 is new and has not degraded because it has not undergone any cleaning cycles.

[0038] If the memory device 66 includes a configuration file for the interface device 14 associated with the identification data, the status of the interface device 14 can be determined based on the data stored in the configuration file. For example, in some embodiments, the data may include a tracker (such as a counter) to determine how many cleaning cycles the interface device 14 has undergone. For example, the control system 62 may be configured to determine whether the interface device 14 has undergone a threshold number of cleaning cycles. In fact, exceeding the threshold may indicate that the interface device 14 has degraded to the extent that it should be discarded during the cleaning cycle. Thus, as will be discussed herein, in embodiments where the tracker indicates that the interface device 14 should be discarded, the control system 62 may mark the interface device 14 for disposal. In addition, the control system 62 may update the stored data for each interface device 14 to include the current or ongoing cleaning cycle by updating the data associated with its unique identifier.

[0039] In some embodiments, the control system 62 may further include a communication circuit 68. The communication circuit may include an antenna, a radio transceiver circuit, signal processing hardware and / or software (e.g., hardware or software filters, A / D converters, multiplexer amplifiers), or a combination thereof, and may be configured to communicate via a wireless communication path via infrared wireless communication, satellite communication, broadcast radio, microwave radio, Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc. In addition, the communication circuit 68 may be connected to the Internet or other devices that communicate with other electronic devices. For example, in some embodiments, the communication circuit may be connected to a nearby interface device 14 via a wireless connection. In addition, the communication circuit 68 may be used to indicate the degradation level of the interface device 14 determined by the control system 62. For example, in some embodiments, the communication circuit 68 may instruct the interface device 14 to display its degradation state. For example, the interface device 14 may include an LED, display, or other indicator that can be activated when the interface device 14 reaches a threshold degradation level. Therefore, the communication circuit 68 may send an instruction to the interface device 14 to activate the indicator of the interface device 14.

[0040] Additionally or alternatively, the cleaning system 42 may provide a notification via the user interface 69 of the cleaning system 42, which an employee may reference to identify the interface device 14 designated for disposal. Additionally or alternatively, the communication circuit 68 may send a status indication to a smartphone, laptop, tablet, or other personal electronic device of an employee or other individual / group at the amusement park, through which the user interface 69 may be viewed.

[0041] In some embodiments, the control system 62 may generate one or more instructions to display the status of the interface device 14 before the interface device 14 reaches the threshold degradation level. For example, in some embodiments, it may be beneficial to know which interface devices 14 are at, exceed, or approach a threshold degradation level. Therefore, in some embodiments, the status of the interface devices 14 approaching the threshold degradation level may be displayed. For example, if the threshold degradation level is 100%, in some embodiments, the status of the interface devices 14 that are degraded to 95% or more may be displayed, as well as the status of the interface devices 14 that are at or exceed the threshold degradation level. In this embodiment, the indication of the interface device 14 at the threshold degradation level may be different from the indication of the interface device 14 that is not at the degradation level. For example, the interface device 14 at the threshold degradation level may be indicated on the user interface 69 with a highlighted color (e.g., red), while the interface device 14 approaching the threshold degradation level may be indicated with a different color (e.g., yellow). In addition, in some embodiments, the interface device 14 that has exceeded the threshold degradation level may be indicated with a different color of light or other indication.

[0042] In some embodiments, when at, exceeding, or in some cases approaching a threshold degradation level, the status may be listed with text as "expired", or when not at a threshold degradation level, the status may be listed with text as "not expired", or a similar designation may be used to distinguish between interface devices 14 designated for removal and interface devices 14 that are allowed to be distributed to visitors again. Therefore, interface devices 14 at or above a threshold degradation level may be highlighted, bolded, or otherwise visually identified. For example, in some embodiments, interface devices 14 at or above a threshold degradation level may be spatially separated from other interface devices 14 (e.g., on a separate list, placed at the top of a list, etc.). In addition, any other appropriate method may be used to distinguish interface devices 14 at or above a threshold degradation level from interface devices 14 that are not at a threshold degradation level. In addition, it should be noted that the examples described are for illustrative purposes only. In fact, in some embodiments, most or all of the statuses of the interface devices 14 may be indicated. In an embodiment, only interface devices 14 that are determined to have reached a shelf life are indicated via the user interface 69 and / or an indicator on the interface device 14.

[0043] Cleaning system 42 may further include cleaning device 70. Cleaning device 70 may be any device capable of cleaning interface device 14. In some embodiments, cleaning device 70 may be large enough to clean several interface devices 14 at a time. For example, in some embodiments, interface devices 14 may be grouped together into cleaning batches that may include 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, or any other suitable number of interface devices 14.

[0044] A batch of interface devices 14 can enter the cleaning device 70 for cleaning. For example, in some embodiments, the batch of interface devices 14 can be placed in the cleaning device 70 by an employee, for example, by loading the interface devices 14 into a rack. In another embodiment, an employee can take the interface devices 14 from the cart 32 and place them in the cleaning device 70. In addition or alternatively, the automated system can transfer the batch of interface devices 14 to the cleaning device 70. For example, a conveyor belt can be placed with the interface devices 14 to be transferred to the cleaning device 70 via the conveyor belt. In addition or alternatively, the automated system can be connected to the cart 32 to automatically receive and transport the interface devices 14 when the interface devices 14 are placed in the container 32. The automated system can be configured to guide the interface devices 14 to the cleaning device 70. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the automated system can be configured to guide the interface devices 14 to a storage location near the cleaning device 70. From there, the employee can place the interface devices 14 in the cleaning device 70.

[0045] The cleaning device 70 may include several subcomponents, such as a temperature controller 72 and a fluid controller 74. The temperature controller 72 may include circuits and sensors to adjust and monitor the temperature of the cleaning device 70. For example, the temperature controller 72 may adjust the temperature of the fluid used in a given cleaning cycle. This may help to distinguish between cleaning cycle types. For example, a light cleaning may be operated at a first temperature, while a deep cleaning may be operated at a second temperature. The first temperature may be cool, warm, room temperature, or other similar temperature. In some embodiments, the second temperature may be hot, for example, hot enough to clean the interface device 14 more thoroughly than a light cleaning.

[0046] The temperature controller 72 can receive instructions from other circuits in the communication circuit 68 or the cleaning system 42 to determine how to adjust the temperature of the cleaning cycle. In addition, the temperature controller 72 can use sensors or other circuits to monitor the temperature during the cleaning cycle. Therefore, the temperature controller can adjust the temperature in the cleaning cycle based on the monitored temperature and instructions. In some embodiments, the temperature controller 72 can ensure that the temperature remains constant during a given cleaning cycle based on instructions and the monitored temperature. In addition or alternatively, the temperature controller 72 can adjust the temperature during a given cleaning cycle. For example, in some embodiments, the cleaning cycle may be operated with different temperatures during the entire cleaning cycle.

[0047] The fluid controller 74 may include circuits and sensors to control and monitor the fluid of a given cleaning cycle. For example, the fluid controller 74 may monitor the level, pressure, movement, composition, etc. of the fluid in the cleaning device 70. For example, in a given cleaning cycle, the level, pressure, movement, chemical composition, and other fluid characteristics may be adjusted during the cleaning cycle. For example, during a given sequence of a cleaning cycle, a first fluid pressure may be used that may increase or decrease during different sequences of the cleaning cycle. In addition, at certain time points in the cleaning cycle, chemicals such as cleaning products may be added to the fluid. The fluid controller 74 may control the activation and deactivation of these features. Additionally or alternatively, the fluid controller 74 may adjust features based on command signals sent from the communication circuit 68 or other circuits in the cleaning system 42, which may indicate how to control the fluid of a given cleaning cycle.

[0048] It should be understood that other controllers may be present in the cleaning device in addition to or in place of the temperature controller 72 and the fluid controller 74. Furthermore, the cleaning device 70 may perform any number of cleaning methods in addition to the methods described. In fact, the cleaning device 70 may be configured to change any values ​​of temperature, fluid, and other characteristics to complete a cleaning cycle. Furthermore, after the cleaning cycle is complete, or as part of the cleaning cycle, the cleaning device 70 may actively (e.g., via a fan, ultrasonic vibration, or other drying method) or passively (e.g., waiting a period of time for the interface device 14 to dry) dry the interface device 14. The interface device 14 may then be prepared for reuse, for example, by being stored in a storage container for employees to access when the interface device 14 is distributed, such as Figure 1 as shown in .

[0049] Additionally, the temperature controller 72, the fluid controller 74, and any other controllers of the cleaning device 70 may be configured to submit the cleaning cycle data to the control system 62 for storage in a configuration file associated with the interface device 14 cleaned in the cleaning cycle. Thus, the configuration file for the interface device 14 and / or the interface device 14 itself may store all of the cleaning cycle data associated with each respective interface device 14. The cleaning cycle data may then be accessed by the processor 64 of the control system 62 to determine the level of degradation of the interface device 14, as previously described.

[0050] Taking the above into consideration, Figure 4 An exemplary method 80 of operation of the cleaning system 42 is shown. In a first step 82, the reader 60 may receive an identification signal from the interface device 14. As previously described, the signal may be an RFID signal received by an RFID reader of the reader 60. However, in some embodiments, other methods may be used to receive any type of identification signal.

[0051] In a second step 84, the control system 62 may access the wash cycle data for the interface device 14 corresponding to the identification signal. For example, the control system 62 may access the identification signal from the reader 60 from a configuration file stored in the memory device 66 or from the interface device 14 data via the communication circuit 68. The identification signal may further include the wash cycle data for the corresponding interface device 14. The controller control system 62 may access the wash cycle data from the identification signal via the processor 64 or any other suitable circuitry of the control system 62.

[0052] In a third step 86, the control system 62 may determine whether the interface device 14 has expired based on the wash cycle data. For example, as previously described, the control system 62 may determine the degradation level of the interface device 14. For example, the control system 62 may determine the degradation level of the interface device 14 based on the number of wash cycles that the interface device 14 has experienced, the wash conditions of the previous wash cycles, or both. The control system 62 may then compare the degradation level of the interface device 14 to a threshold degradation level. Based on this determination, the status of the individual interface device 14 may be set to expired and designated for removal from distribution, or unexpired and designated for re-entry guest distribution.

[0053] For example, the threshold degradation level may be predetermined by empirical evaluation and stored in the control system 62 or may be otherwise accessible by the control system 62. In one example, the evaluation may be based on the number or nature of cleaning cycles associated with the inability of the interface device 14 to successfully magnetically couple to the display 24. The threshold degradation level may determine when a separate interface device 14 expires and should be discarded or refurbished. The threshold degradation level may be based on the number of cleaning cycles experienced by a given interface device 14. For example, if the number of cleaning cycles is greater than a predetermined number (e.g., 10, 50, 100, 1000), it is determined that the interface device has degraded. In another embodiment, the determination may be based on the cumulative effect of the cleaning conditions experienced by the interface device 14 on the integrity of the interface device 14. If the degradation level of the interface device 14 is greater than or equal to the threshold degradation level, the control system 62 may determine that the interface device 14 has expired and should be discarded. However, if the degradation level of the interface device 14 is less than the threshold degradation level, the control system 62 may determine that the interface device 14 has not expired and can be reused.

[0054] In a fourth step 88, the control system 62 may generate an indication of the degradation level of the interface device 14. In some embodiments, the communication circuit 68 may instruct the interface device 14 to indicate its degradation level using an indicator on or associated with the interface device 14. Additionally or alternatively, the control system 62 may generate a notification via the user interface 69. If the notification is a unique identifier associated with the interface device 14 that is degraded or has exceeded its shelf life, the method 80 may include receiving a second read of a batch of interface devices 14 to allow the identified interface device 14 to be sorted out. For example, when the interface device 14 does not include a degradation indicator on any device, it may be challenging to sort out a degraded interface device 14 from a batch of multiple interface devices 14. When the identified interface device 14 is determined to be degraded by the read, the system 42 may provide an indication, for example, via the user interface 69, that the particular interface device 14 should be removed from the batch. The indication may be audible, visual, tactile, or a combination thereof. If the interface device 14 is located in a container having multiple interface devices 14, an additional one-by-one reading step may be performed.

[0055] As described above, the control system 62 may determine the state of the interface device 14 by considering previous cleaning cycles. For example, in some embodiments, the data may indicate the cleaning conditions that the interface device 14 experienced in the previous cleaning cycle. Therefore, the control system 62 may determine the degradation level of the interface device 14 based on the data. For example, the control system 62 may determine the degradation percentage of the interface device 14. For example, if the cleaning settings (e.g., temperature, cleaning time, chemicals used, etc.) for a single cleaning cause the interface device 14 to degrade by 0.5%, and the interface device 14 has been cleaned ten times (e.g., as indicated by a counter in the data or determined in other ways based on the data), the control system 62 may determine that the interface device 14 has degraded by 5%. In some embodiments, 100% degradation may indicate that the interface device 14 is no longer usable and should be discarded. However, other thresholds may be used to ensure that the interface device 14 does not fail during use. For example, the control system 62 may be configured to mark the corresponding interface device 14 for discarding once a degradation of 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% or any other threshold degradation level is reached.

[0056] In an embodiment, the degradation level may be an estimate of degradation based on the number of wash cycles completed and / or wash cycle conditions. In one example, the interface device 14 may have a particular point value at the beginning of its life cycle, and undergoing a wash cycle causes the control system 62 to deduct points from the total point value. The end of life is associated with the interface device 14 falling below a particular total point value after enough points have been deducted.

[0057] The control system 62 may also determine degradation despite inconsistent cleaning conditions. For example, in some embodiments, as described herein, the interface device 14 may experience irregular cleaning cycles. Therefore, the control system 62 may determine the degradation level of the interface device 14 taking into account such irregularities. For example, if the interface device 14 undergoes a light cleaning and a deep cleaning, each cleaning may degrade the interface device 14 by 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively. Therefore, the control system 62 may determine that the degradation of the interface device 14 is 0.3% based on two cleaning cycles. It should be noted that this example is intended to be non-limiting, and there may be many inconsistent cleaning conditions, which the control system 62 may consider to determine the degradation level of the interface device 14. In some cases, the degradation level is based on the total time exposed to a particular fluid or the total time at or above a certain temperature level (e.g., more than 30°C). Therefore, if the total time at high temperature during the cleaning cycle is abnormally long, the total time is recorded, and the interface device 14 of this particular batch may expire faster than other batches. Therefore, based on individual wash cycle conditions, some interface devices 14 may expire at different rates even with the same relative wash cycle times.

[0058] In an embodiment, the degradation status may be based on profile data of the interface device 14 stored on the control system 62 (e.g., stored in the memory device 66). In an embodiment, the degradation status may be stored directly on the interface device 14. Thus, the control system 62 may be able to write data to the tag 52 of the interface device 14.

[0059] Furthermore, the degradation state of the interface device 14 may be determined at any time. For example, the state may be determined before the interface device 14 undergoes a given cleaning cycle. Thus, the interface device 14 may be marked for removal before or after a cleaning cycle. Additionally or alternatively, the degradation state of the interface device 14 may be determined after a given cleaning cycle. In this embodiment, the interface device 14 may be marked for prompt removal so that the interface device 14 does not remain in operation.

[0060] In some embodiments, the automated system may transport the interface device 14 to and from the cleaning device 70. Figure 5 An exemplary embodiment of an automated system 100 is shown. The system 100 may include a transport device 102. In some embodiments, the transport device 102 may be a conveyor belt, a trolley, or any other automated moving mechanism. The interface device 14 may be placed on the transport device 102, for example, by an employee or other conveyor system. The interface device 14 may then be transferred toward the cleaning device 70 via the transport device 102.

[0061] As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, the cleaning system 42 may indicate a given interface device 14 to indicate whether it has degraded to or beyond a threshold degradation level. Thus, in some embodiments, the interface device 14 may include an LED light 104. The light 104 may be configured to turn on if the interface device 14 reaches a threshold degradation level to indicate that the interface device 14 has expired and should be disposed of. Additionally, as previously mentioned, there may be other ways to indicate that the interface device 14 has expired.

[0062] As shown, if the interface device 14 has expired, it will enter the disposal container 106. From there, the expired interface device 14 can be disposed of by an employee or other automated system. In addition, the disposal container 106 may include a reader 108 to track the interface device 14 entering the disposal container 106. For example, the reader 108 may be an RFID reader. The reader 108 can be used to ensure that the expired interface device 14 is properly transferred to the disposal container 106. For example, in some embodiments, the cleaning system 42 may include circuitry that communicates with the reader 108 to track the disposal of the expired interface device 14. In some embodiments, the communication circuit 68 can receive a signal from the reader 108 and can transfer the signal to other circuits of the control system 62 to track the disposal of the expired interface device 14.

[0063] Alternatively, the interface devices 14 that have not yet expired may enter the cleaning device 70 and be cleaned accordingly. In addition, in some embodiments, the disposal container and reader 108 may be located outside the cleaning device 70. For example, in some embodiments, the control system 62 may determine the degradation level after each cleaning cycle, rather than determining the degradation level before cleaning. For example, if a given cleaning cycle causes one of the interface devices 14 to reach or exceed a threshold level of degradation, the interface device 14 may be transferred to the disposal container 106.

[0064] Although only certain features have been shown and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosed embodiments.

[0065] The technology presented and claimed herein refers to and is applied to specific examples of material objects and actual properties that significantly improve the art and are therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. In addition, if any claim appended at the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "means for (performing) (function) ..." or "steps for (performing) (function) ...", it is intended that such elements should be interpreted according to 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements not be interpreted according to 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).

Claims

1. A head mounted device cleaning system, comprising: a reader configured to read identification information from an interface device of a plurality of interface devices, wherein an interface device of the plurality of interface devices includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag storing identification information of the interface device; Cleaning system; as well as A controller comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the controller is configured to: receiving identification information from the reader; receiving cleaning cycle information from the interface device of the cleaning system; as well as A determination is made based on the identification information or the wash cycle information whether the interface device has reached a threshold degradation level. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to identify the interface device based on the identification information and estimate a current degradation level of the interface device based on the wash cycle information. 3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the interface device has reached the threshold degradation level by comparing the estimated degradation level of the interface device to the threshold degradation level.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the wash cycle information indicates wash conditions experienced by the interface device via the wash system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the cleaning system is configured to clean the plurality of interface devices with variable temperature and fluid settings.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the wash cycle information includes temperature and fluid settings associated with past wash cycles of the interface device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to store a respective configuration file associated with a respective interface device of the plurality of interface devices. 8 . The system according to claim 7 , wherein the corresponding configuration file comprises corresponding identification information of a corresponding interface device among the plurality of interface devices.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the corresponding configuration file includes wash cycle information indicating wash conditions that a corresponding one of the plurality of interface devices is subjected to via the wash system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface device is configured to reversibly mate with a display to form a head mounted device.

11. A head mounted device cleaning system, comprising: an interface device configured to reversibly mate with a display, the interface device comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with the interface device, the RFID tag storing identification information of the interface device; a reader configured to read the identification information from the RFID tag; Cleaning system; as well as A controller comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the controller is configured to: receiving the identification information from the reader; receiving cleaning cycle information from the cleaning system; associating the cleaning cycle information with the identification information; determining that the interface device has reached a threshold degradation level based on the associated cleaning cycle information; as well as A notification is generated that the interface device has reached the threshold degradation level.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the interface device has reached the threshold degradation level based on a number of cleaning cycles of the interface device being above a predetermined threshold.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the interface device is configured to be disengaged from the display prior to cleaning by the cleaning system.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to store a configuration file for the interface device in the memory, wherein the configuration file includes the identification information and the associated wash cycle information.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the wash cycle information indicates wash conditions experienced by the interface device via the wash system.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to generate instructions to activate an indicator on the interface device in response to the interface device reaching the threshold degradation level.

17. A method for cleaning a head mounted device, comprising: receiving identification information from the interface device using a reader; Starting a cleaning device to perform a cleaning cycle to clean the interface device; associating, using a control system, wash cycle information from the wash cycle with the identification information; as well as A degradation state of the interface device is determined using the control system based on the associated wash cycle information and the identification information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the degradation state comprises determining that cleaning conditions of the cleaning cycle in combination with previous cleaning conditions have cumulatively caused the interface device to degrade.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising indicating, via a controller, that the interface device has expired based on the degradation status and marking the interface device for replacement.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the degradation state is associated with the expired interface device based on a total number of cleaning cycles and previous cleaning cycles of the interface device being above a predetermined threshold.

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