Pace control device displaying a target in augmented reality

Abstract

Pace control device for running sports, consisting of augmented reality glasses (1) equipped with a specific application and a pace and slope measuring device (5). Through the glasses (1), the runner (2) can see her environment through transparency, but also a virtual target (3), appearing as if projected on the ground (4) in front of her. The virtual target serves as a "hare": it moves in front of the runner following a predefined set pace, so that the runner only has to follow it to maintain said pace. Abstract figure: figure 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Pace control device displaying a target in augmented reality Technical field

[0001] The invention falls within the field of sports assistance solutions. More specifically, the invention relates to systems and methods enabling participants in running sports to control their pace. Prior art

[0002] 1. Pace control in racing sports

[0003] In the practice of racing sports, in training or in competition, maximizing performance often relies on respecting a predetermined pace.

[0004] But maintaining a precise pace is difficult. Athletes therefore commonly resort to assistance solutions, which can be classified into two categories: • Category 1: methods using a target moving at the desired speed and which simply needs to be followed. The target is, for example, a specialized athlete (colloquially called a "hare"), a vehicle, or a luminous target projected onto the ground from a vehicle. The target can also be represented by a luminous caterpillar, placed along the route; • Category 2: individual electronic devices equipped with a GPS receiver, such as sports watches, which measure the athlete's speed and notify them of any failure to comply with the pace by displaying it on the screen or by an audible message.

[0005] Category 1 methods are instinctive to use, but they are difficult to implement. Category 2 devices are simple to implement, but they are not very instinctive and therefore in practice not very effective when all attention is absorbed by the effort.

[0006] Patent FR3121612 describes a pace control device that is both easy to implement - because it is individual and portable - and instinctive to use - because it is based on the principle of tracking a target. It uses a laser to project a light point onto the ground that moves at the desired pace. The laser point plays the role of a small, autonomous animal, which "runs" in front of the user at the set pace. The user only has to follow it, as they would follow a human "hare". If the user runs too fast, they gradually catch up with the point. If they run too slowly, the point outdistances them. If they stop suddenly, the point continues on its way at the set pace.

[0007] The disadvantage of such a device lies in the power required by the projector, especially when used in direct sunlight.

[0008] The device which is the subject of the present invention is similar to that described in FR3121612. It is nevertheless distinguished by the fact that it does not project a target onto the ground in a real way, but virtually, through augmented reality glasses, thus solving the problem of projector power.

[0009] 2. Augmented reality glasses

[0010] So-called augmented reality glasses are glasses with transparent lenses that allow the wearer to see virtual objects embedded in the real world.

[0011] Depending on the model, these glasses are equipped with more or less sophisticated sensors, designed to measure the user's movements and understand their environment. These sensors nevertheless have limitations, in particular: • The user's speed is most often provided by a GPS receiver, which suffers from reception problems in certain situations: near buildings, under vegetation cover, etc.; • When a ground tilt measurement is present, its accuracy and responsiveness are low, due to the fact that the sensors are subject to the incessant movements of the user's head.

[0012] One of the objectives of the present invention is to measure the user's speed and the inclination of the ground in a more precise and more responsive manner.

[0013] On the other hand, in most models of augmented reality glasses, the image embedded in the user's field of vision is only in a relatively narrow area, called the "field of view". This means, for example, that if the user is looking at a virtual sofa embedded in his living room and turns his head twenty degrees, the sofa disappears, because it has left the display area.

[0014] One of the objectives of the present invention is to take into account this limitation of the field of vision, while providing a convincing user experience. Brief description of the drawings

[0015] [Fig-1] Schematic representation of a runner equipped with the object device of the invention, according to a particular embodiment and use of the invention.

[0016] [Fig.2] Example of a virtual target.

[0017] [Fig.3] The virtual target of [Fig.2] seen through augmented reality glasses, where the center of the target is out of focus.

[0018] [Fig.4] The virtual target of [Fig.2] seen through augmented reality glasses, where the center of the target is visible.

[0019] [Fig.5] Schematic view, in section, of the speed and slope measuring device, according to a particular embodiment and use of the invention. Presentation of the invention

[0020] In the remainder of the document, paragraphs not beginning with the words "In a variant" or "In variants" relate to the particular embodiment and use shown in Figures 1 to 5. On the contrary, paragraphs beginning with "In a variant" or "In variants" relate to other modes of use or embodiment of the invention.

[0021] The device which is the subject of the invention comprises: • augmented reality glasses (1) equipped with a specific computer application; • a speed and slope measuring device (5). These two components communicate via a Bluetooth link.

[0022] Through the glasses (1), the runner (2) can see her environment through transparency, but also a virtual target (3), appearing as if projected onto the ground (4) at a distance (d) in front of her.

[0023] Just as in FR3121612, the virtual target serves as a "hare": it moves in front of the runner following a predefined set pace, so that the runner only has to follow it to maintain said pace.

[0024] Since the field of vision (10) of the glasses is limited, the virtual target is designed in such a way that its center can be located even if it is out of the field. Detailed description

[0025] 1. Detailed description of augmented reality glasses

[0026] The device which is the subject of the invention comprises standard augmented reality glasses (1), equipped with: • a head-up display function; • sensors designed to measure the position, orientation and speed of the glasses in space; • at least one touch key; • a function for installing and running computer applications; • an API for developers, which allows in particular the display of virtual objects in the world reference frame (therefore independently of the user's head movements (2)); • a Bluetooth interface for communication with external devices.

[0027] The Bluetooth interface allows the glasses (1) to be connected to the pace and slope measuring device (5) and thus to receive: 1. the runner's pace (2); 2. the inclination of the ground (4) in the direction of travel.

[0028] In variants, other types of connected devices (sports watch, foot pod, etc.) provide one and / or the other of these two data, instead of the device (5).

[0029] In a variant, the sensors integrated into the glasses (1) provide one and / or the other of these two data, instead of the Bluetooth interface.

[0030] The head-up display function, associated with the touch button, allows the runner to enter information, and in particular to enter a set pace (the latter being able to vary over time, for example depending on the terrain).

[0031] In a variant, the Bluetooth interface of the glasses (1) allows connection to a smartphone or a sports watch, on which a dedicated application allows the entry of the target pace.

[0032] A specific computer application for controlling the glasses, using the developer API, is pre-installed in the glasses and executed at startup.

[0033] As soon as the runner (2) begins her run, said application controls the display, superimposed on the real landscape, of a virtual target (3) appearing as if projected onto the ground at a distance (d) in front of the runner (the front of the runner being defined by the direction of the run).

[0034] The application then dynamically varies the distance (d) so that the target appears to be moving on the ground at the set speed.

[0035] More specifically: • The relative pace of the runner compared to the set pace, noted d', is obtained by simple subtraction. • The distance (d) is calculated by integration of d'. • The direction of travel (heading in English) comes from the sensors in the glasses (D; • From (d), the inclination of the ground and the direction of travel, we easily obtain the coordinates of the target in the world frame. • The front-back tilt to be given to the target is the same as that of the ground. It should be noted that the target is not tilted in the left-right direction, which is not a problem in practice, because we most often run on relatively horizontal ground in the left-right direction.

[0036] Due to the reduced field of vision (10), the center of the virtual target (3) is only visible when the runner has her face turned directly towards it ([Fig.4]). If the runner has turned her head ([Fig.3]), the center of the virtual target is not visible, because it has moved out of the field of vision (10).

[0037] The virtual target (3) is composed of a series of concentric circles of increasing thickness, so that the runner instinctively perceives in which direction the center of the target is located when the latter is out of the field ([Fig.3]).

[0038] In variants, the concentric circles are of an increasingly bright color as one approaches the center, or they bear small decreasing numbers, the general idea being to make the direction of the center of the target obvious when the latter is out of shot.

[0039] 2. Detailed description of the speed and slope measuring device

[0040] The device which is the subject of the invention also comprises a pace and slope measuring device (5) intended to be physically attached to the runner (2) by means of a belt or a harness.

[0041] The apparatus (5) comprises: • a radar module (11); • an inertial unit (14); • a Bluetooth interface (13), which allows connection to augmented reality glasses (1); • a microcontroller (12).

[0042] The radar module (11) is fixed to the device (5) at a fixed and known angle, so that it is oriented towards the ground and the front of the runner. It is capable of measuring: • the MP distance (by measuring the round-trip flight time of the radar signal); • the radial velocity of the ground (by Doppler measurement).

[0043] In variants, the radar module (11) is replaced by a lidar, laser or ultrasound transceiver, which are other examples of distance and radial velocity sensors.

[0044] The inertial unit (14) makes it possible in particular to determine the angle (a) between the axis of the radar module (11) and the vertical.

[0045] The Bluetooth link established with the augmented reality glasses (1) allows the execution of a calibration procedure: on the screen of the glasses, the user (2) is asked to place himself on a horizontal ground, to remain still and to press the touch button. The distance MP measured by the radar module (11) and the knowledge of (a) then allow the processor (12) to calculate the height (h).

[0046] In a variant, by means of the glasses (1), the user (2) is asked to enter the distance between the ground and the device (5), which constitutes another means of knowing (h).

[0047] During the race, the microcontroller (12) is responsible for calculating: • the inclination of the ground in the direction of movement of the device (5) (from MP, (h) and (a)); • the speed of the device (5) (from the inclination of the ground and the radial speed of the ground). These results are transmitted in real time to the glasses (1) via the Bluetooth interface (13).

[0048] In reality, the height (h) is not constant over time, because of the runner's movements. But it is easy to correct (h) at any time thanks to the vertical acceleration data measured by the inertial unit (14).

Claims

[Claim 1] Claims Speed ​​control device comprising: a. Augmented reality glasses (1); b. A means of receiving the user's gait (2) provided by a connected device or by sensors integrated into the glasses (1); c. A means of capturing a set pace; d. A computer application for controlling the glasses (1), responsible in particular for: i. to control the display, superimposed on the real landscape, of a virtual target (3) appearing as if projected on the ground at a distance (d) in front of the user (2); ii. to dynamically vary the distance (d) to give the impression that the virtual target (3) is moving relative to the ground (4) according to said set speed.

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