Earlier today, the USPTO published two patent applications (here and here), assigned to Oculus VR, directed to depth-mapping technology using a HMD-mounted device.

As shown in FIG. 13 (below), the patent applications describe the apparatus, as follows,

“[A]pparatus 1310 comprises a headset 1340 configured for use with a mobile device 1320 (e.g., a smartphone). The head mounted apparatus 1310 may include an illuminator 1312 (e.g., laser transmitter, infrared pattern illuminator) and a camera 1314 (e.g., an IR camera 214). [..] The head mounted apparatus 1310 is further configured to physically and electronically interface with the mobile device 1320 and the headset 1340. [..] The head mounted apparatus 1310 allows a virtual reality headset to be enhanced by allowing three-dimensional images of objects from an environment surrounding the head mounted apparatus 1310 (e.g., body parts of a user) to be viewed within a virtual reality scene. Hence, the head mounted apparatus 1310 provides hardware for coupling to a near eye display and executes instructions for controlling the head mounted apparatus 1310 and analyzing captured data.”

Interestingly, the apparatus in FIG. 13 appears to have another camera/projector adjacent to the camera 1314. However, neither of Oculus’s patent applications identify or describe this feature of the drawing.

Claim 1 of the ‘812 publication recites:

1. A method comprising:

projecting a structured light pattern into a volume, the structured light pattern comprising a predefined structure having a plurality of features, each feature comprising a predefined variation;

detecting light reflected from one or more objects in the volume, the detected light including one or more of the features of the predefined structure of the structured light pattern;

correlating the one or more features in the detected light with the predefined structure; and

determining depth information for objects associated with each of the one more features in the detected light based on the correlating.

Curiously, FIG. 13 in Oculus’s patent application also appears to resemble the depth-sensing “unicorn” accessory teased by Intel last month (reported by UploadVR). As shown in the photograph (below), Intel’s device appears to be mounted to an HTC Vive. Dimitri Diakopoulos, an Intel engineer, revealed to UploadVR that the accessory “could track hand movement[,] IR-tracked controllers [and] scan the environment in real-time.” The photo, taken from Diakopoulous’s Twitter feed, appears to have been removed.