WO2025254792A1

WO2025254792A1 - Devices and virtual reality interfaces for gaming

Info

Publication number: WO2025254792A1
Application number: PCT/US2025/029348
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jedidiah WILCOX
Original assignee: O Look Inc
Current assignee: O Look Inc
Priority date: 2024-06-05
Filing date: 2025-05-14
Publication date: 2025-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 2026-12-05

Abstract

Example embodiments relate to user interface systems for virtual reality gaming. One example embodiment includes a system. The system includes a processor. The system also includes a display configured to display a user interface based on inputs from the processor. Additionally, the system includes a gamepad. The gamepad includes a thumbstick configured to provide one or more first control signals to the processor. The gamepad also includes an annular touchpad configured to provide one or more second control signals. The annular touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the thumbstick. The processor is configured to, receiving the one or more first control signals, cause one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface. The processor is also configured to, upon receiving the one or more second control signals, cause one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

Description

DEVICES AND VIRTUAL REALITY INTERFACES FOR GAMING

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/656,462, filed June 5, 2024. The contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

[0003] Video games traditionally involve a user manipulating one or more digital representations on a user interface (e.g., displayed on a display) in an attempt to satisfy one or more conditions (e.g., to achieve one or more objectives of the game). In order to manipulate the digital representations, a user may interact with a user input device (e.g., a handheld controller, a remote, a microphone, a camera, etc.). However, traditional user input devices may include one or more drawbacks.

SUMMARY

[0004] The specification and drawings disclose embodiments that relate to devices and virtual reality interfaces for gaming. In some aspects, example embodiments provide a controller that includes a thumbstick with an annular touchpad that at least partially surrounds the thumbstick. Given this arrangement, a user has multiple ways to rapidly provide inputs for a game using only a single finger (e.g., their thumb) in a relatively small amount of real estate on the controller (e.g., by providing movements of the thumbstick, by pressing or touching a thumbpad on the top of the thumbstick, by touching a portion of the annular touchpad, by pressing the annular touchpad, by tracing out a gesture on the annular touchpad, or by performing a hybrid action that involves both the thumbstick and the annular touchpad). In other aspects, example embodiments provide an adjustment period for acclimating to virtual reality games (e.g., using a headset). For example, some embodiments may include a virtual reality headset that initially displays a small virtual reality window (e.g., appearing to the user as the size of a typical television) overlaying a non-moving background (e.g., a realtime stereoscopic video feed of the wall of a user’s living room appearing at the periphery of the virtual reality (VR) headset’s display) and then slowly expands the virtual reality window over time (e.g., based on one or more cues) until the virtual reality window encompasses the entirety of the VR device display’s field of view.

[0005] In a first aspect, the disclosure describes a system. The system includes a processor. The system also includes a display configured to display a user interface based on inputs from the processor. Additionally, the system includes a gamepad. The gamepad includes a thumbstick configured to provide one or more first control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the thumbstick. The gamepad also includes an annular touchpad configured to provide one or more second control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the annular touchpad. The annular touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the thumbstick. The processor is configured to, upon receiving the one or more first control signals, cause one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface. The processor is also configured to, upon receiving the one or more second control signals, cause one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0006] In a second aspect, the disclosure describes a system. The system includes a processor. The system also includes a display configured to display a user interface based on inputs from the processor. Additionally, the system includes a gamepad that includes a touchpad. A first portion of the touchpad includes a circular piece of adhesive-backed pleather, vinyl, hard plastic, or sheet plastic positioned thereon. A second portion of the touchpad includes an annular piece of adhesive-backed pleather, vinyl, hard plastic, or sheet plastic positioned thereon. The second portion of the touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the first portion of the touchpad. The touchpad is configured to provide one or more first control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the first portion of the touchpad. The touchpad is configured to provide one or more second control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the second portion of the touchpad. The processor is configured to, upon receiving the one or more first control signals, cause one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface. The processor is also configured to, upon receiving the one or more second control signals, cause one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0007] In a third aspect, the disclosure describes a system. The system includes a processor. The system also includes a display configured to display a user interface based on inputs from the processor. Additionally, the system includes a gamepad. The gamepad includes a first touchpad configured to provide one or more first control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the first touchpad. The gamepad also includes a second touchpad configured to provide one or more second control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the second touchpad. The second touchpad is annularly shaped. The second touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the first touchpad. The processor is configured to, upon receiving the one or more first control signals, cause one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface. The processor is also configured to, upon receiving the one or more second control signals, cause one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0008] In a fourth aspect, the disclosure describes a method. The method includes displaying, by a display based on inputs from a processor, a user interface. The method also includes receiving, by the processor, one or more first control signals. The one or more first control signals were provided by a thumbstick of a gamepad. The one or more first control signals are indicative of one or more user interactions with the thumbstick. Additionally, the method includes causing, by the processor, one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface. Further, the method includes receiving, by the processor, one or more second control signals. The one or more second control signals were provided by an annular touchpad of the gamepad. The one or more second control signals are indicative of one or more user interactions with the annular touchpad. The annular touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the thumbstick. In addition, the method includes causing, by the processor, one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0009] In a fifth aspect, the disclosure describes a method. The method includes displaying, on a display of a virtual reality headset, a user interface at a first scale factor and a background. The background is displayed peripherally to the user interface. The user interface at the first scale factor and the background together occupy the entirety of the display. The method also includes determining, by a processor associated with the virtual reality headset, one or more metrics indicative of a user’s comfort with an immersion level of the user interface displayed at the first scale factor. Additionally, the method includes determining, by the processor based on the one or more metrics and the first scale factor, a second scale factor. The second scale factor is different from the first scale factor. Further, the method includes displaying, on a display of the virtual reality headset, the user interface at the second scale factor and the background. The background is displayed peripherally to the user interface at the second scale factor. The user interface at the second scale factor and the background together occupy the entirety of the display.

[0010] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the figures and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0011] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustration of a computing device, according to example embodiments.

[0012] Figure 2A is a cross-sectional, side-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0013] Figure 2B is a top-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0014] Figure 2C is a cross-sectional, side-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0015] Figure 2D is a top-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0016] Figure 2E is a cross-sectional, side-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0017] Figure 2F is a top-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0018] Figure 2G is a cross-sectional, side-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0019] Figure 2H is a top-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0020] Figure 21 is a cross-sectional, side-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0021] Figure 2J is a top-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0022] Figure 2K is a cross-sectional, side-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0023] Figure 2L is a top-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0024] Figure 2M is a cross-sectional, side-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0025] Figure 2N is a top-view illustration of a thumbstick and an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments. [0026] Figure 3 is an illustration of a handheld gaming device, according to example embodiments.

[0027] Figure 4A is a top-view illustration of a handheld gaming device with a clamshell body, according to example embodiments.

[0028] Figure 4B is a cross-sectional, front-view illustration of a handheld gaming device with a clamshell body, according to example embodiments.

[0029] Figure 5A is an illustration of a gesture using an annular touchpad, according to example embodiments.

[0030] Figure 5B is an illustration of an in-game yaw maneuver, according to example embodiments.

[0031] Figure 5C is an illustration of an in-game yaw maneuver, according to example embodiments.

[0032] Figure 6 is an illustration of a handheld gaming device, according to example embodiments.

[0033] Figure 7 is an illustration of a handheld gaming device, according to example embodiments.

[0034] Figure 8A is an illustration of determining one or more metrics for modifying a scale factor of a user interface relative to a background, according to example embodiments.

[0035] Figure 8B is an illustration of a user interface at a first scale factor and a background, according to example embodiments.

[0036] Figure 8C is an illustration of a user interface at a second scale factor and a background, according to example embodiments.

[0037] Figure 9 is a flowchart diagram illustrating a method, according to example embodiments.

[0038] Figure 10 is a flowchart diagram illustrating a method, according to example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Example methods and systems are described herein. Any example embodiment or feature described herein is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or features. The example embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. It will be readily understood that certain aspects of the disclosed systems and methods can be arranged and combined in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are contemplated herein.

[0040] Furthermore, the particular arrangements shown in the figures should not be viewed as limiting. It should be understood that other embodiments might include more or less of each element shown in a given figure. In addition, some of the illustrated elements may be combined or omitted. Similarly, an example embodiment may include elements that are not illustrated in the figures.

[0041] It is understood that the term “thumbstick arrangement” as used herein is meant to connote the combination of a thumbstick (including all of its components, such as a shaft, tip, etc.) along with an associated annular touchpad.

I. Overview

[0042] Many bestselling video games are first-person or third-person action games that control camera movement with a gamepad thumbstick. These games have become increasingly competitive and complex in recent decades. Additionally, modern games can be more demanding in terms of requiring multiple inventory management systems and/or incorporating more complex movement techniques (e.g., compared to video games from the 1980s or 1990s).

[0043] Meanwhile, though, the form factor, layout, shape, etc. of the controllers (i.e., gamepads) that most gamers use has barely changed over the last few decades. In many cases, traditional controllers suffer from multifarious limitations. For example, traditional controller range of motion may not be mapped proportionately to the game motions that require the most fidelity and/or fluidity. For instance, fighting and navigating the environment in first-person shooters requires primarily camera control inputs along the x- axis. However, industry-standard controller configurations map this to a right thumbstick’s x- axis travel, which is an arcing range of motion that is only ~2cm long. As such, the ~2cm range of motion needs to capture minute in-game movements to quickly and accurately dial in detailed aiming maneuvers (e.g., when aiming a long-range weapon in-game), as well as large sweeping movements to quickly turn 180° in firefights. This severe hardware constraint can result in user interface design tradeoffs that sacrifice speed or accuracy. Additionally, these hardware issues can lead to hand tension or fatigue for a user when the user is required to move the thumbsticks back and forth quickly and precisely (e.g., occasionally leading to repetitive stress injuries for the user). [0044] Other limitations can also apply to traditional controller designs. For example, thumbsticks on traditional controllers may develop “stick drift” (i.e., a durability issue where the sensor erroneously sends unintended inputs to the computer as the stick components mechanically wear out).

[0045] Virtual reality (e.g., virtual reality in games) has also been increasing in popularity in recent years. In addition to the limitations of current industry-standard controller design (which may also limit the design space for virtual reality games, as virtual reality games may involve the use of one or more controllers), motion sickness also has proven to be a difficult problem to address. Two major factors that cause motion sickness are: (1) the sensory mismatch experienced by the user when an in-game environment moves past the user’s peripheral field of view while the user’s body does not match the in-game movements in a one-to-one fashion; and (2) thumbstick yaw control (e.g., turning a player’s character or field of view left or right using a thumbstick). In order to address motion sickness issues, many game developers have been forced to prohibit or limit certain types of in-game movements / actions (e.g., design their games such that those actions cannot / need not be performed / need not be performed as often as would otherwise be desirable if the resulting VR sickness could be attenuated). This problem is often noticeable when a game featuring extensive in-game player movement is designed for a non-VR platform and then ported to a VR platform (i.e., originally designed for another gaming platform and then later transferred to a virtual reality platform).

[0046] Many different techniques are described herein to address the shortcomings of alternative controller designs and virtual reality designs described above. For example, embodiments described herein may include a joystick (e.g., thumbstick) arrangement design that alleviates the controller issues described above. The thumbstick arrangement may take various forms. In some embodiments, an example thumbstick arrangement may include a capacitive, clickable thumbstick surrounded by a capacitive, annularly shaped touchpad embedded with haptic motors that simulate the feeling of a button click when pressed. In some embodiments, the annular touchpad could be: oval, skewed or curved in three- dimensional space in various ways (e.g., to maximize an ergonomic feel of the annular touchpad), circular with one or more flat edges, circular with one or more points or notches or ridges on one or more inner and/or outer edges, clickable (e.g., the annular touchpad could be a ring-shaped membrane with an underlying button, similar to a key on a membrane keyboard), and/or a series of discrete button mechanisms (rather than a touchpad). In some embodiments, the annular touchpad may be capacitive (e.g., similar to a laptop touchpad) or based on resistive touch technology. Further, the annular touchpad may be flat, pitched outward, pitched inward, or rounded, in various embodiments. Additionally or alternatively, the annular touchpad may have a texture that provides feedback to a user (e.g., the annular touchpad may be made from a plastic, such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), or from textured/embossed glass).

[0047] While the thumbstick and the annular touchpad may be discrete components arranged adjacent to one another, in some embodiments, the thumbstick and the annular touchpad may instead merely be portions of the same component. For example, a single touchpad may include a center region (e.g., a center circular region) that constitutes the thumbstick and an annular region around the center region that constitutes the annular touchpad. In such embodiments, a circular sticker (or a plastic, polycarbonate, leather, pleather, or glass piece) may be placed in the center of a traditional touchpad and/or an annular sticker (or an annular plastic, polycarbonate, or glass piece) may be placed on a traditional touchpad (e.g., a traditional capacitive touchpad, such as that which is present on the VALVE STEAM DECK) in order to form the annular touchpad. Such a circular sticker and/or annular sticker may be made from adhesive-backed leather, adhesive-backed pleather, adhesive-backed vinyl, adhesive-backed hard plastic, or adhesive-backed sheet plastic, in various embodiments. In still other embodiments, the annular touchpad may be formed by a non-circular material with a round hole cut out of the center of the non-circular material, where the non-circular material is then adhered to the traditional touchpad. Alternatively, the annular touchpad may be formed by a rounded circular piece adhered to a rectangular traditional touchpad and the portions of the rectangular traditional touchpad outside of the rounded circular piece may constitute the annular touchpad.

[0048] In some embodiments, the thumbstick portion of the thumbstick arrangement may be recessed (e.g., such that a top surface of the thumbstick is approximately coplanar with the annular touchpad). When the thumbstick portion of the thumbstick arrangement is recessed, this may enhance ergonomics (e.g., by the top of the thumbstick portion being closer to an annular touchpad) and/or may enhance durability (e.g., may reduce stick drift by preventing mechanical damage when the associated controller or handheld gaming device is put in a backpack or other tight space in which it might be thumbstick portion may be inadvertently pressed up against something else and/or may reduce the amount of dust or debris that can enter any ingress points of the thumbstick arrangement). Further, a recessed thumbstick portion may also enable a clamshell body to readily be used with the associated controller or handheld gaming device. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the thumb stick may include a capacitive tip (or other touch sensor on the tip) to detect a user contacting the thumbstick’s top surface. The thumbstick arrangement may be mounted to a larger gamepad (or handheld gaming device) in various ways. For example, the thumbstick portion of the thumbstick arrangement may be mounted in a traditional fashion (e.g., like a PLAYSTATION controller or an XBOX controller), but an additional cylinder that surrounds the thumbstick portion may be added and, on top of the additional cylinder, the annular touchpad may be placed.

[0049] In addition to the physical components used for the thumbstick arrangement, example embodiments may include associated software and/or firmware used to communicate a user’s (e.g., a player’s) interactions with the thumbstick arrangement to a processor (e.g., a processor that is executing a game file and causing one or more images representing the game file to be displayed on a display). Such software or firmware may have one or more functionalities that serve to make use of the design features of the thumbstick arrangement (e.g., the thumbstick and surrounding annular touchpad) described above. For example, when the thumbstick includes a capacitive top surface, if a user’s finger (e.g., thumb) is in contact with the capacitive top surface and only briefly interacts (e.g., for less than a threshold amount of time) with the surrounding annular touchpad, the software or firmware may be usable to determine that the contact with the annular touchpad was inadvertent and, therefore, that the input to the annular touchpad should not translate into an action in-game. Other techniques for selectively ignoring one or more inputs may also be implemented in the software or firmware. For example, interactions with the annular touchpad may be ignored based on a deflection of the thumbstick relative to the thumbstick’s resting position and/or interactions with the thumbstick may be ignored based on a user interaction with the annular touchpad. Additionally or alternatively, the software or firmware may stitch two or more seemingly disparate interactions into a single contiguous interaction. For example, if a user is sliding their finger (e.g., thumb) along the annular touchpad and the user’s finger briefly (e.g., for less than a threshold period of time, such as for less than 150 ms) becomes disengaged from the annular touchpad and then reengages the touchpad, the software or firmware may be configured in various ways to stitch the interaction before the disengagement and after the disengagement together in order to simulate a single event (e.g., a single gesture). One design approach that could stitch these inputs together into a single input involves implementing an input delay (e.g., of 150ms) before sending the discreet discontinuous inputs to the processor. [0050] A processor executing one or more game files may translate one or more interactions with the thumbstick arrangement into one or more game actions displayed onscreen. For example, interactions with the annular touchpad may control player movements in yaw (e.g., similar to the way in which a steering wheel controls a vehicle’s yaw). For instance, when a user touches a top section (e.g., the portion of the annular touchpad having the greatest j’-positi on along a face of the gamepad) with their thumb and then moves their thumb in a clockwise motion (e.g., around the surface of the annular touchpad), an in-game camera may also move clockwise. The mapping may be one-to-one (e.g., a 180° movement around the annular touchpad may correspond to a 180° adjustment in player yaw orientation). Alternatively, the mapping may be weighted (e.g., a 360° movement around the annular touchpad may correspond to a 180° adjustment in player yaw orientation or a 180° movement around the annular touchpad may correspond to a 360° adjustment in player yaw orientation). This mapping (i.e., sensitivity) may be configurable (e.g., by a user) or tuned by software developers to behave differently in different scenarios.

[0051] In some embodiments, a gamepad or handheld gaming device associated with the thumbstick arrangement may also include one or more gyroscopic sensors (e.g., configured to provide one or more signals indicative of an orientation of the gamepad or the handheld gaming device). In such embodiments, the gyroscopic sensors may be usable to control player orientation in-game. Such gyroscopic orientation control (e.g., gyroscopic aim in a first-person shooter) may be selectively enabled using the annular touchpad. For example, when a user has their thumb on the annular touchpad, gyroscopic orientation control may be enabled and, when a user has not engaged the annular touchpad, gyroscopic orientation control may be disabled.

[0052] Additionally or alternatively, when a user engages the annular touchpad, one or more functionalities associated with the annular touchpad may be engaged. For example, (1) a haptic motor and/or a mechanical switch may provide one or more types of haptic feedback to the user at the surface of the annular touchpad, (2) a sensitivity of a gyroscopic orientation control (e.g., gyroscopic aim sensitivity) may be enhanced or diminished, (3) a game action (e.g., a “use” or “interact” action) may be performed, and/or (4) a re-centering action (e.g., where an in-game camera is re-centered behind or over a player or in a default position relative to a field of view) may be performed. In some embodiments (e.g., embodiments where a game action is performed upon interaction with the annular touchpad), a different game action may be performed (e.g., a “weapon reload” action common in first- person shooters) when two interactions with the annular touchpad happen in rapid succession (e.g., a double press of the annular touchpad is detected).

[0053] In some embodiments, portions of the annular touchpad that are not frequently pressed by the user can have corresponding control inputs assigned to them. For example, if a user touches the annular touchpad and then presses down on the annular touchpad at the lowest -positi on along a face of the gamepad, an in-game action could be performed (e.g., turning on a flashlight). However, if the user instead touches the annular touchpad starting at the greatest j’-positi on along a face of the gamepad, then slides their thumb to the lowest y- position along a face of the gamepad, and then presses down on the annular touchpad, the ingame action may not be performed (e.g., the flashlight would not be turned on). Likewise, different actions could be initiated by a user swiping from an inner side of the annular touchpad toward an outer side of the annular touchpad compared with swiping from an outer side of the annular touchpad toward an inner side of the annular touchpad. By identifying one or more gestures that are traced out by a user on the annular touchpad, certain actions could be selectively performed in order to allow for a myriad of different in-game interactions using only a single annular touchpad.

[0054] In addition to or instead of the functions described above, the annular touchpad may be used to pull up and/or interact with one or more interactive user interface menus (e.g., radial menus for managing inventories / abilities in-game). For example, if a user takes their thumb off of the thumbstick and then interacts with a left side of the annular touchpad (i.e., the portion of the annular touchpad with the lowest x-position along a face of the gamepad (i.e., the 9 o’clock position)), a first radial menu (e.g., a radial menu for player inventory that spans 360° on screen) may be displayed, whereas if the user takes their thumb off of the thumbstick and then interacts with a right side of the annular touchpad (i.e., the portion of the annular touchpad with the greatest x-position along a face of the gamepad), a second radial menu (e.g., a radial menu for player abilities that spans a 360° ring on screen) may be displayed.

[0055] While described herein as an “annular touchpad” it is understood that this nomenclature is purely an example and that the term “annular touchpad” is meant to be construed broadly and encompass technologies other than capacitive or resistive touch technologies. For example, rather than a capacitive touchpad, the “annular touchpad” may instead be an annular piece of material with one or more physical buttons underneath the material, each of which can be respectively engaged to determine which portion(s) of the “annular touchpad” are being interacted with. [0056] In addition to the thumbstick arrangements described above, example embodiments also relate to one or more techniques for acclimating users to a virtual reality interface. For example, example embodiments described herein may address the unsettling sensation of portions of the in-game environment and/or of in-game objects moving quickly past a user’s peripheral vision, creating a sensory mismatch between the user’s real-life motion (or lack of motion) and the in-game camera’s motion (or lack of motion). In some embodiments, a stereoscopic window into a virtual reality environment may be provided to a user (e.g., on a virtual reality headset) and may be surrounded (e.g., on the virtual reality headset) by a border of real-time pass-through video of the user’s real -world environment. External cameras on the virtual reality headset may display the user’s surroundings, grounding the user in their real-world playing space. Alternatively, a simulated space that closely matches the inertia of the user could be used for a background of the virtual reality game instead of a video feed. Alternatively, visual elements that match the user’s real-life motion (or lack of motion) could be displayed in portions of the display other than the border. [0057] Thereafter, the visual elements used to mitigate sensory inertial mismatch between the in-game environment and the real-life environment may be, on net, progressively removed over time. This principle of net removing colloquial “VR training wheels” over time may progressively acclimate users to VR motion and help users gain their colloquial “VR legs” without exceeding the user’s comfort threshold for motion sickness. Example embodiments may use a variety of methods to net remove those visual elements that help the user feel grounded in their playing space. For example, over a period of time (e.g., minutes, hours, days, weeks, etc.), the gameplay window will net expand, shrinking the pass-through border and slowly increasing the level of immersion that the user is experiencing within the virtual reality environment.

[0058] The progressive net removal of “VR training wheels” is specified here — rather than simply progressive removal — because an optimized system for targeting VR immersion to a user’s comfort level might dial up or dial down the use of various “VR training wheels” techniques over a short play duration (e.g., a single play session) while over a longer time horizon (e.g., dozens of play sessions) the use of VR training wheels may be attenuated. [0059] This principle of net removing visual elements that mitigate sensory inertial mismatch can be applied to other motion-sickness alleviating visual elements. For example, APPLE INC. released a “Vehicle Motion Cues” feature in iOS 18. This feature attempts to alleviate carsickness for iPhone users via virtual dots moving on a user’s iPhone screen that match the user’s real-life motion. Combining a technique like “Vehicle Motion Cues” with the system disclosed herein could involve the “Vehicle Motion Cues” dots fading from opaque to transparent and/or shrinking in size. The rate at which the “VR Training Wheels” are removed could be customized to the user based on a variety of relevant data. For example, the rate may be based on the game the user is playing, the portion or level of the game the user is playing, specific inputs the user provides (e.g., the user takes their thumb off of the left thumbstick mapped to character movement for an extended period of time, thereby alleviating any sensory mismatch that the user had been experiencing from their in-game character running as the user sits on a couch), direct feedback from the user (e.g., based on a sensitivity slider or a selection of one or more indications of a level of user sickness), historic input from the user (e.g., one or more settings previously provided by the user), the frequency with which the user uses an associated virtual reality headset (e.g., once a day, once a week, once every two weeks, etc., which may indicate how comfortable the user is with the current level of virtual reality immersion), metadata captured while the user is using an associated virtual reality headset (e.g., metadata captured using a camera or other sensor that is indicative of how comfortable the user is with the current level of virtual reality immersion), biometrics of the user (e.g., a temperature of the user’s skin, such as the skin on their forehead), data associated with the user’s historical acclimation rate for other virtual reality experiences, and/or one or more machine-learning techniques used to analyze one or more video feeds of a user’s motions in order to determine a user’s comfort level.

[0060] While the embodiments described herein are described in the context of gaming (e.g., virtual reality gaming, console gaming, computer gaming, handheld gaming, etc.), it is understood that the embodiments described herein are equally applicable to other technical fields as well. For example, the thumbstick arrangements and/or the virtual reality acclimation techniques may be usable in the teleoperation of robots, robotic components, remote-control vehicles (e.g., cars, aircraft, boats, submarines, etc.), diagnostic and surgical devices (e.g., an endoscope); in personal computing peripherals; and/or virtual reality television or movie viewing. II. Example Systems

[0061] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a computing device 100, according to example embodiments. Figure 1 illustrates some of the components that may be included in a computing device arranged to operate in accordance with the embodiments herein. For example, the computing device 100 may represent portions of a gamepad, a gaming console, a handheld gaming device, a personal computing device, a virtual reality headset, etc. Computing device 100 may be a client device (e.g., a device actively operated by a user), a server device (e.g., a device that provides computational services to client devices), or some other type of computational platform. Some server devices may operate as client devices from time to time in order to perform particular operations, and some client devices may incorporate server features.

[0062] In this example, computing device 100 includes processor 102, memory 104, network interface 106, and input / output unit 108, all of which may be coupled by system bus 110 or a similar mechanism. In some embodiments, computing device 100 may include other components and/or peripheral devices (e.g., detachable storage, printers, and so on). [0063] Processor 102 may be one or more of any type of computer processing element, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a co-processor (e.g., a mathematics, graphics, or encryption co-processor), a digital signal processor (DSP), a network processor, and/or a form of integrated circuit or controller that performs processor operations. In some cases, processor 102 may be one or more single-core processors. In other cases, processor 102 may be one or more multi -core processors with multiple independent processing units. Processor 102 may also include register memory for temporarily storing instructions being executed and related data, as well as cache memory for temporarily storing recently-used instructions and data.

[0064] Memory 104 may be any form of computer-usable memory, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), and non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory, hard disk drives, solid state drives, compact discs (CDs), digital video discs (DVDs), and/or tape storage). Thus, memory 104 represents both main memory units, as well as long-term storage.

[0065] Memory 104 may store program instructions and/or data on which program instructions may operate. By way of example, memory 104 may store these program instructions on a non-transitory, computer-readable medium, such that the instructions are executable by processor 102 to carry out any of the methods, processes, or operations disclosed in this specification or the accompanying drawings. [0066] As shown in Figure 1, memory 104 may include firmware 104A, kernel 104B, and/or applications 104C. Firmware 104A may be program code used to boot or otherwise initiate some or all of computing device 100. In some embodiments, for example, firmware 104A may include a basic input / output system (BIOS). Kernel 104B may be an operating system, including modules for memory management, scheduling and management of processes, input / output, and communication. Kernel 104B may also include device drivers that allow the operating system to communicate with the hardware modules (e.g., memory units, networking interfaces, ports, and buses) of computing device 100. Applications 104C may be one or more user-space software programs (e.g., mobile applications), such as web browsers, games, or email clients, as well as any software libraries used by these programs. Memory 104 may also store data used by these and other programs and applications.

[0067] Network interface 106 may take the form of one or more wireline interfaces, such as Ethernet (e.g., Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, and so on). Network interface 106 may also support communication over one or more non-Ethernet media, such as coaxial cables or power lines, or over wide-area media, such as Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET) or digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies. Network interface 106 may additionally take the form of one or more wireless interfaces, such as IEEE 802.11 (WIFI), BLUETOOTH, global positioning system (GPS), or a wide-area wireless interface. However, other forms of physical layer interfaces and other types of standard or proprietary communication protocols may be used over network interface 106. Furthermore, network interface 106 may comprise multiple physical interfaces. For instance, some embodiments of computing device 100 may include Ethernet, BLUETOOTH, and WIFI interfaces.

[0068] Input / output unit 108 may facilitate user and peripheral device interaction with computing device 100. Input / output unit 108 may include one or more types of input devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, and so on. Similarly, input / output unit 108 may include one or more types of output devices, such as a screen, monitor, printer, and/or one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs). Additionally or alternatively, computing device 100 may communicate with other devices using a USB or high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port interface, for example.

[0069] In some embodiments, one or more computing devices like computing device 100 may be deployed to support the embodiments herein. The exact physical location, connectivity, and configuration of these computing devices may be unknown and/or unimportant to client devices. Accordingly, the computing devices may be referred to as “cloud-based” devices that may be housed at various remote data center locations. [0070] Figure 2A is a cross-sectional, side-view illustration of a thumbstick arrangement 200 that includes a thumbstick and an annular touchpad 202 (e.g., a capacitive touchpad), according to example embodiments. Figure 2B is a top-view illustration of the same thumbstick arrangement 200. The thumbstick may include one or more subcomponents (e.g., a tip 204, a shaft 206, a spring 208, an actuator 210, and one or more microswitches 212). As illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B, the annular touchpad 202 may surround at least a portion of the thumbstick (e.g., surround the tip 204 of the thumbstick). As further illustrated in Figure 2A, a base of the thumbstick (e.g., a bottom of the shaft 206) may be recessed relative to the annular touchpad 202 such that a top surface of the thumbstick (e.g., the tip 204) may be approximately coplanar (e.g., having a plane parallel to the x-y plane) with a top surface of the annular touchpad 202. In some embodiments, the annular touchpad may include (e.g., be fabricated from) ABS or glass (e.g., glass that is embossed or etched with ridges/divots so as to form a textured surface).

[0071] The thumbstick (e.g., the tip 204, the microswitches 212, etc.) may be configured to provide one or more first control signals to a processor (e.g., where the processor provides inputs to a display in order to display a user interface) indicative of one or more user interactions with the thumbstick. The processor may be a processor of a controller, of a handheld gaming device, of a console gaming device, of a computer, of a virtual reality headset, etc. in various embodiments. Additionally, the annular touchpad 202 may be configured to provide one or more second control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the annular touchpad 202. In some embodiments, the processor may be configured to receive the one or more first control signals and cause one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface. Similarly, the processor may be configured to receive the one or more second control signals and cause one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0072] In some embodiments, the thumbstick may be configured to provide the one or more first control signals to the processor when the shaft 206 is deflected from a resting position by a threshold angle (e.g., more than 1°, more than 3°, more than 5°, more than 10°, more than 15°, more than 20°, more than 25°, more than 30°, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the thumbstick may be configured to provide one or more third control signals to the processor when the tip 204 (e.g., a capacitive tip) detects an interaction (e.g., from a user).

[0073] In some embodiments, the annular touchpad 202 may be configured to refrain from providing the one or more second control signals to the processor when the shaft 206 of the thumbstick is deflected from the resting position by a threshold angle (e.g., more than 1°, more than 3°, more than 5°, more than 10°, more than 15°, more than 20°, more than 25°, more than 30°, etc.) or the tip 204 detects an interaction with the tip 204. In such cases, the annular touchpad 202 may refrain from providing the one or more second control signals since the interactions with the thumbstick may indicate that the user inadvertently interacted with the touchpad 202 (e.g., bumped the annular touchpad 202 unintentionally with their thumb while using the thumbstick).

[0074] Other second-level determinations may be made based on user interactions with the thumbstick arrangement 200, as well. For example, the one or more second control signals: may be indicative of a region of the annular touchpad 202 interacted with and/or may provide a timestamp of the interaction. As such, the processor may be further configured to analyze the one or more second control signals to determine: whether non-contiguous regions of the annular touchpad 202 were interacted with and, when non-contiguous regions of the annular touchpad 202 were interacted with, (i) whether the non-contiguous regions are within a threshold distance from one another; and (ii) whether the interactions with the noncontiguous regions occurred within a threshold time separation from one another. In such embodiments, when interactions with non-contiguous regions of the annular touchpad 202 that are within the threshold distance from one another occurred within the threshold time separation from one another, the processor may be further configured to cause the one or more first actions to be performed continuously in the user interface. This provides a functionality such that, if a user’s finger briefly slipped off the annular touchpad 202 and then returned to the annular touchpad 202 while completing a gesture, the processor may nonetheless treat the gesture as a single gesture (rather than two discrete interactions).

[0075] Further, the processor may be configured to analyze the one or more second control signals to determine a sequence of which regions of the annular touchpad 202 were consecutively interacted with and, when regions of the annular touchpad 202 that occupy at least 120° around a periphery of the thumbstick were consecutively interacted with, the one or more second actions comprise one or more rotations in yaw in a digital environment of the user interface. As such, the annular touchpad 202 may be used to spin a player’s character (e.g., the player’s character’s field of view and/or position) or vehicle in yaw within a game. In some embodiments, when the regions of the annular touchpad 202 occupying at least 120° around the periphery of the thumbstick were consecutively interacted with in a clockwise fashion, the one or more rotations in yaw may include one or more clockwise rotations in yaw (e.g., of the player’s character) and when the regions of the annular touchpad 202 occupying at least 120° around the periphery of the thumbstick were consecutively interacted with in a counter clockwise fashion, the one or more rotations in yaw may include one or more counter clockwise rotations in yaw (e.g., of the player’s character).

[0076] An example interaction is illustrated in Figures 5A-5C. As illustrated, a clockwise user interaction 502 is traced out on a surface of the annular touchpad 202 (e.g., a 180° clockwise interaction). The annular touchpad may send one or more second control signals to a corresponding processor based on the clockwise user interaction 502. Based on these one or more second control signals, the processor may determine to perform a yaw rotation 512 (e.g., a 180° clockwise rotation, when observed from above) for a player’s vehicle 500 (shown from above in Figure 5B). Upon completion of the yaw rotation 512, the player’s vehicle 500 may be oriented as indicated in Figure 5C.

[0077] It is understood that the illustrations of Figures 2A and 2B are merely provided as an example and that other embodiments are also possible and contemplated herein (some of which are described with reference to Figures 2C-2N, for example). For instance, other shapes, form factors, sizes, etc. for the thumbstick and/or the annular touchpad 202 are also contemplated herein. Further, in some embodiments, the thumbstick may include additional or different components than those illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B. It is understood that any of the components illustrated in any of Figures 2A-2N could be combined with one another in various embodiments.

[0078] As illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B, the annular touchpad 202 may be shaped as an entire ring. In alternate embodiments (e.g., in the thumbstick arrangement 230 illustrated in Figures 2E and 2F), an annular touchpad 232 may be shaped as a portion of a ring. As also illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B, the ring of the annular touchpad 202 may be have a circular shape (e.g., an outer periphery of the annulus that defines the annular touchpad 202 and/or an inner edge of the annular that defines the annular touchpad 202 may have a circular shape). Alternatively, in some embodiments (e.g., in the thumbstick arrangement 240 illustrated in Figures 2G and 2H), the ring of the annular touchpad 242 may be elliptically shaped. In some embodiments (e.g., in the thumbstick arrangement 250 illustrated in Figures 21 and 2J), the ring of the annular touchpad 252 may have a three- dimensional ovoid shape (e.g., where a center of the ring is higher than the inner edge and the outer edge of the ring). In some embodiments (e.g., in the thumbstick arrangement 220 illustrated in Figures 2C and 2D), the annular touchpad may include one or more notches and/or one or more ridges/divots defined on an inner edge of the annular touchpad or an outer edge of the annular touchpad (e.g., resulting in multiple pie slice touchpad portions 222A, 222B, 222C, 222D constituting the entirety of the annular touchpad).

[0079] One or more instances of the thumbstick arrangement and the annular touchpad 202 illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B may be used in a gamepad or handheld gaming device (e.g., the handheld gaming devices 300, 600, 700 shown and described with reference to Figures 3, 4 A, 4B, 6, and 7) to communicate one or more intended user actions within a digital environment (e.g., a game) to one or more processors. For example, the thumbstick may be configured to provide one or more first control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the thumbstick. Likewise, the annular touchpad 202 may be configured to provide one or more second controls signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the annular touchpad 202. Thereafter, the associated processor may be configured to, upon receiving the one or more first control signals, cause one or more first actions to be performed in a user interface displayed on an associated display (e.g., within a digital environment of a game) and/or, upon receiving the one or more second control signals, cause one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface. In some embodiments, the one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface may include one or more player actions of a first type in a digital environment of the user interface (e.g., an interact-with or use-item action within a game). Additionally, when the one or more second control signals are indicative of a double press of the annular touchpad 202, the one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface may include one or more player actions of a second type in the digital environment of the user interface (e.g., a weapon reload action within a game).

[0080] In some embodiments, the annular touchpad 202 may be configured to provide the one or more second control signals to the processor when one or more portions of the annular touchpad 202 are depressed. In some embodiments (e.g., in the thumbstick arrangement 220 illustrated in Figures 2C and 2D), there may be one or more discrete button mechanisms or membranes (e.g., buttons 224A, 224B) located underneath the annular touchpad that are engaged upon one or more portions of the annular touchpad being depressed (e.g., upon a respective pie slice touchpad portions 222 A, 222B, 222C, 222D being depressed). Additionally or alternatively, when the annular touchpad includes a plurality of pie slice touchpad portions (i.e., wedge sections), the one or more second control signals may be indicative of which of the plurality of wedge sections were interacted with and the one or more second actions may include interactions with one or more portions of a radial menu in the user interface that correspond angularly to the wedge sections of the plurality of wedge sections that is being interacted with. For example, a first portion of a radial menu (e.g., the 2 o’clock portion) may be selected on the user interface when a wedge portion at the 2 o’clock position relative to the thumbstick is pressed whereas a second portion of the radial menu (e.g., the 8 o’clock portion) may be selected on the user interface when a wedge portion at the 8 o’clock position relative to the thumbstick is pressed.

[0081] Further, in some embodiments (e.g., in the thumbstick arrangement 250 illustrated in Figures 21 and 2J), one or more haptic motors 254 may be located underneath the annular touchpad 252. For example, where the annular touchpad is configured as multiple pie slice touchpad portions (e.g., as shown and described with reference to Figures 2C and 2D), the thumbstick arrangement may include one or more separate haptic motors disposed under each of the pie slice touchpad portions. In embodiments that include the one or more haptic motors 254, the one or more haptic motors 254 may be configured to provide haptic feedback to a surface of the annular touchpad 252 upon the annular touchpad providing the one or more second control signals to the processor. While the annular touchpad may be flat (e.g., as in the annular touchpad 202 illustrated in Figures 2 A and 2B), in other embodiments, the annular touchpad may have a different shape. For example, as illustrated in Figure 21, the annular touchpad may be rounded (e.g., have a three-dimensional ovoid shape) such that a middle radius of the annular touchpad 252 is disposed above: the outer radius of the annular touchpad 252 and the inner radius of the annular touchpad 252. In other embodiments (e.g., the annular touchpad 262 illustrated in the thumbstick arrangement 260 of Figures 2K and 2L), the annular touchpad 262 may be pitched such that an inner radius of the annular touchpad 262 is disposed above an outer radius of the annular touchpad 262. Oppositely, in some embodiments (e.g., the annular touchpad 272 illustrated in the thumbstick arrangement 270 of Figures 2M and 2N), the annular touchpad 272 may be pitched such that an outer radius of the annular touchpad 272 is disposed about an inner radius of the annular touchpad 272.

[0082] Figure 3 illustrates a handheld gaming device 300 (e.g., a front view of a handheld gaming device 300), according to example embodiments. As illustrated the handheld gaming device 300 may include a display 302, a directional pad 304, one or more discrete buttons 306 (e.g., in a diamond arrangement, as illustrated), and two thumbstick arrangements 200 (e.g., multiple instances of the thumbstick arrangement 200 shown and described with reference to Figures 2A and 2B). It is understood that the positions and numbers of the various components are merely examples and that other locations and/or numbers of components are also possible and are contemplated herein (including on a back side, top side, bottom side, left side, or right side of the handheld gaming device 300). In some embodiments, the directional pad 304 and/or the discrete buttons 306 may be configured to provide one or more third control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the directional pad 304 / discrete buttons 306. In such embodiments, the processor may be further configured to, upon receiving the one or more third control signals, cause one or more third actions to be performed in the user interface. [0083] In some embodiments, though not illustrated in Figure 3, the handheld gaming device 300 may include a gyroscopic sensor. Additionally, the handheld gaming device 300 may be further configured to provide one or more gyroscopic control signals to the processor indicative of one or more angular orientations of the handheld gaming device 300. It is understood that the same is true of implementations of a gamepad (e.g., as opposed to a handheld gaming device 300). In such embodiments, the one or more second actions performed (e.g., in-game) by the processor may be based on the one or more gyroscopic control signals. In this way, a sensitivity with which a player’s character (e.g., in a first- person game) modifies their field of view (e.g., in pitch or in yaw) based on feedback from a gyroscopic sensor may be adjusted based on a user’s interaction with the annular touchpad 202. For example, an enhanced look sensitivity may be engaged when a user touches or depresses the annular touchpad 202. In some embodiments, the processor may be configured to, upon receiving the one or more gyroscopic control signals, cause one or more gyroscopic actions to be performed in the user interface that include an angular rotation or a linear translation in the user interface and an angular sensitivity or a linear sensitivity associated of the one or more gyroscopic actions may be enhanced when the processor is receiving the one or more second control signals.

[0084] In alternate embodiments (e.g., of a handheld gaming device or of a gamepad), in some cases, the directional pad 304 may additionally or alternatively be surrounded by an additional annular touchpad (e.g., similar to the annular touchpad 202 shown and described with reference to Figures 2A and 2B). In such embodiments, the additional annular touchpad may be configured to provide one or more fourth control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the additional annular touchpad. In such embodiments, the processor may be further configured to, upon receiving the one or more fourth control signals, cause one or more fourth actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0085] In still other embodiments (e.g., of a handheld gaming device or of a gamepad), in some cases, the discrete buttons 306 may additionally or alternatively be surrounded by an additional annular touchpad (e.g., similar to the annular touchpad 202 shown and described with reference to Figures 2A and 2B). In such embodiments, the additional annular touchpad may be configured to provide one or more fifth control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the additional annular touchpad. In such embodiments, the processor may be further configured to, upon receiving the one or more fifth control signals, cause one or more fifth actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0086] It is understood that in various embodiments of handheld gaming devices or gamepads, any number of annular touchpads could be used (e.g., each configured to provide independent control signals to the processor that are indicative of one or more user interactions with the respective annular touchpad). Further, such annular touchpads could surround any type of component present on the handheld gaming device or gamepad (e.g., triggers, trackballs, touchscreens, other annular touchpads, etc.).

[0087] Figures 4A and 4B illustrate a top view and a cross-sectional, front-view of a handheld gaming device 402 with a clamshell body 400, according to example embodiments. The handheld gaming device 402 may be similar to the handheld gaming device 300 shown and described with reference to Figure 3, with the exception that it is a hinged device (e.g., similar to the NINTENDO 3DS or the AYANEO FLIP) with a display 404 on one interior face of the handheld gaming device 402 and the thumbstick arrangements 200 embedded within another interior face of the handheld gaming device 402. It is understood that interior components of the handheld gaming device 402 are not visible in Figure 4A since Figure 4A is a top view of a conformation where the clamshell body 400 is closed, but is visible in Figure 4B since Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view (e.g., through a center along the -axis of the closed clamshell body 400). As illustrated, the thumbstick arrangements 200 of the handheld gaming device 402 may include recessed thumbsticks (e.g., that have tips 204 that are coplanar with a bottom interior face of the handheld gaming device 402). This may allow an interior of the handheld gaming device 402 to not include significant amounts of extraneous space within the clamshell body 400. It is also understood that alternative handheld gaming devices 402 are also possible and are contemplated herein (e.g., handheld gaming devices 402 with more or fewer than two thumbstick arrangements 200 and/or more than one display 404, such as one display on the top interior face of the handheld gaming device 402 and one display on the bottom interior face of the handheld gaming device 402). Further, it is understood that a handheld gaming device 402 is merely illustrated as an example in Figures 4A and 4B and that a gamepad that includes the thumbstick arrangement 200 could equally have a correspondingly designed clamshell body 400. [0088] In some embodiments, as mentioned above, the thumbstick arrangement may take different forms. In addition to or instead of a discrete thumbstick surrounded by an annular touchpad (e.g., as illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B), a single touchpad with multiple portions defined thereon (e.g., on a handheld gaming device or gamepad) or multiple touchpads (e.g., on a handheld gaming device or gamepad) may be used to emulate the capabilities described above. For example, Figure 6 is an illustration of a handheld gaming device 600 that includes multiple instances of a capacitive touchpad 602. These capacitive touchpads 602 may have a first ring portion that mirrors the capabilities of the annular touchpads described above and a center circular portion that mirrors the capabilities of the thumbstick described above. These various portions may be defined on the capacitive touchpads 602 using one or more visual indications (e.g., coloration, stickers, patterns, etc.) and/or one or more texture indications (e.g., a bumpier texture for one or both of the regions relative to each other and/or to the rest of the respective capacitive touchpad 602). In embodiments having a single touchpad with one or more portions defined thereon to define the annular interaction region, the touchpad may be made from a single piece of plastic that is generally flat, but includes one or more annular features defined therein (e.g., a raised ridge feature, a recessed groove feature, etc.). Such annular feature(s) may have different chemical compositions and/or textures than the other regions of the touchpad. As with the other annular features described throughout this disclosure, such annular feature(s) may have various shapes (e.g., elliptical instead of circular) and/or may form an entire ring or just a portion of a ring (i.e., an arc).

[0089] Likewise, Figure 7 illustrates a handheld gaming device 700 that includes multiple arrangements of pairs of capacitive touchpads 702, 704. As illustrated, a first capacitive touchpad 702 that has an annular shape may serve the same purpose as the annular touchpads described above whereas a second capacitive touchpad 704 may serve the same purpose as the thumbstick described above.

[0090] As described herein, some embodiments relate to acclimating a user to a virtual reality environment using a virtual reality headset. Figure 8A illustrates a user 806 using a virtual reality headset 808. Initially (e.g., upon first use of the virtual reality headset 808), a display on the virtual reality headset 808 may display, to the user 806, a user interface at a first scale factor 804 and a background 802, as illustrated in Figure 8B. As shown, the background 802 may be a pass-through of the room in which the user 806 is currently located (e.g., the user’s bedroom, living room, etc.). A similar effect may be achieved with a virtual environment acting as this point of reference that remains stationary relative to the user’s real world environment. Further, as illustrated, the background 802 may be displayed peripherally to the user interface at the first scale factor 804. Over time, though, a processor associated with the virtual reality headset 808 may determine one or more metrics indicative of a user’s comfort with an immersion level of the user interface displayed at the first scale factor 804. Based on the one or more metrics, the processor may determine a second scale factor 814 that is different from the first scale factor 804 (e.g., larger than the first scale factor 804 as the user 806 becomes more comfortable with the level of immersion) and, thereafter, the virtual reality headset 808 may display, to the user 806, the user interface at the second scale factor 814 and the background 802. Such a display is illustrated in Figure 8C. As illustrated, the background 802 may be displayed peripherally to the user interface at the second scale factor 814.

[0091] There are many possible metrics that the processor associated with the virtual reality headset 808 may determine in order to adjust the scale factor, each of which is contemplated herein. For example, as illustrated in Figure 8A, a camera 822 could capture one or more images of the user 806 while the user interface is being displayed at the first scale factor 804 to the user 806 and those images could be analyzed by the processor to identify user 806 movements (e.g., to determine if the user 806 is suffering from no, mild, or significant motion sickness). Other metrics are possible and are also contemplated herein, such as metrics determined based on which game is being displayed on the user interface, metrics determined based on which level or section of a game is being displayed on the user interface, metrics based on a user input indicative of the user’s comfort with the immersion level of the user interface displayed at the first scale factor 804, metrics based on an analysis of a user’s interaction with one or more gamepads associated with the virtual reality headset 808 over a predefined period of time, metrics based on an analysis of a frequency with which the virtual reality headset 808 has been used (e.g., by the user 806) over a predefined period of time, or biometrics (e.g., based on a temperature of the user’s skin).

III. Example Processes

[0092] Figure 9 is a flowchart diagram of a method 900, according to example embodiments. In some embodiments, the method 900 may be performed by a system (e.g., the handheld gaming device 300 shown and described with reference to Figure 3).

[0093] At block 902, the method 900 may include displaying, by a display based on inputs from a processor, a user interface. [0094] At block 904, the method 900 may include receiving, by the processor, one or more first control signals, wherein the one or more first control signals were provided by a thumbstick of a gamepad, and wherein the one or more first control signals are indicative of one or more user interactions with the thumbstick.

[0095] At block 906, the method 900 may include causing, by the processor, one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0096] At block 908, the method 900 may include receiving, by the processor, one or more second control signals, wherein the one or more second control signals were provided by an annular touchpad of the gamepad, wherein the one or more second control signals are indicative of one or more user interactions with the annular touchpad, and wherein the annular touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the thumbstick.

[0097] At block 910, the method 900 may include causing, by the processor, one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0098] In some embodiments of the method 900, the annular touchpad may be shaped as a portion of a ring. Alternatively, the annular touchpad may be shaped as an entire ring. In either case, the ring may be elliptically shaped or have a three-dimensional ovoid shape.

[0099] In some embodiments of the method 900, the annular touchpad may include one or more notches or one or more ridges defined on an inner edge of the annular touchpad or an outer edge of the annular touchpad.

[0100] In some embodiments of the method 900, the annular touchpad may be configured to provide the one or more second control signals to the processor when one or more portions of the annular touchpad are depressed. Additionally, in some embodiments, the method 900 may be performed by a system that includes one or more discrete button mechanisms or membranes located underneath the annular touchpad, wherein depressing the one or more portions of the annular touchpad includes engaging the one or more discrete button mechanisms or membranes.

[0101] In some embodiments, the method 900 may be performed by a system that includes one or more haptic motors located underneath the annular touchpad, wherein the one or more haptic motors are configured to provide haptic feedback to a surface of the annular touchpad upon the annular touchpad providing the one or more second control signals to the processor.

[0102] In some embodiments of the method 900, a base of the thumbstick may be recessed relative to the annular touchpad such that a top surface of the thumbstick is approximately coplanar with a top surface of the annular touchpad. [0103] In some embodiments of the method 900, the annular touchpad may be a capacitive touchpad.

[0104] In some embodiments of the method 900, the annular touchpad may be: flat; pitched such that an outer radius of the annular touchpad is disposed above an inner radius of the annular touchpad; pitched such that the inner radius of the annular touchpad is disposed above the outer radius of the annular touchpad; or rounded such that a middle radius of the annular touchpad is disposed above: the outer radius of the annular touchpad; and the inner radius of the annular touchpad.

[0105] In some embodiments of the method 900, the annular touchpad may include plastic, PBT, or ABS.

[0106] In some embodiments of the method 900, the annular touchpad may include glass and the glass may be embossed or etched with ridges or divots so as to form a textured surface.

[0107] In some embodiments of the method 900, the thumbstick may be configured to provide the one or more first control signals to the processor when a shaft of the thumbstick is deflected from a resting position by a threshold angle, the thumbstick may include a capacitive tip, and the thumbstick may be configured to provide one or more third control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the thumbstick when the capacitive tip detects an interaction with the capacitive tip. Additionally, in some embodiments of the method 900, the annular touchpad may be configured to refrain from providing the second control signals to the processor when the shaft of the thumbstick is deflected from the resting position by the threshold angle; or the capacitive tip detects an interaction with the capacitive tip.

[0108] In some embodiments, the method 900 may be performed by a system that includes a clamshell body.

[0109] In some embodiments of the method 900, the one or more second control signals: are indicative of a region of the annular touchpad interacted with; and provide a timestamp of the interaction. Further, the method 900 may include analyzing, by the processor, the one or more second control signals to determine: whether non-contiguous regions of the annular touchpad were interacted with; and when non-contiguous regions of the annular touchpad were interacted with: whether the non-contiguous regions are within a threshold distance from one another; and whether the interactions with the non-contiguous regions occurred within a threshold time separation from one another. Additionally, the method 900 may include, when interactions with non-contiguous regions of the annular touchpad that are within the threshold distance from one another occurred within the threshold time separation from one another, causing, by the processor, the one or more first actions to be performed continuously in the user interface.

[0110] In some embodiments, the method 900 may also include analyzing, by the processor, the one or more second control signals to determine a sequence of which regions of the annular touchpad were consecutively interacted with. In such embodiments, when regions of the annular touchpad that occupy at least 120° around a periphery of the thumbstick were consecutively interacted with, the one or more second actions may include one or more rotations in yaw in a digital environment of the user interface. Additionally, when the regions of the annular touchpad occupying at least 120° around the periphery of the thumbstick were consecutively interacted with in a clockwise fashion, the one or more rotations in yaw may include one or more clockwise rotations in yaw. Further, when the regions of the annular touchpad occupying at least 120° around the periphery of the thumbstick were consecutively interacted with in a counter clockwise fashion, the one or more rotations in yaw may include one or more counter clockwise rotations in yaw.

[OHl] In some embodiments, the method 900 may also include receiving, by the processor from a gyroscopic sensor of the gamepad, one or more gyroscopic control signals to the processor indicative of one or more angular orientations of the gamepad. In such embodiments, the one or more second actions may be based on the one or more gyroscopic control signals. Further, the method 900 may include, upon receiving the one or more gyroscopic control signals, causing, by the processor, one or more gyroscopic actions to be performed in the user interface. The one or more gyroscopic actions may include an angular rotation or a linear translation in the user interface. An angular sensitivity or a linear sensitivity associated of the one or more gyroscopic actions is enhanced when the processor is receiving the one or more second control signals.

[0112] In some embodiments of the method 900, the one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface may include one or more player actions of a first type in a digital environment of the user interface. When the one or more second control signals are indicative of a double press of the annular touchpad, the one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface may include one or more player actions of a second type in the digital environment of the user interface.

[0113] In some embodiments of the method 900, the annular touchpad may include a plurality of wedge sections. Additionally, the one or more second control signals may be indicative of which of the plurality of wedge sections interacted with. Further, the one or more second actions may include interactions with one or more portions of a radial menu in the user interface that correspond angularly to the wedge sections of the plurality of wedge sections that is being interacted with.

[0114] In some embodiments, the method 900 may include providing, by a directional pad of the gamepad, one or more third control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the directional pad. The method 900 may also include providing, by an additional annular touchpad of the gamepad, one or more fourth control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the additional annular touchpad, wherein the additional annular touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the directional pad. Further, the method 900 may include, upon receiving the one or more third control signals, causing, by the processor, one or more third actions to be performed in the user interface. Additionally, the method 900 may include, upon receiving the one or more fourth control signals, causing, by the processor, one or more fourth actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0115] In some embodiments, the method 900 may include providing, by a button of the gamepad, one or more third control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the button. The method 900 may also include providing, by an additional annular touchpad of the gamepad, one or more fourth control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the additional annular touchpad, wherein the additional annular touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the button. Further, the method 900 may include, upon receiving the one or more third control signals, causing, by the processor, one or more third actions to be performed in the user interface. Additionally, the method 900 may include, upon receiving the one or more fourth control signals, causing, by the processor, one or more fourth actions to be performed in the user interface.

[0116] Figure 10 is a flowchart diagram of a method 1000, according to example embodiments. In some embodiments, the method 1000 may be performed by a system (e.g., including the virtual reality headset 808 shown and described with reference to Figure 8A). [0117] At block 1002, the method 1000 may include displaying, on a display of a virtual reality headset, a user interface at a first scale factor and a background, wherein the background is displayed peripherally to the user interface, and wherein the user interface at the first scale factor and the background together occupy the entirety of the display.

[0118] At block 1004, the method 1000 may include determining, by a processor associated with the virtual reality headset, one or more metrics indicative of a user’s comfort with an immersion level of the user interface displayed at the first scale factor. [0119] At block 1006, the method 1000 may include determining, by the processor based on the one or more metrics and the first scale factor, a second scale factor, wherein the second scale factor is different from the first scale factor.

[0120] At block 1008, the method 1000 may include displaying, on a display of the virtual reality headset, the user interface at the second scale factor and the background, wherein the background is displayed peripherally to the user interface at the second scale factor, and wherein the user interface at the second scale factor and the background together occupy the entirety of the display.

[0121] In some embodiments of the method 1000, the second scale factor may be larger than the first scale factor.

[0122] In some embodiments of the method 1000, the one or more metrics may be determined based on which game is being displayed on the user interface.

[0123] In some embodiments of the method 1000, the one or more metrics may be determined based on which level or section of a game is being displayed on the user interface.

[0124] In some embodiments of the method 1000, block 1004 may include receiving user input indicative of the user’s comfort with the immersion level of the user interface displayed at the first scale factor.

[0125] In some embodiments of the method 1000, block 1004 may include analyzing a user’s interaction with one or more gamepads associated with the virtual reality headset over a predefined period of time.

[0126] In some embodiments of the method 1000, block 1004 may include analyzing a frequency with which the virtual reality headset has been used over a predefined period of time.

[0127] In some embodiments of the method 1000, block 1004 may include receiving, by the processor, one or more images of the user captured while the user interface is being displayed at the first scale factor. Block 1004 may also include analyzing, by the processor, the one or more images to identify user movements.

[0128] In some embodiments of the method 1000, the one or more metrics may include one or more biometrics.

[0129] In some embodiments of the method 1000, the one or more biometrics may include a temperature of the user’s skin (e.g., skin on the user’s forehead).

IV. Conclusion [0130] The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the particular embodiments described in this application, which are intended as illustrations of various aspects. Many modifications and variations can be made without departing from its scope, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Functionally equivalent methods and apparatuses within the scope of the disclosure, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing descriptions. Such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0131] The above detailed description describes various features and operations of the disclosed systems, devices, and methods with reference to the accompanying figures. The example embodiments described herein and in the figures are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments can be utilized, and other changes can be made, without departing from the scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations.

[0132] With respect to any or all of the message flow diagrams, scenarios, and flow charts in the figures and as discussed herein, each step, block, operation, and/or communication can represent a processing of information and/or a transmission of information in accordance with example embodiments. Alternative embodiments are included within the scope of these example embodiments. In these alternative embodiments, for example, operations described as steps, blocks, transmissions, communications, requests, responses, and/or messages can be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved. Further, more or fewer blocks and/or operations can be used with any of the message flow diagrams, scenarios, and flow charts discussed herein, and these message flow diagrams, scenarios, and flow charts can be combined with one another, in part or in whole. [0133] A step, block, or operation that represents a processing of information can correspond to circuitry that can be configured to perform the specific logical functions of a herein-described method or technique. Alternatively or additionally, a step or block that represents a processing of information can correspond to a module, a segment, or a portion of program code (including related data). The program code can include one or more instructions executable by a processor for implementing specific logical operations or actions in the method or technique. The program code and/or related data can be stored on any type of computer-readable medium such as a storage device including random-access memory (RAM), a disk drive, a solid state drive, or another storage medium.

[0134] The computer-readable medium can also include non-transitory computer- readable media such as computer-readable media that store data for short periods of time like register memory and processor cache. The computer-readable media can further include non- transitory computer-readable media that store program code and/or data for longer periods of time. Thus, the computer-readable media may include secondary or persistent long term storage, like read-only memory (ROM), optical or magnetic disks, solid state drives, compact-disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), for example. The computer-readable media can also be any other volatile or non-volatile storage systems. A computer-readable medium can be considered a computer-readable storage medium, for example, or a tangible storage device.

[0135] Moreover, a step, block, or operation that represents one or more information transmissions can correspond to information transmissions between software and/or hardware modules in the same physical device. However, other information transmissions can be between software modules and/or hardware modules in different physical devices.

[0136] The particular arrangements shown in the figures should not be viewed as limiting. It should be understood that other embodiments can include more or less of each element shown in a given figure. Further, some of the illustrated elements can be combined or omitted. Yet further, an example embodiment can include elements that are not illustrated in the figures.

[0137] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purpose of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed:

1. A system comprising: a processor; a display configured to display a user interface based on inputs from the processor; a gamepad comprising: a thumbstick configured to provide one or more first control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the thumbstick; and an annular touchpad configured to provide one or more second control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the annular touchpad, wherein the annular touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the thumbstick, and wherein the processor is configured to: upon receiving the one or more first control signals, cause one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface; and upon receiving the one or more second control signals, cause one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular touchpad is shaped as a portion of a ring.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular touchpad is shaped as an entire ring.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the ring is elliptically shaped.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the ring has a three-dimensional ovoid shape.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular touchpad comprises one or more notches or one or more ridges defined on an inner edge of the annular touchpad or an outer edge of the annular touchpad.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular touchpad is configured to provide the one or more second control signals to the processor when one or more portions of the annular touchpad are depressed.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising one or more discrete button mechanisms or membranes located underneath the annular touchpad, wherein depressing the one or more portions of the annular touchpad comprises engaging the one or more discrete button mechanisms or membranes.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more haptic motors located underneath the annular touchpad, wherein the one or more haptic motors are configured to provide haptic feedback to a surface of the annular touchpad upon the annular touchpad providing the one or more second control signals to the processor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a base of the thumbstick is recessed relative to the annular touchpad such that a top surface of the thumbstick is approximately coplanar with a top surface of the annular touchpad.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular touchpad is a capacitive touchpad.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular touchpad is: flat; pitched such that an outer radius of the annular touchpad is disposed above an inner radius of the annular touchpad; pitched such that the inner radius of the annular touchpad is disposed above the outer radius of the annular touchpad; or rounded such that a middle radius of the annular touchpad is disposed above: the outer radius of the annular touchpad; and the inner radius of the annular touchpad.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular touchpad comprises plastic, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular touchpad comprises glass, and wherein the glass is embossed or etched with ridges or divots so as to form a textured surface.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the thumbstick is configured to provide the one or more first control signals to the processor when a shaft of the thumbstick is deflected from a resting position by a threshold angle, wherein the thumbstick comprises a capacitive tip, and wherein the thumbstick is configured to provide one or more third control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the thumbstick when the capacitive tip detects an interaction with the capacitive tip.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the annular touchpad is configured to refrain from providing the one or more second control signals to the processor when: the shaft of the thumbstick is deflected from the resting position by the threshold angle; or the capacitive tip detects an interaction with the capacitive tip.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a clamshell body.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more second control signals: are indicative of a region of the annular touchpad interacted with; and provide a timestamp of the interaction, and wherein the processor is further configured to: analyze the one or more second control signals to determine: whether non-contiguous regions of the annular touchpad were interacted with; and when non-contiguous regions of the annular touchpad were interacted with: whether the non-contiguous regions are within a threshold distance from one another; and whether the interactions with the non-contiguous regions occurred within a threshold time separation from one another; and when interactions with non-contiguous regions of the annular touchpad that are within the threshold distance from one another occurred within the threshold time separation from one another, cause the one or more first actions to be performed continuously in the user interface.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to analyze the one or more second control signals to determine a sequence of which regions of the annular touchpad were consecutively interacted with, and wherein, when regions of the annular touchpad that occupy at least 120° around a periphery of the thumbstick were consecutively interacted with, the one or more second actions comprise one or more rotations in yaw in a digital environment of the user interface.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein, when the regions of the annular touchpad occupying at least 120° around the periphery of the thumbstick were consecutively interacted with in a clockwise fashion, the one or more rotations in yaw comprise one or more clockwise rotations in yaw, and wherein, when the regions of the annular touchpad occupying at least 120° around the periphery of the thumbstick were consecutively interacted with in a counter clockwise fashion, the one or more rotations in yaw comprise one or more counter clockwise rotations in yaw.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the gamepad further comprises a gyroscopic sensor, wherein the gamepad is further configured to provide one or more gyroscopic control signals to the processor indicative of one or more angular orientations of the gamepad.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more second actions are based on the one or more gyroscopic control signals.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to, upon receiving the one or more gyroscopic control signals, cause one or more gyroscopic actions to be performed in the user interface, wherein the one or more gyroscopic actions comprise an angular rotation or a linear translation in the user interface, and wherein an angular sensitivity or a linear sensitivity associated of the one or more gyroscopic actions is enhanced when the processor is receiving the one or more second control signals.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface comprise one or more player actions of a first type in a digital environment of the user interface.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein, when the one or more second control signals are indicative of a double press of the annular touchpad, the one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface comprise one or more player actions of a second type in the digital environment of the user interface.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular touchpad comprises a plurality of wedge sections, wherein the one or more second control signals are indicative of which of the plurality of wedge sections interacted with, and wherein the one or more second actions comprise interactions with one or more portions of a radial menu in the user interface that correspond angularly to the wedge sections of the plurality of wedge sections that is being interacted with.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the gamepad further comprises: a directional pad configured to provide one or more third control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the directional pad; and an additional annular touchpad configured to provide one or more fourth control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the additional annular touchpad, wherein the additional annular touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the directional pad, and wherein the processor is further configured to: upon receiving the one or more third control signals, cause one or more third actions to be performed in the user interface; and upon receiving the one or more fourth control signals, cause one or more fourth actions to be performed in the user interface.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the gamepad further comprises: a button configured to provide one or more third control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the button; and an additional annular touchpad configured to provide one or more fourth control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the additional annular touchpad, wherein the additional annular touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the button, and wherein the processor is further configured to: upon receiving the one or more third control signals, cause one or more third actions to be performed in the user interface; and upon receiving the one or more fourth control signals, cause one or more fourth actions to be performed in the user interface.

29. A system comprising: a processor; a display configured to display a user interface based on inputs from the processor; a gamepad comprising a touchpad, wherein a first portion of the touchpad comprises a circular piece of adhesive-backed pleather, vinyl, hard plastic, or sheet plastic positioned thereon, wherein a second portion of the touchpad comprises an annular piece of adhesive- backed pleather, vinyl, hard plastic, or sheet plastic positioned thereon, wherein the second portion of the touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the first portion of the touchpad, wherein the touchpad is configured to provide one or more first control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the first portion of the touchpad, wherein the touchpad is configured to provide one or more second control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the second portion of the touchpad, and wherein the processor is configured to: upon receiving the one or more first control signals, cause one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface; and upon receiving the one or more second control signals, cause one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

30. A system comprising: a processor; a display configured to display a user interface based on inputs from the processor; a gamepad comprising: a first touchpad configured to provide one or more first control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the first touchpad; and a second touchpad configured to provide one or more second control signals to the processor indicative of one or more user interactions with the second touchpad, wherein the second touchpad is annularly shaped, and wherein the second touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the first touchpad, and wherein the processor is configured to: upon receiving the one or more first control signals, cause one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface; and upon receiving the one or more second control signals, cause one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

31. A method compri sing : displaying, by a display based on inputs from a processor, a user interface; receiving, by the processor, one or more first control signals, wherein the one or more first control signals were provided by a thumbstick of a gamepad, and wherein the one or more first control signals are indicative of one or more user interactions with the thumbstick; causing, by the processor, one or more first actions to be performed in the user interface; receiving, by the processor, one or more second control signals, wherein the one or more second control signals were provided by an annular touchpad of the gamepad, wherein the one or more second control signals are indicative of one or more user interactions with the annular touchpad, and wherein the annular touchpad surrounds at least a portion of the thumb stick; and causing, by the processor, one or more second actions to be performed in the user interface.

32. A method compri sing : displaying, on a display of a virtual reality headset, a user interface at a first scale factor and a background, wherein the background is displayed peripherally to the user interface, and wherein the user interface at the first scale factor and the background together occupy the entirety of the display; determining, by a processor associated with the virtual reality headset, one or more metrics indicative of a user’s comfort with an immersion level of the user interface displayed at the first scale factor; determining, by the processor based on the one or more metrics and the first scale factor, a second scale factor, wherein the second scale factor is different from the first scale factor; and displaying, on a display of the virtual reality headset, the user interface at the second scale factor and the background, wherein the background is displayed peripherally to the user interface at the second scale factor, and wherein the user interface at the second scale factor and the background together occupy the entirety of the display.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the second scale factor is larger than the first scale factor.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the one or more metrics are determined based on which game is being displayed on the user interface.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the one or more metrics are determined based on which level or section of a game is being displayed on the user interface.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein determining the one or more metrics comprises receiving user input indicative of the user’s comfort with the immersion level of the user interface displayed at the first scale factor.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein determining the one or more metrics comprises analyzing a user’s interaction with one or more gamepads associated with the virtual reality headset over a predefined period of time.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein determining the one or more metrics comprises analyzing a frequency with which the virtual reality headset has been used over a predefined period of time.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein determining the one or more metrics comprises: receiving, by the processor, one or more images of the user captured while the user interface is being displayed at the first scale factor; and analyzing, by the processor, the one or more images to identify user movements.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein the one or more metrics comprise one or more biometrics.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the one or more biometrics comprise a temperature of the user’s skin.