A Tactile Mat to Keep VR Users From Walking Into Walls
A physical floor mat with built-in bumps and sensors that helps people in virtual reality know where they are standing without needing to take off their headset.
Original patent title: “Virtual reality proximity mat with directional locators”
A physical floor mat with built-in bumps and sensors that helps people in virtual reality know where they are standing without needing to take off their headset. Granted to Individual in 2019 with 22 claims.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a physical mat designed to provide spatial awareness to someone wearing a VR headset. It uses specific tactile features, such as a center 'home' locator and a forward-facing directional indicator, both of which feature cylindrical voids and sleeves to create a distinct physical sensation under the user's feet. By feeling these bumps, a user can orient themselves in the real world while their eyes are occupied by a virtual environment. The mat can also include embedded sensors that provide vibration, sound, or light feedback to further alert the user if they are moving toward the edge of the mat.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover software-based boundary systems like the 'Chaperone' or 'Guardian' grids projected inside the VR display.
- Does not cover mats that lack the specific cylindrical void and sleeve structure for the center and directional indicators.
- Does not cover motion-tracking systems that use external cameras or infrared sensors to monitor user position.
- Does not cover non-tactile floor markers like tape or painted lines.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
By using a physical 'directional locator' that is distinct from the center point, the mat provides a permanent, non-visual compass that the user can feel through their feet, ensuring they always know which way is 'forward' in their virtual game.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Anti-fatigue floor mats modified for VR use
Custom-made circular VR play mats
Tactile floor markers for home gaming setups
Why it matters
The bigger picture
VR immersion is often broken when a user accidentally hits furniture or walls, a problem known as 'room-scale' navigation. This invention attempts to solve that by using physical, rather than digital, cues to keep the user centered. It represents a hardware-based approach to safety that works even if the VR software's tracking system fails or is unavailable.
Filed
July 24, 2017
Granted
July 16, 2019
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
The inventorinventorThe person who actually conceived the invention. Listed on the patent regardless of who owns it.Read more →, Thomas Anthony Price, Jr., holds this patent as an individual. While major VR manufacturers like Meta (Oculus) and HTC focus on software-based boundary systems, various third-party accessory makers produce physical floor mats for VR, though many do not utilize the specific mechanical 'void and sleeve' structure described here.
Market impact
This patent highlights the ongoing challenge of physical safety in home VR environments. While the industry has largely adopted software-based boundary systems, there remains a niche market for physical accessories that provide haptic feedback, suggesting that hardware solutions are still viewed as a secondary layer of protection for immersive gaming.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a physical mat designed to provide spatial awareness to someone wearing a VR headset. It uses specific tactile features, such as a center 'home' locator and a forward-facing directional indicator, both of which feature cylindrical voids and sleeves to create a distinct physical sensation under the user's feet. By feeling these bumps, a user can orient themselves in the real world while their eyes are occupied by a virtual environment. The mat can also include embedded sensors that provide vibration, sound, or light feedback to further alert the user if they are moving toward the edge of the mat.
The clever bit
By using a physical 'directional locator' that is distinct from the center point, the mat provides a permanent, non-visual compass that the user can feel through their feet, ensuring they always know which way is 'forward' in their virtual game.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover software-based boundary systems like the 'Chaperone' or 'Guardian' grids projected inside the VR display.
- Does not cover mats that lack the specific cylindrical void and sleeve structure for the center and directional indicators.
- Does not cover motion-tracking systems that use external cameras or infrared sensors to monitor user position.
- Does not cover non-tactile floor markers like tape or painted lines.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$43K – $137K
Midpoint $86K · 11.1 yr remaining · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
JR., T. A. P. (2019). A Tactile Mat to Keep VR Users From Walking Into Walls (U.S. Patent No. 10,350,488). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10350488/nintendo-switch
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does A Tactile Mat to Keep VR Users From Walking Into Walls cover?
A physical floor mat with built-in bumps and sensors that helps people in virtual reality know where they are standing without needing to take off their headset.
Who owns patent US 10350488?
Individual owns this patent, granted in 2019.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on July 16, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
VR immersion is often broken when a user accidentally hits furniture or walls, a problem known as 'room-scale' navigation. This invention attempts to solve that by using physical, rather than digital, cues to keep the user centered. It represents a hardware-based approach to safety that works even if the VR software's tracking system fails or is unavailable.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover software-based boundary systems like the 'Chaperone' or 'Guardian' grids projected inside the VR display.
Same assignee
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