Interactions of virtual objects with surfaces

• US 10,008,044 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Poulos, Adam G., Keibler, Evan Michael, Tomlin, Arthur, Brown, Cameron, McCulloch, Daniel, Mount, Brian, Kroymann, Dan, Alt, Gregory Lowell
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, Ryan R
• Application Number:
  US15/390,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20170103583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 345629
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0112 comprising device for genereting colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed that relate to operating a user interface on an augmented reality computing device comprising a display system. For example, one disclosed embodiment includes displaying a virtual object via the display system as free-floating, detecting a trigger to display the object as attached to a surface, and, in response to the trigger, displaying the virtual object as attached to the surface via the display system. The method may further include detecting a trigger to detach the virtual object from the surface and, in response to the trigger to detach the virtual object from the surface, detaching the virtual object from the surface and displaying the virtual object as free-floating.

Claims

1. A wearable augmented reality computing device, comprising:

a see-through display device;

a sensor system including one or more sensors;

a logic subsystem; and

a storage subsystem comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the logic subsystem to

identify a surface via image data acquired with the augmented reality computing device;

detect a condition in which a virtual object can attach to the surface, the condition comprising a color of the surface; and

based at least on detecting the condition, display the virtual object as attached to the surface.

2. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises one or more of size, a location, and an orientation of a surface.

3. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises a type of a surface.

4. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises a transparency of a surface.

5. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises an unobstructed area of a wall.

6. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises a table surface.

7. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises a padding space around the virtual object, and wherein the instructions executable to display the virtual object as attached to the surface are executable to display the virtual object as attached to the surface with the padding space around the virtual object.

8. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the condition further comprises a state of the virtual object.

9. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein code defining the virtual object comprises the condition.

10. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the condition is based at least in part on user input.

11. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions executable to display the virtual object as attached to the surface are further executable to detect a trigger to display the virtual object as attached to the surface, and display the virtual object as attached to the surface in response to the trigger based upon the condition.

12. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable to detect a trigger to detach the virtual object from the surface, and detach the virtual object from the surface in response to the trigger.

13. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 1, wherein the surface is a real-world surface.

14. A wearable augmented reality computing device, comprising:

a see-through display device;

a sensor system including one or more sensors;

a logic subsystem; and

a storage subsystem comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the logic subsystem to

identify a surface via image data acquired with the augmented reality computing device;

detect a condition in which a virtual object can attach to the surface, the condition comprising a padding space around the virtual object; and

based at least on detecting the condition, display the virtual object as attached to the surface with the padding space around the virtual object.

15. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 14, wherein the instructions executable to display the virtual object as attached to the surface are further executable to detect a trigger to display the virtual object as attached to the surface, and display the virtual object as attached to the surface in response to the trigger based upon the condition.

16. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 14, wherein the condition further comprises one or more of size, a location, and an orientation of a surface.

17. The wearable augmented reality computing device of claim 14, wherein the condition further comprises a type of a surface.

18. On an augmented reality computing device, a method, comprising:

identifying a surface via image data acquired with the augmented reality computing device;

detecting a condition in which a virtual object can attach to the surface, the condition comprising a type of a surface; and

based at least on detecting the condition, displaying the virtual object as attached to the surface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the condition further comprises one or more of size, a location, and an orientation of a surface.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein displaying the virtual object as attached to the surface comprises:

detecting a trigger to display the virtual object as attached to the surface; and

displaying the virtual object as attached to the surface in response to the trigger based upon the condition.