Powering unpowered objects for tracking, augmented reality, and other experiences

• US 10,045,001 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, Glen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalalee, Sultana M
• Application Number:
  US14/960,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20170163957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/046 Displays or indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10524 Hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8715 involving the mixing of the reproduced video signal with a non-recorded signal, e.g. a text signal

Abstract

A mechanism is described for facilitating powering of unpowered objects for tracking, augmented reality, and other experiences according to one embodiment. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes scanning, by a scanner of a computing device, an object, where the object includes an unpowered object, and where the scanner is further to detect a smart tag at the object. The method may further include providing power, by the computing device, to the object, where the power is provided via the smart tag at the object, where providing power includes initiating an output from the object to enable performing of location tracking of the object, where the output is received by the computing device. The method may further include rendering an augmented reality (AR) experience involving the object, where the AR experience is based on the output.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a scanner to scan, via scanning and powering logic, an object, wherein the object includes an unpowered object, and wherein the scanner is further to detect, via detection/reception logic, a smart tag at the object;

the scanning and powering logic to provide power to the object, wherein the power is provided via the smart tag at the object, wherein the scanning and powering logic is further to initiate an output from the object to enable data stream coordination and tracking logic to perform location tracking of the object, wherein the output is received by the detection/reception logic and comprises at least one of a video output or an audio output to allow response and application logic to access a database to match the object with contents at the database to retrieve supplemental information regarding at least one of video characteristics or audio characteristics of the object to perform at least one of the location tracking or the AR experience; and

augmented reality (AR) logic to render an AR experience involving the object, wherein the AR experience is based on the output.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scanner includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner or a near-frequency communication (NFC) scanner.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the output further comprises at least one of a vibration output, a motion output, and a light output, wherein the coordination and tracking logic is further to compare timings of the reception of the output at the apparatus and initiation, by the data stream coordination and tracking logic, of the output at the object.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein location tracking is further performed based on changes in and the timings of the output, wherein location tracking includes detecting one or more of movement, direction, deviation, stoppage, and sound relating to the object based on the output.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein location tracking is performed by one or more cameras, wherein the one or more cameras to capture one or more of images and video streams of the object.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the response and application logic is to determine one or more responses at the database matching the output, wherein the database maintains information relating to the object, wherein the one or more responses are obtained from the information at the database that is communicatively coupled to the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the AR logic is further to apply the one or more responses to render the AR experience, wherein the one or more responses represent one or more behaviors of the object being part of the AR experience, wherein the one or more responses include at least one of presenting the AR experience in a video recording of the object, adding colors to the object to enable tracking of the object using the output, adding sound to the video recording of the object, and adding position data to track the object.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising context engine to detect, via a context sensor of a sensor array, location or activities of the object to determine one or more contexts relating to the object, wherein the context engine is further to alter, based on the one or more contexts, the one or more behaviors of the object, wherein the context sensor includes an environmental sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

authentication logic to authenticate the object based on predetermined criteria including one or more of unique identification, registration, or passcode relating to the object, wherein authentication is performed via a user interface; and

communication/compatibility logic to transmit the output to one or more computing devices over communication medium to process the output at the one or more computing devices, wherein processing includes accessing the supplemental information obtained from the database or determining the one or more responses, wherein the one or more computing devices include one or more server computers communicatively part of the communication medium including at least one of a proximity network, a cloud network, or the Internet.

10. A method comprising:

scanning, by a scanner of a computing device, an object, wherein the object includes an unpowered object, and wherein the scanner is further to detect a smart tag at the object;

providing power, by the computing device, to the object, wherein the power is provided via the smart tag at the object, wherein providing power includes initiating an output from the object to enable performing of location tracking of the object, wherein the output is received by the computing device and comprises at least one of a video output or an audio output to allow response and application logic to access a database to match the object with contents at the database to retrieve supplemental information regarding at least one of video characteristics or audio characteristics of the object to perform at least one of the location tracking or the AR experience; and

rendering an augmented reality (AR) experience involving the object, wherein the AR experience is based on the output.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the scanner includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner or a near-frequency communication (NFC) scanner.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the output further comprises at least one of a vibration output, a motion output, and a light output, wherein location tracking includes comparing timings of the reception of the output at the computing device and initiation, by the computing device, of the output at the object.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein location tracking is further performed based on changes in and the timings of the output, wherein location tracking further includes detecting one or more of movement, direction, deviation, stoppage, and sound relating to the object based on the output.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein location tracking is performed by one or more cameras, wherein the one or more cameras to capture one or more of images and video streams of the object.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining one or more responses at the database matching the output, wherein the database maintains information relating to the object, wherein the one or more responses are obtained from the information at the database that is communicatively coupled to the computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the AR experience is rendered based on the one or more responses, wherein the one or more responses represent one or more behaviors of the object being part of the AR experience, wherein the one or more responses include at least one of presenting the AR experience in a video recording of the object, adding colors to the object to enable tracking of the object using the output, adding sound to the video recording of the object, and adding position data to track the object.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting, by a context sensor of a sensor array hosted by the computing device, location or activities of the object to determine one or more contexts relating to the object, wherein the one or more contexts are used to alter the one or more behaviors of the object, wherein the context sensor includes an environmental sensor.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

authenticating the object based on predetermined criteria including one or more of unique identification, registration, or passcode relating to the object, wherein authentication is performed via a user interface; and

transmitting the output to one or more computing devices over communication medium to process the output at the one or more computing devices, wherein processing includes accessing the supplemental information obtained from the database or determining the one or more responses, wherein the one or more computing devices include one or more server computers communicatively part of the communication medium including at least one of a proximity network, a cloud network, or the Internet.

19. At least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to:

scan, via a scanner, an object, wherein the object includes an unpowered object, and wherein the scanner is further to detect a smart tag at the object;

provide power to the object, wherein the power is provided via the smart tag at the object, wherein providing power includes initiating an output from the object to enable performing of location tracking of the object, wherein the output is received by the computing device and comprises at least one of a video output or an audio output to allow response and application logic to access a database to match the object with contents at the database to retrieve supplemental information regarding at least one of video characteristics or audio characteristics of the object to perform at least one of the location tracking or the AR experience; and

render an augmented reality (AR) experience involving the object, wherein the AR experience is based on the output.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the output further comprises at least one of a vibration output, a motion output, and a light output, wherein location tracking includes comparing timings of the reception of the output at the computing device and initiation, by the computing device, of the output at the object, wherein the scanner includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner or a near-frequency communication (NFC) scanner.

21. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein location tracking is further performed based on changes in and the timings of the output, wherein location tracking further includes detecting one or more of movement, direction, deviation, stoppage, and sound relating to the object based on the output, wherein location tracking is performed by one or more cameras, wherein the one or more cameras to capture one or more of images and video streams of the object.

22. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the computing device is to determine one or more responses at the database matching the output, wherein the database maintains information relating to the object, wherein the one or more responses are obtained from the information at the database that is communicatively coupled to the computing device.

23. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the AR experience is rendered based on the one or more responses, wherein the one or more responses represent one or more behaviors of the object being part of the AR experience, wherein the one or more responses include at least one of presenting the AR experience in a video recording of the object, adding colors to the object to enable tracking of the object using the output, adding sound to the video recording of the object, and adding position data to track the object.

24. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the computing device is further to detect, by a context sensor of a sensor array hosted by the computing device, location or activities of the object to determine one or more contexts relating to the object, wherein the one or more contexts are used to alter the one or more behaviors of the object, wherein the context sensor includes an environmental sensor.

25. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the computing device is further to:

authenticate the object based on predetermined criteria including one or more of unique identification, registration, or passcode relating to the object, wherein authentication is performed via a user interface; and

transmit the output to one or more computing devices over communication medium to process the output at the one or more computing devices, wherein processing includes accessing the supplemental information obtained from the database or determining the one or more responses, wherein the one or more computing devices include one or more server computers communicatively part of the communication medium including at least one of a proximity network, a cloud network, or the Internet.

26. A system comprising:

one or more sensors of a sensory array to detect, via device proximity detection module, an object;

a scanner to scan the object, wherein the object includes an unpowered object, and wherein the scanner is further to detect a smart tag at the object,

wherein the scanner is further to facilitate providing power to the object, wherein the power is provided via the smart tag at the object, wherein the scanner is further to initiate an output from the object to perform location tracking of the object, wherein the output is received by system and comprises at least one of a video output or an audio output to allow response and application logic to access a database to match the object with contents at the database to retrieve supplemental information regarding at least one of video characteristics or audio characteristics of the object to perform at least one of the location tracking or the AR experience; and

one or more components to render an AR experience involving the object, wherein the AR experience is based on the output.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the sensory array includes one or more of a microphone, a camera, an environment sensor, or a capacitance component, wherein the camera is further to capture one or more of images and video streams of the object, wherein the sensor includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner or a near-frequency communication (NFC) scanner,

wherein the one or more components include at least one of one or more of:

object and gesture recognition system to recognize and track one or more gestures of a user;

direction of attention module to facilitate, using the sensor array, tracking of positions or orientations of the object or the user; and

screen rendering module to facilitate the AR experience by rendering a virtual object associated with the object on one or more virtual screens.

28. The system claim 27, wherein the output further comprises at least one of a vibration output, a motion output, and a light output, wherein the coordination and tracking logic is further to compare timings of the reception of the output at the system and initiation of the output at the object, wherein location tracking is further performed based on changes in and the timings of the output, wherein location tracking includes detecting one or more of movement, direction, deviation, stoppage, and sound relating to the obj ect based on the output.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the AR experience is further facilitated using one or more of:

virtual object behavior module to render the virtual object and one or more virtual scenes relating to the object;

virtual object tracker module to track the virtual object as it moves within the one or more virtual scenes;

gesture to view and screen synchronization module to receive a selection of views and screens relating to the virtual object and the one or more virtual scenes to determine an active view or scene of the selection of views and scenes, respectively;

adjacent screen perspective module to determine coordinates of an adjacent scene;

object velocity and direction module to estimate dynamics of the virtual object corresponding to the object;

momentum and inertia module to estimate a velocity or a direction of the object in a space or on a display screen;

three-dimensional (3D) interaction and effects module to track user interactions with 3D images by the user via one or more user interfaces; and

command execution module to cache and execute one or more commands to facilitate one or more tasks including the AR experience.