Augmented reality installation/troubleshooting assistance

• US 10,049,276 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2017
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Harper, Leslie Ann, Card, II, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhatnagar, Anand
• Application Number:
  US15/445,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20180247123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/17 using hand-held instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/06 Recognition of objects for industrial automation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/04 for receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4425 Monitoring of client processing errors or hardware failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image

Abstract

Embodiments are directed toward analyzing images of cables and electronic devices to augment those images with information relating to the installation or troubleshooting of such cables and electronic devices. The images are analyzed to determine non-text characteristics of a connector of the cable and non-text characteristics of at least one port on the electronic device. These non-text characteristics can be compared to each other to determine if the connector is compatible with one of the ports on the electronic device. Similarly, these non-text characteristics can be compared with non-text characteristics of known connectors and ports to determine a type of the connector and a type of the ports on the electronic device, which is used to determine their compatibility. The images are then modified or overlaid with information identifying the type of connector or port, their compatibility or lack thereof, or instructions for connecting the compatible connector and port.

Claims

1. A method executing on a computing device, comprising:

receiving a first image of an electronics cable having a first connector at a first end of the electronics cable and a second connector at a second end of the electronics cable;

determining a connector type of the first connector based on a plurality of non-text characteristics of the first connector identifiable in the first image;

receiving a second image of an electronic device having a plurality of input or output ports;

determining a port type of each input or output port based on a plurality of non-text characteristics of each input or output port identifiable in the second image;

comparing the connector type of the first connector with the port type of each input or output port to identify a port on the electronic device that is compatible with the first connector on the electronics cable based on a match between the connector type and the port type;

modifying the second image to illustrate a location of the identified port on the electronic device; and

presenting the modified second image to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the connector type of the first connector includes:

analyzing the first image to determine the plurality of non-text characteristics of the first connector;

comparing the plurality of non-text characteristics of the first connector with a plurality of non-text characteristics of known connectors; and

identifying the connector type based on a match between the plurality of non-text characteristics of the first connector and the plurality of non-text characteristics of known connectors.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the port type of each input or output port on the electronic device includes:

analyzing the second image to determine the plurality of non-text characteristics of each input or output port;

comparing the plurality of non-text characteristics of each input or output port with a plurality of non-text characteristics of known ports; and

identifying the port type based on a match between the plurality of non-text characteristics of each input or output port and the plurality of non-text characteristics of known ports.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the second image includes adding at least one of text, a graphic, or a symbol that identifies the location of the identified port on the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the second image includes overlaying at least one of text, a graphic, or a symbol onto the second image to show the user the location of the identified port on the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one command to the user instructing the user to position a camera on the computing device to capture the first and second images.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one command to the user instructing the user to connect the first connector to the identified port.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of non-text characteristics of the first connector include at least one of a color, a size, or a shape of the first connector.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of non-text characteristics of each input or output port include at least one of a color, a size, or a shape of each port.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the second image does not include an identifiable input or output port;

adjusting a zoom parameter of a camera associated with the computing device; and

re-receiving the second image of the electronic device.

11. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a camera that captures images;

a display that displays the images;

a memory that stores instructions and at least temporarily stores the captured images; and

a processor that executes the instructions to;

receive a first image of a cable having a connector;

analyze the first image to determine a plurality of non-text characteristics of the connector;

receive a second image of an electronic device having a plurality of input or output ports;

analyze the second image to determine a plurality of non-text characteristics of each input or output port;

compare the plurality of non-text characteristics of the connector with the plurality of non-text characteristics of each input or output port;

identify a port on the electronic device that is compatible with the connector of the cable based on a match between the plurality of non-text characteristics of the connector and the plurality of non-text characteristics of each input or output port;

augment the second image to highlight the identified port on the electronic device; and

present the modified second image on the display.

12. The mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein augmenting the second image includes adding at least one of text, a graphic, or a symbol that identifies a location of the identified port on the electronic device.

13. The mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein augmenting the second image includes overlaying at least one of text, a graphic, or a symbol onto the second image to illustrate a location of the identified port on the electronic device.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 11, further comprising:

providing at least one command to a user of the mobile computing device instructing the user to position a camera on the computing device to capture the first and second images.

15. A method executing on a computing device, comprising:

receiving a plurality of images of an electronics cable having a connector and an electronic device having at least one port;

determining a type of the connector based on a first plurality of non-text characteristics of the connector;

determining a type of the port based on a second plurality of non-text characteristics of the port;

determining that the connector and the port are compatible based on a match between the connector type and the port type; and

modifying at least one image of the plurality of images to indicate compatibility of the connector and the port.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the connector type includes:

analyzing at least one of the plurality images to identify the first plurality of non-text characteristics of the connector;

comparing the first plurality of non-text characteristics of the connector with a plurality of non-text characteristics of known connectors; and

identifying the connector type based on a match between the first plurality of non-text characteristics of the connector and the plurality of non-text characteristics of known connectors.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the port type includes:

analyzing at least one of the plurality of images to identify the second plurality of non-text characteristics of the port;

comparing the second plurality of non-text characteristics of the port with a plurality of non-text characteristics of known ports; and

identifying the port type based on a match between the second plurality of non-text characteristics of the port and the plurality of non-text characteristics of known ports.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein modifying the at least one image includes adding at least one of text, a graphic, or a symbol that identifies compatibility of the connector and the port.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing at least one command to a user of the computing device instructing the user to position a camera on the computing device to capture at least one image of the connector.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing at least one command to a user of the computing device instructing the user to position a camera on the computing device to capture at least one image of the port.