Systems and methods for creating and sharing a 3-dimensional augmented reality space

• US 10,311,644 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2017
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jonathan M. Rodriguez, II
• Inventors: Rodriguez, II, Jonathan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martello, Edward
• Application Number:
  US15/626,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20180165885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 717 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A 3-dimensional augmented reality (AR) world is a version of our “real” physical world augmented with virtual 3D objects that may be experienced by a user, such as someone who “sees” the virtual 3D objects through a smartphone or special eyewear. A shared 3D AR world is one in which multiple individuals can simultaneously experience the same augmented reality, even if they are not using the same devices. The shared 3D AR world is created by obtaining and synthesizing sensory and other inputs from various devices in use by different users, and providing augmented outputs adapted to different devices. The synthesis of a wide range of inputs allows the augmented reality effects to be realistic. The augmented reality effects may be pre-rendered by a cloud-based server to reduce the computational burden on user devices.

Claims

1. A method for creating a shared 3-dimensional augmented reality space comprising the following ordered steps:

producing on a central computing device a plurality of renderings of an object in a 3-dimensional augmented reality space;

wherein each of the plurality of renderings represents a view of the object from one of a plurality of vantage points;

transmitting from a computing device to the central computing device positional data regarding the position and orientation of the computing device;

processing the positional data on the central computing device to select a rendering from among the plurality of renderings;

wherein the selected rendering represents a view of the object that most closely matches the position and orientation of the computing device;

transmitting the selected rendering to the computing device; and

processing the selected rendering on the computing device and presenting a 3-dimensional augmented reality space with the object to a user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sensing attributes of the real world on a second computing device and generating sensory data regarding attributes of the real world;

transmitting sensory data from the second computing device to the central computing device;

wherein the plurality of renderings account for sensory data received from the second computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sensing attributes of the real world on an auxiliary sensing device and generating sensory data regarding attributes of the real world;

transmitting sensory data from the auxiliary sensing device to the central computing device;

wherein the plurality of renderings account for sensory data received from the auxiliary computing device.