Object tracking with a holographic projection

• US 10,373,319 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2016
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Moore, Jr., John E., Rakshit, Sarbajit K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flores, Leon
• Application Number:
  US15/180,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20170358096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

Approaches presented herein enable tracking a physical object with a holographic projection, and, more specifically, enhancing a view of an object by tracking the object with a 3-D holographic projection. A holographic object tracking projection system receives, from a sensor, a feed of an area containing a physical object and locates a position of the physical object in the area based on the feed. The system creates a visible holographic object to mark the physical object, and projects the holographic object, using a holographic projector, at the position of the physical object. The holographic object can be a shape that surrounds the physical object in order to increase a visibility of the physical object. The physical object may move, and, as the physical object moves, the holographic object tracking projection system tracks this movement and adjusts the holographic object to match the movement of the physical object.

Claims

1. A method of tracking a physical object with a holographic projection, comprising:

receiving a search request from a user;

receiving a feed from a sensor of an area containing a set of physical objects;

locating positions of the set of physical objects in the area based on the feed from the sensor;

identifying the set of physical objects in the area based on the feed;

analyzing the identified set of physical objects for at least one physical object corresponding to the search;

creating a visible holographic object to mark the at least one physical object;

projecting the visible holographic object into the area at the position of the at least one physical object; and

indicating, with the visible holographic object, the at least one physical object corresponding to the search.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

locating, based on the feed, a second position of the physical object in the area, wherein the physical object moves; and

projecting the visible holographic object into the area at the second position of the physical object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the visible holographic object is a 3-dimensional holographic object inclosing the physical object.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

locating positions of a plurality of physical objects in the area based on the feed from the sensor;

categorizing the plurality of physical objects into a set of categories;

determining a distribution of the plurality of physical objects based on the positions; and

projecting, based on the set of categories and the distribution, a set of visible holographic objects into the area, each marking at least one physical object of the plurality of physical objects.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

projecting the visible holographic object from a first holographic projector to a first position of the physical object;

detecting a second position of the physical object outside a range of the first holographic projector; and

projecting an indicator of a direction towards the second position of the physical object.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

detecting a movement of the physical object over a boundary of the area and a final position of the physical object at the boundary;

creating a visible holographic indicator object to indicate the physical object is outside the boundary; and

projecting the visible holographic indicator at the final position.

7. A computer system for tracking a physical object with a holographic projection, the computer system comprising:

a sensor;

a holographic projector;

a memory medium comprising program instructions;

a bus coupled to the memory medium; and

a processor, for executing the program instructions, coupled to a holographic object tracking projection engine via the bus that when executing the program instructions causes the system to;

receive a feed from the sensor of an area containing a plurality of physical objects;

locate positions of a plurality of physical objects in the area based on the feed from the sensor;

categorize the plurality of physical objects into a set of categories;

determine a distribution of the plurality of physical objects based on the positions;

create a set of visible holographic objects to mark the plurality of physical objects; and

project, by the holographic projector, based on the set of categories and the distribution, the set of visible holographic object into the area at the positions of the plurality of physical objects, each marking at least one physical object of the plurality of physical objects.

8. The computer system of claim 7, the instructions further causing the system to:

locate, based on the feed, a second position of the physical object in the area, wherein the physical object moves; and

project the visible holographic object into the area at the second position of the physical object.

9. The computer system of claim 7, the instructions further causing the system to:

receive a search request from a user;

identify a set of physical objects in the area based on the feed;

analyze the identified set of physical objects for at least one physical object corresponding to the search; and

indicate, with the visible holographic object, the at least one physical object corresponding to the search.

10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the visible holographic object is a 3-dimensional holographic object inclosing the physical object.

11. The computer system of claim 7, the holographic projector being a first holographic projector and a second holographic projector, and the instructions further causing the system to:

project the visible holographic object from the first holographic projector to a first position of the physical object;

detect a second position of the physical object outside a range of the first holographic projector; and

project an indicator of a direction towards the second position of the physical object.

12. The computer system of claim 7, the instructions further causing the system to:

detect a movement of the physical object over a boundary of the area and a final position of the physical object at the boundary;

create a visible holographic indicator object to indicate the physical object is outside the boundary; and

project the visible holographic indicator at the final position.

13. A computer program product for tracking a physical object with a holographic projection, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage device, to:

receive a feed from a sensor of an area containing a plurality of physical objects;

locate positions of a plurality of physical objects in the area based on the feed from the sensor;

categorize the plurality of physical objects into a set of categories;

determine a distribution of the plurality of physical objects based on the positions;

create a set of visible holographic objects to mark the plurality of physical objects; and

project, based on the set of categories and the distribution, the set of visible holographic object into the area at the positions of the plurality of physical objects, each marking at least one physical object of the plurality of physical objects.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, the computer readable storage device further comprising instructions to:

locate, based on the feed, a second position of the physical object in the area, wherein the physical object moves; and

project the visible holographic object into the area at the second position of the physical object.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, the computer readable storage device further comprising instructions to:

receive a search request from a user;

identify a set of physical objects in the area based on the feed;

analyze the identified set of physical objects for at least one physical object corresponding to the search; and

indicate, with the visible holographic object, the at least one physical object corresponding to the search.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the visible holographic object is a 3-dimensional holographic object inclosing the physical object.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, the computer readable storage device further comprising instructions to:

project the visible holographic object from a first holographic projector to a first position of the physical object;

detect a second position of the physical object outside a range of the first holographic projector; and

project an indicator of a direction towards the second position of the physical object.