System and method for augmented and virtual reality

• US 10,469,546 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2019
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Samuel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US16/261,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20190158549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/424 involving acoustic input signals, e.g. by using the results of pitch or rhythm extraction or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/577 for watching a game played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/011 Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns
• 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 3/012 : Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 : Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 : Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 : where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 : Multichannel or multilink protocols

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a system for enabling two or more users to interact within a virtual world comprising virtual world data, comprising a computer network comprising one or more computing devices, the one or more computing devices comprising memory, processing circuitry, and software stored at least in part in the memory and executable by the processing circuitry to process at least a portion of the virtual world data; wherein at least a first portion of the virtual world data originates from a first user virtual world local to a first user, and wherein the computer network is operable to transmit the first portion to a user device for presentation to a second user, such that the second user may experience the first portion from the location of the second user, such that aspects of the first user virtual world are effectively passed to the second user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

selecting a visualization mode selected from a group consisting of an augmented reality mode, a virtual reality mode, and a blended reality mode, the visualization mode comprising the blended reality mode, the blended reality mode comprising rendering individual physical objects sensed using an environment sensing system as individual virtual physical objects;

sensing two or more individual physical objects using the environment sensing system;

projecting light toward a display lens of a head-mounted user display device, the light comprising a virtual object and renderings of the two or more individual physical objects;

reflecting the light using the display lens toward a user'"'"'s eye;

selectively allowing transmission of light from an outside environment directly through the display lens in response to selecting the visualization mode using the display lens wherein the head-mounted user display device is configured for displaying one of a virtual object, a physical object, a virtual physical object, or any combination of virtual objects, physical objects, and

transmitting the virtual object and the renderings of the two or more individual physical objects to a second head-mounted user display device in a second environment, the second head-mounted user display device projecting second light toward a second display lens of the second head-mounted user display device and reflecting the second light using the second display lens toward a second user'"'"'s eye, the second head-mounted user display device operating in the augmented reality mode or the virtual reality mode and displaying at least the virtual object and the renderings of the two or more physical objects to the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing a complete transmission of light from the outside environment when the head-mounted user display device is turned off, such that a user only views the physical objects.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

projecting a light beam associated with at least one display object having a particular shape into eyes of a user; and

selectively allowing the transmission of light from the outside environment based on the particular shape of the at least one display object such that the user views the at least one display object along with physical objects in the outside environment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing the transmission of light from the outside environment such that a user only views the virtual objects.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectively allowing, through a lens of a head-mounted user display device, a transmission of light from an outside environment comprises transitioning, by the lens of the head-mounted user display device, to an opaque setting to selectively allow the transmission of light from the outside environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment sensing system comprises at least one or more sensors in the head-mounted user display device and the two or more physical objects sensed using the environment sensing system exist in the outside environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment sensing system comprises at least one or more sensors in a second head-mounted user display device and the two or more physical objects sensed using the environment sensing system are displayed as virtual physical objects at the head-mounted user display device using digital object data generated as a result of the environment sensing system detecting the two or more physical objects.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein individual virtual physical objects of the virtual physical objects are selectable for inclusion or exclusion from display on the head-mounted user display device.

9. A head-mounted user display device, comprising:

a display lens reflecting light toward a user'"'"'s eye and selectively allowing transmission of light from an outside environment directly through the display lens; and

a processor operatively coupled to the display lens and having software running thereon, such that when the processor executes the software, the processor directs the display lens to selectively allow transmission of light in response to selecting a visualization mode, and senses two or more individual physical objects using the environment sensing system, the light comprising a virtual object and renderings of the two or more individual physical objects,

wherein the visualization mode is selected from the group consisting of an augmented reality mode, a virtual reality mode, and a blended reality mode, the blended reality mode comprising rendering two or more individual physical objects sensed using an environment sensing system as individual virtual physical objects, the visualization mode comprising the blended reality mode, the blended reality mode comprising rendering individual physical objects sensed using an environment sensing system as individual virtual physical objects, and

wherein the head-mounted user display device is configured for displaying one of a virtual object, a physical object, a virtual physical object, or any combination of virtual objects, physical objects, and virtual physical objects,

wherein the head-mounted user display device transmits the virtual object and the renderings of the two or more individual physical objects to a second head-mounted user display device in a second environment, the second head-mounted user display device projecting second light toward a second display lens of the second head-mounted user display device and reflecting the second light using the second display lens toward a second user'"'"'s eye, the second head-mounted user display device operating in the augmented reality mode or the virtual reality mode and displaying at least the virtual object and the renderings of the two or more physical objects to the second user.

10. The head-mounted user display device of claim 9, wherein the display lens selectively allows a transmission of light from the outside environment by employing a cover to block the display lens.

11. The head-mounted user display device of claim 9, wherein the display lens selectively allows a transmission of light from the outside environment by transitioning to an opaque setting.

12. The head-mounted user display device of claim 9, wherein the environment sensing system comprises at least one or more sensors in the head-mounted user display device and the two or more physical objects sensed using the environment sensing system exist in the outside environment.

13. The head-mounted user display device of claim 9, wherein the environment sensing system comprises at least one or more sensors in a second head-mounted user display device and the two or more physical objects sensed using the environment sensing system are displayed as virtual physical objects at the head-mounted user display device using digital object data generated as a result of the environment sensing system detecting the two or more physical objects.

14. The head-mounted user display device of claim 9, wherein individual virtual physical objects of the virtual physical objects are selectable for inclusion or exclusion from display on the head-mounted user display device.