Synching and desyncing a shared view in a multiuser scenario

• US 10,482,665 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Copic, John Michael, Paulovich, Jonathan, Chevrier, Jedd Alexander, Hastings, Ryan Lucas
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttram, Todd
• Application Number:
  US15/382,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20180174364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• 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 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/024 Multi-user, collaborative environment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it

Abstract

Systems are provided for synchronizing and desynchronizing mixed-reality datasets between multiple devices. The systems identify multiple users in a mixed-reality environment. The mixed-reality environment is defined by a global mixed-reality dataset. The systems display a synchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset to each of the multiple users within a shared coordinate system. Additionally, the systems receive a command from a first user within the multiple users to desynchronize from the multiple users. The systems display to the first user a first desynchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset.

Claims

1. A computer system for synchronizing and desynchronizing mixed-reality datasets between multiple devices comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to perform at least the following;

identify multiple users in a mixed-reality environment, wherein the mixed-reality environment is defined by a global mixed-reality dataset;

display a synchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset to each of the multiple users within a shared coordinate system, wherein the shared coordinate system is simultaneously established in relation to at least a first tangible object within the physical environment of a first user of the multiple users and in relation to a different tangible object within the physical environment of at least one different user of the multiple users;

receive a command from the first user to desynchronize from the multiple users;

display to the first user a first desynchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset, wherein the first desynchronized view is also displayed to the first user according to the shared coordinate system, wherein the first desynchronized view comprises a view of the global mixed-reality dataset, but with a capability of the first user to, independent from other synchronized users, for the global mixed-reality dataset, view additional data , view less data, view different data, or manipulate data; and

display, within the mixed-reality environment, a visualization associated with the first user, wherein the visualization at least;

indicates to at least one other user of the multiple users that the first user is desynchronized from the multiple users; and

is rendered to correspond with the position of the first user within the mixed-reality environment.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first desynchronized view comprises a view of the global mixed-reality dataset with a different data filter than is seen by one or more synchronized users.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

one or more attributes of the first desynchronized view are defined by settings for a set of view variables, and

one or more attributes of the synchronized view are defined by different settings for the view variables.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to generate within the synchronized view the visual indication associated with the first user that indicates that the first user is in the desynchronized view such that as the first user moves within the mixed reality environment, the visual indication moves with the first user.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to generate within the synchronized view a visual indication associated a second user that indicates that the second user is in the desynchronized view.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the synchronized view comprises a single visual control panel common to all users sharing the synchronized view.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to:

receive from the first user a command to manipulate a particular portion of the mixed-reality environment within the desynchronized view; and

alter the first desynchronized view to reflect the manipulated data.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to alter the global mixed-reality dataset to reflect the manipulated particular portion of the mixed-reality environment.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to:

before altering the global mixed-reality dataset, identify the particular portion of the mixed-reality environment; and

lock variables within the global mixed-reality dataset that are associated with the particular portion of the mixed-reality environment from being edited by any user other than the first user.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to:

receive a command from the first user within the desynchronized view to resynchronize with the synchronized view; and

display to the first user the synchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset.

11. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to alter the synchronized view to reflect the manipulated particular portion of the mixed-reality environment.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to:

receive a command from a second user within the multiple users to synchronize with the first user; and

display to the second user the first desynchronized view, wherein the first desynchronized view is shared with the second user and the first user.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to:

receive a command from the second user to manipulate a particular portion of the first desynchronized view.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to:

receive a command from a third user within the multiple users to desynchronize from the multiple users; and

display to the third user a second desynchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset, wherein the second desynchronized view is different than the first desynchronized view.

15. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising at least:

a first common anchor point associated with the first tangible object, wherein the first tangible object is within a room that contains at least a portion of the multiple users, and the shared coordinate system is associated with the first common anchor point; and

a second common anchor point associated with the second tangible object, wherein the second tangible object is within a different room that contains at least the different user and the shared coordinate system is simultaneously associated with the second common anchor point.

16. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to:

identify a first common anchor point within a first room that contains the multiple users;

identify a second common anchor point; and

display the synchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset to the multiple users within the shared coordinate system, wherein the shared coordinate system for a first portion of the multiple users is associated with the first common anchor point and for a second portion of the multiple users is associated with the second common anchor point.

17. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to:

identify a remote user in the mixed-reality environment, wherein the mixed-reality environment is defined by the global mixed-reality dataset;

identify a second common anchor point within a second room that contains the remote user; and

display the synchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset to the remote user within the shared coordinate system, wherein the shared coordinate system for the remote user is associated with the second common anchor point.

18. The computer system of claim 1, wherein multiple, different synchronized views are present simultaneously within the mixed-reality environment.

19. A method for synchronizing and desynchronizing mixed-reality datasets between multiple devices, comprising:

identifying multiple users in a mixed-reality environment, wherein the mixed-reality environment is defined by a global mixed-reality dataset;

displaying a synchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset to each of the multiple users within a shared coordinate system;

receiving a command from a first user to desynchronize from the multiple users;

displaying to the first user a first desynchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset, wherein the first desynchronized view is also displayed to the first user according to the shared coordinate system, wherein the first desynchronized view comprises a view of the global mixed-reality dataset, but with a capability of the first user to, independent from other synchronized users, for the global mixed-reality dataset, view additional data , view less data, view different data, or manipulate data; and

displaying, within the mixed-reality environment, a visualization associated with the first user, wherein the visualization at least;

indicates to at least one other user of the multiple users that the first user is desynchronized from the multiple users; and

is rendered to correspond with the position of the first user within the mixed-reality environment.

20. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable hardware storage device having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the computer system to perform a method for synchronizing and desynchronizing mixed-reality datasets between multiple devices, the method comprising:

identifying multiple users in a mixed-reality environment, wherein the mixed-reality environment is defined by a global mixed-reality dataset;

displaying a synchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset to each of the multiple users within a shared coordinate system;

receiving a command from the first user to desynchronize from the multiple users; and

displaying to the first user a first desynchronized view of the global mixed-reality dataset, wherein the first desynchronized view is also displayed to the first user according to the shared coordinate system, wherein the first desynchronized view comprises a view of the global mixed-reality dataset, but with a capability of the first user to, independent from other synchronized users, for the global mixed-reality dataset, view additional data , view less data, view different data, or manipulate data; and

displaying, within the mixed-reality environment, a visualization associated with the first user, wherein the visualization at least;

indicates to at least one other user of the multiple users that the first user is desynchronized from the multiple users; and

is rendered to correspond with the position of the first user within the mixed-reality environment.