MOBILE VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY SYSTEM

• US 20090111434A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gyorfi, Julius S., Buhrke, Eric R., Lopez, Juan M., Yu, Han
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A method and apparatus for messaging within a mobile virtual and augmented reality system is provided herein. During operation a user can create “virtual graffiti” (203) that will be left for a particular device (105, 107, 109) to view as part of an augmented reality scene. The virtual graffiti will be assigned to a particular physical location. The virtual graffiti is then uploaded to a network server, along with the location and individuals who are able to view the graffiti as part of an augmented reality scene. When a device that is allowed to view the graffiti is near the location, the graffiti will be downloaded to the device and displayed as part of an augmented reality scene. Content filtering may take place on the graffiti so that only specific graffiti is displayed on a user'"'"'s device.

Claims

1. A method for providing a device with virtual graffiti, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving user feedback regarding a type of virtual graffiti a first device wishes to receive or not to receive;

receiving information representing virtual graffiti from a second device along with the location of the virtual graffiti;

receiving a location of the first device;

providing the first device with the virtual graffiti when the location of the first device is near the location of the virtual graffiti, and the virtual graffiti is the type of graffiti the first device wishes to receive.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving user feedback comprises the step of receiving a plurality of ratings indicating a quality, significance, or user'"'"'s satisfaction of previously sent virtual graffiti.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving user feedback comprises the step of receiving an answered questionnaire from a user as to what type of virtual graffiti they wish to receive or not to receive.

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

identifying the virtual graffiti as a type of virtual graffiti;

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the virtual graffiti is restricted as to what device can display the virtual graffiti.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the first device comprises a geographical region where the first device is located.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the first device with the virtual graffiti comprises the step of wirelessly transmitting the virtual graffiti to the first device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing the first device with a location of the virtual graffiti.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving the location of the first device comprises the step of wirelessly receiving the location from the first device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

receiving the virtual graffiti from the first device along with a location of the modified virtual graffiti, wherein the modified virtual graffiti is an updated version of the virtual graffiti.

11. An apparatus for filtering virtual graffiti, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver receiving user feedback regarding a type of virtual graffiti a first device wishes to receive or not to receive, and also receiving virtual graffiti from a second device along with the location of the virtual graffiti;

a personal object manager receiving a location of a first device;

a transmitter providing the first device with the virtual graffiti when the location of the first device is near the location of the virtual graffiti, and the virtual graffiti is the type of graffiti the first device wishes to receive.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the user feedback comprises a plurality of ratings indicating a quality, significance, or user'"'"'s satisfaction of previously sent virtual graffiti.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the user feedback comprises an answered questionnaire from a user as to what type of virtual graffiti they wish to receive or not to receive.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the personal object manager additionally identifies the virtual graffiti as a type of virtual graffiti;

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the virtual graffiti is restricted as to what device can display the virtual graffiti.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the location of the device comprises a geographical region where the device is located.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the transmitter wirelessly provides the first device with the virtual graffiti.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the transmitter further provides the first device with a location of the virtual graffiti.

19. A method for filtering virtual graffiti, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving user feedback regarding a type of virtual graffiti a first device wishes to receive or not to receive;

wirelessly receiving from a second device, virtual graffiti, a location of the virtual graffiti, and a list of devices with privileges to view the virtual graffiti;

storing the virtual graffiti, the location of the virtual graffiti, and the list of devices with privileges to view the virtual graffiti;

periodically receiving locations from the devices with privileges to view the virtual graffiti;

determining that the first device is near the location of the virtual graffiti, wherein the first device is on the list of devices with privileges to view the virtual graffiti; and

wirelessly providing the first device with the virtual graffiti when the first device is near the location of the virtual graffiti, and the virtual graffiti is the type of graffiti the first device wishes to receive.

20. A method for filtering virtual graffiti, the method comprising the steps of:

wirelessly receiving virtual graffiti from a server;

determining if the virtual graffiti is from a type of graffiti that a user wishes to display; and

displaying the virtual graffiti when the virtual graffiti is from the type of graffiti that the user wishes to display.