PLATFORM FOR WIDESPREAD AUGMENTED REALITY AND 3D MAPPING

• US 20110102460A1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kevin Parker
• Original Assignee: Kevin Parker
• Inventors: PARKER, Jordan
• Application Number:
  US12/939,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20110102460A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/633
• 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 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

A client device sends the following data to the servers: still frames from captured video and in some embodiments other data such as GPS coordinates, compass reading, and accelerometer data. The servers break down each frame into feature points and match those feature points to existing point cloud data to determine client device'"'"'s point of view (POV). The servers send the resulting information back to the client device, which uses the POV information to render augmentation content on a video stream. Information sent by client devices to the server can be used to augment the feature-point cloud.

Claims

1. A method for providing augmented reality to a plurality of users, the method comprising:

(a) receiving user data from the plurality of users, the user data for each of the users comprising image data taken at a location of each of the plurality of users;

(b) maintaining a database of feature points;

(c) locating feature points in the user data;

(d) matching the feature points in the user data to the database of feature points;

(e) determining augmented reality data for each of the plurality of users in accordance with said matching; and

(f) transmitting the augmented reality data for each of the plurality of users to said each of the plurality of users.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) determining whether any of the feature points located in step (c) are not in the database of feature points; and

(h) updating the database of feature points in accordance with the determination in step (g).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data comprise video data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user data further comprise location data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the location data comprise data global positioning system data.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the user data further comprise user bearing data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user bearing data comprise compass data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the user bearing data comprise accelerometer data.

9. A system for providing augmented reality to a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a communication component for electronically communicating with the plurality of users; and

a server, in electronic communication with the communication component, the server being configured for;

(a) receiving user data from the plurality of users, the user data for each of the users comprising image data taken at a location of each of the plurality of users;

(b) maintaining a database of feature points;

(c) locating feature points in the user data;

(d) matching the feature points in the user data to the database of feature points;

(e) determining augmented reality data for each of the plurality of users in accordance with said matching; and

(f) transmitting the augmented reality data for each of the plurality of users to said each of the plurality of users.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the server is further configured for:

(g) determining whether any of the feature points located in step (c) are not in the database of feature points; and

(h) updating the database of feature points in accordance with the determination in step (g).

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the server is configured such that the image data comprise video data.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the server is configured such that the user data further comprise location data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the server is configured such that the location data comprise data global positioning system data.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the server is configured such that the user data further comprise user bearing data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the server is configured such that the user bearing data comprise compass data.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the server is configured such that the user bearing data comprise accelerometer data.

17. An article of manufacture for providing augmented reality to a plurality of users, the article of manufacture comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium; and

code stored on the computer-readable storage medium, the code, when executed on a server, controlling the server for;

(a) receiving user data from the plurality of users, the user data for each of the users comprising image data taken at a location of each of the plurality of users;

(b) maintaining a database of feature points;

(c) locating feature points in the user data;

(d) matching the feature points in the user data to the database of feature points;

(e) determining augmented reality data for each of the plurality of users in accordance with said matching; and

(f) transmitting the augmented reality data for each of the plurality of users to said each of the plurality of users