METHODS, APPARATUSES AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR GROUPING CONTENT IN AUGMENTED REALITY

• US 20120075341A1
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sandberg, Jesper
• Granted Patent: US 9,710,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/633
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• 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 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

An apparatus for grouping content in an augmented reality environment may include a processor and memory storing executable computer code that cause the apparatus to at least perform operations including receiving a detection of real world objects, of a current location, that are currently displayed. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to determine whether one or more of the real world objects are located along a line of direction and determine virtual objects that correspond to the real world objects located along the line. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to display an item of visible indicia signifying a group, associated with the virtual objects, that is positioned so as to correspond to at least one of the real world objects located along the line. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a detection of real world objects, of a current location, that are currently being displayed;

determining whether one or more of the real world objects are located along a line of direction;

determining virtual objects that correspond to the real world objects that are located along the line; and

enabling, via a processor, provision of display of an item of visible indicia signifying a group, associated with the virtual objects, that is positioned so as to correspond to at least one of the real world objects located along the line.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the virtual objects are included in the group; and

enabling opening of the group in response to receipt of a selection of the visible indicia.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling provision of display of the virtual objects in response to opening the group, each of the virtual objects are accessible and displayed without blocking or hiding each other even though the virtual objects correspond to respective real world objects located along the line at respective distances from an apparatus.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

enabling closing of the group in response to receipt of another selection of the item of visible indicia; and

determining that the virtual objects are no longer displayed in response to receipt of an indication that the group is closed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the detected real world objects are captured in at least one image or video at an orientation of an apparatus with respect to the current location, the orientation corresponds to a view angle and a direction; and

determining that located along the line of direction comprises detecting that the real world objects are located within a predetermined threshold of the line.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that each of the virtual objects includes visual information identifying at least one of a name corresponding to a real world object along the line or a distance from an apparatus to a respective real world object along the line.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the group from a device without the virtual objects being included in the group;

receiving the virtual objects from the device in response to receipt of a selection of the group; and

enabling inclusion of the received virtual objects in the group.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising enabling display of each of the received virtual objects without blocking or hiding each other even though the virtual objects correspond to the real world objects located along the line at respective distances from an apparatus.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

receive a detection of real world objects, of a current location, that are currently being displayed;

determine whether one or more of the real world objects are located along a line of direction;

determine virtual objects that correspond to the real world objects that are located along the line; and

enable provision of display of an item of visible indicia signifying a group, associated with the virtual objects, that is positioned so as to correspond to at least one of the real world objects located along the line.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine that the virtual objects are included in the group; and

enable opening of the group in response to receipt of a selection of the visible indicia.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

enable provision of display of the virtual objects in response to opening the group, each of the virtual objects are accessible and displayed without blocking or hiding each other even though the virtual objects correspond to respective real world objects located along the line at respective distances from the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

enable closing of the group in response to receipt of another selection of the item of visible indicia; and

determine that the virtual objects are no longer displayed in response to receipt of an indication that the group is closed.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine that the detected real world objects are captured in at least one image or video at an orientation of the apparatus with respect to the current location, the orientation corresponds to a view angle and a direction; and

determine that the real world objects are located along the line by detecting that the real world objects are located within a predetermined threshold of the line.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine that each of the virtual objects includes visual information identifying at least one of a name corresponding to a real world object along the line or a distance from the apparatus to a respective real world object along the line.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive the group from a device without the virtual objects being included in the group;

receive the virtual objects from the device in response to receipt of a selection of the group; and

enable inclusion of the received virtual objects in the group.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

enable display of each of the received virtual objects without blocking or hiding each other even though the virtual objects correspond to the real world objects located along the line at respective distances from the apparatus.

17. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

program code instructions configured to cause receipt of a detection of real world objects, of a current location, that are currently being displayed;

program code instructions configured to determine whether one or more of the real world objects are located along a line of direction;

program code instructions configured to determine virtual objects that correspond to the real world objects that are located along the line; and

program code instructions configured to enable provision of display of an item of visible indicia signifying a group, associated with the virtual objects, that is positioned so as to correspond to at least one of the real world objects located along the line.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

program code instructions configured to determine that the virtual objects are included in the group; and

program code instructions configured to enable opening of the group in response to receipt of a selection of the visible indicia.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

program code instructions configured to enable provision of display of the virtual objects in response to opening the group, each of the virtual objects are accessible and displayed without blocking or hiding each other even though the virtual objects correspond to respective real world objects located along the line at respective distances from an apparatus.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

program code instructions configured to enable closing of the group in response to receipt of another selection of the item of visible indicia; and

program code instructions configured to determine that the virtual objects are no longer displayed in response to receipt of an indication that the group is closed.