TECHNIQUES FOR MOBILE AUGMENTED REALITY APPLICATIONS

• US 20120162255A1
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, Glen J., Ganapathy, Subhashini, Marsh, Delbert K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/633
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5378 for displaying an additional top view, e.g. radar screens or maps using two or more virtual cameras concurrently A63F13/5252
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/307 for displaying an additional window with a view from the top of the game field, e.g. radar screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 by dedicated player input
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed that involve mobile augmented reality (MAR) applications in which users (e.g., players) may experience augmented reality. Further, the actual geographical position of MAR application objects (e.g., players, characters, and other objects) may be tracked, represented, and manipulated. Accordingly, MAR objects may be tracked across multiple locations (e.g., multiple geographies and player environments). Moreover, MAR content may be manipulated and provided to the user based on a current context of the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a user selection of a remote location, the remote location different from a current location of the user; and

outputting to the user, a visualization of the remote location;

wherein the visualization includes representations of one or more mobile augmented reality (MAR) objects within the remote location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, in response to a user selection, an object in a mobile augmented reality (MAR) application; and

placing the object in the remote location;

wherein the visualization includes a representation of the generated object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the generated object is a character.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the generated object is a virtual shield to protect one or more MAR application characters from an attack.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the virtual shield is permanent.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the virtual shield is damageable.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the virtual shield is removable by one or more users.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the visualization includes an aerial view of the remote location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the visualization provides a representation of an interaction among the one or more MAR objects within the remote location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote location is outside of an image sensor field of view of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the user interacting with one of the one or more MAR objects within the remote location.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more MAR objects within the remote location comprise one or more characters;

the method further comprising providing a communications band between the user and the one or more characters;

wherein the communications band provides for audio and/or text communications between the one or more characters.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current context of the user;

based on the current context, selecting information regarding the MAR application; and

outputting to the user information regarding the MAR application.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the current context comprises determining a user location, a user activity, and a user device configuration.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said selecting comprises selecting details of one or more MAR objects.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a storage medium to store an association between a real object type and a virtual object, the real object informing the apparatus of its current location; and

an application processing module to generate one or more events in a mobile augmented reality (MAR) application when a circumstance of a user of the MAR application matches one or more activation parameters.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the one or more events in the MAR application comprises one or more visual renderings for display to the user.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a display device to output the one or more visual renderings to the user.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising the real object, wherein the real object includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver to determine its current location.

20. An article comprising a machine-accessible medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a user selection of a remote location, the remote location different from a current location of the user; and

output to the user, a visualization of the remote location;

wherein the visualization includes representations of one or more mobile augmented reality (MAR) objects within the remote location.