MASSIVE SIMULTANEOUS REMOTE DIGITAL PRESENCE WORLD

• US 20130125027A1
• Filed: 05/07/2012
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Inventors: Abovitz, Rony
• Granted Patent: US 10,101,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/10 characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user

Abstract

Various methods and apparatus are described herein for enabling one or more users to interface with virtual or augmented reality environments. An example system includes a computing network having computer servers interconnected through high bandwidth interfaces to gateways for processing data and/or for enabling communication of data between the servers and one or more local user interface devices. The servers include memory, processing circuitry, and software for designing and/or controlling virtual worlds, as well as for storing and processing user data and data provided by other components of the system. One or more virtual worlds may be presented to a user through a user device for the user to experience and interact. A large number of users may each use a device to simultaneously interface with one or more digital worlds by using the device to observe and interact with each other and with objects produced within the digital worlds.

Claims

1. A system for enabling one or more users to interact with a virtual world comprised of virtual world data, the system comprising:

a computer network comprising one or more computer servers, the one or more computer servers comprising memory, processing circuitry, and software stored in the memory and executable by the processing circuitry to process at least a portion of the virtual world data;

the computer network operable to transmit the virtual world data to a user device for presentation to a first user,

wherein at least a portion of the virtual world changes in response to a change in the virtual world data, and

wherein at least a portion of the virtual world data is changed in response to a physical object sensed by the user device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the change in virtual world data represents a virtual object having a predetermined relationship with the physical object.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the change in virtual world data is presented to a second user device for presentation to a second user according to the predetermined relationship.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual world is operable to be rendered by at least one of the computer servers or a user device.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual world is presented in at least one of a two-dimensional format or three-dimensional format.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the user device is operable to provide an interface for enabling interaction between a user and the virtual world in at least one of an augmented reality mode, a virtual reality mode, or a combination of augmented and virtual reality mode.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual world data is transmitted over a data network.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the computer network is operable to receive at least a portion of the virtual world data from a user device.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the virtual world data transmitted to the user device comprises instructions for generating at least a portion of the virtual world.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the virtual world data is transmitted to a gateway for at least one of processing or distribution.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more computer servers are operable to process virtual world data distributed by the gateway.

12. A system for enabling one or more users to interact with a virtual world, the system comprising:

a user device for presenting the virtual world to a user and enabling the user to interact with the virtual world, the user device comprising;

memory,

processing circuitry,

software stored in the memory and executable by the processing circuitry to render at least a portion of the virtual world from virtual world data received, at least in part, from a computer network,

a display operable to present the virtual world to the user,

a communications interface operable to communicate at least a portion of the virtual world data over a data network, and

a sensing system operable to sense at least one of the user, a physical object, or a physical environment around the user,

wherein the processing circuitry is operable to execute the software to render a change in the virtual world in response to at least one of the sensed user, sensed physical object, or sensed physical environment.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the change in the virtual world comprises a virtual object having a predetermined relationship with the sensed user, physical object, or physical environment.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the communications interface is operable to communicate the virtual object to the computer network.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the virtual world is presented in at least one of a two-dimensional format or three-dimensional format.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the user device enables interaction in at least one of an augmented reality mode, a virtual reality mode, or a combination of augmented and virtual reality mode.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein the user device further comprises a device for providing a haptic or tactile feedback.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the virtual world data is communicated between a gateway.

19. A computer implemented method, comprising:

presenting a virtual world to a user device;

receiving sensor data, generated by one or more sensors associated with the user device, for a gesture performed by a user using the user device;

recognizing the gesture;

generating a virtual object in response to the recognized gesture; and

presenting the virtual object to the user device.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising presenting the virtual object to a second user device.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising establishing a relationship between the virtual object and a physical object in the vicinity of the user.

22. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving sensory data, generated by sensors associated with a user device, for a physical object in the vicinity of a user using the user device;

recognizing the physical object;

in response to the recognition of the physical object, generating a virtual object having a predetermined relationship with the physical object; and

transmitting the virtual object to a display associated with the user device for presentation to the user according to the predetermined relationship.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising transmitting the virtual object to a second display associated with a second user device for presentation to a second user according to the predetermined relationship.

24. A computer implemented method, comprising:

storing data defining a digital world, the data defining one or more objects;

receiving sensor data generated by sensors associated with a plurality of user devices, the sensor data describing at least one physical characteristic of the environment of the user device;

generating, in response to the sensor data, an instance of a predefined object for each of the plurality of users; and

transmitting to the respective ones of the plurality of users the instance of the predefined object generated for the users.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the sensor data represents one or more of the following physical characteristics:

position, orientation of a user, movement of a user, user device, environmental condition, a physical object in the vicinity of the user.