Matching physical locations for shared virtual experience

• US 9,041,739 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Latta, Stephen, Geisner, Kevin, Mount, Brian, McCulloch, Daniel, Brown, Cameron, Kohler, Jeffrey Alan, Zhang, Wei, Hastings, Ryan, Bennett, Darren, McIntyre, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Bach
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH-VO V
• Application Number:
  US13/362,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20130196772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 345/633
• US Class Current: 345/633
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes

Abstract

Embodiments for matching participants in a virtual multiplayer entertainment experience are provided. For example, one embodiment provides a method including receiving from each user of a plurality of users a request to join the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience, receiving from each user of the plurality of users information regarding characteristics of a physical space in which each user is located, and matching two or more users of the plurality of users for participation in the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience based on the characteristics of the physical space of each of the two or more users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for matching participants in a virtual multiplayer entertainment experience, the method comprising:

receiving, at a virtual multiplayer entertainment experience service, from a computing device of each user of a plurality of users a request to join the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience;

receiving, at the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience service, from the computing device of each user of the plurality of users information regarding characteristics of a layout of a physical space in which each user is located, the information including dimensional information for the physical space, the dimensional information comprising information regarding a size and dimension of each user'"'"'s physical space;

comparing, at the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience service, the size and dimension of the physical space of each of the plurality of users; and

matching, via the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience service, two or more users of the plurality of users for participation in the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience based at least in part on the comparing of the size and dimension of the physical space of each of the two or more users.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, from the computing device, additional instructions to at least one of the two or more users to alter one or more characteristics of that user'"'"'s physical space.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein sending additional instructions to at least one of the two or more users to alter one or more characteristics of that user'"'"'s physical space further comprises sending instructions to at least one of the two or more users to move to a different physical space.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of users are located in different physical spaces, and wherein matching two or more users of the plurality of users further comprises matching two or more users based on a degree of similarity of characteristics of the layout of the physical spaces of the users.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of users are located in different physical spaces, and wherein matching two or more users of the plurality of users further comprises matching two or more users based on a similarity of the layout of the physical space of each user to a complementary corresponding space in the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving from each of the plurality of users information regarding characteristics of the layout of the physical space in which each user is located further comprises receiving information regarding sizes and positions of real objects within each user'"'"'s physical space, and wherein matching two or more users of the plurality of users for participation in the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience based on the characteristics of the layout of the physical space of each of the two or more users further comprises matching two or more users of the plurality of users for participation in the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience based on the sizes and positions of real objects within each user'"'"'s physical space.

7. A portable see-through display device, comprising:

one or more image sensors to obtain information regarding characteristics of the layout of the physical space in which a user is located;

a logic subsystem; and

a data-holding subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to;

send a request to a virtual multiplayer entertainment experience service to join a matching virtual multiplayer entertainment experience;

send to the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience service information regarding characteristics of a layout of a physical space in which the portable see-through device is located, the information including dimensional information for the physical space; and

receive matching information selected at least in part based on the dimensional information, the matching information usable to join the matching virtual multiplayer entertainment experience,

wherein the dimensional information includes a size and dimension of the user'"'"'s physical space.

8. The portable see-through display device of claim 7, wherein the image sensors comprise one or more of depth sensors, visible light cameras, and infrared light cameras.

9. The portable see-through display device of claim 7, wherein the instructions are further executable to receive information instructing the user to alter one or more of the characteristics of the physical space in which the user is located, and to send updated information regarding characteristics of the physical space in which the portable see-through device is located.

10. The portable see-through display device of claim 7, wherein the information regarding characteristics of the layout of the physical space in which the user is located includes a size and position of objects within the user'"'"'s physical space.

11. A computing system, comprising:

a logic subsystem; and

a data-holding subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to;

receive from a computing device of each user of a plurality of users a request to join a virtual multiplayer entertainment experience;

receive from the computing device of each user of the plurality of users information regarding characteristics of a layout of a physical space in which each user is located;

match two or more users of the plurality of users for participation in the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience based on the characteristics of the layout of the physical space of each of the two or more users, the two or more users matched based on a similarity of the layout of the physical space of each user to a respective different complementary corresponding space in the virtual multiplayer entertainment experience, wherein the information regarding characteristics of the layout of the physical space in which each user is located comprises information regarding a size and dimension of each user'"'"'s physical space; and

augment a virtual space of one of the two or more users with virtual objects that represent real objects in the physical space of another of the two or more users.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable to send additional instructions to at least one of the two or more users to alter one or more characteristics of that user'"'"'s physical space.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further executable to send instructions to at least one of the two or more users to move to a different physical space.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of users are located in different physical spaces, and wherein matching two or more users of the plurality of users further comprises matching two or more users based on a degree of similarity of characteristics of the layout of the physical spaces of the users.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the information regarding characteristics of the layout of the physical space in which each user is located comprises information regarding a size and position of real objects within each user'"'"'s physical space.