Virtual/augmented reality transition system and method
First Claim
1. A method of operating a system configured to generate a virtual environment, the method comprising:
- activating a tracking device and tracking a position of a user electronic device in an ambient environment;
detecting a transition condition, includingdetecting an external input and generating a transition command when the detected external input is recognized as a request from an external party to initiate a transition of the user electronic device between the virtual environment and the ambient environment, orcomparing a distance between the user electronic device and at least one boundary of a tracking area tracked by the tracking device within the ambient environment and generating a transition command when the distance between the user electronic device and the at least one boundary of the tracking area is less than or equal to a preset threshold distance; and
performing a transition process to transition between the virtual environment generated by the user electronic device and the ambient environment in response to the detected transition condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of operating an audio visual system generating a virtual immersive experience may include an electronic user device in communication with a tracking device that may track a user'"'"'s physical movement in a real world space and translate the tracked physical movement into corresponding movement in the virtual world generated by the user device. The system may detect when a user and the user device are approaching a boundary of a tracking area and automatically initiate a transition out of the virtual world and into the real world. A smooth, or graceful, transition between the virtual world and the real world as the user encounters this boundary may avoid disorientation which may occur as a user continues to move in the real world, while motion appears to have stopped upon reaching the tracking boundary.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of operating a system configured to generate a virtual environment, the method comprising:
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activating a tracking device and tracking a position of a user electronic device in an ambient environment; detecting a transition condition, including detecting an external input and generating a transition command when the detected external input is recognized as a request from an external party to initiate a transition of the user electronic device between the virtual environment and the ambient environment, or comparing a distance between the user electronic device and at least one boundary of a tracking area tracked by the tracking device within the ambient environment and generating a transition command when the distance between the user electronic device and the at least one boundary of the tracking area is less than or equal to a preset threshold distance; and performing a transition process to transition between the virtual environment generated by the user electronic device and the ambient environment in response to the detected transition condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An audio visual system, comprising:
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a user electronic device generating a virtual environment, the user electronic device operating in and being movable within an ambient environment; a tracking device in communication with the user electronic device, the tracking device tracking a position and movement of the user electronic device in the ambient environment; and a processor configured to; translate the detected movement of the user electronic device in the ambient environment into virtual movement in the virtual environment generated by the user electronic device; detect a transition condition, including detect an external input recognized as a request from an external party for transition of the user electronic device between the virtual environment and the ambient environment, or compare a distance between the user electronic device and at least one boundary of a tracking area tracked by the tracking device within the ambient environment and generate a transition command when the distance between the user electronic device and the at least one boundary of the tracking area is less than or equal to a preset threshold distance; and perform a transition between the virtual environment generated by the user electronic device and the ambient environment in response to the detected transition condition. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method, comprising:
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generating, by an electronic device, a virtual environment, the electronic device operating in an ambient environment; tracking, by a tracking device, a position of the electronic device in the ambient environment; detecting a transition condition, including; detecting an external input and recognizing the detected external input as a request from an external party to initiate a transition, or detecting a distance between the electronic device and at least one boundary of a tracking area tracked by the tracking device that is less than or equal to a previously set threshold distance, including determining at least one of a direction, a speed, or an acceleration of movement of the electronic device based on a comparison of a current position to at least one previous position of the electronic device detected by the tracking device; and performing a transition process to transition between the virtual environment generated by the electronic device and the ambient environment in response to the detected transition condition, including; replacing virtual image output displayed on a display of the user electronic device in the virtual environment with transition image output displayed on the display, the transition image output including at least one of a monochromatic display, a pass through image of the ambient environment captured by a camera of the electronic device, or a fading out of the virtual image output of the virtual environment and a fading in of the transition image output, or replacing virtual audio output generated by the electronic device in the virtual environment with transition audio output, the transition audio output including at least one of a preset signal or tone or a pass through of ambient sound captured by a microphone of the electronic device, or a fading out of the audio output of the virtual environment and a fading in of transition audio output, or generating at least one of an externally directed visual indicator, an externally directed audible indicator, or an externally directed physical indicator indicating to an external party that the transition process is complete.
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Specification