Graphical user interface systems and methods for optical narrowcasting

• US 9,800,791 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aron Surefire, LLC
• Original Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Shatz, Narkis E., Bortz, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pasiewicz, Daniel M
• Application Number:
  US15/395,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20170195554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0015 characterised by the lens design
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0009 having refractive surfaces only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0023 at least one surface having optical power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/009 for use with infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0095 for use with ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/11 Arrangements specific to free-space transmission, i.e. transmission through air or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/114 Indoor or close-range type systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 : Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 : Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/50 : Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/516 : Details of coding or modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/5162 : Return-to-zero modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/541 : Digital intensity or amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/60 : Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/615 : Arrangements affecting the optical part of the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/616 : Details of the electronic signal processing in coherent optical receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/66 : Non-coherent receivers, e.g. using direct detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/697 : Arrangements for reducing noise and distortion
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 : Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 : with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/737 : Characterised by transmission of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. infrared waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 : The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 : Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 : Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 : Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/22 : Adaptations for optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 : Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Systems and methods for optical narrowcasting are provided for transmitting various types of content. Optical narrowcasting content indicative of the presence of additional information along with identifying information may be transmitted. The additional information (which may include meaningful amounts of advertising information, media, or any other content) may also be transmitted as optical narrowcasting content. Elements of an optical narrowcasting system may include optical transmitters and optical receivers which can be configured to be operative at distances ranging from, e.g., 400 meters to 1200 meters. Moreover, the elements can be implemented on a miniaturized scale in conjunction with small, user devices such as smartphones, thereby also realizing optical ad-hoc networking, as well as interoperability with other types of data networks. Optically narrowcast content can be used to augment a real-world experience, enhance and/or spawn new forms of social-media and media content.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

initializing, on a mobile device, an application for displaying information extracted from a modulated optical beam by an optical receiver communicatively coupled to the mobile device; and

displaying, on a graphical user interface of the application, a visual representation of the optical receiver'"'"'s field of view (FOV) overlaid over a live display of a FOV of a video camera of the mobile device, wherein the displayed visual representation of the optical receiver'"'"'s FOV is sized relative to the displayed FOV of the video camera,

wherein the visual representation of the optical receiver'"'"'s field of view comprises a geometric shape having boundaries, wherein the geometric shape is a polygon or an ellipse, wherein the boundaries are based on an area of the optical receiver'"'"'s FOV that receives optical signals at a threshold signal to noise ratio (SNR) or a threshold bit rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical receiver is an optical signal receiver.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

zooming the camera; and

in response to zooming the camera, resizing the visual representation of the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

activating the optical signal receiver and the camera in response to initializing the application for displaying information extracted from the modulated optical beam.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the optical signal receiver is a component of an optical receiver assembly comprising the optical signal receiver and an optical beacon receiver, wherein the FOV of the optical signal receiver is less than a FOV of the optical beacon receiver.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting an optical beacon within a field of view of an optical beacon receiver communicatively coupled to the mobile device;

extracting identification information from the detected optical beacon, wherein the identification information identifies a name and category of the optical beacon'"'"'s source; and

based on the extracted identification information, rendering, on the graphical user interface, an icon visually representing the beacon'"'"'s source overlaid over the live display of the FOV of the camera, wherein the icon is based on the extracted category of the beacon'"'"'s source.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

estimating an angular position of the detected optical beacon relative to the optical beacon receiver'"'"'s field of view, wherein the visual representation of the beacon'"'"'s source is rendered based on the estimated angular position, and wherein the visual representation of the beacon'"'"'s source visually represents a location of the beacon'"'"'s source relative to the live display of the FOV of the camera.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving data corresponding to user input selecting the visual representation of the beacon'"'"'s source; and

in response to receiving the data, determining if an optical signal transmitted by the beacon'"'"'s source is within the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the optical signal transmitted by the beacon'"'"'s source is not within the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV;

and in response to determining that the optical signal transmitted by the beacon'"'"'s source is not within the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV, displaying on the GUI a prompt to position the mobile device such that the visual representation of the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV surrounds the visual representation of the beacon'"'"'s source.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the optical signal transmitted by the beacon'"'"'s source is not within the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV;

and in response to determining that the optical signal transmitted by the beacon'"'"'s source is not within the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV, using a tilt actuator to tilt the optical signal receiver in a direction such that the optical signal transmitted by the beacon'"'"'s source falls within the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, at the optical signal receiver, an optical signal transmitted by the beacon'"'"'s source;

extracting information from the received optical signal; and

displaying the extracted information on the graphical user interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information extracted from the received optical signal comprises at least one of video data, audio data, or textual data.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the angular position of the detected optical beacon is estimated by concentrating, via a lens of the optical beacon receiver, optical flux of the optical beacon onto a detector of a detector array of the optical beacon receiver, and measuring a propagation direction of incidence of the optical beacon relative to a position of the detector on the detector array.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, causes a system to:

initialize an application for displaying information extracted from a modulated optical beam by an optical receiver communicatively coupled to a mobile device; and

display, on a graphical user interface of the application, a visual representation of the optical receiver'"'"'s field of view (FOV) overlaid over a live display of a FOV of a video camera of the mobile device, wherein the displayed visual representation of the optical receiver'"'"'s FOV is sized relative to the displayed FOV of the video camera,

wherein the visual representation of the optical receiver'"'"'s field of view comprises a geometric shape having boundaries, wherein the geometric shape is a polygon or an ellipse, wherein the boundaries are based on an area of the optical receiver'"'"'s FOV that receives optical signals at a threshold signal to noise ratio (SNR) or a threshold bit rate.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the optical receiver is an optical signal receiver, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the system to:

resize the visual representation of the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV in response to zooming of the video camera.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the system to:

detect an optical beacon within a field of view of an optical beacon receiver communicatively coupled to the mobile device;

estimate an angular position of the detected optical beacon relative to the optical beacon receiver'"'"'s field of view;

extract identification information from the detected optical beacon; and

based on the extracted identification information and estimated angular position, render, on the graphical user interface, a visual representation of the beacon'"'"'s source overlaid over the live display of the FOV of the camera, wherein the visual representation of the beacon'"'"'s source visually represents a location of the beacon'"'"'s source relative to the live display of the FOV of the camera.

15. A system, comprising:

an optical receiver assembly comprising an optical signal receiver configured to;

detect and receive an optical signal from an optical transmitter assembly; and

extract information from the received optical signal;

a mobile device communicatively coupled to the optical receiver assembly, the mobile device comprising;

a video camera;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, causes the mobile device to;

initialize an application for displaying information extracted from the optical signal received from the optical transmitter assembly; and

display, on a graphical user interface of the application, a visual representation of the optical signal receiver'"'"'s field of view (FOV) overlaid over a live display of a FOV of the video camera, wherein the displayed visual representation of the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV is sized relative to the displayed FOV of the video camera,

wherein the visual representation of the optical signal receiver'"'"'s field of view comprises a geometric shape having boundaries, wherein the geometric shape is a polygon or an ellipse, wherein the boundaries are based on an area of the optical signal receiver'"'"'s FOV that receives optical signals at a threshold signal to noise ratio (SNR) or a threshold bit rate.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an optical beacon receiver configured to;

detect an optical beacon within a field of view of the optical beacon receiver; and

extract identification information from the optical beacon, wherein the identification information identifies a name and category of a source of the optical beacon; and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the system to;

render on the graphical user interface an icon visually representing the beacon'"'"'s source overlaid over the live display of the FOV of the camera, wherein the icon is based on the extracted category of the beacon'"'"'s source.

19. A method, comprising:

initializing, on a mobile device, an application for displaying information extracted from a modulated optical beam by an optical receiver communicatively coupled to the mobile device;

displaying, on a graphical user interface of the application, a visual representation of the optical receiver'"'"'s field of view (FOV) overlaid over a live display of a FOV of a video camera of the mobile device, wherein the displayed visual representation of the optical receiver'"'"'s FOV is sized relative to the displayed FOV of the video camera;

detecting an optical beacon within a field of view of an optical beacon receiver communicatively coupled to the mobile device;

estimating an angular position of the detected optical beacon relative to the optical beacon receiver'"'"'s field of view;

extracting identification information from the detected optical beacon; and

based on the extracted identification information and estimated angular position, rendering, on the graphical user interface, a visual representation of the beacon'"'"'s source overlaid over the live display of the FOV of the camera, wherein the visual representation of the beacon'"'"'s source visually represents a location of the beacon'"'"'s source relative to the live display of the FOV of the camera.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the angular position of the detected optical beacon is estimated by concentrating, via a lens of the optical beacon receiver, optical flux of the optical beacon onto a detector of a detector array of the optical beacon receiver, and measuring a propagation direction of incidence of the optical beacon relative to a position of the detector on the detector array.