Techniques to present location information for social networks using augmented reality

• US 9,898,870 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2016
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Narayanan, Harishkumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Merouan, Abderrahim
• Application Number:
  US15/163,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20160267719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• 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 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

Techniques to present location information using augmented reality are described. An apparatus may comprise an augmentation system operative to augment an image with information for an individual, the image having a virtual object representing a real object. The augmentation system may comprise a location component operative to determine location information for the real object, a virtual information component operative to retrieve location information for an individual, and a proximity component operative to determine whether location information for the real object substantially matches location information for the individual. The augmentation system may further comprise an augmentation component operative to augment the virtual object with information for the individual to form an augmented object when the location information for the real object substantially matches the location information for the individual. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving an image having a virtual object representing a real object;

determining location information for the real object in the image;

retrieving location information comprising at least a first location and a second location associated with an individual;

determining when the location information for the real object substantially matches the location information for the individual;

augmenting the virtual object with information for the individual from a content source to form an augmented object; and

rendering an augmented image with the augmented object and graphical variations to distinguish between the first location associated with the individual and the second location associated with the individual.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the augmented object is graphically enhanced and a second virtual object in the augmented image is graphically subdued.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first location for the individual comprises a future location or a current location.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising augmenting the virtual object or another virtual object with information for the individual as the location information for the individual changes.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising augmenting the virtual object with updated information for the individual as information for the individual changes to form an updated augmented object.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising determining a future location for the individual based at least in part on at least one of information tracking past behavior or activities for the individual to identify a pattern, information indicating individual preferences, or appointment information for a scheduling application.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising presenting additional information for the individual when the augmented object is selected with an input device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising augmenting the virtual object with respective previous, current and future location information for the individual.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising selecting a contact identifier for the individual when contact information for the individual is presented with the augmented object.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, comprising launching a communication application using the selected contact identifier to establish communications with the individual associated with the selected contact identifier.

11. An article comprising storage hardware containing instructions that when executed enable a system to:

receive an image having a virtual object representing a real object;

determine location information for the real object in the image;

retrieve location information for an individual;

modify the virtual object with online information for the individual to form a modified virtual object when the location information for the real object substantially matches the location information for the individual; and

render an augmented image with the modified virtual object and a second virtual object that is not augmented with any information for the individual wherein the modified virtual object is graphically enhanced and the second virtual object is graphically subdued.

12. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to render the augmented image with the modified virtual object to distinguish at least one of between a future location and a current location for the individual or between the current location and a previous location for the individual.

13. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to perform at least one of modifying the modified virtual object or another virtual object with information for the individual as the location information for the individual changes or modifying the modified virtual object with updated information for the individual as the online information for the individual changes.

14. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to determine when the location information for the real object substantially matches the location information for the individual based on a proximity parameter, the proximity parameter comprising a configurable value representing a measure of distance between a location for the real object and a location for the individual and having a precision based on a size of the individual or the real object.

15. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to send a control directive to initiate a communications application based on a selected contact identifier for the individual when contact information for the individual is presented with the modified virtual object.

16. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and memory comprising:

an augmentation system, executing on the at least one processor, operative to augment an image with information for an individual, the image having a virtual object representing a real object, the augmentation system comprising;

a location component operative to determine location information for the real object;

a virtual information component operative to retrieve current location information for an individual;

a proximity component operative to determine whether location information for the real object substantially matches the current location information for the individual;

an augmentation component operative to augment the virtual object with social networking information for the individual to form an augmented object when the location information for the real object substantially matches the current location information for the individual; and

a rendering component operative to render an augmented image with the augmented object.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, the rendering component operative to render the augmented image with only augmented objects.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising a display communicatively coupled to a digital camera and the augmentation system, the display operative to display the augmented image with the augmented object having previous location information, the current location information, and previous location information varied graphically.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising an input device operative to select the augmented object to display organization information about the individual.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising a communication application operative to communicate with a device for the individual when the augmented object is selected by an input device.