Object shadowing in head worn computing

• US 10,140,079 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2018
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Lohse, Robert Michael, Nortrup, Edward H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Onyekaba, Amy C
• Application Number:
  US15/878,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20180157450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/60 Shadow generation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/22 Detection of presence or absence of input display information or of connection or disconnection of a corresponding information source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to shadowing objects displayed in head worn computing. A method includes capturing an image of an environment in proximity to a person, analyzing the image to determine a position of each of a plurality of light sources collectively producing a naturally formed shadow in the environment, wherein the naturally formed shadow comprises multiple shadows cast from an individual object in the environment, each of the multiple shadows formed from light traveling from a position of one of the plurality of light sources to the individual object, and displaying a computer-generated object in association with a computer generated shadow, wherein the computer-generated shadow appears as though produced by light striking the computer generated object from the position of a dominant one of the plurality of light sources.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

capturing an image of an environment in proximity to a person;

analyzing the image to determine a position of each of a plurality of light sources collectively producing a naturally formed shadow in the environment, wherein the naturally formed shadow comprises a plurality of shadows cast from an individual object in the environment, each of the plurality of shadows formed from light traveling from the position of one of the plurality of light sources to the individual object; and

displaying a computer-generated object in association with a computer-generated shadow, wherein the computer-generated shadow appears as though produced by light striking the computer-generated object from the position of a dominant one of the plurality of light sources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the image of the environment comprises imaging the environment with a camera in a device in a possession of the person.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the image is performed by a processor remote from the device in the possession of the person.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the image is performed by a processor in the device in the possession of the person.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the computer-generated object comprises displaying the computer-generated object on a computer display that provides a view of the individual object augmented by the computer-generated object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the computer display is a see-through computer display and the person has an ability to see the individual object through the see-through computer display.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the see-through computer display is mounted in a head-worn device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the image of the environment comprises capturing a plurality of images of the environment from different perspectives in the environment and analyzing the image comprises analyzing the plurality of images.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer-generated shadow appears as though produced by light striking the computer-generated object from a plurality of positions including the position of the dominant one of the plurality of light sources.

10. An augmented reality computer system, comprising:

a camera adapted to capture an image of an environment in proximity to a person;

a processor adapted to analyze the image to determine a position of each of a plurality of light sources collectively producing a naturally formed shadow in the environment, wherein the naturally formed shadow comprises a plurality of shadows cast from an individual object in the environment, each of the plurality of shadows formed from light traveling from the position of one of the plurality of light sources to the individual object; and

a computer display adapted to display a computer-generated object in association with a computer-generated shadow, wherein the computer-generated shadow appears as though produced by light striking the computer-generated object from the position of a dominant one of the plurality of light sources.

11. The augmented reality computer system of claim 10, wherein the camera and the computer display are both mounted in a first device.

12. The augmented reality computer system of claim 11, wherein the processor is remote from the first device.

13. The augmented reality computer system of claim 11, wherein the processor is in the first device.

14. The augmented reality computer system of claim 10, wherein the computer display provides the person with a view of the individual object augmented by the computer-generated object.

15. The augmented reality computer system of claim 14, wherein the computer display is a see-through computer display.

16. The augmented reality computer system of claim 15, wherein the see-through computer display is mounted in a head-worn device.

17. The augmented reality computer system of claim 10, wherein the image of the environment comprises a plurality of images of the environment from different perspectives in the environment and the processor is configured to analyze the plurality of images.

18. The augmented reality computer system of claim 10, the computer-generated shadow appears as though produced by light striking the computer-generated object from a plurality of positions including the position of the dominant one of the plurality of light sources.