Providing media content to a wearable device

• US 10,469,916 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2016
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Teller, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Peter H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cross, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/140,904
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

An example method involves a computing device: receiving point-of-view (POV) image data that is generated by an image capture device of a head-mountable device (HMD); using one or more real-world aspects detected in the POV image data as a basis for determining a context of the HMD; making a threshold determination as to whether or not the context of the HMD is appropriate for display of media content in the HMD; and when it is determined that the context is appropriate for display of media content in the HMD, then: (a) selecting first media content for display at the HMD, wherein the first media content is selected based at least in part on a combination of the determined context and a user-profile associated with the HMD; and (b) sending an indication to play out the first media content at the HMD.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, point-of-view (POV) image data that is generated by an image capture device of a head-mountable device (HMD);

using one or more real-world aspects detected in the POV image data to determine a context of the HMD, wherein the determined context is a vehicle-operation context or a vehicle-passenger context;

making a threshold determination as to whether or not the context of the HMD is appropriate for safe display of media content in the HMD, wherein, when the determined context of the HMD is the vehicle-passenger context, the context of the HMD is determined to be safe for display of media content, and wherein, when the determined context of the HMD is the vehicle-operation context, the context of the HMD is determined not to be safe for display of media content;

upon determining that the context is appropriate for safe display of media content in the HMD;

(a) selecting, by the computing device, first media content for display at the HMD, wherein the first media content is selected based at least in part on a combination of;

(i) the determined context of the HMD, and (ii) a user-profile that is associated with the HMD; and

(b) sending an indication to play out the first media content at the HMD; and

upon determining that the context is not appropriate for safe display of media content in the HMD;

refrain from sending the indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first media content for display at the HMD comprises determining media content that is likely to be of interest to a user associated with the user-profile that is associated with the HMD.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media content is selected based on data from the user-profile, wherein the data comprises one or more of the following types of data:

(a) consumer data, (b) purchase-history data, (c) data from an associated social network account, (d) data from an associated e-mail account, (e) user-preferences indicated by the user-profile, (f) web-browsing history associated with the user-profile, and (g) a computer-based calendar associated with the user-profile.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before selecting the first media content for display at the HMD, determining a value to a third party that is associated with display of the first media content at the HMD.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first media content for display at the HMD comprises balancing a wearer-interest in the first media content with a value to a third party of displaying the first media content at the HMD.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media content comprises a first media segment, and wherein selecting the first media content for display at the HMD comprises:

determining a set of one or more candidate media segments;

based at least in part on the user-profile, determining a respective interest value corresponding to display of each candidate media segment at the HMD;

determining a respective value to a third party of displaying each candidate media segment at the HMD; and

using the interest values and the third-party values for the candidate media segments as a basis for selecting the first media content for display at the HMD.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the POV image data corresponds to a wearer view associated with the HMD, and wherein the first media content comprises a visual highlight for at least one aspect of the wearer-view.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the visual highlight comprises one or more of:

(a) an arrow that is directed, in the wearer-view, at the detected aspect, (b) an outline of the aspect in the wearer-view, and (c) a graphic overlay that is substantially aligned in the wearer-view with the detected aspect of the wearer view.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the HMD comprises an optical see-through display, and wherein the POV image data corresponds to a real-world field of view at least partially through the optical see-through display.

10. A system comprising:

at least one communication interface operable for communications with a head-mountable device (HMD);

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor to;

receive, via the at least one communication interface, point-of-view (POV) image data that is generated by an image capture device of the HMD;

use one or more real-world aspects detected in the POV image data to determine a context of the HMD, wherein the determined context is a vehicle-operation context or a vehicle-passenger context;

make a threshold determination as to whether or not the context of the HMD is appropriate for safe display of media content in the HMD, wherein, when the determined context of the HMD is the vehicle-passenger context, the context of the HMD is determined to be safe for display of media content, and wherein, when the determined context of the HMD is the vehicle-operation context, the context of the HMD is determined not to be safe for display of media content;

upon determining that the context is appropriate for safe display of media content in the HMD;

(a) select first media content for safe display at the HMD, wherein the first media content is selected based at least in part on a combination of;

(i) the determined context of the HMD, and (ii) a user-profile that is associated with the HMD; and

(b) send an indication to play out the first media content at the HMD; and

upon determining that the context is not appropriate for safe display of media content in the HMD;

refrain from sending the indication.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein selection of the first media content for display at the HMD comprises determining media content that is likely to be of interest to a user associated with the user profile that is associated with the HMD.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first media content is selected based on data from the user-profile, wherein the data comprises one or more of the following types of data:

(a) consumer data, (b) purchase-history data, (c) data from an associated social network account, (d) data from an associated e-mail account, (e) user-preferences indicated by the user-profile, (f) web-browsing history associated with the user-profile, and (g) a computer-based calendar associated with the user-profile.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor to:

before selecting the first media content for display at the HMD, determining a value to a third party that is associated with display of the first media content at the HMD.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein selection of the first media content for display at the HMD comprises balancing a wearer-interest in the first media content with a value to a third party of displaying the first media content at the HMD.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the first media content comprises a first media segment, and wherein selection of the first media content for display at the HMD comprises:

determining a set of one or more candidate media segments;

based at least in part on the user-profile, determining a respective interest value corresponding to display of each candidate media segment at the HMD;

determining a respective value to a third party of displaying each candidate media segment at the HMD; and

using the interest values and the third-party values for the candidate media segments as a basis for selecting the first media content for display at the HMD.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the POV image data corresponds to a wearer view associated with the HMD, and wherein the first media content comprises a visual highlight for at least one aspect of the wearer-view.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the visual highlight comprises one or more of:

(a) an arrow that is directed, in the wearer-view, at the detected aspect, (b) an outline of the aspect in the wearer-view, and (c) a graphic overlay that is substantially aligned in the wearer-view with the detected aspect of the wearer view.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the HMD comprises an optical see-through display, and wherein the POV image data corresponds to a real-world held of view at least partially through the optical see-through display.

19. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, point-of-view (POV) image data that is generated by an image capture device of a head-mountable device (HMD);

using one or more real-world aspects detected in the POV image data to determine a context of the HMD, wherein the determined context is a vehicle-operation context or a vehicle-passenger context;

making a threshold determination as to whether or not the context of the HMD is appropriate for safe playout of media content in the HMD, wherein, when the determined context of the HMD is the vehicle-passenger context, the context of the HMD is determined to be safe for display of media content, and wherein, when the determined context of the HMD is the vehicle-operation context, the context of the HMD is determined not to be safe for display of media content;

upon determining that the context is appropriate for safe playout of media content in the HMD;

(a) selecting, by the computing device, first media content for playout at the HMD, wherein the first media content is selected based at least in part on a combination of;

(i) the determined context of the HMD, and (ii) a user-profile that is associated with the HMD; and

(b) sending an indication to play out the first media content at the HMD; and

upon determining that the context is not appropriate for safe playout of media content in the HMD;

refrain from sending the indication.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first media content comprises audio content.