AUGMENTED REALITY SYSTEM METHOD AND APPARTUS FOR DISPLAYING AN ITEM IMAGE IN ACONTEXTUAL ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110148924A1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Tapley, John, Farraro, Eric J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,164,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/634
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

Method, apparatus, and system for providing an item image to a client for display in a contextual environment are described. In some embodiments, the user may select an item for display in the contextual environment, and the user may position a camera coupled to a processing system to capture the contextual environment. A marker may be generated and associated with an item selected by a user. In an embodiment, the generated marker may be placed in a location within the contextual environment, and the user'"'"'s processing system may send a visual data stream of the camera-captured environment to a server. In an embodiment, the user'"'"'s processing device may receive a modified data stream including an image of the item, and the user'"'"'s processing device may display the item image in the same location as the marker.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving visual data from a client;

detecting placeholder information included with the visual data, the placeholder information associated with a placeholder;

determining placement information using the placeholder information;

retrieving an image of an item associated with the placeholder based on unique markings of the placeholder; and

using a processor, modifying the received visual data to include image data associated with the retrieved image into the visual data with reference to the placement information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input including an item selection; and

providing generation information for generating the placeholder based on the received input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the placement information further comprises determining a scale factor based on the placement information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the retrieving of the image of the item associated with the placeholder further comprises selecting the image with reference to the determined scale factor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving of the image of an item associated with the placeholder further comprises:

determining dimensions of the item; and

modifying the retrieved image of the item in reference to the determined dimensions and the determined scale factor of the item.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining of the scale factor further comprises detecting at least one of a change in contrast and edge portions of the placeholder.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving of the image of the item associated with the placeholder further comprises:

accessing a database of images; and

selecting the image of the item from a plurality of images based on the placement information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying of the received visual data further comprises replacing the placeholder information with item image information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of placement information further comprises:

determining a scale factor based on a distance of the placeholder from a camera; and

determining an orientation factor based on an angle of the placeholder in relation to the camera.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the modifying of the received visual data to include the retrieved image with reference to the placement information further comprises:

modifying the retrieving image with reference to the scale factor and the orientation factor; and

modifying the received visual data with modified retrieved image data.

11. A system comprising:

a visual data receiver module for receiving visual data from a client;

a detection module for detecting placeholder information included with the visual data, the placeholder information associated with a placeholder;

a placement determination module for determining placement information using the placeholder information;

a retrieval module for retrieving an item image associated with the placeholder based on unique markings of the placeholder; and

a modification module for modifying the received visual data to include imaged data associated with the retrieved image into the visual data with reference to the placement information.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an input receiver module for receiving an input including an item selection; and

an information provider module for providing generation information for generating the placeholder based on the received input.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the placement determination module is to determine a scale factor.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the retrieval module is to detect a unique marker associated with the placeholder.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the image retrieval module is to:

determine dimensions of the item; and

modify the retrieved image of the item utilizing the determined dimensions and the determined scale factor of the item.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the detection module is further to detect at least one of a change in contrast of the placeholder and edges of the placeholder.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the modification module is further to retrieve information associated with the item for display with the item image.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the retrieval module is to access a database of images, and select the image of the item from a plurality of images of the item based on determined parameters of the placeholder.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the placement determination module is further to determine a scale factor based on a distance of the placeholder from a camera, and to determine an orientation factor based on an angle of the placeholder in relation to the camera.

20. A machine-readable medium embodying instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving an input including an item selection;

providing generation information for generating a placeholder based on the received input;

receiving visual data from a client;

detecting placeholder information included with the visual data, the placeholder information associated with the placeholder;

determining placement information using the placeholder information;

retrieving an image of an item associated with the placeholder based on unique markings of the placeholder; and

using a processor, modifying the received visual data to include image data associated with the retrieved image into the visual data with reference to the placement information.