Synchronized, interactive augmented reality displays for multifunction devices

• US 9,305,402 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bilbrey, Brett C., King, Nicholas V., Pance, Aleksandar
• Primary Examiner(s): HANNETT, JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US14/146,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20140111547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/004 Annotating, labelling
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 : for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 : Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 : Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A device can receive live video of a real-world, physical environment on a touch sensitive surface. One or more objects can be identified in the live video. An information layer can be generated related to the objects. In some implementations, the information layer can include annotations made by a user through the touch sensitive surface. The information layer and live video can be combined in a display of the device. Data can be received from one or more onboard sensors indicating that the device is in motion. The sensor data can be used to synchronize the live video and the information layer as the perspective of video camera view changes due to the motion. The live video and information layer can be shared with other devices over a communication link.

Claims

1. An augmented reality device, comprising:

one or more onboard motion sensors configured for sensing motion;

a camera for capturing a video for display on a display;

a processor coupled to the motion sensor and the video camera, the processor configured for;

modeling a computer-generated imagery representing one or more objects depicted in the video, wherein modeling the computer-generated imagery includes generating a three-dimensional model of the one or more objects depicted in the video,

overlaying an information layer on the computer-generated imagery,

combining the information layer and the video for presentation on the display,

displaying the information layer and the computer-generated imagery representing one or more objects with the video on the display,

receiving sensor data from the one or more onboard motion sensors indicating that the camera is in motion, and

synchronizing the video, the computer-generated imagery, and the information layer using the sensor data.

2. The device of claim 1, comprising:

a communication interface, coupled to the processor, the communication interface configured for sharing the video over a communication link.

3. The device of claim 2, comprising:

a microphone coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an audio input received by the microphone over the communication link.

4. The device of claim 2, comprising:

a speaker coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is further configured to receive an audio signal over the communication link and output the audio signal to the speaker.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured for:

accessing an information resource via the communication interface; and

retrieving information from the information resource to be presented on the display as the information layer.

6. The device of claim 1, where the information layer includes one or more annotations related to an object in the video, the one or more annotations being generated in response to an input at a location on the display corresponding to the object.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the one or more annotations may include any one of:

specifications, directions, recipes, data sheets, images, video clips, audio files, schemas, user interface elements, thumbnails, text, references, hyperlinks, telephone numbers, notes, part numbers, dictionary definitions, catalog data, serial numbers, order forms, marketing material or advertisements.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein synchronizing the video, the computer-generated imagery, and the information layer using the sensor data includes aligning the information layer with the one or more objects depicted in the video based on the sensor data.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein synchronizing the display of the video, the computer-generated imagery, and the information layer on the display using the sensor data includes aligning the information layer with the one or more objects depicted in the video based on the sensor data.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions that, in response to being executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to:

capture a video and display the video on a display of the computing device;

generate computer-generated imagery based on the video;

combine an information layer and the video, the information layer related to one or more objects in the video;

display the computer-generated imagery representing one or more objects in the video on the display;

overlay the information layer on the computer-generated imagery;

receive sensor data from one or more onboard motion sensors indicating that the computing device is in motion; and

synchronize the display of the video, the computer-generated imagery, and the information layer on the display using the sensor data.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising instructions that cause the computing device to:

share at least one of the synchronized video, the computer-generated imagery, and information layer with a second device over a communication link.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising instructions that cause the computing device to:

generate a split screen display having first and second display areas, the first display area configured for displaying the video combined with the information layer and the second display area for displaying the computer-generated imagery combined with the information layer.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising instructions that cause the computing device to:

display a navigation control for navigating the computer-generated imagery on the display.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising instructions that cause the computing device to:

perform object recognition on the video;

obtain object information for one or more recognized objects; and

generate the information layer for the one or more recognized objects based at least in part on the object information.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to generate the information layer, further comprise instructions that cause the computing device to:

include in the information layer one or more links to one or more network resources providing information related to the one or more recognized objects.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising instructions that cause the computing device to:

receive an input identifying an object;

perform object recognition on the video to identify the identified object;

obtain object information for the recognized object; and

generate the information layer based on the object information.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising instructions that cause the computing device to:

determine a route between the computing device and a destination; and

display the route with the computer-generated imagery.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to generate the computer-generated imagery based on the video includes instructions that cause the computing device to generate a three-dimensional model of the one or more objects in the video.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to synchronize the display of the video, the computer-generated imagery, and the information layer on the display using the sensor data, further comprise instructions that cause the computing device to:

align the information layer with the one or more objects depicted in the video based on the sensor data.

17. A computer-implemented method for providing an augmented reality display comprising:

capturing video with a camera of a device and displaying the video on a display of the device;

generating computer-generated imagery based on the video;

combining an information layer and the video, the information layer related to one or more objects in the video;

displaying the computer-generated imagery representing one or more objects in the video on the display;

overlaying the information layer on the computer-generated imagery;

processing sensor data from a motion sensor of the device indicating that the device is in motion; and

synchronizing the display of the video, the computer-generated imagery, and the information layer on the display using the sensor data.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

transmitting the synchronized video and the computer-generated imagery over a communication link to a second device.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising:

receiving an audio input with a microphone of the device; and

and transmitting the audio input over the communication link.

20. The method of claim 18, comprising:

receiving an audio signal over the communication link; and

outputting the audio input with a speaker of the device.

21. The method of claim 17, comprising:

performing object recognition on the video;

obtaining object information for one or more recognized objects; and

generating the information layer for the one or more recognized objects based at least in part on the object information.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein generating the computer-generated imagery includes generating a three-dimensional model of the one or more objects depicted in the video.

23. The method of claim 17, comprising:

determining a location of the device;

determine a route between the location and a destination; and

display the route as part of the computer-generated imagery.

24. A mobile device comprising:

a sensor configured to generate data related to position of the mobile device;

a camera to capture video for display on a display; and

a processor coupled to the display, the sensor and the camera, the mobile configured to;

capture a video and display the video on a display of the computing device;

generate computer-generated imagery based on the video;

combine an information layer and the video, the information layer related to one or more objects in the video;

display the computer-generated imagery representing one or more objects in the video on the display;

overlay the information layer on the computer-generated imagery;

receive sensor data from the sensor indicating that the mobile device is in motion; and

synchronize the display of the video, the computer-generated imagery, and the information layer on the display using the sensor data.

25. The mobile device of claim 24, comprising:

a communication interface, coupled to the processor, the communication interface configured for sharing the video over a communication link;

a microphone coupled to the processor; and

a speaker coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an audio input received by the microphone over the communication link, and to receive an audio signal over the communication link and output the audio signal to the speaker.

29. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to synchronize the display of the video, the computer-generated imagery, and the information layer on the display using the sensor data by aligning the information layer with the one or more objects depicted in the video based on the sensor data.