System and method for interactive scene projection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117535-B2
Application number	US-201715552536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2017
Priority date	Aug 18, 2016
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure involve projecting an interactive scene onto a surface from a projecting object. In one particular embodiment, the interactive scene is projected from a vehicle and may be utilized by the vehicle to provide a scene or image that a user may interact with through various gestures detected by the system. In addition, the interactive scene may be customized to one or more preferences determined by the system, such as user preferences, system preferences, or preferences obtained through feedback from similar systems. Based on one or more user inputs (such as user gestures received at the system), the projected scene may be altered or new scenes may be projected. In addition, control over some aspects of the vehicle (such as unlocking of doors, starting of the motor, etc.) may be controlled through the interactive scene and the detected gestures of the users.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for projecting an image onto a surface, the system comprising:
a presence detector that detects a presence of a person within a distance threshold of a vehicle when one or more security features of the vehicle are active, the one or more security features being activated in response to the presence detector detecting at least one passenger exiting a boundary associated with the vehicle, the presence detector comprising a proximity sensor and a recognition system to determine an identity of the detected person, the identity of the detected person determined using biometric information of the detected person obtained using the recognition system; and
an image projector configured to project an interactive image onto the surface within a vicinity of the vehicle, the interactive image customized based at least on the identity of the detected person, the interactive image displaying a warning and video being captured when the determined identity of the detected person is unknown.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
one or more user input sensors to detect an input from the detected person to interact with the interactive image.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the one or more user input sensors comprises a movement-capturing device to detect a gesture movement of the detected person to interact with the interactive image.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the one or more user input sensors comprises a microphone to detect a voice command provided by the detected person to interact with the interactive image.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the one or more user input sensors comprises an accelerometer detector of a mobile device associated with the detected person to detect a gesture of the detected person to interact with the interactive image.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein a mobile device associated with the detected person transmits an indication of the identity of the detected person to the recognition system, the indication generated based on the biometric information.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
one or more environment sensors to detect an environment condition of an area associated with the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the interactive image projected on the surface within the vicinity of the vehicle comprises at least one of a detected state of the vehicle, the detected environmental condition of the area associated with the vehicle, a news item, or an advertisement.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
an input/output port for receiving one or more user settings, wherein projection of the interactive image onto the surface is further based at least on the one or more user settings.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the interactive image projected on the surface within the vicinity of the vehicle comprises at least one direction of travel in connection with egressing from the vehicle, the at least one direction obtained from a known destination.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the interactive image projected on the surface within the vicinity of the vehicle comprises an illuminated area within the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein one or more security features are activated when the person is detected outside the illuminated area within the vicinity of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the biometric information includes at least one of facial features, corneal features, gait features, thermal features, or voice features of the detected person.

13. A method for projecting an image from a projection system, the method comprising:
detecting at least one passenger exiting a boundary associated with a vehicle;
detecting a presence of a person within a distance threshold of the projection system integrated with the vehicle through one or more proximity sensors;
determining an identity of the person based on biometric information; and
projecting an interactive scene onto a surface within a vicinity of the projection system based at least on the identity of the person, the interactive scene customized based on the identity of the person, the interactive scene displaying a warning and video being captured when the identity of the person is unknown.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
receiving environmental information of an area associated with the projection system from one or more environment sensors.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the interactive image projected on the surface within the vicinity of the projection system comprises at least one of a detected state of the vehicle, an environmental condition of an area associated with the vehicle, a news item, or an advertisement.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
receiving information through a connection to an external network and wherein projecting the interactive scene onto the surface is further based on the information received from the external network.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
receiving one or more user settings through an input/output port and wherein projecting the interactive scene onto the surface is further based on the one or more user settings.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the interactive scene projected on the surface within the vicinity of the projection system comprises at least one direction in connection with egressing from the vehicle, the at least one direction obtained from a known destination.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the interactive scene projected on the surface within the vicinity of the projection system comprises an illuminated area within the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein one or more safety features are activated when the person is detected outside the illuminated area within the vicinity of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving at least one user input at the projection system from the person; and
altering the interactive scene based on the at least one user input.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the at least one user input comprises at least one of a voice command of the person detected by a microphone to interact with the interactive scene or a gesture movement of the person detected by a movement-capturing device to interact with the interactive scene.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the at least one user input comprises an input from at least one accelerometer of a mobile device associated with the person provided to the projection system to interact with the interactive scene.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein a mobile device transmits the identity of the person to the projection system.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Potter Daniel E
• Varghese Bivin J
• Child Christopher P
• Misra Mira S
• Mazuir Clarisse
• Northcott Malcolm J
• Golko Albert J
• Reetz Daniel J
• Last Matthew E
• Stefanov-Wagner Thaddeus
• Sataline Christopher J
• Cretella Michael A
• Palmer Collin J

Classifications

• B60R25/24 Primary

  using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user · CPC title

• B60Q1/507

  specific to autonomous vehicles · CPC title

• B60Q1/549

  for expressing greetings, gratitude or emotions · CPC title

• B60Q1/545

  for indicating other traffic conditions, e.g. fog, heavy traffic · CPC title

• B60R16/0373 Primary

  Voice control (in general G10L) · CPC title