Methods, systems, and media for object grouping and manipulation in immersive environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11297366-B2
Application number	US-201916616219-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2019
Priority date	May 22, 2019
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

Methods, systems, and media for object grouping and manipulation in immersive environments are provided. The method comprises: displaying a plurality of video objects in an immersive environment; detecting, via a first input, that a first video object has been virtually positioned over a second video object; in response to detecting that the first video object has been virtually positioned over the second video object, generating a group video object that includes the first video object and the second video object, wherein the group video object includes a handle interface element for interacting with the group video object and a selectable indicator that represents the first video object and the second video object; displaying the group video object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator with one or more remaining video objects in the immersive environment, wherein the group video object replaces the first video object and the second video object within the immersive environment; and, in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, displaying a user interface for interacting with the group video object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for interacting with immersive video content, comprising:
displaying a plurality of video objects in an immersive environment, the immersive environment being a virtual reality environment generated in a head mounted display device operating in a physical environment;
detecting, via a first input, that a first video object has been virtually positioned over a second video object;
in response to detecting that the first video object has been virtually positioned over the second video object, generating a group video object that includes the first video object and the second video object, wherein the group video object includes a handle interface element for interacting with the group video object and a selectable indicator that represents the first video object and the second video object;
displaying the group video object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator with one or more remaining video objects in the immersive environment, wherein the group video object replaces the first video object and the second video object within the immersive environment, the handle interface element being a three-dimensional handle element interacted with by detecting a grab gesture performed by a hand in the virtual reality environment; and
in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, displaying a user interface for interacting with the group video object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first video object is represented by a first thumbnail representation, the second video object is represented by a second thumbnail representation, and the group video object is represented by a stacked thumbnail representation in which (i) the first thumbnail representation and the second thumbnail representation are automatically aligned to generate the stacked thumbnail representation and (ii) the first thumbnail representation is in a top position of the stacked thumbnail representation in response to detecting that the first video object was interacted with and virtually positioned over the second video object.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectable indicator indicates a number of video objects contained in the group video object.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes an option to create a playlist that includes the first video object and the second video object in the group video object and wherein, upon selection of the group video object, the first video object and the second video object are played back in the immersive environment.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes an option to rearrange an order of at least the first video object and the second video object associated with the group video object.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes an option to remove at least one of the first video object and the second video object from the group video object.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes an option to remove the group video object along with the first video object and the second video object from the immersive environment.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to detecting a particular hand interaction with the handle interface element, causing a grid of video objects included within the group video object to be presented, wherein each video object in the grid of video objects is modifiable.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to detecting a particular hand interaction with the handle interface element, causing the group video object along with the first video object and the second video object to be removed from the immersive environment.

10. A system for interacting with immersive video content, the system comprising:
a memory; and
a hardware processor that, when executing computer-executable instructions stored in the memory, is configured to:
display a plurality of video objects in an immersive environment, the immersive environment being a virtual reality environment generated in a head mounted display device operating in a physical environment;
detect, via a first input, that a first video object has been virtually positioned over a second video object;
in response to detecting that the first video object has been virtually positioned over the second video object, generate a group video object that includes the first video object and the second video object, wherein the group video object includes a handle interface element for interacting with the group video object and a selectable indicator that represents the first video object and the second video object;
display the group video object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator with one or more remaining video objects in the immersive environment, wherein the group video object replaces the first video object and the second video object within the immersive environment, the handle interface element being a three-dimensional handle element interacted with by detecting a grab gesture performed by a hand in the virtual reality environment; and
in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, display a user interface for interacting with the group video object.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first video object is represented by a first thumbnail representation, the second video object is represented by a second thumbnail representation, and the group video object is represented by a stacked thumbnail representation in which (i) the first thumbnail representation and the second thumbnail representation are automatically aligned to generate the stacked thumbnail representation and (ii) the first thumbnail representation is in a top position of the stacked thumbnail representation in response to detecting that the first video object was interacted with and virtually positioned over the second video object.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the selectable indicator indicates a number of video objects contained in the group video object.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes an option to create a playlist that includes the first video object and the second video object in the group video object and wherein, upon selection of the group video object, the first video object and the second video object are played back in the immersive environment.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes an option to rearrange an order of at least the first video object and the second video object associated with the group video object.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes an option to remove at least one of the first video object and the second video object from the group video object.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes an option to remove the group video object along with the first video object and the second video object from the immersive environment.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to cause a grid of video objects included within the group video object to be presented in response to detecting a particular hand interaction with the handle interface element, wherein each video object in the grid of video objects is modifiable.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to cause the group video object along with the first video object and the second video object to be removed from the immersive environment in response to detecting a particular hand interaction

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Reid Bryce Gibson
• Kent Michael
• Mancuso Devin

Classifications

• G11B27/34 Primary

  Indicating arrangements  {(indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D)} · CPC title

• G06T19/20

  Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts · CPC title

• G06F9/451

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title