Context-aware extended reality systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11461986-B2
Application number	US-202117159955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2021
Priority date	Jan 27, 2021
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

Techniques and systems are provided for dynamically adjusting virtual content provided by an extended reality system. In some examples, a system determines a level of distraction of a user of the extended reality system due to virtual content provided by the extended reality system. The system determines whether the level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content exceeds or is less than a threshold level of distraction, where the threshold level of distraction is determined based at least in part on one or more environmental factors associated with a real world environment in which the user is located. The system also adjusts one or more characteristics of the virtual content based on the determination of whether the level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content exceeds or is less than the threshold level of distraction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for adjusting virtual content provided by extended reality systems, the apparatus including:
a memory; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:
determine a level of distraction of a user of an extended reality system due to virtual content by presented on a display of the extended reality system, wherein a real-world environment is viewable through at least a portion of the display of the extended reality system as the virtual content is displayed;
determine a threshold level of distraction based at least in part on one or more environmental factors associated with a real world environment in which the user is located, wherein the one or more environmental factors include at least one of a physical object within the real world environment or an interaction between the user of the extended reality system and a person;
determine whether the level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content exceeds or is less than the threshold level of distraction; and
adjust one or more characteristics of the virtual content based on the determination of whether the level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content exceeds or is less than the threshold level of distraction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the level of distraction of the user of the extended reality system due to the virtual content provided by the extended reality system at least in part by determining a level of engagement between the user and the virtual content.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the level of engagement between the user and the virtual content at least in part by monitoring one or more physical behaviors of the user.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the one or more physical behaviors of the user indicate at least one of a virtual object or a physical object on which the user is focusing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the level of distraction of the user of the extended reality system due to the virtual content provided by the extended reality system at least in part by determining a prominence of the virtual content within the display of the extended reality system, a high prominence being associated with a high level of distraction.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the prominence of the virtual content within the display of the extended reality system at least in part by determining at least one of a volume of audio of the virtual content, a size of the virtual content, a type of the virtual content, a brightness of the virtual content, a transparency of the virtual content, a level of movement of the virtual content, one or more color characteristics of the virtual content, a vibration intensity of the virtual content, a vibration frequency of the virtual content, a vibration duration of the virtual content, a field of view of occupied by the virtual content, a visual depth of the virtual content, or a position of the virtual content.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the threshold level of distraction further based on determining a level of importance of the one or more environmental factors, a low threshold level of distraction being associated with a high level of importance of the one or more environmental factors.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein an environmental factor with a high safety risk to the user is associated with a high level of importance.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
determine that the level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content exceeds the threshold level of distraction; and
based on the level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content exceeding the threshold level of distraction, adjust the one or more characteristics of the virtual content by outputting, via the display of the extended reality system, an indication of the one or more environmental factors.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
determine that the level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content exceeds the threshold level of distraction; and
based on the level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content exceeding the threshold level of distraction, adjust the one or more characteristics of the virtual content by decreasing a prominence of the virtual content within the display of the extended reality system.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that the level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content is less than the threshold level of distraction; and
based on the level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content being less than the threshold level of distraction, adjust the one or more characteristics of the virtual content by increasing a prominence of the virtual content within the display of the extended reality system.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine an updated level of distraction of the user of the extended reality system due to the virtual content with the adjusted one or more characteristics; and
determine an updated threshold level of distraction based at least in part on one or more updated environmental factors associated with the real world environment, the one or more updated environmental factors being at least partially different than the one or more environmental factors.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that the updated level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content with the adjusted one or more characteristics exceeds the updated threshold level of distraction; and
further adjust the one or more characteristics of the virtual content based on the determination that the updated level of distraction exceeds the updated threshold level of distraction, wherein further adjusting the one or more characteristics of the virtual content decreases a prominence of the virtual content provided by the extended reality system.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that the updated level of distraction of the user due to the virtual content with the adjusted one or more characteristics is less than the updated threshold level of distraction; and
further adjust the one or more characteristics of the virtual content based on determining that the updated level of distraction is less than the updated threshold level of distraction, wherein further adjusting the one or more characteristics of the virtual content increases a prominence of the virtual content provided by the extended reality system.

15. A method for adjusting virtual content provided by extended reality systems, the method comprising:
determining a level of distraction of a user of an extended reality system due to virtual content presented on a display of the extended reality system, wherein a real-world environment is viewable through at least a portion of the display of the extended reality system as the virtual content is displayed;
determining a threshold level of distraction based at least in part on one or more environmental factors associated with a real world environment in which the user is located, wherein the one or more environmental factors include at least one of a physical object within the real world environment or an interaction between the user of the extended reality system

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Tartz Robert
• Kies Jonathan
• Guest Daniel James

Classifications

• G06V20/00

  Scenes; Scene-specific elements (control of digital cameras H04N23/60) · CPC title

• G06T2219/2016

  Rotation, translation, scaling · CPC title

• G06T19/006

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/011 Primary

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/14

  Digital output to display device {; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units} · CPC title