Time shifting extended reality media

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11481983-B2
Application number	US-202017105463-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2020
Priority date	Nov 25, 2020
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

In one example, a method includes presenting an extended reality (XR) experience to a plurality of user devices, wherein the presenting includes presenting a time control along with an XR stream, receiving a first signal from a first user device of the plurality of user devices via the time control, wherein the first signal indicates that a user of the first user device wishes to shift the XR stream to a first point in time that is different from a time that is currently being rendered in the XR stream, and presenting a personal XR environment to the first user device in response to the first signal, wherein the personal XR environment presents the first point in time in the XR stream to the first user device without changing a time point of the XR stream that is currently being presented to other user devices of the plurality of user devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
presenting, by a processing system including at least one processor, an extended reality experience to a plurality of user devices, wherein the presenting includes presenting a time control along with an extended reality stream, wherein the extended reality stream comprises a dynamic stream that is recorded in real time as the extended reality experience progresses, wherein the time control comprises a control that, when manipulated by a user of any user device of the plurality of user devices, allows the any user device to move backward or forward through the extended reality stream on demand, and wherein the time control comprises a voice operable control;
receiving, by the processing system, a first signal from a first user device of the plurality of user devices via the time control, wherein the first signal indicates that a first user of the first user device wishes to shift the extended reality stream to a first point in time that is different from a time that is currently being rendered in the extended reality stream;
presenting, by the processing system, a personal extended reality environment to the first user device in response to the first signal, wherein the personal extended reality environment presents the first point in time in the extended reality stream to the first user device without changing a time point of the extended reality stream that is currently being presented to other user devices of the plurality of user devices; and
modifying, by the processing system, a representation of the first user in the extended reality stream as presented to the other user devices of the plurality of user devices to indicate that the first user device is not presenting the time that is currently being rendered in the extended reality stream.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time control is further presented as at least one of: a clock, a series of thumbnail images extracted from a series of corresponding time points in the extended reality stream, or a slider.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time control is further responsive to a user gesture.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extended reality stream is annotated with markers that indicate where notable events occurred in the extended reality stream.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first signal indicates a selection by the first user device of one of the markers.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying comprises visually altering an avatar of the representation of the first user in the extended reality stream that represents the first user of the first user device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the visually altering comprises at least one of: blurring the avatar, fading the avatar, graying out the avatar, or replacing the avatar with a placeholder.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying comprises presenting a voice of the representation of the first user of the first user device as a voiceover in the extended reality stream.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying comprises adding an audio effect to a voice of the representation of the first user of the first user device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the processing system after presenting the extended reality experience but prior to receiving the first signal, a second signal from the first user device, wherein the second signal indicates that the first user of first user device wishes to join the extended reality experience that is in progress; and
presenting, by the processing system, the personal extended reality environment to the first user device in response to the second signal, wherein the personal extended reality environment facilitates a transition of the first user of the first user device into the extended reality experience while the extended reality experience continues to be presented to the other user devices of the plurality of user devices.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein when the personal extended reality environment is presented in response to the second signal, the personal extended reality environment provides information about a portion of the extended reality experience that the first user of the first user device missed.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the processing system after the first user device has joined the extended reality experience, a second signal from the first user device, wherein the second signal indicates that the first user of first user device wishes to exit the extended reality experience; and
presenting, by the processing system, the personal extended reality environment to the first user device in response to the second signal, wherein the personal extended reality environment facilitates a transition of the first user of the first user device out of the extended reality experience.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein when the second signal is received while the extended reality experience is still in progress, the processing system continues to present the extended reality experience to the other user devices of the plurality of user devices, concurrently with presenting the personal extended reality environment to the first user device.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first point in time is one of a plurality of points in time in the extended reality stream that are predefined with bookmarks in order to allow users of the plurality of user devices to revisit the plurality of points in time.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extended reality experience is at least one experience of: a multi-player video game, an immersive film presentation, a virtual tour, a virtual meeting, a training simulation, or a virtual recreation of a real world environment.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
presenting an extended reality experience to a plurality of user devices, wherein the presenting includes presenting a time control along with an extended reality stream, wherein the extended reality stream comprises a dynamic stream that is recorded in real time as the extended reality experience progresses, wherein the time control comprises a control that, when manipulated by a user of any user device of the plurality of user devices, allows the any user device to move backward or forward through the extended reality stream on demand, and wherein the time control comprises a voice operable control;
receiving a first signal from a first user device of the plurality of user devices via the time control, wherein the first signal indicates that a first user of the first user device wishes to shift the extended reality stream to a first point in time that is different from a time that is currently being rendered in the extended reality stream;
presenting a personal extended reality environment to the first user device in response to the first signal, wherein the personal extended reality environment presents the first point in time in the extended reality stream to the first user device without changing a time point of the extended reality stream that is currently being presented to other user devices of the plurality of user devices; and
modifying a representation of the first user in the extended reality stream as presented to the other user devices of the plurality of user devices to indicate that the first user device is not presenting the time that is currently being rendered in the extended reality stream.

1

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp
• At & T Mobility Ii Llc

Inventors

• Zavesky Eric
• Oetting John
• Pratt James
• Lecesne Terrel
• Decuir Jason

Classifications

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title

• H04N21/6587

  Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection · CPC title

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• H04N21/47217

  for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks (specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312) · CPC title

• H04N21/44218

  Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV programme (methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45) · CPC title