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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11627360-B2
Application number	US-202217653571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2022
Priority date	May 22, 2019
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

Methods, systems, and media for object grouping and manipulation in immersive environments are provided. In some embodiments, a method can include: displaying a plurality of virtual objects in an immersive environment; generating a group virtual object that includes a first virtual object and a second virtual object, the group virtual object including a handle interface element for interacting with the group virtual object and a selectable indicator associated with the first virtual object and the second virtual object; displaying the group virtual object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator in the immersive environment; and in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, displaying a user interface for interacting with the group virtual object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
displaying a plurality of virtual objects in an immersive environment;
generating a group virtual object that includes a first virtual object and a second virtual object, the group virtual object including a handle interface element for interacting with the group virtual object and a selectable indicator associated with the first virtual object and the second virtual object;
displaying the group virtual object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator in the immersive environment; and
in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, displaying a user interface for interacting with the group virtual object,
the first virtual object being represented by a first thumbnail representation, the second virtual object being represented by a second thumbnail representation, the group virtual object being represented by a stacked thumbnail representation in which the first thumbnail representation and the second thumbnail representation are aligned to generate the stacked thumbnail representation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the handle interface element is a three-dimensional handle element.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the handle interface element is interacted with by a gesture performed in the immersive environment.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the immersive environment is a virtual reality environment that is generated in a head mounted display device operating in a physical environment.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a plurality of content items adjacent to at least the first virtual object.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first thumbnail representation is virtually positioned over the second thumbnail representation.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the group virtual object is represented by a stacked thumbnail representation in which the first thumbnail representation and the second thumbnail representation are aligned to generate the stacked thumbnail representation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes an option to rearrange an order of or remove at least one of the first virtual object or the second virtual object associated with the group virtual object.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to detecting an interaction with the group virtual object, causing a grid of virtual objects included within the group virtual object to be presented.

10. A 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 virtual objects in an immersive environment;
generate a group virtual object that includes a first virtual object and a second virtual object, the group virtual object including a handle interface element for interacting with the group virtual object and a selectable indicator associated with the first virtual object and the second virtual object;
display the group virtual object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator in the immersive environment; and
in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, display a user interface for interacting with the group virtual object,
the first virtual object being represented by a first thumbnail representation, the second virtual object being represented by a second thumbnail representation, the group virtual object being represented by a stacked thumbnail representation in which the first thumbnail representation and the second thumbnail representation are aligned to generate the stacked thumbnail representation.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the immersive environment is a virtual reality environment that is generated in a head mounted display device operating in a physical environment.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the handle interface element is a three-dimensional handle element.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the handle interface element is interacted with by detecting a gesture performed in the immersive environment.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes a plurality of content items adjacent to at least the first virtual object.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first thumbnail representation is virtually positioned over the second thumbnail representation.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes an option to rearrange an order of or remove at least one of the first virtual object or the second virtual object associated with the group virtual object.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to cause a grid of virtual objects included within the group virtual object to be presented in response to detecting an interaction with the group virtual object.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
displaying a plurality of virtual objects in an immersive environment;
generating a group virtual object that includes a first virtual object and a second virtual object, the group virtual object including a handle interface element for interacting with the group virtual object and a selectable indicator associated with the first virtual object and the second virtual object;
displaying the group virtual object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator in the immersive environment; and
in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, displaying a user interface for interacting with the group virtual object,
the first virtual object being represented by a first thumbnail representation, the second virtual object being represented by a second thumbnail representation, the group virtual object being represented by a stacked thumbnail representation in which the first thumbnail representation and the second thumbnail representation are aligned to generate the stacked thumbnail representation.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Reid Bryce Gibson
• Kent Michael
• Mancuso Devin

Classifications

• G06F3/04842

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

• G06F3/04815

  Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object · CPC title

• G11B27/102

  Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers (access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816) · CPC title

• G06T19/20

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