Method and system for merging distant spaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12333670-B2
Application number	US-202418645152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2024
Priority date	Nov 4, 2020
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A method of merging distant virtual spaces is disclosed. Data describing an environment surrounding a MR merging device is received. A first slice plane is generated, positioned, and displayed within the environment. A second MR merging device is connective with in a second environment. Data describing inbound content from the second MR merging device is received. Content data is sent from the MR merging device to the second MR merging device. The inbound content data is processed and displayed on the first slice plane.

First claim

I claim:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors, causes the one or more computer processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving data describing an environment surrounding a first mixed reality (MR) merging device;
connecting the first MR merging device with a second MR merging device;
receiving inbound content data from the second MR merging device and sending outbound content data to the second MR merging device, wherein the inbound content data includes data describing an environment surrounding the second MR merging device;
processing the received inbound content data;
generating and displaying a merge volume within the environment surrounding the first MR merging device; and
displaying the processed inbound content data such that the environment surrounding the second MR merging device appears visually merged with a first portion of the environment surrounding the first MR merging device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein communication between the first MR merging device and second MR merging device is a one way communication comprising downloading volumetric 3D data from the second MR merging device and uploading minimal data to the second MR merging device.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
analyzing the processed inbound content data and the data describing the environment surrounding the first MR merging device to determine a boundary of a merge volume such that it is visually consistent with both the environment surrounding the first MR merging device and the environment surrounding the second MR merging device; and
displaying the inbound content data within the merge volume such that the merge volume provides a shared space for interaction between a user of the first MR merging device and a user of the second MR merging device.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , the operations further comprising determining a size of the merge volume that works for both the environment surrounding the first MR merging device and the environment surrounding the second MR merging device.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , the operations further comprising overlapping the merge volume with an additional merge volume associated with the second MR merging device.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , the operations further comprising facilitating interaction between a user of the first MR merging device and a user of the second MR merging device within the overlapping of the merge volume with the additional merge volume.

7. A system comprising:
one or more computer processors;
one or more computer memories;
a set of instructions stored in the one or more computer memories, the set of instructions configuring the one or more computer processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving data describing an environment surrounding a first mixed reality (MR) merging device;
connecting a first MR merging device with a second MR merging device;
receiving inbound content data from the second MR merging device and sending outbound content data to the second MR merging device, wherein the inbound content data includes data describing an environment surrounding the second MR merging device;
processing the received inbound content data;
generating and displaying a merge volume within the environment surrounding the first MR merging device; and
displaying the processed inbound content data such that the environment surrounding the second MR merging device appears visually merged with a first portion of the environment surrounding the first MR merging device.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein communication between the first MR merging device and second MR merging device is a one-way communication comprising downloading volumetric 3D data from the second MR merging device and uploading minimal data to the second MR merging device.

9. The system of claim 7 , the operations further comprising:
analyzing the processed inbound content data and the data describing the environment to determine a boundary of a merge volume such that it is visually consistent with both the environment and an additional environment; and
displaying the inbound content data within the merge volume such that the merge volume provides a shared space for interaction between a user of the first MR merging device and a user of the second MR merging device.

10. The system of claim 7 , the operations further comprising determining a size of the merge volume that works for both the environment surrounding the first MR merging device and the environment surrounding the second MR merging device.

11. The system of claim 7 , the operations further comprising overlapping the merge volume with an additional merge volume associated with the second MR merging device.

12. The system of claim 11 , the operations further comprising facilitating interaction between a user of the first MR merging device and a user of the second MR merging device within the overlapping of the merge volume with the additional merge volume.

13. A method comprising:
receiving data describing an environment surrounding a first mixed reality (MR) merging device;
connecting a first MR merging device with a second MR merging device;
receiving inbound content data from the second MR merging device and sending outbound content data to the second MR merging device, wherein the inbound content data includes data describing an environment surrounding the second MR merging device;
processing the received inbound content data;
generating and displaying a merge volume within the environment surrounding the first MR merging device; and
displaying the processed inbound content data such that the environment surrounding the second MR merging device appears visually merged with a first portion of the environment surrounding the first MR merging device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein communication between the first MR merging device and second MR merging device is a one-way communication comprising downloading volumetric 3D data from the second MR merging device and uploading minimal data to the second MR merging device.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
analyzing the processed inbound content data and the data describing the environment to determine a boundary of a merge volume such that it is visually consistent with both the environment and an additional environment; and
displaying the inbound content data within the merge volume such that the merge volume provides a shared space for interaction between a user of the first MR merging device and a user of the second MR merging device.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining a size of the merge volume that works for both the environment surrounding the first MR merging device and the environment surrounding the second MR merging device.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising overlapping the merge volume with an additional merge volume associated with the second MR merging device.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising facilitating interaction between a user of the first MR merging device and a user of the second MR merging device within the overlapping of the merge volume with the additional merge volume.

Assignees

• Unity IPR ApS

Inventors

• Palmaro Gregory Lionel Xavier Jean

Classifications

• G06T2219/2004

  Aligning objects, relative positioning of parts · CPC title

• G06T19/006

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

• G06T19/003

  Navigation within 3D models or images · CPC title

• A63F13/53

  involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game · CPC title

• A63F2300/8082

  Virtual reality · CPC title