Method and device for resolving focal conflict

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12475612-B2
Application number	US-202418673176-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2024
Priority date	Sep 27, 2019
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

In one implementation, a method of resolving focal conflict in a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment is performed by a device including a processor, non-transitory memory, an image sensor, and a display. The method includes capturing, using the image sensor, an image of a scene including a real object in a particular direction at a first distance from the device. The method includes displaying, on the display, a CGR environment including a virtual object in the particular direction at a second distance from the device. In accordance with a determination that the second distance is less than the first distance, the CGR environment includes the virtual object overlaid on the scene. In accordance with a determination that the second distance is greater than the first distance, the CGR environment includes the virtual object with an obfuscation area that obfuscates at least a portion of the real object within the obfuscation area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
at a device including an image sensor, a display, one or more processors, and non-transitory memory: capturing, using the image sensor, an image of a first real environment including a real object at a first distance from the device in a particular direction; and displaying, on the display, a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment including a virtual avatar at a first location in the first real environment that represents a person at a second location in a second real environment remote from the first real environment and moves in the first real environment correspondingly with movement of the person in the second real environment; wherein, in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to the first location that is a second distance from the device in the particular direction that is less than the first distance, the CGR environment includes the virtual avatar overlaid on the first real environment; and wherein, in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to the first location that is a second distance from the device in the particular direction that is greater than the first distance, the CGR environment includes the virtual avatar with an obfuscation area that obfuscates at least a portion of the real object within the obfuscation area.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the obfuscation area surrounds the virtual avatar.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the obfuscation area includes a blurring region that blurs the portion of the real object within the blurring region.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the virtual avatar is not blurred.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the obfuscation area includes a dimming region that dims the portion of the real object within the dimming region.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the virtual avatar is not dimmed.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the obfuscation area includes a masking region that occludes the portion of the real object within the masking region.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the obfuscation area includes a portal region that displays a virtual world over the portion of the real object within the portal region.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the virtual world includes a virtual floor.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the virtual floor is coplanar with a real floor of the scene.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising displaying a virtual shadow of the virtual avatar on the virtual floor.

12 . A device comprising:
an image sensor; a display; a non-transitory memory; and one or more processors to:
capture, using the image sensor, an image of a first real environment including a real object at a first distance from the device in a particular direction; and
display, on the display, a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment including a virtual avatar at a first location in the first real environment that represents a person at a second location in a second real environment remote from the first real environment and moves in the first real environment correspondingly with movement of the person in the second real environment;
wherein, in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to the first location that is a second distance from the device in the particular direction that is less than the first distance, the CGR environment includes the virtual avatar overlaid on the first real environment; and
wherein, in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to the first location that is a second distance from the device in the particular direction that is greater than the first distance, the CGR environment includes the virtual avatar with an obfuscation area that obfuscates at least a portion of the real object within the obfuscation area.

13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the obfuscation area surrounds the virtual object.

14 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the obfuscation area includes a blurring region that blurs the portion of the real object within the blurring region.

15 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the obfuscation area includes a dimming region that dims the portion of the real object within the dimming region.

16 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the obfuscation area includes a masking region that occludes the portion of the real object within the masking region.

17 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the obfuscation area includes a portal region that displays a virtual world over the portion of the real object within the portal region.

18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the virtual world includes a virtual floor coplanar with a real floor of the scene.

19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are further to display a virtual shadow of the virtual avatar on the virtual floor.

20 . A non-transitory memory storing one or more programs, which, when executed by one or more processors of a device with an image sensor and a display cause the device to:
capture, using the image sensor, an image of a first real environment including a real object at a first distance from the device in the particular direction; and display, on the display, a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment including a virtual avatar at a first location in the first real environment that represents a person at a second location in a second real environment remote from the first real environment and moves in the CGR environment correspondingly with movement of the person in the second real environment; wherein, in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to the first location that is a second distance from the device in the particular direction that is less than the first distance, the CGR environment includes the virtual avatar overlaid on the first real environment; and wherein, in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to the first location that is a second distance from the device in the particular direction that is greater than the first distance, the CGR environment includes the virtual avatar with an obfuscation area that obfuscates at least a portion of the real object within the obfuscation area.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Palangie Alexis Henri
• Chiu Shih Sang
• Sommer Bruno M
• Smith Connor Alexander
• Burns Aaron Mackay

Classifications

• G06T19/006 Primary

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

• G06T5/20

  using local operators · CPC title

• G06T5/70

  Denoising; Smoothing · CPC title

• G06F3/011

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

• G06T7/73

  using feature-based methods · CPC title