Data processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018024362-A1
Application number	US-201715656244-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2017
Priority date	Jul 22, 2016
Publication date	Jan 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Measures, including methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media, for processing data for an augmented reality environment. An augmented reality user device receives at least one signal from a radio frequency beacon at at least one radio frequency receiver of the augmented reality user device. A spatial resolution operation is performed in relation to the at least one received signal to determine a location of the radio frequency beacon. A virtual object is rendered in an augmented reality environment on the augmented reality user device at least on the basis of the determined location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of processing data for an augmented reality environment, the method comprising, at an augmented reality user device:
receiving at least one signal from a radio frequency beacon at at least one radio frequency receiver of the augmented reality user device; performing a spatial resolution operation in relation to the at least one received signal to determine a location of the radio frequency beacon; and rendering a virtual object in an augmented reality environment on the augmented reality user device at least on the basis of the determined location, wherein the rendering comprises rendering one or more audio features of the virtual object in relation to the determined location in the augmented reality environment.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the augmented reality user device comprises a plurality of audio channel loudspeakers and rendering the one or more audio features comprises outputting a plurality of audio signals comprising differing spatial information via the plurality of audio channel loudspeakers,
whereby a user of the augmented reality user device is able to determine a relative orientation of the virtual object by spatial audio perception.

3 . The method of claim 1 , comprising transmitting a connection request to the radio frequency beacon.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the connection request comprises a request to connect to the radio frequency beacon over a different type of connection from a connection over which the at least one signal is received from the radio frequency beacon and/or over which the connection request is transmitted to the radio frequency beacon.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the different type of connection has a higher bandwidth than the connection over which the at least one signal is received from the radio frequency beacon and/or over which the connection request is transmitted to the radio frequency beacon.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more visual features of the virtual object are rendered in association with the one or more audio features.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more audio features and the one or more visual features of the virtual object are rendered in association with a real object.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the augmented reality device comprises a user interface for interacting with a real object via user input.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the user interface is operable to change one or more settings of the real object via user input.

10 . The method of claim 9 , comprising:
obtaining a key based on data comprised in the received at least one signal; and using the key to enable the one or more settings of the real object to be changed.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the user interface comprises a voice user interface.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface and wherein the augmented reality user device comprises a headset configurable to provide user input to the graphical user interface via eye-tracking functionality of the headset.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the received at least one signal comprises real-time information from the local environment of a real object, the method comprising rendering the virtual object in the augmented reality environment further on the basis of the real-time information from the local environment of the real object.

14 . The method of claim 1 , comprising using a network address comprised in the received at least one signal to access the rendering information at the network address,
wherein the rendering is performed on the basis of the accessed rendering information.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the augmented reality user device comprises an array of at least two radio frequency receivers and the receiving comprises receiving a plurality of signals at a plurality of radio frequency receivers in the array and wherein performing the spatial resolution operation comprises:
identifying angles of arrival and received signal strengths of the received plurality of signals; identifying angles of departure and received signal strengths of the received plurality of signals; and/or identifying times of flight and received signal strengths of the received plurality of signals.

16 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
maintaining a blacklist of one or more virtual objects which are not to be rendered in an augmented reality environment on the augmented reality user device; and inhibiting rendering of a virtual object in an augmented reality environment on the augmented reality user device if the virtual object is on the maintained blacklist.

17 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
maintaining a whitelist of one or more virtual objects which are can be rendered in an augmented reality environment on the augmented reality user device; and inhibiting rendering of a virtual object in an augmented reality environment on the augmented reality user device unless the virtual object is on the maintained whitelist.

18 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving signals from a plurality of radio frequency beacons at at least one radio frequency receiver of the augmented reality user device; and performing spatial resolution operations and rendering of virtual objects in relation to a subset of the received signals and not performing spatial resolution operations and rendering of virtual objects in relation to received signals not in the subset.

19 . A system for use in processing data for an augmented reality environment, the system comprising:
at least one memory including computer program code; and at least one processor in data communication with the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: receive at least one signal from a radio frequency beacon at at least one radio frequency receiver of the augmented reality user device; perform a spatial resolution operation in relation to the at least one received signal to determine a location of the radio frequency beacon; and render one or more audio features of a virtual object in an augmented reality environment on the augmented reality user device in relation to the determined location in the augmented reality environment.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause an augmented reality device to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving at least one signal from a radio frequency beacon at at least one radio frequency receiver of the augmented reality user device; performing a spatial resolution operation in relation to the at least one received signal to determine a location of the radio frequency beacon; and rendering a virtual object in an augmented reality environment on the augmented reality user device at least on the basis of the determined location,
wherein the rendering comprises rendering one or more audio features of the virtual object in relation to the determined location in the augmented reality environment.

Assignees

• Advanced Risc Mach Ltd

Inventors

• Williamson Paul

Classifications

• G01S1/20

  using a comparison of transit time of synchronised signals transmitted from non-directional antennas or antenna systems spaced apart, i.e. path-difference systems · CPC title

• G02B2027/0147

  comprising a device modifying the resolution of the displayed image · CPC title

• G06T19/006

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

• G02B27/017 Primary

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G06T11/60

  Creating or editing images; Combining images with text · CPC title