Navigating a holographic image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018307397-A1
Application number	US-201715494655-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 24, 2017
Priority date	Apr 24, 2017
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Technology is proposed to enable navigating a holographic image. A moving object, such as a hand, is tracked and a gesture is recognized. In response to recognizing the gesture, a virtual shape is created at the location of the recognized gesture. The shape has at least one dimension. The holographic image is moved based on current position of the moving object with respect to the virtual shape.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a sensor configured to sense positional information of a moving object; a display system configured to display an image; and a processor in communication with the sensor and the display system, the processor is configured to use the positional information to track the moving object, the processor is configured to recognize a gesture by the moving object, the processor is configured to create a virtual shape at a location of the recognized gesture, the shape has a dimension, the processor is configured to move the image based on current position of the moving object with respect to the virtual shape.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the virtual shape is a virtual surface; the processor is configured to dynamically determine a direction to orient the virtual surface based on the location of the recognized gesture; and the processor is configured to move the image by projecting the current position of the moving object to a projected position on the virtual surface and moving the image based on the projected position.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the virtual shape is a virtual plane; and the processor is configured to move the image by projecting the current position of the moving object to a projected position on the virtual plane and moving the image in a panning direction that corresponds to a direction from the location of the recognized gesture to the projected position on the virtual plane.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the virtual shape is a virtual surface; the image is a holographic image; and the processor is configured to choose a navigation tool for moving the image and use the chosen navigation tool to navigate the holographic image based on comparing current position of the moving object in relation to the virtual surface.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
the processor is configured to choose the navigation tool and use the chosen navigation tool by panning the holographic image in response to tracked movement of the moving object when the moving object is within a distance to the virtual surface and zooming the holographic image in response to tracked movement of the moving object when the moving object is outside the distance to the virtual surface.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the virtual shape is a virtual plane; and the processor is configured to move the image by projecting the current position of the moving object to a projected position on the virtual surface, determining a distance from the location of the recognized gesture to the projected position on the virtual surface and panning the image with panning speed based on the distance.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the virtual shape is a virtual plane; and the processor is configured to move the image by determining a distance from the moving object to the virtual plane and zooming the image at a speed based on the distance.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a head mounted display device that comprises the sensor and the display system, the display system displays the image as a holographic image that is visible through the head mounted display system; wherein the virtual shape is a virtual plane and the processor is configured to create the virtual plane at the location of the recognized gesture with the virtual plane facing the head mounted display system; wherein the processor is configured to move the image by projecting the current position of the moving object to a projected position on the virtual plane, panning the holographic image based on the projected position on the virtual plane, determining whether the moving object is in front of or behind the virtual plane with respect to the person, and zooming the holographic image based on the determining.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the virtual shape is a virtual plane; the image is a holographic image; and the processor is configured to pan the holographic image in response to tracked movement of the hand along the virtual plane, direction of panning of the holographic image is defined by directional orientation of the virtual plane such that other virtual planes with other directional orientations will establish different directions of panning the holographic map; and the processor is configured to zoom the holographic map in response to distance between the hand and the virtual plane, orientation perspective of zooming of the holographic map is defined by directional orientation of the virtual plane such that other virtual planes with other directional orientations will establish different perspectives for zooming the holographic map.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the virtual shape is a virtual plane; and the processor is configured to move the image by projecting new positions of the moving object to projected positions on the virtual plane, determining first distances from the location of the recognized gesture to the projected positions on the virtual plane and second distances from the virtual plane to the new positions, holding the image from movement while the first distances are less than a first threshold and the second distances are less than a second threshold, panning the image based on the first distances when the first distances become greater than the first threshold prior to the second distances being greater than the second threshold, and zooming the image based on the second distances when the second distances are greater than the second threshold prior to the first distances being greater than the first threshold.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor is configured to sense positional information of the moving object in a real world environment; and the processor is configured to create the virtual shape at the location of the recognized gesture in the real world environment.

12 . A method for panning and zooming a holographic image, comprising:
recognizing a hand gesture; in response to recognizing the hand gesture, creating a virtual plane facing the user at a location of the recognized hand gesture; comparing position of the hand in relation to the virtual plane; and choosing a navigation tool and using the chosen navigation tool to navigate the holographic image based on comparing current position of the hand in relation to the virtual plane.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the choosing a navigation tool and using the chosen navigation tool to navigate the holographic image comprises:
panning the holographic image in response to tracked movement of the hand when the hand is within a distance to the virtual surface; and zooming the holographic image in response to tracked movement of the hand when the hand is outside the distance to the virtual surface.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein
the creating the virtual plane facing the user comprises creating the virtual plane perpendicular to a line from the location of the recognized hand gesture to the user's face.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the using the chosen navigation tool to navigate the holographic image comprises:
projecting a portion of the holographic image on a real world surface that is smaller than the area of the entire holographic image such that parts of the holographic image that not over the real world surface are not displayed; and panning the holographic image such that different portions of the holographic image are projected over the real world surface and different parts of the holographic image are not over the real world surface and not displayed.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Hastings Ryan L
• Scott Jason B
• Paulovich Jonathan G
• Chevrier Jedd
• Evans David A
• Luccin Karim A

Classifications

• G06F3/0484

  for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range · CPC title

• G06F2203/04806

  Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation · CPC title

• G06F3/012

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G02B2027/0174

  holographic · CPC title