Dynamic virtual element positioning in an augmented reality environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021287410-A1
Application number	US-202016819848-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 16, 2020
Priority date	Mar 16, 2020
Publication date	Sep 16, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices relating to dynamic virtual element positioning in an augmented reality (AR) environment are described herein. In a method, a viewport may be output by a computing device and may comprise a virtual element and at least a portion of a scene captured by a camera associated with the computing device. A movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport may be determined. An offset focal point along at least a portion of an axis of the virtual element may be determined that is the closest to a viewport focal point at the vertical and horizontal center of the viewport. The virtual element may be positioned in the viewport based on the movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport and a distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
causing, by a computing device, output of a viewport comprising a virtual element and at least a portion of a scene captured by a camera associated with the computing device; determining a movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport; determining an offset focal point along at least a portion of an axis of the virtual element that is closest to a viewport focal point at a vertical and horizontal center of the viewport; and positioning, based at least on the movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport and a distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point, the virtual element in the viewport.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual element comprises a virtual remote control.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point to a distance threshold, wherein the positioning the virtual element in the viewport is based on the comparing the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point to the distance threshold.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining that the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point exceeds the distance threshold; and positioning the virtual element in the viewport such that the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point is less than or equal to the distance threshold.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining that the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point is less than or equal to the distance threshold; and positioning the virtual element in the viewport such that the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point remains less than or equal to the distance threshold.

6 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining that the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point is less than or equal to the distance threshold; and maintaining the positioning of the virtual element in the viewport during the movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport causes an opposite movement of the virtual element in the viewport.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport comprises a predicted movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport and the offset focal point comprises a predicted offset focal point based on the predicted movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual element is at least one of vertically elongated or horizontally elongated.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport is based on at least one of: a movement of the camera, a movement of the computing device, a movement of the viewport, data from a gyroscope of the computing device, data from an accelerometer of the computing device, or data from a movement sensor of the computing device.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the axis of the virtual element comprises a longitudinal axis of the virtual element.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the viewport comprises an augmented reality (AR) viewport.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
indicating, by a user and based on the positioning the virtual element in the viewport, a feature of the virtual element.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises at least one of a mobile device, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a portable gaming device, a wearable computing device, a head-mounted display, smart glasses, a virtual retinal display, or a contact lens configured to display computer-generated elements.

15 . A device comprising:
one or more processors; a camera; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause:
causing output of a viewport comprising a virtual element and at least a portion of a scene captured by the camera;
determining a movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport;
determining an offset focal point along at least a portion of an axis of the virtual element that is the closest to a viewport focal point at a vertical and horizontal center of the viewport; and
positioning, based on the movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport and a distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point, the virtual element in the viewport.

16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
comparing the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point to a distance threshold, wherein the positioning the virtual element in the viewport is based on the comparing the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point to the distance threshold.

17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
determining that the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point exceeds the distance threshold; and positioning the virtual element in the viewport such that the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point is less than or equal to the distance threshold.

18 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
determining that the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point is less than or equal to the distance threshold; and positioning the virtual element in the viewport such that the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point remains less than or equal to the distance threshold.

19 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
determining that the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point is less than or equal to the distance threshold; and maintaining the positioning of the virtual element in the viewport during the movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause:
causing output of, by a computing device, a viewport comprising a virtual element and at least a portion of a scene captured by a camera associated with the computing device; determining a movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport; determining an offset focal point along at least a portion of an axis of the virtual element that is the closest to a viewport focal point at a vertical and horizontal center of the viewport; and positioning, based on the movement of the at least a portion of the scene in the viewport and a distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point, the virtual element in the viewport.

21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
comparing the distance between the offset focal point and the viewport focal point to a distance threshold, wherein the positioning the virtual element

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Sharafi Kalila
• Duffy Ryan
• Backhaus Stefan
• Fletcher Sabina
• Hollis Heather
• Follett Christopher
• Campdoras Eric
• Lough Stephan
• Biswas Sarbari Tina
• Bluedorn Emily

Classifications

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• H04N23/6812

  based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/675

  comprising setting of focusing regions · CPC title

• H04M1/72403 Primary

  with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality · CPC title

• H04N23/632

  for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters · CPC title