Augmented reality playspaces with adaptive game rules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9454849-B2
Application number	US-201213689378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2012
Priority date	Nov 3, 2011
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A system for generating a virtual gaming environment based on features identified within a real-world environment, and adapting the virtual gaming environment over time as the features identified within the real-world environment change is described. Utilizing the technology described, a person wearing a head-mounted display device (HMD) may walk around a real-world environment and play a virtual game that is adapted to that real-world environment. For example, the HMD may identify environmental features within a real-world environment such as five grassy areas and two cars, and then spawn virtual monsters based on the location and type of the environmental features identified. The location and type of the environmental features identified may vary depending on the particular real-world environment in which the HMD exists and therefore each virtual game may look different depending on the particular real-world environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for generating an augmented reality environment, comprising:
generating one or more virtual objects associated with a computing application using a mobile device, the one or more virtual objects include a first virtual object:
identifying one or more real-world objects within a first real-world environment that are of a particular type;
acquiring a computing application requirement that a particular number of real-world objects of the particular type be identified within the first real-world environment from the computing application;
determining that a number of the one or more real-world objects identified within the first real-world environment of the particular type is not equal to the particular number of real-world objects required by the computing application;
adjusting the one or more virtual objects in response to determining that the number of the one or more real-world objects identified within the first real-world environment of the particular type is not equal to the particular number of real-world objects required by the computing application, the one or more virtual objects include a first virtual object that moves within the augmented reality environment;
detecting a particular sound using the mobile device;
determining a distance between the first virtual object within the augmented reality environment and the mobile device;
setting a degree of transparency for the first virtual object based on the distance between the first virtual object within the augmented reality environment and the mobile device in response to detecting the particular sound;
generating one or more images associated with the first virtual object based on the degree of transparency; and
displaying on the mobile device the one or more images, the one or more images are displayed such that the first virtual object is perceived to exist within the augmented reality environment.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein: the adjusting the one or more virtual objects includes increasing a speed associated with the first virtual object.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the adjusting the one or more virtual objects includes scaling a size of the first virtual object.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the one or more images are displayed using the mobile device such that the first virtual object is perceived to be partially transparent.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining one or more personal characteristics associated with an end user of the mobile device, the one or more personal characteristics include a height of the end user;
determining one or more locations within the first real-world environment associated with the one or more virtual objects; and
modifying the one or more locations associated with the one or more virtual objects based on the one or more personal characteristics prior to the displaying.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a geographic location associated with the mobile device; and
modifying the one or more virtual objects based on the geographic location prior to the displaying.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
acquiring environmental information associated with a second real-world environment;
generating one or more other virtual objects based on the environmental information;
adjusting the one or more other virtual objects; and
displaying on the mobile device one or more other images associated with the one or more other virtual objects, the one or more other images are displayed such that the one or more other virtual objects are perceived to exist within the augmented reality environment.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first real-world environment comprises an emerging environment in which locations corresponding with the one or more real-world objects are not pre-defined;
the particular sound corresponds with a siren sound; and
the mobile device comprises a see-through HMD.

9. One or more storage devices containing processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method for generating an augmented reality environment comprising the steps of:
identifying a first set of real-world objects within a first real-world environment;
generating one or more virtual objects associated with a computing application, the generating one or more virtual objects includes generating the one or more virtual objects based on the first set of real-world objects;
identifying a second set of real-world objects within a second real-world environment different from the first real-world environment that are of a particular type, the identifying a second set of real-world objects is performed subsequent to the generating one or more virtual objects;
acquiring a computing application requirement that a particular number of real-world objects of the particular type be identified within the second real-world environment from the computing application;
determining that a number of the second set of real-world objects identified within the second real-world environment of the particular type is not equal to the particular number of real-world objects required by the computing application;
adjusting the one or more virtual objects in response to the determining that the number of the second set of real-world objects identified within the second real-world environment of the particular type is not equal to the particular number of real-world objects required by the computing application, the one or more virtual objects include a first virtual object that moves within the augmented reality environment;
displaying on a mobile device one or more images associated with the one or more virtual objects, the one or more images are displayed such that the one or more virtual objects are perceived to exist within the second real-world environment;
detecting a particular sound within the second real-world environment; determining a distance between the first virtual object within the augmented reality environment and the mobile device:
setting a degree of transparency for the first virtual object based on the distance between the first virtual object within the augmented reality environment and the mobile device in response to detecting the particular sound;
generating one or more new images associated with the first virtual object based on the degree of transparency; and
displaying on the mobile device the one or more new images such that the first virtual object is perceived to be partially transparent within the second real-world environment in response to detecting the particular sound.

10. The one or more storage devices of claim 9 , wherein: the second set of real-world objects of the particular type comprises one of trees, cars, or people and wherein: the adjusting to one or more virtual objects includes increasing a speed associated with the first virtual object.

11. The one or more storage devices of claim 9 , wherein:
the adjusting the one or more virtual objects includes scaling a size of the first virtual object.

12. The one or more storage devices of claim 9 , wherein:
the particular sound corresponds with a siren sound.

13. The one or more storage devices of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining one or more personal characteristics associated with an end user of the mobile device, the one or more personal characteristics include a height of the end user;
registering the one or more virtual objects, the registering determines one or more locations within the first real-world environment associated with the one or more virtual objects; and
modifying the one or more locations associated with th

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Mount Brian J
• Scott Jason
• Hastings Ryan L
• Bennett Darren
• Latta Stephen G
• Mcculloch Daniel J
• Geisner Kevin A
• Steed Jonathan T
• Scavezze Michael J

Classifications

• G06T19/20

  Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts · CPC title

• A63F2300/69

  Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video · CPC title

• A63F2300/6676

  by dedicated player input · CPC title

• G06T2219/2016

  Rotation, translation, scaling · CPC title

• G06T19/006 Primary

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