IP Library › Granted Patent US 12694671
Granted Patent B2
US 12694671 · App. 18/219,578 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Augmented reality interface for facilitating identification of arriving vehicle

Inventors: Alexander J. O'Connell (San Jose, CA); Justin M. Strawn (Larkspur, CA); Ryan D. Shelby (Mountain View, CA); Sunny Chan (San Jose, CA); Tadayasu Sasada (Cupertino, CA); Vincent P. Arroyo (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06V20/20G01C21/3438G06Q10/06G06Q50/40G06T19/006G06V20/56G08G1/0175G08G1/205
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12694671
App. No.
18/219,578
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various embodiments of the invention pertain to an augmented reality interface for facilitating identification of an arriving vehicle and/or a passenger that improve upon some or all of the above-described deficiencies. According to some embodiments of the invention, a mobile device may be used by a passenger to scan scenery. The mobile device may determine whether and where a requested vehicle is located and display an indicator of the requested vehicle on the mobile device. Similarly, a mobile device may be used by a driver to scan scenery. The mobile device may determine whether and where a passenger is located and display an indicator of the requesting passenger on the mobile device.

Claims (45)

1 . A mobile device comprising:

a display;

a camera communicably coupled with the display;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the mobile device to perform operations including:

receiving a request associated with locating an object, wherein the mobile device is at a first location and the object is at a second location that is different from the first location;

receiving visual information providing a set of one or more physical characteristics about the object or an environment around the object, wherein the visual information includes at least one visual characteristic of the object;

storing, in the memory of the mobile device, the set of one or more physical characteristics about the object or the environment around the object in the memory of the mobile device;

receiving a notification that enables an augmented reality mode on the mobile device, wherein the notification is based on a determination that a distance between a current location of the mobile device and the second location of the object is within a specified threshold, wherein enabling the augmented reality mode allows the augmented reality mode to be activated in response to an input;

in response to enabling the augmented reality mode and receiving the input from a user at the mobile device, activating the augmented reality mode to use a camera on the mobile device and capturing image data using the camera of the mobile device, wherein the image data includes a plurality of persons, wherein the plurality of persons includes the object and at least one other person;

analyzing the image data using an image processing engine to identify at least one physical characteristic of the set of one or more physical characteristics of the visual information; and

in accordance with the visual information matching the image data based on the identifying of the at least one physical characteristic, providing an identifier on the display of the mobile device to indicate the second location corresponding to the object, wherein the matching determines that the object matches more visual characteristics of the visual information than the at least one other person.

2 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the object is a person.

3 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise providing an indicator that the augmented reality mode is activated.

4 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the visual information includes at least one visual characteristic of the environment around the object, and wherein matching the visual information with the image data includes:

determining whether at least a specified number of the at least one visual characteristic of the environment around the object are identified within the image data.

5 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the second location of the object is within a specified distance of the mobile device.

6 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the input is a gesture.

7 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the image data includes a plurality of users.

8 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more characteristics includes at least one of a hair color, a hair style and a clothing color.

9 . A method performed by a processor of a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a request associated with locating an object, wherein the mobile device is at a first location and the object is at a second location that is different from the first location;

receiving visual information providing a set of one or more physical characteristics about the object or an environment around the object, wherein the visual information includes at least one visual characteristic of the object;

storing, in a memory of the mobile device, the set of one or more physical characteristics about the object or the environment around the object in the memory of the mobile device;

receiving a notification that enables an augmented reality mode on the mobile device, wherein the notification is based on a determination that a distance between a current location of the mobile device and the second location of the object is within a specified threshold, wherein enabling the augmented reality mode allows the augmented reality mode to be activated in response to an input;

in response to enabling the augmented reality mode and receiving the input from a user at the mobile device, activating the augmented reality mode that captures image data using a camera of the mobile device, wherein the image data includes a plurality of persons, wherein the plurality of persons includes the object and at least one other person;

receiving the image data using an image processing engine to identify at least one physical characteristic of the set of one or more physical characteristics of the visual information; and

in accordance with the visual information matching the image data based on the identifying of the at least one physical characteristic, providing an identifier on a display of the mobile device to indicate the second location corresponding to the object, wherein the matching determines that the object matches more visual characteristics of the visual information than the at least one other person.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the visual information includes at least one visual characteristic of the environment around the object, and wherein matching the visual information with the image data includes:

determining whether at least a specified number of the at least one visual characteristic of the environment around the object are identified within the image data.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second location of the object is within a specified distance of the mobile device.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the input is a gesture.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the image data includes a plurality of users.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the set of one or more characteristics includes at least one of a hair color, a hair style and a clothing color.

15 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors of a mobile device perform operations comprising:

receiving a request associated with locating an object, wherein the mobile device is at a first location and the object is at a second location that is different from the first location;

receiving visual information providing a set of one or more physical characteristics about the object or an environment around the object, wherein the visual information includes at least one visual characteristic of the object;

storing, in a memory of the mobile device, the set of one or more physical characteristics about the object or the environment around the object in the memory of the mobile device;

receiving a notification that enables an augmented reality mode on the mobile device, wherein the notification is based on a determination that a distance between a current location of the mobile device and the second location of the object is within a specified threshold, wherein enabling the augmented reality mode allows the augmented reality mode to be activated in response to an input;

in response to enabling the augmented reality mode and receiving the input from a user at the mobile device, activating the augmented reality mode to capture image data using a camera of the mobile device, wherein the image data includes a plurality of persons, wherein the plurality of persons includes the object and at least one other person;

receiving the image data using an image processing engine to identify at least one physical characteristic of the set of one or more physical characteristics of the visual information; and

in accordance with the visual information matching the image data based on the identifying of the at least one physical characteristic, providing an identifier on a display of the mobile device to indicate the second location corresponding to the object, wherein the matching determines that the object matches more visual characteristics of the visual information than the at least one other person.

16 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the visual information includes at least one visual characteristic of the environment around the object, and wherein matching the visual information with the image data includes:

determining whether at least a specified number of the at least one visual characteristic of the environment around the object are identified within the image data.

17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the second location of the object is within a specified distance of the mobile device.