Communications between head-mounted devices (HMDs) in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (xR) applications
Systems and methods for communications between Head-Mounted Devices (HMDs) in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (xR) applications are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a first HMD may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the first HMD to: during execution of an xR application, maintain a receive (Rx) channel with a second HMD, as part of a communication session, using a first transport; and maintain a transmit (Tx) channel with the second HMD, concurrently with the Rx channel and as part of the communication session, using a second transport different from the first transport.
1. A first Head-Mounted Device (HMD), comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the first HMD to:
during execution of a virtual, augmented, or mixed reality (xR) application, maintain a receive (Rx) channel with a second HMD, as part of a communication session, using a first transport;
maintain a transmit (Tx) channel with the second HMD, concurrently with the Rx channel and as part of the communication session, using a second transport different from the first transport; and
wherein the first transport and the second transport are selected from a group consisting of: infrared, radio frequency, or ultrasonic.
2. The first HMD of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution, further cause the first HMD to determine a latency of each of a plurality of transports.
3. The first HMD of claim 2 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution, further cause the first HMD to:
request that the second HMD transmit a first message to the first HMD using the first transport, wherein the first transport has the lowest latency among the plurality of transports, and measure a first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the first message;
request that the second HMD transmit a second message to the first HMD using the second transport, wherein the second transport has the second lowest latency among the plurality of transports, and measure a second SNR of the second message; and
select the first transport to maintain the Rx channel in response to a determination that the first SNR is greater than the second SNR.
4. The first HMD of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution, further cause the first HMD to determine a throughput of each of a plurality of transports.
5. The first HMD of claim 4 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution, further cause the first HMD to:
request that the second HMD transmit a first message to the first HMD using the first transport, wherein the first transport has a highest throughput among the plurality of transports, and measure a first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the first message;
request that the second HMD transmit a second message to the first HMD using the second transport, wherein the second transport has a second highest throughput among the plurality of transports, and measure a second SNR of the second message; and
select the first transport to maintain the Rx channel in response to a determination that the first SNR is greater than the second SNR.
6. The first HMD of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution, further cause the first HMD to:
transmit a first message to the second HMD using the first transport;
transmit a second message to the second HMD using the second transport; and
receive a selection of the second transport from the second HMD to maintain the Tx channel, at least in part, in response to a determination by the second HMD that the second SNR is greater than the first SNR.
7. The first HMD of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution, further cause the first HMD to:
in response to a battery power available to the first HMD falling below a threshold value, determine that the first transport has a lower receive power consumption than the second transport; and
select the first transport in response to the determination.
8. The first HMD of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution, further cause the first HMD to:
in response to a battery power available to the second HMD falling below a threshold value, determine that the first transport has a lower transmit power consumption than the second transport; and
select the first transport in response to the determination.
9. The first HMD of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution, further cause the first HMD to:
in response to a degradation of the Rx channel during execution of the xR application, establish another Rx channel with the second HMD using the second transport.
10. The first HMD of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution, further cause the first HMD to:
during execution of the xR application, maintain communications with a third HMD via the second HMD.
11. A method, comprising:
operating, by a first Head-Mounted Device (HMD), a receive (Rx) channel with a second HMD, wherein the Rx channel uses a first transport; and
operating, by the first HMD, a transmit (Tx) channel with the second HMD, concurrently with the Rx channel and as part of a single communications session, wherein the Tx channel uses a second transport;
wherein the second transport is different from the first transport; and
the first transport and the second transport are selected from a group consisting of: infrared, radio frequency, or ultrasonic.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining a latency and a throughput for the Rx channel and the Tx channel.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
requesting that the second HMD transmit a first communication to the first HMD using the first transport;
measuring a first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the first communication;
requesting that the second HMD transmit a second communication to the first HMD using the second transport;
measuring a second SNR of the second communication; and
switching the Rx channel to the second transport, during the single communications session, in response to a determination that the second SNR is greater than the first SNR.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
transmitting a first communication to the second HMD using the first transport;
transmitting a second communication to the second HMD using the second transport; and
switching the Tx channel to the first transport, during the single communications session, in response to a determination by the second HMD that an SNR of the first communication is greater than an SNR of the second communication.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising
in response to a battery power available to the first HMD falling below a threshold value, switching the Rx channel to the second transport.
16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
in response to a battery power available to the second HMD falling below a threshold value, switching the Tx channel to the first transport.
17. A hardware memory device of a first Head-Mounted Device (HMD) having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a hardware processor, cause the first HMD to:
maintain a receive (Rx) channel with a second HMD, wherein the Rx channel uses a first transport; and
maintain a transmit (Tx) channel with the second HMD, concurrently with the Rx channel and as part of a single communications session, wherein the Tx channel uses a second transport;
wherein the second transport is different from the first transport; and
the first transport and the second transport are selected from a group consisting of: infrared, radio frequency, or ultrasonic.
18. The hardware memory device of claim 17 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the hardware processor, further cause the first HMD to:
in response to a power available to the first HMD falling below a threshold value, switch the Rx channel to the second transport.
19. The hardware memory device of claim 17 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the hardware processor, further cause the first HMD to:
in response to a power available to the second HMD falling below a threshold value, switch the Tx channel to the first transport.