IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,297,366
Granted Patent B2
US 11,297,366 · App. 16/616,219 · Granted Apr 5, 2022

Methods, systems, and media for object grouping and manipulation in immersive environments

Inventors: Bryce Gibson Reid (Burlingame, CA); Michael Kent (San Francisco, CA); Devin Mancuso (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
H04N21/2668G06F3/011H04N21/2662H04N21/2665G02B27/0172
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,297,366
App. No.
16/616,219
Granted
Apr 5, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and media for object grouping and manipulation in immersive environments are provided. The method comprises: displaying a plurality of video objects in an immersive environment; detecting, via a first input, that a first video object has been virtually positioned over a second video object; in response to detecting that the first video object has been virtually positioned over the second video object, generating a group video object that includes the first video object and the second video object, wherein the group video object includes a handle interface element for interacting with the group video object and a selectable indicator that represents the first video object and the second video object; displaying the group video object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator with one or more remaining video objects in the immersive environment, wherein the group video object replaces the first video object and the second video object within the immersive environment; and, in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, displaying a user interface for interacting with the group video object.

Claims (36)

1. A method for interacting with immersive video content, comprising:

displaying a plurality of video objects in an immersive environment, the immersive environment being a virtual reality environment generated in a head mounted display device operating in a physical environment;

detecting, via a first input, that a first video object has been virtually positioned over a second video object;

in response to detecting that the first video object has been virtually positioned over the second video object, generating a group video object that includes the first video object and the second video object, wherein the group video object includes a handle interface element for interacting with the group video object and a selectable indicator that represents the first video object and the second video object;

displaying the group video object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator with one or more remaining video objects in the immersive environment, wherein the group video object replaces the first video object and the second video object within the immersive environment, the handle interface element being a three-dimensional handle element interacted with by detecting a grab gesture performed by a hand in the virtual reality environment; and

in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, displaying a user interface for interacting with the group video object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first video object is represented by a first thumbnail representation, the second video object is represented by a second thumbnail representation, and the group video object is represented by a stacked thumbnail representation in which (i) the first thumbnail representation and the second thumbnail representation are automatically aligned to generate the stacked thumbnail representation and (ii) the first thumbnail representation is in a top position of the stacked thumbnail representation in response to detecting that the first video object was interacted with and virtually positioned over the second video object.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectable indicator indicates a number of video objects contained in the group video object.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes an option to create a playlist that includes the first video object and the second video object in the group video object and wherein, upon selection of the group video object, the first video object and the second video object are played back in the immersive environment.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes an option to rearrange an order of at least the first video object and the second video object associated with the group video object.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes an option to remove at least one of the first video object and the second video object from the group video object.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes an option to remove the group video object along with the first video object and the second video object from the immersive environment.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to detecting a particular hand interaction with the handle interface element, causing a grid of video objects included within the group video object to be presented, wherein each video object in the grid of video objects is modifiable.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to detecting a particular hand interaction with the handle interface element, causing the group video object along with the first video object and the second video object to be removed from the immersive environment.

10. A system for interacting with immersive video content, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a hardware processor that, when executing computer-executable instructions stored in the memory, is configured to:

display a plurality of video objects in an immersive environment, the immersive environment being a virtual reality environment generated in a head mounted display device operating in a physical environment;

detect, via a first input, that a first video object has been virtually positioned over a second video object;

in response to detecting that the first video object has been virtually positioned over the second video object, generate a group video object that includes the first video object and the second video object, wherein the group video object includes a handle interface element for interacting with the group video object and a selectable indicator that represents the first video object and the second video object;

display the group video object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator with one or more remaining video objects in the immersive environment, wherein the group video object replaces the first video object and the second video object within the immersive environment, the handle interface element being a three-dimensional handle element interacted with by detecting a grab gesture performed by a hand in the virtual reality environment; and

in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, display a user interface for interacting with the group video object.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first video object is represented by a first thumbnail representation, the second video object is represented by a second thumbnail representation, and the group video object is represented by a stacked thumbnail representation in which (i) the first thumbnail representation and the second thumbnail representation are automatically aligned to generate the stacked thumbnail representation and (ii) the first thumbnail representation is in a top position of the stacked thumbnail representation in response to detecting that the first video object was interacted with and virtually positioned over the second video object.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the selectable indicator indicates a number of video objects contained in the group video object.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes an option to create a playlist that includes the first video object and the second video object in the group video object and wherein, upon selection of the group video object, the first video object and the second video object are played back in the immersive environment.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes an option to rearrange an order of at least the first video object and the second video object associated with the group video object.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes an option to remove at least one of the first video object and the second video object from the group video object.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes an option to remove the group video object along with the first video object and the second video object from the immersive environment.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to cause a grid of video objects included within the group video object to be presented in response to detecting a particular hand interaction with the handle interface element, wherein each video object in the grid of video objects is modifiable.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to cause the group video object along with the first video object and the second video object to be removed from the immersive environment in response to detecting a particular hand interaction with the handle interface element.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for interacting with immersive video content, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of video objects in an immersive environment, the immersive environment being a virtual reality environment generated in a head mounted display device operating in a physical environment;

detecting, via a first input, that a first video object has been virtually positioned over a second video object;

in response to detecting that the first video object has been virtually positioned over the second video object, generating a group video object that includes the first video object and the second video object, wherein the group video object includes a handle interface element for interacting with the group video object and a selectable indicator that represents the first video object and the second video object;

displaying the group video object along with the handle interface element and the selectable indicator with one or more remaining video objects in the immersive environment, wherein the group video object replaces the first video object and the second video object within the immersive environment, the handle interface element being a three-dimensional handle element interacted with by detecting a grab gesture performed by a hand in the virtual reality environment; and

in response to detecting a selection of the selectable indicator, displaying a user interface for interacting with the group video object.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2022
From: REID, BRYCE GIBSON; KENT, MICHAEL; MANCUSO, DEVIN
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 059132/0504 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210352348A1 · Nov 11, 2021