Comfortable navigation in large-scale virtual worlds when constrained by small-scale physical environment

1. A computer-implemented method comprising, by a virtual-reality computing system:

segmenting a layout of a physical space surrounding a user into physical segments;

generating, based on the physical segments, virtual paths for a virtual environment through which the user can navigate by traveling the physical segments;

identifying a particular physical segment of the physical segments that the user is located within, the particular physical segment corresponding to a particular virtual path of the virtual paths;

activating an intrusion detection feature for the particular physical segment;

while the user is navigating the particular virtual path by traveling the particular physical segment, detecting a physical object entering the particular physical segment that corresponds to the particular virtual path of the virtual paths;

in response to the detecting, displaying a representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path;

after displaying the representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path,

i) identifying, based on an updated location of the user with respect to the physical space, an additional particular physical segment of the physical segments that the user is located within, the additional particular physical segment corresponding to an additional particular virtual path of the virtual paths;

ii) activating the intrusion detection feature for the additional particular physical segment that the user is located within; and

iii) detecting an additional physical object entering the additional particular physical segment, and in response, a) ceasing to display the representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path and b) displaying a representation of the additional physical object in the additional particular virtual path.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the physical object entering the particular physical segment that corresponds to the particular virtual path further comprises detecting the physical object entering the particular physical segment that corresponds to the particular virtual path after generating the virtual paths for the virtual environment.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the particular physical segment is initially exclusive of the physical object when the virtual paths are generated.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after detecting the physical object entering the particular physical segment that corresponds to the particular virtual path, identifying a proximity of the user with respect to the physical object in the particular physical segment.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining, based on the proximity of the user with respect to the physical object, that the user is within a threshold distance of the physical object.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the user is within the threshold distance of the physical object, displaying the representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:

identifying a sightline of the user with respect to the physical object;

determining that the user is within the threshold distance of the physical object and that the physical object is located within the sightline of the user; and

in response to determining that the user is within the threshold distance of the physical object and that the physical object is located within the sightline of the user, displaying the representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, based on a current location of the user with respect to the physical space, that the user is located outside of the physical segments of the physical space;

in response to determining that the user is located outside of the physical segments of the physical space, updating a graphical user interface (GUI) to correspond to additional physical space that is outside of the physical segments the user is located in.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

concealing representations of additional physical objects physically located in remaining physical segments of the physical space.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein

the particular physical segment is adjacent to the additional particular physical segment.

11. A system comprising a processor having access to memory media storing instructions executable by the processor to:

segment a layout of a physical space surrounding a user into physical segments;

generate, based on the physical segments, virtual paths for a virtual environment through which the user can navigate by traveling the physical segments;

identify a particular physical segment of the physical segments that the user is located within, the particular physical segment corresponding to a particular virtual path of the virtual paths;

activate an intrusion detection feature for the particular physical segment;

while the user is navigating the particular virtual path by traveling the particular physical segment, detect a physical object entering the particular physical segment that corresponds to the particular virtual path of the virtual paths;

in response to the detecting, display a representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path; and

after displaying the representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path,

i) identify, based on an updated location of the user with respect to the physical space, an additional particular physical segment of the physical segments that the user is located within, the additional particular physical segment corresponding to an additional particular virtual path of the virtual paths;

ii) activate the intrusion detection feature for the additional particular physical segment that the user is located within; and

iii) detect an additional physical object entering the additional particular physical segment, and in response, a) cease to display the representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path and b) display a representation of the additional physical object in the additional particular virtual path.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein detecting the physical object entering the particular physical segment that corresponds to the particular virtual path further comprises detect the physical object entering the particular physical segment that corresponds to the particular virtual path after generating the virtual paths for the virtual environment.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the particular physical segment is initially exclusive of the physical object when the virtual paths are generated.

14. The system of claim 11 , the instructions further comprising:

after detecting the physical object entering the particular physical segment that corresponds to the particular virtual path, identify a proximity of the user with respect to the physical object in the particular physical segment.

15. The system of claim 14 , the instructions further comprising:

determine, based on the proximity of the user with respect to the physical object, that the user is within a threshold distance of the physical object.

16. The system of claim 15 , the instructions further comprising:

in response to determining that the user is within the threshold distance of the physical object, display the representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path.

17. The system of claim 15 , the instructions further comprising:

identify a sightline of the user with respect to the physical object;

determine that the user is within the threshold distance of the physical object and that the physical object is located within the sightline of the user; and

in response to determining that the user is within the threshold distance of the physical object and that the physical object is located within the sightline of the user, display the representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

segment a layout of a physical space surrounding a user into physical segments;

generate, based on the physical segments, virtual paths for a virtual environment through which the user can navigate by traveling the physical segments;

identify a particular physical segment of the physical segments that the user is located within, the particular physical segment corresponding to a particular virtual path of the virtual paths;

activate an intrusion detection feature for the particular physical segment;

while the user is navigating the particular virtual path by traveling the particular physical segment, detect a physical object entering the particular physical segment that corresponds to the particular virtual path of the virtual paths;

in response to the detecting, display a representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path; and

after displaying the representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path,

i) identify, based on an updated location of the user with respect to the physical space, an additional particular physical segment of the physical segments that the user is located within, the additional particular physical segment corresponding to an additional particular virtual path of the virtual paths;

ii) activate the intrusion detection feature for the additional particular physical segment that the user is located within; and

iii) detect an additional physical object entering the additional particular physical segment, and in response, a) cease to display the representation of the physical object in the particular virtual path and b) display a representation of the additional physical object in the additional particular virtual path.