IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,353,674
Granted Patent B2
US 12,353,674 · App. 18/421,086 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Artificial reality family history experience

Inventors: Jordan Mark Lundskog (Lehi, UT); Matthew Scott Cox (Orem, UT); Keld Tony Sperry (Lehi, UT); Christopher Scott Withers (Pleasant Grove, UT)
Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
G06F3/04815G06F3/017G06F3/04845G06F16/51G06T19/006G06T2200/24
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 12,353,674
App. No.
18/421,086
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A genealogy system includes a server with memory and processors storing code that instructs the processors to store genealogy data and user profiles, providing a research platform for users. A remote client device, equipped with an image sensor and display, communicates with the server. The client device displays the genealogy research platform, allowing users to select a genealogy item for an artificial reality experience. Upon user command, the client device presents continually updating artificial reality images of an environment, overlaying a digital representation of the selected genealogy item on the artificial reality experience. This system seamlessly integrates genealogical research with artificial reality technology for an immersive user experience.

Claims (49)

1. A system comprising:

a genealogy server comprising memory and one or more processors, the memory configured to store code comprising instructions, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

store genealogy data and a plurality of user profiles; and

provide a genealogy research platform for users to view the genealogy data; and

a client device remote from the genealogy server and in communication with the genealogy server, the client device comprising an image sensor and a display, the client device configured to:

display the genealogy research platform that is in communication with the genealogy server;

receive a command from a user selecting a genealogy item to launch an artificial reality experience;

present, at the display and responsive to the command, continually updating images of an environment in the artificial reality experience; and

render a digital representation of the genealogy item in the artificial reality experience, the digital representation of the genealogy item overlaid on the continually updating images of the environment.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the client device is further configured to:

receive a command to capture an artificial reality image; and

transmit the artificial reality image to the genealogy server for storage of the artificial reality image in a user account space associated with the user.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the artificial reality experience further comprises an interactive element, the interactive element selectable at the display to change one or more things in the digital representation rendered.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the client device is further configured to:

capture a gesture performed by a person captured in the artificial reality experience, the gesture signaling an attempted interaction; and

adjust the digital representation based on the gesture.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital representation of the genealogy item includes a family tree.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the command to launch the artificial reality experience comprises a request to scan an encoded marker to identify the artificial reality experience that is previously created.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the environment is a physical area captured by the image sensor of the client device, and wherein a position of the digital representation in the artificial reality experience is fixed relative to the physical area.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein rendering the digital representation of the genealogy item in the artificial reality experience comprises:

present the digital representation of the genealogy item;

receive a gesture command from the user, the gesture command indicating a drag action to drag the digital representation from a first location to a second location in the continually updating images; and

present a continuous movement of the digital representation until a position of the digital representation is fixed in the artificial reality experience.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the artificial reality experience is an augmented reality experience that captures a physical environment, and the digital representation of the genealogy item is overlaid on an object in the physical environment.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the client device is configured to render additional one or more digital representations of additional genealogy items in the artificial reality experience.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying, at a client device remote from a genealogy server and in communication with the genealogy server, a genealogy research platform that is in communication with the genealogy server, the genealogy server storing genealogy data and a plurality of user profiles;

receive a command from a user selecting a genealogy item to launch an artificial reality experience;

present, at a display of the client device and responsive to the command, continually updating images of an environment in the artificial reality experience; and

render a digital representation of the genealogy item in the artificial reality experience, the digital representation of the genealogy item overlaid on the continually updating images of the environment.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving a command to capture an artificial reality image; and

transmitting the artificial reality image to the genealogy server for storage of the artificial reality image in a user account space associated with the user.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the artificial reality experience further comprises an interactive element, the interactive element selectable at the display to change one or more things in the digital representation rendered.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

capturing a gesture performed by a person captured in the artificial reality experience, the gesture signaling an attempted interaction; and

adjusting the digital representation based on the gesture.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the digital representation of the genealogy item includes a family tree.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the command to launch the artificial reality experience comprises a request to scan an encoded marker to identify the artificial reality experience that is previously created.

17. An artificial reality device, comprising:

an image sensor configured to capture an environment;

a display configured to display a genealogy research platform that is in communication with a genealogy server that is in communication with the artificial reality device; and

a processor configured to execute one or more instructions, the instructions causing the processor to:

receive a command from a user selecting a genealogy item to launch an artificial reality experience;

cause, responsive to the command, the display to present continually updating images of an environment in the artificial reality experience; and

render a digital representation of the genealogy item in the artificial reality experience, the digital representation of the genealogy item overlaid on the continually updating images of the environment.

18. The artificial reality device of claim 17 , wherein the artificial reality experience is an augmented reality experience that captures a physical environment, and the digital representation of the genealogy item is overlaid on an object in the physical environment.

19. The artificial reality device of claim 17 , wherein the command to launch the artificial reality experience comprises a request to scan an encoded marker to identify the artificial reality experience that is previously created.

20. The artificial reality device of claim 17 , wherein the artificial reality experience further comprises an interactive element, the interactive element selectable at the display to change one or more things in the digital representation rendered.

Assignments (3)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 3, 2026
From: ANCESTRY.COM OPERATIONS INC.; ANCESTRY.COM DNA, LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 076116/0447 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 3, 2026
From: ANCESTRY.COM OPERATIONS INC.; ANCESTRY.COM DNA, LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 076144/0726 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2024
From: LUNDSKOG, JORDAN MARK; COX, MATTHEW SCOTT; SPERRY, KELD TONY; WITHERS, CHRISTOPHER SCOTT
To: ANCESTRY.COM OPERATIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 066415/0959 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63440769 · Jan 24, 2023
Related Publication 20240264716A1 · Aug 8, 2024
References Cited (38)
US 5467471A · Bader · 1995 [cited by examiner]
US 6570567B1 · Eaton · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 7014101B1 · Kennedy · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 7162430B2 · Misawa · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 7249129B2 · Cookson, Jr. · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 7463792B2 · Peterschmidt · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 8095567B2 · Cookson, Jr. · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 8356023B2 · Graham · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 8375286B2 · Allen · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 8452805B2 · Knutson · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 8719304B2 · Golze · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8855935B2 · Myres · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9465890B1 · Wilson · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9477941B2 · Nikolayev · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9646013B2 · Swengler · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10431002B2 · Gordon · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10790041B2 · Macpherson · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11482306B2 · Song · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 12148507B2 · Granka · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20020032687A1 · Huff · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20050147947A1 · Cookson · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20070178500A1 · Martin · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20100223281A1 · Hon · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20120131061A1 · Cookson, Jr. · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20120191703A1 · Huff · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130117377A1 · Miller · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140025308A1 · Jorde · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140278138A1 · Barber · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20190066198A1 · Keeler · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190107935A1 · Spivack · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20210034647A1 · Nguyen · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210192765A1 · Anadure · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210201378A1 · Piramuthu · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20230142630A1 · Brodie · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230252052A1 · Mitchell · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240161178A1 · Skeen · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240264716A1 · Lundskog · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240346342A1 · Lewis · 2024 [cited by examiner]
Cited By (1)
US 12,682,335