Method and apparatus for sharing augmented reality applications to multiple clients

1. A method of interaction using augmented reality, the method comprising:

aligning a local augmented reality (AR) view to a remote AR view of a remote user;

receiving remote annotations from the remote user;

sending local annotations registered to the local AR view to the remote user;

manipulating the local AR view with the remote annotations and the local annotations;

receiving an AR viewing position and an AR viewing angle of the remote user;

setting a local AR viewing position and a local AR viewing angle according to the received AR viewing position and the received AR viewing angle of the remote user;

locking the local AR view according to the received AR viewing position and the received AR viewing angle of the remote user; and

viewing the local AR view, remote annotations, and local annotations according to the received AR viewing position and the received AR viewing angle of the remote user,

wherein the method is performed on a device chosen from a group including a tablet, a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a head-mounted display, and a virtual-reality display.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local AR view is locked by a command of the remote user.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising recording metadata of the interaction.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the recorded metadata includes one or more of identities of the remote user and a local user, an elapsed time for completion of a task in the AR interaction, measurements of values related to the task in the AR interaction, check list items associated with the task in the AR interaction, and screenshots of the AR interaction.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving and sending operations are performed in real time or in near-real time.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting between a local user and the remote user audio, video, or other data.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each step of the method is repeated for each task in a predefined workflow, and the method further comprises:

analyzing the local AR view to detect completion of a task in the predefined workflow; and

analyzing the local AR view to detect a deviation from an expected state in the predefined workflow.

8. A method of interaction using augmented reality, the method comprising:

capturing a video image using an imaging device;

generating augmented reality (AR) coordinates corresponding to the video image;

updating a scene view according to the generated AR coordinates;

loading 3D content from storage;

creating new content by adding the loaded 3D content to the scene view;

combining the AR coordinates, the 3D content and the scene view;

transmitting combined data to remote user;

transmitting a local AR viewing position and a local AR viewing angle to the remote user; and

locking an AR viewing position and an AR viewing angle of the remote user according to the transmitted local AR viewing position and local AR viewing angle,

wherein the method is performed on a device chosen from a group including a tablet, a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a head-mounted display, and a virtual-reality display.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising transmitting a command to lock a remote scene view of the remote user.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising recording metadata of the interaction.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the recorded metadata includes one or more of identities of the remote user and a local user, an elapsed time for completion of a task in the AR interaction, measurements of values related to the task in the AR interaction, check list items associated with the task in the AR interaction, and screenshots of the AR interaction.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising transmitting between a local user and the remote user audio, video, or other data.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein each step of the method is repeated for each task in a predefined workflow, and the method further comprises:

analyzing the video image to detect completion of a task in the predefined workflow; and

analyzing the video image to detect a deviation from an expected state in the predefined workflow.

14. A method of interaction using augmented reality, the method comprising:

capturing a first video image using an imaging device;

generating first augmented reality (AR) coordinates corresponding to the first video image;

receiving second AR coordinates, 3D object information and second video frame from a remote user;

loading 3D content from storage;

updating positions and existence of the received 3D object information and the loaded 3D content;

receiving an AR viewing position and an AR viewing angle of the remote user;

setting a local AR viewing position and a local AR viewing angle of a local AR view according to the received AR viewing position and the received AR viewing angle of the remote user;

locking the local AR view according to the received AR viewing position and the received AR viewing angle of the remote user; and

viewing the local AR view according to the received AR viewing position and the received AR viewing angle of the remote user,

wherein the method is performed on a device chosen from a group including a tablet, a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a head-mounted display, and a virtual-reality display.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the local AR view is locked by a command of the remote user.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising recording metadata of the interaction.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the recorded metadata includes one or more of identities of the remote user and a local user, an elapsed time for completion of a task in the AR interaction, measurements of values related to the task in the AR interaction, check list items associated with the task in the AR interaction, and screenshots of the AR interaction.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the receiving and updating operations are performed in real time or in near-real time.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising transmitting between a local user and the remote user audio, video, or other data.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein each step of the method is repeated for each task in a predefined workflow, and the method further comprises:

analyzing the first video image to detect completion of a task in the predefined workflow; and

analyzing the first video image to detect a deviation from an expected state in the predefined workflow.