Method and apparatus for overlaying a picture of a real scene with a virtual image, and mobile device

1. A method of overlaying a picture of a real scene with a virtual image, the method comprising steps of:

reading image data, wherein the image data represent the picture of the real scene captured by an environment sensor of a mobile device;

determining marker data from the image data, wherein the marker data represent the picture of the real scene and a positioning of a marker arranged in the real scene;

reading virtual image data, wherein the virtual image data represent image data selected from a plurality of virtual image data using the marker data, wherein the selected virtual image data comprise a representation instruction for representing the virtual image and a positioning instruction for positioning the virtual image;

determining object data from the image data, wherein the object data represent a picture and a positioning of an object portion of an object arranged in an environment of the marker in the real scene, wherein the picture of the object portion is used as an anchor point for the virtual image;

ascertaining a positioning rule for representing the virtual image with reference to the picture of the object portion using the object data and the virtual image data;

reading further image data, wherein the further image data represent a further picture of the real scene captured by the environment sensor of the mobile device;

determining a positioning of a further picture of the object portion from the further image data; and

creating overlaid image data using the further image data, the positioning of the further picture of the object portion and the positioning rule, wherein the further picture of the object portion is employed as the anchor point for the virtual image, and wherein the overlaid image data represent an overlay of the further picture of the real scene with the virtual image.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the image data represent real image data, the object data represent real object data, and the object portion represents a real object portion.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the step of ascertaining the positioning rule is ascertained using the marker data or at least part of the marker data.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein continuous iteration of the steps of reading image data, of determining marker data, of reading virtual image data, of determining object data and of ascertaining the positioning rule is performed three or more times per second.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the step of ascertaining the positioning rule, the positioning rule is ascertained using a measured value of a measuring device of the mobile device.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the measuring device of the mobile device is selected from an acceleration sensor, a rotation sensor, a magnetometer or a GPS receiver.

7. The method according to claim 1 , comprising a step of providing at least part of the marker data to an interface to an external device, wherein in the step of reading virtual image data the virtual image data are read via the interface to the external device.

8. The method according to claim 1 , comprising a step of selecting the virtual image data from the plurality of virtual image data using the marker data.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the marker represents machine-readable code comprising an identification of the marker, wherein in the step of determining marker data the identification of the marker is determined as part of the marker data.

10. The method according to claim 1 , comprising a step of displaying an overlay of the further picture of the real scene with the virtual image using a display device of the mobile device.

11. The method according to claim 1 , comprising a step of capturing the image data using the environment sensor of the mobile device.

12. An apparatus for overlaying a picture of a real scene with a virtual image, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one device for implementing the steps of claim 1 .

13. A mobile device configured for overlaying a picture of a real scene with a virtual image, the mobile device comprising:

an environment sensor configured for capturing image data; and

a processor configured for:

reading the image data, wherein the image data represent the picture of the real scene captured by the environment sensor of the mobile device;

determining marker data from the image data, wherein the marker data represent the picture of the real scene and a positioning of a marker arranged in the real scene;

reading virtual image data, wherein the virtual image data represent image data selected from a plurality of virtual image data using the marker data, wherein the selected virtual image data comprise a representation instruction for representing the virtual image and a positioning instruction for positioning the virtual image;

determining object data from the image data, wherein the object data represent a picture and a positioning of an object portion of an object arranged in an environment of the marker in the real scene, wherein the picture of the object portion is used as an anchor point for the virtual image; and

ascertaining a positioning rule for representing the virtual image with reference to the picture of the object portion using the object data and the virtual image data;

wherein the environment sensor is configured for capturing further image data and the processor is further configured for:

reading the further image data, wherein the further image data represent a further picture of the real scene captured by the environment sensor of the mobile device;

determining a positioning of a further picture of the object portion from the further image data; and

creating overlaid image data using the further image data, the positioning of the further picture of the object portion and the positioning rule, wherein the further picture of the object portion is employed as the anchor point for the virtual image, and wherein the overlaid image data represent an overlay of the further picture of the real scene with the virtual image.

14. The mobile device of claim 13 , wherein the mobile device comprises a smartphone.