IP Library Granted Patent US 11,985,175
Granted Patent B2
US 11,985,175 · App. 17/207,174 · Granted May 14, 2024

Virtual interaction session to facilitate time limited augmented reality based communication between multiple users

Inventors: Brian Anthony Smith (New York, NY); Yu Jiang Tham (Los Angeles, CA); Rajan Vaish (Beverly Hills, CA); Hemant Surale (Waterloo, CA)
Assignee: Snap Inc.
H04L65/1093G02B27/017G06T19/006H04L65/1096G06T2219/024
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,985,175
App. No.
17/207,174
Filed
Mar 19, 2021
Granted
May 14, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2442
USPC
709/227
Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, method, and user interface to facilitate augmented reality based communication between multiple users over a network. Session configuration data including configuration parameters of a virtual interaction session with a first user is received from a first device. The configuration parameters include an identifier of a second user that is permitted to join the virtual interaction session and a micro-chat duration that defines a time limit for a real-time communication link between the first and second user during the virtual interaction session. The real-time communication link between the first and second user by causing display, by the second device, of a live camera feed generated at the first device. Upon expiration of the micro-chat duration, the real-time communication link between the first and second user is terminated.

Claims (72)

1. A method comprising:

causing display, by a first device of a first user, of a session configuration interface to specify session configuration data for a virtual interaction session with the first user, the session configuration interface comprising multiple interface elements for the first user to specify configuration parameters of the virtual interaction session, the multiple interface elements including:

a first interface input element for the first user to specify an identifier of a second user that is permitted to join the virtual interaction session; and

a second interface input element for the first user to specify a micro-chat duration that defines a time limit for real-time communication links between the first and second user during the virtual interaction session;

receiving, from the first device of the first user, the session configuration data including the configuration parameters of the virtual interaction session with the first user, the configuration parameters including the identifier of the second user that is permitted to join the virtual interaction session specified by the first user via interaction with the first interface input element and the micro-chat duration specified by the first user via interaction with the second interface input element;

initiating the virtual interaction session based on the session configuration data;

establishing a first real-time communication link between the first user and the second user based on the virtual interaction session being initiated, the establishing of the first real-time communication link including causing display, by the second device, of a live camera feed generated at the first device, the live camera feed comprising images of a real-world environment visible to the first user;

upon expiration of the micro-chat duration, terminating the first real-time communication link between the first user and the second user, the terminating of the first real-time communication link including terminating the display of the live camera feed by the second device;

upon termination of the first real-time communication link between the first user and the second user, providing an interactive element to the second device to trigger transmission of a request for a second real-time communication link between the first user and the second user; and

establishing the second real-time communication link between the first user and the second user in response to receiving the request while the virtual interaction session remains active.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing of the first real-time communication link between the first user and the second user further comprises enabling an audio communication link between the first and second devices.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the terminating of the first real-time communication link further comprises disabling the audio communication link between the first and second devices.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing display, by the first and second devices, of an indicator of time remaining in the first real-time communication link.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing display, by the first device, of an indicator that the second user is viewing the live camera feed.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

enabling the first user to extend the micro-chat duration while the first real-time communication link is established between the first user and the second user.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein enabling the first user to extend the micro-chat duration comprises causing display, by the first device, of an interactive element that triggers an extension to the micro-chat duration.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing display, by the first device, of a set of selectable virtual content items to apply to the real-world environment that is visible to the second user.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, from the second device, input data indicative of a selection by the second user of a virtual content item, from the set of selectable virtual content items, to apply to the real-world environment that is visible to the first user, the virtual content item comprising one or more media objects; and

based on receiving the input data, causing display, by the first device and the second device, of the one or more media objects overlaid on the live camera feed generated by the first device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein causing display, by the second device, of the one or more media objects comprises causing display of the live camera feed augmented to include the one or more media objects overlaid on the real-world environment.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the first device is a wearable device worn by the second user;

the wearable device comprises a transparent display; and

causing the first device to display the one or more media objects overlaid on real-world environment comprises causing the transparent display to present the one or more media objects.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing display, by the second device, of an indicator of the virtual interaction session with the first user based on the session configuration data.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the configuration parameters further include a session duration, wherein the indicator is provided to the second device for display until expiration of the session duration.

14. A system comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

one or more processors configured by the instructions to perform operations comprising:

causing display, by a first device of a first user, of a session configuration interface to specify session configuration data for a virtual interaction session with the first user, the session configuration interface comprising multiple interface elements for the first user to specify configuration parameters of the virtual interaction session, the multiple interface elements including:

a first interface input element for the first user to specify an identifier of a second user that is permitted to join the virtual interaction session; and

a second interface input element for the first user to specify a micro-chat duration that defines a time limit for real-time communication links between the first and second user during the virtual interaction session;

receiving, from the first device of the first user, the session configuration data including the configuration parameters of the virtual interaction session with the first user, the configuration parameters including the identifier of the second user that is permitted to join the virtual interaction session specified by the first user via interaction with the first interface input element and the micro-chat duration specified by the first user via interaction with the second interface input element;

initiating the virtual interaction session based on the session configuration data;

establishing a first real-time communication link between the first user and the second user based on the virtual interaction session being initiated, the establishing of the first real-time communication link including causing display, by the second device, of a live camera feed generated at the first device, the live camera feed comprising images of a real-world environment visible to the first user;

upon expiration of the micro-chat duration, terminating the first real-time communication link between the first and second user, the terminating of the first real-time communication link including terminating the display of the live camera feed by the second device;

upon termination of the first real-time communication link between the first user and the second user, providing an interactive element to the second device to trigger transmission of a request for a second real-time communication link between the first user and the second user; and

establishing the second real-time communication link between the first user and the second user in response to receiving the request while the virtual interaction session remains active.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the establishing of the first real-time communication link between the first user and the second user further comprises enabling an audio communication link between the first and second devices; and

the terminating of the real-time communication link further comprises disabling the audio communication link between the first and second devices.

16. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

causing display, by the first and second devices, of an indicator of time remaining in the first real-time communication link; and

causing display, by the first device, of an interactive element that triggers an extension to the micro-chat duration.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

causing display, by the first device, of a set of selectable virtual content items to apply to the real-world environment that is visible to the second user;

receiving, from the second device, input data indicative of a selection by the second user of a virtual content item, from the set of selectable virtual content items, to apply to the real-world environment that is visible to the first user, the virtual content item comprising one or more media objects; and

based on receiving the input data, causing display, by the first device and second device, of the one or more media objects overlaid on the live camera feed generated by the first device, wherein causing display, by the second device, of the one or more media objects comprises causing display of the live camera feed augmented to include the one or more media objects overlaid on the real-world environment.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein:

the first device is a wearable device worn by the second user;

the wearable device comprises a transparent display; and

causing the first device to display the one or more media objects overlaid on real-world environment comprises causing the transparent display to present the one or more media objects.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

causing display, by the second device, of an indicator of the virtual interaction session with the first user based on the session configuration data,

wherein the configuration parameters further include a session duration, and

wherein the indicator is provided to the second device for display until expiration of the session duration.

20. A machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

causing display, by a first device of a first user, of a session configuration interface to specify session configuration data for a virtual interaction session with the first user, the session configuration interface comprising multiple interface elements for the first user to specify configuration parameters of the virtual interaction session, the multiple interface elements including:

a first interface input element for the first user to specify an identifier of a second user that is permitted to join the virtual interaction session; and

a second interface input element for the second user to specify a micro-chat duration that defines a time limit for a real-time communication link between the first and second user during the virtual interaction session;

receiving, from the first device of the first user, the session configuration data including the configuration parameters of the virtual interaction session with the first user, the configuration parameters including the identifier of the second user that is permitted to join the virtual interaction session specified by the first user via interaction with the first interface input element and the micro-chat duration specified by the first user via interaction with the second interface input element;

initiating the virtual interaction session based on the session configuration data;

establishing a first real-time communication link between the first user and the second user based on the virtual interaction session being initiated, the establishing of the real-time communication link including causing display, by the second device, of a live camera feed generated at the first device, the live camera feed comprising images of a real-world environment visible to the first user; and

upon expiration of the micro-chat duration, terminating the first real-time communication link between the first and second user, the terminating of the first real-time communication link including terminating the display of the live camera feed by the second device;

upon termination of the first real-time communication link between the first user and the second user, providing an interactive element to the second device to trigger transmission of a request for a second real-time communication link between the first user and the second user; and

establishing the second real-time communication link between the first user and the second user in response to receiving the request while the virtual interaction session remains active.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2024
From: SMITH, BRIAN ANTHONY; THAM, YU JIANG; VAISH, RAJAN; SURALE, HEMANT
To: SNAP INC.
Reel/Frame 066538/0784 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62994671 · Mar 25, 2020
Related Publication 20210306387A1 · Sep 30, 2021
Cited By (5)
US 12,211,156 US 12,470,815 US 12,500,945 US 12,591,405 US 12,627,718