IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,288,005
Granted Patent B2
US 12,288,005 · App. 18/660,040 · Granted Apr 29, 2025

Shared data and collaboration for head-mounted devices

Inventors: Marinus Meursing (Poway, CA); David A. Schmuck (Raymore, MO); Brian S. Lau (Sacramento, CA); Jeremy C. Franklin (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06F3/147G06F3/012G06F3/017G06V20/20H04N23/90
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 12,288,005
App. No.
18/660,040
Granted
Apr 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system can include head-mounted devices that collaborate to process views from cameras of the respective head-mounted devices and identify objects from different perspectives and/or objects that are within the view of only one of the head-mounted devices. Sharing sensory input between multiple head-mounted devices can complement and enhance individual units by interpreting and reconstructing objects, surfaces, and/or an external environment with perceptive data from multiple angles and positions, which also reduces occlusions and inaccuracies. As more detailed information is available at a specific moment in time, the speed and accuracy of object recognition, hand and body tracking, surface mapping, and/or digital reconstruction can be improved. Such collaboration can provide more effective and efficient mapping of space, surfaces, objects, gestures and users.

Claims (54)

1. A head-mounted device comprising:

a first camera for capturing a first view including a first object and an additional head-mounted device that comprises a second camera;

a communication element;

a display; and

a processor configured to:

determine, based at least in part on the first view, whether the second camera of the additional head-mounted device is arranged to capture a second view including the first object, the second view being different than the first view, wherein the second view further includes a second object that is not in the first view;

transmit, with the communication element and to the additional head-mounted device, a request for data, the data indicating a characteristic of the first object and a characteristic of the second object based on the second view;

receive, with the communication element, the data from the additional head-mounted device; and

output, with the display, a representation of the first object based on the first view and the data received from the additional head-mounted device and a representation of the second object based on the data received from the additional head-mounted device.

2. The head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive, with the communication element and from the additional head-mounted device, arrangement information of the additional head-mounted device, wherein whether the second camera of the additional head-mounted device is arranged to capture the second view including the first object is determined further based on the arrangement information.

3. The head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the representation of the first object is a virtual object that is a substitute for the first object in the first view.

4. The head-mounted device of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a position and an orientation of the additional head-mounted device with respect to the first object.

5. The head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the first view is captured before the second view and the data is stored on an external device.

6. The head-mounted device of claim 5 , wherein:

the request for the data is transmitted via the external device; and

the data is received via the external device.

7. The head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of the first object comprises an identity of the first object.

8. A head-mounted device comprising:

a first camera for capturing a first view including a first object;

a communication element configured to receive, from an additional head-mounted device that comprises a second camera, arrangement information of the additional head-mounted device;

a display; and

a processor configured to:

determine, based on the arrangement information, whether the second camera of the additional head-mounted device is arranged to capture a second view including the first object, the second view being different than the first view, wherein the second view further includes a second object that is not in the first view;

transmit, with the communication element and to the additional head-mounted device, a request for data, the data indicating a characteristic of the first object and a characteristic of the second object based on the second view;

receive, with the communication element, the data from the additional head-mounted device; and

output, with the display, a representation of the first object based on the first view and the data received from the additional head-mounted device and a representation of the second object based on the data received from the additional head-mounted device.

9. The head-mounted device of claim 8 , wherein:

the first view further includes the additional head-mounted device; and

whether the second camera of the additional head-mounted device is arranged to capture the second view including the first object is determined further based on the first view.

10. The head-mounted device of claim 8 , wherein the representation of the first object is a virtual object that is a substitute for the first object in the first view.

11. The head-mounted device of claim 8 , wherein the first view is captured before the second view and the data is stored on an external device.

12. The head-mounted device of claim 11 , wherein:

the request for the data is transmitted via the external device; and

the data is received via the external device.

13. The head-mounted device of claim 8 , wherein the characteristic of the first object comprises an identity of the first object.

14. A head-mounted device comprising:

a first camera for capturing a first view including a first physical object;

a communication element;

a display; and

a processor configured to:

determine whether a second camera of an additional head-mounted device is arranged to capture a second view including the first physical object, the second view being different than the first view, wherein the second view further includes a second physical object that is not in the first view;

transmit, with the communication element and to the additional head-mounted device, a request for data, the data indicating a characteristic of the first physical object and a characteristic of the second physical object based on the second view;

receive, with the communication element, the data from the additional head-mounted device; and

output, with the display, a virtual object as a substitute for the first physical object based on the first view and the data received from the additional head-mounted device and a representation of the second physical object based on the data received from the additional head-mounted device.

15. The head-mounted device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive, with the communication element and from the additional head-mounted device, arrangement information of the additional head-mounted device, wherein whether the second camera of the additional head-mounted device is arranged to capture the second view including the first physical object is determined further based on the arrangement information.

16. The head-mounted device of claim 14 , wherein:

the first view further includes the additional head-mounted device; and

whether the second camera of the additional head-mounted device is arranged to capture the second view including the first physical object is determined further based on the first view.

17. The head-mounted device of claim 14 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a position and an orientation of the additional head-mounted device with respect to the first physical object.

18. The head-mounted device of claim 14 , wherein the first view is captured before the second view and the data is stored on an external device.

19. The head-mounted device of claim 18 , wherein:

the request for the data is transmitted via the external device; and

the data is received via the external device.

20. The head-mounted device of claim 14 , wherein the characteristic of the first physical object comprises an identity of the first physical object.

Continuity (4)
Continuation 18214448 · Jun 26, 2023
Continuation 16791861 · Feb 14, 2020
Provisional Application 62836006 · Apr 18, 2019
Related Publication 20240289085A1 · Aug 29, 2024
References Cited (49)
US 9520002B1 · Gavriliuc · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9582933B1 · Mosterman · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10007350B1 · Holz · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10430147B2 · Vembar · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10955665B2 · Salter · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11112859B2 · Lyren · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20120249741A1 · Maciocci · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130286004A1 · McCulloch · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130293580A1 · Spivack · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130342564A1 · Kinnebrew · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140052555A1 · Macintosh · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140320389A1 · Scavezze · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140354685A1 · Lazarow · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20160093108A1 · Mao · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160109940A1 · Lyren · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170262154A1 · Black · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170287218A1 · Nuernberger · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170315774A1 · Meerbeek · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180005429A1 · Osman · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180018933A1 · Rehmeyer · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180314484A1 · Pahud · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180341386A1 · Inomata · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190056791A1 · Holz et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190114802A1 · Lazarow · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190130648A1 · Duca · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190213754A1 · Lee · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190221035A1 · Clark · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190272674A1 · Comer · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190279428A1 · Mack · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190324277A1 · Kohler · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200026922A1 · Pekelny · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200042263A1 · Iyer · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200117336A1 · Mani · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210240279A1 · Harviainen · 2021 [cited by examiner]
CN 102884490A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 103493106A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 103562968A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 106502388A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 106662925A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 108919951A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 212112404U · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 111201797A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019074771 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action from Chinese Patent Application No. 202020579946.9, dated May 3, 2021, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action from Chinese Patent Application No. 20208003734.5, dated Oct. 27, 2023, 15 pages including English language translation. [cited by applicant]
European Office Action from European Patent Application No. 20721367.9, dated Aug. 16, 2023, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion from PCT/US2020/027060, dated Jun. 29, 2020, 15 pages. [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action from Chinese Patent Application No. 202080023734.5, dated Oct. 13, 2024, 13 pages including English language translation. [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action from Chinese Patent Application No. 202080023734.5, dated May 25, 2024, 16 pages including English language translation. [cited by applicant]