IP Library Granted Patent US 12,705,847
Granted Patent B2
US 12,705,847 · App. 18/473,648 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Augmented call spawn configuration for digital human representations in an artificial reality environment

Inventors: Qinzi Tan (London, GB); Joshuah Vincent (Seattle, WA); Camila Cortes De Almeida E De Vincenzo (Seattle, WA); Ana Garcia Puyol (Mountain View, CA); Hayden Schoen (Evanston, IL)
Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
G06T19/20G06T3/40G06T11/00G06T19/006G06T2200/16G06T2200/24G06T2219/024G06T2219/2016
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 12,705,847
App. No.
18/473,648
Filed
Sep 25, 2023
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2179
USPC
715/757
Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to spawning digital human representations (DHRs) for use in various types of augmented calls in an artificial reality (XR) environment. A DHR can include a two-dimensional (2D) image of a user, a video of the user, or an avatar of the user. A first call type can include a compact mode call used in situations requiring multitasking, such that a caller can interact with an XR environment while attending to tasks in the real-world. A second call type can include a spatial mode call that can fully immerse a caller within an XR environment. The XR environment can be a multitasking environment in which a user can interact with multiple XR experiences, virtual objects, and DHR(s) of other user(s). Spatial mode calling can provide more natural face-to-face interaction between callers.

Claims (51)

1 . A method for spawning a digital human representation of a call receiver in an augmented call between a call sender and the call receiver, the method comprising:

initiating, by an artificial reality device of the call sender, the augmented call with an artificial reality device of the call receiver, wherein initiating the augmented call causes selection of a digital human representation type for the augmented call;

responsive to initiation of the augmented call, automatically rendering, by the artificial reality device of the call sender, the augmented call in a compact mode, wherein rendering the augmented call in the compact mode includes rendering the digital human representation of the call receiver, in the digital human representation type, body-leashed to the call sender, the digital human representation being rendered overlaid onto a view of a real-world environment of the call sender;

receiving, by the artificial reality device of the call sender, an indication to transition the augmented call to a spatial mode; and

responsive to receiving the indication, transitioning the augmented call into the spatial mode, wherein:

transitioning the augmented call into the spatial mode includes rendering the digital human representation of the call receiver, in the digital human representation type, world-locked relative to a spatial anchor established for the real-world environment; and

in the spatial mode, the digital human representation is rendered at a fixed vertical distance between the spatial anchor and the artificial reality device of the call sender.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital human representation is scaled larger in the spatial mode than in the compact mode.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital human representation is rendered as billboarded to the call sender and with rotation disabled relative to the call sender in the compact mode.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital human representation type is a three-dimensional avatar, a video stream, or a two-dimensional image.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital human representation is modifiable to be world-locked in the compact mode.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital human representation type is selected automatically based on one or more determined capabilities of the artificial reality device of the call sender, the artificial reality device of the call receiver, or both.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the spatial mode:

the digital human representation is rendered at a first location on a circumference of a spawning circle having a center at the spatial anchor,

the call sender has a second location on the circumference of the spawning circle, and

an orientation of the digital human representation toward the call sender is determined in accordance with the first location of the digital human representation relative to the second location of the call sender.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein a virtual object is rendered on the circumference of the spawning circle.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a radius of the spawning circle is dynamic based on a size of the virtual object.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spatial anchor is shared between the artificial reality device of the call sender and the artificial reality device of the call receiver.

11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a process for spawning a digital human representation of a call receiver in an augmented call between a call sender and the call receiver, the process comprising:

initiating, by an artificial reality device of the call sender, the augmented call with a device of the call receiver;

responsive to initiation of the augmented call, automatically rendering, by the artificial reality device of the call sender, the augmented call in a compact mode, wherein rendering the augmented call in the compact mode includes rendering the digital human representation of the call receiver body-leashed to the call sender, the digital human representation being rendered overlaid onto a view of a real-world environment of the call sender; and

responsive to receiving input, transitioning the augmented call into a spatial mode, wherein;

transitioning the augmented call into the spatial mode includes rendering the digital human representation of the call receiver world-locked relative to a spatial anchor established for the real-world environment; and

in the spatial mode, the digital human representation is rendered at a fixed vertical distance between the spatial anchor and the artificial reality device of the call sender.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 ,

wherein initiating the augmented call causes selection of a digital human representation type for the augmented call, and

wherein the digital human representation of the call receiver is rendered in the digital human representation type.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 ,

wherein initiating the augmented call causes selection of a digital human representation type for the call sender, and

wherein a digital human representation of the call sender, in the digital human representation type, is transmitted to the device of the call receiver.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the digital human representation type is selected automatically based on one or more determined capabilities of the artificial reality device of the call sender, the artificial reality device of the call receiver, or both.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the device of the call receiver is an artificial reality device.

16 . A computing system for spawning a digital human representation for a call receiver in an augmented call between a call sender and the call receiver, the computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to perform a process comprising:

initiating, by an artificial reality device of the call sender, the augmented call with a device of the call receiver;

responsive to initiation of the augmented call, automatically rendering, by the artificial reality device of the call sender, the augmented call in a compact mode, wherein rendering the augmented call in the compact mode includes rendering the digital human representation of the call receiver body-leashed to the call sender, the digital human representation being rendered overlaid onto a view of a real-world environment of the call sender; and

responsive to receiving input, transitioning the augmented call into a spatial mode, wherein;

transitioning the augmented call into the spatial mode includes rendering the digital human representation of the call receiver world-locked relative to a spatial anchor established for the real-world environment; and

in the spatial mode, the digital human representation is rendered at a fixed vertical distance between the spatial anchor and the artificial reality device of the call sender.

17 . The computing system of claim 16 ,

wherein initiating the augmented call causes selection of a digital human representation type for the augmented call,

wherein the digital human representation of the call receiver is rendered in the digital human representation type, and

wherein the device of the call receiver is an artificial reality device.

18 . The computing system of claim 17 , wherein, in the spatial mode:

the digital human representation is rendered at a first location on a circumference of a spawning circle having a center at the spatial anchor,

the call sender has a second location on the circumference of the spawning circle, and

an orientation of the digital human representation toward the call sender is determined in accordance with the first location of the digital human representation relative to the second location of the call sender.

19 . The computing system of claim 18 , wherein a virtual object is rendered on the circumference of the spawning circle.

20 . The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the digital human representation type is selected automatically based on one or more determined capabilities of the artificial reality device of the call sender, the artificial reality device of the call receiver, or both.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: TAN, QINZI; VINCENT, JOSHUAH; DE ALMEIDA E DE VINCENZO, CAMILA CORTES; GARCIA PUYOL, ANA; SCHOEN, HAYDEN
To: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 069772/0055 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250104371A1 · Mar 27, 2025
References Cited (167)
US 6559863B1 · Megiddo · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 8279254B2 · Goose et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8537196B2 · Hegde et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8581958B2 · Baker et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8675067B2 · Chou et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9338404B1 · Egeler et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9401095B2 · Kubota et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9460340B2 · Kauffmann et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9841814B1 · Kallmeyer et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9959676B2 · Barzuza et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10182210B1 · Goetzinger, Jr. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10212428B2 · Trepte · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10298587B2 · Hook et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10311383B2 · Holmes et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10403050B1 · Beall et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10499033B2 · Pesonen · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10554931B1 · Zavesky et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10582191B1 · Marchak, Jr. et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10664772B1 · Poel et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10701318B2 · Valli · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10917613B1 · Chiarella et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10952006B1 · Krol et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10979672B1 · Krol et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11140361B1 · Krol et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11302063B2 · Cabral et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11302085B2 · LeBeau et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11394925B1 · Faulkner et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11456887B1 · McCracken et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11475634B2 · Atlas et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11528312B2 · Oyman · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11556172B1 · Stevens et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11563779B2 · Copley et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11831814B2 · Lebeau et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11886625B1 · Trzynadlowski et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 11921970B1 · Hoover et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 11948263B1 · Rudman · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20020158873A1 · Williamson · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20070279484A1 · Derocher et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20090288007A1 · Leacock et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090300516A1 · Jerrard-Dunne et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100085416A1 · Hegde et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110107270A1 · Wang et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120192088A1 · Sauriol et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120204118A1 · Lefar et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120246582A1 · Leacock et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120317501A1 · Milou · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130024785A1 · Van Wie · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130031475A1 · Maor et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140085316A1 · Narayanan · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140085406A1 · Narayanan · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140096036A1 · Mohler · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140306994A1 · Brown · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150215581A1 · Barzuza et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150271220A1 · Kleiner et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150279044A1 · Kim et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150317832A1 · Ebstyne · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160050394A1 · Segal · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160093108A1 · Mao et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160132221A1 · Lasser et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160155187A1 · Paulrajan et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160156584A1 · Hum et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160163070A1 · Leacock et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160353062A1 · Ono et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170257405A1 · Lo et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170357917A1 · Holmes et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180063480A1 · Luks et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180095635A1 · Valdivia · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180098059A1 · Valdivia et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180101989A1 · Frueh et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180139246A1 · Rosenberg · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180144212A1 · Burgos et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180158246A1 · Grau et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180227138A1 · Faulkner et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180234671A1 · Yang et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180356885A1 · Ross et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190042640A1 · Valeski · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190045157A1 · Venshtain et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190058870A1 · Rowell et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190130629A1 · Chand et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190171354A1 · Dascola et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190253667A1 · Valli · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190279424A1 · Clausen et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190310757A1 · Lee et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190325658A1 · Park et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190327392A1 · Sarkar · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190340828A1 · Harvey · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190346522A1 · Botnar et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190371060A1 · Energin et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190379750A1 · Zamora Duran et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200090350A1 · Cho et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200099891A1 · Valli et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200118342A1 · Varshney et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200128033A1 · Kawakita · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200142475A1 · Paez et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200154166A1 · Rakshit et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200279411A1 · Atria et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200294000A1 · Sexauer et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200296327A1 · Karafin et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200314385A1 · Kang et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200329214A1 · Ahn et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200371665A1 · Clausen et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200372140A1 · Jaber et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200396266A1 · Goel · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210019541A1 · Wang et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210029326A1 · Oyman et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210099433A1 · Soryal et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210120066A1 · Oyman et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210149627A1 · Jang et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210248727A1 · Fisher et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210263593A1 · Lacey · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210281802A1 · Kirisken · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210336784A1 · Athlur et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210385412A1 · Matula et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210390767A1 · Johnson et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210392175A1 · Gronau et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210392296A1 · Rabinovich et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210407520A1 · Neckermann et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220084288A1 · LeBeau et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220086167A1 · Lebeau et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220086205A1 · LeBeau et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220103386A1 · Jensen · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220109810A1 · Kancharlawar et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220116431A1 · Mayfield et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220150083A1 · Faulkner · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220157342A1 · Kliushkin et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220172444A1 · LeBeau et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220174108A1 · Oyman · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220200979A1 · Wenzel · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220229535A1 · Evangelista et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220385490A1 · Lin et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220417308A1 · Oyman · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230082461A1 · Gal et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230198745A1 · Vansteenkiste et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230244799A1 · Sharma · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230281929A1 · Atlas et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230412724A1 · Ma et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20240070957A1 · Cross et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20240214524A1 · Lebeau et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
CA 3039347A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 103250410A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 104935868B · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 113311958A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020117657A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Baxter D.B., “Creating Treemap Chart Using JavaScript,” AnyChart News, Aug. 1, 2019, 12 Pages. [cited by applicant]
EBook Reader, “Viewing Popular Highlights on Kindles,” [Online], Feb. 15, 2018 [Retrieved on Aug. 5, 2020], 11 Pages, Retrieved from Internet: URL: https://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2018/02/15/viewing-popular-highlights… [cited by applicant]
Garofalakis J., et al., “Personalized Web Search by Constructing Semantic Clusters of User Profiles,” Springer Link [Online], 2008 [Retrieved on Aug. 5, 2020], 6 Pages, Retrieved on Internet: URL: https://link.springer.… [cited by applicant]
Gauch S., et al., “Ontology-Based User Profiles for Search and Browsing,” [Online], 2002 [Retrieved on Aug. 5, 2020], 6 Pages, Retrieved from Internet: URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Ontology-Based-User-Prof… [cited by applicant]
Gupta K., et al., “Do You See What I See? The Effect ofGaze Tracking on Task Space Remote Collaboration,” IEEE Transactions onVisualization and Computer Graphics, Nov. 2016, vol. 22, No. 11, pp. 2413-2422, DOI: 10.1109/… [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2021/038992, mailed Oct. 29, 2021, 16 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2023/012192, mailed May 4, 2023, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Jikadra R., et al., “Video Calling with Augmented Reality Using WebRTC API,” 2019 6th International Conference on Computing for Sustainable Global Development (INDIACom), Mar. 13, 2019, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
“Pinterest Communities What are they and How can you Join?,” Ivory Mix, Aug. 5, 2020, 19 Pages, Retrieved from Internet: URL: https://ivorymix.com/pinterest-communities/. [cited by applicant]
Schmeiser L., “Microsoft Analytics Aims to Analyze Worker Habits, Point to More Productivity,” [Online], Jul. 5, 2017 [Retrieved on Aug. 5, 2020], 3 Pages, Retrieved from Internet: URL: https://www.itprotoday.com/office… [cited by applicant]
Semantic Arts, “White Paper: Semantic Profiling,” [Online], Jan. 21, 2015 [Retrieved on Aug. 5, 2020], 11 Pages, Retrieved from Internet: https://www.semanticarts.com/white-paper-semantic-profiling/. [cited by applicant]
Shanmugam M., et al., “Research Opportunities on Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality: A Survey,” 2019 IEEE International Conference on System, Computation, Automation and Networking (ICSCAN), Mar. 29, 2019, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Song X., et al., “A Scalable and Statistically Robust Beam Alignment Technique for mm-Wave Systems,” May 8, 2018, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
Tarpani G., “What is Google Wave?,” Macworld [Online], Feb. 22, 2010 [Retrieved on Aug. 5, 2020], 7 Pages, Retrieved from Internet: URL: https://www.macworld.com/article/1146555/whatisgooglewave.html. [cited by applicant]
Unknown., “A Better Way to Meet Online,” Gather, https://www.gather.town/ , Last Accessed Oct. 11, 2021. [cited by applicant]
Wanders I., “Build your Own Knowledge Graph: From Unstructured Dark Data to Valuable Business Insights,” Vector Consulting [Online], Oct. 18, 2018 [Retrieved on 2020-80-05], 8 Pages, Retrieved from Internet: https://med… [cited by applicant]
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, “Google Wave,” [Online], Aug. 5, 2020, 1 Page, Retrieved from Internet: URL: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Wave. [cited by applicant]
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, “Treemapping,” Aug. 5, 2020, 13 Pages, Retrieved from Internet: URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treemapping. [cited by applicant]
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, “Unconference,” Aug. 5, 2020, 3 Pages, Retrieved from Internet: URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/US2023/012192, mailed Aug. 15, 2024, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/US2022/042452, mailed Mar. 14, 2024, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Gunkel S.N.B., et al., “360-Degree Photo-realistic VR Conferencing,” 2019 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR), 2019, 2 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action mailed Jul. 7, 2025 for European Patent Application No. 22777850.3, filed on Sep. 2, 2022, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action mailed Sep. 12, 2025 for Taiwan Application No. 111129003, filed Aug. 2, 2022, 15 pages. [cited by applicant]