Transitioning into a VR environment and warning HMD users of real-world physical obstacles

US11009716B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC · US

Inventors

• Kenneth Liam KIEMELE · Redmond, US
• Michael R. Thomas · San Francisco, US
• Charles W. Lapp, III · Issaquah, US
• Christian Michael Sadak · Seattle, US
• Thomas G. Salter · Foster City, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 1, 2020
• Grant date: May 18, 2021
• Expiry date: Apr 1, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G09G5/00
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Optimizations are provided for facilitating an improved transition between a real-world environment and a virtual reality environment. Initially, use of a HMD is detected and one or more real-world physical objects within a threshold proximity to the HMD are identified. Subsequently, a replicated environment, which includes virtual representations of the real-world physical object(s), is obtained and rendered in a virtual reality display. The replicated environment is transitioned out of view and a VR environment is subsequently rendered in the virtual reality display. In some instances, rendering of virtual representations of real-world physical objects into the VR environment occurs is response to detected triggering event.