Touch and social cues as inputs into a computer

US9536350B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC · US

Inventors

• Christopher M. Novak · Redmond, US
• James Chia-Ming Liu · Bellevue, US
• Stephen Latta · Seattle, US
• Anton Andrews · Seattle, US
• Craig R. Maitlen · Woodinville, US
• Sheridan Leigh Martin · Des Moines, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 29, 2012
• Grant date: Jan 3, 2017
• Expiry date: Nov 5, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B2027/0178
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system for automatically displaying virtual objects within a mixed reality environment is described. In some embodiments, a see-through head-mounted display device (HMD) identifies a real object (e.g., a person or book) within a field of view of the HMD, detects one or more interactions associated with real object, and automatically displays virtual objects associated with the real object if the one or more interactions involve touching or satisfy one or more social rules stored in a social rules database. The one or more social rules may be used to infer a particular social relationship by considering the distance to another person, the type of environment (e.g., at home or work), and particular physical interactions (e.g., handshakes or hugs). The virtual objects displayed on the HMD may depend on the particular social relationship inferred (e.g., a friend or acquaintance).