VIRTUAL INDICIUM DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR GAZE DIRECTION IN AN IMAGE CAPTURE ENVIRONMENT

Number: 20200064911
Published: 2020-02-27
Filed: 2018-08-21
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Mine; Mark
CPC: G06F3/0304; G06F3/04815; G06F3/012; G06T19/006; G06F3/013
Verdict: Low Notable software
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Gaze-direction virtual indicium display for image capture.

Abstract

A process determines, with a processor, a virtual indicium position in a physical environment at which a virtual indicium is to be projected. The processor determines the virtual indicium position based on a point of intersection of a vector and an object within the physical environment. The vector originates at a head position of a user and is directed through a point of intended gaze on a virtual object toward the virtual indicium. Further, the processor sends, with the processor to an actuator, an instruction to adjust a position of a projector in operable communication with the actuator so that the projector projects the virtual indicium toward the virtual indicium position.

Background

BACKGROUND1. Field

This disclosure generally relates to the field of augmented reality (“AR”) systems.2. General Background

Conventional AR systems and/or green screen configurations typically allow users to interact with virtual objects via a virtual environment that is registered (i.e., overlaid at corresponding positions) with a physical environment. In a cinematographic context (e.g., movie, television show, etc.), actors typically cannot see the virtual objects with which they are interacting in relation to an AR system camera or a green screen. To help direct the gaze of the actors in the direction of the virtual object, humans may carry one or more sticks with balls adhered to the ends to indicate the location at which the actors should be looking. Yet, the gaze of an actor often has to be in the direction of an object within the field of view of a camera, resulting in the stick with the ball appearing in the video/image capture. As an alternative, a display device (e.g., a television, computer monitor, etc.) may be positioned in front of the actor, but out of the field of view of the camera, to display a view from the perspective of the camera of where the virtual object is supposed to be positioned. Yet, this configuration necessitates the actor translating the coordinate system of the camera to his or her own coordinate system, which often results in the actor hunting for the correct gaze (i.e., searching back and forth between looking at the display dev

Claims

1. A system comprising: a processor that determines a virtual indicium position in a physical environment at which a virtual indicium is to be projected, the processor determining the virtual indicium position based on a point of intersection of a vector and an object within the physical environment, the vector originating at a head position of a user and being directed through a point of intended gaze in the physical environment toward the virtual indicium, the point of intended gaze in the physical environment corresponding to a point on a virtual object in a virtual environment that is invisible to the user; a projector that projects the virtual indicium toward the virtual indicium position, the projector being positioned within the physical environment at a position remote from the head position of the user; and an actuator in operable communication with the projector that receives an instruction from the processor to adjust the position of the projector such that the projector projects the virtual indicium toward the virtual indicium position. 9. A system comprising: a processor that determines a virtual indicium position in a physical environment at which a virtual indicium is to be projected, the processor determining the virtual indicium position based on a point of intersection of a vector and an object within the physical environment, the vector originating at a head position of a user and being directed through a point of intended gaze in the physical environment toward the virtual indicium, the point of intended gaze in the physical environment corresponding to a point on a virtual object in a virtual environment that is invisible to the user; and a display device that displays the virtual indicium at the virtual indicium position in the physical environment. 17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage device having a computer readable program stored thereon, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to: determine, with a processor, a virtual indicium position in a physical environment at which a virtual indicium is to be projected, the processor determining the virtual indicium position based on a point of intersection of a vector and an object within the physical environment, the vector originating at a head position of a user and being directed through a point of intended gaze in the physical environment toward the virtual indicium, the point of intended gaze in the physical environment corresponding to a point on a virtual object in a virtual environment that is invisible to the user; and send, with the processor to an actuator, an instruction to adjust a position of a projector in operable communication with the actuator such that the projector projects the virtual indicium toward the virtual indicium position, the projector being positioned within the physical environment at a position remote from the head position of the user.