Patent Application
20200371472
The present disclosure relates to commercial systems, and specifically relates to light field display (LF) based commercial systems.
Conventional commercial systems may be broadly categorized into wholesale, retail, those for making a profit and/or relating to commerce, or some combination thereof. Retail and wholesale may then be categorized into physical store settings and online shopping settings. In physical store settings, patrons of the stores browse at their own leisure, occasionally with assistance by one or more retail associates. In a clothing store, patrons may try on clothing items, but this may be a tedious endeavor when attempting to try on numerous clothing items. In some other store settings, patrons may not even have an option to interact with merchandise or may not be able to visualize larger merchandise within out-of-store contexts. For example, a patron may want to visualize a furniture for sale at a furniture store in the confines of their home. In another example, a patron may want to visualize how a countertop material complements various wall colors in a kitchen. In contrast, in online shopping settings, many patrons may shop remotely via their personal computing devices. However, many online retail sites inherently cannot have patrons trying on or trying out any of their merchandise through the online retail sites, potentially resulting in many unsatisfied patrons receiving merchandise that do not precisely match online descriptions. In addition, many of these online retail sites do not generally offer any shopping assistance.
A light field (LF) display system for commercial applications is disclosed. The LF display system is configured to present holographic content. The holographic content may include holographic merchandise that is represented using a holographic object (e.g., a holographic assistant, a good that is for sale, a piece of furniture, etc.) that is a hologram projected from the LF display system. The LF display system has a LF display assembly comprising one or more LF display modules. The one or more LF display modules are configured to present holographic merchandise that includes a holographic object to a patron in a viewing volume of the LF display system. The LF display system is configured to receive an input in response to presentation of the holographic merchandise.
In some embodiments, the LF display system generates display instructions for a holographic object based in part on holographic content for the merchandise and a set of parameters. The one or more light LF display modules present the holographic object within a viewing volume according to the display instructions, wherein the holographic object is a projected image. An input is received to adjust presentation of the holographic object, and the LF display system updates the display instructions based on the input. The LF display assembly presents a modified holographic object according to the updated display instructions with the LF display assembly.
A light field (LF) display system is implemented as a commercial system or as a component of a commercial system to present patrons of the retail system with holographic merchandise including at least one holographic object. Holographic merchandise is a term which generally includes holographic content displayed by the LF display system. Holographic merchandise may represent a physical merchandise item, a digital asset (e.g., on a third-party system such as game items in a virtual game, a social network, or another online system), a service to be rendered, another purchasable thing, or any combination thereof. Although embodiments discussed below make reference to “retail systems,” the principles described in this disclosure extend to embodiments of the LF display system implemented as or as a component of all commercial systems including wholesale systems. The LF display system comprises a LF display assembly configured to present holographic content including one or more holographic objects that would be visible to one or more viewers in a viewing volume of the LF display system. A holographic object may also be augmented with other sensory stimuli (e.g., tactile, audio, or smell). For example, acoustic emitting devices in the LF display system may emit ultrasonic pressure waves that provide a tactile surface for some or all of the holographic object. Holographic content may include additional visual content (i.e., 2D or 3D visual content). The coordination of emitters to ensure that a cohesive experience is enabled is part of the system in multi-emitter implementations (i.e., holographic objects providing the correct haptic feel and sensory stimuli at any given point in time). The LF display assembly may include one or more LF display modules for generating the holographic content. Additionally, the one or more LF display modules may form a single-sided or a multi-sided seamless surface environment.
In some embodiments, the LF display system may include elements that enable the system to simultaneously emit at least one type of energy, and, simultaneously, absorb at least one type of energy for the purpose of responding to the viewers and creating an interactive experience. For example, a LF display system can emit both holographic objects for viewing as well as ultrasonic waves for haptic perception of the presented holographic objects, and simultaneously absorb imaging information for tracking of viewers and other scene analysis, while also tracking movement of viewers in relation to the presented holographic objects to detect touch response by the viewers. Additionally, the LF display system may have one or more acoustic receiving devices for receiving inputs through voice commands by the patrons. As an example, such a system may project a holographic clothing item, which when virtually “touched” by a viewer, can deform in response with the touch stimuli. The LF display system components that perform energy sensing of the environment may be integrated into the display surface via bidirectional energy elements that both emit and absorb energy and/or they may be dedicated sensors that are separate from the display surface, such as acoustic emitting/receiving devices and imaging capture devices such as cameras.
The LF display system is constructed to provide different commercial experiences in many embodiments of commercial systems to patrons. Patrons, viewers, and users are all synonymous terms as described herein this disclosure. In some embodiments, a LF display system may be implemented in a home setting configured to present holographic merchandise when online shopping, an example of which is described below in
In some embodiments, the LF display system may be implemented in a physical store setting and configured to present holographic merchandise to patrons while shopping in the physical store. The LF display system may be a multi-sided seamless surface environment that presents holographic merchandise to patrons in the physical store. In some embodiments, the LF display system is implemented as an entire section, an enclosure, or any combination thereof of a physical store. For example, the LF display system may allow a patron to modulate holographic furniture within the LF display system along with other various characteristics to aid the patron in visualizing the holographic furniture, an example of which is described in
In some embodiments, the LF display system is implemented as a display case allowing for the commercial system (configured in a home or in a store) to present holographic merchandise on display, an example of which is described in
In some embodiments, the LF display system is configured as a one-sided seamless surface environment presenting a holographic projection of a patron with holographic merchandise on the holographic projection. The holographic projection of the patron with the holographic merchandise may be displayed in between a viewer and the surface of the LF display—an example of which is described in
A LF retail platform provides a medium for holographic content providers to provide holographic content to patrons of the LF retail platform, an example of which is described in
The LF display module 110 is a holographic display that presents holographic objects (e.g., the holographic object 120) to one or more viewers (e.g., viewer 140). The LF display module 110 includes an energy device layer (e.g., an emissive electronic display or acoustic projection device) and an energy waveguide layer (e.g., optical lens array). Additionally, the LF display module 110 may include an energy relay layer for the purpose of combining multiple energy sources or detectors together to form a single surface. At a high-level, the energy device layer generates energy (e.g., holographic content) that is then directed using the energy waveguide layer to a region in space in accordance with one or more four-dimensional (4D) light field functions. The LF display module 110 may also project and/or sense one or more types of energy simultaneously. For example, LF display module 110 may be able to project a holographic image as well as an ultrasonic tactile surface in a viewing volume, while simultaneously detecting imaging data from the viewing volume. The operation of the LF display module 110 is discussed in more detail below with regard to
The LF display module 110 generates holographic objects within a holographic object volume 160 using one or more 4D light field functions (e.g., derived from a 5D plenoptic function). The holographic objects can be three-dimensional (3D), two-dimensional (2D), or some combination thereof. Moreover, the holographic objects may be polychromatic (e.g., full color). The holographic objects may be projected in front of the screen plane, behind the screen plane, or split by the screen plane. A holographic object 120 can be presented such that it is perceived anywhere within the holographic object volume 160. A holographic object within the holographic object volume 160 may appear to a viewer 140 to be floating in space.
A holographic object volume 160 represents a volume in which holographic objects may be perceived by a viewer 140. The holographic object volume 160 can extend in front of the surface of the display area 150 (i.e., towards the viewer 140) such that holographic objects can be presented in front of the plane of the display area 150. Additionally, the holographic object volume 160 can extend behind the surface of the display area 150 (i.e., away from the viewer 140), allowing for holographic objects to be presented as if they are behind the plane of the display area 150. In other words, the holographic object volume 160 may include all the rays of light that originate (e.g., are projected) from a display area 150 and can converge to create a holographic object. Herein, light rays may converge at a point that is in front of the display surface, at the display surface, or behind the display surface. More simply, the holographic object volume 160 encompasses all of the volume from which a holographic object may be perceived by a viewer.
A viewing volume 130 is a volume of space from which holographic objects (e.g., holographic object 120) presented within a holographic object volume 160 by the LF display system are fully viewable. The holographic objects may be presented within the holographic object volume 160, and viewed within a viewing volume 130, such that they are indistinguishable from actual objects. A holographic object is formed by projecting the same light rays that would be generated from the surface of the object were it physically present.
In some cases, the holographic object volume 160 and the corresponding viewing volume 130 may be relatively small—such that it is designed for a single viewer. In other embodiments, as discussed in detail below with regard to, e.g.,
The flexible size and/or shape of a viewing volume 130 allows for viewers to be unconstrained within the viewing volume 130. For example, a viewer 140 can move to a different position within a viewing volume 130 and see a different view of the holographic object 120 from the corresponding perspective. To illustrate, referring to
In contrast, conventional displays (e.g., stereoscopic, virtual reality, augmented reality, or mixed reality) generally require each viewer to wear some sort of external device (e.g., 3-D glasses, a near-eye display, or a head-mounted display) in order to see content. Additionally and/or alternatively, conventional displays may require that a viewer be constrained to a particular viewing position (e.g., in a chair that has fixed location relative to the display). For example, when viewing an object shown by a stereoscopic display, a viewer always focuses on the display surface, rather than on the object, and the display will always present just two views of an object that will follow a viewer who attempts to move around that perceived object, causing distortions in the perception of that object. With a light field display, however, viewers of a holographic object presented by the LF display system do not need to wear an external device, nor be confined to a particular position, in order to see the holographic object. The LF display system presents the holographic object in a manner that is visible to viewers in much the same way a physical object would be visible to the viewers, with no requirement of special eyewear, glasses, or a head-mounted accessory. Further, the viewer may view holographic content from any location within a viewing volume.
Notably, potential locations for holographic objects within the holographic object volume 160 are limited by the size of the volume. In order to increase the size of the holographic object volume 160, a size of a display area 150 of the LF display module 110 may be increased and/or multiple LF display modules may be tiled together in a manner that forms a seamless display surface. The seamless display surface has an effective display area that is larger than the display areas of the individual LF display modules. Some embodiments relating to tiling LF display modules are discussed below with regard to
Additionally, while the above discussion focuses on presenting the holographic object 120 within a portion of the holographic object volume 160 that is between the LF display module 110 and the viewer 140, the LF display module 110 can additionally present content in the holographic object volume 160 behind the plane of the display area 150. For example, the LF display module 110 may make the display area 150 appear to be a surface of the ocean that the holographic object 120 is jumping out of And the displayed content may be such that the viewer 140 is able to look through the displayed surface to see marine life that is under the water. Moreover, the LF display system can generate content that seamlessly moves around the holographic object volume 160, including behind and in front of the plane of the display area 150.
The display system described here presents an emission of energy that replicates the energy normally surrounding an object in the real world. Here, emitted energy is directed towards a specific direction from every coordinate on the display surface. In other words, the various coordinates on the display surface act as a projection locations for emitted energy. The directed energy from the display surface enables convergence of many rays of energy, which, thereby, can create holographic objects. For visible light, for example, the LF display will project a very large number of light rays from the projection locations that may converge at any point in the holographic object volume so they will appear to come from the surface of a real-world object located in this region of space from the perspective of a viewer that is located further away than the object being projected. In this way, the LF display is generating the rays of reflected light that would leave such an object's surface from the perspective of the viewer. The viewer perspective may change on any given holographic object, and the viewer will see a different view of that holographic object.
The energy device layer 220 includes one or more electronic displays (e.g., an emissive display such as an OLED) and one or more other energy projection and/or energy receiving devices as described herein. The one or more electronic displays are configured to display content in accordance with display instructions (e.g., from a controller of a LF display system). The one or more electronic displays include a plurality of pixels, each with an intensity that is individually controlled. Many types of commercial displays, such as emissive LED and OLED displays, may be used in the LF display.
The energy device layer 220 may also include one or more acoustic projection devices and/or one or more acoustic receiving devices. An acoustic projection device generates one or more pressure waves that complement the holographic object 250. The generated pressure waves may be, e.g., audible, ultrasonic, or some combination thereof. An array of ultrasonic pressure waves may be used for volumetric tactile sensation (e.g., at a surface of the holographic object 250). An audible pressure wave is used for providing audio content (e.g., immersive audio) that can complement the holographic object 250. For example, assuming the holographic object 250 is a dolphin, one or more acoustic projection devices may be used to (1) generate a tactile surface that is collocated with a surface of the dolphin such that viewers may touch the holographic object 250; and (2) provide audio content corresponding to noises a dolphin makes such as clicks, chirping, or chatter. An acoustic receiving device (e.g., a microphone or microphone array) may be configured to monitor ultrasonic and/or audible pressure waves within a local area of the LF display module 210.
The energy device layer 220 may also include one or more imaging sensors. An imaging sensor may be sensitive to light in a visible optical band, and in some cases may be sensitive to light in other bands (e.g., infrared). The imaging sensor may be, e.g., a complementary metal oxide semi-conductor (CMOS) array, a charged coupled device (CCD), an array of photodetectors, some other sensor that captures light, or some combination thereof. The LF display system may use data captured by the one or more imaging sensor for position location tracking of viewers.
In some configurations, the energy relay layer 230 relays energy (e.g., electromagnetic energy, mechanical pressure waves, etc.) between the energy device layer 220 and the energy waveguide layer 240. The energy relay layer 230 includes one or more energy relay elements 260. Each energy relay element includes a first surface 265 and a second surface 270, and it relays energy between the two surfaces. The first surface 265 of each energy relay element may be coupled to one or more energy devices (e.g., electronic display or acoustic projection device). An energy relay element may be composed of, e.g., glass, carbon, optical fiber, optical film, plastic, polymer, or some combination thereof. Additionally, in some embodiments, an energy relay element may adjust magnification (increase or decrease) of energy passing between the first surface 265 and the second surface 270. If the relay offers magnification, then the relay may take the form of an array of bonded tapered relays, called tapers, where the area of one end of the taper may be substantially larger than the opposite end. The large end of the tapers can be bonded together to form a seamless energy surface 275. One advantage is that space is created on the multiple small ends of each taper to accommodate the mechanical envelope of multiple energy sources, such as the bezels of multiple displays. This extra room allows the energy sources to be placed side-by-side on the small taper side, with each energy source having their active areas directing energy into the small taper surface and relayed to the large seamless energy surface. Another advantage to using tapered relays is that there is no non-imaging dead space on the combined seamless energy surface formed by the large end of the tapers. No border or bezel exists, and so the seamless energy surfaces can then be tiled together to form a larger surface with virtually no seams according to the visual acuity of the eye.
The second surfaces of adjacent energy relay elements come together to form an energy surface 275. In some embodiments, a separation between edges of adjacent energy relay elements is less than a minimum perceptible contour as defined by a visual acuity of a human eye having, for example, 20/40 vision, such that the energy surface 275 is effectively seamless from the perspective of a viewer 280 within a viewing volume 285.
In some embodiments, the second surfaces of adjacent energy relay elements are fused together with processing steps that may include one or more of pressure, heat, and a chemical reaction, in such a way no seam exists between them. And still in other embodiments, an array of energy relay elements is formed by molding one side of a continuous block of relay material into an array of small taper ends, each configured to transport energy from an energy device attached to the small tapered end into a single combined surface with a larger area which is never subdivided.
In some embodiments, one or more of the energy relay elements exhibit energy localization, where the energy transport efficiency in the longitudinal direction substantially normal to the surfaces 265 and 270 is much higher than the transport efficiency in the perpendicular transverse plane, and where the energy density is highly localized in this transverse plane as the energy wave propagates between surface 265 and surface 270. This localization of energy allows an energy distribution, such as an image, to be efficiency relayed between these surfaces without any significant loss in resolution.
The energy waveguide layer 240 directs energy from a location (e.g., a coordinate) on the energy surface 275 into a specific energy propagation path outward from the display surface into the holographic viewing volume 285 using waveguide elements in the energy waveguide layer 240. The energy propagation path is defined by two angular dimensions determined at least by the energy surface coordinate location relative to the waveguide. The waveguide is associated with a spatial 2D coordinate. Together, these four coordinates form a four-dimensional (4D) energy field. As an example, for electromagnetic energy, the waveguide elements in the energy waveguide layer 240 direct light from positions on the seamless energy surface 275 along different propagation directions through the viewing volume 285. In various examples, the light is directed in accordance with a 4D light field function to form the holographic object 250 within the holographic object volume 255.
Each waveguide element in the energy waveguide layer 240 may be, for example, a lenslet composed of one or more elements. In some configurations, the lenslet may be a positive lens. The positive lens may have a surface profile that is spherical, aspherical, or freeform. Additionally, in some embodiments, some or all of the waveguide elements may include one or more additional optical components. An additional optical component may be, e.g., an energy-inhibiting structure such as a baffle, a positive lens, a negative lens, a spherical lens, an aspherical lens, a freeform lens, a liquid crystal lens, a liquid lens, a refractive element, a diffractive element, or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, the lenslet and/or at least one of the additional optical components is able to dynamically adjust its optical power. For example, the lenslet may be a liquid crystal lens or a liquid lens. Dynamic adjustment of a surface profile the lenslet and/or at least one additional optical component may provide additional directional control of light projected from a waveguide element.
In the illustrated example, the holographic object volume 255 of the LF display has boundaries formed by light ray 256 and light ray 257, but could be formed by other rays. The holographic object volume 255 is a continuous volume that extends both in front (i.e., towards the viewer 280) of the energy waveguide layer 240 and behind it (i.e., away from the viewer 280). In the illustrated example, ray 256 and ray 257 are projected from opposite edges of the LF display module 210 at the highest angle relative to the normal to the display surface 277 that may be perceived by a user, but these could be other projected rays. The rays define the field-of-view of the display, and, thus, define the boundaries for the holographic viewing volume 285. In some cases, the rays define a holographic viewing volume where the full display can be observed without vignetting (e.g., an ideal viewing volume). As the field of view of the display increases, the convergence point of ray 256 and ray 257 will be closer to the display. Thus, a display having a larger field of view allows a viewer 280 to see the full display at a closer viewing distance. Additionally, ray 256 and 257 may form an ideal holographic object volume. Holographic objects presented in an ideal holographic object volume can be seen anywhere in the viewing volume 285.
In some examples, holographic objects may be presented to only a portion of the viewing volume 285. In other words, holographic object volumes may be divided into any number of viewing sub-volumes (e.g., viewing sub-volume 290). Additionally, holographic objects can be projected outside of the holographic object volume 255. For example, holographic object 251 is presented outside of holographic object volume 255. Because the holographic object 251 is presented outside of the holographic object volume 255 it cannot be viewed from every location in the viewing volume 285. For example, holographic object 251 may be visible from a location in viewing sub-volume 290, but not visible from the location of the viewer 280.
For example, we turn to
More simply, as illustrated in
When viewing holographic content presented by the LF display module 210, each eye of the viewer 280 sees a different perspective of the holographic object 250 because the holographic content is presented according to a 4D light field function. Moreover, as the viewer 280 moves within the viewing volume 285 he/she would also see different perspectives of the holographic object 250 as would other viewers within the viewing volume 285. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, a 4D light field function is well known in the art and will not be elaborated further herein.
As described in more detail herein, in some embodiments, the LF display can project more than one type of energy. For example, the LF display may project two types of energy, such as, for example, mechanical energy and electromagnetic energy. In this configuration, energy relay layer 230 may include two separate energy relays which are interleaved together at the energy surface 275, but are separated such that the energy is relayed to two different energy device layers 220. Here, one relay may be configured to transport electromagnetic energy, while another relay may be configured to transport mechanical energy. In some embodiments, the mechanical energy may be projected from locations between the electromagnetic waveguide elements on the energy waveguide layer 240, helping form structures that inhibit light from being transported from one electromagnetic waveguide element to another. In some embodiments, the energy waveguide layer 240 may also include waveguide elements that transport focused ultrasound along specific propagation paths in accordance with display instructions from a controller.
Note that in alternate embodiments (not shown), the LF display module 210 does not include the energy relay layer 230. In this case, the energy surface 275 is an emission surface formed using one or more adjacent electronic displays within the energy device layer 220. And in some embodiments, with no energy relay layer, a separation between edges of adjacent electronic displays is less than a minimum perceptible contour as defined by a visual acuity of a human eye having 20/40 vision, such that the energy surface is effectively seamless from the perspective of the viewer 280 within the viewing volume 285.
The energy device layer 310 is an embodiment of the energy device layer 220. The energy device layer 310 includes four energy devices 340 (three are visible in the figure). The energy devices 340 may all be the same type (e.g., all electronic displays), or may include one or more different types (e.g., includes electronic displays and at least one acoustic energy device).
The energy relay layer 320 is an embodiment of the energy relay layer 230. The energy relay layer 320 includes four energy relay devices 350 (three are visible in the figure). The energy relay devices 350 may all relay the same type of energy (e.g., light), or may relay one or more different types (e.g., light and sound). Each of the relay devices 350 includes a first surface and a second surface, the second surface of the energy relay devices 350 being arranged to form a singular seamless energy surface 360. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the energy relay devices 350 are tapered such that the first surface has a smaller surface area than the second surface, which allows accommodation for the mechanical envelopes of the energy devices 340 on the small end of the tapers. This also allows the seamless energy surface to be borderless, since the entire area can project energy. This means that this seamless energy surface can be tiled by placing multiple instances of LF display module 300A together, without dead space or bezels, so that the entire combined surface is seamless. In other embodiments, the first surface and the second surface have the same surface area.
The energy waveguide layer 330 is an embodiment of the energy waveguide layer 240. The energy waveguide layer 330 includes a plurality of waveguide elements 370. As discussed above with respect to
Note that in the illustrated embodiment, the seamless energy surface 360 and the energy waveguide layer 330 are planar. In alternate embodiments, not shown, the seamless energy surface 360 and the energy waveguide layer 330 may be curved in one or more dimensions.
The LF display module 300A can be configured with additional energy sources that reside on the surface of the seamless energy surface, and allow the projection of an energy field in additional to the light field. In one embodiment, an acoustic energy field may be projected from electrostatic speakers (not illustrated) mounted at any number of locations on the seamless energy surface 360. Further, the electrostatic speakers of the LF display module 300A are positioned within the light field display module 300A such that the dual-energy surface simultaneously projects sound fields and holographic content. For example, the electrostatic speakers may be formed with one or more diaphragm elements that are transmissive to some wavelengths of electromagnetic energy, and driven with one or more conductive elements (e.g., planes which sandwich the one or more diaphragm elements). The electrostatic speakers may be mounted on to the seamless energy surface 360, so that the diaphragm elements cover some of the waveguide elements. The conductive electrodes of the speakers may be co-located with structures designed to inhibit light transmission between electromagnetic waveguides, and/or located at positions between electromagnetic waveguide elements (e.g., frame 390). In various configurations, the speakers can project an audible sound and/or many sources of focused ultrasonic energy that produces a haptic surface.
In some configurations an energy device 340 may sense energy. For example, an energy device may be a microphone, a light sensor, an acoustic transducer, etc. As such, the energy relay devices may also relay energy from the seamless energy surface 360 to the energy device layer 310. That is, the seamless energy surface 360 of the LF display module forms a bidirectional energy surface when the energy devices and energy relay devices 340 are configured to simultaneously emit and sense energy (e.g., emit light fields and sense sound).
More broadly, an energy device 340 of a LF display module 340 can be either an energy source or an energy sensor. The LF display module 300A can include various types of energy devices that act as energy sources and/or energy sensors to facilitate the projection of high quality holographic content to a user. Other sources and/or sensors may include thermal sensors or sources, infrared sensors or sources, image sensors or sources, mechanical energy transducers that generate acoustic energy, feedback sources, etc. Many other sensors or sources are possible. Further, the LF display modules can be tiled such that the LF display module can form an assembly that projects and senses multiple types of energy from a large aggregate seamless energy surface
In various embodiments of LF display module 300A, the seamless energy surface 360 can have various surface portions where each surface portion is configured to project and/or emit specific types of energy. For example, when the seamless energy surface is a dual-energy surface, the seamless energy surface 360 includes one or more surface portions that project electromagnetic energy, and one or more other surface portions that project ultrasonic energy. The surface portions that project ultrasonic energy may be located on the seamless energy surface 360 between electromagnetic waveguide elements, and/or co-located with structures designed to inhibit light transmission between electromagnetic waveguide elements. In an example where the seamless energy surface is a bidirectional energy surface, the energy relay layer 320 may include two types of energy relay devices interleaved at the seamless energy surface 360. In various embodiments, the seamless energy surface 360 may be configured such that portions of the surface under any particular waveguide element 370 are all energy sources, all energy sensors, or a mix of energy sources and energy sensors.
The LF display module 300B includes many components similarly configured to those of LF display module 300A in
In an embodiment, the LF display module 300B is a LF display module of a bidirectional LF display system. A bidirectional LF display system may simultaneously project energy and sense energy from the display surface 365. The seamless energy surface 360 contains both energy projecting and energy sensing locations that are closely interleaved on the seamless energy surface 360. Therefore, in the example of
The interleaved energy relay layer 320 includes two legs: a first energy relay device 350A and a second energy relay device 350B. Each of the legs are illustrated as a lightly shaded area in
While interleaved at the seamless energy surface 360, the energy relay devices are configured to relay energy to/from different energy devices. The energy devices are at energy device layer 310. As illustrated, energy device 340A is connected to energy relay device 350A and energy device 340B is connected to energy relay device 350B. In various embodiments, each energy device may be an energy source or energy sensor.
An energy waveguide layer 330 includes waveguide elements 370 to steer energy waves from the seamless energy surface 360 along projected paths towards a series of convergence points. In this example, a holographic object 380 is formed at the series of convergence points. Notably, as illustrated, the convergence of energy at the holographic object 380 occurs on the viewer side (i.e., the front side), of the display surface 365. However, in other examples, the convergence of energy may be anywhere in the holographic object volume, which extends both in front of the display surface 365 and behind the display surface 365. The waveguide elements 370 can simultaneously steer incoming energy to an energy device (e.g., an energy sensor), as described below.
In one example embodiment of LF display module 300B, an emissive display is used as an energy source (e.g., energy device 340A) and an imaging sensor is used as an energy sensor (e.g., energy device 340B). In this manner, the LF display module 300B can simultaneously project holographic content and detect light from the volume in front of the display surface 365. In this manner, this embodiment of the LF display module 300B functions as both a LF display and an LF sensor.
In an embodiment, the LF display module 300B is configured to simultaneously project a light field from projection locations on the display surface to the front of the display surface and capture a light field from front of the display surface at the projection locations. In this embodiment, the energy relay device 350A connects a first set of locations at the seamless energy surface 360 positioned under the waveguide elements 370 to an energy device 340A. In an example, energy device 340A is an emissive display having an array of source pixels. The energy relay device 340B connects a second set of locations at the seamless energy surface 360 positioned under waveguide elements 370 to an energy device 340B. In an example, the energy device 340B is an imaging sensor having an array of sensor pixels. The LF display module 300B may be configured such that the locations at the seamless energy surface 365 that are under a particular waveguide element 370 are all emissive display locations, all imaging sensor locations, or some combination of these locations. In other embodiments, the bidirectional energy surface can project and receive various other forms of energy.
In another example embodiment of the LF display module 300B, the LF display module is configured to project two different types of energy. For example, in an embodiment, energy device 340A is an emissive display configured to emit electromagnetic energy and energy device 340B is an ultrasonic transducer configured to emit mechanical energy. As such, both light and sound can be projected from various locations at the seamless energy surface 360. In this configuration, energy relay device 350A connects the energy device 340A to the seamless energy surface 360 and relays the electromagnetic energy. The energy relay device is configured to have properties (e.g. varying refractive index) which make it efficient for transporting electromagnetic energy. Energy relay device 350B connects the energy device 340B to the seamless energy surface 360 and relays mechanical energy. Energy relay device 350B is configured to have properties for efficient transport of ultrasound energy (e.g. distribution of materials with different acoustic impedance). In some embodiments, the mechanical energy may be projected from locations between the waveguide elements 370 on the energy waveguide layer 330. The locations that project mechanical energy may form structures that serve to inhibit light from being transported from one electromagnetic waveguide element to another. In one example, a spatially separated array of locations that project ultrasonic mechanical energy can be configured to create three-dimensional haptic shapes and surfaces in mid-air. The surfaces may coincide with projected holographic objects (e.g., holographic object 380). In some examples, phase delays and amplitude variations across the array can assist in creating the haptic shapes.
In various embodiments, the LF display module 300B with interleaved energy relay devices may include multiple energy device layers with each energy device layer including a specific type of energy device. In these examples, the energy relay layers are configured to relay the appropriate type of energy between the seamless energy surface 360 and the energy device layer 310.
The array 410 may project one or more holographic objects. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the array 410 projects a holographic object 420 and a holographic object 422. Tiling of the LF display modules 412 allows for a much larger viewing volume as well as allows for objects to be projected out farther distances from the array 410. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the viewing volume is, approximately, the entire area in front of and behind the array 410 rather than a localized volume in front of (and behind) a LF display module 412.
In some embodiments, the LF display system 400 presents the holographic object 420 to a viewer 430 and a viewer 434. The viewer 430 and the viewer 434 receive different perspectives of the holographic object 420. For example, the viewer 430 is presented with a direct view of the holographic object 420, whereas the viewer 434 is presented with a more oblique view of the holographic object 420. As the viewer 430 and/or the viewer 434 move, they are presented with different perspectives of the holographic object 420. This allows a viewer to visually interact with a holographic object by moving relative to the holographic object. For example, as the viewer 430 walks around a holographic object 420, the viewer 430 sees different sides of the holographic object 420 as long as the holographic object 420 remains in the holographic object volume of the array 410. Accordingly, the viewer 430 and the viewer 434 may simultaneously see the holographic object 420 in real-world space as if it is truly there. Additionally, the viewer 430 and the viewer 434 do not need to wear an external device in order to see the holographic object 420, as the holographic object 420 is visible to viewers in much the same way a physical object would be visible. Additionally, here, the holographic object 422 is illustrated behind the array because the viewing volume of the array extends behind the surface of the array. In this manner, the holographic object 422 may be presented to the viewer 430 and/or viewer 434.
In some embodiments, the LF display system 400 may include a tracking system that tracks positions of the viewer 430 and the viewer 434. In some embodiments, the tracked position is the position of a viewer. In other embodiments, the tracked position is that of the eyes of a viewer. The position tracking of the eye is different from gaze tracking which tracks where an eye is looking (e.g., uses orientation to determine gaze location). The eyes of the viewer 430 and the eyes of the viewer 434 are in different locations.
In various configurations, the LF display system 400 may include one or more tracking systems. For example, in the illustrated embodiment of
Tracking information describes a position in space (e.g., relative to the tracking system) for the position of a viewer, or a position of a portion of a viewer (e.g. one or both eyes of a viewer, or the extremities of a viewer). A tracking system may use any number of depth determination techniques to determine tracking information. The depth determination techniques may include, e.g., structured light, time of flight, stereo imaging, some other depth determination technique, or some combination thereof. The tracking system may include various systems configured to determine tracking information. For example, the tracking system may include one or more infrared sources (e.g., structured light sources), one or more imaging sensors that can capture images in the infrared (e.g., red-blue-green-infrared camera), and a processor executing tracking algorithms. The tracking system may use the depth estimation techniques to determine positions of viewers. In some embodiments, the LF display system 400 generates holographic objects based on tracked positions, motions, or gestures of the viewer 430 and/or the viewer 434 as described herein. For example, the LF display system 400 may generate a holographic object responsive to a viewer coming within a threshold distance of the array 410 and/or a particular position.
The LF display system 400 may present one or more holographic objects that are customized to each viewer based in part on the tracking information. For example, the viewer 430 may be presented with the holographic object 420, but not the holographic object 422. Similarly, the viewer 434 may be presented with the holographic object 422, but not the holographic object 420. For example, the LF display system 400 tracks a position of each of the viewer 430 and the viewer 434. The LF display system 400 determines a perspective of a holographic object that should be visible to a viewer based on their position relative to where the holographic object is to be presented. The LF display system 400 selectively projects light from specific pixels that correspond to the determined perspective. Accordingly, the viewer 434 and the viewer 430 can simultaneously have experiences that are, potentially, completely different. In other words, the LF display system 400 may present holographic content to viewing sub-volumes of the viewing volume (i.e., similar to the viewing sub-volumes 290A, 290B, 290C, and 290D shown in
In some embodiments the LF display system 400 may include one or more sensory feedback systems. The sensory feedback systems provide other sensory stimuli (e.g., tactile, audio, or smell) that augment the holographic objects 420 and 422. For example, in the illustrated embodiment of
The LF display system 400 may include a sensory feedback system 442 that includes one or more acoustic projection devices external to the array. Alternatively or additionally, the LF display system 400 may include one or more acoustic projection devices integrated into the array 410 as described herein. The acoustic projection devices may consist of an array of ultrasonic sources configured to project a volumetric tactile surface. In some embodiments, the tactile surface may be coincident with a holographic object (e.g., at a surface of the holographic object 420) for one or more surfaces of a holographic object if a portion of a viewer gets within a threshold distance of the one or more surfaces. The volumetric tactile sensation may allow the user to touch and feel surfaces of the holographic object. The plurality of acoustic projection devices may also project an audible pressure wave that provides audio content (e.g., immersive audio) to viewers. Accordingly, the ultrasonic pressure waves and/or the audible pressure waves can act to complement a holographic object.
In various embodiments, the LF display system 400 may provide other sensory stimuli based in part on a tracked position of a viewer. For example, the holographic object 422 illustrated in
Note that, in the illustrated configuration, the holographic viewing volume may be limited in a manner similar to the viewing volume 285 of the LF display system 200 in
The LF display system 402 may project one or more holographic objects. For example, in the illustrated embodiment the LF display system 402 projects the holographic object 420 into an area enclosed by the six-sided aggregated seamless surface environment. In this example, the viewing volume of the LF display system is also contained within the six-sided aggregated seamless surface environment. Note that, in the illustrated configuration, the viewer 434 may be positioned between the holographic object 420 and a LF display module 414 that is projecting energy (e.g., light and/or pressure waves) that is used to form the holographic object 420. Accordingly, the positioning of the viewer 434 may prevent the viewer 430 from perceiving the holographic object 420 formed from energy from the LF display module 414. However, in the illustrated configuration there is at least one other LF display module, e.g., a LF display module 416, that is unobstructed (e.g., by the viewer 434) and can project energy to form the holographic object 420 and be observed by viewer 430. In this manner, occlusion by viewers in the space can cause some portion of the holographic projections to disappear, but the effect is much less than if only one side of the volume was populated with holographic display panels. Holographic object 422 is illustrated “outside” the walls of the six-sided aggregated seamless surface environment because the holographic object volume extends behind the aggregated surface. Thus, the viewer 430 and/or the viewer 434 can perceive the holographic object 422 as “outside” of the enclosed six-sided environment which they can move throughout.
As described above in reference to
Notably, various LF display systems may have different configurations. Further, each configuration may have a particular orientation of surfaces that, in aggregate, form a seamless display surface (“aggregate surface”). That is, the LF display modules of a LF display system can be tiled to form a variety of aggregate surfaces. For example, in
In some configurations, the aggregate surface of a LF display system may include an aggregate surface configured to project energy towards a localized viewing volume. Projecting energy to a localized viewing volume allows for a higher quality viewing experience by, for example, increasing the density of projected energy in a specific viewing volume, increasing the FOV for the viewers in that volume, and bringing the viewing volume closer to the display surface.
For example,
In this example, the viewing volume 468A of the LF display system 450A is in the center of the room and partially surrounded by the three portions of the aggregate surface 460. An aggregate surface that at least partially surrounds a viewer (“surrounding surface”) increases the immersive experience of the viewers.
To illustrate, consider, for example, an aggregate surface with only a central surface. Referring to
To simplify, a display surface with only a central surface has a planar field of view, a planar threshold separation between the (central) display surface and the viewing volume, and a planar proximity between a holographic object and the viewing volume. Adding one or more side surfaces angled towards the viewer increases the field of view relative to the planar field of view, decreases the separation between the display surface and the viewing volume relative to the planar separation, and increases the proximity between the display surface and a holographic object relative to the planar proximity. Further angling the side surfaces towards the viewer further increases the field of view, decreases the separation, and increases the proximity. In other words, the angled placement of the side surfaces increases the immersive experience for viewers.
In a similar example,
In this example, the viewing volume 468B of the LF display system 450B is in the center of the room and partially surrounded by the three portions of the aggregate surface 460. Similar to the configuration shown in
The sloped configuration of the side portions of the aggregate surface 460 enables holographic content to be presented closer to the viewing volume 468B than if the third portion 466 was not sloped. For example, the lower extremities (e.g., legs) of a character presented form a LF display system in a sloped configuration may seem closer and more realistic than if a LF display system with a flat front wall were used.
Additionally, the configuration of the LF display system and the environment which it is located may inform the shape and locations of the viewing volumes and viewing sub-volumes.
LF display system 450C projects various rays from the aggregate surface 460. From each position on the display surface, light rays are projected in an angular range that is centered on the viewing volume. The rays projected from the left side of the aggregate surface 460 have horizontal angular range 481, rays projected from the right side of the aggregate surface have horizontal angular range 482, and rays projected from the center of the aggregate surface 460 have horizontal angular range 483. In between these points, the projected rays may take on intermediate values of angle ranges as described below in regard to
The LF display assembly 510 provides holographic content in a holographic object volume that may be visible to viewers located within a viewing volume. The LF display assembly 510 may provide holographic content by executing display instructions received from the controller 520. The holographic content may include one or more holographic objects that are projected in front of an aggregate surface the LF display assembly 510, behind the aggregate surface of the LF display assembly 510, or some combination thereof. Generating display instructions with the controller 520 is described in more detail below.
The LF display assembly 510 provides holographic content using one or more LF display modules (e.g., any of the LF display module 110, the LF display system 200, and LF display module 300) included in an LF display assembly 510. For convenience, the one or more LF display modules may be described herein as LF display module 512. The LF display module 512 can be tiled to form a LF display assembly 510. The LF display modules 512 may be structured as various seamless surface environments (e.g., single sided, multi-sided, a wall of a physical retail environment, a curved surface, etc.). That is, the tiled LF display modules form an aggregate surface. As previously described, a LF display module 512 includes an energy device layer (e.g., energy device layer 220) and an energy waveguide layer (e.g., energy waveguide layer 240) that present holographic content. The LF display module 512 may also include an energy relay layer (e.g., energy relay layer 230) that transfers energy between the energy device layer and the energy waveguide layer when presenting holographic content.
The LF display module 512 may also include other integrated systems configured for energy projection and/or energy sensing as previously described. For example, a light field display module 512 may include any number of energy devices (e.g., energy device 340) configured to project and/or sense energy. For convenience, the integrated energy projection systems and integrated energy sensing systems of the LF display module 512 may be described herein, in aggregate, as the source/sensor system 514. The source/sensor system 514 is integrated within the LF display module 512, such that the source/sensor system 514 shares the same seamless energy surface with LF display module 512. In other words, the aggregate surface of an LF display assembly 510 includes the functionality of both the LF display module 512 and the source/sensor module 514. That is, an LF assembly 510 including a LF display module 512 with a source/sensor system 514 may project energy and/or sense energy while simultaneously projecting a light field. For example, the LF display assembly 510 may include a LF display module 512 and source/sensor system 514 configured as a dual-energy surface or bidirectional energy surface as previously described.
In some embodiments, the LF display system 500 augments the generated holographic content with other sensory content (e.g., coordinated touch, audio, or smell) using a sensory feedback system 540. The sensory feedback system 540 may augment the projection of holographic content by executing display instructions received from the controller 520. Generally, the sensory feedback system 540 includes any number of sensory feedback devices external to the LF display assembly 510 (e.g., sensory feedback system 442). Some example sensory feedback devices may include coordinated acoustic projecting and receiving devices, aroma projecting devices, temperature adjustment devices, force actuation devices, pressure sensors, transducers, etc. In some cases, the sensory feedback system 540 may have similar functionality to the light field display assembly 510 and vice versa. For example, both a sensory feedback system 540 and a light field display assembly 510 may be configured to generate a sound field. As another example, the sensory feedback system 540 may be configured to generate haptic surfaces while the light field display 510 assembly is not.
To illustrate, in an example embodiment of a light field display system 500, a sensory feedback system 540 may include one or more acoustic projection devices. The one or more acoustic projection devices are configured to generate one or more pressure waves that complement the holographic content when executing display instructions received from the controller 520. The generated pressure waves may be, e.g., audible (for sound), ultrasonic (for touch), or some combination thereof. Similarly, the sensory feedback system 540 may include an aroma projecting device. The aroma projecting device may be configured to provide scents to some, or all, of the target area when executing display instructions received from the controller. The aroma devices may be tied into an air circulation system (e.g., ducting, fans, or vents) to coordinate air flow within the target area. Further, the sensory feedback system 540 may include a temperature adjustment device. The temperature adjustment device is configured to increase or decrease temperature in some, or all, of the target area when executing display instructions received from the controller 520.
In some embodiments, the sensory feedback system 540 is configured to receive input from viewers of the LF display system 500. In this case, the sensory feedback system 540 includes various sensory feedback devices for receiving input from viewers. The sensor feedback devices may include devices such as acoustic receiving devices (e.g., a microphone), pressure sensors, joysticks, motion detectors, transducers, etc. The sensory feedback system may transmit the detected input to the controller 520 to coordinate generating holographic content and/or sensory feedback.
To illustrate, in an example embodiment of a light field display assembly, a sensory feedback system 540 includes a microphone. The microphone is configured to record audio produced by one or more viewers (e.g., voice commands, audio responses to presentation of holographic content, etc.). The sensory feedback system 540 provides the recorded audio to the controller 520 as viewer input. The controller 520 may use the viewer input to generate holographic content. Similarly, the sensory feedback system 540 may include a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is configured to measure forces applied by viewers to the pressure sensor. The sensory feedback system 540 may provide the measured forces to the controller 520 as viewer input.
In some embodiments, the LF display system 500 includes a tracking system 550. The tracking system 550 includes any number of tracking devices configured to determine the position, movement and/or characteristics of viewers in the target area. Generally, the tracking devices are external to the LF display assembly 510. Some example tracking devices include a camera assembly (“camera”), a depth sensor, structured light, a LIDAR system, a card scanning system, or any other tracking device that can track viewers within a target area.
The tracking system 550 may include one or more energy sources that illuminate some or all of the target area with light. However, in some cases, the target area is illuminated with natural light and/or ambient light from the LF display assembly 510 when presenting holographic content. The energy source projects light when executing instructions received from the controller 520. The light may be, e.g., a structured light pattern, a pulse of light (e.g., an IR flash), or some combination thereof. The tracking system may project light in the visible band (˜380 nm to 750 nm), in the infrared (IR) band (˜750 nm to 1700 nm), in the ultraviolet band (10 nm to 380 nm), some other portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, or some combination thereof. A source may include, e.g., a light emitted diode (LED), a micro LED, a laser diode, a TOF depth sensor, a tunable laser, etc.
The tracking system 550 may adjust one or more emission parameter when executing instructions received from the controller 520. An emission parameter is a parameter that affects how light is projected from a source of the tracking system 550. An emission parameter may include, e.g., brightness, pulse rate (to include continuous illumination), wavelength, pulse length, some other parameter that affects how light is projected from the source assembly, or some combination thereof. In one embodiment, a source projects pulses of light in a time-of-flight operation.
The camera of the tracking system 550 captures images of the light (e.g., structured light pattern) reflected from the target area. The camera captures images when executing tracking instructions received from the controller 520. As previously described, the light may be projected by a source of the tracking system 550. The camera may include one or more cameras. That is, a camera may be, e.g., an array (1D or 2D) of photodiodes, a CCD sensor, a CMOS sensor, some other device that detects some or all of the light project by the tracking system 550, or some combination thereof. In an embodiment, the tracking system 550 may contain a light field camera external to the LF display assembly 510. In other embodiments, the cameras are included as part of the LF display source/sensor module 514 included in the LF display assembly 510. For example, as previously described, if the energy relay element of a light field module 512 is a bidirectional energy layer which interleaves both emissive displays and imaging sensors at the energy device layer 220, the LF display assembly 510 can be configured to simultaneously project light fields and record imaging information from the viewing area in front of the display. In one embodiment, the captured images from the bidirectional energy surface form a light field camera. The camera provides captured images to the controller 520.
The camera of the tracking system 550 may adjust one or more imaging parameters when executing tracking instructions received from the controller 520. An imaging parameter is a parameter that affects how the camera captures images. An imaging parameter may include, e.g., frame rate, aperture, gain, exposure length, frame timing, rolling shutter or global shutter capture modes, some other parameter that affects how the camera captures images, or some combination thereof.
The controller 520 controls the LF display assembly 510 and any other components of the LF display system 500. The controller 520 comprises a data store 522, a network interface 524, a tracking module 526, a viewer profiling module 528, and a light field processing engine 530. In other embodiments, the controller 520 comprises additional or fewer modules than those described herein. Similarly, the functions can be distributed among the modules and/or different entities in a different manner than is described here. For example, the tracking module 526 may be part of the LF display assembly 510 or the tracking system 550.
The data store 522 is a memory that stores information for the LF display system 500. The stored information may include display instructions, tracking instructions, emission parameters, imaging parameters, a virtual model of a target area, tracking information, images captured by the camera, one or more viewer profiles, calibration data for the light field display assembly 510, configuration data for the LF display system 510 including resolution and orientation of LF modules 512, desired viewing volume geometry, holographic object volume geometry, content for graphics creation including 3D models, scenes and environments, materials and textures, other information that may be used by the LF display system 500, or some combination thereof. The data store 522 is a memory, such as a read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), or some combination thereof.
The network interface 524 allows the light field display system to communicate with other systems or environments via a network. In one example, the LF display system 500 receives holographic content from a remote light field display system via the network interface 524. In another example, the LF display system 500 transmits holographic content to a remote data store using the network interface 524.
The tracking module 526 tracks viewers viewing content presented by the LF display system 500. To do so, the tracking module 526 generates tracking instructions that control operation of the source(s) and/or the camera(s) of the tracking system 550, and provides the tracking instructions to the tracking system 550. The tracking system 550 executes the tracking instructions and provides tracking input to the tracking module 526.
The tracking module 526 may determine a position of one or more viewers within the target area. The determined position may be relative to, e.g., some reference point (e.g., a display surface). In other embodiments, the determined position may be within the virtual model of the target area. The tracked position may be, e.g., the tracked position of a viewer and/or a tracked position of a portion of a viewer (e.g., eye location, hand location, etc.). The tracking module 526 determines the position using one or more captured images from the cameras of the tracking system 550. The cameras of the tracking system 550 may be distributed about the LF display system 500, and can capture images in stereo, allowing for the tracking module 526 to passively track viewers. In other embodiments, the tracking module 526 actively tracks viewers. That is, the tracking system 550 illuminates some portion of the target area, images the target area, and the tracking module 526 uses time of flight and/or structured light depth determination techniques to determine position. The tracking module 526 generates tracking information using the determined positions.
The tracking module 526 may also receive tracking information as inputs from viewers of the LF display system 500. The tracking information may include body movements that correspond to various input options that the viewer is provided by the LF display system 500. For example, the tracking module 526 may track a viewer's body movement and assign any various movement as an input to the LF processing engine 530. The tracking module 526 may provide the tracking information to the data store 522, the LF processing engine 530, the viewer profiling module 528, any other component of the LF display system 500, or some combination thereof.
To provide context for the tracking module 526, consider an example embodiment of an LF display system 500 that displays a holographic merchandise to a viewer. In response to displaying certain holographic merchandise, the viewer may respond with hand and/or arm movements which may be assigned to various inputs. The tracking system 550 may record the movement of the viewer's hands and/or arms and transmit the recording to the tracking module 526. The tracking module 526 tracks the motion of the viewer's hands and/or arms in the recording and sends the input to LF processing engine 530. The viewer profiling module 528, as described below, determines that information in the image indicates that motion of the viewer's hands are associated with, e.g., an input to purchase the merchandise. Accordingly, the LF processing engine 530 generates appropriate holographic content to confirm purchase of the merchandise.
The LF display system 500 includes a viewer profiling module 528 configured to identify and profile viewers. The viewer profiling module 528 generates a profile of a viewer (or viewers) that views holographic content displayed by a LF display system 500. The viewer profiling module 528 generates a viewer profile based, in part, on viewer input and monitored viewer behavior, actions, and reactions. The viewer profiling module 528 can access information obtained from tracking system 550 (e.g., recorded images, videos, sound, etc.) and process that information to determine various information. In various examples, viewer profiling module 528 can use any number of machine vision or machine hearing algorithms to determine viewer behavior, actions, and reactions. Monitored viewer behavior can include, for example, smiles, frowns, cheering, clapping, laughing, excitement levels, other changes in gestures, or movement by the viewers, etc.
More generally, a viewer profile may include any information received and/or determined about a viewer viewing holographic content from the LF display system. For example, each viewer profile may log actions or responses of that viewer to the content displayed by the LF display system 500. Some example information that can be included in a viewer profile are provided below.
In some embodiments, a viewer profile may describe a response of a viewer with respect to a displayed holographic merchandise, displayed holographic content object, etc. For example, a viewer profile may indicate that a viewer generally has positive response to clothing items (displayed holographically) that have floral print.
In some embodiments, a viewer profile can indicate characteristics of a viewer viewing a film with the LF display system 500, e.g., at home. For example, a viewer in a cinema is wearing a sweatshirt displaying a university logo. In this case, the viewer profile can indicate that the viewer is wearing a sweatshirt and may prefer holographic content associated with the university whose logo is on the sweatshirt. More broadly, viewer characteristics that can be indicated in a viewer profile may include, for example, age, sex, ethnicity, clothing, viewing location, etc.
In some embodiments, a viewer profile can indicate preferences for a viewer in regard to desirable film. For example, a viewer profile may indicate that a viewer prefers only to view holographic content that is age appropriate for everyone in their family. In another example, a viewer profile may indicate holographic object volumes to display holographic content (e.g., on a wall) and holographic object volumes to not display holographic content (e.g., above their head). The viewer profile may also indicate that the viewer prefers to have haptic interfaces presented near them, or prefers to avoid them.
In another example, a viewer profile indicates a history of holographic merchandise viewed for a particular viewer. For instance, viewer profiling module 528 determines that a viewer has previously viewed a desk, holographically displayed. As such the LF display system 500 may display another similar desk that the viewer may also appreciate or an office chair that may suit the previously viewed desk.
In some embodiments, a viewer profile may also describe characteristics and preferences for a group of viewers rather than a particular viewer. For example, viewer profiling module 528 may generate a viewer profile for a family with a LF display system 500 implemented in the home. In one example, viewer profiling module 528 creates a viewer profile for the family with characteristics describing the family's collective interests. The profile may further break down percentages of the family members that may have various interests.
The viewer profiling module 528 may also access a profile associated with a particular viewer (or viewers) from a third-party system or systems to build a viewer profile. For example, a viewer purchases a merchandise item from a third-party vendor that is linked to that viewer's social media account or a viewer may purchase a digital asset, e.g., in a virtual game, on a social network website, etc. Thus, the viewer's purchase is linked to his social media account. When the viewer enters a retail store implementing a LF display system 500, the viewer profiling module 528 can access information from his social media account to build (or augment) a viewer profile.
In some embodiments, the data store 522 includes a viewer profile store that stores viewer profiles generated, updated, and/or maintained by the viewer profiling module 528. The viewer profile can be updated in the data store at any time by the viewer profiling module 528. For example, in an embodiment, the viewer profile store receives and stores information regarding a particular viewer in their viewer profile when the particular viewer views holographic content provided by the LF display system 500. In this example, the viewer profiling module 528 includes a facial recognition algorithm that may recognize viewers and positively identify them as they view presented holographic content. To illustrate, as a viewer enters the target area of the LF display system 500, the tracking system 550 obtains an image of the viewer. The viewer profiling module 528 inputs the captured image and identifies the viewer's face using the facial recognition algorithm. The identified face is associated with a viewer profile in the profile store and, as such, all input information obtained about that viewer may be stored in their profile. The viewer profiling module may also utilize card identification scanners, voice identifiers, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip scanners, barcode scanners, etc. to positively identify a viewer.
In embodiments where the viewer profiling module 528 can positively identify viewers, the viewer profiling module 528 can determine each visit of each viewer to the LF display system 500. The viewer profiling module 528 may then store the time and date of each visit in the viewer profile for each viewer. Similarly, the viewer profiling module 528 may store received inputs from a viewer from any combination of the sensory feedback system 540, the tracking system 550, and/or the LF display assembly 510 each time they occur. The viewer profile system 528 may additionally receive further information about a viewer from other modules or components of the controller 520 which can then be stored with the viewer profile. Other components of the controller 520 may then also access the stored viewer profiles for determining subsequent content to be provided to that viewer.
The LF processing engine 530 generates holographic content comprised of light field data, as well as data for all of the sensory domains supported by a LF display system 500. For example, LF processing engine 530 may generate 4D coordinates in a rasterized format (“rasterized data”) that, when executed by the LF display assembly 510, cause the LF display assembly 510 to present holographic content. The LF processing engine 530 may access the rasterized data from the data store 522. Additionally, the LF processing engine 530 may construct rasterized data from a vectorized data set. Vectorized data is described below. The LF processing engine 530 can also generate sensory instructions required to provide sensory content that augments the holographic objects. As described above, sensory instructions may generate, when executed by the LF display system 500, haptic surfaces, sound fields, and other forms of sensory energy supported by the LF display system 500. The LF processing engine 530 may access sensory instructions from the data store 522, or construct the sensory instructions form a vectorized data set. In aggregate, the 4D coordinates and sensory data represent holographic content as display instructions executable by a LF display system to generate holographic and sensory content. In some embodiments, display instructions are based on characteristics of the LF display system 500, or more specifically characteristics of the LF display modules. The characteristics are hardware configurations including but not limited to a resolution, the holographic object volume geometry, the viewing volume geometry, another physical characteristic of the LF display modules (e.g., brightness, refresh rate, etc.). More generally, holographic content can take the form of CG content with ideal light field coordinates, live action content, rasterized data, vectorized data, electromagnetic energy transported by a set of relays, instructions sent to a group of energy devices, energy locations on one or more energy surfaces, the set of energy propagation paths that are projected from the display surface, a holographic object that is visible to a viewer or an audience, and many other similar forms.
The amount of rasterized data describing the flow of energy through the various energy sources in a LF display system 500 is incredibly large. While it is possible to display the rasterized data on a LF display system 500 when accessed from a data store 522, it is untenable to efficiently transmit, receive (e.g., via a network interface 524), and subsequently display the rasterized data on a LF display system 500. Take, for example, rasterized data representing a short film for holographic projection by a LF display system 500. In this example, the LF display system 500 includes a display containing several gigapixels and the rasterized data contains information for each pixel location on the display. The corresponding size of the rasterized data is vast (e.g., many gigabytes per second of film display time), and unmanageable for efficient transfer over commercial networks via a network interface 524. The efficient transfer problem may be amplified for applications including live streaming of holographic content. An additional problem with merely storing rasterized data on data store 522 arises when an interactive experience is desired using inputs from the sensory feedback system 540 or the tracking module 526. To enable an interactive experience, the light field content generated by the LF processing engine 530 can be modified in real-time in response to sensory or tracking inputs. In other words, in some cases, LF content cannot simply be read from the data store 522.
Therefore, in some configurations, data representing holographic content for display by a LF display system 500 may be transferred to the LF processing engine 530 in a vectorized data format (“vectorized data”). Vectorized data may be orders of magnitude smaller than rasterized data. Further, vectorized data provides high image quality while having a data set size that enables efficient sharing of the data. For example, vectorized data may be a sparse data set derived from a denser data set. Thus, vectorized data may have an adjustable balance between image quality and data transmission size based on how sparse vectorized data is sampled from dense rasterized data. Tunable sampling to generate vectorized data enables optimization of image quality for a given network speed. Consequently, vectorized data enables efficient transmission of holographic content via a network interface 524. Vectorized data also enables holographic content to be live-streamed over a commercial network.
In summary, the LF processing engine 530 may generate holographic content derived from rasterized data accessed from the data store 522, vectorized data accessed from the data store 522, or vectorized data received via the network interface 524. In various configurations, vectorized data may be encoded before data transmission and decoded after reception by the LF controller 520. In some examples, the vectorized data is encoded for added data security and performance improvements related to data compression. For example, vectorized data received by the network interface may be encoded vectorized data received from a holographic streaming application. In some examples, vectorized data may require a decoder, the LF processing engine 530, or both of these to access information content encoded in vectorized data. The encoder and/or decoder systems may be available to customers or licensed to third-party vendors.
Vectorized data contains all the information for each of the sensory domains supported by a LF display system 500 in way that may support an interactive experience. For example, vectorized data for an interactive holographic experience may include any vectorized properties that can provide accurate physics for each of the sensory domains supported by a LF display system 500. Vectorized properties may include any properties that can be synthetically programmed, captured, computationally assessed, etc. A LF processing engine 530 may be configured to translate vectorized properties in vectorized data to rasterized data. The LF processing engine 530 may then project holographic content translated from the vectorized data using the LF display assembly 510. In various configurations, the vectorized properties may include one or more red/green/blue/alpha channel (RGBA)+depth images, multi view images with or without depth information at varying resolutions that may include one high-resolution center image and other views at a lower resolution, material properties such as albedo and reflectance, surface normals, other optical effects, surface identification, geometrical object coordinates, virtual camera coordinates, display plane locations, lighting coordinates, tactile stiffness for surfaces, tactile ductility, tactile strength, amplitude and coordinates of sound fields, environmental conditions, somatosensory energy vectors related to the mechanoreceptors for textures or temperature, audio, and any other sensory domain property. Many other vectorized properties are also possible.
The LF display system 500 may also generate an interactive viewing experience. That is, holographic content may be responsive to input stimuli containing information about viewer locations, gestures, interactions, interactions with holographic content, or other information derived from the viewer profiling module 528, and/or tracking module 526. For example, in an embodiment, a LF processing system 500 creates an interactive viewing experience using vectorized data of a real-time performance received via a network interface 524. In another example, if a holographic object needs to move in a certain direction immediately in response to a viewer interaction, the LF processing engine 530 may update the render of the scene so the holographic object moves in that required direction. This may require the LF processing engine 530 to use a vectorized data set to render light fields in real time based a 3D graphical scene with the proper object placement and movement, collision detection, occlusion, color, shading, lighting, etc., correctly responding to the viewer interaction. The LF processing engine 530 converts the vectorized data into rasterized data for presentation by the LF display assembly 510.
The rasterized data includes holographic content instructions and sensory instructions (display instructions) representing the real-time performance. The LF display assembly 510 simultaneously projects holographic and sensory content of the real-time performance by executing the display instructions. The LF display system 500 monitors viewer interactions (e.g., vocal response, touching, etc.) with the presented real-time performance with the tracking module 526 and viewer profiling module 528. In response to the viewer interactions, the LF processing engine may create an interactive experience by generating additional holographic and/or sensory content for display to the viewers.
To illustrate, consider an example embodiment of an LF display system 500 including a LF processing engine 530 that generates a holographic object representing a bicycle to a viewer. The viewer may move to touch the holographic object representing the bicycle. Correspondingly, the tracking system 550 tracks movement of the viewer's hands relative to the holographic object. The movement of the viewer is recorded by the tracking system 550 and sent to the controller 520. The tracking module 526 continuously determines the motion of the viewer's hand and sends the determined motions to the LF processing engine 530. The LF processing engine 530 determines the placement of the viewer's hand, adjusts the real-time rendering of the graphics to include any required change in the holographic object (such as position, color, or occlusion). The LF processing engine 530 instructs the LF display assembly 510 (and/or sensory feedback system 540) to generate a tactile surface using the volumetric haptic projection system (e.g., using ultrasonic speakers). The generated tactile surface corresponds to at least a portion of the holographic object and occupies substantially the same space as some or all of an exterior surface of the holographic object. The LF processing engine 530 uses the tracking information to dynamically instruct the LF display assembly 510 to move the location of the tactile surface along with a location of the rendered holographic object such that the viewer is given both a visual and tactile perception of touching the bicycle. More simply, when a viewer views his hand touching a holographic bicycle, the viewer simultaneously feels haptic feedback indicating their hand touches the holographic bicycle, and the bicycle changes position or motion in response to the touch. In some examples, rather than presenting and interactive bicycle accessed from a data store 522, the interactive bicycle may be received as part of holographic content received from a live-streaming application via a network interface 524.
The LF processing engine 530 may also create holographic content for display by the LF display system 500. Importantly, here, creating holographic content for display is different from accessing, or receiving, holographic content for display. That is, when creating content, the LF processing engine 530 generates entirely new content for display rather than accessing previously generated and/or received content. The LF processing engine 530 can use information from the tracking system 550, the sensory feedback system 540, the viewer profiling module 528, the tracking module 526, or some combination thereof, to create holographic content for display. In some examples, LF processing engine 530 may access information from elements of the LF display system 500 (e.g., tracking information and/or a viewer profile), create holographic content based on that information, and display the created holographic content using the LF display system 500 in response. The created holographic content may be augmented with other sensory content (e.g., touch, audio, or smell) when displayed by the LF display system 500. Further, the LF display system 500 may store created holographic content such that it may be displayed in the future.
In some embodiments, the LF processing engine 530 incorporates an artificial intelligence (AI) model to create holographic content for display by the LF display system 500. The AI model may include supervised or unsupervised learning algorithms including but not limited to regression models, neural networks, classifiers, or any other AI algorithm. The AI model may be used to determine viewer preferences based on viewer information recorded by the LF display system 500 (e.g., by tracking system 550) which may include information on a viewer's behavior.
The AI model may access information from the data store 522 to create holographic content. For example, the AI model may access viewer information from a viewer profile or profiles in the data store 522 or may receive viewer information from the various components of the LF display system 500. To illustrate, the AI model may determine a viewer may appreciate viewing another holographic merchandise when considering viewing history of various other holographic merchandise. The AI model may also store the learned preferences of each viewer in the viewer profile store of the data store 522. In some examples, the AI model may create holographic content for an individual viewer rather than a group of viewers.
One example of an AI model that can be used to identify characteristics of viewers, identify reactions, and/or generate holographic content based on the identified information is a convolutional neural network model with layers of nodes, in which values at nodes of a current layer are a transformation of values at nodes of a previous layer. A transformation in the model is determined through a set of weights and parameters connecting the current layer and the previous layer. For example, and AI model may include five layers of nodes: layers A, B, C, D, and E. The transformation from layer A to layer B is given by a function W1, the transformation from layer B to layer C is given by W2, the transformation from layer C to layer D is given by W3, and the transformation from layer D to layer E is given by W4. In some examples, the transformation can also be determined through a set of weights and parameters used to transform between previous layers in the model. For example, the transformation W4 from layer D to layer E can be based on parameters used to accomplish the transformation W1 from layer A to B.
The input to the model can be an image taken by tracking system 550 encoded onto the convolutional layer A and the output of the model is holographic content decoded from the output layer E. Alternatively or additionally, the output may be a determined characteristic of a viewer in the image. In this example, the AI model identifies latent information in the image representing viewer characteristics in the identification layer C. The AI model reduces the dimensionality of the convolutional layer A to that of the identification layer C to identify any characteristics, actions, responses, etc. in the image. In some examples, the AI model then increases the dimensionality of the identification layer C to generate holographic content.
The image from the tracking system 550 is encoded to a convolutional layer A. Images input in the convolutional layer A can be related to various characteristics and/or reaction information, etc. in the identification layer C. Relevance information between these elements can be retrieved by applying a set of transformations between the corresponding layers. That is, a convolutional layer A of an AI model represents an encoded image, and identification layer C of the model represents a smiling viewer. Smiling viewers in a given image may be identified by applying the transformations W1 and W2 to the pixel values of the image in the space of convolutional layer A. The weights and parameters for the transformations may indicate relationships between information contained in the image and the identification of a smiling viewer. For example, the weights and parameters can be a quantization of shapes, colors, sizes, etc. included in information representing a smiling viewer in an image. The weights and parameters may be based on historical data (e.g., previously tracked viewers).
Smiling viewers in the image are identified in the identification layer C. The identification layer C represents identified smiling viewers based on the latent information about smiling viewers in the image.
Identified smiling viewers in an image can be used to generate holographic content. To generate holographic content, the AI model starts at the identification layer C and applies the transformations W2 and W3 to the value of the given identified smiling viewers in the identification layer C. The transformations result in a set of nodes in the output layer E. The weights and parameters for the transformations may indicate relationships between an identified smiling viewers and specific holographic content and/or preferences. In some cases, the holographic content is directly output from the nodes of the output layer E, while in other cases the content generation system decodes the nodes of the output layer E into a holographic content. For example, if the output is a set of identified characteristics, the LF processing engine can use the characteristics to generate holographic content.
Additionally, the AI model can include layers known as intermediate layers. Intermediate layers are those that do not correspond to an image, identifying characteristics/reactions, etc., or generating holographic content. For example, in the given example, layer B is an intermediate layer between the convolutional layer A and the identification layer C. Layer D is an intermediate layer between the identification layer C and the output layer E. Hidden layers are latent representations of different aspects of identification that are not observed in the data, but may govern the relationships between the elements of an image when identifying characteristics and generating holographic content. For example, a node in the hidden layer may have strong connections (e.g., large weight values) to input values and identification values that share the commonality of “laughing people smile.” As another example, another node in the hidden layer may have strong connections to input values and identification values that share the commonality of “scared people scream.” Of course, any number of linkages are present in a neural network. Additionally, each intermediate layer is a combination of functions such as, for example, residual blocks, convolutional layers, pooling operations, skip connections, concatenations, etc. Any number of intermediate layers B can function to reduce the convolutional layer to the identification layer and any number of intermediate layers D can function to increase the identification layer to the output layer.
In one embodiment, the AI model includes deterministic methods that have been trained with reinforcement learning (thereby creating a reinforcement learning model). The model is trained to increase the quality of the performance using measurements from tracking system 550 as inputs, and changes to the created holographic content as outputs.
Reinforcement learning is a machine learning system in which a machine learns ‘what to do’—how to map situations to actions—so as to maximize a numerical reward signal. The learner (e.g. LF processing engine 530) is not told which actions to take (e.g., generating prescribed holographic content), but instead discovers which actions yield the most reward (e.g., increasing the quality of holographic content by making more people cheer) by trying them. In some cases, actions may affect not only the immediate reward but also the next situation and, through that, all subsequent rewards. These two characteristics—trial-and-error search and delayed reward—are two distinguishing features of reinforcement learning.
Reinforcement learning is defined not by characterizing learning methods, but by characterizing a learning problem. Basically, a reinforcement learning system captures those important aspects of the problem facing a learning agent interacting with its environment to achieve a goal. That is, in the example of generating a song for a performer, the reinforcement learning system captures information about viewers in the venue (e.g., age, disposition, etc.). Such an agent senses the state of the environment and takes actions that affect the state to achieve a goal or goals (e.g., creating a pop song for which the viewers will cheer). In its most basic form, the formulation of reinforcement learning includes three aspects for the learner: sensation, action, and goal. Continuing with the song example, the LF processing engine 530 senses the state of the environment with sensors of the tracking system 550, displays holographic content to the viewers in the environment, and achieves a goal that is a measure of the viewer's reception of that song.
One of the challenges that arises in reinforcement learning is the trade-off between exploration and exploitation. To increase the reward in the system, a reinforcement learning agent prefers actions that it has tried in the past and found to be effective in producing reward. However, to discover actions that produce reward, the learning agent selects actions that it has not selected before. The agent ‘exploits’ information that it already knows in order to obtain a reward, but it also ‘explores’ information in order to make better action selections in the future. The learning agent tries a variety of actions and progressively favors those that appear to be best while still attempting new actions. On a stochastic task, each action is generally tried many times to gain a reliable estimate to its expected reward. For example, if the LF processing engine creates holographic content that the LF processing engine knows will result in a viewer laughing after a long period of time, the LF processing engine may change the holographic content such that the time until a viewer laughs decreases.
Further, reinforcement learning considers the whole problem of a goal-directed agent interacting with an uncertain environment. Reinforcement learning agents have explicit goals, can sense aspects of their environments, and can choose actions to receive high rewards (i.e., a roaring crowd). Moreover, agents generally operate despite significant uncertainty about the environment they face. When reinforcement learning involves planning, the system addresses the interplay between planning and real-time action selection, as well as the question of how environmental elements are acquired and improved. For reinforcement learning to make progress, important sub problems have to be isolated and studied, the sub problems playing clear roles in complete, interactive, goal-seeking agents.
The reinforcement learning problem is a framing of a machine learning problem where interactions are processed and actions are carried out to achieve a goal. The learner and decision-maker is called the agent (e.g., LF processing engine 530). The thing it interacts with, comprising everything outside the agent, is called the environment (e.g., viewers in a venue, etc.). These two interact continually, the agent selecting actions (e.g., creating holographic content) and the environment responding to those actions and presenting new situations to the agent. The environment also gives rise to rewards, special numerical values that the agent tries to maximize over time. In one context, the rewards act to maximize viewer positive reactions to holographic content. A complete specification of an environment defines a task which is one instance of the reinforcement learning problem.
To provide more context, an agent (e.g., LF processing engine 530) and environment interact at each of a sequence of discrete time steps, i.e. t=0, 1, 2, 3, etc. At each time step t the agent receives some representation of the environment's state st (e.g., measurements from tracking system 550). The states st are within S, where S is the set of possible states. Based on the state st and the time step t, the agent selects an action at (e.g., making the performer do the splits). The action at is within A(st), where A(st) is the set of possible actions. One time state later, in part as a consequence of its action, the agent receives a numerical reward rt+1. The states rt+1 are within R, where R is the set of possible rewards. Once the agent receives the reward, the agent selects in a new state st+1.
At each time step, the agent implements a mapping from states to probabilities of selecting each possible action. This mapping is called the agent's policy and is denoted πt where πt(s,a) is the probability that at=a if st=s. Reinforcement learning methods can dictate how the agent changes its policy as a result of the states and rewards resulting from agent actions. The agent's goal is to maximize the total amount of reward it receives over time.
This reinforcement learning framework is flexible and can be applied to many different problems in many different ways (e.g. generating holographic content). The framework proposes that whatever the details of the sensory, memory, and control apparatus, any problem (or objective) of learning goal-directed behavior can be reduced to three signals passing back and forth between an agent and its environment: one signal to represent the choices made by the agent (the actions), one signal to represent the basis on which the choices are made (the states), and one signal to define the agent's goal (the rewards).
Of course, the AI model can include any number of machine learning algorithms. Some other AI models that can be employed are linear and/or logistic regression, classification and regression trees, k-means clustering, vector quantization, etc. Whatever the case, generally, the LF processing engine 530 takes an input from the tracking module 526 and/or viewer profiling module 528 and a machine learning model creates holographic content in response. Similarly, the AI model may direct the rendering of holographic content.
LF processing engine 530 can create holographic content based on a holographic merchandise being displayed. For example, the holographic merchandise being shown may be associated with a set of metadata describing the merchandise's characteristics. The metadata may include, for example, the color, the material, ratings by other purchasers, cost, sales, etc. LF processing engine 530 may access any of the metadata describing the holographic merchandise and generate holographic content to present. For example, a holographic merchandise representing a couch is being presented by a LF display system 500 implemented in a viewer's home. The LF processing engine 530 accesses the metadata of the couch to create holographic content for the walls of the home to complement the couch. Here, the metadata may include the color and the material. The LF processing engine 530 inputs the metadata into an AI model and receives holographic content to display on the walls of the home in response.
In an example, the LF processing engine 530 can convert a traditional two dimensional (2D) film to holographic content for display by a LF display system. For example, the LF processing engine 530 can input a traditional film into an AI model and the AI model converts any part of the traditional film into holographic content. In an example, the AI model may convert a traditional film into holographic content by using machine learning algorithms trained by converting two-dimensional data to holographic data. In various circumstances, the training data may be previously generated, created, or some combination of the two. The LF display system 500 may then display the holographic version of the film rather than the traditional two-dimensional version of the film.
The client LF display systems 500A & 500B are capable of displaying holographic content, receiving input, and transmitting and/or receiving data via the network 570. A client LF display system 500A is an embodiment of the LF display system 500. As such, a client LF display system 500A provides holographic content to one or more patrons of the client LF display system 500A. In other embodiments, a client LF display system 500A may allow patrons to provide holographic content created by one or more patrons to the online system 590. A client LF display system 500A is configured to communicate via the network 570. In some embodiments, a client LF display system 500A executes an application allowing a patron of the client LF display system 500A to interact with the online system 590. For example, a client LF display system 500A executes a browser application to enable interaction between the client LF display system 500A and the online system 590 via the network 570. In other embodiments, a client LF display system 500A interacts with the online system 590 through an application programming interface (API) running on a native operating system of the client LF display system 500A, such as IOS® or ANDROID™.
The client LF display systems 500A are configured to communicate via the network 570, which may comprise any combination of local area and/or wide area networks, using both wired and/or wireless communication systems. In some embodiments, the network 570 uses standard communications technologies and/or protocols. For example, the network 570 includes communication links using technologies such as Ethernet, 802.11, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), 3G, 4G, code division multiple access (CDMA), digital subscriber line (DSL), etc. Examples of networking protocols used for communicating via the network 570 include multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), hypertext transport protocol (HTTP), simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), and file transfer protocol (FTP). Data exchanged over the network 570 may be represented using any suitable format, such as hypertext markup language (HTML) or extensible markup language (XML). In some embodiments, all or some of the communication links of the network 570 may be encrypted using any suitable technique or techniques. For example, holographic content can be encrypted which can then be decrypted by the client LF display systems 500A & 500B. In another embodiment, data transferred over the network 570 is encoded into an encoded format that stores the data in a compressed size. The client LF display system 500A decodes the encoded formats into a presentable format, e.g., decoding holographic content into a presentable format for presenting the holographic content.
One or more third party systems 580 may be coupled to the network 570 for communicating with the online system 590. In some embodiments, a third party system 580 is a content provider communicating holographic content to be distributed to client LF display systems 500A via the network 570. In some embodiments, the third party system 580 may also communicate holographic content to the online system 590 which may then distribute the holographic content to client LF display systems 500A. Each third party system 580 has a content store 582 which may store holographic content items that can be distributed for presentation to client LF display systems 500A. In addition, holographic content items may be associated with costs that can be collected when distributed to client LF display systems 500A for presentation by the online system 590.
The online system 590 mediates distribution of holographic content. The online system 590 includes a patron profile store 592, a content store 594, a transaction module 596, and a content distribution module 598. In other embodiments, the online system 590 may include additional, fewer, or different components for various applications. Conventional components such as network interfaces, security functions, load balancers, failover servers, management and network operations consoles, and the like are not shown so as to not obscure the details of the system architecture.
Each patron of the online system 590 may be associated with a patron profile, which is stored in the patron profile store 592. A patron profile includes characteristics of the patron. Characteristics may include declarative information about the patron that was explicitly shared by the patron and may also include profile information inferred by the online system 590. In some embodiments, a patron profile includes multiple data fields, each describing one or more attributes of the corresponding online system patron. Examples of information stored in a patron profile include biographic, demographic, and other types of descriptive information, such as work experience, educational history, gender, income, money spent on purchases, hobbies, location, age, viewing history, time spent on items, categories of items previously viewed, purchase history, and the like. A patron profile may also store other information provided by the patron, for example, images or videos. In certain embodiments, images of patrons may be tagged with information identifying the online system patrons displayed in an image, with information identifying the images in which a patron is tagged stored in the patron profile of the patron. A patron profile in the patron profile store 592 may also maintain references to actions by the corresponding patron, e.g., performed on any one of the client LF display systems 500A & 500B or one or more third-party systems 580. Examples of actions include purchasing of an item, interaction with one or more holographic objects, one or more user inputs provided to a LF display system, another action in conjunction with an online system, etc. In some embodiments, the patron profile may store information provided by one or more client LF display systems 500A which may include provided information and/or information recorded or inferred from a patron profiling system (e.g., the patron profiling system described in
While patron profiles in the patron profile store 592 are frequently associated with individuals, allowing individuals to interact with each other via the online system 590, patron profiles may also be stored for entities such as businesses or organizations. This allows an entity to establish a presence on the online system 590 for connecting and exchanging content with other online system patrons. The entity may post information about itself, about its products or provide other information to patrons of the online system 590 using a brand page associated with the entity's patron profile. Other patrons of the online system 590 may connect to the brand page to receive information posted to the brand page or to receive information from the brand page. A patron profile associated with the brand page may include information about the entity itself, providing patrons with background or informational data about the entity.
The content store 594 stores holographic content to be distributed to patrons of the one or more client LF display systems 500A. Examples of holographic content may range from holographic merchandise, a holographic movie or video, a holographic simulation, a holographic experience, a holographic game, a holographic item, a holographic assistant, any other holographic object, or any combination thereof. The holographic merchandise may represent a physical item which may be purchased by a patron using the client LF display system 500A or 500B, or a purely digital asset. Online system patrons may create holographic content to be stored by the content store 594. In some embodiments, holographic content are received from third party systems 580 separate from the online system 590. In some embodiments, objects in the content store 594 represent single pieces of content, or content “items.”
The transaction module 596 manages transactions by the client LF display systems 500A for holographic content stored in the content store 594. The transaction module 596 receives payment from one or more client LF display systems 500A for specific holographic content items. In some embodiments, the client LF display systems 500A are associated with one or more patron profiles which are charged with the cost for presentation of the holographic content items by the transaction module 596. In some embodiments, holographic content items may be purchased and used indefinitely or rented for a duration of time. Remuneration in totality or in part collected by the transaction module 596 may then be provided to a provider of the holographic content item. For example, a third party system that provided a holographic movie may receive a majority portion of the remuneration collected from client LF display systems 500A for presentation of the holographic movie either through purchasing or renting the holographic movie.
The content distribution module 598 provides client LF display systems 500A with holographic content items. The content distribution module 598 may receive a request from the transaction module 596 with a holographic content item to be presented to a client LF display system 500A. The content distribution module 598 retrieves the holographic content item from the content store 594 and provides the holographic content item to the client LF display system 500A for display to the patrons.
The LF display system 600 may receive input from one or more patrons. The input may be received via any combination of a tracking system (e.g., the tracking system 550), the LF display modules 620 configured as bidirectional surfaces to also receive input, another input device (e.g., a microphone, a button, a remote control, an application running on a mobile device, a web browser), etc. The input received may include but is not limited to audio inputs (e.g., voice input from the patron), tracking inputs (e.g., gestures by the patron tracked from the tracking system), button inputs (e.g., buttons pressed on a remote control, or a touchscreen display, etc.), or any combination thereof. In response to received patron input, the LF display system 600 can update presentation of the holographic content. Updating presentation of the holographic content may include scaling the holographic object in the holographic object volume, moving the holographic object in the holographic object volume, changing an appearance of the holographic object, displaying another holographic object, displaying information about the holographic object, displaying a configuration or customization of the holographic object, or displaying a physical setting (e.g., a beachside context for a surfboard) for the holographic object. In some cases, the LF display system 600 may associate various inputs as intent of purchasing one or more of: physical goods, digital assets, and services from the online retail store.
In response to receiving such inputs associated to purchasing the physical goods or services, the LF display system 600 may display a confirmation or receipt of the purchase. In other cases, the LF display system 600 may associate some inputs for modifying display of the holographic merchandise 625. For example, the patron may spread out both arms to increase a size of the holographic merchandise 625. In another example, the patron may clap to see another holographic representation of a holographic merchandise, e.g., switching from a holographic vase suspended in air to a view of the holographic vase in the environment of a home. In some cases, the LF display system 600 may associate other inputs for scrolling through various holographic merchandise 625. For example, the patron may swipe a hand from right to left (or vice versa) which can be received as input to scroll to another holographic merchandise 625. In response, the LF display system 600 may adjust the holographic content presented to remove or minimize the current holographic merchandise 625 while adding or maximizing a subsequent holographic merchandise 625. In other embodiments, the LF display system 600 also has other input devices (e.g., a remote control, a touchscreen, an application on a client device configured to receive inputs, a web browser, etc.), wherein the patron may provide inputs on the input devices while online shopping with the LF display system 600.
In some embodiments of updating presentation of the holographic merchandise 625, the patron provides input to rotate presentation of the holographic merchandise 625. In one example, the LF display system 600 assigns an audio input of speaking “rotate” and/or a gesture input of a rotating hand in order to rotate the holographic merchandise 625. When the correct input corresponding to rotating the holographic merchandise 625 is received, the LF display system 600 then rotates the holographic merchandise 625. In some embodiments, the rotation of the holographic merchandise 625 is tied to position of the patron's hand such that the holographic merchandise 625 rotates a certain amount as the patron rotates their hand. Likewise, when the patron stops rotating their hand, the holographic merchandise 625 stops rotation.
In some embodiments of updating presentation of the holographic merchandise 625, the patron provides input to scale presentation of the holographic merchandise 625. For example, the LF display system 600 assigns an audio input of speaking “zoom in” and/or a gesture input of spreading two arms apart in order to increase presentation size of the holographic merchandise 625. When the correct input of either speaking “zoom in” and/or spreading two arms apart, the LF display system 600 then increases presentation size of the holographic merchandise 625. In a complementary example, the LF display system 600 may designate various inputs to decreasing presentation size of the holographic merchandise 625. The LF display 600 may then receive patron input corresponding to the designated inputs, and subsequently update presentation of the holographic merchandise 625 to decrease presentation size of the holographic merchandise 625.
In some embodiments of updating presentation of the holographic merchandise 625, the patron provides input to move the holographic merchandise 625 within a viewing volume of the LF display system 600. The LF display system 600 may designate the gesture input of a patron contacting with both hands a holographic merchandise 625. The LF display system 600 may additionally or otherwise designate voice input of a patron speaking “move,” “slide,” or another relevant command. The LF display system 600 upon presenting the holographic merchandise 625 can then receive input from the patron to update presentation of the holographic merchandise 625. When the LF display system 600 tracks gestures of the patron, the patron may contact the holographic merchandise 625 with two arms. The tracking system of the LF display system 600 may determine that the patron is holding the holographic merchandise 625 by evaluating a position of the patron's hands in comparison with a position of the holographic merchandise presented within the viewing volume of the LF display system 600. The LF display system 600 upon determining that the patron has placed both hands on the holographic merchandise 625, then tracks movement of the hands. As the patron then moves both hands to a different position, the LF display system 600 receives gesture input (e.g., via the tracking system) to move the holographic merchandise 625. The LF display system 600 then updates presentation of the holographic merchandise 625 to move a position of the holographic merchandise 625 from an initial position to a subsequent position based on the movement of the patron's hands. In examples of voice input, the LF display system 600 receives patron input saying “move” and may then update presentation of the holographic merchandise 625 to move from one position to another. The input may also include an eventual position of the holographic merchandise 625. For example, the patron may say “move to the right five feet,” to which the LF display system 600 may then move the holographic merchandise 625 to an eventual position five feet to the right of the initial position.
In some embodiments, the LF display system 600 is implemented in a home. The LF display system 600 can present holographic content to one or more patrons in the home. The holographic content may include holographic merchandise 625. Holographic merchandise 625 refers to either holographic representations of physical goods sold by online retail stores, or holographic content being sold by content providers online, which are purely digital assets. One example of holographic merchandise 625 as holographic representations of physical goods is holographic representations of clothing items available for purchase from a clothing store through an online shopping portal. The holographic representations of clothing can allow patrons to interact with the holographic merchandise 625 prior to purchasing the clothing items online. One example of holographic merchandise 625 as holographic content sold by content providers is holographic movies that can be bought or rented for presentation by the LF display system 600 in the home. Holographic merchandise 625 can also take the form of images or video of famous actors, sports heroes in action, or exotic locations. In some cases, the LF display system 600 is a multi-sided seamless surface environment within the enclosure 610 capable of presenting immersive holographic movies or experiences to patrons of the LF display system 600 at home.
In embodiments with holographic merchandise 625 as holographic representations of physical goods or services, the LF display system 600 presents holographic merchandise 625 from an online retail store to a patron shopping online via the LF display system 600. The online retail store may sell physical goods or services. In either case, the LF display system 600 may present holographic merchandise 625 that is viewable by one or more patrons. The holographic merchandise 625 may be presented as holographic objects projected in front of the screen plane of the LF display of the LF display system 600, behind the screen plane, or split by the screen plane. In embodiments with services for sale, the holographic representations of various services can provide a snippet or preview of the services to be rendered. For example, the LF display system 600 may present a preview of a snorkeling trip by presenting holographic representations of snorkeling underwater or cruising on the ocean. As holographic representations of the physical goods or services are presented to the patrons, the patrons may have an option to interact with the holographic merchandise 625.
The LF display system 600 may also have a sensory feedback system (e.g., the sensory feedback system 540) to provide other sensory stimuli associated with the presented holographic merchandise 625. Some examples include tactile feedback, audio feedback, aroma generation, temperature feedback, motion control etc. The sensory feedback system 540 may include various feedback devices for providing the feedback. In some embodiments, acoustic emitting devices may be part of one or more LF display modules and configured for use by the sensory feedback system to provide sensory feedback. For example, an acoustic emitting device may be used to provide audio feedback. As another example, ultrasonic waves may be projected to create volumetric haptic surfaces which provide tactile feedback. These haptic surfaces may be projected using a dual energy surface in the light field display assembly which projects both a light field and a focused ultrasound energy, or by using a dedicated volumetric haptic display. Each holographic merchandise object 625 may also be associated with sensory feedback parameters which dictate presentation of the sensory feedback by the sensory feedback system.
In embodiments with tactile feedback, the sensory feedback system provides tactile feedback with presentation of holographic merchandise 625. Each holographic merchandise item 625 has a set of parameters for dictating provision of the tactile feedback. In other embodiments, material parameters in the data store 522 can include tactile feedback parameters for various materials. Each holographic merchandise item 625 can then have a parameter of a material, which would retrieve tactile feedback parameters for the material from the material data store, and the sensory feedback system will provide the matching tactile surface. In one example of a holographic representation of a clothing item, the sensory feedback system provides tactile feedback which allows a patron to feel the clothing item. The tactile feedback parameters of the clothing item may include a texture, a thickness, a rigidity, or any combination thereof of the material used to construct the clothing item.
Corresponding to the parameters for the clothing item, the sensory feedback system may provide tactile feedback. As an example, the patron may select a clothing item made of cotton which has tactile feedback parameters to simulate the feel of cotton. The sensory feedback system receives the tactile feedback parameters to generate a tactile surface simulating the feel of cotton. Furthermore, the patron may provide input to change a material of the holographic clothing item from cotton to polyester. The sensory feedback system may retrieve tactile feedback parameters for polyester and adjust presentation of the tactile feedback according to the retrieved parameters for polyester. The sensory feedback system changes the projected ultrasonic waves from one waveform to another waveform corresponding to the change of tactile feedback parameters from one material to another. Providing tactile feedback to the holographic merchandise 625 provides a more comprehensive experience for the patron when considering whether to purchase the physical merchandise corresponding to the holographic merchandise 625. Moreover, the patron may experience various materials through the tactile feedback which can aid in determining what material of the holographic merchandise to purchase.
In embodiments of smell feedback, the sensory feedback system provides smell feedback accompanied with the presentation of the holographic merchandise 625. In one example, the sensory feedback system presents smell feedback while presenting holographic representations of various foods available for purchase at a restaurant or store. The smell feedback may better entice the patron to pursue purchasing the food presented as holographic merchandise 625. Similar to the tactile feedback, each holographic merchandise 625 may have smell feedback parameters which dictate presentation of the smell feedback by the sensory feedback system.
In one example with multiple forms of sensory feedback, the sensory feedback system presents a holographic representation of a beachside vacation. The LF display modules 620 present holographic representations of the beach, the sand, the waves, other holographic objects on the beach (e.g., beach ball, surfboard, beach towels, twigs, seashells, etc.), or some combination thereof. The sensory feedback system provides tactile feedback coincident with any holographic objects presented (e.g., a beach ball, a surfboard, etc.), audio feedback for any audio cues associated with the beach environment (e.g., seagull caws, crashing waves, ship horn blowing, etc.), wind feedback to simulate an ocean breeze, and temperature feedback to simulate the heat of the day, etc. All the sensory feedback helps to fully immerse a patron of the LF display system 600 in the presented beachside vacation better enticing the patron to purchase the service being offered.
In embodiments with holographic merchandise 625 as holographic content on sale by content providers, the LF display system 600 presents holographic merchandise 625 from an online content provider to a patron shopping for holographic content via the LF display system 600. The holographic content may include but is not limited to holographic movies, holographic simulations, holographic experiences, holographic games, holographic representations of famous actors, athletes, or historical figures, etc. The LF display system 600 can provide a snippet or preview of the holographic content to be rendered. In other embodiments, the LF display system 600 is used to display holographic advertisements for patrons of the LF display system. For example, the LF display system 600 may present holographic advertisements interspersed within a holographic movie.
In one or more embodiments, the enclosure 710 may include one or more physical objects which may be transformed by the LF display system 700 to appear differently. The LF display system 700 may also include any combination of the other components of the LF display system 500 such as the sensory feedback system 540, the tracking system 550, the viewer profiling system 528, and the controller 520. The LF display system 700 may be implemented as part of a LF retail platform that controls distribution of holographic content from content providers and content patrons. The LF retail platform is discussed in detail with reference to
In some embodiments, the LF display system 700 is implemented in a retail store. The LF display system 700 can be integrated into a section or the entirety of the retail store. The LF display system 700 can present holographic content to one or more patrons in the retail store. The holographic content may include displaying a holographic environment with the holographic merchandise 725. Each holographic environment may have various parameters, e.g., a size of a room, a color of each surface in the room, a pattern on the floor of the room, etc. In this embodiment, the holographic merchandise 725 may be holographic representations of physical goods that may be for sale by the retail store. Each holographic merchandise 725 may have parameters for presentation by the LF display modules 720, e.g., a size, a shape, a pattern, a color, a brightness, or any combination thereof. Additionally, each holographic merchandise 725 may include parameters for providing sensory feedback, similar to those described above in
The LF display system 700 can display the holographic merchandise 725 in various configurations, layouts, and combinations, allowing a patron to arrange the holographic merchandise 725 within the enclosure 710. The patron may also provide inputs to the LF display system 700 (e.g., through a tracking system 550, through the LF display modules 720, through additional input devices as described above in
In one example, the LF display system 700 is implemented in a section of a store (e.g., a furniture store). The LF display system 700 allows patrons to pick and choose various furniture items to be presented as holographic merchandise 725 in the enclosure 710. Additionally, the patrons may choose a holographic environment such as a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, an office space, etc. The LF display system 700 may present all the holographic furniture selected within the holographic environment selected. Then the patron may provide input to modify presentation of the holographic furniture. Continuing with the example, the patron may rearrange the holographic furniture items within the holographic object volume to have a better sense of relative dimensions or positions.
Applying similar principles discussed in
In some embodiments, the LF display system 700 is implemented in a home or other private context. The LF display system 700 can present holographic content to one or more patrons in the home. The holographic content may include holographic merchandise 725. In this embodiment, the holographic merchandise 725 refers to holographic objects that may be displayed in the home and may be available for purchase. Some examples of holographic merchandise 725 include but not limited to holographic home décor, holographic furniture, holographic kitchens, holographic clothing, etc. The holographic merchandise 725 may be sold by content providers that may generate the holographic merchandise 725. Additionally, content providers may provide the holographic merchandise 725 through the LF retail platform. In one example of the LF display system 700, the LF display system 700 is integrated in all walled surfaces of a living room in a home (e.g., walls, ceiling, floor, etc.). In another example of the LF display system 700, the LF display system 700 exists as a single display on one wall. The LF display system 700 generates holographic merchandise 725 for display within the living room of the home. The holographic merchandise 725 in this example can be home décor such as holographic vases, holographic paintings, holographic potted plants, holographic shelves, holographic light fixtures, holographic painted walls, etc. In another application, the LF display system 700 may present holographic merchandise 725 as holographic representations of purchasable physical furniture that may allow a patron to envision the physical furniture in the context of their home. In this application, the LF display system 700 may adjust positioning of the holographic furniture allowing a patron to modify the positioning of the holographic furniture without the need of physically moving the furniture that potentially are quite heavy. In another instance, the living room may already have some physical furniture which can then be transformed with the LF display system 700 such that holographic content (e.g., holographic objects) representing the furniture appear differently. For example, the LF display system 700 detects the presence of a physical object in the enclosure 710 via the tracking system. The LF display system 700 presents the detected physical object to the patron and allows the patron to provide input on how to transform the detected physical object by projecting a holographic surface onto a least a portion of the object. The patron may provide inputs to toggle parameters (e.g., display parameters, tactile feedback parameters) to adjust the presentation of the holographic skin which is presented proximate to the detected physical object effectively overlaying the holographic skin onto the surface of the physical object. In one example, the LF display system 700 can transform a circular table to have various patterns or designs on the table top by projecting holographic table top patterns or textures on the circular table. In an alternate embodiment, the LF display system 700 may be implemented in other private contexts, such as a in a business, in a gallery, in an office space, etc.
In some embodiments, the LF display system 800 is implemented as a display case for displaying holographic merchandise 825 in the enclosure 810. In this embodiment, the LF display system 800 may have one or more LF display modules 820 integrated into one or more surfaces of the enclosure 810. In the illustration of
In the illustration of
The LF display system 900 receives input from the patron 930 of a holographic merchandise item 925 to be presented on the holographic object 940. The input may be received similar to principles described in
In response to the received input, the LF display system 900 presents one or more holographic merchandise items 925 on the holographic object 940 based on the selected one or more merchandise items. Each holographic merchandise item 925 may have parameters stored in a data store (e.g., the data store 522 of the controller 520). The holographic merchandise 925 selected may then be scaled according to the real holographic projection 940. In some embodiments, the holographic merchandise 925 has a parameter according to sizes available for sale by the retail store, such that the patron may select various sizes that are available to see the fit of each size on the holographic object 940. In addition, the patron may provide input on other parameters (e.g., material, color) that correspond to combinations of the physical good for sale. For example, the patron may provide input of a material of cotton, a color of blue, and a size of medium for a t-shirt on sale at a retail store. The LF display system 900 receives the inputs and updates presentation of the holographic merchandise 925 according to the inputs. The LF display system 900 may present the blue, cotton shirt in medium on the holographic object 940. In some embodiments, the LF display system 900 determines that the current combination of parameters for the holographic merchandise 925 is imprecise on the holographic object 940. For example, the patron may have selected a shirt size of small but the LF display system 900 determines that the parameters to display the small shirt do not fit with the parameters to display the holographic object 940. In these embodiments, the LF display system 900 may suggest a different selectable parameter to the patron, e.g., suggesting the patron to select a medium sized shirt to display on the holographic object 940. Similar to the principles described above in
In some embodiments, the LF display system 900 tracks the patron 930 in real-time, updating the holographic object 940 to match movement of the patron 930. The LF display system 900 effectively simulates a mirror having movement of the holographic object 940 match movement of the patron 930. The holographic object 940 with the holographic merchandise 925 provides a medium for the patron 930 to visualize wearing the selected merchandise prior to purchasing the merchandise. In another application of the LF display system 900, the LF display system 900 may present items that are part of a patron's 930 wardrobe. The patron 930 may utilize the LF display system 900 to visualize an outfit presented on the holographic object 940, the outfit comprised of one or more items in the patron's 930 wardrobe. In either application, the patron 930 may visualize various holographic merchandise 925 presented on the holographic object 940 without the hassle of constantly taking the physical merchandise on and/or off the patron's 930 body. For example, the patron 930 can quickly try on a hundred items by simply changing selection of the holographic merchandise 925 to be presented on the holographic object 940, rather than the patron 930 needing to take on and off the hundred items in order to visualize the appearance of the items worn on the patron's 930 body. With the holographic object 940, the patron has an ability to move to different viewing positions to observe different perspectives of the holographic merchandise 925 on the holographic object 940, thereby providing more than one perspective of the holographic merchandise.
In some embodiments, the LF display system 900 is configured to operate similarly to a mirror. The LF display system 900 captures image data of the patron 930 via the tracking system and/or the LF display modules 920. The LF display system 900 then generates the in-screen holographic patron 960 behind the LF display modules 920. As the patron 930 moves, the LF display system 900 tracks movement of the patron, applying similar principles as described above in
The LF display system 1000 presents holographic merchandise 1025 on a patron, specifically on a patron's arm 1045 in the illustration of
The LF display system 1000 also receives input from the patron of various holographic merchandise items 1025 to be presented on the patron. The LF display system 1000 uses any combination of the tracking system, the LF display modules 1020, and another input device (e.g., a remote control, a touchscreen, an application on a client device connected to the LF display system 1000, etc.) to receive input from the patron. In response of the received input, the LF display system 1000 presents one or more holographic merchandise 1025 on the patron based on the selected one or more merchandise. For example, the patron may choose ten different bracelets to try and provide as input a queue of the bracelets. The LF display system 1000 receives the selection of the ten different bracelets (e.g., from a virtual catalog) and presents each bracelet as the holographic merchandise 1025 on the patron's arm 1045. In some embodiments, the LF display system 1000 also tracks the patron in real-time via any combination of a tracking system (e.g., the tracking system 550), the LF display modules 1020, one or more cameras included in the LF display system 1000, and any additional tracking devices, so as to update presentation of the holographic merchandise 1025 to match movement of the patron. As the tracking information describes real-time positions of the patron's arm 1045, the LF display system 1000 may adjust parameters for displaying the holographic merchandise 1025, specifically a position of the holographic merchandise 1025 in the viewing volume of the LF display system 1000. For example, the patron may move their arm 1045 while the LF display system 1000 tracks movement of the patron's arm 1045 and updates presentation of the holographic merchandise in response to movement of the patron's arm 1045.
In further embodiments, the LF display system 1000 also provides sensory feedback to the patron simultaneously with the presented holographic merchandise 1025. The LF display system 1000 may use a sensory feedback system (e.g., the sensory feedback system 540) to present the sensory feedback to the patron. The sensory feedback may include tactile feedback, audio feedback, smell feedback, temperature feedback, wind feedback, etc. Each holographic merchandise 1025 may have parameters for presentation of the sensory feedback. In one example, the LF display system 1000 presents tactile feedback corresponding to various topographical features of a bracelet being presented on the patron's arm 1045 according to tactile feedback parameters for the bracelet. In another example, the LF display system 1000 presents various temperature feedback corresponding to various materials having different thermal exchange properties.
The LF display system 1100 presents holographic assistants (e.g. 1140 and 1145) to patrons (e.g. 1130 and 1135) in the retail store. The LF display system 1100 may store parameters for the holographic assistants in a data store (e.g., the data store 522 of the controller 520). In some embodiments, the LF display system 1100 may have a default holographic assistant presented to all patrons. In other embodiments, the LF display system 1100 may present an individual holographic assistant to each patron, an individual holographic assistant to a group of patrons, or one or more holographic assistants to each patron. The holographic assistants may have parameters to include a type of holographic assistant. Various examples of holographic assistant types include holographic humans, other holographic avatars (e.g., a robot, an alien, another being, an inanimate object, etc.), etc. Other parameters may include but are not limited to a size of the assistant, a gender of the assistant when available, a voice of the assistant, a personality of the assistant, or any combination thereof. In embodiments where each patron receives a personalized holographic assistant, the LF display system 1100 provides an option to change the holographic assistant. The patron may then provide input to adjust all various parameters, such that patrons can choose a type of holographic assistant, a gender, a size, a voice, a personality, etc. The LF display system 1100 may then present the holographic assistants according to the default parameters and/or the patron provided parameters.
The holographic assistants can provide information to the patrons while shopping. The LF display system 1100 may retrieve information from the data store to present to the patrons via the holographic assistants. For example, the holographic assistants may present suggestions to the patrons of various merchandise items available for purchase in the retail store such as recommending a potted azalea to a patron shopping in a nursery. In other examples, the holographic assistants may also present other information like current sales, prices of various physical merchandise, inventory of various merchandise in the store, store opening/closing times, locations of various physical merchandise, one or more descriptions of the physical merchandise, etc.
The LF display system 1100 may use a sensory feedback system (e.g., the sensory feedback system 540) to provide other sensory feedback with presentation of the holographic assistants. For example, the LF display system 1100 may present tactile feedback allowing patrons to experience touching or being touched by a holographic assistant. In addition, the LF display system 1100 may present audio feedback with the holographic assistants such as speech by the holographic assistants.
In one or more embodiments, the LF display system 1100 presents the holographic assistants that can interact with the patrons throughout the retail store. The LF display system 1100 tracks patrons throughout the retail store via any combination of a tracking system (e.g., the tracking system 550), the LF display modules 1120, one or more cameras included in the LF display system 1100, and any additional tracking devices. The LF display system 1100 uses the tracking information to update display instructions of each holographic assistant. The LF display system 1100 continually updates presentation of the holographic assistants based on movement of the patron. In embodiments where each patron is presented with a holographic assistant, the LF display system 1100 may be able to present each holographic assistant to be viewable only by their patron, assuming there is reasonable separation between patrons. For example, the LF display system 1100 presents patron A 1130 with holographic assistant 1140 only viewable to patron A 1130 while presenting patron B 1135 with holographic assistant 1145 only viewable to patron B 1135. The LF display system 1100 may further track gaze of each patron to aid in directing the holographic assistants to intersect with the gaze of the patrons. For example, the LF display system 1100 tracks gaze of patron A 1130 so as to present holographic assistant A 1140 with a gaze that intersects with the gaze of patron A 1130. In addition, the LF display system may provide other sensory feedback via a sensory feedback system (e.g., the sensory feedback system 540) that tracks with movement of the patrons. For example, the LF display system 1100 adjusts audio feedback such that the audio feedback is constantly perceivable by the patron while moving.
In some embodiments, the LF display system 1100 receives input from the patrons and presents the holographic assistants to react with the received input. The LF display system 1100 may utilize any combination of a tracking system (e.g., the tracking system 550), one or more LF display modules 1120, a sensory feedback system 540 configured to receive input, and one or more input devices (e.g., a remote control, a touchscreen, an application on a client device configured to receive inputs, etc.). The LF display system 1100 receives the input from the patron and can provide information in response to the provided input. For example, the patron selects a category of plants from a menu of categories presented on an electronic touchscreen near an entrance of a retail store. In response, the LF display system 1100 presents a holographic assistant that suggests a few sections of the store that has purchasable plants according to the selected category provided by the patron. In another example, the patron has an option to choose an appearance of their holographic assistant.
In additional embodiments, the LF display system has a patron profiling system which is an embodiment of the viewer profiling system 528. The patron profiling system positively identifies patrons that are present within the retail store. The patron profiling system may use one or more cameras from the tracking system for facial recognition, identification scanners that scan for physical tokens (e.g., RFID chip or barcode on a wristband). As patrons move about within the retail store, the LF display system 1100 monitors movement of each identified patron. The patron profiling system can maintain data records on each patron's behavior or provided input. For example, the patron profiling system can record various interests provided by the patron to the LF display system 1100. In addition, other behaviors may include purchasing of merchandise, interactions with merchandise, interactions with other patrons, interaction with other retail associates, etc. The patron profiling system may further include an AI model that may be applied to data of a patron for determining patterns and/or interests of the patron. The LF display system 1100 can then provide information according to the determined patterns and/or interests through the holographic assistants, or through projected holographic merchandise. In further embodiments, the LF display system 1100 may provide personalized information via the holographic assistants to each patron on subsequent visits to the retail store according to data of a patron. In one example of a subsequent visit, the holographic assistant may suggest a merchandise item that the patron interacted with in a previous visit.
In additional examples, the LF display system 1100 may be configured to simulate a holographic tour of a real estate (e.g., a home for sale and/or rent, a commercial property for sale and/or rent). The LF display system 1100, similar to the LF display system 700, may present a holographic environment with various holographic merchandise in the viewing volume of the LF display system 1100. The holographic environment and the holographic merchandise may have various parameters that dictate presentation of the holographic environment by the LF display system 1100. The parameters may be provided by a third-party system, collected via one or more external cameras, or inputted by a patron. In one embodiment, the LF display system 1100 displays a holographic living room according to parameters that may include a size of the living room, a color for each surface in the living room, etc. The LF display system 1100 may then receive input, according to principles described above in
The foregoing description of the embodiments of the disclosure has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure.
Some portions of this description describe the embodiments of the disclosure in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled in the data processing arts to convey the substance of their work effectively to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally, computationally, or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits, microcode, or the like. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules, without loss of generality. The described operations and their associated modules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or any combinations thereof.
Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may be performed or implemented with one or more hardware or software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In some embodiments, a software module is implemented with a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code, which can be executed by a computer processor for performing any or all of the steps, operations, or processes described.
Embodiments of the disclosure may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, and/or it may comprise a general-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, which may be coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, any computing systems referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability.
Embodiments of the disclosure may also relate to a product that is produced by a computing process described herein. Such a product may comprise information resulting from a computing process, where the information is stored on a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium and may include any embodiment of a computer program product or other data combination described herein.
Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the disclosure be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodiments is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the disclosure, which is set forth in the following claims.
This application is related to International Application Nos. PCT/US2017/042275, PCT/US2017/042276, PCT/US2017/042418, PCT/US2017/042452, PCT/US2017/042462, PCT/US2017/042466, PCT/US2017/042467, PCT/US2017/042468, PCT/US2017/042469, PCT/US2017/042470, and PCT/US2017/042679, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
