R-snap for production of augmented realities

Abstract

Images and/or videos have associated therewith information like location and orientation information for the camera used to captured the images/videos. The associated location and orientation (or pose) information facilitates subsequent processing for producing accurate and convincing augmented reality (AR) outputs. In addition, some embodiments associate user-specific information with images or videos for producing customized AR content on a user-to-user basis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for augmented reality (AR), comprising
 associating, by one or more processors, perspective information with an image or video as metadata that moves, copies, and transfers with the image or video, wherein the perspective information describes a camera at a first time the camera captured the image or video which contains real world content from a real world;   associating, by the one or more processors, user-specific metadata with the image or video on a per user basis, wherein the user-specific metadata moves, copies, and transfers with the image or video;   moving, copying, or transferring the image or video from a first storage medium to a second storage medium different from the first storage medium;   producing at a second time, by the one or more processors, user-specific AR content comprising virtual augmentations added to the image or video based on the perspective information and the user-specific metadata, wherein the second time is after the first time,   wherein for the producing step, the perspective information is used for selection of one or more virtual objects sourced from a virtual world, wherein the virtual world is modeled after the real world and includes at least one virtual location corresponding with at least one real world location that appears in the real world content of the image or video, wherein the virtual world includes virtual representations of at least some of the real world content of the image or video,   wherein the perspective information is different from the user-specific metadata.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the perspective information associated with the image or video comprises one or more of location, orientation, position, and field of view for the camera at the first time when the camera captured the image or video. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the perspective information associated with the image or video comprises location and orientation information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user-specific metadata associated with the image or video differentiates between at least three user types including i) entities responsible for originally capturing the image or video, ii) entities responsible for creating virtual content included in the AR content of the producing step, and iii) entities intended to consume the user-specific AR content produced in the producing step. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the producing step produces different AR content based on user-specific criteria including one or more a classification, a type, an age, an access level, a demographic, a status, a customer status, and a profession. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein for the producing step, a user subscription to one or more particular types or channels of AR content is also used for selection of the one or more virtual objects sourced from the virtual world or for selection of features of the selected virtual objects to be used for the virtual augmentations. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the producing step comprises
 determining a real world frustum based on the perspective information;   applying the real world frustum to the virtual world to identify selectable virtual objects; and   selecting the virtual augmentations for the producing step based on selected virtual objects of the selectable virtual objects.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the selectable virtual objects are those objects of the virtual world which are within a space the boundaries of which are defined by the applied frustum. 
     
     
         9 . A method for augmented reality (AR), comprising
 associating real world perspective information with an image or video as metadata that moves, copies, and transfers with the image or video, wherein the real world perspective information is used or usable to define a viewing frustum for the image or video which contains real world content;   moving, copying, or transferring the image or video from a first storage medium to a second storage medium different from the first storage medium;   applying the viewing frustum to a virtual world configured to model the real world; and   selecting augmentations to include in an AR output, the selection comprising
 including for selection only augmentations corresponding with objects that are within a space within the virtual world defined by the applied viewing frustum, and 
 including for selection only augmentations meeting pre-determined user-specific criteria based on user-specific metadata that moves, copies, and transfers with the image or video, 
   wherein the AR output is the selected augmentations added to the image or video,   wherein the perspective information is different from the user-specific metadata.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a step of outputting the AR output to one or more users who correspond with the pre-determined user-specific criteria. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the user-specific criteria differentiate between at least three user types including i) entities responsible for originally capturing the image or video, ii) entities responsible for creating virtual content included in the AR content of the producing step, and iii) entities intended to consume the user-specific AR content produced in the producing step. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the user-specific criteria include one or more a classification, a type, an age, an access level, a demographic, a status, a customer status, and a profession. 
     
     
         13 . A system of AR engines or AR-enabled devices comprising processors configured to execute computer-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the AR engines or AR-enabled devices to
 associate, by one or more of the processors, perspective information with an image or video as metadata that moves, copies, and transfers with the image or video, wherein the perspective information describes a camera at a first time the camera captured the image or video which contains real world content from a real world;   associate, by one or more of the processors, user-specific metadata with the image or video on a per user basis, wherein the user-specific metadata moves, copies, and transfers with the image or video;   move, copy, or transfer the image or video from a first storage medium to a second storage medium different from the first storage medium;   produce at a second time, by one or more of the processors, user-specific AR content comprising virtual augmentations added to the image or video based on the perspective information and the user-specific metadata, wherein the second time is after the first time,   wherein for the producing step, the perspective information is used for selection of one or more virtual objects sourced from a virtual world, wherein the virtual world is modeled after the real world and includes at least one virtual location corresponding with at least one real world location that appears in the real world content of the image or video, wherein the virtual world includes virtual representations of at least some of the real world content of the image or video,   wherein the perspective information is different from the user-specific metadata.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the perspective information associated with the image or video comprises one or more of location, orientation, position, and field of view for the camera at the time when the camera captured the image or video. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the perspective information associated with the image or video comprises location and orientation information. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the user-specific metadata associated with the image or video differentiates between at least three user types including i) entities responsible for originally capturing the image or video, ii) entities responsible for creating virtual content included in the AR content of the producing step, and iii) entities intended to consume the user-specific AR content produced in the producing step. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the producing step produces different AR content based on user-specific criteria including one or more a classification, a type, an age, an access level, a demographic, a status, a customer status, and a profession. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein for the producing step, a user subscription to one or more particular types or channels of AR content is also used for selection of the one or more virtual objects sourced from the virtual world or for selection of features of the selected virtual objects to be used for the virtual augmentations. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the producing step comprises
 determining a real world frustum based on the perspective information;   applying the real world frustum to the virtual world to identify selectable virtual objects; and   selecting the virtual augmentations for the producing step based on selected virtual objects of the selectable virtual objects.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the selectable virtual objects are those objects of the virtual world which are within a space the boundaries of which are defined by the applied frustum.