Systems and methods for creating, sharing, and performing augmented reality

Abstract

Methods, hardware, and software create and transmit augmented reality in context with captured real world media, so as to replicate a similar augmented reality at a different instance. A computer processor in a communications device handles a combination of augmented reality information, anchor information that provides the context-matching, and captured real world media information. The computer processor determines if the real world subject matter has suitable anchor information to control how augmented reality elements should appear contextually with such media. A graphical user interface on the communications device may provide a user with several options for creation of augmented reality. The augmented, anchor, and any additional information is transmitted to a different device to identify triggering or context-matching media. The augmented reality is performed based on the triggering media as perceived on the different device. Media matching, geographical matching, and user characteristics may each be used to determine a trigger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An application host communicatively connected with a first communications device and a second communications device separately-operated from the first communications device, to create, transmit, and perform augmented reality, the host comprising:
 an application server including a database storing user information for the first and the second communications devices;   a computer processor configured to,
 authenticate the first and the second communications devices with the user information, 
 receive anchor data and augmented reality information from the first communications device, wherein the anchor data determines whether and how augmented reality information is performed in combination with real world subject matter received by the first communications device to create augmented reality, and 
 transmit the anchor data and the augmented reality information to the second communications device such that the augmented reality can be recreated by the second communications device separately receiving the real world subject matter. 
   
     
     
         2 . The host of  claim 1 , wherein the real world subject matter and the augmented reality information include visual information, wherein the anchor data identifies aspects of the real world subject matter that trigger performance of the augmented reality information as a visual component of the real world subject matter to recreate the augmented reality. 
     
     
         3 . The host of  claim 1 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to,
 receive the real world subject matter,   determine whether the real world subject matter has a threshold distinctiveness to be uniquely identified by the anchor data, and   if the real world subject matter does not have the threshold distinctiveness, at least one of, prompt receipt of different real world subject matter by the first communications device, and suggest other real world subject matter that has the threshold distinctiveness to the first communications device.   
     
     
         4 . The host of  claim 3 , wherein the other real world subject matter was received from another communications device and has previously been determined to have the threshold distinctiveness. 
     
     
         5 . The host of  claim 1 , wherein the real world subject matter is a first visual scene captured by a camera of the first communications device, the anchor information is a position and orientation in the first visual scene, and the augmented reality information is three-dimensional in the real world subject matter at the position and the orientation. 
     
     
         6 . The host of  claim 1 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to,
 receive origin information from the first communications device that limits at least one of a time and a location where the augmented reality may be performed.   
     
     
         7 . The host of  claim 6 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to,
 determine whether the second communications device satisfies the origin information, wherein the transmitting the anchor data and the augmented reality information is performed only if the determining determines that the second communication device satisfies the origin information.   
     
     
         8 . The host of  claim 7 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to,
 receive a location from the second communications device, wherein the location is generated natively by the second communications device without user input, and wherein the origin information includes a geographic area, and wherein the second communications device satisfies the origin information only if the location is within the geographic area.   
     
     
         9 . The host of  claim 1 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to,
 receive a registration from the second communications device confirming the augmented reality was performed on the second communications device   delete the augmented reality information, and   instruct the second communications device to delete the augmented reality information.   
     
     
         10 . A user communications device comprising:
 a display;   a camera;   a communications port; and   a computer processor configured to,
 receive first augmented reality information and first anchor information for the augmented reality information from a separately-operated source via the communications port, 
 capture first real world media from at least the camera that is independent of the first augmented reality information and the first anchor information at a different time from creation of the first augmented reality information, 
 compare the first anchor information with the first real world media, and 
 if the first real world media is identified by the first anchor information based on the comparing, perform, on the display, the first augmented reality information in the first real world media in a manner defined by the first anchor information. 
   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the first real world subject matter and the first augmented reality information include visual information, wherein the first anchor data identifies aspects of the first real world subject matter that trigger the performing on the display, and wherein the performing is not executed if the first anchor information does not identify aspects of the first real world subject matter. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to,
 receive origin information via the communications port that limits at least one of a time and a location where the performing may be executed.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a GPS antenna, wherein the computer processor is further configured to determine whether the device satisfies the location with the GPS antenna, wherein the transmitting the anchor data and the augmented reality information is performed only if the determining determines that the device satisfies the location.   
     
     
         14 . The user communications device of  claim 10 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to,
 capture second real world subject matter from at least the camera,   receive second augmented reality information from a human user in combination with the second real world subject matter as augmented reality,   create second anchor data that determines whether and how the second augmented reality information is performed with the second real world subject matter to recreate the augmented reality on a different device receiving similar real world subject matter, and   transmit the second anchor data and the second augmented reality information such that the augmented reality can be recreated by the different device using the second anchor data and the second augmented reality information upon receipt of the similar real world subject matter.   
     
     
         15 . The user communications device of  claim 14 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to,
 transmit origin information via the communications port that limits at least one of a time and a location where the augmented reality can be recreated.   
     
     
         16 . The user communications device of  claim 10 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to,
 transmit credentials for authenticating a user of the user communications device.   
     
     
         17 . The user communications device of  claim 16 , wherein the separately-operated source is an application host configured to receive and transmit the first augmented reality information and first anchor information from a different communications device authenticated with a different user. 
     
     
         18 . The user communications device of  claim 10 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to,
 transmit a registration confirming the performing on the device.   
     
     
         19 . The user communications device of  claim 10 , wherein the device is at least one of a mobile phone and a wearable communications device. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing functional data structures that when executed by a computer processor in a user communications device cause the computer processor to:
 receive first augmented reality information and first anchor information for the augmented reality information from a separately-operated source from a communications port;   capture first real world media from at least a camera that is independent of the first augmented reality information and the first anchor information at a different time from creation of the first augmented reality information;   compare the first anchor information with the first real world media; and   if the first real world media is identified by the first anchor information based on the comparing, perform, on the display, the first augmented reality information in the first real world media in a manner defined by the first anchor information.