Activation of extended reality actuators based on content analysis

Abstract

In one example, a method performed by a processing system in a telecommunications network includes acquiring the media stream and identifying an anchor in a scene of the media stream. The anchor is a presence in the scene that has a physical effect on the scene. A type and a magnitude of the physical effect of the anchor on the scene is estimated. An actuator in a vicinity of the user endpoint device that is capable of producing a physical effect in the real world to match the physical effect of the anchor on the scene is identified. A signal is sent to the actuator. The signal controls the actuator to produce the physical effect in the real world when the physical effect of the anchor on the scene occurs in the media stream.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processing system deployed in a home network, a media stream from a telecommunications network, wherein the media stream is being delivered to a user endpoint device in the home network connected to the telecommunications network;   identifying, by the processing system, an anchor in a scene of the media stream, wherein the anchor comprises a presence in the scene that has a physical effect on the scene;   estimating, by the processing system, a type and a magnitude of the physical effect of the anchor on the scene;   identifying, by the processing system, an actuator that is capable of producing a physical effect in the real world to match the physical effect of the anchor on the scene, wherein the actuator is integrated into a system in the home network that comprises at least one of: a smart thermostat, a smart lighting system, or a smart speaker system; and   sending, by the processing system, a signal to the system in the home network, and wherein the signal controls the actuator to produce the physical effect in the real world when the physical effect of the anchor on the scene occurs in the media stream.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media stream comprises a stream of a live event, and the identifying the anchor, the estimating, the identifying the actuator, and the sending are performed as the media stream is being delivered to the user endpoint device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor is an object that appears in the scene. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor is an environmental effect of the scene on a camera that filmed the scene. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor is an event that occurs in the scene. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimating is performed using a video processing technique to analyze a visual component of the scene. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimating is performed using an audio processing technique to analyze an audio component of the scene. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical effect of the anchor on the scene comprises a force acting on or generated by the anchor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical effect of the anchor on the scene comprises a change in a temperature of the scene that is caused by the anchor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator further comprises a haptic feedback device that is integrated in the user endpoint device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator further comprises a haptic feedback device that is integrated in a device located in physical proximity to the user endpoint device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying the actuator is based in part on a stored preference of a user of the user endpoint device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the stored preference relates to a medical condition of the user, and wherein at least one of: a type or a magnitude of the physical effect in the real world is selected to minimize aggravation of the medical condition. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the stored preference relates to an interest of the user, and wherein at least one of: a type or a magnitude of the physical effect in the real world is selected to match the interest. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the stored preference relates to a capability of the actuator, and wherein at least one of: a type or a magnitude of the physical effect in the real world is selected to accommodate the capability. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the capability of the actuator comprises at least one of: a current battery life of the system in the home network into which the actuator is integrated or a current connectivity strength of the system in the home network into which the actuator is integrated. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the processing system, feedback regarding a presentation of the physical effect in the real world to a user of the user endpoint device; and   adjusting, by the processing system, a future iteration of the identifying the actuator based on the feedback.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor is rendered using a special effect, and wherein the estimating is performed using metadata associated with the media stream. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processing system of a gateway deployed in a home network, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving a media stream from a telecommunications network, wherein the media stream is being delivered to a user endpoint device in the home network connected to the telecommunications network;   identifying an anchor in a scene of the media stream, wherein the anchor comprises a presence in the scene that has a physical effect on the scene;   estimating a type and a magnitude of the physical effect of the anchor on the scene;   identifying an actuator that is capable of producing a physical effect in the real world to match the physical effect of the anchor on the scene, wherein the actuator is integrated into a system in the home network that comprises at least one of: a smart thermostat, a smart lighting system, or a smart speaker system; and   sending a signal to the system in the home network, and wherein the signal controls the actuator to produce the physical effect in the real world when the physical effect of the anchor on the scene occurs in the media stream.   
     
     
         20 . A device comprising:
 a processing system of a home network including at least one processor; and   a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving a media stream from a telecommunications network, wherein the media stream is being delivered to a user endpoint device in the home network connected to the telecommunications network; 
 identifying an anchor in a scene of the media stream, wherein the anchor comprises a presence in the scene that has a physical effect on the scene; 
 estimating a type and a magnitude of the physical effect of the anchor on the scene; 
 identifying an actuator that is capable of producing a physical effect in the real world to match the physical effect of the anchor on the scene, wherein the actuator is integrated into a system in the home network that comprises at least one of: a smart thermostat, a smart lighting system, or a smart speaker system; and 
 sending a signal to the system in the home network, and wherein the signal controls the actuator to produce the physical effect in the real world when the physical effect of the anchor on the scene occurs in the media stream.