Adaptable Personal User Interfaces in Cross-Application Virtual Reality Settings

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes rendering, for a virtual reality (VR) display device, a first output image of a VR environment. The VR environment includes a personal user interface (UI) associated with a first user. The personal UI has a first form factor and a first pose with respect to the first user. The personal UI is a virtual object. The method includes detecting a change in context of the first user with respect to a real-world object. The method includes determining whether to adapt the personal UI based on a detected change in the context of the first user with respect to the real-world object. The method includes rendering, for the VR display device, a second output image of the VR environment. The personal UI is adapted to have a second form factor and a second pose with respect to the first user responsive to determining to adapt the personal UI. The second form factor and the second pose of the personal UI is based on the real-world object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising, by one or more computing systems:
 rendering, for a virtual reality (VR) display device, a first output image of a VR environment, wherein the VR environment comprises a personal user interface (UI) associated with a first user, wherein the personal UI has a first form factor and a first pose with respect to the first user, wherein the personal UI is a virtual object;   detecting a change in context of the first user with respect to a real-world object;   determining whether to adapt the personal UI based on the detected change in the context of the first user with respect to the real-world object; and   rendering, for the VR display device, a second output image of the VR environment, wherein the personal UI is adapted to have a second form factor and a second pose with respect to the first user responsive to determining to adapt the personal UI, wherein the second form factor and the second pose of the personal UI is based on the real-world object.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the change in the context of the first user comprises:
 determining the first user has changed from a first pose to a second pose with respect to the real-world object.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the first user has changed from the first pose to the second pose comprises:
 determining whether a location of the user is within a threshold distance of the real-world object; and   determining whether an orientation of the user indicates the user is facing the real-world object.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the change in the context of the first user comprises:
 receiving an input by the user selecting a particular application on the personal UI from the plurality of applications, wherein the particular application is associated with the second form factor and the second pose of the personal UI.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the change in the context of the first user comprises:
 detecting the first user has moved from a first virtual space to a second virtual space.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the change in the context of the first user comprises:
 detecting the first user has moved from a first real-world environment to a second real-world environment.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the change in the context of the first user comprises:
 detecting the first user has switched from using a first application to a second application on the personal UI.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to adapt the personal UI based on the detected change in the context of the first user comprises:
 identifying a predetermined form factor and pose of the personal UI associated with an activity of the user in the VR environment.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to adapt the personal UI based on the detected change in the context of the first user comprises:
 identifying a predetermined form factor and pose of the personal UI associated with the real-world object.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the personal UI comprises a plurality of 2D virtual displays, and wherein the plurality of 2D virtual displays are arranged in a tile-based layout comprising a plurality of preset orientations for the plurality of 2D virtual displays. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a first 2D virtual display of the plurality of 2D virtual displays is operable to execute a first set of applications of the plurality of applications, and wherein a second 2D virtual display of the plurality of 2D virtual displays is operable to execute a second set of applications of the plurality of applications. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first form factor and the second form factor are selected from a group consisting of a virtual watch, a virtual smartphone, a virtual tablet, a virtual remote control, a virtual computer monitor, a virtual television, and a virtual movie screen. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the VR environment comprises a shared virtual space for the first user and one or more second users. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein privacy settings of the first user prevent the one or more second users from viewing content on the personal UI associated with the first user. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 casting content from the personal UI of the first user onto a shared virtual screen in the VR environment, wherein the content is viewable on the shared virtual screen by the first user and the one or more second users.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the personal UI is operable to execute a plurality of applications, wherein the plurality of applications correspond to applications on a real-world computing device associated with the first user. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the real-world object is the real-world computing device. 
     
     
         18 . One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:
 render, for a virtual reality (VR) display device, a first output image of a VR environment, wherein the VR environment comprises a personal user interface (UI) associated with a first user, wherein the personal UI has a first form factor and a first pose with respect to the first user, wherein the personal UI is a virtual object;   detect a change in context of the first user with respect to a real-world object;   determine whether to adapt the personal UI based on the detected change in the context of the first user with respect to the real-world object; and   render, for the VR display device, a second output image of the VR environment, wherein the personal UI is adapted to have a second form factor and a second pose with respect to the first user responsive to determining to adapt the personal UI, wherein the second form factor and the second pose of the personal UI is based on the real-world object.   
     
     
         19 . The media of  claim 15 , wherein the software is operable when executed to detect the change in the context of the first user to:
 determine the first user has changed from a first pose to a second pose with respect to the real-world object.   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to:
 render, for a virtual reality (VR) display device, a first output image of a VR environment, wherein the VR environment comprises a personal user interface (UI) associated with a first user, wherein the personal UI has a first form factor and a first pose with respect to the first user, wherein the personal UI is a virtual object;   detect a change in context of the first user with respect to a real-world object;   determine whether to adapt the personal UI based on the detected change in the context of the first user with respect to the real-world object; and   render, for the VR display device, a second output image of the VR environment, wherein the personal UI is adapted to have a second form factor and a second pose with respect to the first user responsive to determining to adapt the personal UI, wherein the second form factor and the second pose of the personal UI is based on the real-world object.