Patents by Inventor Frank Thomas Steinbrücker

Frank Thomas Steinbrücker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11024095
    Abstract: A method to culling parts of a 3D reconstruction volume is provided. The method makes available to a wide variety of mobile XR applications fresh, accurate and comprehensive 3D reconstruction data with low usage of computational resources and storage spaces. The method includes culling parts of the 3D reconstruction volume against a depth image. The depth image has a plurality of pixels, each of which represents a distance to a surface in a scene. In some embodiments, the method includes culling parts of the 3D reconstruction volume against a frustum. The frustum is derived from a field of view of an image sensor, from which image data to create the 3D reconstruction is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Thomas Steinbrücker, David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Zhongle Wu, Xiaolin Wei, Jianyuan Min, Yifu Zhang
  • Publication number: 20210142581
    Abstract: An augmented reality/mixed reality system that provides a more immersive user experience. That experience is provided with increased speed of update for occlusion data by using depth sensor data augmented with lower-level reconstruction data. When operating in real-time dynamic environments, changes in the physical world can be reflected quickly in the occlusion data. Occlusion rendering using live depth data augmented with lower-level 3D reconstruction data, such as a raycast point cloud, can greatly reduce the latency for visual occlusion processing. Generating occlusion data in this way may provide faster operation of an XR system using less computing resources and enabling the system to be packaged in a battery operated wearable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: MAGIC LEAP, INC.
    Inventors: David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Frank Thomas Steinbrücker, Zhongle Wu, Xiaolin Wei, Jianyuan Min, Yifu Zhang
  • Patent number: 10937246
    Abstract: A method of operating a computing system to generate a model of an environment represented by a mesh is provided. The method allows to update 3D meshes to client applications in real time with low latency to support on the fly environment changes. The method provides 3D meshes adaptive to different levels of simplification requested by various client applications. The method provides local update, for example, updating the mesh parts that are changed since last update. The method also provides 3D meshes with planarized surfaces to support robust physics simulations. The method includes segmenting a 3D mesh into mesh blocks. The method also includes performing a multi-stage simplification on selected mesh blocks. The multi-stage simplification includes a pre-simplification operation, a planarization operation, and a post-simplification operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Frank Thomas Steinbrücker, Zhongle Wu, Xiaolin Wei, Jianyuan Min, Yifu Zhang
  • Publication number: 20210056763
    Abstract: A method of operating a computing system to generate a model of an environment represented by a mesh is provided. The method allows to update 3D meshes to client applications in real time with low latency to support on the fly environment changes. The method provides 3D meshes adaptive to different levels of simplification requested by various client applications. The method provides local update, for example, updating the mesh parts that are changed since last update. The method also provides 3D meshes with planarized surfaces to support robust physics simulations. The method includes segmenting a 3D mesh into mesh blocks. The method also includes performing a multi-stage simplification on selected mesh blocks. The multi-stage simplification includes a pre-simplification operation, a planarization operation, and a post-simplification operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: David Geoffrey MOLYNEAUX, Frank Thomas STEINBRÜCKER, Zhongle WU, Xiaolin WEI, Jianyuan MIN, Yifu ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20210042988
    Abstract: A method to reconstruct an environment with depth information is provided. The method makes available to a wide variety of XR applications fresh and accurate 3D reconstruction data of environments with low processing time and low usage of computational resources and storage spaces. The method includes capturing depth information about an environment upon a change within a field-of-view of a user caused by, for example, motions of headpose, user location, and/or objects, and updating a representation of the environment based on depths associated with different confidence levels by the captured depth information. The method may include updating a geometry of the environment based on depths associated with confidence levels higher than a threshold. The method may include, upon a change of the 3D environment, inferring the removal of surfaces in the environment based on depths associated with confidence levels lower than the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Frank Thomas Steinbruecker, Shiyu Dong
  • Patent number: 10902679
    Abstract: An augmented reality/mixed reality system that provides a more immersive user experience. That experience is provided with increased speed of update for occlusion data by using depth sensor data augmented with lower-level reconstruction data. When operating in real-time dynamic environments, changes in the physical world can be reflected quickly in the occlusion data. Occlusion rendering using live depth data augmented with lower-level 3D reconstruction data, such as a raycast point cloud, can greatly reduce the latency for visual occlusion processing. Generating occlusion data in this way may provide faster operation of an XR system using less computing resources and enabling the system to be packaged in a battery operated wearable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: MAGIC LEAP, INC.
    Inventors: David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Frank Thomas Steinbrücker, Zhongle Wu, Xiaolin Wei, Jianyuan Min, Yifu Zhang
  • Publication number: 20200372718
    Abstract: A method to efficiently update and manage outputs of real time or offline 3D reconstruction and scanning in a mobile device having limited resource and connection to the Internet is provided. The method makes available to a wide variety of mobile XR applications fresh, accurate and comprehensive 3D reconstruction data, in either single user applications or multi-user applications sharing and updating the same 3D reconstruction data. The method includes a block-based 3D data representation that allows local update and maintains neighbor consistency at the same time, and a multi-layer caching mechanism that retrieves, prefetches, and stores 3D data efficiently for XR applications. Between sessions of an XR device, blocks may be persisted on the device or in remote storage in one or more cache layers. The device may, upon starting a new session, selectively use the blocks from one or more layers of the cache.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Frank Thomas Steinbruecker, Mohan Babu Kandra
  • Publication number: 20200342677
    Abstract: A method to efficiently update and manage outputs of real time or offline 3D reconstruction and scanning in a mobile device having limited resource and connection to the Internet is provided. The method makes available to a wide variety of mobile XR applications fresh, accurate and comprehensive 3D reconstruction data, in either single user applications or multi-user applications sharing and updating the same 3D reconstruction data. The method includes a block-based 3D data representation that allows local update and maintains neighbor consistency at the same time, and a multi-layer caching mechanism that retrieves, prefetches, and stores 3D data efficiently for XR applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: David Geoffrey MOLYNEAUX, Frank Thomas STEINBRÜCKER, Zhongle WU, Xiaolin WEI, Jianyuan MIN, Yifu ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20200202633
    Abstract: A method to culling parts of a 3D reconstruction volume is provided. The method makes available to a wide variety of mobile XR applications fresh, accurate and comprehensive 3D reconstruction data with low usage of computational resources and storage spaces. The method includes culling parts of the 3D reconstruction volume against a depth image. The depth image has a plurality of pixels, each of which represents a distance to a surface in a scene. In some embodiments, the method includes culling parts of the 3D reconstruction volume against a frustum. The frustum is derived from a field of view of an image sensor, from which image data to create the 3D reconstruction is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Thomas Steinbrücker, David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Zhongle Wu, Xiaolin Wei, Jianyuan Min, Yifu Zhang
  • Patent number: 10636219
    Abstract: A method to culling parts of a 3D reconstruction volume is provided. The method makes available to a wide variety of mobile XR applications fresh, accurate and comprehensive 3D reconstruction data with low usage of computational resources and storage spaces. The method includes culling parts of the 3D reconstruction volume against a depth image. The depth image has a plurality of pixels, each of which represents a distance to a surface in a scene. In some embodiments, the method includes culling parts of the 3D reconstruction volume against a frustum. The frustum is derived from a field of view of an image sensor, from which image data to create the 3D reconstruction is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Thomas Steinbrücker, David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Zhongle Wu, Xiaolin Wei, Jianyuan Min, Yifu Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190197765
    Abstract: An augmented reality/mixed reality system that provides a more immersive user experience. That experience is provided with increased speed of update for occlusion data by using depth sensor data augmented with lower-level reconstruction data. When operating in real-time dynamic environments, changes in the physical world can be reflected quickly in the occlusion data. Occlusion rendering using live depth data augmented with lower-level 3D reconstruction data, such as a raycast point cloud, can greatly reduce the latency for visual occlusion processing. Generating occlusion data in this way may provide faster operation of an XR system using less computing resources and enabling the system to be packaged in a battery operated wearable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Frank Thomas Steinbrücker, Zhongle Wu, Xiaolin Wei, Jianyuan Min, Yifu Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190197786
    Abstract: A method to efficiently update and manage outputs of real time or offline 3D reconstruction and scanning in a mobile device having limited resource and connection to the Internet is provided. The method makes available to a wide variety of mobile XR applications fresh, accurate and comprehensive 3D reconstruction data, in either single user applications or multi-user applications sharing and updating the same 3D reconstruction data. The method includes a block-based 3D data representation that allows local update and maintains neighbor consistency at the same time, and a multi-layer caching mechanism that retrieves, prefetches, and stores 3D data efficiently for XR applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Frank Thomas Steinbrücker, Zhongle Wu, Xiaolin Wei, Jianyuan Min, Yifu Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190197774
    Abstract: A method of operating a computing system to generate a model of an environment represented by a mesh is provided. The method allows to update 3D meshes to client applications in real time with low latency to support on the fly environment changes. The method provides 3D meshes adaptive to different levels of simplification requested by various client applications. The method provides local update, for example, updating the mesh parts that are changed since last update. The method also provides 3D meshes with planarized surfaces to support robust physics simulations. The method includes segmenting a 3D mesh into mesh blocks. The method also includes performing a multi-stage simplification on selected mesh blocks. The multi-stage simplification includes a pre-simplification operation, a planarization operation, and a post-simplification operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Frank Thomas Steinbrücker, Zhongle Wu, Xiaolin Wei, Jianyuan Min, Yifu Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190197777
    Abstract: A method to culling parts of a 3D reconstruction volume is provided. The method makes available to a wide variety of mobile XR applications fresh, accurate and comprehensive 3D reconstruction data with low usage of computational resources and storage spaces. The method includes culling parts of the 3D reconstruction volume against a depth image. The depth image has a plurality of pixels, each of which represents a distance to a surface in a scene. In some embodiments, the method includes culling parts of the 3D reconstruction volume against a frustum. The frustum is derived from a field of view of an image sensor, from which image data to create the 3D reconstruction is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Thomas Steinbrücker, David Geoffrey Molyneaux, Zhongle Wu, Xiaolin Wei, Jianyuan Min, Yifu Zhang