Abstract: In augmented reality self-guided tour, different augmented reality views are received in a mobile computing device. One of the views presents a holographic animation of a tourable three-dimensional structure with multiple activatable points of interest disposed thereon. A geographic location of the device relative to the structure is determined and a camera of the device retrieves an image of a surrounding portion of the environment so as to compute a position in the image at which to render the animation. The animation is then projected in the display at the computed position. Upon selecting an activatable point of interest, it is determined if the geographic location matches that of the selected point of interest. If so, a different animation associated with the selected point of interest is projected in the display at the computed position.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for dynamic routing during muster. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for dynamic routing during distributed muster includes assigning a muster station to a passenger on a vessel and thereafter, locating the passenger at a location on the vessel during a muster event. Once the passenger has been located on the vessel, a path is computed between the location and the muster station and turn by turn instructions assembled for the computed path. Finally, the turn by turn instructions are transmitted to a mobile computing device of the passenger, such as a smart phone or smart watch, for display in the mobile computing device of the passenger during the muster event.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for virtual reality dining includes establishing an index of different human consumables positioned on a sensory surface of a serving tray and, generating in a display of a virtual reality headset, a rendering both of a thematic visual background and also a display of different graphical representations of corresponding ones of the different human consumables at different positions consistent with the index. Thereafter, the removal from the serving tray of one of the different human consumables is detected. In response, a theme of the thematic visual background changes and the thematic visual background re-renders in the headset with the changed theme. Finally, the method includes animating the movement of a display of a corresponding one of the different graphical representations of the removed one of the different human consumables in the headset.

Abstract: An interactive serving tray is adapted to facilitate the delivery of food or beverages in a hospitality environment. The interactive serving tray includes a platter defined by a flat surface encompassed by a perimeter barrier, and a mobile computing device affixed to the platter, the device including at least one processor, memory, a communications adapter and a display. Finally, the interactive serving tray includes a delivery manager module stored in the memory and executing by the processor, and including computer program instructions operable to perform receiving into the memory through the adapter, an order of a food or beverage item and identity information of a customer associated with the order, such as a digital image of the customer, and displaying the identity information in the display.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying customers aboard a cruise ship for provision of products and location access and for embarkation or disembarkation. Systems can include a data store on the cruise ship storing customer profiles of customers, a plurality of networked computing devices including image capture devices, and a processor in communication with the data store and the networked computing devices. The processor receives access requests in conjunction with images of the requestors, uses facial recognition software algorithms to identify the requestor as a customer entitled to the requested access, based on facial recognition data stored for the customer, and causes access to be granted to the customer. Confidence levels of facial recognition results may be improved by combining initial facial recognition results with additional cruise-specific information associated with customers.

Abstract: In augmented reality self-guided tour, different augmented reality views are received in a mobile computing device. One of the views presents a holographic animation of a tourable three-dimensional structure with multiple activatable points of interest disposed thereon. A geographic location of the device relative to the structure is determined and a camera of the device retrieves an image of a surrounding portion of the environment so as to compute a position in the image at which to render the animation. The animation is then projected in the display at the computed position. Upon selecting an activatable point of interest, it is determined if the geographic location matches that of the selected point of interest. If so, a different animation associated with the selected point of interest is projected in the display at the computed position.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for virtual reality dining includes establishing an index of different human consumables positioned on a sensory surface of a serving tray and, generating in a display of a virtual reality headset, a rendering both of a thematic visual background and also a display of different graphical representations of corresponding ones of the different human consumables at different positions consistent with the index. Thereafter, the removal from the serving tray of one of the different human consumables is detected. In response, a theme of the thematic visual background changes and the thematic visual background re-renders in the headset with the changed theme. Finally, the method includes animating the movement of a display of a corresponding one of the different graphical representations of the removed one of the different human consumables in the headset.

Abstract: The present invention provides for high throughput passenger identification in portal security. A method for high throughput passenger identification includes receiving in memory of a host computing system from an image acquisition device a contemporaneously acquired image of a group of individuals approaching a portal passageway and identifying a set of faces of the group. The method yet further includes querying a database of faces with each identified face in the set and for each face assigning a confidence value of having matched the face to a record of a known person in the database. Finally, the method includes visually decorating each face in the contemporaneously acquired image with an initial visual characteristic on condition that a correspondingly assigned confidence value falls short of a threshold, but otherwise with a different visual characteristic, and displaying the contemporaneously acquired image in a display of the host computing system.

Abstract: An interactive serving tray is adapted to facilitate the delivery of food or beverages in a hospitality environment. The interactive serving tray includes a platter defined by a flat surface encompassed by a perimeter barrier, and a mobile computing device affixed to the platter, the device including at least one processor, memory, a communications adapter and a display. Finally, the interactive serving tray includes a delivery manager module stored in the memory and executing by the processor, and including computer program instructions operable to perform receiving into the memory through the adapter, an order of a food or beverage item and identity information of a customer associated with the order, such as a digital image of the customer, and displaying the identity information in the display.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for object location and tracking. A method for object location and tracking within a bounded space includes establishing a wireless communications link between a wireless network adapter disposed within a smartphone and a wireless access point positioned remotely from the smartphone, and receiving thereafter, an identity of the wireless access point. Thereafter, a short-range wireless signal is received in the smartphone by a short-range wireless receiver disposed within the smartphone separately from the wireless network adapter, and an identifier of an object is extracted therefrom. Finally, a message is generated that combines the identity of the wireless access point and the identifier of the object and the message is transmitted through the wireless communications link to a host server coupled both to the wireless access point and also several other wireless access points over a computer communications network.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for generating augmented reality in a state room includes establishing a communicative link with different computing devices disposed within separate state rooms, with each of the state rooms including a display positioned at a ceiling, a display positioned on a wall and a display embedded in a floor. The method further includes, for each of the state rooms, assigning a theme of an exterior environment, directing the retrieval from fixed storage of exterior environmental imagery, and directing display of an atmospheric portion of the exterior environmental imagery on the display positioned at the ceiling, directing display of a horizon portion of the exterior environmental imagery on the display positioned on the wall, and directing display of a surface portion of the exterior environmental imagery on the display embedded in the floor.

Abstract: Distributed muster includes distributing to different mobile devices an identity of an assigned muster location of an ocean-going vessel, and associating each mobile device both with a corresponding passenger of the ocean-going vessel, and also with the assigned muster location. Thereafter, a timer initiates that defines a period during which a muster drill must be completed by all of the passengers and, in response, a message is transmitted to each mobile device that the muster drill has commenced. During the period, as each mobile device is sensed within a geographically defined area of a correspondingly assigned muster location, a record of the completion of the muster drill by the passenger associated with the sensed mobile device is recorded in the memory. As well, subsequent to a lapsing of the timer, a listing is displayed of any passenger not recorded as having completed the muster drill.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for virtual reality dining includes establishing an index of different human consumables positioned on a sensory surface of a serving tray and, generating in a display of a virtual reality headset, a rendering both of a thematic visual background and also a display of different graphical representations of corresponding ones of the different human consumables at different positions consistent with the index. Thereafter, the removal from the serving tray of one of the different human consumables is detected. In response, a theme of the thematic visual background changes and the thematic visual background re-renders in the headset with the changed theme. Finally, the method includes animating the movement of a display of a corresponding one of the different graphical representations of the removed one of the different human consumables in the headset.

Abstract: The present invention provides for high throughput passenger identification in portal security. A method for high throughput passenger identification includes receiving in memory of a host computing system from an image acquisition device a contemporaneously acquired image of a group of individuals approaching a portal passageway and identifying a set of faces of the group. The method yet further includes querying a database of faces with each identified face in the set and for each face assigning a confidence value of having matched the face to a record of a known person in the database. Finally, the method includes visually decorating each face in the contemporaneously acquired image with an initial visual characteristic on condition that a correspondingly assigned confidence value falls short of a threshold, but otherwise with a different visual characteristic, and displaying the contemporaneously acquired image in a display of the host computing system.