Abstract: The invention is a method for displaying otherwise unseen atmospheric phenomenon using augmented reality (the mixing of real media with computer generated media). The method uses computer generated images to represent existing weather conditions and presents this data to the user by combining the computer generated images with the user's real environment. Computer generated images are used to represent such weather phenomenon as wake vortices, wind shear, and microbursts. These images are represented in such a way as to intuitively display relevant properties of the phenomenon to the system user, which increases the user's situational awareness and safety. The primary intended applications are for air traffic controllers and pilots to view these disturbances.

Abstract: The invention is a method for augmenting images to highlight regions where objects of interest are likely to appear. The method uses fuzzy set theory to classify locations that may contain objects of interest, uses fog volumes to represent the fuzzy sets in three dimensions, and renders these fog volumes from the vantage point of the image to provide a colored overlay with which to augment the image. Where fog volumes of different colors overlap in an image, the invention renders the overlapping area using cross-hatching, so that the multiple colors appear side by side rather than blending to make a third color.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to create a method to allow a real person or movable physical object to occlude virtual objects in a augmented reality application using a single tracking data sensor for objects or only head tracking data for a real person. The method involves occluding virtual objects with a real world human in augmented reality. The method comprises creating an orthogonal plane billboard with soft texture edges representing a user's head; creating an orthogonal plane billboard with soft texture edges representing a user's torso; positioning and orienting the head billboard using motion tracker data; positioning and orienting the torso billboard relative to the head billboard; displaying the head and torso billboards in real-time 3-D to correspond to the location of a real person; and mixing the resulting image with a live image of a real person.

Abstract: The invention is a method for displaying otherwise unseen atmospheric phenomenon using augmented reality (the mixing of real media with computer generated media). The method uses computer generated images to represent existing weather conditions and presents this data to the user by combining the computer generated images with the user's real environment. Computer generated images are used to represent such weather phenomenon as wake vortices, wind shear, and microbursts. These images are represented in such a way as to intuitively display relevant properties of the phenomenon to the system user, which increases the user's situational awareness and safety. The primary intended applications are for air traffic controllers and pilots to view these disturbances.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to create a method to allow a real person or movable physical object to occlude virtual objects in a augmented reality application using a single tracking data sensor for objects or only head tracking data for a real person. The method involves occluding virtual objects with a real world human in augmented reality. The method comprises creating an orthogonal plane billboard with soft texture edges representing a user's head; creating an orthogonal plane billboard with soft texture edges representing a user's torso; positioning and orienting the head billboard using motion tracker data; positioning and orienting the torso billboard relative to the head billboard; displaying the head and torso billboards in real-time 3-D to correspond to the location of a real person; and mixing the resulting image with a live image of a real person.