U.S. patent application number 17/136843 was filed with the patent office on 2022-06-30 for multi-user ar experience with offline synchronization.
The applicant listed for this patent is Andres Monroy-Hernandez, Ava Robinson, Yu Jiang Tham, Rajan Vaish. Invention is credited to Andres Monroy-Hernandez, Ava Robinson, Yu Jiang Tham, Rajan Vaish.
Application Number | 20220203223 17/136843 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005332073 |
Filed Date | 2022-06-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220203223 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Monroy-Hernandez; Andres ;
et al. |
June 30, 2022 |
MULTI-USER AR EXPERIENCE WITH OFFLINE SYNCHRONIZATION
Abstract
Systems, methods, and computer readable media directed to
multi-user visual experiences such as interactive gaming
experiences and artistic media experiences. A viewing electronic
device includes a camera configured to capture images, a display,
and a processor coupled to the camera and the display. The
processor is configured to capture, with the camera, images of a
rotating marker where the rotating marker is presented on a monitor
of a remote device and to present, on the display, a visual
experience where the visual experience has an adjustable feature.
The processor detects a parameter of the rotating marker from the
captured images that corresponds to the adjustable feature and
updates the visual experience responsive to the detected parameter.
The parameter may be one or more of an angle, speed of rotation,
direction of rotation, color, or pattern of the rotating
marker.
Inventors: |
Monroy-Hernandez; Andres;
(Seattle, WA) ; Robinson; Ava; (Solana Beach,
CA) ; Tham; Yu Jiang; (Seattle, WA) ; Vaish;
Rajan; (Beverly Hills, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Monroy-Hernandez; Andres
Robinson; Ava
Tham; Yu Jiang
Vaish; Rajan |
Seattle
Solana Beach
Seattle
Beverly Hills |
WA
CA
WA
CA |
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005332073 |
Appl. No.: |
17/136843 |
Filed: |
December 29, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/213 20140902;
A63F 13/2145 20140902 |
International
Class: |
A63F 13/213 20060101
A63F013/213; A63F 13/2145 20060101 A63F013/2145 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: capturing images of a rotating marker with
a camera of a viewing electronic device, the rotating marker
presented on a video screen of a remote device; presenting a visual
experience on a display of the viewing electronic device, the
visual experience having an adjustable feature; detecting a
parameter of the rotating marker at the viewing electronic device,
the parameter corresponding to the adjustable feature; and updating
the visual experience presented on the display responsive to the
detected parameter.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: capturing images of
the rotating marker with another camera of another viewing
electronic device during the capture of the images of the rotating
marker with the camera of the viewing electronic device; presenting
the visual experience on another display of the other viewing
electronic device; detecting the parameter of the rotating marker
at the other viewing electronic device at the same time as at the
viewing electronic device; and updating the visual experience
presented on the other display responsive to the detected
parameter.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the rotating marker comprises a
region rotating around a rotational axis of the rotating marker and
wherein the parameter is a rotation angle of the region with
respect to a fixed direction extending from the rotational axis, a
speed at which the region rotates around the rotational axis, or a
direction in which the region rotates around the rotational
axis.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the visual experience is an
interactive game including a first game piece responsive to the
rotating marker and a second game piece, the adjustable feature
includes a target state for the first game piece corresponding to
one direction of rotation and an avoidance state for the first game
piece corresponding to another direction of rotation, and the
method further comprises: identifying movement of the viewing
electronic device; further updating the visual experience by
positioning the second game piece responsive to the identified
movement; and scoring an interaction between the first game piece
and the second game piece responsive to whether the adjustable
feature is in the first state or the second state.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the visual experience is an
interactive game including a first game piece and a plurality of
selectable targets responsive to the rotating marker, the
adjustable feature includes a selection state for one or more of
the plurality of selectable targets corresponding to the direction
of rotation and the rotation angle, and the method further
comprises: detecting input on the display of the viewing electronic
device on or adjacent one of the plurality of selectable targets;
and scoring the detected input responsive to the selection state of
the one of the plurality of selectable targets.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein the visual experience is artistic
visual media, the adjustable feature includes a radiating image
corresponding to the speed of rotation, and the method comprises:
determining the speed of rotation; and further updating the visual
experience by changing the radiating image responsive to the
determined speed of rotation.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting another
parameter of the rotating marker at the viewing electronic device,
the other parameter corresponding to the visual experience; and
selecting the visual experience to present from one of a plurality
of visual experiences responsive to the detected other
parameter.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured images further
include a visual experience identifier and the method further
comprises: detecting the visual experience identifier in the
captured images; selecting the visual experience to present from
one of a plurality of visual experiences responsive to the detected
visual experience.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the marker comprises a first
circle having a first radius and a second circle having a second
radius that is smaller than the first circle, wherein the second
circle is adjacent a perimeter of the first circle.
10. A system comprising: a viewing electronic device including: a
camera configured to capture images; a display; and a processor
coupled to the camera and the display, the processor configured to:
capture, with the camera, images of a rotating marker, the rotating
marker presented on a video screen of a remote device; present, on
the display, a visual experience on a display of the viewing
electronic device, the visual experience having an adjustable
feature; detect a parameter of the rotating marker from the images
captured with the camera at the viewing electronic device, the
parameter corresponding to the adjustable feature; and update, on
the display, the visual experience responsive to the detected
parameter.
11. The system of claim 10, further comprising: another viewing
electronic device including: another camera configured to capture
images; another display; and another processor coupled to the other
camera and the other display, the other processor configured to:
capture images of the rotating marker with the other camera during
the capture of images of the rotating marker with the camera of the
viewing electronic device; present the visual experience on the
other display; detect the parameter of the rotating marker from the
images captured with the other camera at the other viewing
electronic device at the same time as at the viewing electronic
device; and update the visual experience presented on the other
display responsive to the detected parameter.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the rotating marker comprises a
region rotating around a rotational axis of the rotating marker and
wherein the parameter is a rotation angle of the region with
respect to a fixed direction extending from the rotational axis, a
speed at which the region rotates around the rotational axis, or a
direction in which the region rotates around the rotational
axis.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the visual experience is an
interactive game including a first game piece responsive to the
rotating marker and a second game piece, the adjustable feature
includes a target state for the first game piece corresponding to
one direction of rotation and an avoidance state for the first game
piece corresponding to another direction of rotation, and the
processor is further configured to: identify movement of the
viewing electronic device; further update the visual experience by
positioning the second game piece responsive to the identified
movement; and score an interaction between the first game piece and
the second game piece responsive to whether the adjustable feature
is in the first state or the second state.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the visual experience is an
interactive game including a first game piece and a plurality of
selectable targets responsive to the rotating marker, the
adjustable feature includes a selection state for one or more of
the plurality of selectable targets corresponding to the direction
of rotation and the rotation angle, the display is a touchscreen
display, and the processor is further configured to: detect input
on the touchscreen display of the viewing electronic device on or
adjacent one of the plurality of selectable targets; and score the
detected input responsive to the selection state of the one of the
plurality of selectable targets.
15. The system of claim 12, wherein the visual experience is
artistic visual media, the adjustable feature includes a radiating
image corresponding to the speed of rotation, and the processor is
further configured to: determine the speed of rotation; and further
update the visual experience by changing the radiating image
responsive to the determined speed of rotation.
16. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further
configured to: detect another parameter of the rotating marker at
the viewing electronic device, the other parameter corresponding to
the visual experience; and select the visual experience to present
from one of a plurality of visual experiences responsive to the
detected other parameter.
17. The system of claim 10, wherein the captured images further
include a visual experience identifier and the processor is further
configured to: detect the visual experience identifier in the
captured images; select the visual experience to present from one
of a plurality of visual experiences responsive to the detected
visual experience.
18. The system of claim 10, wherein the marker comprises a first
circle having a first radius and a second circle having a second
radius that is smaller than the first circle, wherein the second
circle is adjacent a perimeter of the first circle.
19. A non-transient computer readable medium including instructions
that, when executed by a processor of a system, configure the
system to: capture images of a rotating marker with a camera of a
viewing electronic device, the rotating marker presented on a video
screen of a remote device; present a visual experience on a display
of the viewing electronic device the visual experience having an
adjustable feature; detect a parameter of the rotating marker at
the viewing electronic device, the parameter corresponding to the
adjustable feature; and update the visual experience presented on
the display responsive to the detected parameter.
20. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein
the visual experience is an interactive game including a first game
piece responsive to the rotating marker and a second game piece,
the adjustable feature includes a target state for the first game
piece corresponding to one direction of rotation and an avoidance
state for the first game piece corresponding to another direction
of rotation, and the instructions, when executed by the processor
of the system, further configure the system to: identify movement
of the viewing electronic device; further update the visual
experience by positioning the second game piece responsive to the
identified movement; and score an interaction between the first
game piece and the second game piece responsive to whether the
adjustable feature is in the first state or the second state.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Mobile devices such a cellular telephones and tablet
computers include user interfaces through which users can share and
access programs, games, photos, or videos. In many cases, users of
mobile devices seek out gaming applications, augmented reality (AR)
applications, AR games, and other forms of media content for
entertainment.
[0002] Social networking systems have millions of users each day.
Each user in a social networking system can receive, access, and
transmit AR games and applications between members within her
individual social networking profile or to individuals outside of
the social networking profile.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale,
like numerals may describe similar components in different views.
When a plurality of similar elements is present, a single reference
numeral may be assigned to the plurality of similar elements with a
small letter designation referring to specific elements. When
referring to the elements collectively or to a non-specific one or
more of the elements, the small letter designation may be dropped.
To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act,
the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to
the figure number in which that element is first introduced. Some
nonlimiting examples are illustrated in the figures of the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0004] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a networked
environment in which the present disclosure may be deployed, in
accordance with some examples.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a messaging
system, in accordance with some examples, that has both client-side
and server-side functionality.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a data structure
as maintained in a database, in accordance with some examples.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a message, in
accordance with some examples.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a flowchart for an access-limiting process, in
accordance with some examples.
[0009] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a rotating marker in accordance
with some examples.
[0010] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a rotating marker presented on
a monitor of a remote electronic device for capture by respective
camera systems of one or more viewing electronic device in
accordance with some examples.
[0011] FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the rotating
marker displayed on a remote electronic device and on first and
second viewing electronic devices in accordance with some
examples.
[0012] FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating a user interface of a
visual experience embodied as a game displayed on the first and
second viewing electronic devices in accordance with some
examples.
[0013] FIGS. 9B, 9C, 9D, and 9E are diagrams illustrating user
interfaces of visual experiences embodied as games on a viewing
electronic device in accordance with some examples.
[0014] FIG. 9F is a diagram illustrating a user interface of a
visual experience embodied as artistic media on a viewing
electronic device in accordance with some examples.
[0015] FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D are flowchart illustrating
methods capturing and interpreting a rotating marker associated
with a visual experience presented on one or more viewing
electronic devices in accordance with some examples.
[0016] FIG. 10E is a flowchart illustrating a method for generating
a rotating marker on a remote electronic device associated with a
visual experience to be presented on one or more viewing electronic
devices in accordance with some examples.
[0017] FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the
form of a computer system within which a set of instructions may be
executed for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the
methodologies discussed herein, in accordance with some
examples.
[0018] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a software architecture
within which examples may be implemented.
[0019] FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic representation of a processing
environment, in accordance with some examples.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Examples of systems, methods, and computer readable media
directed to multi-user visual experiences such as interactive games
and artistic media are described. Each user can simultaneously
participate in a visual experience by capturing images of the same
rotating marker with their respective viewing electronic devices
without the need for a network connection. This enables users to
participate in the visual experience together even though they are
offline, thereby fostering in-person interactions and co-located
experiences.
[0021] A viewing electronic device for use with the visual
experiences includes a camera configured to capture images, a
display, and a processor coupled to the camera and the display. The
processor is configured to capture, with the camera, images of a
rotating marker where the rotating marker is presented on a monitor
of a remote device and present, on the display of the viewing
electronic device, a visual experience where the visual experience
has an adjustable feature. The processor detects a parameter of the
rotating marker from the captured images that corresponds to the
adjustable feature and updates the visual experience responsive to
the detected parameter. The parameter may be an angle of rotation,
a speed of rotation, a direction of rotation, color(s) of a
region(s), pattern(s) of a region(s), or a combination thereof for
the rotating marker.
[0022] In at least one example, a system is provided that generates
the rotating marker that is rendered on the remote device (such as
a laptop, personal computer, or television monitor) where multiple
viewing electronic devices actively and simultaneously detect and
capture the rotating marker using their integrated device cameras.
In one example, the rotating marker may be an image that does not
have symmetries that would confuse a processing component into not
knowing the current angle that the image is rotated. In accordance
with this example, a valid marker would be an image of a face, and
an invalid marker would be an image of an equilateral triangle. In
another example, the rotating marker includes a rotating region and
a stationary region where the rotating region rotates around a
rotational axis of the rotating marker adjacent (on or near) a
perimeter of the stationary region.
[0023] Networked Computing Environment
[0024] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example messaging
system 100 for exchanging data (e.g., messages and associated
content) over a network. The messaging system 100 includes multiple
instances of an electronic device 102, each of which hosts a number
of applications, including a messaging client 104 and other
applications 106. Each messaging client 104 is communicatively
coupled to other instances of the messaging client 104 (e.g.,
hosted on respective other client devices 102), a messaging server
system 108 and third-party servers 110 via a network 112 (e.g., the
Internet). A messaging client 104 can also communicate with
locally-hosted applications 106 using Applications Program
Interfaces (APIs).
[0025] A messaging client 104 is able to communicate and exchange
data with other messaging clients 104 and with the messaging server
system 108 via the network 112. The data exchanged between
messaging clients 104, and between a messaging client 104 and the
messaging server system 108, includes functions (e.g., commands to
invoke functions) as well as payload data (e.g., text, audio,
video, or other multimedia data).
[0026] The messaging server system 108 provides server-side
functionality via the network 112 to a particular messaging client
104. While certain functions of the messaging system 100 are
described herein as being performed by either a messaging client
104 or by the messaging server system 108, the location of certain
functionality either within the messaging client 104 or the
messaging server system 108 may be a design choice. For example, it
may be technically preferable to initially deploy certain
technology and functionality within the messaging server system 108
but to later migrate this technology and functionality to the
messaging client 104 where an electronic device 102 has sufficient
processing capacity.
[0027] The messaging server system 108 supports various services
and operations that are provided to the messaging client 104. Such
operations include transmitting data to, receiving data from, and
processing data generated by the messaging client 104. This data
may include message content, client device information, geolocation
information, media augmentation and overlays, message content
persistence conditions, social network information, and live event
information, as examples. Data exchanges within the messaging
system 100 are invoked and controlled through functions available
via user interfaces (UIs) of the messaging client 104.
[0028] Turning now specifically to the messaging server system 108,
an Application Program Interface (API) server 116 is coupled to,
and provides a programmatic interface to, application servers 114.
The application servers 114 are communicatively coupled to a
database server 120, which facilitates access to a database 126
that stores data associated with messages processed by the
application servers 114. Similarly, a web server 128 is coupled to
the application servers 114, and provides web-based interfaces to
the application servers 114. To this end, the web server 128
processes incoming network requests over the Hypertext Transfer
Protocol (HTTP) and several other related protocols.
[0029] The Application Program Interface (API) server 116 receives
and transmits message data (e.g., commands and message payloads)
between the electronic device 102 and the application servers 114.
Specifically, the Application Program Interface (API) server 116
provides a set of interfaces (e.g., routines and protocols) that
can be called or queried by the messaging client 104 in order to
invoke functionality of the application servers 114. The
Application Program Interface (API) server 116 exposes various
functions supported by the application servers 114, including
account registration, login functionality, the sending of messages,
via the application servers 114, from a particular messaging client
104 to another messaging client 104, the sending of media files
(e.g., images or video) from a messaging client 104 to a messaging
server 118, and for possible access by another messaging client
104, the settings of a collection of media data (e.g., a story),
the retrieval of a list of friends of a user of an electronic
device 102, the retrieval of such collections, the retrieval of
messages and content, the addition and deletion of entities (e.g.,
friends) to an entity graph (e.g., a social graph), the location of
friends within a social graph, and opening an application event
(e.g., relating to the messaging client 104).
[0030] The application servers 114 host a number of server
applications and subsystems, including for example a messaging
server 118, an image processing server 122, and a social network
server 124. The messaging server 118 implements a number of message
processing technologies and functions, particularly related to the
aggregation and other processing of content (e.g., textual and
multimedia content) included in messages received from multiple
instances of the messaging client 104. As will be described in
further detail, the text and media content from multiple sources
may be aggregated into collections of content (e.g., called stories
or galleries). These collections are then made available to the
messaging client 104. Other processor and memory intensive
processing of data may also be performed server-side by the
messaging server 118, in view of the hardware requirements for such
processing.
[0031] The application servers 114 also include an image processing
server 122 that is dedicated to performing various image processing
operations, typically with respect to images or video within the
payload of a message sent from or received at the messaging server
118.
[0032] The social network server 124 supports various social
networking functions and services and makes these functions and
services available to the messaging server 118. To this end, the
social network server 124 maintains and accesses an entity graph
308 (as shown in FIG. 3) within the database 126. Examples of
functions and services supported by the social network server 124
include the identification of other users of the messaging system
100 with which a particular user has relationships or is
"following," and also the identification of other entities and
interests of a particular user.
[0033] Returning to the messaging client 104, features and
functions of an external resource (e.g., an application 106 or
applet) are made available to a user via an interface of the
messaging client 104. In this context, "external" refers to the
fact that the application 106 or applet is external to the
messaging client 104. The external resource is often provided by a
third party but may also be provided by the creator or provider of
the messaging client 104. The messaging client 104 receives a user
selection of an option to launch or access features of such an
external resource. The external resource may be the application 106
installed on the electronic device 102 (e.g., a "native app"), or a
small-scale version of the application (e.g., an "applet") that is
hosted on the electronic device 102 or remote of the electronic
device 102 (e.g., on third-party servers 110). The small-scale
version of the application includes a subset of features and
functions of the application (e.g., the full-scale, native version
of the application) and is implemented using a markup-language
document. In one example, the small-scale version of the
application (e.g., an "applet") is a web-based, markup-language
version of the application and is embedded in the messaging client
104. In addition to using markup-language documents (e.g., a .*ml
file), an applet may incorporate a scripting language (e.g., a .*js
file or a .json file) and a style sheet (e.g., a .*ss file).
[0034] In response to receiving a user selection of the option to
launch or access features of the external resource, the messaging
client 104 determines whether the selected external resource is a
web-based external resource or a locally-installed application 106.
In some cases, applications 106 that are locally installed on the
electronic device 102 can be launched independently of and
separately from the messaging client 104, such as by selecting an
icon, corresponding to the application 106, on a home screen of the
electronic device 102. Small-scale versions of such applications
can be launched or accessed via the messaging client 104 and, in
some examples, no or limited portions of the small-scale
application can be accessed outside of the messaging client 104.
The small-scale application can be launched by the messaging client
104 receiving, from a third-party server 110 for example, a
markup-language document associated with the small-scale
application and processing such a document.
[0035] In response to determining that the external resource is a
locally-installed application 106, the messaging client 104
instructs the electronic device 102 to launch the external resource
by executing locally-stored code corresponding to the external
resource. In response to determining that the external resource is
a web-based resource, the messaging client 104 communicates with
the third-party servers 110 (for example) to obtain a
markup-language document corresponding to the selected external
resource. The messaging client 104 then processes the obtained
markup-language document to present the web-based external resource
within a user interface of the messaging client 104.
[0036] The messaging client 104 can notify a user of the electronic
device 102, or other users related to such a user (e.g.,
"friends"), of activity taking place in one or more external
resources. For example, the messaging client 104 can provide
participants in a conversation (e.g., a chat session) in the
messaging client 104 with notifications relating to the current or
recent use of an external resource by one or more members of a
group of users. One or more users can be invited to join in an
active external resource or to launch a recently-used but currently
inactive (in the group of friends) external resource. The external
resource can provide participants in a conversation, each using
respective messaging clients 104, with the ability to share an
item, status, state, or location in an external resource with one
or more members of a group of users into a chat session. The shared
item may be an interactive chat card with which members of the chat
can interact, for example, to launch the corresponding external
resource, view specific information within the external resource,
or take the member of the chat to a specific location or state
within the external resource. Within a given external resource,
response messages can be sent to users on the messaging client 104.
The external resource can selectively include different media items
in the responses, based on a current context of the external
resource.
[0037] The messaging client 104 can present a list of the available
external resources (e.g., applications 106 or applets) to a user to
launch or access a given external resource. This list can be
presented in a context-sensitive menu. For example, the icons
representing different ones of the application 106 (or applets) can
vary based on how the menu is launched by the user (e.g., from a
conversation interface or from a non-conversation interface).
[0038] System Architecture
[0039] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating further details
regarding the messaging system 100, according to some examples.
Specifically, the messaging system 100 is shown to comprise the
messaging client 104 and the application servers 114. The messaging
system 100 embodies a number of subsystems, which are supported on
the client-side by the messaging client 104 and on the server-side
by the application servers 114. These subsystems include, for
example, an ephemeral timer system 202, a collection management
system 204, an augmentation system 208, a map system 210, a game
system 212, an external resource system 214, and a rotating marker
system 216.
[0040] The ephemeral timer system 202 is responsible for enforcing
the temporary or time-limited access to content by the messaging
client 104 and the messaging server 118. The ephemeral timer system
202 incorporates a number of timers that, based on duration and
display parameters associated with a message, or collection of
messages (e.g., a story), selectively enable access (e.g., for
presentation and display) to messages and associated content via
the messaging client 104. Further details regarding the operation
of the ephemeral timer system 202 are provided below.
[0041] The collection management system 204 is responsible for
managing sets or collections of media (e.g., collections of text,
image video, and audio data). A collection of content (e.g.,
messages, including images, video, text, and audio) may be
organized into an "event gallery" or an "event story." Such a
collection may be made available for a specified time period, such
as the duration of an event to which the content relates. For
example, content relating to a music concert may be made available
as a "story" for the duration of that music concert. The collection
management system 204 may also be responsible for publishing an
icon that provides notification of the existence of a particular
collection to the user interface of the messaging client 104.
[0042] The collection management system 204 furthermore includes a
curation interface 206 that allows a collection manager to manage
and curate a particular collection of content. For example, the
curation interface 206 enables an event organizer to curate a
collection of content relating to a specific event (e.g., delete
inappropriate content or redundant messages). Additionally, the
collection management system 204 employs machine vision (or image
recognition technology) and content rules to automatically curate a
content collection. In certain examples, compensation may be paid
to a user for the inclusion of user-generated content into a
collection. In such cases, the collection management system 204
operates to automatically make payments to such users for the use
of their content.
[0043] The augmentation system 208 provides various functions that
enable a user to augment (e.g., annotate or otherwise modify or
edit) media content associated with a message. For example, the
augmentation system 208 provides functions related to the
generation and publishing of media overlays for messages processed
by the messaging system 100. The augmentation system 208
operatively supplies a media overlay or augmentation (e.g., an
image filter) to the messaging client 104 based on a geolocation of
the electronic device 102. In another example, the augmentation
system 208 operatively supplies a media overlay to the messaging
client 104 based on other information, such as social network
information of the user of the electronic device 102. A media
overlay may include audio and visual content and visual effects.
Examples of audio and visual content include pictures, texts,
logos, animations, and sound effects. An example of a visual effect
includes color overlaying. The audio and visual content or the
visual effects can be applied to a media content item (e.g., a
photo) at the electronic device 102. For example, the media overlay
may include text or image that can be overlaid on top of a
photograph taken by the electronic device 102. In another example,
the media overlay includes an identification of a location overlay
(e.g., Venice beach), a name of a live event, or a name of a
merchant overlay (e.g., Beach Coffee House). In another example,
the augmentation system 208 uses the geolocation of the electronic
device 102 to identify a media overlay that includes the name of a
merchant at the geolocation of the electronic device 102. The media
overlay may include other indicia associated with the merchant. The
media overlays may be stored in the database 126 and accessed
through the database server 120.
[0044] In some examples, the augmentation system 208 provides a
user-based publication platform that enables users to select a
geolocation on a map and upload content associated with the
selected geolocation. The user may also specify circumstances under
which a particular media overlay should be offered to other users.
The augmentation system 208 generates a media overlay that includes
the uploaded content and associates the uploaded content with the
selected geolocation.
[0045] In other examples, the augmentation system 208 provides a
merchant-based publication platform that enables merchants to
select a particular media overlay associated with a geolocation via
a bidding process. For example, the augmentation system 208
associates the media overlay of the highest bidding merchant with a
corresponding geolocation for a predefined amount of time.
[0046] The map system 210 provides various geographic location
functions, and supports the presentation of map-based media content
and messages by the messaging client 104. For example, the map
system 210 enables the display of user icons or avatars (e.g.,
stored in profile data 316) on a map to indicate a current or past
location of "friends" of a user, as well as media content (e.g.,
collections of messages including photographs and videos) generated
by such friends, within the context of a map. For example, a
message posted by a user to the messaging system 100 from a
specific geographic location may be displayed within the context of
a map at that particular location to "friends" of a specific user
on a map interface of the messaging client 104. A user can
furthermore share his or her location and status information (e.g.,
using an appropriate status avatar) with other users of the
messaging system 100 via the messaging client 104, with this
location and status information being similarly displayed within
the context of a map interface of the messaging client 104 to
selected users.
[0047] The game system 212 provides various gaming functions within
the context of the messaging client 104. The messaging client 104
provides a game interface providing a list of available games that
can be launched by a user within the context of the messaging
client 104 or launched by an application in response to detection
of an identifier or a parameter by the electronic device 102, and
played with other users of the messaging system 100. The messaging
system 100 further enables a particular user to invite other users
to participate in the play of a specific game, by issuing
invitations to such other users from the messaging client 104. The
messaging client 104 also supports both the voice and text
messaging (e.g., chats) within the context of gameplay, provides a
leaderboard for the games, and also supports the provision of
in-game rewards (e.g., coins and items).
[0048] The external resource system 214 provides an interface for
the messaging client 104 to communicate with remote servers (e.g.,
third-party servers 110) to launch or access external resources,
i.e., applications or applets. Each third-party server 110 hosts,
for example, a markup language (e.g., HTML5) based application or
small-scale version of an application (e.g., game, utility,
payment, or ride-sharing application). The messaging client 104 may
launch a web-based resource (e.g., application) by accessing the
HTML5 file from the third-party servers 110 associated with the
web-based resource. In certain examples, applications hosted by
third-party servers 110 are programmed in JavaScript leveraging a
Software Development Kit (SDK) provided by the messaging server
118. The SDK includes Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
with functions that can be called or invoked by the web-based
application. In certain examples, the messaging server 118 includes
a JavaScript library that provides a given external resource access
to certain user data of the messaging client 104. HTML5 is used as
an example technology for programming games, but applications and
resources programmed based on other technologies can be used.
[0049] In order to integrate the functions of the SDK into the
web-based resource, the SDK is downloaded by a third-party server
110 from the messaging server 118 or is otherwise received by the
third-party server 110. Once downloaded or received, the SDK is
included as part of the application code of a web-based external
resource. The code of the web-based resource can then call or
invoke certain functions of the SDK to integrate features of the
messaging client 104 into the web-based resource.
[0050] The SDK stored on the messaging server 118 effectively
provides the bridge between an external resource (e.g.,
applications 106 or applets and the messaging client 104). This
provides the user with a seamless experience of communicating with
other users on the messaging client 104, while also preserving the
look and feel of the messaging client 104. To bridge communications
between an external resource and a messaging client 104, in certain
examples, the SDK facilitates communication between third-party
servers 110 and the messaging client 104. In certain examples, a
WebViewJavaScriptBridge running on an electronic device 102
establishes two one-way communication channels between an external
resource and the messaging client 104. Messages are sent between
the external resource and the messaging client 104 via these
communication channels asynchronously. Each SDK function invocation
is sent as a message and callback. Each SDK function is implemented
by constructing a unique callback identifier and sending a message
with that callback identifier.
[0051] By using the SDK, not all information from the messaging
client 104 is shared with third-party servers 110. The SDK limits
which information is shared based on the needs of the external
resource. In certain examples, each third-party server 110 provides
an HTML5 file corresponding to the web-based external resource to
the messaging server 118. The messaging server 118 can add a visual
representation (such as a box art or other graphic) of the
web-based external resource in the messaging client 104. Once the
user selects the visual representation or instructs the messaging
client 104 through a GUI of the messaging client 104 to access
features of the web-based external resource, the messaging client
104 obtains the HTML5 file and instantiates the resources necessary
to access the features of the web-based external resource.
[0052] The messaging client 104 presents a graphical user interface
(e.g., a landing page or title screen) for an external resource.
During, before, or after presenting the landing page or title
screen, the messaging client 104 determines whether the launched
external resource has been previously authorized to access user
data of the messaging client 104. In response to determining that
the launched external resource has been previously authorized to
access user data of the messaging client 104, the messaging client
104 presents another graphical user interface of the external
resource that includes functions and features of the external
resource. In response to determining that the launched external
resource has not been previously authorized to access user data of
the messaging client 104, after a threshold period of time (e.g., 3
seconds) of displaying the landing page or title screen of the
external resource, the messaging client 104 slides up (e.g.,
animates a menu as surfacing from a bottom of the screen to a
middle of or other portion of the screen) a menu for authorizing
the external resource to access the user data. The menu identifies
the type of user data that the external resource will be authorized
to use. In response to receiving a user selection of an accept
option, the messaging client 104 adds the external resource to a
list of authorized external resources and allows the external
resource to access user data from the messaging client 104. In some
examples, the external resource is authorized by the messaging
client 104 to access the user data in accordance with an OAuth 2
framework.
[0053] The messaging client 104 controls the type of user data that
is shared with external resources based on the type of external
resource being authorized. For example, external resources that
include full-scale applications (e.g., an application 106) are
provided with access to a first type of user data (e.g., only
two-dimensional avatars of users with or without different avatar
characteristics). As another example, external resources that
include small-scale versions of applications (e.g., web-based
versions of applications) are provided with access to a second type
of user data (e.g., payment information, two-dimensional avatars of
users, three-dimensional avatars of users, and avatars with various
avatar characteristics). Avatar characteristics include different
ways to customize a look and feel of an avatar, such as different
poses, facial features, clothing, and so forth.
[0054] The rotating marker system 216 provides functions and
routines for providing a visual experience (e.g., gaming experience
or artistic media experience). In one example, the rotating marker
system 216 includes functions and routines for generating a
rotating marker for display on a monitor of a remote electronic
device 102 and functions and routines for capturing images of the
rotating marker, interpreting parameters thereof (e.g., rotation
angle, speed of rotation, direction of rotation, color, pattern, or
any combination thereof), and rendering a viewing experience on one
or more of the viewing electronic devices 102.
[0055] Multiple viewing electronic devices 102 are able to
simultaneously capture and interpret images of the rotating marker
on the remote electronic device 102. This enables all viewing
electronic devices 102 that are currently capturing images to
render the same viewing experience without the need for on-line
synchronization. One or more operations of the rotating marker
system 216 are executed at one or more of the messaging client 104,
the applications 106, the messaging server system 108, the
applications servers 114, the messaging server 118, third-party
server 110.
[0056] Data Architecture
[0057] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating data structures
300, which may be stored in the database 126 of the messaging
server system 108, according to certain examples. While the content
of the database 126 is shown to comprise a number of tables, it
will be appreciated that the data could be stored in other types of
data structures (e.g., as an object-oriented database).
[0058] The database 126 includes message data stored within a
message table 302. This message data includes, for any particular
one message, at least message sender data, message recipient (or
receiver) data, and a payload. Further details regarding
information that may be included in a message, and included within
the message data stored in the message table 302 is described below
with reference to FIG. 4.
[0059] An entity table 306 stores entity data, and is linked (e.g.,
referentially) to an entity graph 308 and profile data 316.
Entities for which records are maintained within the entity table
306 may include individuals, corporate entities, organizations,
objects, places, events, and so forth. Regardless of entity type,
any entity regarding which the messaging server system 108 stores
data may be a recognized entity. Each entity is provided with a
unique identifier, as well as an entity type identifier (not
shown).
[0060] The entity graph 308 stores information regarding
relationships and associations between entities. Such relationships
may be social, professional (e.g., work at a common corporation or
organization) interest-based or activity-based, merely for
example.
[0061] The profile data 316 stores multiple types of profile data
about a particular entity. The profile data 316 may be selectively
used and presented to other users of the messaging system 100,
based on privacy settings specified by a particular entity. Where
the entity is an individual, the profile data 316 includes, for
example, a username, telephone number, address, settings (e.g.,
notification and privacy settings), as well as a user-selected
avatar representation (or collection of such avatar
representations). A particular user may then selectively include
one or more of these avatar representations within the content of
messages communicated via the messaging system 100, and on map
interfaces displayed by messaging clients 104 to other users. The
collection of avatar representations may include "status avatars,"
which present a graphical representation of a status or activity
that the user may select to communicate at a particular time.
[0062] Where the entity is a group, the profile data 316 for the
group may similarly include one or more avatar representations
associated with the group, in addition to the group name, members,
and various settings (e.g., notifications) for the relevant
group.
[0063] The database 126 also stores augmentation data, such as
overlays or filters, in an augmentation table 310. The augmentation
data is associated with and applied to videos (for which data is
stored in a video table 304) and images (for which data is stored
in an image table 312).
[0064] Filters, in one example, are overlays that are displayed as
overlays on an image or video during presentation to a recipient
user. Filters may be of various types, including user-selected
filters from a set of filters presented to a sending user by the
messaging client 104 when the sending user is composing a message.
Other types of filters include geolocation filters (also known as
geo-filters), which may be presented to a sending user based on
geographic location. For example, geolocation filters specific to a
neighborhood or special location may be presented within a user
interface by the messaging client 104, based on geolocation
information determined by a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit of
the electronic device 102.
[0065] Another type of filter is a data filter, which may be
selectively presented to a sending user by the messaging client
104, based on other inputs or information gathered by the
electronic device 102 during the message creation process. Examples
of data filters include current temperature at a specific location,
a current speed at which a sending user is traveling, battery life
for an electronic device 102, or the current time.
[0066] Other augmentation data that may be stored within the image
table 312 includes augmented reality content items (e.g.,
corresponding to applying Lenses or augmented reality experiences).
An augmented reality content item may be a real-time special effect
and sound that may be added to an image or a video.
[0067] As described above, augmentation data includes augmented
reality content items, overlays, image transformations, AR images,
and similar terms refer to modifications that may be applied to
image data (e.g., videos or images). This includes real-time
modifications, which modify an image as it is captured using device
sensors (e.g., one or multiple cameras) of an electronic device 102
and then displayed on a screen of the electronic device 102 with
the modifications. This also includes modifications to stored
content, such as video clips in a gallery that may be modified. For
example, in an electronic device 102 with access to multiple
augmented reality content items, a user can use a single video clip
with multiple augmented reality content items to see how the
different augmented reality content items will modify the stored
clip. For example, multiple augmented reality content items that
apply different pseudorandom movement models can be applied to the
same content by selecting different augmented reality content items
for the content. Similarly, real-time video capture may be used
with an illustrated modification to show how video images currently
being captured by sensors of an electronic device 102 would modify
the captured data. Such data may simply be displayed on the screen
and not stored in memory, or the content captured by the device
sensors may be recorded and stored in memory with or without the
modifications (or both). In some systems, a preview feature can
show how different augmented reality content items will look within
different windows in a display at the same time. This can, for
example, enable multiple windows with different pseudorandom
animations to be viewed on a display at the same time.
[0068] Data and various systems using augmented reality content
items or other such transform systems to modify content using this
data can thus involve detection of objects (e.g., faces, hands,
bodies, cats, dogs, surfaces, objects, etc.), tracking of such
objects as they leave, enter, and move around the field of view in
video frames, and the modification or transformation of such
objects as they are tracked. In various examples, different methods
for achieving such transformations may be used. Some examples may
involve generating a three-dimensional mesh model of the object or
objects, and using transformations and animated textures of the
model within the video to achieve the transformation. In other
examples, tracking of points on an object may be used to place an
image or texture (which may be two dimensional or three
dimensional) at the tracked position. In still further examples,
neural network analysis of video frames may be used to place
images, models, or textures in content (e.g., images or frames of
video). Augmented reality content items thus refer both to the
images, models, and textures used to create transformations in
content, as well as to additional modeling and analysis information
needed to achieve such transformations with object detection,
tracking, and placement.
[0069] Real-time video processing can be performed with any kind of
video data (e.g., video streams, video files, etc.) saved in a
memory of a computerized system of any kind. For example, a user
can load video files and save them in a memory of a device, or can
generate a video stream using sensors of the device. Additionally,
any objects can be processed using a computer animation model, such
as a human's face and parts of a human body, animals, or non-living
things such as chairs, cars, or other objects.
[0070] In some examples, when a particular modification is selected
along with content to be transformed, elements to be transformed
are identified by the computing device, and then detected and
tracked if they are present in the frames of the video. The
elements of the object are modified according to the request for
modification, thus transforming the frames of the video stream.
Transformation of frames of a video stream can be performed by
different methods for different kinds of transformation. For
example, for transformations of frames mostly referring to changing
forms of object's elements characteristic points for each element
of an object are calculated (e.g., using an Active Shape Model
(ASM) or other known methods). Then, a mesh based on the
characteristic points is generated for each of the at least one
element of the object. This mesh used in the following stage of
tracking the elements of the object in the video stream. In the
process of tracking, the mentioned mesh for each element is aligned
with a position of each element. Then, additional points are
generated on the mesh. A first set of first points is generated for
each element based on a request for modification, and a set of
second points is generated for each element based on the set of
first points and the request for modification. Then, the frames of
the video stream can be transformed by modifying the elements of
the object on the basis of the sets of first and second points and
the mesh. In such method, a background of the modified object can
be changed or distorted as well by tracking and modifying the
background.
[0071] In some examples, transformations changing some areas of an
object using its elements can be performed by calculating
characteristic points for each element of an object and generating
a mesh based on the calculated characteristic points. Points are
generated on the mesh, and then various areas based on the points
are generated. The elements of the object are then tracked by
aligning the area for each element with a position for each of the
at least one element, and properties of the areas can be modified
based on the request for modification, thus transforming the frames
of the video stream. Depending on the specific request for
modification properties of the mentioned areas can be transformed
in different ways. Such modifications may involve changing color of
areas; removing at least some part of areas from the frames of the
video stream; including one or more new objects into areas which
are based on a request for modification; and modifying or
distorting the elements of an area or object. In various examples,
any combination of such modifications or other similar
modifications may be used. For certain models to be animated, some
characteristic points can be selected as control points to be used
in determining the entire state-space of options for the model
animation.
[0072] In some examples of a computer animation model to transform
image data using face detection, the face is detected on an image
with use of a specific face detection algorithm (e.g.,
Viola-Jones). Then, an Active Shape Model (ASM) algorithm is
applied to the face region of an image to detect facial feature
reference points.
[0073] Other methods and algorithms suitable for face detection can
be used. For example, in some examples, features are located using
a landmark, which represents a distinguishable point present in
most of the images under consideration. For facial landmarks, for
example, the location of the left eye pupil may be used. If an
initial landmark is not identifiable (e.g., if a person has an
eyepatch), secondary landmarks may be used. Such landmark
identification procedures may be used for any such objects. In some
examples, a set of landmarks forms a shape. Shapes can be
represented as vectors using the coordinates of the points in the
shape. One shape is aligned to another with a similarity transform
(allowing translation, scaling, and rotation) that minimizes the
average Euclidean distance between shape points. The mean shape is
the mean of the aligned training shapes.
[0074] In some examples, a search for landmarks from the mean shape
aligned to the position and size of the face determined by a global
face detector is started. Such a search then repeats the steps of
suggesting a tentative shape by adjusting the locations of shape
points by template matching of the image texture around each point
and then conforming the tentative shape to a global shape model
until convergence occurs. In some systems, individual template
matches are unreliable, and the shape model pools the results of
the weak template matches to form a stronger overall classifier.
The entire search is repeated at each level in an image pyramid,
from coarse to fine resolution.
[0075] A transformation system can capture an image or video stream
on a client device (e.g., the electronic device 102) and perform
complex image manipulations locally on the electronic device 102
while maintaining a suitable user experience, computation time, and
power consumption. The complex image manipulations may include size
and shape changes, emotion transfers (e.g., changing a face from a
frown to a smile), state transfers (e.g., aging a subject, reducing
apparent age, changing gender), style transfers, graphical element
application, and any other suitable image or video manipulation
implemented by a convolutional neural network that has been
configured to execute efficiently on the electronic device 102.
[0076] In some examples, a computer animation model to transform
image data can be used by a system where a user may capture an
image or video stream of the user (e.g., a selfie) using an
electronic device 102 having a neural network operating as part of
a messaging client 104 operating on the electronic device 102. The
transformation system operating within the messaging client 104
determines the presence of a face within the image or video stream
and provides modification icons associated with a computer
animation model to transform image data, or the computer animation
model can be present as associated with an interface described
herein. The modification icons include changes that may be the
basis for modifying the user's face within the image or video
stream as part of the modification operation. Once a modification
icon is selected, the transform system initiates a process to
convert the image of the user to reflect the selected modification
icon (e.g., generate a smiling face on the user). A modified image
or video stream may be presented in a graphical user interface
displayed on the electronic device 102 as soon as the image or
video stream is captured, and a specified modification is selected.
The transformation system may implement a complex convolutional
neural network on a portion of the image or video stream to
generate and apply the selected modification. That is, the user may
capture the image or video stream and be presented with a modified
result in real-time or near real-time once a modification icon has
been selected. Further, the modification may be persistent while
the video stream is being captured, and the selected modification
icon remains toggled. Machine taught neural networks may be used to
enable such modifications.
[0077] The graphical user interface, presenting the modification
performed by the transform system, may supply the user with
additional interaction options. Such options may be based on the
interface used to initiate the content capture and selection of a
particular computer animation model (e.g., initiation from a
content creator user interface). In various examples, a
modification may be persistent after an initial selection of a
modification icon. The user may toggle the modification on or off
by tapping or otherwise selecting the face being modified by the
transformation system and store it for later viewing or browse to
other areas of the imaging application. Where multiple faces are
modified by the transformation system, the user may toggle the
modification on or off globally by tapping or selecting a single
face modified and displayed within a graphical user interface. In
some examples, individual faces, among a group of multiple faces,
may be individually modified, or such modifications may be
individually toggled by tapping or selecting the individual face or
a series of individual faces displayed within the graphical user
interface.
[0078] A story table 314 stores data regarding collections of
messages and associated image, video, or audio data, which are
compiled into a collection (e.g., a story or a gallery). The
creation of a particular collection may be initiated by a
particular user (e.g., each user for which a record is maintained
in the entity table 306). A user may create a "personal story" in
the form of a collection of content that has been created and
sent/broadcast by that user. To this end, the user interface of the
messaging client 104 may include an icon that is user-selectable to
enable a sending user to add specific content to his or her
personal story.
[0079] A collection may also constitute a "live story," which is a
collection of content from multiple users that is created manually,
automatically, or using a combination of manual and automatic
techniques. For example, a "live story" may constitute a curated
stream of user-submitted content from varies locations and events.
Users whose client devices have location services enabled and are
at a common location event at a particular time may, for example,
be presented with an option, via a user interface of the messaging
client 104, to contribute content to a particular live story. The
live story may be identified to the user by the messaging client
104, based on his or her location. The end result is a "live story"
told from a community perspective.
[0080] A further type of content collection is known as a "location
story," which enables a user whose electronic device 102 is located
within a specific geographic location (e.g., on a college or
university campus) to contribute to a particular collection. In
some examples, a contribution to a location story may require a
second degree of authentication to verify that the end user belongs
to a specific organization or other entity (e.g., is a student on
the university campus).
[0081] As mentioned above, the video table 304 stores video data
that, in one example, is associated with messages for which records
are maintained within the message table 302. Similarly, the image
table 312 stores image data associated with messages for which
message data is stored in the entity table 306. The entity table
306 may associate various augmentations from the augmentation table
310 with various images and videos stored in the image table 312
and the video table 304.
[0082] Data Communications Architecture
[0083] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a
message 400, according to some examples, generated by a messaging
client 104 for communication to a further messaging client 104 or
the messaging server 118. The content of a particular message 400
is used to populate the message table 302 stored within the
database 126, accessible by the messaging server 118. Similarly,
the content of a message 400 is stored in memory as "in-transit" or
"in-flight" data of the electronic device 102 or the application
servers 114. A message 400 is shown to include the following
example components: [0084] message identifier 402: a unique
identifier that identifies the message 400. [0085] message text
payload 404: text, to be generated by a user via a user interface
of the electronic device 102, and that is included in the message
400. [0086] message image payload 406: image data, captured by a
camera component of an electronic device 102 or retrieved from a
memory component of an electronic device 102, and that is included
in the message 400. Image data for a sent or received message 400
may be stored in the image table 312. [0087] message video payload
408: video data, captured by a camera component or retrieved from a
memory component of the electronic device 102, and that is included
in the message 400. Video data for a sent or received message 400
may be stored in the video table 304. [0088] message audio payload
410: audio data, captured by a microphone or retrieved from a
memory component of the electronic device 102, and that is included
in the message 400. [0089] message augmentation data 412:
augmentation data (e.g., filters, stickers, or other annotations or
enhancements) that represents augmentations to be applied to
message image payload 406, message video payload 408, or message
audio payload 410 of the message 400. Augmentation data for a sent
or received message 400 may be stored in the augmentation table
310. [0090] message duration parameter 414: parameter value
indicating, in seconds, the amount of time for which content of the
message (e.g., the message image payload 406, message video payload
408, message audio payload 410) is to be presented or made
accessible to a user via the messaging client 104. [0091] message
geolocation parameter 416: geolocation data (e.g., latitudinal and
longitudinal coordinates) associated with the content payload of
the message. Multiple message geolocation parameter 416 values may
be included in the payload, each of these parameter values being
associated with respect to content items included in the content
(e.g., a specific image into within the message image payload 406,
or a specific video in the message video payload 408). [0092]
message story identifier 418: identifier values identifying one or
more content collections (e.g., "stories" identified in the story
table 314) with which a particular content item in the message
image payload 406 of the message 400 is associated. For example,
multiple images within the message image payload 406 may each be
associated with multiple content collections using identifier
values. [0093] message tag 420: each message 400 may be tagged with
multiple tags, each of which is indicative of the subject matter of
content included in the message payload. For example, where a
particular image included in the message image payload 406 depicts
an animal (e.g., a lion), a tag value may be included within the
message tag 420 that is indicative of the relevant animal. Tag
values may be generated manually, based on user input, or may be
automatically generated using, for example, image recognition.
[0094] message sender identifier 422: an identifier (e.g., a
messaging system identifier, email address, or device identifier)
indicative of a user of the Client device 102 on which the message
400 was generated and from which the message 400 was sent. [0095]
message receiver identifier 424: an identifier (e.g., a messaging
system identifier, email address, or device identifier) indicative
of a user of the electronic device 102 to which the message 400 is
addressed.
[0096] The contents (e.g., values) of the various components of
message 400 may be pointers to locations in tables within which
content data values are stored. For example, an image value in the
message image payload 406 may be a pointer to (or address of) a
location within an image table 312. Similarly, values within the
message video payload 408 may point to data stored within a video
table 304, values stored within the message augmentations 412 may
point to data stored in an augmentation table 310, values stored
within the message story identifier 418 may point to data stored in
a story table 314, and values stored within the message sender
identifier 422 and the message receiver identifier 424 may point to
user records stored within an entity table 306.
[0097] Time-Based Access Limitation Architecture
[0098] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an
access-limiting process 500, in terms of which access to content
(e.g., an ephemeral message 502, and associated multimedia payload
of data) or a content collection (e.g., an ephemeral message group
504) may be time-limited (e.g., made ephemeral).
[0099] An ephemeral message 502 is shown to be associated with a
message duration parameter 506, the value of which determines an
amount of time that the ephemeral message 502 will be displayed to
a receiving user of the ephemeral message 502 by the messaging
client 104. In one example, an ephemeral message 502 is viewable by
a receiving user for up to a maximum of 10 seconds, depending on
the amount of time that the sending user specifies using the
message duration parameter 506.
[0100] The message duration parameter 506 and the message receiver
identifier 424 are shown to be inputs to a message timer 510, which
is responsible for determining the amount of time that the
ephemeral message 502 is shown to a particular receiving user
identified by the message receiver identifier 424. In particular,
the ephemeral message 502 will only be shown to the relevant
receiving user for a time period determined by the value of the
message duration parameter 506. The message timer 510 is shown to
provide output to a more generalized ephemeral timer system 202,
which is responsible for the overall timing of display of content
(e.g., an ephemeral message 502) to a receiving user.
[0101] The ephemeral message 502 is shown in FIG. 5 to be included
within an ephemeral message group 504 (e.g., a collection of
messages in a personal story, or an event story). The ephemeral
message group 504 has an associated group duration parameter 508, a
value of which determines a time duration for which the ephemeral
message group 504 is presented and accessible to users of the
messaging system 100. The group duration parameter 508, for
example, may be the duration of a music concert, where the
ephemeral message group 504 is a collection of content pertaining
to that concert. Alternatively, a user (either the owning user or a
curator user) may specify the value for the group duration
parameter 508 when performing the setup and creation of the
ephemeral message group 504.
[0102] Additionally, each ephemeral message 502 within the
ephemeral message group 504 has an associated group participation
parameter 512, a value of which determines the duration of time for
which the ephemeral message 502 will be accessible within the
context of the ephemeral message group 504. Accordingly, a
particular ephemeral message group 504 may "expire" and become
inaccessible within the context of the ephemeral message group 504,
prior to the ephemeral message group 504 itself expiring in terms
of the group duration parameter 508. The group duration parameter
508, group participation parameter 512, and message receiver
identifier 424 each provide input to a group timer 514, which
operationally determines, firstly, whether a particular ephemeral
message 502 of the ephemeral message group 504 will be displayed to
a particular receiving user and, if so, for how long. Note that the
ephemeral message group 504 is also aware of the identity of the
particular receiving user as a result of the message receiver
identifier 424.
[0103] Accordingly, the group timer 514 operationally controls the
overall lifespan of an associated ephemeral message group 504, as
well as an individual ephemeral message 502 included in the
ephemeral message group 504. In one example, each and every
ephemeral message 502 within the ephemeral message group 504
remains viewable and accessible for a time period specified by the
group duration parameter 508. In a further example, a certain
ephemeral message 502 may expire, within the context of ephemeral
message group 504, based on a group participation parameter 512.
Note that a message duration parameter 506 may still determine the
duration of time for which a particular ephemeral message 502 is
displayed to a receiving user, even within the context of the
ephemeral message group 504. Accordingly, the message duration
parameter 506 determines the duration of time that a particular
ephemeral message 502 is displayed to a receiving user, regardless
of whether the receiving user is viewing that ephemeral message 502
inside or outside the context of an ephemeral message group
504.
[0104] The ephemeral timer system 202 may furthermore operationally
remove a particular ephemeral message 502 from the ephemeral
message group 504 based on a determination that it has exceeded an
associated group participation parameter 512. For example, when a
sending user has established a group participation parameter 512 of
24 hours from posting, the ephemeral timer system 202 will remove
the relevant ephemeral message 502 from the ephemeral message group
504 after the specified 24 hours. The ephemeral timer system 202
also operates to remove an ephemeral message group 504 when either
the group participation parameter 512 for each and every ephemeral
message 502 within the ephemeral message group 504 has expired, or
when the ephemeral message group 504 itself has expired in terms of
the group duration parameter 508.
[0105] In certain use cases, a creator of a particular ephemeral
message group 504 may specify an indefinite group duration
parameter 508. In this case, the expiration of the group
participation parameter 512 for the last remaining ephemeral
message 502 within the ephemeral message group 504 will determine
when the ephemeral message group 504 itself expires. In this case,
a new ephemeral message 502, added to the ephemeral message group
504, with a new group participation parameter 512, effectively
extends the life of an ephemeral message group 504 to equal the
value of the group participation parameter 512.
[0106] Responsive to the ephemeral timer system 202 determining
that an ephemeral message group 504 has expired (e.g., is no longer
accessible), the ephemeral timer system 202 communicates with the
messaging system 100 (and, for example, specifically the messaging
client 104) to cause an indicium (e.g., an icon) associated with
the relevant ephemeral message group 504 to no longer be displayed
within a user interface of the messaging client 104. Similarly,
when the ephemeral timer system 202 determines that the message
duration parameter 506 for a particular ephemeral message 502 has
expired, the ephemeral timer system 202 causes the messaging client
104 to no longer display an indicium (e.g., an icon or textual
identification) associated with the ephemeral message 502.
[0107] FIG. 6 is a diagram 600 illustrating one example of a
rotating marker 602 in accordance with some examples. In one
example, the rotating marker 602 is a digital object or image that
can be rendered as a two-dimensional image, a three-dimensional
image, an augmented reality (AR) image, mixed reality (MR) image,
or virtual reality (VR) image. The illustrated rotating marker 602
includes a stationary region 604 and a rotating region 606
positioned on the stationary regions 604. The rotating region 606
is positioned adjacent (on or near) the perimeter of the stationary
region 604 and rotates about a rotation axis 608.
[0108] In another example of a rotating marker (not shown), the
rotating marker may be a single image with a unique feature that
enables detection of rotating. In accordance with this example, the
image may be a circle with a small square adjacent the perimeter of
the circle, a circle with a cutout on the perimeter, or a face.
[0109] Referring back to FIG. 6, the rotating marker 602 includes
one or more adjustable parameters. Examples of adjustable
parameters include one or more of an angle 610 of the rotating
region 606 about the rotation axis 608 with respect to a fixed
position, a speed of rotation, and a direction of rotation. Other
example of adjustable parameters include a color of the stationary
region 604, a pattern of the stationary region 604, a color of the
rotating region 606, a pattern of the rotating region 606, or a
combination thereof. The adjustable parameters of the rotating
marker 602 correspond to features of viewing experiences presented
on one or more viewing electronic devices 102. The stationary
region 604 and the rotating region 606 can each be any media that
includes one or more of visual content, visual effects or other AR,
VR, and MR content items, overlays, image transformations, AR
images, and similar graphics, icons, digital pictures, or digital
objects.
[0110] As described in further detail below, a remote electronic
device 102 presents the rotating marker 602 (e.g., on a monitor of
a laptop, PC, or television) and one or more viewing electronic
devices 102 capture and interpret images of the rotating marker to
detect parameters of the rotating marker 602. The viewing
electronic device(s) 102 then present and update a viewing
experience in response to the detected parameters of the rotating
marker 602. For example, when the rotating region 606 is rotating
clockwise, the viewing electronic device 102 may update a gaming
viewing experience to include a "friendly" target and, when the
rotating region 606 is rotating counter-clockwise, the viewing
electronic device 102 may update the gaming viewing experience to
include a "friendly" target. When viewing electronic device(s) 102
are capturing and interpreting images of the same rotating marker
602, the users of those device 102 can share in a viewing
experience having common characteristics without the need for an
on-line synchronization connection.
[0111] In some examples, an animation function is applied to the
stationary region 604, the rotating region 606, or both, e.g., a
rotation function, translation function, or deformation function in
a two-dimensional, three-dimensional, AR, MR, or VR environment.
While the stationary region 604 or the rotating region 606 may be
enabled for animation, the rotating marker 602 as a whole is fully
animated. The animation of the rotating marker 602 is rendered as
the rotating region 604 or the stationary region 606 being rotated,
translated, or deformed around a rotational axis of the rotating
marker 602.
[0112] Still referring to FIG. 6, the rotating marker 602 can take
any shape or form and rendered as an icon, object, a media overlay
that includes visual content and visual effects or other AR, VR,
and MR content items, overlays, image transformations, AR images,
and similar graphics, icons, digital pictures, or digital objects.
The rotating marker 602 can also be rendered as an animation in
two-dimensional space, three-dimensional space, an AR environment,
an MR environment, or a virtual environment. The animation includes
a rotation animation function, deformation animation function,
translation animation function, or other animated visual effects.
In other examples, the rotating marker 602 is modified by applying
an animation to aspects of the rotating marker 602, such as the
rotation animation function or by moving the rotating region 606
around the stationary region 604 or around a rotational axis of the
stationary region 604. The animation can be configured at different
speeds, such as, slow, medium, or fast.
[0113] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a remote electronic device
700 (embodied as a laptop with a display device 702) presenting the
rotating marker 602 on a monitor 704 in accordance with some
examples. In some examples, multiple viewing electronic device 102
(not shown in FIG. 7) capture images of the rotating marker 602 as
it is being rendered on the monitor 704 of the display device 702.
The display device 702 can be any device display enabled to render
or display the rotating marker 602 or other images, such as a
computing device, laptop, desktop computer, smartphone, wearable
display device, television, or the like. For illustration purposes,
the display device 702 corresponds to a laptop that includes a
display device monitor 704. The rotating marker 602 is rendered at
the center of a coordinate plane projected on the display device
monitor 704. In other examples, the rotating marker 602 can be
rendered on the display device monitor 704 at any point or location
thereon.
[0114] As shown in FIG. 7, an animation function is applied to the
rotating marker 602. The rotating region 606 rotates about a
rotation axis 608 of the stationary region 604. The animation
function applied to the rotating marker 602 are functions altering
one or more parameters of the rotating marker 602, e.g., a rotating
animation, moving animation, or deforming animation of or within
the stationary region 604.
[0115] FIG. 8 is a perspective view 800 illustrating the rotating
marker 602 displayed on a remote electronic device 702 and on first
and second viewing electronic devices 102 in accordance with some
examples. As shown in FIG. 8, the rotating marker 602 is rendered
on each display of each viewing electronic device 102 as they
capture the rotating marker 602 being displayed on the remote
electronic device display monitor 704 of the laptop 702. The
rotating marker 602 is displayed at the center of viewing
electronic device display 802 and at the center of viewing
electronic device display 804.
[0116] Each viewing electronic device 102 monitors and captures the
animation of the rotating marker 602 as the rotating marker 602 is
being presented by the remote electronic device display monitor
704. In one example, the client devices 102 detect or capture the
rotating marker 602 displayed on display device 702 using cameras
integrated into their respective devices. In other examples, any
device that is enabled to capture images using image analysis
techniques and image recognition of visual marker routines and
processing can be used to detect and capture the rotating marker
602. As shown in FIG. 9A, the viewing client devices 102 are
capturing and detecting the rotating marker 602 displayed on
electronic device display monitor 704 from two different viewpoints
and perspectives. In some examples, the rotating marker 602 can be
captured from multiple viewpoints and visual perspectives relative
to the electronic device display monitor 704 and client devices 102
point of origin.
[0117] FIG. 9A is a perspective view illustrating a visual
experience (embodied as a gaming experience) displayed on the first
and second viewing electronic devices 102 in accordance with some
examples. A visual experience application, such as a visual
experience 902, is rendered and displayed on viewing electronic
device display 802 and viewing electronic device display 804 as
each device concurrently captures the rotating marker 602.
[0118] FIGS. 9B and 9C are illustrations for describing one gaming
visual experience. In FIGS. 9B and 9C, a representation of the
rotating marker 602 is presented. Around the perimeter of the
rotating marker stationary region 604 are selectable items 912. In
one example of the gaming visual experience, a user is able to
select an item 912 only when the rotating region 606 is rotating
counter-clockwise (FIG. 9B) and the rotating region 606 is within a
predefined distance of the item 912. When a user successfully
selects an item 912, a characteristic of the item is changed, e.g.,
the item's pattern. The rotating region 606 is controlled by an
application generating the rotating marker 602 such that it
randomly changes direction and speed.
[0119] In FIG. 9B, items 912a and 912b, which have been selected,
are depicted with a first display pattern 914a characteristic.
Items 912c, d, e, f have not been selected and have a second
display pattern 914b characteristic. In the illustration, rotating
region 606 is approaching item 912c, which will result in a user
being able to select item 912c.
[0120] When the rotating region 606 is rotating clockwise (FIG.
9C), the user is not able to select any of the remaining items
912c, d, e, f. Items 912c, d, e, f, which have not been selected,
and are currently not selectable, have a third display pattern 914c
characteristic.
[0121] FIGS. 9D and 9E are illustrations for describing another
gaming visual experience. In FIGS. 9B and 9C, an alternative
graphical representation (character 922 with an open mouth 926) for
the rotating marker 602 is presented on the viewing electronic
device display 802. The graphical representation 922 rotates such
that an eye of the character 922 corresponds in angular position to
the rotating region 606 from the rotating marker 602. The rotating
region 606 is controlled by an application generating the rotating
marker 602 such that it randomly changes direction and speed (which
results in the character 922 changing direction and speed when
captured and interpreted by a viewing electronic device 102.
[0122] Additionally, another character 924 is positioned on the
viewing electronic device display 802. A user of the viewing
electronic device 102 is able to control the position of the other
character 924 by rotating the phone (e.g., as determined based on
input from an IMU or through SLAM processing) which results in a
corresponding movement of the character 924 or through input on a
touchscreen display in which the user is able to drag the character
around the viewing electronic device display 802.
[0123] In one example of this gaming visual experience, a user
scores points by positioning the other character 924 in the mouth
926 of the character 922 when an adjustable feature of the
character 922 is in a first state and loses points when the other
character 924 is within the mouth 926 of the character 922 when the
adjustable feature of the character 922 is in a second state. The
state of the adjustable feature is tied to the rotation direction
of the rotating region 606 and is communicated to the user by the
color of the character 922. For example, if the rotating region 606
is rotating counter-clockwise (FIG. 9D), which is associated with
the first state, the character 922 may be presented with a first
color or pattern 928a. On the other hand, if the rotating region
606 is rotating clockwise (FIG. 9E), which is associated with the
second state, the character 922 may be presented with a second
color or pattern 928b.
[0124] FIG. 9F is an illustration for describing an artistic media
visual experience. In FIG. 9F, a visual image such as a scene with
a horn 940 is presented on the viewing electronic device display
802. In response to interpreting the rotating marker 602 presented
on the remote electronic device display monitor 704, adjustable
features such as an air icon 942 are presented when the rotating
region is rotating clockwise and another icon (not illustrated) is
presented with the rotating region is rotating counter-clockwise.
Additional adjustable features such as clash icons 944a, b may be
presented based on the rate of rotation. For example, below a
predefined rate of rotation, a first clash icon 944a may be
presented and, at or above the predefined rate of rotation, a
second clash icon 944b may be presented. Each of the icons may have
a corresponding volume level.
[0125] FIG. 9F additionally illustrates a visual experience
identifier (such as a barcode 950) presented on the remote
electronic device display monitor 704 for informing a client
electronic device 102 of which visual experience to present. The
visual experience identifier may be positioned on or adjacent the
rotating marker 602. An interior region 952 of the stationary
region 604 and an interior region 954 of the rotating region 606
may have adjustable features such as color or pattern to convey
additional information. For example, the type of horn to present
may be selected based on the color of the interior region 952 of
the stationary region 604.
[0126] FIGS. 10A-10E are flowcharts illustrating methods 1000,
1020, 1040, 1060, and 1080 for using a rotating marker associated
with a visual experience to enable offline synchronization of the
visual experience for multiple users of respective viewing
electronic devices 102. The methods may be implemented as
applications present on and executed by the respective devices.
While certain operations of the methods 1000, 1020, 1040, 1060, and
1080 are described as being performed by certain devices, in
different examples, different devices or a combination of devices
may perform these operations. In one example, one or more
operations described below as being performed by the viewing
electronic device 102 may also be performed in combination with
server-side computing device (e.g., the message messaging server
system 108), or third-party server computing device. Likewise, one
or more operations described below as being performed by the remote
electronic device 102 may also be performed in combination with
server-side computing device (e.g., the message messaging server
system 108), or third-party server computing device.
[0127] Although the below description of the methods refers to the
rotating marker system 216 running on client devices 102, other
systems and devices for viewing or interacting with visual
experiences based on the rotating marker system 216 will be
understood from the description herein. Although the flowcharts may
describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the
operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In
addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process
is terminated when its operations are completed. A process may
correspond to a method, a procedure, etc. The steps of a methods
may be performed in whole or in part, may be performed in
conjunction with some or all of the steps in other methods, or may
be performed by any number of different systems, such as the
systems described in FIGS. 1-9 and 11-13.
[0128] Flowchart 1000 depicts example steps for experiencing a
viewing experience at a viewing electronic device 102. At block
1002, a viewing electronic device 102 captures images of a rotating
marker 602. In one example, the viewing electronic device 102
captures images, presented on a display of a remote device display
monitor 702, with an integrated camera. Multiple viewing electronic
devices 102 may simultaneously capture images of a current state of
the rotating marker in order to share a visual experience. Example
visual experiences include gaming experiences and artistic media
experiences. Artistic media includes still or video images with
optional overlays.
[0129] At block 1004, the viewing electronic device 102 identifies
a visual experience. In one example, the viewing electronic device
102 identifies a separate visual identifier (e.g., a barcode) in
the captured images corresponding to a visual experience presented
on a monitor coupled to the remote client device. In another
example, the viewing electronic device 102 identifies a parameter
of the rotating maker corresponding to the visual experience. In
accordance with this example, a parameter such as the color of the
stationary region 604 may be identified that corresponds to the
visual experience. The viewing electronic device 102 may select the
visual experience from a plurality of visual experiences on or
available to the viewing electronic device 102. The viewing
electronic device 102 may use machine vision to compare the
captured images to previously captured images corresponding to
respective viewing experiences. A visual experience is identified
when a confidence threshold (e.g., 99.8%) is exceeded by a machine
vision algorithm.
[0130] At block 1006, the viewing electronic device 102 presents
the visual experience. The viewing electronic device 102 presents
the visual experience on a display of the viewing electronic
device. The viewing electronic device may present the visual
experience responsive to the identification and retrieval of the
visual experience.
[0131] At block 1008, the viewing electronic device 102 detects a
parameter(s) of the rotating marker 602. In one example, the
viewing electronic device 102 detects a parameter such as speed of
rotation, direction of rotation, a rotation angle, color(s) of a
region(s), pattern(s) of region(s). The viewing electronic device
102 may use machine vision to analyze the captured images to
determine parameters of the rotating marker 602.
[0132] At block 1010, the viewing electronic device 102 updates the
visual experience responsive to the detected parameter(s). The
viewing electronic device 102 presents the updated visual
experience on the display of the viewing electronic device. In one
example, the viewing electronic device 102 matches detected
parameters to previously stored adjustable features of the visual
experience and implements the matching adjustable features in the
visual experience.
[0133] At block 1012, the viewing electronic device 102 identifies
movement of the viewing electronic device. Movement of the viewing
electronic device 102 may be determined from an inertial
measurement unit (IMU), from the captured imaged using simultaneous
localization and mapping (SLAM) processing, or a combination
thereof.
[0134] At block 1014, the viewing electronic device 102 identifies
user input at the device. In one example, the viewing electronic
device 102 includes a touch sensitive display. In accordance with
this example, user input may be received via the touch sensitive
display.
[0135] At block 1014, the viewing electronic device 102 further
updates the visual experience responsive to the identified
movement/user input. In one example, sensed movement of the viewing
electronic device 102 results in a corresponding movement of a
character on a screen of the viewing electronic device. In another
example, use input sensed on the touch sensitive display in the
region of a selectable item results in selection of that item.
[0136] At block 1016, the viewing electronic device 102 maintains
and updates a score responsive to the detected parameter(s),
identified movement, and user input. For example, the viewing
electronic device 102 may maintain a tally in memory (and
optionally displayed on the display of the viewing electronic
device 102) and update the score by increasing the tally responsive
to some combinations of the detected parameter(s), identified
movement, and user input and by decreasing the tally responsive to
other combinations of the detected parameter(s), identified
movement, and user input.
[0137] Flowchart 1020 depicts example steps for experiencing the
viewing experience at another viewing electronic device 102. At
block 1022, another viewing electronic device 102 captures images
of the rotating marker, e.g., as described above with respect to
block 1002. At block 1024, the viewing electronic device 102
identifies the visual experience, e.g., as described above with
respect to block 1004. At block 1026, the viewing electronic device
102 presents the visual experience on the other device, e.g., as
described above with respect to block 1006. At block 1028, the
viewing electronic device 102 detect the parameter of the rotating
marker, e.g., as described above with respect to block 1008. At
block 1030, the viewing electronic device 102 update the visual
experience on the other device responsive to the detected
parameter, e.g., as described above with respect to block 1010.
[0138] Flowchart 1040 depicts example steps of a method for
selecting a visual experience for viewing on a viewing electronic
device 102. At block 1042, a viewing electronic device 102 detects
a parameter of the rotating marker, e.g., as described above with
respect to block 1008. At block 1044, the viewing electronic device
102 selects a visual experience to present from group of visual
experience stored or retrievable by the viewing electronic device
102 responsive to the detected parameter.
[0139] Flowchart 1060 depicts example steps of another method for
selecting a visual experience for viewing on a viewing electronic
device 102. At block 1062, a viewing electronic device 102 detects
a visual experience identifier. The viewing electronic device 102
may use machine vision to compare the captured images to previously
captured images corresponding to respective viewing experiences. A
visual experience is identified when a confidence threshold (e.g.,
99.8%) is exceeded by a machine vision algorithm. At block 1064,
the viewing electronic device 102 selects a visual experience from
a group of visual experiences responsive to the detected visual
experience identifier.
[0140] Flowchart 1080 depicts example steps of a method for
generating a rotating marker at a remote electronic device. At
block 1082, the remote client device 102 determines a visual
experience. In one example, the remote client device 102 randomly
identifies the visual experience by randomly selecting the visual
experience from one of a plurality of visual experiences stored in
the memory of the remote client device (e.g., responsive to a
software or hardware random number generator). In another example,
the remote client device 102 determines the visual experience by
receiving a selection (e.g., via a wireless communication) from a
viewing electronic device 102 that is viewing the remote client
device 102 and selecting the visual experience from one of a
plurality of visual experiences stored in the memory of the remote
client device 102 corresponding to the received selection.
[0141] At block 1084, the remote client device 102 present a visual
experience identifier corresponding to the selected visual
experience. In one example, the remote client device 102 presents a
separate visual identifier (e.g., a barcode) corresponding to the
selected visual experience on a monitor coupled to the remote
client device. In another example, the remote client device 102
presents the rotating maker with a parameter corresponding to the
selected visual experience. In accordance with this example, a
parameter such as the color of the stationary region 604 may be
identified for presentation that corresponds to the visual
experience.
[0142] Block 1086, the remote client device 102 generates
presentation parameters for the visual experience. In one example,
the remote client device 102 randomly identifies the presentation
parameters by randomly selecting one or more presentation
parameters (e.g., responsive to a software or hardware random
number generator) for the rotating marker 602. In accordance with
this example, the remote client device 102 may randomly select one
or more of an angular direction, direction of rotation, speed of
rotation, color(s) of the region(s), or pattern(s) of the region(s)
for the rotating marker 602.
[0143] Block 1088, the remote client device 102 presents the
rotating marker with the generated presentation parameter for image
capture by the viewing electronic devices. In one example, the
remote client device 102 presents the rotating maker 602 with
parameters corresponding to the generated presentation parameters
(block 1086). Blocks 1086 and 1088 may be continuously repeated for
the duration of the visual experience to change the rotating marker
602 being viewed by the viewing electronic device(s) 102 and, thus,
influencing the visual experience on the display of the viewing
electronic device(s) 102
Machine Architecture
[0144] FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic representation of the machine 1100
within which instructions 1110 (e.g., software, a program, an
application, an applet, an app, or other executable code) for
causing the machine 1100 to perform any one or more of the
methodologies discussed herein may be executed. For example, the
instructions 1110 may cause the machine 1100 to execute any one or
more of the methods described herein. The instructions 1110
transform the general, non-programmed machine 1100 into a
particular machine 1100 programmed to carry out the described and
illustrated functions in the manner described. The machine 1100 may
operate as a standalone device or may be coupled (e.g., networked)
to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine 1100 may
operate in the capacity of a server machine or a client machine in
a server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a
peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine 1100
may comprise, but not be limited to, a server computer, a client
computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet computer, a laptop
computer, a netbook, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital
assistant (PDA), an entertainment media system, a cellular
telephone, a smartphone, a mobile device, a wearable device (e.g.,
a smartwatch), a smart home device (e.g., a smart appliance), other
smart devices, a web appliance, a network router, a network switch,
a network bridge, or any machine capable of executing the
instructions 1110, sequentially or otherwise, that specify actions
to be taken by the machine 1100. Further, while only a single
machine 1100 is illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be taken
to include a collection of machines that individually or jointly
execute the instructions 1110 to perform any one or more of the
methodologies discussed herein. The machine 1100, for example, may
comprise the electronic device 102 or any one of a number of server
devices forming part of the messaging server system 108. In some
examples, the machine 1100 may also comprise both client and server
systems, with certain operations of a particular method or
algorithm being performed on the server-side and with certain
operations of the particular method or algorithm being performed on
the client-side.
[0145] The machine 1100 may include processors 1104, memory 1106,
and input/output I/O components 1102, which may be configured to
communicate with each other via a bus 1140. In an example, the
processors 1104 (e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Reduced
Instruction Set Computing (RISC) Processor, a Complex Instruction
Set Computing (CISC) Processor, a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a
Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated
Circuit (ASIC), a Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC),
another processor, or any suitable combination thereof) may
include, for example, a processor 1108 and a processor 1112 that
execute the instructions 1110. The term "processor" is intended to
include multi-core processors that may comprise two or more
independent processors (sometimes referred to as "cores") that may
execute instructions contemporaneously. Although FIG. 11 shows
multiple processors 1104, the machine 1100 may include a single
processor with a single-core, a single processor with multiple
cores (e.g., a multi-core processor), multiple processors with a
single core, multiple processors with multiples cores, or any
combination thereof.
[0146] The memory 1106 includes a main memory 1114, a static memory
1116, and a storage unit 1118, both accessible to the processors
1104 via the bus 1140. The main memory 1106, the static memory
1116, and storage unit 1118 store the instructions 1110 embodying
any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein.
The instructions 1110 may also reside, completely or partially,
within the main memory 1114, within the static memory 1116, within
machine-readable medium 1120 within the storage unit 1118, within
at least one of the processors 1104 (e.g., within the Processor's
cache memory), or any suitable combination thereof, during
execution thereof by the machine 1100.
[0147] The I/O components 1102 may include a wide variety of
components to receive input, provide output, produce output,
transmit information, exchange information, capture measurements,
and so on. The specific I/O components 1102 that are included in a
particular machine will depend on the type of machine. For example,
portable machines such as mobile phones may include a touch input
device or other such input mechanisms, while a headless server
machine will likely not include such a touch input device. It will
be appreciated that the I/O components 1102 may include many other
components that are not shown in FIG. 11. In various examples, the
I/O components 1102 may include user output components 1126 and
user input components 1128. The user output components 1126 may
include visual components (e.g., a display such as a plasma display
panel (PDP), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid crystal
display (LCD), a projector, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), acoustic
components (e.g., speakers), haptic components (e.g., a vibratory
motor, resistance mechanisms), other signal generators, and so
forth. The user input components 1128 may include alphanumeric
input components (e.g., a keyboard, a touch screen configured to
receive alphanumeric input, a photo-optical keyboard, or other
alphanumeric input components), point-based input components (e.g.,
a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, a joystick, a motion sensor, or
another pointing instrument), tactile input components (e.g., a
physical button, a touch screen that provides location and force of
touches or touch gestures, or other tactile input components),
audio input components (e.g., a microphone), and the like.
[0148] In further examples, the I/O components 1102 may include
biometric components 1130, motion components 1132, environmental
components 1134, or position components 1136, among a wide array of
other components. For example, the biometric components 1130
include components to detect expressions (e.g., hand expressions,
facial expressions, vocal expressions, body gestures, or
eye-tracking), measure biosignals (e.g., blood pressure, heart
rate, body temperature, perspiration, or brain waves), identify a
person (e.g., voice identification, retinal identification, facial
identification, fingerprint identification, or
electroencephalogram-based identification), and the like. The
motion components 1132 include acceleration sensor components
(e.g., accelerometer), gravitation sensor components, rotation
sensor components (e.g., gyroscope).
[0149] The environmental components 1134 include, for example, one
or cameras (with still image/photograph and video capabilities),
illumination sensor components (e.g., photometer), temperature
sensor components (e.g., one or more thermometers that detect
ambient temperature), humidity sensor components, pressure sensor
components (e.g., barometer), acoustic sensor components (e.g., one
or more microphones that detect background noise), proximity sensor
components (e.g., infrared sensors that detect nearby objects), gas
sensors (e.g., gas detection sensors to detection concentrations of
hazardous gases for safety or to measure pollutants in the
atmosphere), or other components that may provide indications,
measurements, or signals corresponding to a surrounding physical
environment.
[0150] With respect to cameras, the electronic device 102 may have
a camera system comprising, for example, front cameras on a front
surface of the electronic device 102 and rear cameras on a rear
surface of the electronic device 102. The front cameras may, for
example, be used to capture still images and video of a user of the
electronic device 102 (e.g., "selfies"), which may then be
augmented with augmentation data (e.g., filters) described above.
The rear cameras may, for example, be used to capture still images
and videos in a more traditional camera mode, with these images
similarly being augmented with augmentation data. In addition to
front and rear cameras, the electronic device 102 may also include
a 3600 camera for capturing 360.degree. photographs and videos.
[0151] Further, the camera system of an electronic device 102 may
include dual rear cameras (e.g., a primary camera as well as a
depth-sensing camera), or even triple, quad or penta rear camera
configurations on the front and rear sides of the electronic device
102. These multiple cameras systems may include a wide camera, an
ultra-wide camera, a telephoto camera, a macro camera and a depth
sensor, for example.
[0152] The position components 1136 include location sensor
components (e.g., a GPS receiver component), altitude sensor
components (e.g., altimeters or barometers that detect air pressure
from which altitude may be derived), orientation sensor components
(e.g., magnetometers), and the like.
[0153] Communication may be implemented using a wide variety of
technologies. The I/O components 1102 further include communication
components 1138 operable to couple the machine 1100 to a network
1122 or devices 1124 via respective coupling or connections. For
example, the communication components 1138 may include a network
interface Component or another suitable device to interface with
the network 1122. In further examples, the communication components
1138 may include wired communication components, wireless
communication components, cellular communication components, Near
Field Communication (NFC) components, Bluetooth.RTM. components
(e.g., Bluetooth.RTM. Low Energy), Wi-Fi.RTM. components, and other
communication components to provide communication via other
modalities. The devices 1124 may be another machine or any of a
wide variety of peripheral devices (e.g., a peripheral device
coupled via a USB).
[0154] Moreover, the communication components 1138 may detect
identifiers or include components operable to detect identifiers.
For example, the communication components 1138 may include Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) tag reader components, NFC smart
tag detection components, optical reader components (e.g., an
optical sensor to detect one-dimensional bar codes such as
Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code, multi-dimensional bar codes
such as Quick Response (QR) code, Aztec code, Data Matrix,
Dataglyph, MaxiCode, PDF417, Ultra Code, UCC RSS-2D bar code, and
other optical codes), or acoustic detection components (e.g.,
microphones to identify tagged audio signals). In addition, a
variety of information may be derived via the communication
components 1138, such as location via Internet Protocol (IP)
geolocation, location via Wi-Fi.RTM. signal triangulation, location
via detecting an NFC beacon signal that may indicate a particular
location, and so forth.
[0155] The various memories (e.g., main memory 1114, static memory
1116, and memory of the processors 1104) and storage unit 1118 may
store one or more sets of instructions and data structures (e.g.,
software) embodying or used by any one or more of the methodologies
or functions described herein. These instructions (e.g., the
instructions 1110), when executed by processors 1104, cause various
operations to implement the disclosed examples.
[0156] The instructions 1110 may be transmitted or received over
the network 1122, using a transmission medium, via a network
interface device (e.g., a network interface component included in
the communication components 1138) and using any one of several
well-known transfer protocols (e.g., hypertext transfer protocol
(HTTP)). Similarly, the instructions 1110 may be transmitted or
received using a transmission medium via a coupling (e.g., a
peer-to-peer coupling) to the devices 1124.
[0157] Software Architecture
[0158] FIG. 12 is a block diagram 1200 illustrating a software
architecture 1204, which can be installed on any one or more of the
devices described herein. The software architecture 1204 is
supported by hardware such as a machine 1202 that includes
processors 1220, memory 1226, and I/O components 1238. In this
example, the software architecture 1204 can be conceptualized as a
stack of layers, where each layer provides a particular
functionality. The software architecture 1204 includes layers such
as an operating system 1212, libraries 1210, frameworks 1208, and
applications 1206. Operationally, the applications 1206 invoke API
calls 1250 through the software stack and receive messages 1252 in
response to the API calls 1250.
[0159] The operating system 1212 manages hardware resources and
provides common services. The operating system 1212 includes, for
example, a kernel 1214, services 1216, and drivers 1222. The kernel
1214 acts as an abstraction layer between the hardware and the
other software layers. For example, the kernel 1214 provides memory
management, processor management (e.g., scheduling), component
management, networking, and security settings, among other
functionalities. The services 1216 can provide other common
services for the other software layers. The drivers 1222 are
responsible for controlling or interfacing with the underlying
hardware. For instance, the drivers 1222 can include display
drivers, camera drivers, BLUETOOTH.RTM. or BLUETOOTH.RTM. Low
Energy drivers, flash memory drivers, serial communication drivers
(e.g., USB drivers), WI-FI.RTM. drivers, audio drivers, power
management drivers, and so forth.
[0160] The libraries 1210 provide a common low-level infrastructure
used by the applications 1206. The libraries 1210 can include
system libraries 1218 (e.g., C standard library) that provide
functions such as memory allocation functions, string manipulation
functions, mathematic functions, and the like. In addition, the
libraries 1210 can include API libraries 1224 such as media
libraries (e.g., libraries to support presentation and manipulation
of various media formats such as Moving Picture Experts Group-4
(MPEG4), Advanced Video Coding (H.264 or AVC), Moving Picture
Experts Group Layer-3 (MP3), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), Adaptive
Multi-Rate (AMR) audio codec, Joint Photographic Experts Group
(JPEG or JPG), or Portable Network Graphics (PNG)), graphics
libraries (e.g., an OpenGL framework used to render in two
dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D) in a graphic content on a
display), database libraries (e.g., SQLite to provide various
relational database functions), web libraries (e.g., WebKit to
provide web browsing functionality), and the like. The libraries
1210 can also include a wide variety of other libraries 1228 to
provide many other APIs to the applications 1206.
[0161] The frameworks 1208 provide a common high-level
infrastructure that is used by the applications 1206. For example,
the frameworks 1208 provide various graphical user interface (GUI)
functions, high-level resource management, and high-level location
services. The frameworks 1208 can provide a broad spectrum of other
APIs that can be used by the applications 1206, some of which may
be specific to a particular operating system or platform.
[0162] In an example, the applications 1206 may include a home
application 1236, a contacts application 1230, a browser
application 1232, a book reader application 1234, a location
application 1242, a media application 1244, a messaging application
1246, a visual experience 1248, and a broad assortment of other
applications such as a third-party application 1240. The
applications 1206 are programs that execute functions defined in
the programs. Various programming languages can be employed to
create one or more of the applications 1206, structured in a
variety of manners, such as object-oriented programming languages
(e.g., Objective-C, Java, or C++) or procedural programming
languages (e.g., C or assembly language). In a specific example,
the third-party application 1240 (e.g., an application developed
using the ANDROID.TM. or IOS.TM. software development kit (SDK) by
an entity other than the vendor of the particular platform) may be
mobile software running on a mobile operating system such as
IOS.TM., ANDROID.TM., WINDOWS.RTM. Phone, or another mobile
operating system. In this example, the third-party application 1240
can invoke the API calls 1250 provided by the operating system 1212
to facilitate functionality described herein.
[0163] Processing Components
[0164] Turning now to FIG. 13, there is shown a diagrammatic
representation of a processing environment 1300, which includes a
processor 1302, a processor 1306, and a processor 1308 (e.g., a
GPU, CPU, or combination thereof).
[0165] The processor 1302 is shown to be coupled to a power source
1304, and to include (either permanently configured or temporarily
instantiated) modules, namely a rotating marker component 1310. The
rotating marker component 1310 on a remote client device
operationally generates a rotating marker. The rotating marker
component 1310 on a viewing client device causes a viewing
experience responsive to the rotating marker to be displayed on a
display interface of a first viewing electronic device and a second
viewing electronic device. The rotating marker component 1310 on
the viewing client device(s) identifies a viewing experience,
presents the viewing experience on a display of the respective
viewing client device, detects parameters of the rotating marker
from images captured by the respective viewing client device, and
updates the viewing experience in response to the detected
parameters. As illustrated, the processor 1302 is communicatively
coupled to both the processor 1306 and the processor 1308.
Glossary
[0166] "Carrier signal" refers to any intangible medium that is
capable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions for
execution by the machine, and includes digital or analog
communications signals or other intangible media to facilitate
communication of such instructions. Instructions may be transmitted
or received over a network using a transmission medium via a
network interface device.
[0167] "Client device" refers to any machine that interfaces to a
communications network to obtain resources from one or more server
systems or other client devices. A client device may be, but is not
limited to, a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop, portable
digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, tablets, ultrabooks,
netbooks, laptops, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or
programmable consumer electronics, game consoles, set-top boxes, or
any other communication device that a user may use to access a
network.
[0168] "Communication network" refers to one or more portions of a
network that may be an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a
virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a
wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN
(WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), the Internet, a portion
of the Internet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network
(PSTN), a plain old telephone service (POTS) network, a cellular
telephone network, a wireless network, a Wi-Fi.RTM. network,
another type of network, or a combination of two or more such
networks. For example, a network or a portion of a network may
include a wireless or cellular network and the coupling may be a
Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) connection, a Global System
for Mobile communications (GSM) connection, or other types of
cellular or wireless coupling. In this example, the coupling may
implement any of a variety of types of data transfer technology,
such as Single Carrier Radio Transmission Technology (1.times.RTT),
Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) technology, General Packet Radio
Service (GPRS) technology, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution
(EDGE) technology, third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)
including 3G, fourth generation wireless (4G) networks, Universal
Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High Speed Packet Access
(HSPA), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX),
Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, others defined by various
standard-setting organizations, other long-range protocols, or
other data transfer technology.
[0169] "Component" refers to a device, physical entity, or logic
having boundaries defined by function or subroutine calls, branch
points, APIs, or other technologies that provide for the
partitioning or modularization of particular processing or control
functions. Components may be combined via their interfaces with
other components to carry out a machine process. A component may be
a packaged functional hardware unit designed for use with other
components and a part of a program that usually performs a
particular function of related functions. Components may constitute
either software components (e.g., code embodied on a
machine-readable medium) or hardware components. A "hardware
component" is a tangible unit capable of performing certain
operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain physical
manner. In various examples, one or more computer systems (e.g., a
standalone computer system, a client computer system, or a server
computer system) or one or more hardware components of a computer
system (e.g., a processor or a group of processors) may be
configured by software (e.g., an application or application
portion) as a hardware component that operates to perform certain
operations as described herein. A hardware component may also be
implemented mechanically, electronically, or any suitable
combination thereof. For example, a hardware component may include
dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured to
perform certain operations. A hardware component may be a
special-purpose processor, such as a field-programmable gate array
(FPGA) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). A
hardware component may also include programmable logic or circuitry
that is temporarily configured by software to perform certain
operations. For example, a hardware component may include software
executed by a general-purpose processor or other programmable
processor. Once configured by such software, hardware components
become specific machines (or specific components of a machine)
uniquely tailored to perform the configured functions and are no
longer general-purpose processors. It will be appreciated that the
decision to implement a hardware component mechanically, in
dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily
configured circuitry (e.g., configured by software), may be driven
by cost and time considerations. Accordingly, the phrase "hardware
component" (or "hardware-implemented component") should be
understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that
is physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g.,
hardwired), or temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate
in a certain manner or to perform certain operations described
herein. Considering examples in which hardware components are
temporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each of the hardware
components need not be configured or instantiated at any one
instance in time. For example, where a hardware component comprises
a general-purpose processor configured by software to become a
special-purpose processor, the general-purpose processor may be
configured as respectively different special-purpose processors
(e.g., comprising different hardware components) at different
times. Software accordingly configures a particular processor or
processors, for example, to constitute a particular hardware
component at one instance of time and to constitute a different
hardware component at a different instance of time. Hardware
components can provide information to, and receive information
from, other hardware components. Accordingly, the described
hardware components may be regarded as being communicatively
coupled. Where multiple hardware components exist
contemporaneously, communications may be achieved through signal
transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuits and buses) between or
among two or more of the hardware components. In examples in which
multiple hardware components are configured or instantiated at
different times, communications between such hardware components
may be achieved, for example, through the storage and retrieval of
information in memory structures to which the multiple hardware
components have access. For example, one hardware component may
perform an operation and store the output of that operation in a
memory device to which it is communicatively coupled. A further
hardware component may then, at a later time, access the memory
device to retrieve and process the stored output. Hardware
components may also initiate communications with input or output
devices, and can operate on a resource (e.g., a collection of
information). The various operations of example methods described
herein may be performed, at least partially, by one or more
processors that are temporarily configured (e.g., by software) or
permanently configured to perform the relevant operations. Whether
temporarily or permanently configured, such processors may
constitute processor-implemented components that operate to perform
one or more operations or functions described herein. As used
herein, "processor-implemented component" refers to a hardware
component implemented using one or more processors. Similarly, the
methods described herein may be at least partially
processor-implemented, with a particular processor or processors
being an example of hardware. For example, at least some of the
operations of a method may be performed by one or more processors
1004 or processor-implemented components. Moreover, the one or more
processors may also operate to support performance of the relevant
operations in a "cloud computing" environment or as a "software as
a service" (SaaS). For example, at least some of the operations may
be performed by a group of computers (as examples of machines
including processors), with these operations being accessible via a
network (e.g., the Internet) and via one or more appropriate
interfaces (e.g., an API). The performance of certain of the
operations may be distributed among the processors, not only
residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number of
machines. In some examples, the processors or processor-implemented
components may be located in a single geographic location (e.g.,
within a home environment, an office environment, or a server
farm). In other examples, the processors or processor-implemented
components may be distributed across a number of geographic
locations.
[0170] "Computer-readable storage medium" refers to both
machine-storage media and transmission media. Thus, the terms
include both storage devices/media and carrier waves/modulated data
signals. The terms "machine-readable medium," "computer-readable
medium" and "device-readable medium" mean the same thing and may be
used interchangeably in this disclosure.
[0171] "Ephemeral message" refers to a message that is accessible
for a time-limited duration. An ephemeral message may be a text, an
image, a video, and the like. The access time for the ephemeral
message may be set by the message sender. Alternatively, the access
time may be a default setting or a setting specified by the
recipient. Regardless of the setting technique, the message is
transitory.
[0172] "Machine storage medium" refers to a single or multiple
storage devices and media (e.g., a centralized or distributed
database, and associated caches and servers) that store executable
instructions, routines, and data. The term shall accordingly be
taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, and
optical and magnetic media, including memory internal or external
to processors. Specific examples of machine-storage media,
computer-storage media and device-storage media include
non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor
memory devices, e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory
(EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory
(EEPROM), FPGA, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as
internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and
CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks The terms "machine-storage medium,"
"device-storage medium," "computer-storage medium" mean the same
thing and may be used interchangeably in this disclosure. The terms
"machine-storage media," "computer-storage media," and
"device-storage media" specifically exclude carrier waves,
modulated data signals, and other such media, at least some of
which are covered under the term "signal medium."
[0173] "Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium" refers to
a tangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying
the instructions for execution by a machine.
[0174] "Signal medium" refers to any intangible medium that is
capable of storing, encoding, or carrying the instructions for
execution by a machine and includes digital or analog
communications signals or other intangible media to facilitate
communication of software or data. The term "signal medium" shall
be taken to include any form of a modulated data signal, carrier
wave, and so forth. The term "modulated data signal" means a signal
that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such
a matter as to encode information in the signal. The terms
"transmission medium" and "signal medium" mean the same thing and
may be used interchangeably in this disclosure.
* * * * *