US 12,136,157 B2
Interactive virtual reality broadcast systems and methods
Scott Reilly, Southfield, MI (US)
Assigned to TPHOENIXSMR LLC, Southfield, MI (US)
Filed by TPHOENIXSMR LLC, Southfield, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/706,872.
Application 17/706,872 is a continuation of application No. 17/073,640, filed on Oct. 19, 2020, granted, now 11,321,892.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/046,260, filed on Jun. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/028,103, filed on May 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0222882 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06T 19/00 (2011.01); G01P 13/00 (2006.01); G01S 17/58 (2006.01); G03H 1/00 (2006.01); G06F 3/01 (2006.01); G06F 3/04815 (2022.01); G06F 3/14 (2006.01); G06T 7/246 (2017.01); G06T 13/20 (2011.01); G06T 19/20 (2011.01); G06V 40/16 (2022.01); H04L 65/60 (2022.01); H04N 23/90 (2023.01); H04R 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G06T 13/205 (2013.01) [G01P 13/00 (2013.01); G01S 17/58 (2013.01); G03H 1/0005 (2013.01); G06F 3/012 (2013.01); G06F 3/013 (2013.01); G06F 3/04815 (2013.01); G06F 3/1454 (2013.01); G06T 7/246 (2017.01); G06T 19/006 (2013.01); G06T 19/20 (2013.01); G06V 40/174 (2022.01); H04L 65/60 (2013.01); H04N 23/90 (2023.01); H04R 3/005 (2013.01); G03H 2001/0088 (2013.01); G06F 2203/04806 (2013.01); G06T 2200/24 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10016 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30196 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30204 (2013.01); G06T 2219/024 (2013.01); G06T 2219/2016 (2013.01)] 58 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
arranging a plurality of performers at a plurality of performer locations on a performance area of a performance space such that the performers are separated by at least a predetermined distance, the predetermined distance being selected to prevent transmission of airborne pathogens between the plurality of performers while the plurality of performers are performing at the performance space;
receiving, with a virtual reality (VR) system controller, facial expression data from a plurality of facial expression sensors and body movement data from a plurality of body movement sensors, each facial expression sensor and each body movement sensor being associated with a performer of the plurality of performers, with the facial expression data from each facial expression sensor capturing facial expressions of the associated performer and the body movement data from each body movement sensor capturing body movements of the associated performer;
receiving, with the VR system controller, audio data from at least one microphone located in the performance space;
retrieving, with the VR system controller, a plurality of previously stored three-dimensional (3D) VR avatars associated with the plurality of performers and a previously stored VR performance area corresponding to and representing the performance area of the performance space from a data storage;
generating, with the VR system controller, a 3D VR performance environment showing the plurality of 3D VR avatars performing within the VR performance area and with each 3D VR avatar being manipulated to include the facial expressions and the body movements of the associated performer based on the facial expression data from the associated facial expression sensor for the associated performer and the body movement data from the associated body movement sensor for the associated performer;
generating, with the VR system controller, a VR broadcast of the 3D VR performance environment including the plurality of 3D VR avatars displayed on the VR performance area and including the audio data such that the facial expressions and the body movements of the plurality of 3D VR avatars are synchronized with the audio data; and
transmitting, with the VR system controller, the VR broadcast to at least one audience device, each audience device outputting the VR broadcast to at least one associated audience member.