# US 2019/0320138 A1 · Real-world awareness for virtual reality > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0320138 A1 - Document ID: US20190320138A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/951,685 - Filed: 2018-04-12 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-12 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Jonathan S. KAUFTHAL - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190320138A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - H04N 7/15: Conference systems - G02B 27/017: {Head mounted} - G06V 40/168: {Feature extraction; Face representation} - H04M 3/42042: {Notifying the called party of information on the calling party (details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72)} - G02B 2027/0138: {comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera} - G02B 2027/014: {comprising information/image processing systems} - G02B 2027/0187: {slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract Techniques and systems for providing real-world awareness for virtual reality are disclosed. In response to determining that a virtual reality application is in use, an awareness module can begin monitoring for external signals by at least accessing an available sensor of a computing device. In response to detecting the at least one external signal, the awareness module can determine a level of notification for an interruption notification of the virtual reality application based on the at least one external signal. The awareness module can receive context of the virtual reality application. A type for the interruption notification of the virtual reality application can be determined based on the determined level of notification and the context of the virtual reality application. The interruption notification may be provided to the virtual reality application based on the determined type. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining that a virtual reality application is in use; in response to determining that the virtual reality application is in use, begin monitoring for external signals by at least accessing an available sensor of a computing device; detecting at least one external signal while monitoring for the external signals; in response to detecting the at least one external signal, determining a level of notification for an interruption notification of the virtual reality application based on the at least one external signal; receiving context of the virtual reality application; determining a type for the interruption notification of the virtual reality application based on the determined level of notification and the context of the virtual reality application; and providing the interruption notification to the virtual reality application based on the determined type. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one external signal comprises at least one of an audio signal or a video signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the type for the interruption notification of the virtual reality application comprises: accessing a mapping resource storing a mapping data structure to identify the type associated with the determined level of notification and the context of the virtual reality application. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the context of the virtual reality application comprises: detecting user input signals to the virtual reality application or accessing a graph structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the level of notification for the interruption notification of the virtual reality application comprises: from the at least one external signal, applying a signal analysis; assigning a notification value to a result of the signal analysis; and for each result with a notification value that meets a threshold value, mapping the notification value to an appropriate level of notification, the appropriate level being the level of notification for the interruption notification. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one external signal is a video signal and applying the signal analysis comprises: performing facial recognition on the video signal to identify one or more people in the video signal; obtaining user context information, wherein the user context information comprises contact information of the user of the virtual reality application; and determining whether each of the one or more identified people is a person of interest to the user based on the obtained contact information; and wherein assigning the notification value to the result of the signal analysis comprises: assigning the notification value based on whether each of the one or more people are determined to be the person of interest and the relationship to the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one external signal is an audio signal and applying the signal analysis comprises: performing voice recognition on the audio signal to identify one or more people in the audio signal; obtaining user context information, wherein the user context information comprises user contact information of the user of the virtual reality application; and determining whether each of the one or more identified people is a person of interest to the user based on the obtained contact information; and wherein assigning the notification value to the result of the signal analysis comprises: assigning the notification value based on whether each of the one or more people are determined to be the person of interest and the relationship to the user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one external signal is a video signal and applying the signal analysis comprises performing a movement analyses on the video signal to identify a movement level in the video signal and wherein assigning the notification value to the result of the signal analysis comprises assigning the notification value based on the identified movement level. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one external signal is an audio signal and applying the signal analysis comprises performing a sound analyses on the audio signal to identify a sound level in the audio signal and wherein assigning the notification value to the result of the signal analysis comprises assigning the notification value based on the identified sound level. ### Claim 10 A system comprising: a processing system; a storage system; and instructions for supporting real-world awareness stored on the storage system that, when executed by the processing system, direct the processing system to: determine that a virtual reality application is in use; in response to determining that the virtual reality application is in use, begin monitoring for external signals by at least accessing an available sensor of a computing device; detect at least one external signal while monitoring for the external signals; in response to detecting the at least one external signal, determine a level of notification for an interruption notification of the virtual reality application based on the at least one external signal; receive context of the virtual reality application; determine a type for the interruption notification of the virtual reality application based on the determined level of notification and the context of the virtual reality application; and provide the interruption notification to the virtual reality application based on the determined type. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one external signal comprises at least one of an audio signal or a video signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions that determine the type for the interruption notification of the virtual reality application further direct the processing system to: access a mapping resource storing a mapping data structure to identify the type associated with the determined level of notification and the context of the virtual reality application. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions that receive of the context of the virtual reality application further direct the processing system to: detect user input signals to the virtual reality application or accessing a graph structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions that determine of the level of notification for the interruption notification of the virtual reality application further direct the processing system to: from the at least one external signal, apply a signal analysis; assign a notification value to a result of the signal analysis; and for each result with a notification value that meets a threshold value, map the notification value to an appropriate level of notification, the appropriate level being the level of notification for the interruption notification. ### Claim 15 One or more computer readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, direct the processor to at least: determine that a virtual reality application is in use; in response to determining that the virtual reality application is in use, begin monitoring for external signals by at least accessing an available sensor of a computing device; detect at least one external signal while monitoring for the external signals; in response to detecting the at least one external signal, determine a level of notification for an interruption notification of the virtual reality application based on the at least one external signal; receive context of the virtual reality application; determine a type for the interruption notification of the virtual reality application based on the determined level of notification and the context of the virtual reality application; and provide the interruption notification to the virtual reality application based on the determined type. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The media of claim 15, wherein the at least one external signal comprises at least one of an audio signal or a video signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The media of claim 15, wherein the instructions that determine the type for the interruption notification of the virtual reality application further direct the processing system to at least: access a mapping resource storing a mapping data structure to identify the type associated with the determined level of notification and the context of the virtual reality application. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The media of claim 15, wherein the instructions that receive of the context of the virtual reality application further direct the processing system to at least: detect user input signals to the virtual reality application or accessing a graph structure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The media of claim 15, wherein the instructions that determine of the level of notification for the interruption notification of the virtual reality application further direct the processing system to at least: from the at least one external signal, apply a signal analysis; assign a notification value to a result of the signal analysis; and for each result with a notification value that meets a threshold value, map the notification value to an appropriate level of notification, the appropriate level being the level of notification for the interruption notification. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The media of claim 19, wherein the at least one external signal is a video signal and the instructions that apply the signal analysis further direct the processing system to at least: perform facial recognition on the video signal to identify one or more people in the video signal; obtain user context information, wherein the user context information comprises contact information of the user of the virtual reality application; and determine whether each of the one or more identified people is a person of interest to the user based on the obtained contact information; and wherein the instructions that assign the notification value to the result of the signal analysis further direct the processing system to at least: assign the notification value based on whether each of the one or more people are determined to be the person of interest and the relationship to the user.