Augmented reality direction orientation mask

A mobile platform comprising:

• a camera being operable to produce image in a direction that the camera is facing;
• an orientation sensor that provides data with respect to the direction the camera is facing;
• a processor connected to the camera and the orientation sensor;
• memory connected to the processor;
• a display connected to the memory;
• and
• the processor being configured to determine the direction that the camera is facing using the data from the orientation sensor;
• to generate a virtual mask having a variation that provides information about a direction to a target item from a position of the camera, the variation in the virtual mask being associated with a position of the target item so that an orientation of the variation in the virtual mask with respect to the position of the target item does not change;
• and to show on the display the image from the camera and a portion of the virtual mask that is in the direction that the camera is facing, wherein the variation in the virtual mask is visible in the display to provide the information about the direction to the target item.

A system for displaying an orientation between a viewer and a target item on a mobile platform comprising:

• means for producing an image of a direction that a viewer is facing;
• means for determining the direction the viewer is facing;
• means for generating a virtual mask, the virtual mask having a variation that provides information about a direction to a target item, the variation in the virtual mask being associated with a position of the target item so that an orientation of the variation in the virtual mask with respect to the target item does not change;
• and
• means for displaying the image of the direction that the viewer is facing and displaying a portion of the virtual mask that is in the direction that the viewer is facing, wherein the variation in the virtual mask is visible in the means for displaying the image to provide the information about the direction to the target item.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon that is executable by one or more processors, comprising:

• program code to cause the one or more processors to determine a direction that a viewer is facing;
• program code to cause the one or more processors to generate a virtual mask having a variation that provides information about a direction to a target item from a position of the viewer, the variation in the virtual mask being associated with a position of the target item so that an orientation of the variation in the virtual mask with respect to the position of the target item does not change;
• and
• program code to cause the one or more processors to cause a display to display an image of the direction that the viewer is facing and a portion of the virtual mask that is in the direction that the viewer is facing, wherein the variation in the virtual mask is visible in the display to provide the information about the direction to the target item.