Microsoft has patented yet another interesting technology and it appears to be for collaboration devices, such as the Surface Hub. First spotted by us, the patent titled “Providing a tele-immersive experience using a mirror metaphor” was filed back in late March 2017 and published by USPTO on August 7.
In the background section of the patent, the company explains that the tele-immersive collaboration system enables real-time interaction among two or more participants who are geographically separated from each other. It’s somewhat different than the traditional video conferencing system and it could be for a device like Surface Hub.
“One tele-immersive collaboration system provides a shared-space experience using a window metaphor. That is, this type of system gives a first participant the impression that he or she is looking through a transparent window at a second participant, who is located on the opposite side of the window,” the company explains the background of patent application.
The method is explained below:
“A tele-immersive environment is described herein that includes two or more set-ups. A local participant corresponds to a participant who is physically present at a particular local set-up; a remote participant corresponds to a participant who is physically present at a set-up that is remote with respect to the local set-up. Each set-up, in turn, includes mirror functionality for producing a three-dimensional virtual space for viewing by a local participant. That virtual space shows at least some of the participants as if the participants were physically present at a same location and looking into a mirror”.
