Microsoft’s latest patent is about tele-immersive system experience, probably for Surface Hub

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”.