Microsoft patents xbox head-mounted display

A Microsoft patent for a "head-mounted display device" has been discovered, once again suggesting the platform holder intends on augmenting the Xbox experience with gaming glasses technology.
http://cdn.medialib.computerandvideo...307337_320.jpgThe patent states the device is intended for "inviting a potential player to participate in a multiplayer game" and uses a combination of "eye-tracking information, depth information, facial recognition information, potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or potential player voice data" to do so.

The patent was discovered one year after aleaked document showed that Microsoft was internally developing Kinect glasses technology.
"The program associates the invitation with the potential player using the eye-tracking information, the depth information, the facial recognition information, the potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or the potential player voice data," explains the patent.
"The program matches a potential player account with the potential player. The program receives an acceptance response from the potential player, and joins the potential player account with a user account in participating in the multiplayer game."

Online multiplayer games are typically played across multiple hardware devices in various locations. Such games may associate a particular user to a hardware device via an abstraction, and make a connection through the abstraction to the device. Additionally, some multiplayer games may be played through a hardware device, such as a gaming console, that is typically located in a fixed location, such as an entertainment room in a home.
To invite others to join a multiplayer game, a user may access and work through a menu system with his or her hardware device to send an invitation to another player. Using such a menu system may be time-consuming and may involve the user focusing on the tasks associated with sending an invitation. Such a menu system may also offer a stilted and limited user experience that discourages a user from making spontaneous invitations. Additionally, if the user is actively playing a multiplayer game, using such a menu system to send invitations mid-game may take the user away from the game action. Further, where the user's hardware device is located in a fixed location, the user's ability to make face-to-face invitations in other locations may also be limited.
To address the above issues, a multiplayer game invitation system including a user head-mounted display device and related methods for inviting a potential player to participate in a multiplayer game are provided. In one example, a method may include receiving user voice data from a user and determining that the user voice data is an invitation to participate in a multiplayer game. Eye-tracking information, depth information, facial recognition information, potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or potential player voice data may be received. The invitation from the user may be associated with the potential player using the eye-tracking information, the depth information, the facial recognition information, the potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or the potential player voice data.
The method may include matching a potential player account with the potential player. The method may further include receiving an acceptance response from the potential player, and joining the potential player account with a user account associated with the user in participating in the multiplayer game.
Eye-tracking information, depth information, facial recognition information, potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or potential player voice data may be received. The invitation from the user may be associated with the potential player using the eye-tracking information, the depth information, the facial recognition information, the potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or the potential player voice data."

Images attached to the patent show people engaging in activities such as dancing, playing tennis and sword fighting in a virtual reality setting, suggesting the device can be used for more than just connecting with other players for multiplayer.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...unted-display/