System and method for making persistent search in the metaverse to show spatial anchor information

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses methods and systems to enable persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a server from a client on a user device, a request to enable persistent search for a user in a metaverse environment. The request includes an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be enabled. The method further recites monitoring a location of the user device and pose of the user along with a direction of movement. The method also includes identifying a list of spatial anchors which becomes in-range or out of range of the user device. Lastly, the method recites transmitting, by the server to the client on the user device, a notification message includes the list of spatial anchors.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAKING PERSISTENT SEARCH IN THE METAVERSE TO SHOW SPATIAL ANCHOR INFORMATION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of digital world technologies and more particularly to a method and a system for making a persistent search in the digital world to show spatial anchor information to users.

[0002] 5G mobile communication technologies define broad frequency bands such that high transmission rates and new services are possible, and can be implemented not only in "Sub 6GHz" bands such as 3.5GHz, but also in "Above 6GHz" bands referred to as mmWave including 28GHz and 39GHz. In addition, it has been considered to implement 6G mobile communication technologies (referred to as Beyond 5G systems) in terahertz bands (for example, 95GHz to 3THz bands) in order to accomplish transmission rates fifty times faster than 5G mobile communication technologies and ultra-low latencies one-tenth of 5G mobile communication technologies.

[0003] At the beginning of the development of 5G mobile communication technologies, in order to support services and to satisfy performance requirements in connection with enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB), Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC), and massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC), there has been ongoing standardization regarding beamforming and massive MIMO for mitigating radio-wave path loss and increasing radio-wave transmission distances in mmWave, supporting numerologies (for example, operating multiple subcarrier spacings) for efficiently utilizing mmWave resources and dynamic operation of slot formats, initial access technologies for supporting multi-beam transmission and broadbands, definition and operation of BWP (BandWidth Part), new channel coding methods such as a LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) code for large amount of data transmission and a polar code for highly reliable transmission of control information, L2 pre-processing, and network slicing for providing a dedicated network specialized to a specific service.

[0004] Currently, there are ongoing discussions regarding improvement and performance enhancement of initial 5G mobile communication technologies in view of services to be supported by 5G mobile communication technologies, and there has been physical layer standardization regarding technologies such as V2X (Vehicle-to-everything) for aiding driving determination by autonomous vehicles based on information regarding positions and states of vehicles transmitted by the vehicles and for enhancing user convenience, NR-U (New Radio Unlicensed) aimed at system operations conforming to various regulation-related requirements in unlicensed bands, NR UE Power Saving, Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) which is UE-satellite direct communication for providing coverage in an area in which communication with terrestrial networks is unavailable, and positioning.

[0005] Moreover, there has been ongoing standardization in air interface architecture / protocol regarding technologies such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for supporting new services through interworking and convergence with other industries, IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) for providing a node for network service area expansion by supporting a wireless backhaul link and an access link in an integrated manner, mobility enhancement including conditional handover and DAPS (Dual Active Protocol Stack) handover, and two-step random access for simplifying random access procedures (2-step RACH for NR). There also has been ongoing standardization in system architecture / service regarding a 5G baseline architecture (for example, service based architecture or service based interface) for combining Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies, and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) for receiving services based on UE positions.

[0006] As 5G mobile communication systems are commercialized, connected devices that have been exponentially increasing will be connected to communication networks, and it is accordingly expected that enhanced functions and performances of 5G mobile communication systems and integrated operations of connected devices will be necessary. To this end, new research is scheduled in connection with eXtended Reality (XR) for efficiently supporting AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), MR (Mixed Reality) and the like, 5G performance improvement and complexity reduction by utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), AI service support, metaverse service support, and drone communication.

[0007] Furthermore, such development of 5G mobile communication systems will serve as a basis for developing not only new waveforms for providing coverage in terahertz bands of 6G mobile communication technologies, multi-antenna transmission technologies such as Full Dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas and large-scale antennas, metamaterial-based lenses and antennas for improving coverage of terahertz band signals, high-dimensional space multiplexing technology using OAM (Orbital Angular Momentum), and RIS (Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface), but also full-duplex technology for increasing frequency efficiency of 6G mobile communication technologies and improving system networks, AI-based communication technology for implementing system optimization by utilizing satellites and AI (Artificial Intelligence) from the design stage and internalizing end-to-end AI support functions, and next-generation distributed computing technology for implementing services at levels of complexity exceeding the limit of UE operation capability by utilizing ultra-high-performance communication and computing resources.

[0008] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

[0009] The digital worlds are a virtual environment designed to replicate real-world. The digital worlds may be constructed for various purposes, such as events, retail establishments i.e., shops or malls, or entertainment venues, to enable businesses to operate in an online environment. The services are often provided at specific virtual locations within Metaverse. For a user to interact with these services, an avatar is used within the digital world. To enhance user experience by providing relevant information based on their current location within the Metaverse, it is essential for local service providers such as the proprietors of shops or malls to display appropriate details about their products or services in a three-dimensional (3D) space within the Metaverse. This process involves the establishment of spatial anchors, which associate specific virtual locations with corresponding services or products. For example, in a virtual cake shop, spatial anchors may be placed within the 3D space of the shop to represent various cakes and products. These anchors may be visible to the users through virtual reality (VR) glasses, thereby allowing the users to view detailed information about the cakes and make purchasing decisions accordingly.

[0010] There are no existing method in 3GPP to provide spatial anchor details to the users based on his / her interest and current pose of the user. Thus, it is required to provide a solution for the abovementioned requirements which are a basic necessity to provide services in the metaverse by local service providers.

[0011] The information disclosed in this background of the disclosure section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

[0012] One or more shortcomings discussed above are overcome, and additional advantages and features are provided by the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the disclosure.

[0013] In an embodiment, a method for enabling persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a server from a client on a user device, a request to enable persistent search for a user in a metaverse environment, where the request includes an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be enabled, monitoring, by the server, a location of the user device and direction corresponding to pose of the user along with a direction of movement. The method also includes identifying, by the server, a list of spatial anchors which becomes in-range or out of range of the user device based on at least one of: the discovery filters for the persistent search, the location of the user device, the direction corresponding to the pose of the user, and information pertaining to surroundings of the user device, and transmitting, by the server to the client on the user device, a notification message includes the list of spatial anchors.

[0014] In another embodiment, the method further includes transmitting a request, by the server to another server, to determine a plurality of spatial anchors based on the discovery filters upon　receiving the request to enable the persistent search,　wherein the another server manages spatial anchors specific to the product　for which the persistent search is to be enabled.

[0015] In yet another embodiment, monitoring the location of the user device comprises monitoring a distance between the location of the user device and the spatial anchors of interest to determine whether the spatial anchor of interest becomes in-range or out-of-range of the user device and in the direction corresponding to the pose of the user.

[0016] In yet another embodiment, identifying the list of spatial anchors comprises identifying a list of spatial anchors which are matched with the discovery filter and which are within range of the user device and in the direction corresponding to the pose of the user.

[0017] In yet another embodiment, the discovery filters comprise at least one of: spatial anchor identifiers to enable detection of specific spatial anchors, spatial anchor associated service identifiers to enable detection of spatial anchors associated with a service identifier, location area to enable detection of spatial anchors within a location area, a range to enable detection of spatial anchors within a range of the user device, a current pose of the user along with the direction of the movement.

[0018] In yet another embodiment, a server to enable persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest is disclosed. The server comprises a transceiver and at least one processor operatively coupled to the transceiver. The at least one processor is configured to receive, from a client on a user device via the transceiver, a request to enable persistent search for a user in a metaverse environment, wherein the request comprises an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be enabled. The processor monitors a location of the user device and direction corresponding to pose of the user along with a direction of movement. The processor identifies a list of spatial anchors which becomes in-range or out of range of the user device based on at least one of: the discovery filters for the persistent search, the location of the user device, the direction corresponding to the pose of the user, and information pertaining to surroundings of the user device and transmits, to the client on the user device via the transceiver,　a notification message comprising the list of spatial anchors.

[0019] In yet another embodiment, a　method for enabling persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest is disclosed. The method comprises transmitting, to a server by a client of a user device, a request to perform persistent search for a user in a metaverse environment, wherein the request comprises an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be performed and receiving, from the server by the client of the user device,　a notification message comprising a list of spatial anchors of the interest.

[0020] In yet another embodiment, the discovery filters comprise at least one of: spatial anchor identifiers to enable detection of specific spatial anchors, spatial anchor associated service identifiers to enable detection of spatial anchors associated with a service identifier, location area to enable detection of spatial anchors within a location area, a range to enable detection of spatial anchors within a range of the user device, a current pose of the user along with a direction of movement.

[0021] In yet another embodiment, a user device to enable persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest is disclosed. The user device comprises a transceiver and at least one processor operatively coupled to the transceiver. The at least one processor is configured to transmit, to a server via the transceiver, a request to perform persistent search for a user in a metaverse environment, wherein the request comprises an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be performed and receive, from the server via the transceiver,　a notification message comprising a list of spatial anchors　of the interest.

[0022] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.

[0023] To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced.

[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a user device 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a sever 200 (also referred herein as a system) to enable persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates a scenario of providing spatial anchors to a user while the user navigates through path in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of a method 400 for enabling persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of a method for enabling persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of the　illustrative systems embodying the principles of the present subject matter. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flowcharts, flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo code, and the like represent various processes which may be substantially represented in computer readable medium and executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown.

[0030] For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the various embodiments and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

[0031] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory of the invention and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.

[0032] In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0033] While the disclosure　is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative falling within the spirit and the scope of the disclosure.

[0034] The terms "comprise", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, device, or method that comprises a list of components or steps　does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a device or system or apparatus proceeded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the device or system or apparatus.

[0035] The terms like "at least one" and "one or more" may be used interchangeably throughout the description.　The terms like "user device", "device", and "user equipment" may be used interchangeably throughout the description. The terms "system" and "server" may be used interchangeably throughout the description. In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the　accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. In the following description, well known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the description with unnecessary detail.

[0036] The present disclosure relates to digital worlds, such as Metaverse. The present disclosure extends the capabilities of spatial anchors within the digital worlds by enabling "persistent search." In order to access the spatial anchors at a specific location, users may enable the "persistent search". The persistent search allows the users to receive information about interested content which is nearby and possibly within line of sight. As of now, no method exists in 3GPP to enable persistent search for the user and provide spatial anchor details to the user based on his / her interest. The present disclosure enhances user experience by allowing the users to discover spatial anchors based on their specific needs, interests, and requirements. Typically, as users navigate through digital environment, they may need to manually search for spatial anchors related to their interests. However, this may be streamlined through the use of the persistent search feature. By enabling persistent search, users may specify their areas of interest, and the system may continuously provide information about spatial anchors relevant to the interests. The persistent search functionality leverages 5G network capabilities to deliver real-time updates about spatial anchors that match the user's preferences. As the user moves through the digital world, the user may receive information about nearby spatial anchors that align with the interests and are potentially within the user's line of sight. This minimizes the need for manual searching and enhances the efficiency of locating desired content. The persistent search feature facilitates an adaptive and user-centric approach to discover the spatial anchors in the digital world, thereby enhances experience by tailoring it to individual user preferences and movements.

[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a user device 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The user device 100 may comprise various elements, but not limited to, at least one processor 102, a transceiver 104, a memory 106, a client 108, but not limited thereto. The at least one processor 102 may be operatively coupled to the transceiver 104 and the memory 106. In an embodiment, a user immersed in a digital world may trigger request to enable persistent search. The client 108 of the user device 100 may send the request to a server 200. The request may comprise an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be performed. In an embodiment, the discovery filters may comprise at least one of: spatial anchor identifiers to enable detection of specific spatial anchors, spatial anchor associated service identifiers to enable detection of spatial anchors associated with a service identifier, location area to enable detection of spatial anchors within a location area, a range to enable detection of spatial anchors within a range of the user device, a current pose of the user along with a direction of movement.　In an embodiment, the location area of the user may be determined by any suitable location detection unit of the user device 100. In alternate embodiment, the user device 100 may obtain location information from any other device associated with the user, which may be communicatively coupled with the user device 100. In an embodiment, the range may be predefined by the user or the user may specify the value of the range while triggering the request. Further, the current pose of the user may be determined using any suitable sensor capable to detect the orientation / pose.

[0038] The server may process the requests and send a notification message comprising a list of spatial anchors　of the interest to the user device 100. The user device 100 may receive, from the server via the transceiver 104,　the notification message comprising a list of spatial anchors　of the interest which are within range of the user device and in a direction corresponding to the pose of the user. These anchors displayed to the users through virtual reality (VR) glasses to allow the user to view detailed information of the spatial anchors associated with the product. The spatial anchors may assist the user to make decisions accordingly. As the user moves in the metaverse, spatial anchors corresponding to location of the user and its surroundings may be continuously displayed to the user to assist him to locate object / places of his / her interest using the spatial anchors.

[0039] In this manner, the present disclosure may enable the users to continuously discover spatial anchors based on his / her interests. The present disclosure enables persistent search within 5G system application enabler layer. The present disclosure enhances the user experience within metaverse to enable use to locate object / places of his / her interest using spatial anchors.

[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a sever 200 (also referred herein as a system) to enable persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The server 200 may comprise various elements, but not limited to, at least one processor 202, a transceiver 204, a memory 206. The processor 202 may be operatively coupled to the transceiver 204 and the memory 206.

[0041] In an embodiment, when a user immersed in a digital world triggers a request to enable persistent search, the user device 100 may send a request to the server 200. The processor 202 of the server 200 may receive the request to enable persistent search for the user in the metaverse environment from the user device 100 via the transceiver 204. The request may comprises an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be enabled. In an embodiment, the discovery filters may comprise at least one of: spatial anchor identifiers to enable detection of specific spatial anchors, spatial anchor associated service identifiers to enable detection of spatial anchors associated with a service identifier, location area to enable detection of spatial anchors within a location area, a range to enable detection of spatial anchors within a range of the user device, a current pose of the user along with the direction of the movement. In an embodiment, the location area of the user may be determined by any suitable location detection unit of the user device 100. In alternate embodiment, the user device 100 may obtain location information from any other device associated with the user, which may be communicatively coupled with the user device 100. In an embodiment, the range may be predefined by the user or the user may specify the value of the range while triggering the request. Further, the current pose of the user may determined using any suitable sensor capable to detect the orientation / pose.

[0042] Upon receiving the request, the server 200 may monitor a location of the user device 216 and pose of the user along with a direction of movement. The server 200 may monitor a distance between the location of the user device 216 and the spatial anchors of interest to determine whether the spatial anchors of interest becomes in-range or out-of-range of the user device. Further, the processor 202 may identify a list of spatial anchors which becomes in-range or out of range of the user device 216 based on at least one of: the discovery filters for the persistent search, the location of the user device, direction corresponding to the pose of the user, and information pertaining to surroundings of the user device. In an embodiment, spatial anchors specific to the product　for which the persistent search is to be enabled may be managed by another server (not shown in figures). Thus, the server 200 may send a request to the another server to determine a plurality of spatial anchors based on the discovery filters upon　receiving the request to enable the persistent search. The another server may send the determined plurality of spatial anchors to the server 200. In another embodiment, the another server may be a part of the server 200.

[0043] Based on the received plurality of spatial anchors, the server 200 may identify a list of spatial anchors which are matched with the discovery filter and which are within range of the user device in a direction corresponding to the pose of the user. Upon identification, the processor 202 of the server 200 may transmit, via the transceiver 204, the list of spatial anchors to the user device 100 in a form of a notification message. The user device 100 may receive, from the server 200 via the transceiver 104,　a notification message comprising a list of spatial anchors　of the interest. The received spatial anchors may be shown to the user in the digital world / metaverse. These anchors may be displayed to the users through virtual reality (VR) glasses to allow the user to view detailed information of the spatial anchors associated with the product. The spatial anchors may assist the user to make decisions accordingly. As the user moves in the metaverse, spatial anchors corresponding to location of the user and its surrounding may be continuously displayed to the user to assist him to locate object / places of his / her interest using the spatial anchors.

[0044] In this manner, the present disclosure may enable the users to continuously discover spatial anchors based on his / her interests. The present disclosure enables persistent search within 5G system application enabler layer. The present disclosure enhances the user experience within metaverse to enable use to locate object / places of his / her interest using spatial anchors.

[0045] FIG. 3 illustrates a scenario of providing spatial anchors to a user while the user navigates through path in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, the user 302 may be at a train station and may be moving on a path having various stores, restaurants, etc. towards a platform. Another user 304 may be moving in opposite direction. According to the techniques of the present disclosure, much more than an augmented map may be provided to the user. In an embodiment, a system of the present disclosure may provide pathway guidance to the user 302. For example, when the user 302 is navigating to a specific destination, such as a train platform, the system may display a navigational path that guides the user 302 without obstructing his awareness of his immediate surroundings. The path may be presented, as shown by 306 (i.e., by showing gate 2 and platform 3) with high contrast to ensure clear visibility and may be designed to minimize distractions to maintain user safety and situational awareness.

[0046] In another embodiment, as the user 302 approaches a store, the present disclosure may provide relevant content that could be of interest to the user. For instance, if the user 302 is near a retail store, information such as the store's opening hours may be displayed, as shown by 308 (i.e., opens at 8:00 AM) in FIG. 3. This allows the user 302 to make informed decisions about their shopping activities based on current operational details.

[0047] In another embodiment, the present disclosure may provide personalized restaurant reminders. For example, in a dining context, the present disclosure may provide personalized messages based on the user's previous interactions, as shown by 310 (i.e., you had soup at this store last time) in FIG. 3. For example, if the user 302 is near a restaurant where they have dined in the past, the system may remind the user 302 of their previous visit and preferences, such as a specific dish they ordered, like soup. Such personalized reminders may enhance the relevance of the information provided and may influence the user's dining decisions.

[0048] In this manner, the accurate and effective presentation of localized services within digital worlds may be provided to the user to enhance the user experience and operational efficiency of digital worlds.

[0049] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of a method 400 for enabling persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The blocks of the flow diagram shown in FIG. 4 have been arranged in a generally sequential manner for ease of explanation; however, it is to be understood that this arrangement is merely　exemplary, and it should be recognized that the functionality / processing associated with method 400 (and the blocks shown in FIG. 4) can occur in a different order (for example, where at least some of the functionality / processing associated with the blocks is performed in parallel and / or in an event-driven manner).

[0050] At step 402, the method 400 recites transmitting, to a server by a client 108 on a user device 100, a request to perform persistent search for a user in a metaverse environment. The request may comprise an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be enabled. In an embodiment, the discovery filters may comprise at least one of: spatial anchor identifiers to enable detection of specific spatial anchors, spatial anchor associated service identifiers to enable detection of spatial anchors associated with a service identifier, location area to enable detection of spatial anchors within a location area, a range to enable detection of spatial anchors within a range of the user device 100, a current pose of the user along with the direction of the movement. In an embodiment, the location area of the user may be determined by any suitable location detection unit of the user device 100. In alternate embodiment, the user device 100 may obtain location information from any other device associated with the user, which may be communicatively coupled with the user device 100. In an embodiment, the range may be predefined by the user or the user may specify the value of the range while triggering the request. Further, the current pose of the user may be determined by using any suitable sensor capable to detect the orientation / pose.

[0051] At step 404, the method 400 receives, from the server 200 by the client 108 of the user device 100, a notification message comprising a list of spatial anchors of the interest. The received spatial anchors may be shown to the user in the digital world / metaverse. These anchors may be displayed to the users through virtual reality (VR) glasses to allow the user to view detailed information of the spatial anchors associated with the product. The spatial anchors may assist the user to make decisions accordingly. As the user moves in the metaverse, spatial anchors corresponding to location of the user and its surrounding may be continuously displayed to the user to assist him to locate object / places of his / her interest using the spatial anchors.

[0052] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of a method for enabling persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The blocks of the flow diagram shown in FIG. 5 have been arranged in a generally sequential manner for ease of explanation; however, it is to be understood that this arrangement is merely　exemplary, and it should be recognized that the functionality / processing associated with method 500 (and the blocks shown in FIG. 5) can occur in a different order (for example, where at least some of the functionality / processing associated with the blocks is performed in parallel and / or in an event-driven manner).

[0053] In block 502, the method 500 receives, by a server 200 from a client 108 on a user device 100, a request to enable persistent search for a user in a metaverse environment. The request may comprises an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be enabled. In an embodiment, the discovery filters may comprise at least one of: spatial anchor identifiers to enable detection of specific spatial anchors, spatial anchor associated service identifiers to enable detection of spatial anchors associated with a service identifier, location area to enable detection of spatial anchors within a location area, a range to enable detection of spatial anchors within a range of the user device 100, a current pose of the user along with the direction of the movement. In an embodiment, the location area of the user may be determined by any suitable location detection unit of the user device 100. In alternate embodiment, the user device 100 may obtain location information from any other device associated with the user, which may be communicatively coupled with the user device 100. In an embodiment, the range may be predefined by the user or the user may specify the value of the range while triggering the request. Further, the current pose of the user may be determined using any suitable sensor capable to detect the orientation / pose.

[0054] In block 504, the method 500 monitors, by the server 200, a location of the user device 100 and direction corresponding to pose of the user along with a direction of movement. The distance between the location of the user device 216 and the spatial anchors of interest may be monitored to determine whether the spatial anchors of interest becomes in-range or out-of-range of the user device.

[0055] In block 506, the method 500 identifies, by the server 200, a list of spatial anchors which becomes in-range or out of range of the user device based on at least one of: the discovery filters for the persistent search, the location of the user device, direction corresponding to the pose of the user, and information pertaining to surroundings of the user device. In an embodiment, spatial anchors specific to the product　for which the persistent search is to be enabled may be managed by another server (not shown in figures). The another server may be external to the server 200. Thus, the server 200 may send a request to the another server to determine a plurality of spatial anchors based on the discovery filters upon　receiving the request to enable the persistent search. The another server may send the determined plurality of spatial anchors to the server 200. In another embodiment, the another server may be a part of the server 200. Based on the received plurality of spatial anchors, the server 200 may identify a list of spatial anchors which are matched with the discovery filter and which are within range of the user device in the direction corresponding to the pose of the user.

[0056] In block 508, the method 500 transmits, by the server to the client 108 on the user device 100, a notification message comprising the list of spatial anchors. The spatial anchors may be shown to the user in the digital world / metaverse. These anchors may be displayed to the users through virtual reality (VR) glasses to allow the user to view detailed information of the spatial anchors associated with the product. The spatial anchors may assist the user to make decisions accordingly. As the user moves in the metaverse, spatial anchors corresponding to location of the user and its surroundings may be continuously displayed to the user to assist him to locate object / places of his / her interest using the spatial anchors.

[0057] In this manner, the present disclosure may enable the users to continuously discover spatial anchors based on his / her interests. The present disclosure enables persistent search within 5G system application enabler layer. The present disclosure enhances the user experience within metaverse to enable use to locate object / places of his / her interest using spatial anchors.

[0058] While　various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.　The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the detailed description.

[0059] The order in which the various operations of the methods are described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement the method. Additionally, individual blocks may be deleted from the methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, the methods can be implemented in any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof.

[0060] It may be noted here that the subject matter of some or all embodiments described with reference to Figs. 1-3 may be relevant for the methods and the same is not repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0061] The various operations of methods described above may be performed by any suitable means capable of performing the corresponding functions. The means may include various hardware and / or software component(s) and / or module(s), including, but not limited to a circuit, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or processor. Generally, where there are operations illustrated in Figures, those operations may be performed by any suitable corresponding counterpart means-plus-function components.

[0062] Furthermore, one or more computer-readable storage media may be utilized in implementing embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. A computer-readable storage medium refers to any type of physical memory on which information or data readable by a processor may be stored. Thus, a computer-readable storage medium may store instructions for execution by one or more processors, including instructions for causing the processor(s) to perform steps or stages consistent with the embodiments described herein. The term "computer-readable medium" should be understood to include tangible items and exclude carrier waves and transient signals, i.e., non-transitory. Examples include Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, hard drives, Compact Disc (CD) ROMs, Digital Video Disc (DVDs), flash drives, disks, and any other known physical storage media.

[0063] Certain aspects may comprise a computer program product for performing the operations presented herein. For example, such a computer program product may comprise a computer readable media having instructions stored (and / or encoded) thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors to perform the operations described herein. For certain aspects, the computer program product may include packaging material.

[0064] Various components, modules, or units are described in this disclosure to emphasize functional aspects of devices configured to perform the disclosed techniques, but do not necessarily require realization by different hardware units. Rather, as described above, various units may be combined in a hardware unit or provided by a collection of interoperative hardware units, including one or more processors as described above, in conjunction with suitable software and / or firmware.

[0065] As used herein, a phrase referring to "at least one" or "one or more" of a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, "at least one of: a, b, or c" is intended to cover: a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c. The terms "a", "an" and "the" mean "one or more", unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms "including", "comprising", "having" and variations thereof, when used in a claim, is used in a non-exclusive sense that is not intended to exclude the presence of other elements or steps in a claimed structure or method, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[0066] Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based here on. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1.A method for enabling persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest, the method comprising:receiving, by a first server from a client on a user device, a first request to enable the persistent search for a user in the metaverse environment, wherein the first request comprises an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be enabled;monitoring, by the first server, a location of the user device and a first direction corresponding to pose of the user along with a second direction of movement;identifying, by the first server, a list of the spatial anchors which becomes in-range or out-of-range of the user device based on at least one of: the discovery filters for the persistent search, the location of the user device, the first direction corresponding to the pose of the user, and information pertaining to surroundings of the user device; andtransmitting, by the first server to the client on the user device, a notification message comprising the list of the spatial anchors.2.The method of claim 1, further comprising:transmitting a second request, by the first server to a second server, to determine a plurality of the spatial anchors based on the discovery filters upon receiving the first request to enable the persistent search, wherein the second server manages the spatial anchors specific to the product for which the persistent search is to be enabled.3.The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the location of the user device comprises:monitoring distances between the location of the user device and the spatial anchors of the interest to determine whether the spatial anchors of the interest become in-range or out-of-range of the user device and in the first direction corresponding to the pose of the user.4.The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the list of the spatial anchors comprises identifying the list of the spatial anchors which are matched with the discovery filters and which are within range of the user device and in the first direction corresponding to the pose of the user.5.The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery filters comprise at least one of:spatial anchor identifiers to enable detection of specific spatial anchors,spatial anchor associated service identifiers to enable detection of the spatial anchors associated with the spatial anchor associated service identifiers,a location area to enable detection of the spatial anchors within the location area,a range to enable detection of the spatial anchors within the range of the user device, anda current pose of the user along with the second direction of the movement.6.A first server to enable persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest, the first server comprises:a transceiver; andat least one processor operatively coupled to the transceiver, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:receive, from a client on a user device via the transceiver, a first request to enable the persistent search for a user in the metaverse environment, wherein the first request comprises an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be enabled;monitor a location of the user device and a first direction corresponding to pose of the user along with a second direction of movement;identify a list of the spatial anchors which becomes in-range or out-of-range of the user device based on at least one of: the discovery filters for the persistent search, the location of the user device, the first direction corresponding to the pose of the user, and information pertaining to surroundings of the user device; andtransmit, to the client on the user device via the transceiver, a notification message comprising the list of the spatial anchors.7.The first server of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:transmit a second request to a second server to determine a plurality of the spatial anchors based on the discovery filters upon receiving the first request to enable the persistent search, wherein the second server manages the spatial anchors specific to the product for which the persistent search is to be enabled.8.The first server of claim 6, wherein to monitor the location of the user device, the at least one processor is configured to:monitor distances between the location of the user device and the spatial anchors of the interest to determine whether the spatial anchors of the interest become in-range or out-of-range of the user device and in the first direction corresponding to the pose of the user.9.The first server of claim 6, wherein to identify the list of the spatial anchors, the at least one processor is configured to:identify the list of the spatial anchors which are matched with the discovery filters and which are within range of the user device and in the first direction corresponding to the pose of the user.10.The first server of claim 6, wherein the discovery filters comprise at least one of:spatial anchor identifiers to enable detection of specific spatial anchors,spatial anchor associated service identifiers to enable detection of the spatial anchors associated with the spatial anchor associated service identifiers,a location area to enable detection of the spatial anchors within the location area,a range to enable detection of the spatial anchors within the range of the user device, anda current pose of the user along with the second direction of the movement.11.A method for enabling persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest, the method comprising:transmitting, to a first server by a client of a user device, a request to perform the persistent search for a user in the metaverse environment, wherein the request comprises an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be performed; andreceiving, from the first server by the client of the user device, a notification message comprising a list of the spatial anchors of the interest.12.The method of claim 11, wherein the discovery filters comprise at least one of:spatial anchor identifiers to enable detection of specific spatial anchors,spatial anchor associated service identifiers to enable detection of the spatial anchors associated with the spatial anchor associated service identifiers,a location area to enable detection of the spatial anchors within the location area,a range to enable detection of the spatial anchors within the range of the user device, anda current pose of the user along with a direction of movement.13.A user device to enable persistent search in a metaverse environment to discover spatial anchors of interest, the user device comprises:a transceiver; andat least one processor operatively coupled to the transceiver, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:transmit, to a first server via the transceiver, a request to perform the persistent search for a user in the metaverse environment, wherein the request comprises an indication to enable the persistent search and discovery filters related to a product for which the persistent search is to be performed; andreceive, from the first server via the transceiver, a notification message comprising a list of the spatial anchors of the interest.14.The user device of claim 13, wherein the discovery filters comprise at least one of:spatial anchor identifiers to enable detection of specific spatial anchors,spatial anchor associated service identifiers to enable detection of the spatial anchors associated with the spatial anchor associated service identifiers,a location area to enable detection of the spatial anchors within the location area,a range to enable detection of the spatial anchors within the range of the user device, anda current pose of the user along with a direction of movement.

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