Microsoft's Hologram System That Reacts to Your Location
Microsoft's 2020 patent describes a headset that shows holograms based on where you are in a physical space, guiding you along a path and reacting to your movement.
Original patent title: “Location-based holographic experience”
Microsoft's 2020 patent describes a headset that shows holograms based on where you are in a physical space, guiding you along a path and reacting to your movement. Granted to Microsoft Technology Licensing in 2020 with 23 claims, and it is expected to expire in 2039.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a special headset, called a head-mounted display, designed for augmented or mixed reality experiences. It uses position sensors to track exactly where you are in a defined physical area, known as an 'experience space.' The headset has a computer inside that knows the layout of this space, like a map. It also has data for digital objects, called 'holographic objects,' and knows where each one should appear in the space. As you move along a set path, the headset detects your position and shows you a hologram when you reach a specific spot. For example, it could show a virtual guide pointing the way or display information about a historical site as you walk past it, updating the hologram as you move.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Holograms that are not tied to a specific location in a physical space.
- Experiences where the hologram doesn't change or update based on the user's real-time position.
- Systems that don't use a headset with position sensors to track the user.
- Holographic experiences that don't follow a defined path from a beginning to an end.
- Triggering physical effects without first detecting the user's position relative to a hologram.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The core innovation is precisely linking holographic object display to the user's real-world position within a mapped space, creating a dynamic and interactive experience that feels integrated with the environment, rather than just overlaid.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Microsoft HoloLens experiences
Location-based AR attractions
Interactive museum exhibits
Training simulations with virtual guides
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is part of the foundational technology for creating immersive mixed-reality experiences. It outlines how digital content can be anchored to the real world and react to a user's physical presence, which is key for applications ranging from interactive museum exhibits to training simulations and advanced gaming.
Filed
February 14, 2019
Granted
September 29, 2020
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Microsoft, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is the primary entity developing and deploying this technology with its HoloLens mixed-reality headsets. Other companies in the AR/VR space, like Meta and Apple, are pursuing similar concepts for their own spatial computing devices.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the development of the mixed-reality market by defining a crucial aspect of spatial computing: making digital content interactive and responsive to the user's physical location. It helps establish standards for how location-aware holographic experiences should function, influencing product design and application development in the sector.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a special headset, called a head-mounted display, designed for augmented or mixed reality experiences. It uses position sensors to track exactly where you are in a defined physical area, known as an 'experience space.' The headset has a computer inside that knows the layout of this space, like a map. It also has data for digital objects, called 'holographic objects,' and knows where each one should appear in the space. As you move along a set path, the headset detects your position and shows you a hologram when you reach a specific spot. For example, it could show a virtual guide pointing the way or display information about a historical site as you walk past it, updating the hologram as you move.
The clever bit
The core innovation is precisely linking holographic object display to the user's real-world position within a mapped space, creating a dynamic and interactive experience that feels integrated with the environment, rather than just overlaid.
What it does not cover
- Holograms that are not tied to a specific location in a physical space.
- Experiences where the hologram doesn't change or update based on the user's real-time position.
- Systems that don't use a headset with position sensors to track the user.
- Holographic experiences that don't follow a defined path from a beginning to an end.
- Triggering physical effects without first detecting the user's position relative to a hologram.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$44K – $140K
Midpoint $88K · 12.4 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Zibits, A., Ambrus, A., McManus, M. W., Dack, J., Hogan, A. J., Kohler, J., Wright, S. C., Omotani, T. A., Scott, J. B., Krauskopf, K., & Hoffman, C. L. (2020). Microsoft's Hologram System That Reacts to Your Location (U.S. Patent No. 10,789,779). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10789779/location-based-holographic-experience
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Microsoft's Hologram System That Reacts to Your Location cover?
Microsoft's 2020 patent describes a headset that shows holograms based on where you are in a physical space, guiding you along a path and reacting to your movement.
Who owns patent US 10789779?
Microsoft Technology Licensing owns this patent, granted in 2020.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on February 14, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is part of the foundational technology for creating immersive mixed-reality experiences. It outlines how digital content can be anchored to the real world and react to a user's physical presence, which is key for applications ranging from interactive museum exhibits to training simulations and advanced gaming.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Holograms that are not tied to a specific location in a physical space.
Same assignee
More from Microsoft Technology Licensing
Patent monitoring