3D Avatar Placement Using Occupancy Maps in Shared Sessions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-user communication systems struggle with efficient spatial placement and refinement of avatars in three-dimensional environments, often leading to avatars being obscured by physical or virtual objects, which disrupts spatial consistency and user experience.
Innovation Solution
Electronic devices scan the surrounding environment to generate occupancy maps, identifying optimal placement locations for avatars that avoid obstacles and maintain spatial truth, ensuring avatars are positioned at the center of the user's field of view and a predefined distance from their viewpoint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If avatars are placed automatically in three-dimensional environments without environmental scanning, then the system complexity is reduced, but avatar placement accuracy deteriorates causing avatars to be obscured by objects
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary environmental scanning and occupancy map generation before avatar placement. The device scans the physical environment, identifies objects and open spaces, and pre-determines valid placement locations. This preliminary action ensures that when avatars are placed, they are automatically positioned in valid locations that are not obscured by objects, resolving the contradiction between system complexity and placement accuracy.
2Stability of the object's composition
If avatars are placed at the center of field of view at predefined distance, then spatial consistency is improved, but placement flexibility deteriorates when objects occupy these optimal positions
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts avatar placement based on environmental conditions. While the target placement is the center of field of view at a predefined distance, the system uses the occupancy map to detect objects and dynamically modifies the placement location to alternative positions that maintain spatial consistency while avoiding obstacles. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between maintaining spatial consistency and preserving placement flexibility.
3Manufacturing precision
If environmental scanning is performed to generate occupancy maps, then avatar placement accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The environmental scanning and occupancy map generation is performed as a preliminary action before the communication session begins or when the environment changes. By completing the scanning and analysis in advance, the system establishes a foundation for rapid avatar placement decisions during the session, reducing the processing time required during active use while maintaining high placement accuracy.
4Loss of information
If multiple objects are detected and avoided in placement, then visual clarity is improved, but computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the critical information needed for placement decisions from the environmental scan - specifically, the locations of objects and open spaces in the occupancy map. Rather than processing all environmental data, the system focuses on extracting placement-relevant information, reducing computational requirements while maintaining visual clarity by avoiding placement behind or near detected objects.
Data Source
AI summary
Some examples of the disclosure are directed to methods for spatial placement of avatars in a communication session. In some examples, while a first electronic device is presenting a three-dimensional environment, the first electronic device may receive an input corresponding to a request to enter a communication session with a second electronic device. In some examples, in response to receiving the input, the first electronic device may scan an environment surrounding the first electronic device. In some examples, the first electronic device may identify a placement location in the three-dimensional environment at which to display a virtual object representing a user of the second electronic device. In some examples, the first electronic device displays the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device at the placement location in the three-dimensional environment. Some examples of the disclosure are directed to methods for spatial refinement in the communication session.