AR Camera Activation by Limb Gesture for Power and Privacy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wearable AR-devices face challenges in balancing power consumption and immersive AR experiences due to manual camera activation, which can diminish user interaction and privacy concerns.

Innovation Solution

A system where a limb-mounted computing-device detects an AR-initiation gesture and sends a trigger signal to a head-mounted device to switch the camera between ON-mode and OFF-mode, optimizing power usage and privacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the camera is kept in ON-mode to capture images for AR experience, then the immersive AR experience is improved, but the power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAR experience qualityVSAvoidcamera power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The camera operates in periodic cycles, alternating between ON-mode for capturing AR images and OFF-mode for power saving. The system periodically activates the camera based on AR interaction needs rather than maintaining continuous operation, thus resolving the contradiction between AR experience quality and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the camera is activated manually for AR functions, then power consumption is reduced, but user interaction is diminished

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecamera power consumptionVSAvoiduser interaction convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines when the camera should be activated based on detected AR gestures, eliminating the need for manual user input. The device serves itself by autonomously managing camera activation states according to AR interaction context, thus reducing power consumption while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Use of energy by moving object

If the camera is activated manually for AR functions, then power consumption is reduced, but privacy concerns increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecamera power consumptionVSAvoidprivacy concerns
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system autonomously manages camera activation based on AR gesture detection, automatically activating the camera only when AR interactions are detected and deactivating it otherwise. This self-managed approach reduces unnecessary camera operation, thereby reducing power consumption and minimizing privacy concerns by limiting camera access to only when needed for AR functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4232885B1Gesture-triggered augmented-reality
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP4232885B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4232885B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4232885B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

A user may routinely wear or hold more than one computing devices. One of the computing devices may be a head-mounted computing-device configured for augmented reality. The head-mounted computing-device may include a camera. While imaging, the camera can consume power and processing resources that diminish a battery of the head-mounted computing device. To improve a battery life and to enhance a user's privacy, imaging of the camera can be deactivated during periods when the user is not interacting with the head-mounted computing device and activated when the user wishes to interact with the head-mounted computing device. The activation of the camera can be triggered by gestured data collected by a computing device other than the head-mounted computing-device.