Augmented Reality Concealed Object Detection via Server Mediation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing augmented reality technologies face challenges in providing information about objects that are obscured by other objects in a real-world environment, making it difficult for users to access AR information about concealed objects.

Innovation Solution

A mobile device and method that utilize a communication system comprising a terminal and a server connected via a wired and/or wireless network, allowing the device to acquire images, define reference objects, and request AR information from the server about concealed objects by transmitting position and recognition information, enabling the display of AR information about objects behind other visible objects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If AR information is provided only for objects visible in the camera image, then the system complexity remains simple, but the information completeness deteriorates because concealed objects cannot be identified

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAR information about concealed objectsVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the mobile device and the AR information database. The server receives image data from the mobile device, performs object recognition to identify both visible and concealed objects, and returns AR information for all detected objects. This mediator approach allows complex object recognition and information retrieval to be distributed to the server, maintaining simple mobile device architecture while achieving complete information about concealed objects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If object recognition is performed to identify concealed objects, then the information completeness improves, but the measurement precision requirement increases to accurately distinguish visible from concealed objects

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAR information about concealed objectsVSAvoidobject detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary object recognition and classification on the server side before the mobile device processes the image. The server pre-identifies all objects in the scene, distinguishes between visible and concealed objects, and prepares AR information for each object in advance. This preliminary action reduces the precision burden on the mobile device, as it only needs to transmit the captured image without performing complex real-time object segmentation and concealment detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Speed

If the mobile device processes all object recognition and AR information retrieval locally, then the response speed improves, but the device complexity increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAR information provision speedVSAvoidmobile device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the AR system into two functional parts: the mobile device handles image capture and transmission (simple functions), while the server handles object recognition, concealment detection, and AR information retrieval (complex functions). This segmentation allows the mobile device to remain simple while still achieving fast AR information provision, as the computationally intensive tasks are distributed to the server and only data transmission time is added to the overall process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2418621B1Apparatus and method for providing augmented reality information
Publication Date: 2014.01.01 PANTECH CO LTD
  • EP2418621B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2418621B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2418621B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An apparatus, system, and method for providing augmented reality (AR) information of a concealed object are disclosed. The method for providing AR information of a concealed object by a terminal connectable to a server via a wired and/or wireless communication network may include acquiring an image of a real environment; defining a reference object included in the acquired image; obtaining image capturing position information about a position of the image and reference object recognition information of the defined reference object; transmitting the obtained image capturing position information and the reference object recognition information to the server; receiving information about concealed objects from the server, the concealed objects being disposed behind the reference object along or about a direction from the image capturing position to the reference object; and outputting the received information about concealed objects.