Augmented Reality Display Latency Reduction via Segmented Image Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional augmented reality display systems suffer from high latency, rainbow effects, and non-conformal imagery due to inadequate image updating rates, leading to user discomfort such as nausea.
Innovation Solution
An augmented reality system that generates image data at a lower rate and stores it in a super buffer, allowing for high-rate updates to the display by selectively displaying portions based on user or display position, using a processor to transfer image data at a faster rate than generation, effectively reducing latency and visual distortions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If image data is generated at a high rate to update the display quickly, then latency is reduced and conformal registration is maintained, but processing power requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image data into multiple resolutions, generating full-resolution image data at a lower rate (e.g., 60 Hz) and then transferring selected portions at a higher rate (e.g., 480 Hz). This segmentation allows the system to maintain low latency for display updates without requiring the processor to generate high-resolution data at high rates, thereby reducing processing power requirements while maintaining conformal registration during head motion.
2Device complexity
If image data is generated at a lower rate to reduce processing requirements, then system complexity is reduced, but latency increases and visual distortions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by generating and storing complete image data at a lower rate in advance, then using a buffer to hold this data while selectively transferring portions at a higher rate. This preliminary generation of image data allows the system to reduce processing power requirements while maintaining low latency through the buffer-mediated high-rate transfer to the display, preventing visual distortions during head motion.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the display is updated at a high rate to maintain conformal registration during head motion, then image stability is improved, but the processing load and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments image data by resolution, generating full-resolution data at a lower rate and transferring selected portions at a higher rate to maintain conformal registration during head motion. This segmentation enables the display to update at high rates for stability while the processor operates at lower rates, reducing processing load while maintaining image stability and conformal registration.
Data Source
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AI summary
An augmented reality system is provided and a method for controlling an augmented reality system are provided. The augmented reality system, for example, may include, but is not limited to a display (110), a memory (130), and at least one processor (120) communicatively coupled to the display (110) and memory (120), the at least one processor (120) configured to generate image data having a first resolution at a first rate, store the generated image data in the memory (130), and transfer a portion of the generated image data having a second resolution to the display (110) from the memory(130) at a second rate, wherein the second rate is faster than the first rate and the second resolution is smaller than the first resolution. This dual rate system then enables a head-tracked augmented reality system to be updated at the high rate, reducing latency based artifacts.