AR Display Switching for Ambient Light Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

When ambient illuminance increases, the visibility of augmented reality (AR) content displayed on wearable devices decreases, making it difficult for users to distinguish real objects from virtual content.

Innovation Solution

The electronic device adjusts the display of AR content by switching to a sub-display that is not affected by ambient illuminance, while highlighting real objects with an outline and bounding box in a color with high visibility compared to the ambient color, and selects the target object based on user gaze direction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If AR content is displayed on the main display, then the user can see the real object through the transparent display, but the visibility of AR content decreases when ambient illuminance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of AR contentVSAvoidambient illuminance effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The display system is divided into two independent displays: a main transparent display for showing real objects and a sub-display for showing AR content. This segmentation allows each display to optimize for its specific function, with the sub-display being dedicated to AR content and thus maintaining visibility regardless of ambient illuminance changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sub-display acts as an intermediary solution to the problem of ambient illuminance affecting AR content visibility. By introducing this intermediate display component, the system can present AR content in a controlled environment that is not subject to the same ambient light interference as the main transparent display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Illumination intensity

If the electronic device switches to display only outline and bounding box on main display, then visibility of real object is maintained, but AR content visibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of real objectVSAvoidAR content information
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the information display across two displays: the main display shows the real object with outline and bounding box, while the sub-display shows the AR content. This segmentation ensures that reducing elements on the main display does not result in loss of AR content information, as that information is preserved and presented on the sub-display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves the AR content display from the two-dimensional plane of the main transparent display to a separate sub-display dimension. This dimensional separation allows both the real object (on main display) and AR content (on sub-display) to be visible simultaneously without competing for the same visual space or being affected by the same ambient illuminance conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If the electronic device uses a single main display, then the device complexity is low, but the visibility of AR content is affected by ambient illuminance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay system complexityVSAvoidvisibility of AR content
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The display system is segmented into a main transparent display and a sub-display, each handling different types of content. This segmentation, while increasing device complexity, resolves the visibility issue by providing a dedicated display for AR content that is not subject to ambient illuminance interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the display system have different qualities optimized for their specific purposes: the main display maintains transparency for viewing real objects, while the sub-display provides controlled visibility for AR content. This local quality differentiation allows each display to excel at its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4407411B1Ar content display method based on ambient illuminance and electronic device
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4407411B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4407411B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4407411B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electronic device according to an embodiment comprises: a sensor module including an illuminance sensor for measuring the ambient luminance of the electronic device; a display module including a main display and a sub-display; memory including instructions executable by a computer; and a processor that accesses the memory and executes the instructions. The processor can: identify one or more real objects that are transmitted through the main display and shown to a user; select one of the one or more identified real objects as a target object; determine the visibility level of the electronic device on the basis of the ambient illuminance of the electronic device; and display at least one piece of augmented reality (AR) content, corresponding to the selected target object, on at least one of the main display or the sub-display on the basis of the determined visibility level.