AR Coordinate Alignment via Fiducial Marker Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-device augmented reality systems, aligning coordinate systems across devices is challenging due to their differing perspectives, leading to inconsistencies in the presentation of virtual objects within a shared real-world environment.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a third mobile device that receives pose data from multiple devices, identifies fiducial markers, and generates a coordinate-system transform to map three-dimensional coordinates between these systems, enabling consistent virtual object presentation across devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If each device presents virtual environment from its own perspective, then device independence and operational simplicity are maintained, but coordinate system consistency and virtual object alignment across devices deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces fiducial markers as intermediary objects that serve as common reference points across multiple devices. These markers provide a shared coordinate framework that mediates between individual device coordinate systems, enabling consistent virtual object placement while preserving device independence. Each device captures images of the same fiducial markers, allowing coordinate transformation without requiring devices to share their internal coordinate system definitions.
2Manufacturing precision
If coordinate systems are aligned across multiple devices, then virtual object presentation consistency improves, but system complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses fiducial markers as simplified copies or representations of coordinate reference frames. Instead of implementing complex inter-device coordinate system synchronization, each device independently detects and uses copies of the same fiducial marker patterns. This copying approach provides a lightweight mechanism for achieving coordinate alignment without requiring complex communication or synchronization protocols between devices.
3Measurement precision
If fiducial markers are used for coordinate mapping, then coordinate transformation accuracy improves, but the need for additional visual references increases system setup complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The fiducial markers serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as coordinate reference frames, provide scale information, enable device pose estimation, and serve as visual anchors for users. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate reference objects for each measurement task, consolidating multiple requirements into a single universal reference system that improves precision without proportionally increasing setup complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed for mapping the coordinate systems of devices for AR applications. A third device may receive a first pose from a first device associated with a first coordinate system and a second pose from a second device associated with a second coordinate system. The third device may receive an image that includes fiducial markers presented by each of the first device and the second device. The first pose and the portion of the image including the first fiducial marker may define a first set of 3D coordinates. The second pose and the portion of the image including the second fiducial marker may define a second set of 3D coordinates. A coordinate-system transform can be generated from a correspondence between the first set and the second of 3D coordinates. The coordinate-system transform may be transmitted to the first device and/or the second device.