AR Headset Overlay and Surface Detection for Immersive Gaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video game systems lack the ability to seamlessly integrate virtual game elements into a user's physical environment, limiting the immersive and interactive experience.
Innovation Solution
The use of a head-mounted display that overlays virtual game indicia onto a user's physical environment, utilizing cameras and inertial movement detection systems to create an augmented reality gaming experience, allowing interaction with real-world objects and environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a head-mounted display is used to overlay virtual game indicia onto the physical environment, then the immersive experience is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional components (display device, camera, inertial movement detection system, processing system) into an integrated head-mounted display unit. This merging allows the system to capture real-world video, detect user movement, overlay virtual game elements, and display the composite augmented reality view all within a single wearable device, thereby improving immersion while managing complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The head-mounted display is designed to perform multiple functions: capturing real-world video feed, detecting inertial movement, processing game logic, rendering virtual objects, and displaying the augmented reality composite. This multi-functionality allows a single device to replace what would otherwise require separate systems, improving versatility without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Ease of operation
If cameras and processing systems are used to detect real-world objects and interact with virtual indicia, then the interactivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously captures real-world video through cameras, detects user head movements via inertial sensors, processes this data to determine spatial relationships between virtual and physical objects, and dynamically adjusts the rendering of virtual game indicia accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system enables intuitive interaction where virtual objects respond to real-world movements, improving ease of operation while the processing system manages the computational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing system acts as an intermediary that receives raw data from cameras and inertial sensors, interprets this information to understand the relationship between virtual and physical objects, and generates appropriate rendering instructions. This intermediary layer simplifies the interaction model by abstracting the complex sensor data processing into high-level spatial relationships that directly control virtual object behavior.
3Adaptability or versatility
If transparent displays are used to show virtual indicia while maintaining visibility of the physical environment, then the immersive experience is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs transparent display technology that uses thin film structures to render virtual game indicia while allowing light from the physical environment to pass through. This enables users to see both the real world and virtual overlays simultaneously, creating an immersive augmented reality experience. The thin film nature of these displays allows them to be integrated into head-mounted form factors while maintaining transparency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables immersive gameplay by allowing virtual objects to interact with real-world objects and environments, providing a flexible and interactive gaming experience across various physical surfaces and environments.
Implementation Method 1
Video game indicia may be perceived to be located in a user's physical environment through virtual indicia that are placed on a head-mounted display. The head-mounted display may be transparent such that the user can look through the transparent display and see his/her physical environment.
Implementation Method 2
A camera may be attached to the head-mounted display to continually capture images (e.g., a video camera) of a user's environment.
Implementation Method 3
Inertial movement detection systems may be included in a head-mounted display, controller, or other device. Positioning systems may be used with inertial movement systems in order to increase the accuracy of location determinations for a head-mounted display, controller or other device.
Implementation Method 4
The head-mounted display may be transparent such that the user can look through the transparent display and see his/her physical environment.
Data Source
AI summary
An augmented reality home console is provided. Users can wear head-mounted displays with transparent screens and can control video game indicia that are perceived as being augmented over a user's environment by displaying video game indicia onto the transparent displays. As such, for example, two users can play an airplane dog fighting game where each user controls a plane in their living room. A device that can determine surfaces of objects (e.g., walls) can be utilized such that when the airplane is flown into a wall, the airplane explodes.