AR Mobile Device Server Spherical Projection Rendering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile devices with limited processing and memory capabilities struggle to effectively model and visualize complex 3D entities in augmented reality applications, leading to degraded visual quality, while bulkier devices are impractical for outdoor navigation scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A mobile device system that uses a server to store and determine 2D image representations of 3D models, creating a spherical projection approximation, which is lighter in computational and memory requirements, allowing for visualization of complex virtual elements on mobile devices without sacrificing quality, and enabling pre-calculated representations for future use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If complex 3D models are used for AR visualization, then visual quality is improved, but processing requirements and memory capacity increase beyond mobile device capabilities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual qualityVSAvoidprocessing requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the AR system into two parts: a powerful server that performs complex 3D model processing and generates optimized representations, and a mobile device that only needs to render these pre-processed representations. This segmentation allows high visual quality to be achieved through server-side computation while keeping mobile device requirements modest.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates simplified copies or representations of complex 3D models that are pre-processed on the server. These representations (such as point clouds, simplified meshes, or pre-rendered images) capture the essential visual information while requiring far less processing power and memory to handle on mobile devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If mobile devices with modest capabilities are used, then portability and ease of operation are improved, but the ability to model and visualize complex 3D entities deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveportabilityVSAvoidvisualization capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the complex 3D content and the mobile device. The server acts as a mediator that transforms complex 3D models into optimized representations suitable for mobile rendering, allowing portable devices to achieve high visualization quality without having the processing power to handle raw complex models directly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If simplified representations are used to reduce processing requirements, then device capability requirements are reduced, but visual quality deteriorates noticeably

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing requirementsVSAvoidvisual quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameters of the 3D representations through server-side processing. Complex models are transformed into optimized formats with adjusted parameters (such as point density, mesh complexity, level of detail) that maintain visual quality while reducing processing requirements. The server can dynamically adjust these parameters based on the specific mobile device's capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2572336B1Mobile device, server arrangement and method for augmented reality applications
Publication Date: 2021.09.15 TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY
  • EP2572336B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2572336B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2572336B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A mobile device (104, 204) comprising communications interface (324) for transferring data,a digital camera (328) for obtaining a camera view (102) of the surroundings of the mobile device at a location, a display (330) for visualizing data such as the camera view (102), and an augmented reality (AR) entity (332) configured to transmit, via the communications interface, an indication of the location of the mobile device to an external entity, obtain, by applying data transfer from said external entity via the communications interface, a representation determined on the basis of a number of 3D models (202) of one or more virtual elements (102e, 206a) deemed as visually observable from the location of the mobile device, said representation forming at least a part of at least an approximation of spherical projection (108, 208, 210) of said 3D models, wherein the associated spherical surface is configured to surround the location of the mobile device, and produce an AR view (102d) for visualization on the display on the basis of the camera view and orientation-wise matching portion, such as 2D images and/or parts thereof, of the representation. Related server arrangement and methods are presented.