AR Overlay Disparity Adjustment for Head Tilt Depth Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

In augmented reality and virtual reality systems, overlay content often appears at an incorrect depth relative to the underlying 3D content, causing interference and blurriness when viewed from different angles due to mismatched disparity axes with the user's eyes.

Innovation Solution

Adjust the disparity of overlay content based on head orientation by incorporating both vertical and horizontal components, reducing the apparent depth gap between the overlay and the underlying content to align with the user's gaze.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If overlay content is presented with a fixed disparity value, then the overlay content appears at a consistent depth relative to the underlying 3D content, but the overlay content becomes blurry or causes double vision when the user tilts their head

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverlay content clarityVSAvoidoverlay content adaptability to head tilt

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the disparity value adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts the disparity of overlay content based on detected head tilt orientation, allowing the overlay to remain clear and properly aligned regardless of head position. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the overlay to adapt to changing viewing conditions while maintaining visual clarity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by using sensors to detect head tilt orientation and using this information to adjust the overlay disparity in real-time. The system continuously monitors head position and modifies the overlay rendering parameters accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains overlay clarity across different head orientations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the disparity of overlay content is reduced to account for head tilt, then the overlay content remains clear when viewed from tilted angles, but the apparent depth gap between overlay and underlying content decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverlay content clarityVSAvoiddepth perception information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by selectively modifying only the disparity parameter of the overlay content based on head tilt, while preserving other depth-related parameters. This allows the system to maintain overlay clarity by adjusting disparity without completely eliminating depth perception, as other depth cues in the underlying 3D content remain intact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4668731A1Depth adjustment of 3D overlay object according to the tilt of augmented reality head-mounted display device

Publication Date: 2025.12.24 APPLE INC

Figure 1A~1B
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Figure 3A~3B

AI summary

The presentation of overlay content for a 3D scene is adjusted based on head tilt. Image content for a 3D scene is obtained by a head-mounted device. A target depth for the overlay content is determined based on depth information for the content of the scene corresponding to a first disparity. In response to a tilt of the head-mounted device satisfying a correction criterion, an adjusted target depth value for the overlay image data is determined, and the disparity of the overlay image data is reduced in accordance with the adjusted target depth value. Alternatively, an adjusted vertical disparity and an adjusted horizontal disparity are determined based on the first disparity and the orientation of the head-mounted device, and applied to the overlay image data.