AR POI Occlusion Rendering Using Geometry Boundary Intersections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Augmented reality systems face challenges in properly displaying points of interest (POIs) due to improper occlusion perception, where POIs related to occluded objects are not distinguished from visible objects, leading to confusion and poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A method for representing virtual information in a real environment using a system setup with a display device, determining the position of a viewing point relative to real environment components, and employing a geometry model to calculate ray intersections, blending POIs in non-occlusion mode if fewer than two boundaries are crossed, and in occlusion mode otherwise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If POIs are overlaid opaquely on the real environment, then visibility of POIs is improved, but occlusion perception deteriorates causing confusion between visible and occluded objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different blending modes (opaque vs. transparent) to different POIs based on their spatial relationship with real objects. POIs associated with occluded objects are rendered transparently while POIs for visible objects remain opaque, allowing simultaneous optimization of visibility and occlusion perception through localized quality differentiation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes transparency/opacity changes as a visual property to encode occlusion information. By varying the alpha channel or blending mode of POIs based on whether their associated real objects are occluded, the system conveys depth and occlusion relationships without adding explicit visual markers
2Device complexity
If POIs are displayed without distinguishing occlusion status, then device complexity is reduced, but user understanding of real environment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines occlusion status and applies appropriate blending modes without requiring explicit user input or complex manual configuration. The geometry model and ray intersection calculations enable the system to self-assess occlusion relationships and adjust POI rendering accordingly, maintaining simplicity while enhancing information delivery
3Loss of information
If ray intersection calculation with geometry model is implemented, then occlusion perception is improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-establishes a geometry model of the real environment before POI rendering. By having the geometry model ready in advance with predefined real object boundaries, the system avoids complex real-time 3D reconstruction and can perform relatively simple ray intersection tests against the preprocessed model, reducing computational burden while maintaining accuracy
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for representing virtual information in a view of a real environment, comprises the following steps: providing a system setup comprising at least one display device, wherein the system setup is adapted for blending in virtual information on the display device, determining a position of a viewing point relative to at least one component of the real environment, providing a geometry model of the real environment, the geometry model comprising multiple representations of respective built-in real objects of the real environment, each representation comprising at least one 2D or 3D geometrical shape having at least one boundary delimiting the respective object, wherein one side of the boundary is delimiting the object toward its inner side and the other side of the boundary is delimiting the object toward its outer side, providing at least one item of virtual information and a position of the at least one item of virtual information, determining a visualization mode of blending in the at least one item of virtual information on the display device according to the position of the viewing point and the geometry model, calculating a ray between the viewing point and the item of virtual information, determining a number of boundary intersections by the ray, wherein if the number of boundary intersections is less than 2, the item of virtual information is blended in in a non-occlusion mode, otherwise in an occlusion mode, and/or the position of the item of virtual information is moved to the front of the intersected boundary with respect to the viewing point.