AR Virtual Object Shading via Light Distribution Estimation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing augmented reality systems fail to consider shading effects when superimposing virtual objects onto real spaces, leading to uncomfortable appearances due to illumination states.
Innovation Solution
An augmented reality system that includes a feature part extraction unit, a light distribution characteristics estimation unit, and an image correction unit to estimate light distribution and apply shading effects to virtual objects, ensuring natural representation regardless of real-space illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If only color balance of the entire object image is considered for correction, then the processing is simple, but the virtual object appears unnatural under different illumination conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts multiple feature parts from different regions of the captured image (e.g., ceiling, wall, floor) to estimate light distribution characteristics locally. Each region provides information about illumination from different directions, enabling region-specific shading effect application to the virtual object, thereby achieving natural appearance under various illumination conditions while maintaining manageable processing complexity through structured regional analysis
2Productivity
If shading effects are not considered in virtual object rendering, then the rendering process is faster and simpler, but the virtual object appears uncomfortable and unnatural to observers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary extraction of light distribution characteristics from the captured image by analyzing color values of multiple feature parts before rendering the virtual object. This pre-computed illumination information is then applied during rendering to generate shading effects, allowing the system to achieve natural appearance without significantly increasing real-time rendering complexity, as the complex light analysis is performed in advance
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an augmented reality provision system, a method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium capable of displaying a virtual object in a very natural representation form regardless of a state of an illumination in a real space. A plurality of same color patches with the same color are extracted from a captured image including a target. Light distribution characteristics of light with which the target is irradiated are estimated from a relationship between color values in the plurality of same color patches. An object image to which a visual effect in which the virtual object is irradiated with the light has been given depending on the estimated light distribution characteristics is obtained by correcting a color of an original object image indicating the virtual object.