Eye Focus UI Adjustment in 3D Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
In virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality environments, user interface elements in the foreground often obscure the background view, requiring discrete hand-generated inputs to switch between foreground and background, which can be non-intuitive.
Innovation Solution
The system tracks a user's eye focus to automatically adjust user interface elements, moving them to the periphery or making them transparent when the user shifts attention from the foreground to the background, allowing unobstructed viewing without requiring hand-generated inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If UI elements are displayed in the foreground of 3D environment, then information visibility is improved, but background view is obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic UI element behavior that automatically adjusts between foreground and background positioning based on detected eye gaze direction. When the user looks forward, UI elements are positioned in the foreground for optimal visibility. When the user looks backward, the elements automatically move to the background, preventing obstruction of the backward view while maintaining accessibility through gaze-based interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the depth dimension (z-axis) in 3D space to resolve the conflict between UI visibility and background view. Instead of competing for the same 2D visual space, UI elements are positioned at different depth planes dynamically - foreground when needed for interaction, background when the user looks away. This dimensional separation allows both UI elements and background scenery to be visible at appropriate times without physical obstruction.
2Ease of operation
If hand gestures or controllers are used to switch between foreground and background, then UI control is achieved, but operation intuitiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service interaction model where the system automatically manages UI element positioning based on passive eye tracking data. The user simply needs to look at UI elements for them to be brought to the foreground, and look away for them to move to the background. No hand gestures, controllers, or explicit switching commands are required - the system serves itself by interpreting gaze direction as implicit user intent.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical hand-based input devices (controllers, hand gestures) with an optical sensing system that detects eye gaze direction. This substitution eliminates the need for physical manipulation devices, replacing them with a more natural, intuitive gaze-based interaction mechanism that leverages the user's natural looking behavior rather than requiring learned manual controls.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple UI elements are presented at different depths, then information organization is improved, but view obstruction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic depth assignment where UI elements automatically transition between different depth planes based on the user's gaze direction. When the user looks backward, elements that would normally be in the foreground dynamically move to the background plane, eliminating mutual obscuration. This dynamic repositioning maintains the versatility of having multiple layered UI elements while preventing them from blocking each other or the background view at any given moment.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a computing system and associated methods that use changes in eye focus or the depth at which a user is looking to modify a user interface. The computing system presents a three-dimensional (“3D”) environment with different user interface (“UI”) elements that are positioned in a foreground or near plane of the 3D environment and that partially or wholly obscure a background or far plane of the 3D environment. The computing system detects a change in user eye focus from the foreground to the background by using a sensor to track changes to the pupil or the amount of light reflecting off the user's eye. The computing system produces an unobstructed view to all or part of the background by adjusting positioning, opacity, or other properties of the UI elements in the foreground in response to detecting the change in the user eye focus.