Gaze-Adaptive Display Light Modulation for Power Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Current data processing systems for displaying images, particularly in augmented and virtual reality head-mounted displays, consume significant power due to uniform light output across the display, which can be reduced without compromising visual acceptability by adjusting light output based on the user's gaze location.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a gaze tracking system to determine the user's gaze location and adjust the light output intensity and color for different regions of the display, focusing on the fovea region for higher intensity and peripheral regions for reduced intensity, thereby optimizing power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If uniform light output is maintained across the display, then visual acceptability is preserved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidlight output uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by varying the light output intensity across different regions of the display based on the user's gaze location. The fovea region (where the user is looking) maintains high light output for visual clarity, while peripheral regions reduce light output to save power. This creates non-uniform illumination that is optimized for human visual perception rather than uniform illumination across the entire display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic light output adjustment that responds to the user's gaze movements in real-time. The display dynamically modifies which regions receive high intensity light based on where the user is looking, rather than maintaining a static uniform light distribution. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to concentrate power consumption only where visually necessary.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Use of energy by moving object

If light output is reduced in peripheral regions, then power consumption decreases, but visual quality may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidvisual acceptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by varying the light output intensity across different regions of the display based on the user's gaze location. The fovea region (where the user is looking) maintains high light output for visual clarity, while peripheral regions reduce light output to save power. This creates non-uniform illumination that is optimized for human visual perception rather than uniform illumination across the entire display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses gaze tracking data to create a virtual map of where visual attention is focused, then uses this copied information to control light output distribution. Instead of uniformly illuminating the entire display, the system copies the gaze pattern information and applies it to modulate light output, ensuring visual quality is maintained only where the user is actually looking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Use of energy by moving object

If gaze tracking system is implemented, then light output can be optimized, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by integrating the gaze tracking functionality into the existing display system architecture. The same processing units and control mechanisms that manage display output are also used to process gaze tracking data and control light modulation. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for entirely separate specialized subsystems, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the gaze tracking system with the display control system, combining what could be separate independent subsystems into an integrated architecture. The gaze tracking data processing and light output control are merged into a unified control mechanism, reducing the number of separate components and interconnections needed, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10930244B2Data processing systems

Publication Date: 2021.02.23 ARM LTD

AI summary

In a data processing system, when displaying frames to a user on a display, the location of the user's gaze on the display is determined, and the amount of light to be output for different regions of the display when displaying the frame on the display is selected and set based on the determined location of the user's gaze on the display.