Hands-free AR on Wireless Devices via Image Stitching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional augmented reality applications on wireless communication devices require users to continuously hold the device and capture real-time video, leading to arm fatigue, self-consciousness, and limited battery life, while also providing only a limited and potentially obsolete view of AR content.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a hands-free augmented reality system that converts captured image frames into a single stitched picture, allowing users to view AR content without needing to continuously orient the device towards the scene, using a combination of local and remote processing to manage battery life and data efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If users continuously hold the device to capture real-time video for AR content, then AR content availability is improved, but user fatigue and battery consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing multiple image frames and stitching them into a single picture before the user views AR content. This allows the device to be held only temporarily for capture, rather than continuously during viewing, thereby reducing battery consumption and user fatigue while ensuring comprehensive AR content is available for the stitched scene
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the scene by stitching multiple image frames into a single picture that represents the entire scene. This single picture serves as a static representation that can be displayed without continuously holding the device, allowing users to view AR content for the entire scene rather than just the current camera view
2Loss of information
If users continuously hold the device to capture real-time video for AR content, then AR content availability is improved, but user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary stitching of multiple image frames into a single picture before display. This allows the user to hold the device only temporarily during capture, then place it down comfortably while viewing the stitched picture with AR content, significantly improving ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
By creating a single stitched picture that represents the entire scene, the system allows users to view comprehensive AR content without needing to continuously orient the device toward the scene, making the experience more convenient and comfortable
3Measurement precision
If real-time video is used for AR content, then current scene view is improved, but view completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple image frames captured at different orientations into a single stitched picture that represents the complete scene. This combines multiple partial views into one comprehensive view, allowing users to see the entire scene and all associated AR content in a single display without continuously moving the device
Solution Approach 2:
The stitched single picture serves as a complete copy of the scene that includes all areas that would otherwise require continuous device movement to view. Users can review the entire scene and its AR content without needing to maintain real-time video capture
Data Source
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AI summary
This disclosure relates to techniques for providing hands-free augmented reality on a wireless communication device (WCD). According to the techniques, an application processor within the WCD executes an augmented reality (AR) application to receive a plurality of image frames and convert the plurality of image frames into a single picture comprising the plurality of image frames stitched together to represent a scene. The WCD executing the AR application then requests AR content for the scene represented in the single picture from an AR database server, receives AR content for the scene from the AR database server, and processes the AR content to overlay the single picture for display to a user on the WCD. In this way, the user may comfortably look at the single picture with the overlaid AR content on a display of the WCD to learn more about the scene represented in the single picture.