Head-Mounted Display Safety Zones for Mixed Reality Content Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wearable electronic devices, such as head-mounted devices, face challenges in efficiently utilizing compact spaces for displaying content while ensuring safety and functionality, particularly in mixed reality environments where virtual and augmented information is integrated with the real world.

Innovation Solution

A head-mounted device with a display, memory, and processor that manages content display based on safety zones, allowing for conditional execution and input-driven transitions between spaces, including affordances for unlocking additional content areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If content is displayed in extended reality spaces beyond the first safety zone, then the versatility and functionality of the device is improved, but the safety and reliability deteriorates due to potential user disorientation or physical harm

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent display capabilityVSAvoiduser safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The extended reality environment is segmented into multiple safety zones (first safety zone, second safety zone) with different access conditions. The first safety zone is accessible without additional authentication, while the second safety zone requires满足 execution conditions and user input through affordances. This segmentation allows the system to provide versatile content display capabilities while maintaining safety through controlled access to different spatial regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the first safety zone is expanded to accommodate more content, then the productivity and user experience is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple safety zone management

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent delivery efficiencyVSAvoidsafety zone management
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The safety zones are implemented as dynamic rather than static structures. The system dynamically evaluates execution conditions (such as user position, device state, or environmental factors) to determine whether to expand or contract the accessible content spaces. Affordances are dynamically presented or hidden based on whether execution conditions are satisfied, allowing the system to adapt the complexity level to current operational needs while maintaining efficient content delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If execution conditions for the second space are made more restrictive, then the safety and reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to additional user inputs required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrolled content accessVSAvoiduser interaction simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Affordances serve as intermediary elements between the user and the restricted second safety zone. Instead of directly requiring complex authentication or control inputs, the system presents intuitive affordances (such as visual cues or interactive elements) that mediate the transition from the first to the second safety zone. These affordances simplify user interaction by providing natural, context-aware interfaces while still enforcing the execution conditions for reliable and safe content access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4693008A1Head-mounted device for displaying screen corresponding to content, and operation method thereof
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4693008A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4693008A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4693008A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The head-mounted device may comprise: a display; a memory including one or more storage media storing instructions; and at least one processor including a processing circuit. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, may cause the head-mounted device to: provide content corresponding to a first space through the display on the basis of a first safety area corresponding to the first space; on the basis of acquiring a request related to content corresponding to a second space, identify whether an execution condition of the second space is satisfied on the basis of the first safety area; on the basis of the execution condition of the second space not being satisfied, display at least one affordance related to a second safety area corresponding to the second space through the display; and on the basis of an input corresponding to the at least