Heads-Up Display Image Overlay for Immersive Historical Tours
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for enhancing the tourist experience at historically significant locations, such as those described in United States patent application 2006/0271292, while effective, can be improved to provide more comprehensive and immersive information delivery.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for generating and viewing combined images of viewed locations, which involves delivering a foundation image from a first vantage position, generating data for a modifying image as if viewed from the same vantage position, combining the two images, and displaying the combined image on a viewing device, such as heads-up eyeglasses or a screen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a guidebook or audio aid is used to enhance the tourist experience, then information delivery is improved, but the viewing experience remains limited and not immersive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple information delivery methods (visual images, audio guides, and interactive displays) into a single integrated system. The heads-up display merges foundation images with modifying images to create a comprehensive viewing experience that delivers information while maintaining adaptability to different tourist perspectives and preferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional two-dimensional information delivery (guidebooks, audio aids) to a multi-dimensional experience by overlaying modifying images onto foundation images in the tourist's actual field of view. This creates a spatially-aware, immersive experience that adapts to the tourist's physical position and orientation at the historical site.
2Loss of information
If a heads-up display with attitude sensor and GPS is used, then comprehensive description is provided, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heads-up display device integrates multiple functions into a single system: GPS positioning, attitude sensing, image retrieval, and dual-image display. This multi-functional approach provides comprehensive descriptions of historical sites while managing complexity through consolidation rather than separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that handles complex image retrieval and processing tasks. The server stores foundation images and modifying images, and delivers appropriate images to the heads-up display based on location and orientation data, thereby reducing the complexity burden on the tourist's wearable device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If modifying images are overlaid on foundation images in real-time based on vantage position, then immersion and interactivity are enhanced, but image alignment and registration precision becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses attitude sensors and GPS to continuously monitor the tourist's position and orientation, providing real-time feedback for adjusting the overlay of modifying images. This feedback mechanism ensures that modifying images remain correctly aligned with the foundation images as the tourist moves, maintaining both immersion and alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts image parameters (position, orientation, scale) based on changing vantage position parameters detected by sensors. By continuously modifying image display parameters in response to tourist movement, the system maintains accurate registration while preserving the immersive experience.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the tourist experience by providing a more immersive and interactive way to appreciate historical sites, allowing for real-time adjustments and personalized viewing experiences based on the viewer's vantage position.
Implementation Method 1
The heads up viewing device can comprise a screen against which the modifying image is projected and is viewed as a reflected image by the viewer, with the foundation image being projected through the screen for viewing by the viewer.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for displaying a composite video image has a sub-system associated with a video camera to monitor position, viewing direction or depth of focus of the camera when positioned at a setting to view a modification scene at a recording time. A video recording of an image of the modification scene is made and stored. At a viewing time subsequent to the recording time, a vantage position monitor sub-system associated with a viewer is used to monitor vantage position data related to the viewer's present vantage position. Modification image data is selected and accessed from memory, the accessed data depending on the monitored vantage position data. The image data corresponding to the foundation scene and the modification scene are combined as a composite image and displayed.