Headset Gaze Direction Indicator for AR Social Clarity

Solution Overview

Problem

Users wearing headsets for augmented reality can appear confused or misleading to others when looking at virtual content instead of the real-world, leading to potential misunderstandings.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus determines whether the user is looking towards a reserved region and adapts an external visual indication, such as simulated eyes, to correctly or incorrectly indicate their viewing direction based on this determination, using eye tracking and external presence detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the headset displays augmented reality content that overlays virtual objects on the real world, then the user can interact with virtual content, but other people cannot accurately perceive the direction in which the user is looking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaugmented reality content displayVSAvoidgaze direction information

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of external cameras and displays that capture and relay the user's gaze direction information to other people. The camera mounted on the headset captures images of the user's eyes, and the external display presents these images to others, serving as a mediator that transfers gaze information from the user to the surrounding environment without interfering with the augmented reality experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a visual copy of the user's eyes and gaze direction by capturing images of the user's eyes with an external camera and displaying these images on external displays or to other people. This copy conveys the direction in which the user is looking, allowing others to perceive gaze information even when the user's attention is focused on virtual augmented reality content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If the headset is opaque or partially opaque in front of the user's eyes, then the user can be fully immersed in augmented reality content, but it becomes confusing to others about where the user is actually looking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaugmented reality immersionVSAvoidsocial interaction clarity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of external cameras and displays that capture and relay the user's gaze direction information to other people. The camera mounted on the headset captures images of the user's eyes, and the external display presents these images to others, serving as a mediator that transfers gaze information from the user to the surrounding environment without interfering with the augmented reality experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes visual indicators such as colored lights or highlighted regions on the headset that change based on the user's gaze direction or the presence of virtual objects. These visual changes provide cues to other people about where the user is looking, maintaining social interaction clarity while the user remains immersed in augmented reality content through the opaque display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If the headset provides augmented reality overlay, then virtual content can be displayed, but the real-world context becomes less visible to the user

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevirtual content displayVSAvoidreal-world visibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the headset display semi-transparent in regions where virtual content needs to be displayed, while maintaining higher transparency in regions where real-world visibility is critical. This allows different parts of the display to have different optical properties, balancing virtual content display with real-world context visibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by providing augmented reality overlay only in specific regions or at specific times rather than completely obscuring the real world. The display may selectively render virtual content in certain areas while leaving other areas transparent, or may adjust the opacity dynamically based on the importance of real-world versus virtual information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20250271680A1Controlling a headset

Publication Date: 2025.08.28 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

AI summary

An apparatus comprising means for:determining whether a user of a headset is looking towards a reserved region; and causing adaptation of an external visual indication produced by the headset in dependence upon the determination.